Abstract: Fuel tank support systems for use with grill carts or stands.

Abstract: The present inventions related to folding carts for use with grills, the carts securing the grill upright for use and folding for transport. The present inventions also relate to fuel tank support systems for use with grill carts or stands.

Abstract: The present inventions relate to folding carts for use with grills, the carts securing the grill upright for use and folding for transport. The present inventions also relate to fuel tank support systems for use with grill carts or stands.

Abstract: The present inventions relate to folding carts for use with grills, the carts securing the grill upright for use and folding for transport. The present inventions also relate to fuel tank support systems for use with grill carts or stands.

Abstract: A cart suitable for supporting a grill, including a grill bowl. The cart has two union members with curved channels for receiving tubular, U-shaped frame members. The union members may be in the form of two similar (but not necessarily identical) halves joined together to enclose the frame members. The tubular channels of the union members resist movement (such as twisting and tilting) in at least two directions. The union members lock the frame members in place with internal protrusions that fit into mating depressions or holes in the frame members. Extra rigidity is added to the cart by one or more side tables which are structural members as well as functional tables. The side tables thus serve as cross-members between two frame assemblies. The grill's lid can easily be tilted back to rest in place on lid supports underneath the bottom edge and contact points on the side tables.

Abstract: A portable barbecue cooking apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising a cooking chamber comprising a topside opening and a fire bowl with opposing ends; at least two handles, each handle attached to opposing ends of the fire bowl; and at least two shelves, each shelf being pivotally attached to each of the handles, and each shelf being foldable inwardly towards the topside opening of the cooking chamber during a stowage position and extendable outwardly away from the topside opening of the cooking chamber during a usage position.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a control knob bezel plate for a barbecue grill. The preferred bezel plate assembly of the present invention comprises a bezel plate, a control knob, a control panel, a gas control valve, and two anchors. The preferred bezel plate includes a raised annular portion which serves as a frame for the control knob. Both the preferred bezel plate and the control panel include two parallel slots which are adapted to engage with the anchors. The two parallel slots in the bezel plate are aligned generally transverse to the two parallel slots in the control panel. The bezel plate is connected to the control panel by means of the anchors which are configured to slide within the slots. In this manner, the bezel plate can be adjusted in two dimensions with respect to the panel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a support frame assembly for a firebox for a built-in gas barbecue grill assembly having a work structure. The support frame assembly has a first end substantially adjacent the firebox and a second end substantially adjacent a floor supporting the built-in grill assembly. In one embodiment the support assembly has a first mating member for supporting the firebox, and a second mating member for mating with the work structure to connect the support frame assembly to the work structure.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a gas valve and a sear-zone gas burner are described and claimed herein. One embodiment described herein relates to a cooking chamber with a cooking surface, which has at least two portions including a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions of the cooking surface each have at least one heat source disposed underneath. The at least one heat source for each cooking surface in turn has a highest setting such that a first maximum heat output is provided to the first portion of the cooking surface when set at the highest setting and a second maximum heat output is provided to the second portion of the cooking surface when set at highest setting, wherein the second maximum heat output provided to the second portion is greater than the first maximum heat output provided to the first portion of the cooking surface.

Abstract: The inventions disclosed herein relate to frame assemblies for gas barbecue grills which incorporate structures for preventing a consumer from storing replacement fuel tanks on the grill, in order to minimize fire and tipping hazards. Because it is known that many consumers never install or even remove prior art tank blockers, the tank blocker of the present invention is adapted to serve as a function of the grill (in addition to the function of blocking a tank) or to support a component of the grill. The preferred embodiment of the tank blocker described herein is adapted to support a component of the grease management system, namely the grease drip pan. Consequently, it is believed that consumers will be forced to install or will be prevented from removing the tank blocker, lest the grease management system become inoperable (or function improperly), causing grease to spill onto the cart.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a barbecue grill assembly includes a cooking grate positioned in an upper portion of a cooking chamber, a heat and grease deflecting apparatus positioned in a lower portion of the cooking chamber, and a heat source positioned between the cooking grate and the heat and grease deflecting apparatus. The heat and grease deflecting apparatus not only reduces heat loss from the cooking chamber during the operation of the barbecue grill by slowing the travel of hot grease and ignited particles form the cooking grate to the grease collecting tray, but also reduces the occurrences of grease fires in the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A portable barbecue cooking apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising a base; a fire bowl having a topside opening, and the fire bowl is mounted on the base, and the topside opening of the fire bowl is situated above the base; a grill situated within the fire bowl and is moveable within the fire bowl; and at least one shelf is pivotally attached to the base, and the shelf is foldable inwardly towards the topside opening of the fire bowl during a stowage position and extendable outwardly away from the topside opening of the fire bowl during a usage position.

