US4834774A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Charcoal fuel article
Assignee: Kimberly Clark Corp
•
Filing: 1987-01-15
•
Granted: 1989-05-30
•
Expires: 2007-01-15
Abstract
Abstract Novel, and improved fuel articles having a plurality of novel characteristics and having a typical mass density of 0.6 to 1.2 g/cc and a bulk density of 0.2 to 0.4 times the mass density. The greatest distance dg from a point in the fuel article to the nearest point on the nearest one of the upstanding walls is between 0.15 and 0.60 times the height of the fuel article. Charcoal fuel articles of the invention ignite faster than conventional pillow-shaped charcoal fuel articles and deliver substantially more usable cooking heat flux to the cooking surface of a standard charcoal cooker than do conventional pillow-shaped briquettes. The coal article may have a central body portion having a minor circumference, a plurality of fingers projecting from the central body portion, and a hole in the central body portion. The fingers may have finger ends wherein the ratio of the major circumference defined by the finger ends to the minor circumference is at least about 1.25:1. Preferred ratio of surface area to volume of the fuel articles of the invention is between 2.5:1 and 7.0:1. The fuel articles of the invention have a plurality of intersecting walls, which desirably intersect at sharp angles. The invention further includes novel methods of making the fuel articles disclosed herein, and novel methods of cooking using them.
Inventors
- 👤 James E. Fay, III
- 👤 Frederick J. Hrubecky
- 👤 Doris A. Mills
- 👤 Carl J. Gierke
- 👤 Wilbert Heikkinen
- 👤 Rory D. Williams
- 👤 James I. Lang
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 06:55
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10L; C10L5/00; C10L5/40; A; A47; A47J; A47J37/00; A47J37/06; A47J37/07; C10L5/02; C10L5/34; C10L5/36; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A40/00; Y02A40/90; Y02A40/924; Y02A40/928; Y02E; Y02E50/00; Y02E50/10; Y02E50/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 71
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A charcoal fuel article having a mass density, md, of about 0.6 g/cc to about 1.2 g/cc and a bulk density, in a random stack of said articles, of about 0.2 g/cc, said fuel article comprising a central body portion having a minor circumference, a plurality of fingers projecting from said central body portion, and including a hole through said central body portion, said charcoal fuel article being functional to retain recited shape during ignition and burning.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
77 words
A charcoal fuel article having a mass density, md, of about 0.6 g/cc to about 1.2 g/cc and a bulk density, in a random stack of said articles, of about 0.2 g/cc, said fuel article comprising a central body portion having a minor circumference, a plurality of fingers projecting from said central body portion, and including a hole through said central body portion, said charcoal fuel article being functional to retain recited shape during ignition and burning.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 1, a given mass of said fuel articles being capable of delivering substantially longer cooking temperature to the cooking surface of a standard charcoal cooker than an equivalent mass of standard pillow-shaped charcoal briquettes having the same composition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 1, a random stack of said articles, when ignited by standard ignition techniques, reaching cooking temperature substantially sooner than an equivalent random stack of standard pillow-shaped charcoal briquettes having the same composition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 2, a random stack of said articles, when ignited by standard ignition techniques, reaching cooking temperature substantially sooner than an equivalent random stack of standard pillow-shaped charcoal briquettes having the same composition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 2 wherein, in a single layer of said articles scrunched together, substantial fractions of the perimeters of said articles are in substantially surface-to-surface proximity with each other along substantially nested adjacent surfaces thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 2, said fuel article having a ratio of surface area to volume of between about 2.5:1 and about 7.0:1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 2, said charcoal fuel article having a normal orientation position, and including top and bottom surfaces, said top and bottom surfaces reflecting having been made by a separation process.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 3, said fingers having finger ends defining a major circumference, the ratio of said major circumference to said minor circumference being at least about 1.25:1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 3 wherein, in a single layer of said articles scrunched together, substantial fractions of the perimeters of said articles are in substantial surface-to-surface proximity with each other along substantially nested adjacent surfaces thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 3, said charcoal fuel article having a ratio of surface area to volume of between about 2.5:1 and about 7.0:1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 3, said charcoal fuel article having a normal orientation position, and top and bottom surface said top and bottom surfaces reflecting having been made by a separation process.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 1, said fingers having finger ends defining a major circumference, the ratio of said major circumference to said minor circumference being at least about 1.25:1.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 12, said ratio being about 1.25:1 to about 2.3:1.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 13, said ratio being about 1.5:1 to about 2.6:1.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 14, said ratio being about 1.6:1 to about 1.8:1.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 11 wherein, in a single layer of said articles scrunched together, substantial fractions of the perimeters of said articles are in substantial surface-to-surface proximity with each other along substantially nested adjacent surfaces thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
40 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 12 wherein, in a single layer of said articles scrunched together, substantial fractions of the perimeters of said articles are in substantial surface-to-surface proximity with each other along substantially nested adjacent surfaces thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 11, said charcoal fuel article having a ratio of surface area to volume of between about 2.5:1 and about 7.0:1.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 18, said ratio being about 3.1 to about 6:1.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 19, said ratio being about 3.5:1 to about 5.0:1.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
36 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 1, said charcoal fuel article having a normal orientation position, and including top and bottom surfaces, said top and bottom surfaces reflecting having been made by a separation process.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
