AU2020102619A4

AU2020102619A4 - A barbecue, a fluid applicator arrangement therefor, and a smoker chamber for a barbecue

Info

Publication number: AU2020102619A4
Application number: AU2020102619A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Byung Oh Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-10-06
Filing date: 2020-10-06
Publication date: 2020-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 2028-10-06

Abstract

A BARBECUE, A FLUID APPLICATOR ARRANGEMENT THEREFOR, AND A SMOKERCHAMBERFORABARBECUE ABSTRACT A barbecue with a fluid applicator for food is described. There are other aspects also de scribed: a barbecue with a multi-layer rotisserie; a reconfigurable smoker chamber for a barbecue; a barbecue with a reconfigurable wall mounted smoker chamber; a removable sump tray for a barbecue with a closable drain arrangement; a fluid applicator for applying fluid to barbecued food while cooking; a fluid applicator for applying fluid to food that is cooking on a barbecue, the fluid applicator including: one or more fluid transport tubes configured to mount on or in an upper region of a barbecue cooking chamber, the trans port tubes including one or more apertures for distributing fluid from the delivery tube to the food. Also described is a barbecue hood with a fluid distribution system mounted thereon for application of fluid to food that is cooking under the barbecue hood; a barbe cue with a reconfigurable cooking chamber; a movable wall which moves from a stowed position adjacent a wall of the cooking chamber and a deployed position distal a wall of the cooking chamber to reduce the volume of the cooking chamber; a barbecue with a variable-volume cooking chamber. 8/8 60 46 40 o o 45 82 _47 50 80 51 41 Figure 8

Description

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A BARBECUE, A FLUID APPLICATOR ARRANGEMENT THEREFOR, AND A SMOKERCHAMBERFORABARBECUE

Technical Field 1. The present technology relates generally to barbecues and improvements to bar becues.

Background 2. Barbecues are intended to impart a wonderful texture and aroma to food. A barbe cue cooks the food in a closed chamber, usually on heated bars or hotplates, which are heated by gas burners disposed below. 3. Unfortunately, the process by which the lovely texture and aroma is provided can be messy. 4. Furthermore, the chamber in which the food is cooked can be difficult to clean. The dirty barbecue chamber brings vermin such as cockroaches and rats. 5. In addition, the food cooked on the barbecue can be unhealthy. The charring is undesirable, and debates do rage about whether the resulting substance is car cinogenic to humans. 6. Even if the food does not cause disease, barbecued food can be unpleasant to eat because it can dry out. 7. The present inventor seeks to provide a barbecue which substantially ameliorates one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages and/or which at least provides a useful alternative to known barbecues.

Summary 8. There are several aspects to the present technology. 9. Broadly, the present technology provides a barbecue with a fluid applicator for food. 10. The present technology also broadly provides a barbecue with a multi-layer rotis serie. 11. The present technology further broadly provides a reconfigurable smoker chamber for a barbecue. 12. The present technology broadly additionally provides a barbecue with a reconfig urable wall mounted smoker chamber.

13. The present technology still further broadly provides a removable sump tray for a barbecue with a closable drain arrangement.

14. The present technology yet further broadly provides a fluid applicator for applying fluid to barbecued food while cooking.

15. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluid applicator for applying fluid to food that is cooking on a barbecue, the fluid applica tor including: one or more fluid transport tubes configured to mount on or in an upper re gion of a barbecue cooking chamber, the transport tubes including one or more apertures for distributing fluid from the delivery tube to the food.

16. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a bar becue hood with a fluid distribution system mounted thereon for application of fluid to food that is cooking under the barbecue hood.

17. In one embodiment the barbecue hood includes one or more fluid transport tubes with one or more apertures disposed thereon, in use to release the fluid onto the food.

18. In one embodiment the one or more fluid transport tube is in the form of a tube ex tending from one side of a barbecue hood to another.