Abstract: The inventions disclosed herein generally relate to isolating heat sensitive components from the heat source of a barbecue grill. In the preferred embodiment, ceramic bushings are used to isolate a glass-reinforced nylon grill stand from the cooking chamber of a barbecue grill. The bushing incorporates a beveled upper edge for engaging with lobes which downwardly depend from the cooking chamber. The bushing also incorporates a circular lower portion for engagement with an aperture in the grill stand. The bushing is locked into engagement with the cooking chamber using a threaded bolt and is locked into loose engagement with the grill stand using a spring clip. The combination of the beveled upper edge and the loose engagement with the grill stand allows the bushing to float with respect to both the grill stand and cooking chamber. As a result, manufacturing tolerance requirements can be relaxed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a collapsible charcoal starter are shown, described and claimed herein. In one embodiment, the charcoal starter includes six panels being hingedly interconnected to form a closed loop. The charcoal starter is configured to have an expanded position and a collapsed position, and can be moved therebetween without any disassembly of the charcoal starter. In the expanded position, the six panels form four walls or boundaries, whereby the walls define a volume for receiving charcoal briquettes. In the collapsed position, the six panels are oriented generally parallel. Moreover, four of the panels are sandwiched in between the two remaining panels. In this manner, the depth of the charcoal starter can be significantly reduced as compared to the expanded position, while the width is substantially the same in both the collapsed and expanded positions.

Abstract: A cart suitable for supporting a grill, including a grill bowl. The cart has two union members with curved channels for receiving tubular, U-shaped frame members. The union members may be in the form of two similar (but not necessarily identical) halves joined together to enclose the frame members. The tubular channels of the union members resist movement (such as twisting and tilting) in at least two directions. The union members lock the frame members in place with internal protrusions that fit into mating depressions or holes in the frame members. Extra rigidity is added to the cart by one or more side tables which are structural members as well as functional tables. The side tables thus serve as cross-members between two frame assemblies. The grill's lid can easily be tilted back to rest in place on lid supports underneath the bottom edge and contact points on the side tables.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an embodiment of a cover for a barbecue grill side burner assembly. The cover is defined by a top wall and side walls which depend from the perimeter of the top wall. The side walls are provided with a contoured lower edge that define a fulcrum for the cover. The burner assembly includes a recessed portion with a ledge extending about its perimeter. The cover is supported within the recessed portion by the side walls, which sit on the ledge, whereby the top wall of the cover is approximately flush with the top surface of the burner assembly housing. The cover can be removed by pressing on a portion of the cover on one side of the fulcrum. This causes the portion of the cover on the opposite side of the fulcrum to emerge from the recessed portion whereby the cover can be gripped and removed from the burner assembly.

Abstract: The present invention provides a shelf 300 for a barbecue grill frame assembly 302 of a barbecue grill. The shelf 300 has a perimeter that is cooperatively dimensioned with the interior space of the barbecue grill frame assembly 302 such that the shelf 300 is positioned within the interior space. The securing member 308 secures the shelf 300 to the barbecue grill frame assembly 302 in a first position. The securing member 308 adjusts to a second position to detach the shelf 300 from the barbecue grill frame assembly 302.

Abstract: A conveyor oven has a modulating gas valve which raises and lowers the thermal output of a burner that heats the oven. A bypass line passes a minimum amount of gas to prevent the burner from completely shutting down during periods while the oven remains above a threshold demand for more heat. Electrical isolation is provided between temperature controlling devices to prevent an electrical feed back which might otherwise prevent a complete shut down of the oven during hazardous conditions.