77 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 1, said charcoal fuel article having a height "h", and substantially upstanding walls, said fingers and said hole being defined by substantially upstanding side walls, and charcoal fuel article having a height to cross-section ratio of no more than about 1:1, the greatest distance, dg, from a point in said fuel article to the nearest point on the nearest upstanding wall ranging from about 0.18 inch to about 0.63 inch.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 22, said hole walls including a plurality of channels and ridges.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 23, said charcoal fuel article being in the shape of a star.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 22, a random stack of said articles, when ignited by standard ignition techniques, reaching cooking output of heat flux sooner than an equivalent mass random stack of standard pillow-shaped charcoal briquettes having the same composition.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 25, said fingers having finger ends defining a major circumference, the ratio of said major circumference to said minor circumference being at least about 1.25:1.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 25 wherein, in a single layer of said articles scrunched together, substantial fractions of the perimeters of said articles are in substantial surface-to-surface proximity with each other along substantially nested adjacent surfaces thereof.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 25, said charcoal fuel article having a ratio of surface area to volume of between about 2.5:1 and about 7.0:1.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 22, said fingers having finger ends defining a major circumference, the ratio of said major circumference to said minor circumference being at least about 1.25:1.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
43 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 22 wherein, in a single layer of said articles positioned in close formation together, substantial fractions of the perimeters of said articles are in substantial surface-to-surface proximity with each other along substantially nested adjacent surfaces thereof.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 22, said charcoal fuel article having a ratio of surface area to volume of between about 2.5:1 and about 7.0:1.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 22, said charcoal fuel article having top and bottom surfaces, said top and bottom surfaces reflecting having been made by a separation process.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
A charcoal fuel article as in claim 1 having a height to cross-section ratio of less than about 1:1.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
47 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 22, a given mass of said fuel articles being capable of delivering substantially more usable cooking heat flux to the cooking surface of a standard charcoal cooker than an equivalent mass of standard pillow-shaped charcoal briquettes having the same composition.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
55 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 22, said charcoal fuel article having a normal orientation position on a flat surface, the configuration of said article being such that the vertical projection of a single layer of said articles positioned in close formation together, in their normal positions, is at least about 5 percent void.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
43 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 35 wherein, in a single layer of said articles positioned in close formation together, substantial fractions of the perimeters of said articles are in substantial surface-to-surface proximity with each other along substantially nested adjacent surfaces thereof.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 35, said charcoal fuel article having a ratio of surface area to volume of between about 2.5:1 and about 7.0:1.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
118 words
A charcoal fuel article having a mass density, md, of about 0.6 g/cc to about 1.2 g/cc and a bulk density of about 0.2 g/cc to about 0.4 g/cc, said fuel article comprising a central body portion having a minor circumference, a plurality of fingers projecting from said central body portion and including a hole through said central body portion, said fuel article has normal orientation position said fingers and hole being defined by side walls which are substantially upstanding when said fuel article is in said normal orientation position, the configuration of said article being such that the vertical projection of a single layer of said articles positioned in close formation together in the normal position void.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
118 words
A charcoal fuel article having a mass density, md, of about 0.6 g/cc to about 1.2 g/cc and a bulk density of about 0.2 g/cc to about 0.4 g/cc, said fuel article comprising a central body portion having a minor circumference, a plurality of fingers projecting from said central body portion and including a hole through said central body portion, said fuel article has normal orientation position said fingers and hole being defined by side walls which are substantially upstanding when said fuel article is in said normal orientation position, the configuration of said article being such that the vertical projection of a single layer of said articles positioned in close formation together in the normal position void.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 38, said fingers having finger ends defining a major circumference, the ratio of said major circumference to said minor circumference being at least about 1.25:1.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
43 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 38 wherein, in a single layer of said articles positioned in close formation together, substantial fractions of the perimeters of said articles are in substantial surface-to-surface proximity with each other along substantially nested adjacent surfaces thereof.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
27 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 38, said charcoal fuel article having a ratio of surface area to volume of between about 2.5:1 and about 7.0:1.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
21 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 38, said top and bottom surfaces reflecting having been made by a separation process.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
31 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 3 wherein the composition of said charcoal fuel article comprises at least 1 percent by volume particles greater than about 0.06 inch in cross-section.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 1 wherein the composition of said charcoal fuel article comprises at least about 1 percent by volume particles greater than about 0.06 inch in cross-section.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 2 wherein the composition of said charcoal fuel article comprises at least about 1 percent by volume particles greater than about 0.06 inch in cross-section.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