19. In one embodiment the one or more apertures are disposed in the wall of the one or ore fluid transport tubes.

20. In one embodiment the one or more apertures are about 1mm in diameter.

21. In one embodiment the one or more apertures are about 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.25, 1.5, 2, 2.25 or 2.5mm in diameter, depending on the fluid to be transported and applied to the cooking food.

22. In one embodiment the apertures may be about 10mm apart, or about 15mm, or about 5mm apart.

23. In one embodiment the fluid to be applied to the food is water.

24. In one embodiment the fluid to be applied to the food is oil.

25. In one embodiment salt may be added to the water or oil.

26. In one embodiment there is provided a reservoir of fluid in fluid communication with the fluid distribution system and/or the transport tubes.

27. In one embodiment the reservoir is pressurised to facilitate spraying or misting or throwing or aerosolization of the fluid.

28. In one embodiment there is a pump provided to pressurise the reservoir or the transport tubes or the fluid distribution system.

29. In one embodiment the reservoir is disposed above the barbecue to facilitate gravi ty feeding of the fluid to the food.

30. In one embodiment the transport tubes form a gallery to transport fluid around the outside or inside of the upper region of the barbecue chamber.

31. In one embodiment the transport tubes drop fluid on to the smoking chambers to change the smoking characteristics.

32. In one embodiment there are provided one or more nozzles mounted on the trans port tubes to facilitate further aerosolisation or misting or throwing or sending or other distribution through the air from the tubes to the food.

33. In one embodiment the nozzles are mounted on the hood of the barbecue.

34. In one embodiment the nozzles are in fluid communication with the reservoir via tubes.

35. In accordance with yet another aspect of the present technology there is provided a smoker chamber configured to be mounted on a wall of a barbecue, the smoker chamber including at least one wall portion that is permeable to smoke, and a wall portion on another wall that is impermeable to smoke.

36. The arrangement of the smoker chamber is such that the smoke-permeable wall portion is configured to retain wood chips but to allow smoke from the chips to flow through it, while the smoke-impermeable wall inhibits the smoke and the chips from passing through.

37. Further, the arrangement of the smoke-permeable walls of the smoker chamber is such that a user may reconfigure it to provide efficient cooking or efficient smoking. That is, a user may reconfigure the chamber to either allow smoke from wood chips in the smoker chamber to permeate the food in the barbecue chamber, or, when there are no wood chips available, or wood chips are not desirable because of the type of food to be cooked, the user may reconfigure the smoking chamber to present the impermeable wall to the barbecue chamber. In this disposition, the barbecue chamber is effectively smaller in volume because a solid wall is disposed in a position spaced from the wall against which it was previously disposed.

38. In accordance with still another aspect of the present technology there is provided a barbecue with a reconfigurable cooking chamber.

39. In one embodiment the reconfigurable cooking chamber includes a movable wall which moves from a stowed position adjacent a wall of the cooking chamber and a deployed position distal a wall of the cooking chamber to reduce the volume of the cooking chamber.

40. In accordance with a still further aspect of the present technology there is provided a barbecue with a variable-volume cooking chamber.

41. In one embodiment the cooking chamber includes mounts disposed on interior walls to mount the smoker chamber.

42. In one embodiment the smoker chamber includes a closure to inhibit release of heat and smoke from the smoking chamber and the cooking chamber.

43. In one embodiment the smoker chamber includes a mesh floor.

44. In one embodiment the smoker chamber includes a sump beneath the mesh floor.

45. In one embodiment the smoker chamber is a rectangular prism.

46. In one embodiment a rotisserie is mounted in the cooking chamber to cook the food.

47. In one embodiment the rotisserie includes a plurality of food mounts for the food.

48. In one embodiment the food mounts include skewer receivers.

49. In one embodiment the plurality of food mounts are disposed at a plurality of dis tances from a heat source.

50. In one embodiment there is provided one or more heat sources disposed on a wall of the barbecue chamber.

51. In one embodiment the one or more heat sources are radiant heat sources.

52. In one embodiment the radiant heat sources may be gas-burning radiators.

53. In one embodiment the radiant heat sources may be electric elements.

54. In one embodiment there is provided a sump to receive and temporarily store the oils and fats and other food elements from the food.

