EP3359003A1

EP3359003A1 - A portable electric grill

Info

Publication number: EP3359003A1
Application number: EP16781871.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Omer Burak Coban; Ali Levent Hasanreisoglu; Samet AKAN; Saime Asl KAYIHAN; Mehmet ALTUG
Original assignee: Arcelik AS
Current assignee: Arcelik AS
Priority date: 2015-10-08
Filing date: 2016-08-08
Publication date: 2018-08-15
Also published as: WO2017061965A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric grill (1) comprising a body (2) whereon the grill grate (4) and/or the skewer (3) bearing the foodstuff (F) to be roasted is placed; at least one heater (5) that is disposed in the body (2) and that enables the foodstuff (F) to be roasted by means of radiation, and at least one reflector (6) that is disposed in the body (2) so as to at least partially surround the heater (5) and that reflects the radiation emanating from the heater (5).

Description

A PORTABLE ELECTRIC GRILL

The present invention is related to a portable electric grill with improved thermal efficiency.

In portable electric grills, foodstuff arranged on skewers or grill grate are roasted by means of heaters disposed in the body. Fats and juices dripping from the roasted foodstuff may fall on the heaters, thereby causing smoke and odor. Therefore, generally infrared heaters with high radiation power disposed away from foodstuff by means of which roasting process can be carried out are used in the electric grills, and reflectors that enable the roasting process to be efficiently carried out by reflecting the radiation from the heater toward the foodstuff are disposed around the heaters. The geometry of the reflectors is critically important for the proper roasting of the foodstuff. The reflectors can be produced in various forms so as to concentrate the radiation on a particular region or diffuse the radiation over a wider area as preferred. In the state of the art electric grills, the reflectors are designed so as to diffuse the radiation over a wider surface in case the roasting process is carried out on the grill grate. This causes improper roasting of foodstuff on skewers to which adequate radiation cannot be transmitted and wasting of energy. Therefore, a portable electric grill by means of which foodstuff on both skewers and grill can be roasted ideally is needed. In the state of the art United States Patent Document No. US20080314891, the structure of the reflectors disposed on an electric grill with improved thermal efficiency is disclosed.

The aim of the present invention is the realization of a portable electric grill with improved roasting efficiency. The portable electric grill realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention and explicated in the claims, comprises a body whereon the grill grate and/or the skewer bearing the foodstuff to be roasted is placed; at least one heater that is disposed in the body and that enables foodstuff to be roasted by radiation, and at least one reflector that is disposed in the body so as to at least partially surround the heater and that reflects the radiation emitting from the heater and diffusing in a direction away from the foodstuff to the foodstuff.

In the electric grill of the present invention, the reflector has an upper section that reflects the radiation emitted out of the body and that has a convex surface so that the crest thereof faces toward the heater. By means of the convex upper section, the radiation provides homogenous heat distribution over side surfaces of the foodstuff. Moreover, since it is not necessary for the reflector opening to face outside the body in order that the side surfaces of the foodstuff can be roasted, the radiation is prevented from directly reaching the users and the safety of the portable electric grill is increased. In an embodiment of the present invention, the rear section of the reflector that reflects the radiation diffusing in horizontal direction is in partially elliptic cylinder form extending along the heater. The heater is disposed on one of the focal axes of the rear section and the skewer is placed on the body so as to extend along the other focal axis of the rear section. Thereby, the radiation emanating from the heater and diffusing toward the wall of the body is focused on the axis of the skewer and the efficiency of roasting of the foodstuff on the skewer is increased.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the lower section of the reflector is in form of a plate that extends so as to make an acute angle with respect to the horizontal plane and that reflects the radiation diffusing toward the bottom of the body toward the foodstuff. Thus, the radiation reflected from the lower part creates a homogenous distribution over the bottom surface of the grill grate and the foodstuff on the grill grate is roasted effectively.

In another embodiment of the present invention, on the body at least two cooking regions are disposed so that each remains between two opposite heaters. Thereby, the foodstuff arranged on both the skewer and the grill grate can be roasted simultaneously.

In another embodiment of the present invention, on body two heaters are disposed so as to be side by side between the neighboring roasting regions and the upper section formed cylindrically so that the ends thereof curve towards the outside of the body extends over both heaters. By means of a single upper section covering the upper sides of the heaters, ease of production and assembly is gained.

