AU2004100243B4 - Grilling Plate and Process Therefor - Google Patents

Description

31.Mar. 2004 10:36 31 .ar. 604 0:36 Wall inslon-Dummer S~dneY N.96 P No .4936 P 4 P/00/009 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents, Act 1990 Innovation Patent Invention Title; Grilling Plate and Process TherefQr.

Our Ref 046003 COMS 1D No: SMBI-00689262 Received by 113 Australia: Time 09:41 Date (Y-M-cl) 2004-03-31 31.Mar. 2004 10:36 Wallinston-Dummer Sydney N o- 49 36 P, 2 Grilling Plate and Process Therefor The present invention relates to a grilling plate and process therefore and more particularly to such a plate for use in grilling meat in an outdoor setting

BACKGROND

Grilling plates have been used in an outdoor context, the plates have taken the form of a solid plate or a plate constructed of bars or cross members. It has been an object of the manufacturers of grill plates to associate words, images or descriptions with these plates. This has often taken the form of names or descriptions of the grill plate being placed on packaging for the plate or by way of fixing a plate bearing either the model of the plate or the name manufacturer to the grill plate (or other identifiers or images so as to identify the model of the plate or its manufacturer to the user of the plate). Problems have arisen in that the packaging material or the plates bearing the manufacturers name or the model of the grill plate have been lost or detached from the plate giving rise to a situation in which the user of the plate is unaware of the identity of the manufacturer or the model of the plate that they are using. Further complications can occur if the plate for example is not made of appropriate material which COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: Time 09:41 Date 2004-03-31 31.Mar. 2004 10:37 Wallinston-Dummer Sydney No -4936 P 6 3 is easily cleaned giving rise to a further problem in which grease and other material arising from the cooking process may adhere to the plate thereby obscuring any identifying references to the model of the plate or the identity of the manufacturer.

It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

BRIZr DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Accordingly, in one broad form of the invention, there is provided a stainless steel grill plate including a contiguous top surface; said surface including indicia integrally associated therewith at at least one predetermined location.

Preferably said indicia are formed so as to have a depth of at least 0.2 cm.

Preferably the said plate further including a contiguous bottom surface and wherein said indicia are set into either the top surface or the bottom surface or into both surfaces.

Preferably the top surface of said indicia lies parallel to said contiguous top surface of said stainless steel grill plate.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: Time 09:41 Date 2004-03-31 31,Mar. 2004 10:37 Wallinston-Dummer Sydney No,4936 P. 7 -4- Accordingly, in a further broad form of the invention, there is provided a method for setting indicia integrally into a stainless steel grill plate, said plate including at least a first contigous substantially flat surface said method including the step of; al Using a laser beam to remove metal from said surface of said stainless steel grill plate at a predetermined location so as to form said indicia integrally into said surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a metallic grill plate in accordance with a first preferred embodiment wherein the symbol has been inscribed integrally at a predetermined location.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a metallic grill plate according to a second embodiment wherein the symbol uTa has been inscribed at a predetermined location.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a metallic grill plate according to a third embodiment wherein the symbol has been inscribed at a predetermined location.

DETAILED DSSCRIPTION OF PRn n EMBODIMENTS COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: Time 09:41 Date 2004-03-31 31 .Mar. 2004 10:37 Wallinston-Dummer Sydney No.4936 P. 8 5 Structure of a First Embodimsnt.

With reference to Fig. 1, one preferred embodiment is shown. Specifically this is illustrated in perspective view. A grill unit 9 (in Australia often termed a "BBQ"), which supports a grill plate 10 is shown. In this instance grill plate 10 comprises a substantially flat plate made of stainless steel having a top substantially, contiguous with surface 11.

At a predetermined location 12 within or on the surface 11 there are formed indicia 13 associated integrally with surface 11.

In this instance the indicia comprises a letter formed by removing metal from surface 11 around the letter resulting in a sunken region 14 bounded by sides 15 of height (depth) D, from which the indicia 13 rises in this instance to a height D, whereby the indicia surface 16 lies substantially parallel to surface 11 of plate In this instance a laser beam has been used to remove metal from the grill plate so as to form the symbol at a predetermined location.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: Time 09:41 Date 2004-03-31 31*Mar. 2004 10:37 Wallington-Dummer SydneY No .4 9 36 P. 9 6 In a preferred form the grill plate is manufactured using stainless steel so as to facilitate ease of cleaning after cooking.

In this instance the metal has been removed from the region surrounding the symbol at a predetermined location, 12, of the plate. In this instance the indicia 13 are formed 'integrally" by virtue of being part of the original surface material from around which material is then removed.