55. In one embodiment the sump is in the form of a removable tray to facilitate clean ing.

56. In one embodiment the removable tray includes a drain so that in use the sump may be drained to facilitate removal of the tray from the barbecue.

57. In one embodiment the drain is operable to move a closure element between an open position and a closed position.

58. In one embodiment the operable drain includes a valve.

59. In one embodiment the one or more radiant heat sources are disposed at the base of the cooking chamber.

60. In one embodiment the hood is operable to close by a hinge.

61. In one embodiment there is provided a window so that the hood does not need to be opened to monitor the cooking progress.

62. In one embodiment the window includes one or more vents.

63. In one embodiment there are provided one or more vents in the hood.

64. In one embodiment the vents are provided in side portions of the window to keep the window clean.

65. In one embodiment there is provided a thermometer.

66. In one embodiment the hood and the smoking box closures form the roof of the cooking chamber.

67. In one embodiment the smoking box closure can be removed to provide a vent for cooking gases and smoke and other vapours from the cooking chamber.

68. In one embodiment at least a portion of the rotisserie mounts are disposed inside the hood so that at least some smoke from the smoking chambers in use is drawn past the food into the window vents and/or the other smoking box closure.

69. In one embodiment there are two reconfigurable smoking boxes; one may be in the smoking position while the other may be in the stand-by position in which the impermeable wall reduces the cooking volume of the cooking chamber.

70. In one embodiment there are two reconfigurable walls; one may be moved inward to cover the mesh of the smoking chambers while the other one may be disposed in the standby position.

71. In one embodiment the food mounts on the rotisserie are arranged in two concen tric positions; some food may require closer passes to the heating elements than others; and less time in the hotter, upper sections of the chamber than other foods.

72. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a barbe cue with a cooking chamber, the barbecue including a fluid applicator disposed in the cooking chamber for applying fluid to food in the cooking chamber.

73. In one embodiment there is further included a rotisserie for cooking the food to fa cilitate spreading of the liquid over many pieces of the food.

74. In one embodiment there is further included a wall mounted mounted smoker chamber comprising a solid rear wall which is adapted to be reconfigurable such that the solid rear wall can adopt a front wall position spaced from the wall of the barbecue to alter the volume of the cooking chamber.

75. In one embodiment the fluid applicator also includes one or more fluid transport tubes configured to mount on or in an upper region of a barbecue cooking cham ber, the transport tubes including one or more apertures for distributing fluid from the delivery tube to the food.

Advantages

76. Advantageously, embodiments of the barbecue and its components provide a flex ible rotisserie which can accommodate different kinds of food, some of which ben efits from a close pass to the heating elements, and more time in the hotter, upper parts of the cooking chamber in the upper portions of the hood, and others of which ask for a more gentle heat.

77. The food that is cooked in embodiments of the technology is generally crisp and crunchy on the outside, while exhibiting a warm, soft and tender interior, because of the moisture provided during the cooking process from the water distribution system and nozzles/apertures.

78. The water is believed to assist with keeping spitting of food down to a minimum, since the surface temperature of the food is reduced, at least at the top of its rota tion on the rotisserie.

79. The food that is cooked is healthy because the fat drips off into the sump. Since the sump is filled with water, the sump merely needs to be drained and therefore harsh scrubbing is not required.

80. The movable walls, provided as part of the smoking chambers, provide for efficient cooking when required, since they can be moved to reduce the volume in the cooking chamber, while providing flavoursome, smoky cooking at other times.

Clarifications

81. In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date: (a) part of common general knowledge; or (b) known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

82. It is to be noted that, throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word 'comprise'and variations of the word, such as 'comprising' and 'comprises', is not intended to exclude other variants or additional components, integers or steps.

