Background of the invention

The present invention relates to a drip-pan according to the preamble of claim 1, used in gas grills, in particular, to collect leaking liquids during prepara- tion.

Modern grills, when purchased, are always provided with a collection pan the purpose of which is to collect liquids that leak out of food when it is being prepared. These may equally well be vegetable liquids as liquids or fats originating from meet or fish. Such liquids, marinades, and fat dripping from food fall through a grill, ending up on a drip-pan which is at the very bottom of a grill body. In fact, various grill-specific collection pans are disclosed in patent publications US 2010/0139643 and US 2007/0221202, for example.

Often, the drip-pan is not cleaned well enough whereby their problem is that over time they will corrode or get so dirty that they are no longer usable. At that time, a new replacement collection pan would have to be found for the grill, which in the ever-changing market has proven to be difficult.

Brief description of the invention

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a solution by means of which the aforementioned problems may for the most part be solved and by means of which the usability of a grill may be maintained longer than previously.

This object is achieved in such a manner that the drip-pan has the in- ventive characterising features defined in the claims. To be more specific, the solu- tion according to the present invention is mainly characterised by what is disclosed in the characterising part of claim 1.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

The invention provides considerable advantages. Accordingly, the in- vention provides a drip-pan that has a simple structure but, however, is suitable for a large part of gas grills on the market. This drip-pan is easy to adjust to its grill- specific dimension and to install in place.

By being applicable to a plurality of different grill models, significant savings are achieved at the retail level both in the handling of drip-pans and their storage.

Due to the drip-pan being suitable for a plurality of different grills, larger manufacturing volumes are possible, which is tailor-made both to lower manufacturing and marketing costs.

By being able to provide a new drip-pan for a plurality of grills of vari- ous models, their maintenance is at the same time furthered and life-cycle in- creased, which contributes to reducing the waste of natural resources. This has a major effect on consumer satisfaction because with a minor investment the con- sumers may continue using the grill already acquired.

Other advantages provided by the invention are disclosed in the follow- ing more detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention.

Brief description of the figures

In the following, some preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail and with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows the present drip-pan before its assembly,

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the present drip-pan before its assembly.

Figure 3 shows the drip-pan of Figure 1 in its smallest form,

Figure 4 shows the drip-pan of Figure 1 in its widest form, with its out- wardly protruding supports,

Figure 5 shows the drip-pan of Figure 1 in its widest form, with its in- wardly protruding supports.

Figure 6 shows a first cross-section of the present drip-pan at point A- A of Figure 1,

Figure 7 shows a second cross-section of the present drip-pan at point A-A of Figure 3, Figure 8 shows a side view of a first embodiment of a tray part of the present drip-pan,

Figure 9 shows a side view of a second embodiment of a tray part of the present drip-pan,

Figure 10 shows a side view of a third embodiment of a tray part of the present drip-pan,

Figure 11 is a detail view of an outwardly protruding support of the drip-pan, and

Figure 12 is a detail view of an inwardly protruding support of the drip- pan.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

The present figures do not show the drip-pan in scale but the figures are schematic illustrating the principle structure and operation of the preferred em- bodiments. The structural parts shown by reference numbers in the attached fig- ures then correspond to the structural parts marked by reference numbers in this specification.

A schematic exploded view of a first preferred two-part embodiment of the present drip-pan 1 is shown in Figure 1. Figure 2, in turn, shows a schematic exploded view of a second preferred three-part embodiment of the drip-pan 1.

The present drip-pan 1 is thus formed of at least three tray parts 2, 3, and 4 which are arrangeable into a substantially overlapping position as shown in Figure 3. The tray parts are arranged to be slidable in relation to each other, and when they form a drip-pan of the desired size, the parts are interconnected with mechanical fastening means 5.

