Apparatus for converting hinged-lid cooking grills for cooking pizza

Abstract

An accessory is provided for adapting cooking grills, especially grills including a hinged lid, for improved cooking of pizzas and other foods. The accessory includes a body adapted to be disposed between the base and lid portions of the cooking grill, the body being configured to mate with an inner surface of the lid and to cooperate with the base and lid portions to define therebetween a substantially-enclosed cooking chamber when the lid is positioned in a partially-closed position between the open and closed positions. A hinged-lid grill including the accessory is provided also.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An accessory for a cooking grill, the cooking grill including a base and a lid hingedly attached to the base and movable between an open position and a closed position, the accessory comprising:
 a body adapted to be disposed between the base and lid portions of the cooking grill, the body being configured to mate with an inner surface of the lid and to cooperate with the base and lid portions to define therebetween a substantially-enclosed cooking chamber when the lid is positioned in a partially-closed position between the open and closed positions.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said body defines a front wall and a pair of sidewalls extending generally transversely to said from wall. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory of  claim 2 , wherein said accessory is constructed as a unitary body. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory of  claim 2 , wherein said accessory is constructed by cutting a blank from a substantially planar sheet stock and subsequently bending portions of the blank out of plane to form the body. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory of  claim 2 , wherein said front wall defines a window. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory of  claim 5 , wherein further comprising a door hingedly attached to said front wall and pivotable between open and closed positions to selectively close said window. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said body has a lower edge configured to cause the accessory to rest in a stable manner on a planar surface. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said body has a lower edge configured to cause the accessory to rest in a stable manner on a grate of the cooking. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said body has a lower edge configured to cause the accessory to rest in a stable manner on a plurality of supports for a grate of the cooking grill. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said body defines a front wall and a pair of sidewalls extending generally transversely to said from wall, each of said walls having a respective lower edge, said lower edges being substantially co-planar. 
     
     
         11 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said body defines an upper edge that is configured to mate with an inner surface of the lid when the lid is in the partially-closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said body defines an upper edge that is contoured to conform to an inner surface of the lid when the lid is in the partially-closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said body has a generally wedge-shaped profile when viewed from a side to substantially close an opening between the base and the lid when the lid is in the partially-closed position. 
     
     
         14 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the body is generally U-shaped for use with a generally rectangularly-shaped cooking grill. 
     
     
         15 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the body is generally C-shaped for use with a generally circularly-shaped cooking grill. 
     
     
         16 . The accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising a secondary fuel basket, the secondary fuel basket comprising:
 a sidewall; and   a floor cooperating with the sidewall for supporting a supply of fuel.   
     
     
         17 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein said secondary fuel basket further comprises an attachment member for supporting the secondary fuel basket on the body. 
     
     
         18 . A combination comprising the accessory of  claim 1 , a cooking surface, and a peel. 
     
     
         19 . A combination comprising the accessory of  claim 1  and a cooking grill. 
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19 , further comprising a cooking surface and a peel. 
     
     
         21 . A cooking oven comprising:
 a cooking grill comprising:
 a frame; 
 a base supported on the frame; 
 a cooking grate supported on the base; 
 a lid hingedly-attached to the base and movable between an open position and a closed position; and 
   an accessory comprising:
 a body adapted to be disposed between the base and lid portions of the cooking grill, the body being configured to mate with an inner surface of the lid and to cooperate with the base and lid portions to define therebetween a substantially-enclosed cooking chamber when the lid is positioned in a partially-closed position between the open and closed positions.