Ion enhanced smoke treatment of edibles

Claim 1

In apparatus for enhancing smoke treatment of edibles, the combination comprising (a) first means for dispersing smoke particles in a zone wherein the edibles are located, and means for inducing smoke particle flow to contact exposed undersides of the edibles, and to flow around and above the edibles, (b) other means including a source of high voltage and multiple pointed tips to which said voltage is applied for dispersing charged ions into the smoke flowing upwardly above the edibles with the ions carrying an electrical charge or charges causing smoke particles to be attracted back downwardly onto upper sides of the edibles, (c) and metallic structure having local contact with exposed underside portions of the edibles, said structure imparting a potential to the edibles to cause said smoke particles into which ions have been dispersed to be attracted to the upper sides of the edibles, (d) said tips arranged in spaced apart clusters and pointed toward the edibles so that the ions being dispersed enhance smoke particle flow onto the edibles, (e) said metallic structure including metallic grid structure supporting the edibles, the grid structure being electrically conductive, and (f) the smoke being dispersed by said first means into a lower region of said zone lower than the edibles, and the ions are dispersed by said tips into an upper region of said zone higher than the edibles, said smoke particle flow inducing means located in and openly exposed in said zone to displace the smoke and ions above the levels of the edibles, and in a direction and at a rate sufficient to enhance smoke particle flow onto the edibles.