The popularity of barbecue grills and outdoor cooking devices has increased tremendously over the last twenty-five years. Gas barbecue grills employ a burner to cook food that is supported on a grate above the burner. Conversely, charcoal barbecue grills use combustible solid fuel to cook the food. Typically, the grate has numerous elongated bars and openings which cause the grate to have a grid-like configuration. Most grates are formed from metal such that the grate can withstand the high heat generated by the burner or heating element.
During operation of the barbecue grill, food is placed on the grate and grease and other byproducts are generated during the cooking process. The quantity of grease and byproducts generated during the cooking process varies with a number of factors, including but not limited to the type of food cooked on the grate, the amount of food cooked, the amount of heat generated by the burner tube, and the ambient conditions. In addition, certain types of foods produce a larger amount of grease and byproducts than other types. For example, cooking an ear of corn on the grate produces less grease and byproducts than a steak or hamburger. Grease and byproducts are generally fluid such that they flow or move in a path. The direction of the path depends upon the effects of gravity and the structures within the cooking chamber of the barbecue grill. However, over time and repeated use, grease and byproducts can accumulate on the grate and within the cooking chamber. The accumulation of grease and byproducts can negatively affect the performance and operation of the barbecue grill assembly.
Conventional grates typically include a plurality of elongated members, openings, and cross members that define a cooking surface for the food. An example of the conventional grate is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,452 to Schlosser et al. There, the grate 10 is formed from a plurality of elongated rods 36 about openings, both of which are within a perimeter defined by a circular ring 20. Another example of the conventional grate is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,343 to Rigney et al. There, the grate has a generally rectangular shape with numerous openings 31 and elongated structures 28. Conventional grates suffer from an inability to direct or control the flow of grease and byproducts generated while cooking food on the grate. Instead, conventional grates merely allow grease and byproducts to pass through the various openings in a random manner without directing such passage. As a result, conventional grates cannot direct the flow of grease and byproducts away from hot burner assemblies during operation of the grill. In addition, conventional grates cannot direct the flow of grease and byproducts to an intended location for drainage or removal from the grill. Consequently, conventional grates permit the accumulation of grease and byproducts which negatively affects the performance and operation of the barbecue grill.
Therefore, there is a definite need for a grate that directs and controls the flow of grease and byproducts to ensure the long-term performance and operation of the barbecue grill. The present invention is provided to solve these and other problems.