Brief Description of the drawings

83. In order to enable a clearer understanding, a preferred embodiment of the technol ogy will now be further explained and illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

84. Figure 1 is an isometric view of a built-in barbecue shown without trolley or bench, and with its hood in a closed position;

85. Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the barbecue shown with the hood in a closed position;

86. Figure 3 is a rear elevation view of the barbecue shown with the hood in a closed position;

87. Figure 4 is a left side elevation view;

88. Figure 5 is a right side elevation view;

89. Figure 6 is a plan view;

90. Figure 7 is an isometric cutaway view of the barbecue with the hood shown in an open position; and

91. Figure 8 is a right side elevation section view with the hood in a closed position.

Detailed description of an example embodiment

92. Referring to the drawings there is shown a barbecue generally indicated at 10. At tached to the barbecue 10 is a fluid applicator 20 for applying fluid to barbecued food while cooking. In one case, the fluid is water to keep the food moist during the cooking process.

93. The fluid applicator 20 includes a fluid transport tube 22 mounted in a hood 24 of the barbecue cooking chamber 25, the transport tube 22 including one or more apertures 26 for distributing fluid from the transport tube 22 to the food.

94. The barbecue hood 24 may be sold separately and assembled onto the cooking chamber 25. The hood 24 in that case would have assembled onto it a fluid distri bution system 21 mounted thereon for application of fluid to food that is cooking under the barbecue hood 24. The fluid distribution system 21 on the barbecue hood 24 includes the fluid transport tube 22 which has the apertures 26, in use to release the fluid onto the food. The fluid comes from a reservoir 30 which is in fluid communication by connecting tubes 31 with the fluid distribution system 21.

95. It can be seen in the Figures that the one or more fluid transport tubes 22 are in the form of a tube 23 extending from one side 34 of a barbecue hood 24 to another 36. The one or more apertures 26 are disposed in the wall of the one or ore fluid transport tubes 22. The one or more apertures 26 are about 1mm in diameter.

96. The reservoir 30 is not pressurised, but it is disposed above the hood 24, on a stand, to facilitate slow gravity-fed dripping of the fluid onto the food.

97. There is also shown in the Figures two smoker chambers 40, 41 which are config ured to be mounted on a wall 50 of a cooking chamber 25, the smoker chamber 40, 41 including at least one wall portion 42 that is permeable to smoke, and a wall portion 44 on another wall that is impermeable to smoke. The smoker chamber 40 is arranged such that the smoke-permeable wall portion 42 is configured to retain wood chips but to allow smoke from the chips to flow through it, while the smoke impermeable wall 44 inhibits the smoke and the chips from passing through. The wall portion 42 is made of mesh 43, while the wall portion 44 is made of sheet steel or aluminium.

98. In use, a user may reconfigure the smoker chamber 40, 41 to provide efficient cooking or efficient smoking, or a combination of both. That is, a user may recon figure the chamber 25 to either allow smoke from wood chips in the smoker cham ber 40, 41 to permeate the food in the barbecue chamber 25, or, when there are no wood chips available, or wood chips are not desirable because of the type of food to be cooked, the user may reconfigure the smoking chamber 40, 41 to present the impermeable wall to the barbecue chamber. In this disposition, the barbecue chamber is effectively smaller in volume because a solid wall 45, 46 is disposed in a position spaced from the wall against which it was previously dis posed.

99. In this way, we have seen that there is provided a barbecue 10 with a reconfig urable cooking chamber 25. Effectively, what we are discussing here is a barbecue 10 with a variable-volume cooking chamber 25. The reconfigurable or variable-vol ume cooking chamber includes a movable wall 45, 46 which moves from a stowed position adjacent a wall 50, 51 of the cooking chamber and a deployed position distal a wall of the cooking chamber to reduce the volume of the cooking chamber 25. To mount the smoker chambers 40, 41, the cooking chamber includes mounts 47 disposed on interior walls 50.

100. The smoker chamber 40, 41 also includes a closure 48, 49 to inhibit release of heat and smoke from the smoking chamber and the cooking chamber. The closure 48, 49 forms part of the roof of the cooking chamber 25, and may form a vent to direct smoke and cooking fats away from a window 60, provided to facilitate view ing of the cooking progress.