30 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 22 wherein the composition of said fuel article comprises at least about 1 percent by volume particles greater than about 0.06 inch cross-section.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 38 wherein the composition of said charcoal fuel article comprises at least about 1 percent by volume particles greater than about 0.06 mil in cross-section.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
127 words
A charcoal fuel article having a mass density, md, of about 0.6 g/cc to about 1.2 g/cc and a bulk density, in a random stack of said articles, of about 0.2 g/cc to about 0.4 g/cc, said fuel article comprising a central body portion having a minor circumference, a plurality of fingers projecting from said central body portion, and including a hole through said central body portion, said fuel article having between about 0.8 and about 2.0 square inches of surface intersection area per cubic inch volume of said fuel article, a random stack of said charcoal fuel articles, when ignited by standard charcoal ignition techniques, reaching cooking output of heat flux sooner than an equivalent mass random stack of standard pillow-shaped charcoal having the same composition.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
127 words
A charcoal fuel article having a mass density, md, of about 0.6 g/cc to about 1.2 g/cc and a bulk density, in a random stack of said articles, of about 0.2 g/cc to about 0.4 g/cc, said fuel article comprising a central body portion having a minor circumference, a plurality of fingers projecting from said central body portion, and including a hole through said central body portion, said fuel article having between about 0.8 and about 2.0 square inches of surface intersection area per cubic inch volume of said fuel article, a random stack of said charcoal fuel articles, when ignited by standard charcoal ignition techniques, reaching cooking output of heat flux sooner than an equivalent mass random stack of standard pillow-shaped charcoal having the same composition.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
36 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 48, said fuel article having a mass density md of about 0.7 g/cc to about 0.85 g/cc and a bulk density of about 0.25 g/cc to about 0.33 g/cc.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
21 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 49, said fuel article having a mass density of about 0.7 to about 0.9.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
56 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 48, said article having a height "h", said fingers and hole being defined by upstanding side walls, the greatest distance dg from a point in said fuel article to the nearest point on the nearest one of said upstanding walls ranging from about 0.18 inch to about 0.63 inch.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
22 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 48, said fuel article having a height to cross-section ratio of less than about 1:1.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
74 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 48, each of said fuel articles having a normal orientation position, said fingers and hole being defined by side walls which are substantially upstanding when said fuel article is in said normal position, the configuration of said article being such that the vertical projection of a single layer of said articles positioned in close formation together in the normal position is at least about 5 percent void.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 48, said fingers having finger ends defining a major circumference, the ratio of said major circumference to said minor circumference being at least about 1.25:1.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
44 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 54 wherein, in a single layer of said fuel articles positioned in close formation together, substantial fractions of the perimeter of said articles are in substantial surface-to-surface proximity with each other along substantially nested adjacent surfaces thereof.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
26 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 48, said article having a ratio of overall surface area to volume of between about 2.5:1 and about 7.0:1.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
34 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 48, said fuel article comprising opposing top and bottom surfaces and a plurality of connecting side walls and intersecting said top and bottom surfaces at sharp angles.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
21 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 48, said top and bottom surfaces reflecting having been made by a separation process.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
26 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 1, said charcoal fuel article having a height, said height to cross-section ratio being as high as about 1.5:1.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
27 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 53, said charcoal fuel article having a ratio of surface area to volume of between about 4.5/1 and about 7.0/1.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 60, said fingers having finger ends defining a major circumference, the ratio of said major circumference to said minor circumference being at least about 1.25:1.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
25 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 61, said fuel article having top and bottom surfaces, said surfaces having been made by a separation process.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
32 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 53, said fingers having finger ends defining a major circumference, the ratio of said major circumference to said minor circumference being at least about 1.25:1.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
29 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 63, said charcoal fuel article having top and bottom surfaces, said top and bottom surfaces having been made by a separation process.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
18 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 38 wherein said vertical projection is at least about 10% void.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
18 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 53 wherein said vertical projection is at least about 10% void.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
17 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 65 wherein said vertical projection is not over 20% void.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
19 words
The charcoal fuel article as in claim 65 wherein said vertical projection is about 12 to about 16% void.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB397568A
Cited
US2578998A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-05-29 | 1992-11-28 | 1993-05-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-05-29 | 1996-11-28 | 1997-05-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-05-29 | 2000-11-28 | 2001-05-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |