Vertical Grill Fat Evacuation Slides for Flare-Up Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art vertical electric grills with internal drip trays are prone to fire flare-ups and smoke due to uncleaned combustible fats, and the use of a perforated metal fire suppressing cover obscures retained oils, leading to smouldering embers and increased fire risk.
Innovation Solution
The design features external slides or angled slides that direct fats and breakaway solids away from the cooking elements to an external receptacle, reducing the risk of fire by keeping the fat collection area outside the grill and using a semi-transparent protective hood for the receptacle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an internal drip tray is used to retain fats and oils, then the grill can effectively collect and contain drippings, but the retained fats and oils are obscured from view and can combust causing fire flare-ups and smoke
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drip tray from the internal structure and positions it externally, allowing users to directly observe and access the collected fats and oils. This external positioning eliminates the obscuration problem and enables immediate detection of combustible materials, preventing fire hazards while maintaining effective dripping collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a transparent or translucent cover for the external drip tray, allowing visual detection of the accumulated fats and oils through the cover material. This transparency enables users to monitor the drip tray contents without removing the cover, ensuring timely emptying before combustion risk arises.
2Reliability
If a perforated metal fire suppressing cover is used on the internal drip tray, then fire risk is reduced, but the cover blocks the view of retained oils and allows solids to accumulate and ignite
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the problematic perforated cover entirely by extracting the drip tray to an external position. This eliminates the visibility obstruction and solid accumulation issues associated with perforated covers, while the external location provides natural fire suppression through distance from the heat source.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a transparent or translucent cover material for the external drip tray, replacing the opaque perforated metal cover. This allows continuous visual monitoring of fat and oil levels without obstruction, enabling users to maintain the grill properly and prevent ignition hazards.
3Device complexity
If the drip tray is internal and hidden from view, then the grill structure is compact, but users forget to clean it leading to dangerous accumulations of fats and oils
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drip tray from the hidden internal position to an external location that is readily visible and accessible to users. This maintains reasonable structural compactness while dramatically improving maintenance awareness, as users can easily see and access the drip tray for regular cleaning without disassembling any components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively reduces the risk of fire flare-ups and smoke by directing fats and solids away from high heat areas, making it easier for users to maintain the grill and preventing smouldering embers from entering the grill's internal cavities.
Implementation Method 1
the body is adapted to direct fats and breakaway solids generated during the cooking of the food away from the cooking element down through the body of the electric grill and out into an external receptacle
Implementation Method 2
at least two sources of radiant heat energy
Data Source
AI summary
A vertical grill (11) for cooking food items is disclosed wherein the vertical grill is comprised of a body (12) containing at least one vertical grilling area disposed between at least two sources of radiant heat energy (24), and wherein the body (12) is adapted to direct fats and breakaway solids generated during the cooking of the food into an external receptacle (32) via the external opening (22). It achieves this by including (Evacuation Slides) guides (28) and (30) which are contained within the body (12) of the grill (11) and arranged in various shaped assemblies such that food and fats falling on (Evacuation Slide) guide 28 travels down until it is collected by (Evacuation Slide) guide (30) which delivers the food and fats to the external receptacle (32) where they are not in any danger of catching fire.