Oval-shaped grill with hinged lid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10874252-B2
Application number	US-201916259919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2019
Priority date	Sep 9, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A grilling device includes an oven section having an outer wall with opposing side portions and an encircling body portion extending therebetween. The body portion has an access opening and the grilling device includes a lid that selectively covers the access opening by means of a handle attached thereto. The grilling device also includes opposing hinge elements connected to opposite sides of the lid and to the side portions of the outer wall, as opposed to the encircling body portion. In particular, the hinge elements are connected to respective rear areas of the side portions. Accordingly, the path of opening the lid has a different shape or curvature and thereby positions the handle substantially lower than if the hinge elements were connected to the body portion adjacent to the access opening. The opposing side portions have a substantially oval shape and the hinge elements have an elongated configuration.

First claim

We claim:

1. A grilling device, comprising:
an oven section having opposing side walls having a pill cross-sectional shape, wherein each side wall comprises a curved upper portion and a curved lower portion separated by opposing linear side edges at a front and rear portion of each side wall;
a lid comprising a curved upper portion and a substantially linear portion extending downward from the curved upper portion, wherein the curved upper portion and substantially linear portion of the lid correspond in shape to an outline of the opposing side walls; and
a first hinge element affixed to the lid on one side of the lid, and a second hinge element affixed on an opposing side of the lid, wherein each of the first and second hinge elements is shaped to correspond with the curved upper portion of the lid;
wherein each first and second hinge element includes an elongated hinge body with a curved upper edge and a planar lower edge.

2. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises an upper panel and a lower panel separated by a seam.

3. The grilling device of claim 2 , further comprising a handle fixedly mounted to the lower panel of the lid.

4. The grilling device of claim 3 , wherein the upper panel of the lid is hingedly attached to the lower panel of the lid.

5. The grilling device of claim 4 , wherein, in an open configuration in which the lid of the grilling device is open, the lower panel extends downward from the upper panel at an angle.

6. The grilling device of claim 5 , wherein, in a closed configuration in which the lid of the grilling device is closed, the lower panel extends downward from the upper panel in a substantially linear direction.

7. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the curved upper edge of the elongated hinge body is contoured to a curved shape of a peak in the curved upper portion of each side wall.

8. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein each hinge element connects:
(i) below a peak of the curved upper portion; and
(ii) above the substantially linear portions of each of the corresponding side walls.

9. A grilling device, comprising:
an oven section having opposing side walls having a pill cross-sectional shape, wherein each side wall comprises a curved upper portion having a peak, and a curved lower portion separated from the curved upper portion by opposing linear side edges at a front and rear portion of each side wall;
wherein the oven section further comprises an upper edge extending from the curved upper portion of one opposing side wall to the curved upper portion of the opposing side wall;
a lid comprising a curved upper portion having an upper edge that mates with the upper edge of the oven section when the lid is in a closed position; and
a first hinge element affixed to the lid on one side of the lid, and a second hinge element affixed on an opposing side of the lid;
wherein each of the first and second hinge elements attaches the lid to the oven section such that, in an open position, the upper edge of the lid is positioned at a point along the curved upper portion of each opposing side wall that is rearward of the peak.

10. The grilling device of claim 9 , further comprising:
a handle attached to the lid;
wherein each of the first and second hinge elements is connected to the lid at a position that is:
(i) below the peak of the curved upper portion of the corresponding side wall; and
(ii) above the linear side edges thereof.

11. The grilling device of claim 9 , wherein the first hinge element comprises:
an elongated body extending longitudinally from a front part of a first side wall of the opposing side walls to an opposing rear part of the first side wall when the lid is in a closed position;
a front end of the first hinge element being connected to the lid adjacent to the front part of the first side wall; and
a rear end of the first hinge element being connected to the first side wall at a first interface at the opposing rear part of the first side wall.

12. The grilling device of claim 11 , wherein the second hinge element comprises:
an elongated body extending longitudinally from a front part of a second side wall to an opposing rear part of the second side wall when the lid is in a closed position;
a front end of the second hinge element being connected to the lid adjacent to the front part of the second side wall; and
a rear end of the second hinge element being connected to the second side wall at a second interface at the rear part of the second side wall.

13. The grilling device of claim 9 , wherein each of the first and second hinge elements is respectively connected to one of the opposing side walls substantially rearward of an upper edge of an access opening.

14. A grilling device, comprising:
a support structure comprising a plurality of legs;
an oven section having an outer wall including opposing side walls, each side wall having a curved upper portion with a peak, and having a substantially vertical lower portion, wherein the oven section, the outer wall and the opposing side walls provide a pill shaped cross section;
a lid movably connected to each of the opposing side walls of the outer wall by a moveable connection, wherein the moveable connection allows actuation of the lid to provide access to the oven section of the grilling device; and
at least two opposing hinge elements attached to the lid and to the opposing side walls of the outer wall;
wherein the at least two opposing hinge elements are (i) respectively affixed to the curved upper portion of each of the opposing side walls below the peak of the curved upper portion, but above the substantially vertical lower portion, and (ii) further affixed to a rearward portion of a side edge of the lid;
wherein the at least two opposing hinge elements attach the lid to the oven section such that actuation of the lid follows a specified arc that positions an upper edge of the lid rearward of the peak.

15. The grilling device of claim 14 , wherein the lid comprises an upper panel and a lower panel connected via one or more hinges.

16. The grilling device of claim 15 , wherein in an open configuration in which the lid of the grilling device is open, the hingedly attached lower panel extends downward from the upper panel at an angle that is less than 90 degrees relative to the upper panel.

17. The grilling device of claim 14 , wherein the lid attaches to each opposing side wall of the grilling device at an interface located substantially rearward of the peaks of the upper portions of the opposing side walls.

18. The grilling device of claim 17 , wherein each interface to which the lid is attached comprises a fastening means that allows for rotational movement of the lid via the outer wall.

19. The grilling device of claim 17 , wherein:
the lid provides access to an access opening having a rear edge; and
the at least two opposing hinge elements are connected to the outer wall substantially rearward of a side edge of the access opening.

Assignees

• Traeger Pellet Grills Llc

Inventors

• Colston Michael Virgil
• Altenritter Daniel
• Czach Matthew

Classifications

• A47J37/0786

  Accessories · CPC title

• A47J37/0704 Primary

  with horizontal fire box · CPC title

• F24C1/02

  adapted for the use of two or more kinds of fuel or energy supply (combinations of two or more stoves or ranges each having a different kind of fuel or energy supply F24C11/00) · CPC title

• A47J37/0664 Primary

  Accessories · CPC title

• A47J37/0623

  Small-size cooking ovens, i.e. defining an at least partially closed cooking cavity (A47J37/0605 takes precedence) · CPC title