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Grill cleaning clawRelated Patent Categories: Brushing, Scrubbing, And General Cleaning, Implements, Scrapers, Plural Bladed, Simultaneously UseableGrill cleaning claw description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060048328, Grill cleaning claw. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to a grill cleaning apparatus and, more particularly, to a tool for scraping to clean grills. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Many restaurants, and to some extent individuals, rely on grills that have grooved surfaces on their broiler grates for cooking items such as fish, chicken, steaks, ribs and many other food items thereon. Such grooved surfaces on the broiler grates are often designed with inward by angled grooves to prevent food items from falling into bottom of the grill. The grooves may be at right angles and have a depth of 1/2 to 1 inch or 3/4 inch, which depth may not be consistent across the width of each groove. Depending on the broiler design, each groove may have multiple depths and each portion may be deeper. An example of this broiler grate design is the Vulcan.RTM. VCCB series gas char-broiler. While grilling, food particles, grease and the like separate from the food and fall into the grooves. Residual food particles may stick to surfaces in and around the grooves. [0003] To maintain a consistent grilling surface and sanitary cooking conditions the grill must be regularly cleaned. Oils from the food being grilled run down the grooved of the broiler grates to the bottom of the grill. Cleaning of the oils, carbonaceous char, and other matter, is most commonly performed using wire brushes having bristles of uniform length. However the unique topographical features of such grooved grills make them particularly challenging to clean using uniform lengths of bristle. The bristles prove incompatible with the grooved surface of the grill. The depth of the grooves, typically 3/4 inch, and particularly the angle further prevent the bristles from reaching into between the grooves for cleaning. Typical bristle brushes can only effectively clean the top of the grill surfaces, but not in between the grooves for sufficient cleaning. [0004] Bristle brushes as well as various other scraping implements do not offer an adequate solution for cleaning the broiler grate in its entirety, including the surfaces and in between the grooves. Consequently, a need exists for an effective cleaning tool for adequately cleaning broiler grates. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005] The present invention is directed to a grill cleaning apparatus that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art and provides benefits to the art of grill cleaning. The invention provides a grill cleaning apparatus comprising an elongated body having a handle portion at one end and a scraper portion at the other end, and a claw extending outward from the scraper portion. The outwardly extending claw is shaped to fit into the angled grooves of most grills. The claw has a trunk with at least two side portions that widen outward from the scraper portion, and terminates with a plurality of spaced apart teeth. Each tooth has several edges and at least one projection for accessing the depth of the grooves. [0006] The unique shape and contour of the present invention enables it to reach between and down into the depths of grill grooves to grasp and release any unwanted food particles, grease, and the like. It also provides the benefit of not becoming too hot for use and having a long enough handle to minimize or prevent injury to the user. Other advantages include its ease of use and inexpensive manufacturing cost. [0007] Having briefly described the present invention, these and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0008] FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention. [0009] FIG. 2 is a side view showing another embodiment of the present invention. [0010] FIG. 3 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention. [0011] FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention. [0012] FIG. 5 is a detail tooth profile view of an embodiment of the present invention. EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION [0013] A grill cleaning apparatus 10 comprises a generally elongated body 11 having a handle portion 12 and a scraper portion 14, as shown in FIG. 1. A claw 16 extends outwardly from scraper portion 14 and terminates with a plurality of teeth 30, as depicted in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5. [0014] Handle portion 12 is of any graspable shape and, preferably, has an elongated cylindrical shape, as can be seen in FIG. 1. In an example, the handle of the present invention is made out of a thermo resistant material that does not easily conduct heat to protect and minimize injury to the user. In this way, the grill cleaning claw can be utilized on a hot grill without becoming too hot to hold. Materials such as wood, ceramic, plastic, and various other composite materials have these desired heat resistant properties. In the alternative, in a grill application other than for hot grills, the handle 12 may be constructed of other materials than these. The handle should be such that it can comfortably fit into the palm of the user's hand and provide sufficient thickness to enable the user