Grill canopy and removal system

Abstract

A grill canopy is removably mounted to a grill or cooking assembly over the cooking surface of the grill. The grill canopy includes a first or front half and a second or rear half adapted to fit together in a telescoping arrangement. The first and second canopy halves can be locked together and then rotated to a removal position, where they can be disengaged and removed from the cooking surface of the grill.

1 . A cooking assembly, comprising:
 a base having a cooking area defined thereon;   a canopy moveable between a closed position substantially covering said cooking area and an open position exposing and enabling access to said cooking area; and   wherein said canopy comprises telescoping first and second canopy sections releasably mounted to said base, each of said canopy sections pivotable between a locked position secured to said base and an unlocked position for removal of said canopy sections from said base, and a locking mechanism mounted between said first and second canopy sections and engageable therewith for locking said first and second sections together for removal from said base as a unitary structure.   
     
     
         2 . The cooking assembly of  claim 1  and wherein said locking mechanism comprises a locking member including a lock activating portion projecting from said first canopy section and having an engagement portion extending inwardly, and a locking slot formed in said second canopy section, wherein as said first and second canopy sections are moved into a telescoped position, said engagement portion of said locking member is received within and is slideable along said locking slot to lock said first and second canopy sections together. 
     
     
         3 . The cooking assembly of  claim 1  and wherein the cooking assembly comprises a grill. 
     
     
         4 . The cooking assembly of  claim 1  and further comprising a handle mounted to said first canopy section. 
     
     
         5 . The cooking assembly of  claim 1  and wherein said locking mechanism comprises a sliding latch. 
     
     
         6 . The cooking assembly of  claim 1  and wherein each of said first and second canopy sections comprises a body extending between spaced side walls, each of said side walls further including attachment hardware at lower ends thereof for releasably attaching said first and second canopy sections to said base. 
     
     
         7 . The cooking assembly of  claim 6  and wherein said attachment hardware comprises rotatable tabs formed at said lower ends of said side walls of each of said canopy sections, each tab including a recess adapted to engage and receive a pivot pin therein. 
     
     
         8 . A removable canopy for a cooking grill, comprising:
 a pivotable front canopy half and a pivotable rear canopy half, said front canopy half moveable to an opened position extending over and substantially covering said rear canopy half;   wherein said front and rear canopy halves each include a body and spaced side walls at opposite ends of said body, said side walls having upper ends attached to said body and lower ends;   attachment hardware located at said lower ends of said side walls for releasably engaging the cooking grill and providing pivotable movement for said front and rear canopy halves with respect to a cooking surface of the cooking grill; and   a locking mechanism mounted along said front canopy half and having a locking member adapted to engage said rear canopy half when said front canopy half is pivoted to its open position substantially covering said rear canopy half for locking said front and rear canopy halves together in a locked together configuration;   wherein with said front and rear canopy halves in this locked together configuration, the canopy can be rotated to a removal position whereby said attachment hardware of said side walls is disengageable from the cooking grill for removal of the canopy.   
     
     
         9 . The removable canopy of  claim 8  and wherein said attachment hardware comprises rotatable tabs formed at said lower ends of said side walls of each of said canopy halves, each tab including a recess adapted to receive and engage a pivot pin therein. 
     
     
         10 . The removable canopy of  claim 8  and wherein said locking mechanism comprises a sliding latch. 
     
     
         11 . The removable canopy of  claim 8  and wherein said locking mechanism comprises a locking member having a lock activating portion projecting from said front canopy half and an engagement portion extending inwardly, and a locking slot formed in said rear canopy half wherein, as said front and rear canopy halves are moved into a telescoped position, said engagement portion of said locking member is received within and is slideable along said locking slot to lock said front and rear canopy halves together. 
     
     
         12 . The removable canopy of  claim 8  further comprising a handle mounted to said front canopy half. 
     
     
         13 . A method of removing a grill canopy, from about a cooking surface of a grill, comprising:
 moving a first canopy section to an open position extending over and substantially covering a second canopy section and at least partially uncovering the cooking surface;   securing the first and second canopy sections in a locked together arrangement;   rotating the locked together first and second canopy sections to a removal position wherein the attachment hardware of the first and second canopy sections is disengaged from a pivot pin adjacent the cooking surface; and   raising the locked together first and second canopy sections and moving the first and second canopy sections away from the cooking surface.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  and wherein securing the first and second canopy sections in a locked together arrangement comprises moving a locking member mounted in the first canopy section into a locking slot formed in the second canopy section as the first canopy section is moved over the second canopy section, and, after the locking member has been received within the locking slot, moving the locking member laterally to a locked position along the locking slot.