WO2017196229A1

WO2017196229A1 - Gripping device for grill grate

Info

Publication number: WO2017196229A1
Application number: PCT/SE2017/050445
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carl-Harry JOHANSSON
Original assignee: Johansson Carl-Harry
Priority date: 2016-05-12
Filing date: 2017-05-05
Publication date: 2017-11-16
Also published as: SE1650641A1; SE540025C2

Abstract

A hand-operated gripping device (1 ) arranged to handle a grill grate (2) with parallel ribs (3). The gripping device (1 ) comprises two relative to each other axially displaceable rods (4, 5). The rods (4, 5) comprises at their respective upper ends (6, 7) a first and a second handle (10, 12) respectively and at their respective lower end (8, 9) a first and a second holder member (1 1, 13) respectively. The first handle (10) is disposed above the second handle (12) and by axial displacement of the rods (4, 5) by the handles (10, 12), the holder members (1 1, 13) takes an open position (a) and a gripping position (b) respectively. By that the first holder member (1 1 ) is arranged above the second holder member (13), the user can grab the grill grate (2) by hand, by moving the handles (10, 12) towards each other after that the second holder member (13) has been inserted through the grill grate (2) and after that the gripping device (1 ) is turned to a position transverse to the ribs (3), whereby the holder members (1 1, 13) clamping the grill grate (2).

Description

Gripping device for grill grate Technical field

Present invention relates to a gripping device for gripping, lifting and handling most types of grill grates. Preferably the field of use is to handle the grill grate while using a grill, when the grill is very hot, but also when the grill grate is cold because the management of grill grates risks to contaminate the user. The device is useful at all kinds of grills comprising grates of conventional construction, that is with a plurality of adjacent parallel grid ribs. Background of the invention

Most grilles at the market have grill grates in the form of longitudinal extending, more or less parallel ribs, which may be connected with one or more transverse ribs, or by that the ribs are attached at their ends as a frame structure. Also other types of grill grates are present. While most grill grates have parallel openings between the ribs there has been developed different models of tools arranged to in different ways lift and handle hot and/or dirty grill grates. Most of these are designed for one hand use because it is advantageous to have "one hand free" for other tasks. US 4482181 presents a solution which comprises a solid handle having two branches - one on each side of the handle - which respective branch comprise a hook in one end and an anvil at a distance from the hook. The hooks are inserted in a gap between two adjacent ribs in the grill grate by tilting the tool slightly forward so the hooks grip around the underside of a rib, whereby - when the tool after that is lifted - the anvils will abut the upper side of a number of ribs and the grill grate may be lifted. The disadvantages of this design are that it is only the gravity of the grille grate that holds the grill grate in place during handling. If the grill grate is tilted, it is easy to slide and drop the grill grate, which is a risk, and further that the hand is relatively close to the hot grill bed while the tool should be threaded into place. In US 5729854, a similar principle as described in the previous U.S. application is used. A fork-like, curved and wide end of a long shaft is inserted between and under one or more grating bars by that the shaft is inclined in a partially vertical position, and then the shaft is tilted to a more horizontal position, whereby the anvil gets in contact with the top of the grill grate, and the grate can be lifted. The same problem described above can also be found here, with the exception of that the shaft in this case is relatively long, where the hand does not need to be near the grill bed at use, because it is outside the grill. Another type of solution is found in US 8562044 B2, which probably work best using the presented tool in pair with a similar tool. The tool consists of a triangular handle which merges with a relatively short shaft. Onto the shaft is fitted a spring which bears against a stop with its upper end and against a circular plate with its lower end. In the lower end of the shaft is a transverse rod attached which is below the circular plate, and which plate is spring loaded by the spring. By applying the tool against the grill grate so that the transverse round rod is parallel to the grill grate ribs and then press the tool against the grill grate, the spring will be compressed and the round rod is fed through the grate between the ribs. Thereafter the handle/the tool is turned so that the round rod is transverse to the ribs of the grill grate, whereupon the pressing force in the direction of the grill grate is released. Thus the handle springs up and the grill grate is locked by the spring force between the transverse round rod and circular plate. When the grill grate is held only by the spring force, and the risk that the grill grate should slide is great, it is safest to have two tools to lift and handle the grill, which is a disadvantage. A further solution where the grill grate is held by spring force is presented in US 5346268. The gripping device according to this solution is formed by two parallel rods which are provided with a respective handle at its upper end. The rods are axially displaceable relative to each other by pressing the two handles towards each other by hand. The rod that is attached to the uppermost disposed handle, viewed from its operative position, has in its opposite lower end a lower holder member in the form of a round bar which is arranged perpendicular relative to the rod. This round bar is adapted for insertion through a grill grate between its ribs. The second rod, which is provided with the lowermost disposed handle, has in its opposite lower end, an upper holder member in the form of a quadratic curved round bar arranged perpendicular relative to the rod. This upper holder member is arranged to press against the top of the grill grate by means of spring force, by a spring arranged therefore. In use the tool is positioned with the lower holder member/round bar parallel to the grill grate ribs and then the user presses the handles together by hand and brings at the same time the round bar through the grill grate, so that the lower holder member/round bar falls below the ribs, whereupon the tool is rotated and the round bar ends up transverse the ribs. Thereafter, the handles are released and the spring force presses thereby the upper holder member - the quadratic curved round bar - against the grill grate, whereby the grill grate can be lifted. Also this solution has however the same problems described above with the risk of insufficient holding force relative to the weight of the grill grate, the risk of slipping sideways etc. There is thus a need for a safer gripping device for gripping, lifting and handling a grill grate.

