Cooking Grill With Integrated Removable Roller Grate

Abstract

A cooking grill including a removable roller grate having a plurality of substantially parallel elongated rollers, the roller grate including a drive system for enabling the rollers to rotate together in the same direction, and a drive motor assembly having a drive motor for providing rotational movement to an output shaft, wherein the drive system is engageable with the drive motor assembly such that when the roller grate is installed in the main grill, rotation of the output shaft of the drive motor causes the rollers to rotate.

1 . A cooking grill comprising:
 a main grill including a removable roller grate having a plurality of substantially parallel elongated rollers, the roller grate including a drive system for enabling the rollers to rotate together in the same direction; and   a drive motor assembly having a drive motor for providing rotational movement to an output shaft;   wherein the drive system is engageable with the drive motor assembly such that when the roller grate is installed in the main grill, rotation of the output shaft of the drive motor causes the rollers to rotate.   
     
     
         2 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , the drive motor assembly further including an output gear mounted to rotate with the output shaft of the drive motor, and the drive system including a main drive gear adapted to meshingly engage with the output gear such that:
 when the roller grate is installed in the main grill the main drive gear and the output gear are meshingly engaged with each other, and   when the roller grate is removed from the main grill the main drive gear and the output gear are released from engagement.   
     
     
         3 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , wherein the roller grate has a drive end and an opposite idler end, and wherein the drive system includes a gear assembly located at the drive end, the gear assembly comprising:
 a plurality of drive gears, one drive gear mounted to rotate coaxially with each roller, one of the drive gears serving as a main drive gear;   a plurality of intermediate gears, each intermediate gear located between and meshingly engaging with two adjacent drive gears such that all of the drive gears rotate in the same direction;   wherein the main drive gear being adapted to meshingly engage with an output gear mounted to rotate with the output shaft of the drive motor.   
     
     
         4 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , wherein the roller grate has a drive end and an opposite idler end, and wherein the drive system includes a chain drive located at the drive end for causing the rollers to rotate together. 
     
     
         5 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , wherein the roller grate has a drive end and an opposite idler end, and wherein the drive system includes a belt drive located at the drive end for causing the rollers to rotate together. 
     
     
         6 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , further comprising an accessory unit located on a side of the main grill adjacent to the roller grate, wherein the drive motor is mounted beneath the accessory unit. 
     
     
         7 . The cooking grill of  claim 6 , further comprising an auxiliary grill located on a side of the main grill opposite the accessory unit. 
     
     
         8 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is powered by alternating current electricity. 
     
     
         9 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is powered by a battery. 
     
     
         10 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is powered by a solar cell. 
     
     
         11 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is powered mechanically. 
     
     
         12 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , the main grilling surface further including a slotted grate adjacent to the roller grate. 
     
     
         13 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable griddle that is interchangeable with the removable roller grate. 
     
     
         14 . The cooking grill of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable slotted grate that is interchangeable with the removable roller grate. 
     
     
         15 . A cooking grill comprising:
 a roller grate having a plurality of substantially parallel elongated rollers, the roller grate including a drive system for enabling the rollers to rotate together in the same direction; and   a drive motor assembly having a drive motor for providing rotational movement to an output shaft;   wherein the drive system is engageable with the drive motor assembly such that when the roller grate is installed in the grill, rotation of the output shaft of the drive motor causes the rollers to rotate.   
     
     
         16 . The cooking grill of  claim 15 , further comprising a main grill and an auxiliary grill extending outwardly from one side of the main grill, wherein the roller grate can be removably mounted in either of the main grill and the auxiliary grill. 
     
     
         17 . A cooking grill comprising:
 a main grill including a first grill section and a second grill section;   a roller grate adapted to be mounted in at least the first grill section, the roller grill including a plurality of substantially parallel elongated rollers and a drive system for enabling the rollers to rotate together in the same direction;   a slotted grate adapted to be mounted in at least the second grill section; and   a drive motor assembly for providing rotational movement to the drive system of the roller grate.   
     
     
         18 . The cooking grill of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an auxiliary grill mounted to one side of the main grill, the auxiliary grill being adapted for mounting either of the roller grate and the slotted grate.   
     
     
         19 . A cooking grill comprising:
 a main grill including a removable roller grate interchangeable with either of a slotted grate and a griddle, roller grate having:
 a plurality of substantially parallel elongated rollers; and 
 a gear assembly for enabling the rollers to rotate together in the same direction, the gear assembly including a plurality of drive gears with drive gear mounted to rotate coaxially with each roller, a plurality of intermediate gears with each intermediate gear being located between and meshingly engaging with two adjacent drive gears such that all of the drive gears rotate in the same direction, wherein one of the drive gears serves as a main drive gear; and 
   a drive motor assembly supported by the main grill adjacent to the roller grate, the drive motor assembly having a drive motor for providing rotational movement to an output gear located beneath the roller grate;   wherein the main drive gear of the gear assembly is engageable with the output gear of drive motor assembly such that when the roller grate is installed in the main grill, rotation of the output gear of the drive motor causes the rollers to rotate.   
     
     
         20 . The cooking grill of  claim 19 , wherein when the roller grate is installed in the main grill the main drive gear and the output gear are meshingly engaged with each other, and when the roller grate is removed from the main grill the main drive gear and the output gear are released from engagement. 
     
     
         21 . The cooking grill of  claim 19 , further comprising an auxiliary grill located on a side of the main grill opposite the drive motor assembly, the auxiliary grill being adapted to removably receive one of the roller grate, the slotted grate, and the griddle.