RADIANT HEATER ELEMENT FOR USE IN GRILLS AND THE LIKE
Technical Field
This invention relates to grills and hot plates used in commercial establishments and
domestically, and more particularly, to a new or replacement heating unit for such grills.
Cooking grills used in high volume food outlets generally comprise a top plate on the
upper surface of which food is placed to be cooked. As shown in Fig. 1, a tubular heating
unit 12 is installed beneath a grill plate 10. In actuality, and as shown in Fig. 2, a series of
tabular heating units are installed in a side-by-side configuration on the underside of plate 10.
The heating units are mounted between the top plate and a bottom plate 14. A layer 16 of a
wool-type insulation material is held in place on the underside of plate 14 by yet a third plate
18. This entire assembly is held together by a plurality of spaced bolts 20 which are
sufficiently long so to extend through all of the plates. Fasteners 22 are then used to
complete the assembly.
There are a number of problems with this construction. First, is the efficiency of the
grill to cook food. For example, in high volume cooking, it is expected mat the grill will heat
a frozen hamburger patty in approximately 35 seconds from the time the patty is placed on
the grill. When the grill is at temperature, this will occur. However, when the grill is first
turned on, the grill takes up to eight minutes to react to the heat load represented by the patty.
Second, the temperature profile across the heating area of the grill is non-uniform. As shown
in Fig. 3 in the area adjacent the location of tubular heating elements there is a hot spot
Between adjacent sections of the hearing element, there is a substantial fall off in
temperature. As a result food placed on a portion of the grill over a heating element cooks
faster than food placed on other parts of the grill. And, for larger items such as steaks, the
food is cooked inconsistently.
In addition to the effects on cooking, if a heating element fails, there is a substantial
amount of downtime required in order to replace the failed unit. The grill must be
disassembled, the unit replaced, and then the grill reassembled before being used again for
cooking. If this can be done during normal maintenance periods, there may be little or no
impact on food service. If, however, replacement must be made during normal business
hours, service will be greatly unpaired.

Background Art
Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of grill
or hot plate used for cooking food, and in particular, cooking food quickly;
the provision of such a grill having a new heating element used therewith, either as
new or replacement equipment, the heating element having demonstrable advantages over
conventional heating units used with such grills;
the provision of such a grill employing a radiant heater element and a support base for
the element, the radiant heating element extending across the support base so to provide more
uniform heating of the portion of the grill beneath which the element is mounted;
the provision of a radiant heating element assembly which brings the hot plate portion
of the grill to a desired cooking temperature in substantially less time than a conventional
tubular heating dement;
the provision of such an assembly in which the hot plate and heating unit together
define a cavity in which the heating clement is supported, the heating element heating the
cavity to uniform temperature so to eliminate hot spots on the grill and produce uniform
cooking of food;
the provision of such an assembly requiring fewer parts than is required by a
conventional heating element thereby simplifying the design, construction, and cost of an
assembly, as well as making it easier to install and replace the assembly; and,
the provision of such an assembly which enables frozen hamburger patties and the
like to be rapidly cooked to a desired temperature so to cook food quickly and properly.
In accordance with the invention, generally stated, a grill includes a hot plate on one
side of which is a cooking surface upon which food to be cooked is set A heating unit
installed on the underside of the hot plate heats the grill so the cooking surface temperature is
a desired temperature. The assembly includes a radiant beating element and a Base
supporting the element. The top plate and heating unit together define a cavity which is
heated to a uniform temperature across the cavity and to which the grill is heated. This
uniformity of temperature results in food placed anywhere in a heated area on the grill rapidly
hearing to a desired temperature and the food being cooked uniformly throughout. Other
objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
Disclosure of the Invention
In the drawings, Fig. I is a side elevational view of a conventional, prior art grill
assembly;
Fig. 2 is a plan view of a prior art tubular beating element assembly used with the
grill,
Fig. 3 is a temperature profile for the tubular heating assembly;
% Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a grill employing beating units of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the grill;
Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a heating unit;
Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the unit taken along line 7-7 in Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 illustrates the side-by-side installation of heating units; and,
Fig. 9 is a temperature profile for the cooking surface of a grill with the heaung units
installed.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the
drawings.
Brief Description Of DrawinRs
Referring to the drawings, a prior art grill construction as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has
been previously described, as has the temperature profile for such a grill as shown in Fig 3.