Disclosure of the invention

With the present invention the object is achieved to offer an easy handled and far more secure gripping device according to the preamble of claim 1 , compared to existing solutions, in order to grip, lift and handle a grill grate provided with longitudinal extending ribs. This becomes possible by that the user's hand power is used instead of unknown spring forces, and thus the user can adjust the compression force to be sufficient to lift and handle the grill grate. This can be done by the gripping device is constructed "inverted" in relation to prior art, by that the first holder member, which is fixedly attached to the rod provided with the top handle, is arranged above the second holder member, which is fastened to the rod arranged with the lowermost handle, seen from the operative position of the gripping device. By that the holder members are axially displaceable relative to each other and that the second holder member (lower) further is adapted for insertion through a grill grate parallel to and between the ribs of the same, and that the gripping device is further arranged to, by hand power grip the grill grate by that both handles are brought toward each other from an open position to a gripping position, after the second holder is inserted through the grill grate, and after the gripping device is rotated to a position at least partially transversely relative to the ribs, the respective holder members gripping sides will clamp a plurality of the ribs between the holding members in the gripping position of the tool. By that the gripping device is designed transfer the hand power to act as the gripping force, the user can completely influence the gripping force, instead of the technique of the prior art, rely on only gravity or spring force.

According to the preferred embodiment, at least one of the holder members, that is, either the first (upper) or the second (lower) holder member comprises at least one so-called rotation securing means. This is intended to prevent the grill grate from rotating in relation to the gripping device in the gripping position of the gripping device. A known problem with all the known gripping devices is that the grill grate can easily slip and for some types also turn, entailing risks in the handling of the grid. By the rotation securing means the grill grate will be prevented from turning and rotating by that said rotation securing means is arranged to, in the gripping position, be in position between at least two of the grill grate ribs, and by that stopping the rotation of the grill grate. A possible form of the rotation securing means can for example be as an elongate and low heel which, in the gripping position, when the gripping device is turned, is fitted between the grill grate ribs, without stopping the other holder member from pressing against the underside of the grill grate. Thus, no or at least only a very small rotation can take place before the heel abuts the closest ribs. Known solutions completely lack this rotation securing of the grill grate in the gripping position, and an additional securing of the grill grate is obtained, in addition to the frictional force between the holding portions and the ribs caused by hand force.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the first holder member comprises at least two rotation securing means, which are designed as a respective heel which extends slightly up from the gripping side of the holder member, angled relative to the first holder member. In this way, the respective heel will, in the gripping position, be subsumed in the space between some of the ribs and thereby completely prevent or at least only allow a short rotation of the grill grate in the gripping position, until the heels get in contact with the nearest ribs of the grill grate. In a further preferred embodiment, the first rod is tubular and the second rod is arranged to slide inside the first tubular rod. With this is obtained a centered and guided movement and force, at the movement of the handles from the open position to the gripping position. The axial movement of the second rod inside the first rod is limited by both the second holder member and through the second handle, which are fixedly arranged on the respective end of the second rod. This constructional solution is therefore simple and cost-effective compared with current solutions and require no additional brackets or guides.

