Abstract: An incinerating container for grills and similar broilers. The incinerating container receives products of combustion from a gas burner or hot gases from an electric element or other heat source. Apertures in a top of the incinerating container receive oil into the incinerating container, such as oils from melted fat as food cooks. The oils are incinerated within the incinerating container. The apertures formed in the top allow hot oils to enter the incinerating container for combustion of the oils within the incinerating container, and are constructed to prevent flames from materially exiting the incinerating container.

Abstract: An incinerating container for grills and similar broilers. The incinerating container receives products of combustion from a gas burner or hot gases from an electric element or other heat source. Apertures in a top of the incinerating container receive oil into the incinerating container, such as oils from melted fat as food cooks. The oils are incinerated within the incinerating container. The apertures formed in the top allow hot oils to enter the incinerating container for combustion of the oils within the incinerating container, and are constructed to prevent flames from materially exiting the incinerating container.

Abstract: An incinerating container for grills and similar broilers. The incinerating container receives products of combustion from a gas burner or hot gases from an electric element or other heat source. Apertures in a top of the incinerating container receive oil into the incinerating container, such as oils from melted fat as food cooks. The oils are incinerated within the incinerating container. The apertures formed in the top allow hot oils to enter the incinerating container for combustion of the oils within the incinerating container, and are constructed to prevent flames from materially exiting the incinerating container.

Abstract: The present invention is a gas burner having a mixture plenum that receives gas and air. A port plenum is positioned above the mixture plenum. The port plenum comprises a plurality of ports for combustion of the gas air mixture. A quenching plate is positioned between the mixture plenum and the port plenum to separate the mixture plenum from the port plenum. The quenching plate comprises a plurality of apertures. The gas air mixture flows through the plurality of apertures and from the mixture plenum to the port plenum. The construction and arrangement of the mixture plenum, the port plenum, the quenching plate and the quenching plate apertures retard back flow and auto ignition, and provide cooling to the quenching plate for quenching a flame in the event of back flow from the port plenum toward the mixture plenum.

Abstract: An incinerating container for grills and similar broilers. The incinerating container receives products of combustion from a gas burner or hot gases from an electric element or other heat source. Apertures in a top of the incinerating container receive oil into the incinerating container, such as oils from melted fat as food cooks. The oils are incinerated within the incinerating container. The apertures formed in the top allow hot oils to enter the incinerating container for combustion of the oils within the incinerating container, and are constructed to prevent flames from materially exiting the incinerating container.

Abstract: The present invention is a gas burner having a mixture plenum that receives a gas air mixture. A port plenum is positioned above the mixture plenum. The port plenum comprises a plurality of ports for combustion of the gas air mixture. A quenching plate is positioned between the mixture plenum and the port plenum to separate the mixture plenum from the port plenum. The quenching plate comprises a plurality of apertures. The gas air mixture flows through the plurality of apertures and from the mixture plenum to the port plenum. The plenum, quenching plate and apertures retard back flow and auto ignition, and the quenching plate will quench a flame in the event of back flow.

Abstract: An emitter tube has an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface defines a cavity of the emitter tube, and the cavity of the emitter tube is adapted for receiving food. An outer tube has an inner surface that defines a cavity of the outer tube, and the emitter tube is positioned in the cavity of the outer tube. A heating unit is for heating the outer surface of the emitter tube so that heat energy is transferred by conduction from the outer surface of the emitter tube to the inner surface of the emitter tube, and the inner surface of the emitter tube emits infrared radiant energy into the cavity of the emitter tube so that a majority of the energy that is transferred to the food within the emitter tube is in the form of infrared radiant energy.

Abstract: An infrared emitter at least partially defines an interior space that at least partially contains convective products of combustion. A burner provides a mixture of combustible gas and primary air to the combustion, while secondary air is also provided to the combustion. A first side of the infrared emitter is in opposing face-to-face relation with the interior space so that the first side of the infrared emitter is exposed to, and heated by, the convective products of combustion. As a result, a second side of the infrared emitter emits infrared radiation. Static gauge pressure, measured at a location that is within the interior space and adjacent to the first side of the infrared emitter, may not exceed about 0.009 inches water column while the burner is operating. Excess air present in gasses exhausted from the interior space may be less than 300% while the burner is operating.

Abstract: An emitter tube has an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface defines a cavity of the emitter tube, and the cavity of the emitter tube is adapted for receiving food. An outer tube has an inner surface that defines a cavity of the outer tube, and the emitter tube is positioned in the cavity of the outer tube. A heating unit is for heating the outer surface of the emitter tube so that heat energy is transferred by conduction from the outer surface of the emitter tube to the inner surface of the emitter tube, and the inner surface of the emitter tube emits infrared radiant energy into the cavity of the emitter tube so that a majority of the energy that is transferred to the food within the emitter tube is in the form of infrared radiant energy.