These tray parts comprise at least two opposite end trays 2 and 4, cf. Figure 1. Adaptable between the end trays, there is additionally at least one inter- mediate tray 3, cf. Figure 2. The tray parts have a substantially square bottom 6 from which an edge flange 7 protrudes so that in the end tray the edge flange sur- rounds, with its essential parts, the bottom on three of its sides, while the edge flange is in the intermediate tray on two opposite sides of its bottom. When the drip-pan 1 is formed by adapting the tray parts in an overlap- ping position, a substantially uniform bottom plate, likewise surrounded by a sub- stantially uniform edge, is achieved for the drip-pan. By sliding the tray parts be- tween themselves, the size of the bottom plate is thus adjustable, such as shown in Figures 3 and 4 by way of example. To install the drip-pan in a grill, it is also pro- vided with at least two supports 8 installed on opposite edges of the bottom plate. These supports are connected to the edge by mechanical connecting means 5. As concerns their cross-sectional form, the supports are substantially L-shaped whereby when one flank is fixed to an edge, the flank cornerwise to it may be di- rected to either protrude outward from the bottom plate, as shown in Figure 11, or directed toward the bottom plate as shown in Figure 12.

To interconnect the tray parts, they have at their edge flanges 7 fas- tening means which are formed of slots 9 in the longitudinal direction of the flanges, or of a regular perforation 10 for receiving the mechanical connecting means 5. Embodiments of the aforementioned slots or perforations are shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10. As may be seen in Figures 8 and 9, these slots may be imple- mented as continuous along the edge flange, but also divided into a plurality of suc- cessive slots.

The present drip-pan is advantageously made of steel sheet. Due to the manufacturing material, there is the risk of the edge flanges 7 becoming unstable in their longitudinal direction. To prevent this, it is advantageous to stiffen their structure with a stiffener, for example, 11 at their top edge. Such a stiffener may be an edge stiffener such as the one shown in Figure 7, or U-shaped folds opening downward as shown in Figure 6. At the same time, these folds form slide guides which are functionally connected to each other and which facilitate moving the tray parts in relation to each other.

The present drip-pan works as follows: When a drip-pan 1 shorter in length is needed, the end trays 2 and 4 are placed in an overlapping position. The width B of these tray parts has been chosen such that they fit in a position within each other in a manner shown in Figures 3 and 6, for example. After this, the tray parts are slid in relation to each other, cf. Figures 4 and 5, for the drip-pan to reach a width suitable for the grill where it is to be installed. Once the width is correct, the tray parts are fixed to each other by mechanical locking means 5. To finalise assembly, the structure of the grill suspension system is secured, after which the L- shaped supports 8 are fastened to the end trays of the drip-pan by mechanical lock- ing means. Depending on the structure of the grill suspension system, the support is installed either with its free flank pointing away from the bottom plate formed on the drip-pan, Figure 11, or the free flank points towards the bottom plate, Figure 12.

If the grill requires a drip-pan 1 larger in length, one or more interme- diate trays 3 are first installed over the end tray 4, and over them the second end tray 2 is finally installed. In this case, too, the width B of all tray parts has been selected such that they fit in a position within each other in a manner shown in Figures 3 and 6, for example. As described in the above, after this, the tray parts are slid in relation to each other for the drip-pan to reach a width suitable for the grill where it is to be installed. Once the width is correct, the tray parts are fixed to each other by mechanical locking means 5 guided in the slots in the tray parts, such as a bolt and nut combination. To finalise assembly, the structure of the grill sus- pension system is secured, after which the L-shaped supports 8 are fastened to the end trays of the drip-pan by mechanical locking means. Depending on the structure of the grill suspension system, the support is installed either with its free flank pointing away from the bottom plate formed on the drip-pan, Figure 11, or the free flank points towards the bottom plate, Figure 12.

Those skilled in the art will find it obvious that, as technology advances, the basic idea of the invention may be implemented in many different ways. The invention and its embodiments are thus not restricted to the examples described above but may vary within the scope of the claims.