101. The smoker chamber 40, 41 includes a mesh floor 55, 56 and a sump 57, 58 be neath the mesh floor 55, 56. The smoker chamber 40, 41 can be seen to be a rec tangular prism to make it easy to reconfigure the cooking chamber for efficient cooking.

102. A rotisserie 70 is mounted in the cooking chamber 25 to cook the food. The rotis serie 70 includes a plurality of food mounts 72 for the food. The food mounts in clude skewer receivers 74, 75 and the plurality of food mounts 74, 75 are disposed at a plurality of distances from a heat source: the outside mounts 74 and the inside mounts 75. The inside mounts 75 are for food that does not react well to extreme heat, while the outside mounts 74 are for food that is good to crisp up well on the outside.

103. There are provided one or more heat sources 80 disposed on a wall 50 of the bar becue chamber 25. The one or more heat sources are radiant heat sources 82. The radiant heat sources 82 are gas-burning radiators. The one or more radiant heat sources are disposed at the base of the cooking chamber 25.

104. There is also provided a sump 90 to receive and temporarily store the oils and fats and other food elements from the food. The sump 90 is in the form of a removable tray 92 to facilitate cleaning. The removable tray 94 includes a drain 96 so that in use the sump 90 may be drained to facilitate removal of the tray from the barbe cue. Basically, of course, draining the sump 90 makes the tray lighter so it can be more easily removed for cleaning. The drain 96 is operable to move a closure ele ment between an open position and a closed position, and the closure element is a ball in a ball valve 98.

105. The hood 24 is operable to close by a hinge 19. There is also provided a window 17 so that the hood 24 does not need to be opened to monitor the cooking progress. The window 17 includes one or more vents 15 to allow smoke and cook ing fumes out of the chamber 25. There is also provided a thermometer 13.

106. As mentioned, the hood 24 and the smoking box closures 48, 49 form the roof of the cooking chamber. The smoking box closure 48, 49 can be removed to provide a vent for cooking gases and smoke and other vapours from the cooking chamber.

107. To cook, the gas burners 82 are lit, and skewers of food are mounted on the rotis serie. The rotisserie is commenced on its rotation, powered by a motor and a gearbox 99, and the food slowly passes by the radiators 82. The water or oil reservoir 30 is mounted above the hood and connected to the tube 22. The water or oil commences flowing and slowly drips out of the apertures 26. When the food reaches the top of the hood, the hottest part of the chamber 25, the water drips onto it, replacing moisture taken by the gas radiators 82. When the water or oil drips out of the apertures 26, the water or oil meets the heat and makes vapour, or steam if hot enough, and the atmosphere in the barbecue is one where at least a higher amount of moisture is maintained in the food than would otherwise be the case.

108. The food emerges from the barbecue as crispy on the outside and tender and soft on the inside. If there was wood chips in the smoking boxes 40, 41, we can add the lovely aroma of the smoke. If there are no wood chips available, we can cook our meal faster by turning the smoking boxes around and then the heat reflects back on to the food at a much closer distance and the heat is more efficiently transmitted to the food, rather than through the smoking boxes 40, 41.

Clarifications 109. Modifications and improvements to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A barbecue with a cooking chamber, the barbecue including a fluid applicator dis posed in the cooking chamber for applying fluid to food in the cooking chamber.
2. The barbecue in accordance with claim 1 further including a rotisserie for cooking the food to facilitate spreading of the liquid over many pieces of the food.
3. The barbecue in accordance with claim 1 or 2 further including a wall mounted mounted smoker chamber comprising a solid rear wall which is adapted to be recon figurable such that the solid rear wall can adopt a front wall position spaced from the wall of the barbecue to alter the volume of the cooking chamber.
4. The barbecue in accordance with claim 1 or 2 or 3 wherein the fluid applicator in cludes one or more fluid transport tubes configured to mount on or in an upper region of a barbecue cooking chamber, the transport tubes including one or more apertures for distributing fluid from the delivery tube to the food.
5. A barbecue hood with a fluid distribution system mounted thereon for application of fluid to food that is cooking under the barbecue hood.