In another embodiment of the present invention, on the body two heaters are disposed so as to be side by side between the neighboring roasting regions and the bottom surface of the reflector, of which the cross-section is in inverted V form, extends under the heaters. Thus, by means of a single lower section, a homogenous heat distribution can be obtained in two different cooking regions.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the reflector opening is covered with a cover having gaps that allow the radiation to reach the foodstuff. Thus, the users is prevented from contacting the heater and the safety of the portable electric grill is increased.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the reflector opening is covered with a cover produced from a glass material having infrared transmissivity. Thus, by preventing fats spluttering from the foodstuff from reaching the heater and the reflector, cleaning of the portable electric grill is facilitated.

By means of the present invention, by enabling the reflectors from directing the radiation emanating from the heaters toward the lateral surfaces of the foodstuff, both the roasting performance is improved and the radiation is prevented from directly reaching the users is prevented. Thus, the portable electric grill is enabled to be used efficiently and safely.

The electric grill realized in order to attain the aim of the present invention is illustrated in the attached figures where

Figure 1 - is the perspective view of the portable electric grill in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 - is the cross-sectional view of the portable electric grill related to another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 - is the partial cross-sectional view of the portable electric grill related to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 - is the partial cross-sectional view of the portable electric grill related to another embodiment of the present invention.

The elements in the figures are numbered as follows:

I . Electric grill 2. Body

3. Skewer

4. Grill grate

5. Heater

6. Reflector 7, 107. Upper section

8. Rear section

9. 109. Lower section

10. Cooking region

I I . Cover F: Foodstuff

The electric grill (1) comprises a body (2) whereon the grill grate (4) and/or the skewer (3) bearing the foodstuff (F) to be roasted is placed; at least one heater (5) that is disposed in the body (2) and that enables the foodstuff (F) to be roasted by means of radiation, and at least one reflector (6) that is disposed in the body (2) so as to at least partially surround the heater (5) and that reflects the radiation emanating from the heater (5). The reflector (6) surrounds the heater (5) so that the front part of the heater (5) facing inside the body (2) is exposed. The reflector (6) directs the radiation emanating from the heater (5) and diffusing in a direction away from the foodstuff (F) toward the foodstuff (F). The electric grill (1) of the present invention comprises the reflector (6) having a curved upper section (7, 107) that reflects the radiation diffusing from the body (2) toward the outside, and the heater (5) that is disposed in the reflector (6) so as to face the convex side of the upper section (7, 107) (Figure 2). The radiation emanating from the heater (5) and diffusing toward outside the body (2) reaches the upper section (7, 107) of the reflector (6) and by means of the convex form of the upper section (7, 107), the ray beams are reflected by moving them away from each other. Thus, a part of the radiation is reflected toward the other sections of the reflector (6) and indirectly transmitted to the foodstuff (F), while the other part diffuses toward lateral surfaces of the roasting foodstuff (F) that are extending perpendicular to the bottom of the body (2). Thereby, a homogenous heat distribution is gained over lateral surfaces of the foodstuff (F) roasted on especially skewers (3) and roasting performance is improved. Moreover, since the reflector (6) opening does not face toward the outside of the body (2), juices and fats dripping from the foodstuff (F) are prevented from easily reaching the heater (5) and smokeless roasting performance is improved.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the reflector (6) comprises a rear section (8) of which the cross-section is in elliptic form, that reflects the radiation diffusing toward the wall of the body (2); the heater (5) extending over a first focal axis of the rear section (8), and the skewer (3) placed on the body (2) so as to extend over a second axis of the rear section (8) (Figure 3). The radiation emanating from the heater (5), that extends along the first focal axis, toward the wall of the body (2) is focused on the foodstuff (F) arranged on the skewer (3) extending along the second focal axis. Thereby, the foodstuff (F) arranged on the skewer (3) is roasted ideally.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the reflector (6) has a lower section (9) that extends almost parallel with the bottom of the body (2) and that reflects the radiation diffusing toward the bottom of the body (2) (Figure 3). The lower section (9) is in the form of a flat plate extending tangential to the rear section (8) with elliptic cross-section. The radiation diffusing toward the bottom of the body (2) reaches the lower section (9) and is reflected toward the middle of the body (2) so as to create a homogenous thermal heat distribution on the horizontal plane. Thus, the radiation is distributed over the surface of the grill grate (4) and the foodstuff (F) arranged on the grill grate (4) is enabled to be roasted efficiently. In another embodiment of the present invention, the electric grill (1) comprises at least two pairs of heaters (5) disposed oppositely in the body (2) and at least two cooking regions (10), each remaining between each pair of heaters (5) (Figure 1). Thus, at least one grill grate (4) and at least one skewer (3) can be placed in different cooking regions (10). Thereby, the foodstuffs (F) suitable for roasting on both the skewer (3) and the grill grate (4) can be roasted simultaneously and ideally on the body (2).

