Flat top gas grills including cooking engines configured for optimum heat distribution
Flat top gas grills including cooking engines configured for optimum heat distribution are disclosed. An example grill includes a cookbox, a griddle, and a plurality of burner tubes. The cookbox includes a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a right sidewall, and a left sidewall. The front wall, the rear wall, the right sidewall, and the left sidewall extend upwardly from the bottom wall. The cookbox further includes a plurality of air intake openings extending though the bottom wall. The griddle is disposed on or above the cookbox. The griddle includes a flat top cooking surface and an underside located opposite the flat top cooking surface. The burner tubes are disposed in the cookbox and located between the bottom wall of the cookbox and the underside of the griddle.
1 . A grill, comprising:
a cookbox including a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a right sidewall, and a left sidewall, the front wall, the rear wall, the right sidewall, and the left sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, the cookbox further including a plurality of air intake openings extending though the bottom wall and configured to draw air from a surrounding atmosphere into the cookbox;
a griddle disposed on or above the cookbox, the griddle including a flat top cooking surface and an underside located opposite the flat top cooking surface; and
a plurality of burner tubes disposed in the cookbox and located between the bottom wall of the cookbox and the underside of the griddle, wherein none of the plurality of burner tubes are laterally aligned with any of the plurality of air intake openings, wherein the plurality of burner tubes includes a first linear burner tube, a second linear burner tube laterally spaced apart from the first linear burner tube, and a third linear burner tube laterally spaced apart from both the first linear burner tube and the second linear burner tube, wherein the plurality of air intake openings includes a first air intake opening and a second air intake opening laterally spaced apart from the first air intake opening, wherein the first air intake opening is laterally positioned between the first linear burner tube and the second linear burner tube and the second air intake opening is laterally positioned between the second linear burner tube and the third linear burner tube, and wherein the bottom wall includes a solid portion extending between the front wall and the rear wall and laterally aligned with the second linear burner tube, the solid portion extending between the first air intake opening and the second air intake opening, the solid portion being free of any opening extending through the bottom wall.
2 . The grill of claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall has a total area defined by a width extending between the right sidewall and the left sidewall and a depth extending between the front wall and the rear wall, wherein each one of the plurality of air intake openings has an associated area, wherein the respective associated areas of the plurality of air intake openings collectively define an unoccupied area of the bottom wall, and wherein the unoccupied area is between 10.0 and 30.0 percent of the total area.
3 . The grill of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first air intake opening or the second air intake opening has a rectangular shape.
4 . The grill of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of burner tubes further includes a fourth linear burner tube laterally spaced apart from each one of the first linear burner tube, the second linear burner tube, and the third linear burner tube, wherein the plurality of air intake openings further includes a third air intake opening laterally spaced apart from both the first air intake opening and the second air intake opening, wherein the third air intake opening is laterally positioned between the third linear burner tube and the fourth linear burner tube.
5 . The grill of claim 4 , wherein the solid portion is a first solid portion, wherein the bottom wall further includes a second solid portion laterally spaced apart from the first solid portion, the second solid portion extending between the front wall and the rear wall and laterally aligned with the third linear burner tube, the second solid portion extending between the second air intake opening and the third air intake opening, the second solid portion being free of any opening extending through the bottom wall.
6 . The grill of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first air intake opening, the second air intake opening, or the third air intake opening has a rectangular shape.
7 . The grill of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first air intake opening, the second air intake opening, or the third air intake opening has a trapezoidal shape.
8 . The grill of claim 1 , further comprising a vertical gap extending between an upper rim of the cookbox and the underside of the griddle, the vertical gap further extending around a perimeter of the upper rim of the cookbox and around a perimeter of the underside of the griddle, the vertical gap configured to vent heated air generated within the cookbox.
9 . The grill of claim 8 , wherein the vertical gap has a height between 0.25 and 1.50 inches.
10 . The grill of claim 1 , wherein each one of the plurality of burner tubes is a linear burner tube having a central axis, wherein the central axis of each one of the plurality of burner tubes is vertically positioned between 1.5 and 3.5 inches above the bottom wall of the cookbox.