to push downward while scraping without buckling the handle. Unlike the prior scraper devices, the handle of the present invention has a much longer handle length, as measured from the proximal end to the distal end (the proximal end being that end held by the user and the distal end being the end nearest the teeth). The longer handle length reduces or eliminates the likelihood of grease or other materials splashing up on the user's hand while the scraper is being used to scrape the grill surface. [0015] Claw 16 is associated with scraper portion 14 opposite handle portion 12, as shown in FIG. 2. The claw 16 may be internally integrated or detachably integrated to the scraper portion 14 opposite handle portion 12. In an embodiment, an example of which is illustrated in FIG. 2, claw 16 comprises a rigid molded body removably or fixedly attached to elongated body 11 by connecting mechanism 18 (not shown) connected to scraper portion 14. Connecting mechanism 18 (not shown) consists of securing means such as bolts, nails, screws, snaps, clamps, straps, adhesive, or the like; 18a and 18b, as depicted in FIG. 2, to provide the desired hold--fixed, semi-rigid, or flexible. For example, five bolts can be used to affix the claw 16 to the scraper portion using holes therein sized to accept the bolts. The holes may be made 17/64 inch in diameter in this example. [0016] The claw 16 of the present invention can be made out of a variety of any suitable materials, such as stainless steel, woods, plastics, or other materials that provide the benefits described herein. The claw should be sufficiently strong to avoid buckling while scraping and adaptable to having a relatively sharp edge. It is also preferable to use a material suitable for being cleaned or sterilized as necessary. The claw 16 is comprised of multiple teeth 30, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. The teeth are designed to be of a sufficient depth and angle to reach the sides and into the depths of the deepest grooves of the grill. These vary to accommodate the groove depth and angle of a particular grill. Depending upon the particular grill application, it may be desirous for the teeth 30 to have a projection 38 to fit fairly snug in the groove of a grill to scrape out smaller particles, liquids or grease, as can be seen in FIG. 5. In an example of a particular embodiment, each of the teeth has at least one projection, which may be a V-shaped, pointed extension 38 at the end of the tooth, shown in FIG. 5, where the projection or extension extends into the groove in order to clean out the small grease trough in each of the grooves of the grill. In an example, the projection 38 is measured as P, as shown in FIG. 5, and is within the range of about 1/6 inch to about 2 inches, and preferably about 1/8 inch. [0017] Claw 16 has a trunk 22 with at least two side portions 23 and 24, examples of which are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Side portions 23 and 24 widen outward from the scraper portion 14 and terminate with a plurality of spaced apart teeth 30, as can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The width along the teeth W.sub.2 and the width of the handle W.sub.1 along the handle or at the opposite end of elongated body are in such proportion that W.sub.1 is smaller than the teeth width W.sub.2. Preferably, W.sub.1 is at least half that of W.sub.2. In an example, trunk width W.sub.1 is about 3/8 inch to about 11/2 inches, preferably 11/4 inches, and W.sub.2 is about 4 to about 8 inches, and preferably about 53/8 inches. [0018] As shown in FIG. 5, each tooth 30 has a first edge 31 provided away from the trunk 22 creating a first angle 31a relative to the trunk's horizontal axis and a second complementary angle relative to the trunk's vertical axis (as indicated by the dotted line). A second edge 32 is provided inward from the first edge 31 and forms a projection 38 from the tooth. Projection 38 is designed to slide through the depths of grill grooves. Tooth dimensions adjust to accommodate the contours of anticipated grill grooves. A third edge 33 is provided from the second edge 32 extending generally along trunk's 22 horizontal axis, and a fourth edge 34 is provided inward from the third edge 33 to the trunk to create a third angle 33a relative to the trunk's or teeth's horizontal axis W.sub.2. [0019] Any number of teeth 30 can be used. FIG. 5 shows an example. The number of teeth 30 is selected and configured to the size of elongated body 11 chosen for the particular grilling application. Teeth 30 are generally of the same or substantially the same or similar in size and shape. A gap or tapering indent 35 is formed between each tooth 30 having an end wall 36 at or along the end of trunk 22. In an example, end wall 36 aligns generally parallel with W.sub.2 or is curved. In an example, the curve has a radius of about 1/8 inch, which may vary by about 15%. The radius is adjustable to fit the contours of the surface of a grill grate. The series of indents or gaps 35 between the teeth 30 are generally all of the same, substantially similar, or similar in dimension. Continue reading about Grill cleaning claw... Full patent description for Grill cleaning claw Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Grill cleaning claw patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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