In another embodiment of the present invention, the electric grill (1) comprises two heaters (5) disposed side by side, each corresponding to a different cooking region (10), and the reflector (6) that extends over the heaters (5) and that has the upper section (107) the cross-section of which is in U form, with its curve facing the heaters (5) (Figure 4). The cylindrical upper section (107) reflects the radiation toward the lateral surfaces of the foodstuffs (F) disposed in both cooking regions (10) and enables the foodstuffs especially on the skewer to be homogenously roasted. Moreover, the upper section (107) forms a hot surface extending over the body (2) when the heaters (5) are operated. Thereby, the concave surface of the reflector (6) can be used as a keep warm zone whereon the skewer (3) taken from the cooking region (10) after the roasting process is placed.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the electric grill (1) comprises two heaters (5) that are disposed side by side, each corresponding to a different cooking region (10) and the reflector (6) having the lower section (109) extending under the heaters (5) and having a cross-section in the form of an inverted V so that the ends thereof extend toward the bottom of the body (2) (Figure 4). The surfaces extending toward the bottom of the body (2) so as to make an angle with the horizontal plane distribute the radiation to a wide region. Thus, by means of a single lower section (109) that covers the lower section of both heaters (5), the foodstuffs (F) disposed on the grill grate (4) in two different cooking regions (10) can be roasted efficiently.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the electric grill (1) comprises a cover (11) that covers the front side of the heater (5) facing inside the body (2) and that has gaps that allow the radiation to reach the foodstuffs (F). Thus, external matters such as foodstuff (F) pieces are prevented from entering the reflector (6) opening and contacting the heater (5).

In an embodiment of the present invention, the electric grill (1) comprises the cover (11) produced from a glass material with infrared transmissivity and that covers the front part of the heater (5) facing inside the body (2). Thus, the cover (11) is prevented from shading the radiation sent towards the foodstuffs (F).

In the electric grill (1) of the present invention, by enabling adequate amount of radiation to be directed towards the foodstuffs (F) roasted on both the grill grate (4) and the skewer (3), the roasting efficiency is increased and the efficient use of the thermal energy is provided. Thus, a portable electric grill (1) is realized, wherein different kinds of foodstuffs (F) that are suitable for roasting on both the skewer (3) and the grill grate (4) can be roasted ideally.

Claims

An electric grill (1) comprising a body (2) whereon the grill grate (4) and/or the skewer (3) bearing the foodstuff (F) to be roasted is placed; at least one heater (5) that is disposed in the body (2) and that enables the foodstuff (F) to be roasted by means of radiation, and at least one reflector (6) that is disposed in the body (2) so as to at least partially surround the heater (5) and that reflects the radiation emanating from the heater (5), characterized by the reflector (6) having a curved upper section (7, 107) that reflects the radiation diffusing from the body (2) toward the outside, and the heater (5) that is disposed in the reflector (6) so as to face the convex side of the upper section (7, 107)

An electric grill (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by the reflector (6) having a rear section (8) of which the cross-section is in elliptic form, that reflects the radiation diffusing toward the wall of the body (2), the heater (5) extending over a first focal axis of the rear section (8), and the skewer (3) placed on the body (2) so as to extend over a second axis of the rear section (8)

An electric grill (1) as in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by the reflector (6) that has a lower section (9) that extends almost parallel with the bottom of the body (2) and that reflects the radiation diffusing toward the bottom of the body (2)

An electric grill (1) as in Claim 1, characterized by at least two pairs of heaters (5) disposed oppositely in the body (2) and at least two cooking regions (10), each remaining between each pair of heaters (5).

An electric grill (1) as in Claim 4, characterized by two heaters (5) disposed side by side, each corresponding to a different cooking region (10), and the reflector (6) that extends over the heaters (5) and that has the upper section (107) the cross-section of which is in U form, with its curve facing the heaters (5).

An electric grill (1) as in Claim 4 or Claim 5, characterized by two heaters (5) that are disposed side by side, each corresponding to a different cooking region (10) and the reflector (6) having the lower section (109) extending under the heaters (5) and having a cross-section in the form of an inverted V so that the ends thereof extend toward the bottom of the body (2).

7. An electric grill (1) as in any of the above claims, characterized by a cover (11) that covers the front part of the heater (5) facing inside the body (2) and that has gaps that allow the radiation to reach the foodstuff (F).

8. An electric grill (1) as in Claim 1 to Claim 6, characterized by the cover (11) that is produced from a glass material with infrared transmissivity and that covers the front part of the heater (5) facing inside the body (2).