Multi-Height Skewer Support Assembly to Prevent Food Charring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional barbecues offer limited options for cooking food, particularly for types like shish kebabs that require specific heat arrangements, as they can either be too close to the heat source and char or not close enough, and the warming rack provides inadequate cooking.
Innovation Solution
A barbecue support assembly that allows for an elongate skewer to be positioned at multiple preselected heights above the grill, with body elements and apertures that enable vertical and transverse repositioning, providing multi-level cooking options and stabilizing the skewer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If food is positioned close to the heat source for cooking, then cooking efficiency is improved, but the food may char or blacken
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces vertical positioning of skewers at multiple heights above the grill, transforming the traditional two-dimensional cooking surface into a three-dimensional cooking space. This allows food to be positioned at optimal distances from the heat source, enabling efficient cooking without charring by utilizing the vertical dimension for heat distance control.
Solution Approach 2:
The support assembly allows dynamic adjustment of skewer positions between different height levels, enabling users to adapt the cooking distance in real-time based on food type and cooking stage, thus preventing charring while maintaining cooking efficiency.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If food is positioned on the warming rack far from the heat source, then charring is avoided, but cooking efficiency decreases and minimal cooking occurs
Solution Approach 1:
By adding vertical positioning capability, the invention creates intermediate cooking zones between the grill and warming rack, allowing food to be positioned at optimal heights for both cooking efficiency and charring prevention simultaneously.
3Device complexity
If the barbecue has a flat grill with limited positioning options, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability for different food types decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The support assembly is segmented into multiple body elements with apertures at different heights, allowing independent positioning of skewers at various levels. This segmentation provides cooking flexibility for different food types while maintaining relative simplicity of the overall grill structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The support assembly serves multiple functions: it provides vertical positioning for skewers, allows transverse repositioning, and accommodates different food types and cooking stages, thereby increasing adaptability without significantly complicating the grill structure.
4Device complexity
If the skewer position is fixed, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to reposition for different cooking needs is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The support assembly incorporates movable components that allow skewers to be repositioned vertically between different height levels and transversely along the grill, providing operational flexibility while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The body elements with apertures serve as intermediary structures that facilitate easy skewer positioning and repositioning, allowing users to adjust skewer locations without complex mechanisms while maintaining structural support.
Data Source
AI summary
A barbecue support assembly for supporting an elongate skewer at one or more preselected heights above a barbecue grill. The barbecue support assembly includes one or more body elements having one or more parts thereof positionable substantially at one of the preselected heights. Also the part includes one or more apertures in which an end of the skewer is receivable.