A grill of the present invention is indicated generally 100 in Fig. 4. The grill includes a hot
plate 102, the top surface 104 of which is a cooking surface upon which food to be cooked is
set. A heating unit 106 installed on the bottom 108 of the hot plate is used to heat the grill so
the cooking surface temperature is a desired temperature. The unit includes a radiant heating
element 110 and a base 112 on which the heating element is supported. A cavity C is defined
by surface 108 of the cooking plate, and base 112 of each heating unit 106.
In Fig. 4, six heating units 106 are shown- Each heating unit is rectangular when
viewed in plan. Further, the heaung units are arranged in a side-by-side relationship with the
longer section of each unit extending lengthwise of the grill. Thus, as shown in the drawings,
the six heaung units 106 comprise two-three unit installations, one on each side of the grill.
Each unit is separately installed so if a unit needs to be replaced, it can be so without having
to disconnect or remove any of the other heating units. Further, each heating unit is self-
contamed. As such, removal and replacement of any heating unit 106 does not require the
disassembly and subsequent reassembly of grill 100.
Referring to Figs. 6-8, each heating unit 106 comprises a pan 114 which, for the grill
construction shown in Fig. 4, is rectangular in shape. The pan has a generally flat base 116,
and a circumferential sidewall 118. A cake 120 of an insulation material is sized to fit in the
pan, and the cake has a top surface 122 on which radiant heating element 110 is supported.
The heating element can be a coil or a ribbon type heating element. Both types of radiant
hearing elements are well-known in the art As shown in Fig. 6, radiant heating element 10 is
laid out in a serpentine or sinuous pattern on surface 122 of the insulation material. The
pattern shown in Fig. 6 is illustrative only, and the heating element may be laid out in other
patterns without departing from the scope of the invention. What is important is that the
pattern helps provide a uniform distribution of beat across heating unit 106 The ends of the
radiant heating element are terminated in an electrical connector 126 which matingly
connects with an electrical connector (not shown) on the underside of hot plate 102 for ease
of installation and removal of heating unit 106. A heat sensing element 130 is also installed
in the heating unit. Heat sensing element 130 is responsive to the temperature within cavity
C exceeding a predetermined temperature to open the electrical circuit through radiant
heating element 110 so as not to damage the heating element.
In Figs. 7 and 8 it is seen that the height of pan sidewall 118 is greater than the
thickness of insulation cake 120. Thus, when heating unit 106 is in place beneath hot plate
102, cavity C is formed by the space between the opposed sidewalls of pan 114, and the
space between bottom 108 of the hot plate and surface 122 of the insulation material
Because the heating element of the present invention is not in direct contact with the hot
plate; but rather, heats cavity C, the heat distribution is uniform across the heating unit For
the number of heating units 106 employed, the temperature to which the respective cavities
are heated by the respective heating elements is uniform across the length of the grill. Unlike
prior art grill constructions where heat distribution was non-uniform, as shown in Fig. 3, the
temperature of cavity C is, as shown in Fig. 9, constant across the cavity. As a result, the
underside 108 of the grill plate is uniformly heated to the same temperature. In addition to
providing uniform heat distribution, the heating unit of the present invention has been found
to heat the hot plate to a desired food cooking temperature substantially quicker than is

possible wi(R the prior art units. For example, to heat a grill having a conventional tubular
heating system to 350°F (177°C) would take approximately eight minutes. A grill equipped
with the heating units 106 of the present invention is heated to the same temperature in five
minutes (approximately 37% faster).
What has been described is grill usable both domestically, and in commercial food
establishments, to quickly and properly cook food placed on the grill A new heating element
for use with the grill comprises a radiant heating element which enables the grill to reach
cooking temperatures faster than with conventional elements, and spread heat more
uniformly over the cooking surface. The hearing element is usable as either as new
equipment or as replacement equipment Multiple hearing units are installed beneath the hot
plate portion of the grill, and each unit includes a support base defining a cavity heated by the
radiant heating element. The heating assembly has a simple construction so the grill requires
fewer parts than is required when a conventional heating element is used. This not only
reduces costs, but also maintenance time. Use of the radiant heating element allows food
such as frozen hamburger patties to be rapidly brought to a desired cooking temperature
regardless of where the food is placed on the grill.
In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are
achieved and other advantageous results are obtained.