In use, meat or like matter is placed on surface 11 and surface 11 is heated for example using a gas flame thereby to cook the meat.

In a preferred form, indicia 13 are sized so that efficient transfer of heat to the meat can still take place even if the meat is placed over the indicia 13.

St-cture of a Second Preferred Embodiment.

With reference to Fig. 2, a second preferred embodiment is shown. Specifically this is illustrated in perspective view. A grill unit 10 (in Australia often termed a "BBQ"), which supports a grill plate 10 is shown. In this instance grill plate 10 comprises a substantially flat plate made of stainless steel having a top substantially, contiguous with surface 11.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: Time 09:41 Date 2004-03-31 31*Mar. 2004 10:37 Wallinston-Dummer SYdneY No.-4 9 36 P, l1 7 At a predetermined location 12 within or on the surface 11 there are formed indicia 13 associated integrally wth surface 11.

In this instance the indicia comprises a letter formed by removing metal from surface 11 from inside or within the symbol for the letter resulting in a sunken region 14 bounded by sides 15 of height (depth) D, from which the indicia 13 is sunken in this instance to a depth D, below surface 11, whereby the indicia surface 16 lies below surface 11 of plate In this instance a laser beam has been used to remove metal from the grill plate so as to form the symbol at a predetermined location.

In a preferred form the grill plate is manufactured using stainless steel so as to facilitate ease of cleaning after cooking.

In this instance the metal has been removed from the region inside the symbol. at a predetermined location, 12, of the plate. In this instance the indicia 13 are formed "integrally" by virtue of being part of the original surface material, wherein surface material is removed from COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: Time 09:41 Date 2004-03-31 31.Mar. 2004 10:38 Wallington-Dummer Sydney No.4936 P. 11 8 the inside of the symbol so as to create the indicia 13.

Use In use, meat or like matter is placed on surface 11 and surface 11 is heated for example using a gas flame thereby to cook the meat.

In a preferred form, indicia 13 are sized so that efficient transfer of heat to the meat can still take place even if the meat is placed over the indicia 13.

The third preferred embodiment is defined in Figure 3 wherein the indicia 13 is raised above the surface 11, its structure and function is as recited above in relation to Figures 1 and 2. Components are otherwise numbered as for the first and third embodiments described alone.

Certain variations can be contemplated: In alternative forms the cooking element comprising a plate need not be made of stainless steel. Further the element need not even be planar in shape but may be curved. The plate may be made of any substance that is able to absorb heat and yet retain its shape for grilling purposes be it Teflon, ceramic or another material typically used for cooking that will facilitate ease of cleaning. The inscribing of symbols into the surface of the plate so as to be integrally included may occur by way of either the COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: Time 09:41 Date 2004-03-31 31.Mar. 2004 10:38 Wallinston-Dummer Sydney N o- 49 36 P 12 9 use of a laser, by mechanical means or by way of the addition of a chemical solvent so as to dissolve metal in a predetermined location giving rise to the formation of symbols such as those at locations 11, 12 and 13 in figures 1, 2 and 3 respectfully.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: Time 09:41 Date 2004-03-31

Claims (1)

1. 31-Mar. 2004 10:38 Wallinston-Dummer Sydney No. 4936 P 13 10 CLAIMS 1. A stainless steel grill plate including a contiguous top surface; said surface including indicia integrally associated therewith at at least one predetermined location. 2. The plate of claim 1 wherein said indicia are formed so as to have a depth of at least 0.1 cm. 3. The plate of claim 1 and claim 2 further including a contiguous bottom surface and wherein said indicia are set into either the top surface or the bottom surface or into both surfaces. 4. The plate of claim 1 and claim 3 wherein the top surface of said indicia lies parallel to said contiguous top surface of said stainless steel grill plate. A method for setting indicia integrally into a stainless steel grill plate, said plate including at least a first contigous substantially flat surface said method including the step of: a) Using a laser beam to remove metal from said surface of said stainless steel grill plate at a predetermined location so as to form said indicia integrally into said surface. COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: Time 09:41 Date 2004-03-31 31-Mar. 2004 10:38 31 *ar. 004 0:38 Wall inglon-Dufmer Sydney o43 .1 No. 4936 P 14 11 DATED: 30 March 2004 Equipment Tech Pty L-1am ted by its Patent Attorneys; WAILLINGTQN-DtThW* COMS ID No: SMBI-00689262 Received by IP Australia: lime 09:41 Date 2004-03-31