GB2317103A - Disposable barbeque - Google Patents

Abstract

A disposable barbeque comprises a tray 1 having within it a main compartment 2 and an air draw compartment 3 which are separated by a wire mesh grid 4. The wire mesh grid 4 sits upon a ledge 5 and supports the main fuel 7 located in the main compartment 2. A starter fuel 8 is provided on top of the main fuel to aid ignition. A number of perforations 6 are provided in the air draw compartment which enable air to be drawn into the tray to aid combustion.

Description

BARBEOUM APPARATUS The invention relates to barbeque apparatus of the single use, or disposable type.

With many prior disposable barbeque arrangements, it has been difficult to provide sufficient draw to fuel in the tray so as to enable efficient combustion. One problem with providing sufficient draw is that, conventionally, in normal combustion arrangements, draw holes need to be provided directly to one side of, or underneath, the fuel which is to be burnt. However, with a disposable barbeque the usual container has no provision for allowing air to be drawn in beneath the fuel. Also, it is important that the chances of fuel, being possibly displaced through air holes, during transit, storage or use is minimised. As will be appreciated, with a product which must sit on supermarket shelves etc, it is essential that parts of the products do not leak out through the tray. Hitherto therefore, provision of an efficient air draw within a disposable barbeque has been fraught with problems.

It is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a disposable barbeque tray having sufficient draw means but avoiding the problems of the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided barbeque apparatus comprising a container, a main fuel arranged. within the container and means for separating the main fuel from a lower part of the container, the container being provided with perforations to permit air to be drawn in for combustion, said perforations being provided towards a lower extent of the container.

Preferably, said means for separating a main part of the container from a lower part of the container comprises a mesh grid. Perforations -may be on a side of the container and perforations may be spaced from the bottom of the container.

Preferably, the separating means is arranged to sit upon a ledge formed within the container.

Preferably the ledge of the container is an integral part of the container. The ledge may be pressed from the material of the container. Perforations may be included beneath the ledge.

Preferably, said perforations are associated with the ledge. The perforations may be formed on any part of the ledge but preferably on a lower part.

Preferably, the ledge is formed by pressing in part of the container. The ledge is in use, preferably, substantially horizontal.

Preferably, air is arranged to be drawn in through the perforations and to pass under the separating means to aid combustion across substantially the entire lower surface of the main fuel.

Preferably, the invention includes a starter for the main fuel. The starter may comprise a sheet of inflammable material placed on top of the main fuel.

The sheet of inflammable material may comprise a wax impregnated paper.

The sheet of inflammable material may be covered with a food support.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided barbeque apparatus comprising a container, the container having a main compartment and an air draw compartment, the main compartment and air draw compartment being separated by separating means.

Preferably, air is drawn into the air draw compartment through perforations formed in the container.

The main compartment is preferably for containing a main fuel therein.

The invention of the second aspect may contain any features of the invention of the first aspect, in any combination.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompany drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1, but not including main fuel, starter fuel and food support.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown disposable barbeque apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.

The apparatus comprises a tray, shown generally at 1, having within it a main compartment 2, and a lower part 3 which forms an air draw compartment. The main compartment 2 is separated from the lower part 3 by a separating means comprising a wire mesh grid 4 which sits upon a ledge 5.

The ledge 5 and lower part 3 of the tray 1 are formed by pressing in material of the tray 1.

The container has a number of perforations 6 formed therein, between the base and the ledge, which perforations act to enable air to be drawn into the tray 1 to aid combustion. Alternatively or additionally the container may have perforations in the ledge.

Referring in particular to Figure 1, the apparatus is provided with main fuel 7, which main fuel may comprise charcoal coated in a material to aid combustion. The main fuel 7 is located within the main compartment 2 and sits upon the wire mesh grid 4. On top of the main fuel 7, there is provided a starter fuel 8, which typically comprises a wax impregnated sheet of material and, atop that, is a food support 9. The food support 9 rests within a lip region 10 formed at the top of the container.

Use of the barbeque apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 will now be described.

When it is desired to use the barbeque a removable cover, not shown, is taken off the barbeque apparatus, exposing the food support 9, and through gaps in the food support 9, the starter fuel 8. The starter fuel 8 is ignited by means of a match or other fire lighting equipment. The waxed paper of the starter fuel 8 rapidly ignites and tends to melt and flow down amongst the pieces of the charcoal 7, igniting the charcoal rapidly and efficiently. Combustion within the apparatus is aided significantly by the provision of the perforations 6 in the lower part of the apparatus as air can be drawn in through the perforations 6, to flow beneath the wire mesh grid 4 within the air draw compartment and provide a good draw for the combustion of the charcoal comprising the main fuel 7 of the main compartment 2. By providing a good number of perforations 6 around the container, combustion is aided across substantially a full extent of the bottom surface of the charcoal. Arrows in Figure 1 illustrate schematically how air can be drawn in beneath the main fuel 7. Of course, it will be appreciated that whilst the arrows shown in the cross-sectional view of Figure 1 only show air coming in through six perforations, advantageously, a large number of perforations are provided.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (23)

1. Barbeque apparatus comprising a container, a main fuel arranged within the container and means for separating the main fuel from a lower part of the container, the container being provided with perforations to permit air to be drawn in for combustion, said perforations being provided towards a lower extent of the container.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for separating a main part of the container from a lower part of the container comprises a mesh grid.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the perforations are on a side of the container.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which perforations are spaced from the bottom of the container.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the separating means is arranged to sit upon a ledge formed within the container.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the ledge of the container is an integral part of the container.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the ledge is pressed from the material of the container.

8. Apparatus according to claims 5, 6 or 7 wherein said perforations are associated with the ledge.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the perforations are formed on any part of the ledge.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the perforations are formed on a lower part.

11. Apparatus according to claims 5 to 10 wherein the ledge is formed by pressing in part of the container.

12. Apparatus according to claims 5 to 11 wherein the ledge is in use, substantially horizontal.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 3 to 10 including perforations beneath the ledge.

14. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein air is arranged to be drawn in through the perforations and to pass under the separating means to aid combustion across substantially the entire lower surface of the main fuel.

15. Apparatus according to any preceding claim including a starter for the main fuel.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the starter comprises a sheet of inflammable material placed on top of the main fuel.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the sheet of inflammable material comprises a wax impregnated paper.

18. Apparatus according to claim 16 or 17 wherein the sheet of inflammable material is covered with a food support.

19. Barbeque apparatus comprising a container, the container having a main compartment and an air draw compartment, the main compartment and air draw compartment being separated by separating means.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19 wherein air is drawn into the air draw compartment through perforations formed in the container.

21. Apparatus according to claim 19 or 20 wherein the main compartment is for containing main fuel therein.

22. Apparatus according to claims 19 to 21 including any of the features included in claims 1 to 15.

23. Barbeque apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying diagrams.