As various changes could be. made in the above constructions without departing from
the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or
shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting
sense.
Claims
1. A grill for cooking food comprising:
a hot plate on one side of which is a cooking surface upon which food to be cooked is
placed; and,
a heating unit installed on an opposite side of said hot plate to heat said hot plate to a
desired temperature for cooking or warming the food, said heating unit including a radiant
heating clement and a base on which said heating element is supported, said healing unit and
said opposite side of said plate defining a cavity heated by said hearing element to a
temperature which is uniform across the cavity and to which said hot plate is healed, the
resulting cooking surface temperature being uniform theracross for food placed anywhere on
the grill to be rapidly heated to a desired cooking temperature and with the food being cooked
uniformly throughout
2. The grill of claim 1 further including a plurality of heating units installed on
the opposite side of said hot plate, each healing unit including a radiant heating element and a
base on which said heating element is supported, said heating units being installed adjacent to
each other for the cooking surface temperature to be uniform theracross die grilL >
3. The grill of claim 1 wherein said heating element is a coil heating element
4. The grill of claim 1 wherein said hearing element is a ribbon heating element
5. The grill of claim 2 wherein each radiant heating element is arranged in a
predetermined pattern within the beating unit.
6. Tlie griUofclaim 5 wherem each heating urutmd^
support surface and a sidewall extending circumferentially thereabout, said heating element
being installed in said pan.
7. The grill of claim 6 further including an insulation material sized to fit in said
pan and having a surface upon which said heating element is supported, the height of said
insulation material being less than the height of the sidewall of said pan.
8. The grill of claim 7 wherein said cavity is defined by the opposite side of said
grill, the surface of said insulation material on which said radiant heating element is
supported, and the height of said pan sidewall extending above said insulation materia)
surface.
9. The grill of claim 8 further including means controlling the temperature of a
heating element and for disrupting application of power to the heating element if the
temperature of said cavity exceeds a predetermined temperature.
10. A grill for cooking food comprising:
a hot plate on one side of which is a cooking surface upon which food to be cooked is
placed; and,
a plurality of heating units installed on an opposite side of said hot plate to heat said
hot plate to a desired temperature for cooking or wanning the food, each heating unit
including a radiant heating element and a base on which said heating element is supported,
said heating units and said opposite side of said plate together defining respective cavities
heated by said respective heating elements to a temperature uniform across said opposite side
of said hot plate for the resulting cooking surface temperature of said hot plate to be uniform
theracross with food placed anywhere on the grill being rapidly heated to a desired cooking
temperature and with the food being cooked uniformly throughout.
11. The grill of claim 10 wherein said heating units are installed adjacent to each
other to produce a uniform cooking surface temperature across the grill.
12. The grill of claim 11 wherein each radiant heating element is arranged in a
predetermined pattern within the heating unit
13. The grill of claim 12 wherein each heating unit includes a pan having a base
and a sidewall extending circumferentially thereabout, said heating element being installed in
said pan.
14. The grill of claim 13 further including an insulation material sized to fit in
said pan and having a surface upon which said heating element is supported, the height of
said insulation material being less than the height of the sidewall of said pan.
15. The grill of claim 14 wherein said cavity is defined by the opposite side of
said grill, the surface of said insulation material on which said radiant heating element is
supported, and the height of said pan sidewall extending above said insulation materia]
surface.
16. The grill of claim 10 wherein said heating element is an open coil heating
element.
17. The grill of claim 10 wherein said heating element is a ribbon heating
clement
18. The grill of claims 16 or 17 further including means controlling the
temperature of a heating element and for disrupting application of power to the heating
element if the temperature of said cavity exceeds a predetermined temperature.

A grill (100) includes a hot plate (102) on one side of which is a
cooking surface (104) upon which food to be cooked is set. A heating unit
(106) installed on the underside (108) of the hot plate is used to heat the grill
so the cooking surface temperature is a desired temperature. The unit includes
a radiant heating element (110) and a pan (114) in which the heating element
is installed. A cavity (C) defined by the underside of the grill, a sidewall
(118) of the pan, and a top surface (122) of an insulation material (120) in
which the heating element is supported, is heated to a uniform temperature
across the cavity, and the grill is heated to this temperature. This uniformity
of temperature results in food placed anywhere on the grill rapidly heating to
a desired temperature and the food being cooked uniformly throughout.