Grill brush and grill cleaning system

Abstract

An improved grill brush for cleaning grill grates and a cleaning system including a grill grate specifically adapted for use with the disclosed grill brush. The grill brush includes a head portion and a handle portion. A plurality of metallic bristles are mounted to and extend from at least one surface of the head. The metallic bristles have first and second lengths selected and arranged in one embodiment so as to form parallel rows of bristles of different heights. In another embodiment, the contour of the bristles generally conforms to the contour of the grill grate with which the brush is intended to be used.

1 . A grill brush for cleaning generally parallel spaced grate bars of a grill, wherein said grate bars have a top surface, side surfaces and a length and form a grate surface contour along a cross-section in a plane orthogonal to said length, said grill brush comprising: 
 a handle portion;    a head portion extending from said handle portion, said head portion having a first surface; and    a plurality of metallic bristles mounted to and extending from said first surface of said head portion, said plurality of bristles being of different lengths and providing a non-planar bristle surface contour configured to scrub both top and side surfaces of said spaced grate bars when said grill brush is urged into contact with said grate bars and moved back and forth in an intended direction of use at least partially along said length.    
   
   
       2 . The grill brush of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of bristles are mounted to said first surface in a predetermined pattern to form adjacent generally parallel rows of bristles of first and second lengths, wherein said first length is greater than said second length.  
   
   
       3 . The grill brush of  claim 1  wherein said parallel spaced grate bars have centerlines spaced by a first distance and said parallel rows of bristles of said second length have centerlines spaced by said first distance.  
   
   
       4 . The grill brush of  claim 1  wherein at least some of said plurality of bristles have varying lengths and said plurality of bristles are mounted to said first surface in a predetermined pattern to provide a bristle surface contour that generally engages the top surface and at least a portion of said side surfaces of said grate bars.  
   
   
       5 . The grill brush of  claim 4  wherein said grate bars have centerlines spaced by a first distance and said bristle surface contour includes recesses spaced by said first distance.  
   
   
       6 . The grill brush of  claim 4  wherein said bristle surface contour is specified to generally correspond to said grate surface contour.  
   
   
       7 . The grill brush of  claim 1  wherein said bristles are metallic.  
   
   
       8 . The grill brush of  claim 7  wherein said bristles are brass.  
   
   
       9 . The grill brush of  claim 8  wherein said bristles are stainless steel.  
   
   
       10 . The grill brush of  claim 1  wherein said head portion has a front end opposing said handle and said grill brush further includes a metallic scraper mounted to said front end.  
   
   
       11 . The grill brush of  claim 1  further including an abrasive pad supporting member extending from said head portion, said grill brush further including an abrasive pad mounted to said supporting member.  
   
   
       12 . The grill brush of  claim 1  wherein said head portion and said handle form are an integral structure.  
   
   
       13 . The grill brush of  claim 1  wherein said head portion and said handle portion are formed of wood.  
   
   
       14 . The grill brush of  claim 1  wherein said head portion and said handle portion are formed of plastic.  
   
   
       15 . The grill brush of  claim 1  further including a plurality of metallic eyes, wherein said plurality of bristles comprise u-shaped portions that extend through said metallic eyes, said metallic eyes being press fit into corresponding recesses within said first surface to securely retain said plurality of bristles within said head portion.  
   
   
       16 . The grill brush of  claim 1  wherein said head portion and handle portion comprise an integral molded structure, and at least a portion of each of said plurality of bristles are molded into said head portion to securely retain said plurality of bristles within said head portion.  
   
   
       17 . A grill cleaning system comprising: 
 a grill grate having generally parallel spaced grate bars, wherein said grate bars have a top surface, side surfaces and a length and form a grate surface contour along a cross-section in a plane orthogonal to said length, said grate bars having centerlines spaced by a first distance; and    a grill brush configured for use with said grill grate, said grill brush including a handle portion, a head portion extending from said handle portion, said head portion having a first surface, and a plurality of metallic bristles mounted to and extending from said first surface of said head portion, said plurality of bristles being of different lengths and providing a non-planar bristle surface contour configured to scrub both top and side surfaces of said spaced grated bars when said grill brush is urged into contact with said grate bars and moved back and forth in an intended direction of use at least partially along said length, wherein said bristle surface contour includes generally parallel recesses having recess centerlines spaced by said first distance.    
   
   
       18 . The grill cleaning system of  claim 17  wherein said recesses are generally rectangular.