In a preferred embodiment, the first holder member is formed as a plate. Preferably, this is circular but may of course have other forms without limiting the scope of the invention. By that the first holder member is designed as a plate, a larger surface is obtained which then comes into contact with a plurality of ribs of the grill grate. Furthermore, it provides stability because the plate is an anvil on top of the grill grate with an extension that helps to stabilize the grill grate during handling. The plate can advantageously be greater than the length dimension of the second holder member - the one supporting the underside of the grill grate, whereby the rotation securing means can be positioned anywhere outside the dimensions of the second holder member. Hereby is obtained a gripping device which through its entire extent provides a greater friction force through greater contact with the ribs and contact with more ribs which is favorable for the gripping force. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the gripping device comprises a heat radiation protection in close connection to the second handle. By this the hand is protected from the heat radiation from the grill bed and may in its simplest form have the shape of a protective plate which is attached at the upper end of either the first or the second rod as a shield against the heat radiation. As the proximity to the heat-radiating surfaces and the grill grate is determined by the length of the gripping device, a gripping device provided with heat radiation protection may be shorter than a gripping device without such protection, if desired. Most known solutions lack such protection.

The invention will be explained in more detail by the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying figures, and which embodiment does not limit the invention to only this embodiment. Brief description of the figures

Fig.1 is showing a gripping device according to the invention in its open position, ready to engage with a grill grate.

- Fig. 2 is showing the gripping device according to the invention in its gripping position, engaged with the grill grate.

Fig. 3a-b shows the grill grate from below, with the gripping device's first holder member and second holder member engaging with the ribs of the grill grate, and a close up of the holder members.

Detailed description of the figures

Fig.1 shows a gripping device 1 , according to the invention in an open operative position a. The gripping device 1 is arranged to grip a grill grate 2, which grill grate 2 comprises a plurality of, preferably parallel ribs 3. The gripping device 1 in turn comprises a tubular first rod 4 and a second rod 5. The second rod 5 is designed and arranged so that it can be displaced axially within the first rod 4. Each rod 4, 5 comprise a respective upper end 6, 7 and a respective lower end 8, 9, seen from the operative position of the gripping device 1. The first rod 4 comprises close to its upper end 6 a fixed first handle 10, which extends first close to perpendicular from the first rod 4, and then turn into an open arc with the grip of the first handle 10 centrically positioned above the first rod 4, in its axial extent. At the lower end 8 of the first rod 4 is a first holder member 1 1 fixedly arranged and this has the shape of a circular plate, the extent of which extends perpendicularly or at least near perpendicular to the axial extent of the first rod 4. Further, at the periphery of the holder member / plate 1 1 two rotation securing means 18 are provided. These are directed downwardly or partially downwardly (in operative mode), that is, protruding from a first gripping side 14 of the first holder member / plate 1 1. The height of the rotation securing means 18 need not be particularly large but only sufficient to lock against adjacent ribs 3 in grill grate 2, see also description to Figure 2. The second rod 5 comprises at its upper end 7 a fixed second handle 12 preferably in the form of a transverse round bar or the like. Further, at its lower end 9, a second holder member 13 is fixedly arranged, the extent of which extends perpendicularly or at least near perpendicular to the axial extent of the second rod 5. The first handle 10 is disposed above the second handle 12 seen from the operative position of the gripping device 1 , and the gripping device 1 has an open position a, and a gripping position b, by axial displacement of the rods 4, 5 relative to each other by the handles 10, 12. The first and the second holder member 1 1 , 13 are thus arranged to take an open position a and a gripping position b, respectively, whereby the first holder member / plate 1 1 has a first gripping side 14 which in the gripping position b abuts the upper side of some ribs 3 of the grill grate 2. Furthermore, the holder member / plate 11 exhibit an opposite first outer side 15 which is directed away from the grill grate 2. The second holder member 13 comprises a second gripping side 16, which has a length such that in gripping position b, it grips the underside of at least two ribs 3, and further the second holder member 13 has an opposite second outer side 17 facing away from the grill grate 2. According to the embodiment, the first holder member / plate 1 1 is disposed above the second holder member 13 seen in the operative position of the gripping device 1. When the user is to handle the grill grate 2, the gripping device 1 is moved to the grille grate 2 from above, directed so that the second holder member 13 can pass through the grill grate 2, parallel to and between the ribs 3. When done, the entire gripping device 1 is turned to, at least close to, or near enough, transverse position relative to the ribs 3, which is the position shown in the figure. Then, by hand, the user can grab the grill grate 2 with the gripping device 1 by moving both handles 10, 12 towards each other, see also Figure 2.

Fig. 2 shows the gripping device 1 in its gripping position b, where the user, after having positioned the gripping device 1 on the grill grate 2 and rotated the same as shown in Figure 1 , has grabbed the grill grate 2 with the gripping device 1 by pulling the second handle 12 upwards towards the first handle 10. Thus, the gripping sides 14, 16 of the holder members will clamp a plurality of the ribs 3 between the holder members 11 , 13 while the rotation securing means 18, in the form of two heels, are fitted between the two closest ribs 3.