Abstract: An emitter tube has an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface defines a cavity of the emitter tube, and the cavity of the emitter tube is adapted for receiving food. An outer tube has an inner surface that defines a cavity of the outer tube, and the emitter tube is positioned in the cavity of the outer tube. A heating unit is for heating the outer surface of the emitter tube so that heat energy is transferred by conduction from the outer surface of the emitter tube to the inner surface of the emitter tube, and the inner surface of the emitter tube emits infrared radiant energy into the cavity of the emitter tube so that a majority of the energy that is transferred to the food within the emitter tube is in the form of infrared radiant energy.

Abstract: An emitter may be positioned for absorbing energy from a burner, and the emitter may include a substantially concave surface for emitting infrared radiant energy so that a substantially uniform distribution of infrared radiant energy is provided at a predetermined plane. The predetermined plane can be referred to as a plane of absorption because, for example, an article for absorbing at least some of the infrared radiant energy may be positioned at the plane of absorption. For example, food can be cooked at the plane of absorption. A support member for supporting the food to be cooked may be proximate the plane of absorption. The support member for supporting the food may be a cooking grid, rotisserie, or other suitable device for supporting the food. In one particular example, the support member is a cooking grid that may be proximate the plane of absorption, or more specifically the cooking grid may be substantially coplanar with the plane of absorption.

Abstract: An apparatus for cooking food with infrared radiation includes an infrared energy emitter for emitting the infrared radiation, and a grid in close proximity to the infrared energy emitter. A first side of the grid can be for supporting the food at a position so that at least some of the infrared radiation will cook the food. A second side of the grid can be sufficiently close to the emitting side of the emitter for substantially restricting any airflow in any space between the second side of the grid and the emitting side of the emitter. Partitions of the grid can operatively segregate the emitting side of the emitter into segments, which can provide a substantially uniform distribution of infrared radiation.

Abstract: A gas-fired burner unit for providing combustion and infrared radiation includes at least one plenum for receiving at least the gas, and at least one perforated metal plate mounted for receiving at least the gas from the plenum and supplying at least the gas to the combustion so that the combustion is proximate the perforated metal plate.

Abstract: An infrared emitter at least partially defines an interior space that at least partially contains convective products of combustion. A burner provides a mixture of combustible gas and primary air to the combustion, while secondary air is also provided to the combustion. A first side of the infrared emitter is in opposing face-to-face relation with the interior space so that the first side of the infrared emitter is exposed to, and heated by, the convective products of combustion. As a result, a second side of the infrared emitter emits infrared radiation. Static gauge pressure, measured at a location that is within the interior space and adjacent to the first side of the infrared emitter, may not exceed about 0.009 inches water column while the burner is operating. Excess air present in gasses exhausted from the interior space may be less than 300% while the burner is operating.

Abstract: An emitter tube has an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the inner surface defines a cavity of the emitter tube, and the cavity of the emitter tube is adapted for receiving food. An outer tube has an inner surface that defines a cavity of the outer tube, and the emitter tube is positioned in the cavity of the outer tube. A heating unit is for heating the outer surface of the emitter tube so that heat energy is transferred by conduction from the outer surface of the emitter tube to the inner surface of the emitter tube, and the inner surface of the emitter tube emits infrared radiant energy into the cavity of the emitter tube so that a majority of the energy that is transferred to the food within the emitter tube is in the form of infrared radiant energy.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus (10) having a body (13) defining a chamber (23), includes a heating assembly (31) mounted within the chamber (23). The heating assembly (31) includes a burner (32) and an infrared radiant energy emitter (33) positioned above burner (32). The emitter (33) absorbs energy from the burner (32) and emits infrared radiant energy. The infrared radiant energy is directed at and is used to cook food supported on a cooking grid (70) above the infrared radiant energy emitter (33).

Abstract: A large, thin griddle plate defines discrete heating zones, so that each zone has its own temperature. The griddle plate is made of a thin, relatively low conductivity metal and received along its bottom surface substantially thick, juxtaposed heat transfer blocks disposed in spaced relationship, side-by-side, beneath and laminated to discrete portions of the griddle plate. Infra-red burners carried beneath the blocks supply infra-red heat and convection heat to said blocks. The blocks are adhered to the griddle plate by an adhesive thermal barrier having heat conductive metal therein.