11 . The grill of claim 10 , wherein the central axis of each one of the plurality of burner tubes is vertically positioned between 2.0 and 4.0 inches below an upper rim of the cookbox.
12 . The grill of claim 10 , wherein the central axis of each one of the plurality of burner tubes is vertically positioned between 3.0 and 5.0 inches below the underside of the griddle.
13 . The grill of claim 1 , wherein each one of the plurality of burner tubes is a linear burner tube having a central axis, wherein the central axis of each one of the plurality of burner tubes is vertically positioned between 1.5 and 3.5 inches above the bottom wall of the cookbox, vertically positioned between 2.0 and 4.0 inches below an upper rim of the cookbox, and vertically positioned between 3.0 and 5.0 inches below the underside of the griddle.
14 . The grill of claim 1 , wherein each one of the plurality of burner tubes includes a central axis, an outer wall having a circular cross-sectional profile, a first row of ports extending through the outer wall and arranged parallel to the central axis, and a second row of ports extending through the outer wall and arranged parallel to the central axis, the second row of ports angularly displaced from the first row of ports.
15 . The grill of claim 14 , wherein the second row of ports is angularly displaced from the first row of ports by an angle between 90.0 and 150.0 degrees.
16 . The grill of claim 14 , wherein each one of the plurality of burner tubes further includes a third row of ports extending through the outer wall and arranged perpendicular to the central axis, and a fourth row of ports extending through the outer wall and arranged perpendicular to the central axis, the fourth row of ports spaced apart from the third row of ports, wherein the third row of ports and the fourth row of ports each extend between the first row of ports and the second row of ports.
17 . The grill of claim 16 , wherein the third row of ports is located between 1.0 and 6.0 inches inwardly from the front wall of the cookbox.
18 . The grill of claim 17 , wherein the fourth row of ports is located between 1.0 and 6.0 inches inwardly from the rear wall of the cookbox.
19 . A grill, comprising:
a cookbox including a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a right sidewall, and a left sidewall, the front wall, the rear wall, the right sidewall, and the left sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, the cookbox further including a plurality of air intake openings extending though the bottom wall, the plurality of air intake openings including a first air intake opening, a second air intake opening laterally spaced apart from the first air intake opening, and a third air intake opening laterally spaced apart from both the first air intake opening and the second air intake opening;
a griddle disposed on or above the cookbox, the griddle including a flat top cooking surface and an underside located opposite the flat top cooking surface; and
a plurality of burner tubes disposed in the cookbox and located between the bottom wall of the cookbox and the underside of the griddle, the plurality of burner tubes including a first burner tube, a second linear burner tube laterally spaced apart from the first burner tube, a third burner tube laterally spaced apart from both the first burner tube and the second burner tube, and a fourth burner tube laterally spaced apart from each one of the first burner tube, the second burner tube, and the third burner tube, wherein the first air intake opening is laterally positioned between the first burner tube and the second burner tube, the second air intake opening is laterally positioned between the second burner tube and the third burner tube, and the third air intake opening is laterally positioned between the third burner tube and the fourth burner tube.
20 . A grill, comprising:
a cookbox including a bottom wall, a front wall, a rear wall, a right sidewall, and a left sidewall, the front wall, the rear wall, the right sidewall, and the left sidewall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, the cookbox further including a plurality of air intake openings extending though the bottom wall;
a griddle disposed on or above the cookbox, the griddle including a flat top cooking surface and an underside located opposite the flat top cooking surface; and
a plurality of burner tubes disposed in the cookbox and located between the bottom wall of the cookbox and the underside of the griddle, the plurality of burner tubes including a linear burner tube having a central axis, an outer wall, a first row of ports extending through the outer wall and arranged parallel to the central axis, a second row of ports extending through the outer wall and arranged parallel to the central axis, a third row of ports extending through the outer wall and arranged perpendicular to the central axis, and a fourth row of ports extending through the outer wall and arranged perpendicular to the central axis, the second row of ports spaced apart from the first row of ports, the fourth row of ports spaced apart from the third row of ports, the third row of ports located between 1.0 and 6.0 inches inwardly from the front wall of the cookbox.