Hereby it becomes safe to lift and handle the grill grate 2 without dropping it or that it is gliding out of grip or out of position. The figure also shows a possible embodiment with a heat radiation protection 19, which is shown symbolically as a dashed line and which is intended to be included either firmly disposed on the upper end 6 of the first rod 4, which is most preferred, or on the second rod 5 near the upper end 7, yet at a distance that allows the fingers to grip around the second handle 12.

Fig. 3a-b shows the grill grate 2 from below with the first holder member 1 1 behind the ribs 3 (on the upper side of the grill grate) and with the second holder member 13 under some of the ribs 3 and transversely relative to the axial direction of the ribs 3. Furthermore, it is seen that the rotation securing means 18 are in a position between the nearest ribs 3, and previously stated is that, in the gripping position, they are in the same level as the ribs, thereby preventing rotation completely or allowing only small rotation. Of course, it is decided by the design of the grill grate 2 and then mainly the distance between the ribs 3. It is an advantage if the first holder member 1 1 covers a plurality of ribs 3 which gives a larger friction due to larger area and a better support which makes the grill grate more easy to handle . PARTS LIST

1= gripping device

2= grill grate

3= ribs

4= first rod

5= second rod

6= upper end

7= upper end

8= lower end

9= lower end

10= first handle

11= first holder member

12= second handle

13= second holder member

14= first gripping side

15= first outer side

16= second gripping side

7= second outer side

18= rotation securing means

19= heat radiation protection a= open position

b= gripping position

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A hand-operated gripping device (1 ) arranged to grab a grill grate (2), which grill grate (2) comprises a plurality of, preferably parallel, ribs (3), and the gripping device (1) comprises a first and a second rod (4, 5), which are arranged parallel to each other and further arranged to be displaced axially relative to each other, and respective rod (4, 5) having a respective upper end (6, 7) and a respective lower end (8, 9) seen to the operative position of the gripping device (1 ), and the first rod (4) comprises at its upper end (6) a fixedly arranged first handle (10) and at its lower end (8) a fixedly arranged first holder member (1 1) whose extension direction is at least near perpendicular relative to the axial extent of the first rod (4), and the second rod (5) comprises at its upper end (7) a fixedly arranged second handle (12) and at its lower end (9) a fixedly arranged second holder member (13) whose extension direction is at least near perpendicular relative to the axial extent of the second rod (5), and the first handle (10) is disposed above the second handle (12) seen in the operative position of the gripping device (1 ), and the gripping device (1 ) has an open position (a) and a gripping position (b) by axial displacement of the rods (4, 5) relative to each other by means of the handles (10, 12), the holder members (1 1 , 13) being arranged to take an open position (a) and a gripping position (b) respectively, and the first holder member (1 1 ) has a first gripping side (14) and an opposite first outer side (15), and the second holder member (13) has a second gripping side (16) and an opposite second outer side (17), characterized by that the first holder member (1 1 ) is arranged above the second holder member (13) seen in the operative position of the gripping device (1), and the second holder member (13) is further arranged to pass through said grill gate (2), parallel to and between the ribs (3), and the gripping device (1) is arranged to grip the grill grate (2) by hand, by that the two handles (10, 12) are arranged to move towards each other after that the second holder member (13) has been inserted through the grill grate ( 2) and that the gripping device (1 ) has been turned to a position at least partially transverse to the ribs (3), whereby the gripping sides (14, 16) of the holder members (1 1 , 13) are arranged to clamp a plurality of the ribs (3) between the holder members (1 1 , 13) in the gripping position (b), and at least one of the holder members (1 1 , 13) comprises at least one rotation securing means (18) extending from the surface of the gripping side (14, 16) of the at least one holder member (11 , 13), whereby the rotational securing means (18) in the gripping position (b) is arranged to be located between at least two ribs (3) of the grill grate (2).

2. A gripping device according to claim 1 , characterized by that at least two rotational securing means (18) are arranged at the first holder member (1 1) and are formed as a respective heel, which respective heel (18) extends from the first gripping side (14) at an angle relative to the first holder member (1 1 ), wherein the respective heel (18) in the gripping position (b) are arranged between at least two ribs (3) of the grill grate (2).

3. A gripping device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first rod (4) is tubular, and that the second rod (5) is arranged to be displaced inside the tubular first rod (4).

4. A gripping device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the first holder member (1 1) is designed as a plate.

5. A gripping device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the gripping device (1) comprises a heat radiation protection (19), in close connection to the second handle (12).