Charcoal Briquet Having A Grooved Surface

Abstract

A generally pillow-shaped charcoal briquet having a convex upper surface and a convex lower surface, wherein at least one of these surfaces contain an enhanced surface feature comprising one or more grooves. When two or more grooves are located on one or both convex surfaces, the grooves are generally parallel to each other and to two opposing sides of the briquet, and generally perpendicular to two opposing sides of the briquet. The briquets have improved ignition characteristics and enhanced burn phase properties.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A charcoal briquet for cooking having
 a convex upper surface, a convex lower surface and a periphery, said upper surface having a plurality of parallel grooves extending across a majority of said upper surface and said lower surface having a plurality of parallel grooves extending across a majority of said lower surface wherein each of said grooves having a width and a depth, said width is substantially equal to said depth thereby providing increased peripheral surface area to volume ratio up to about 26% relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet, said width, said depth, and said extension of said grooves providing air circulation within a pile of briquets while allowing contact between adjacent briquets and increased air circulation around said periphery of each said briquet, for aid in spreading combustion from one said briquet to another said briquet.   
     
     
         2 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 1 , wherein said briquet includes a shape comprising an ellipsoid having a minor equatorial axis. 
     
     
         3 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 2 , wherein said grooves are parallel to said minor equatorial axis. 
     
     
         4 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 3 , wherein said briquet has three grooves in said upper surface and three grooves in said lower surface. 
     
     
         5 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 1 , wherein said grooves have a maximum depth and said briquet has a maximum height dimension, said maximum depth being about one fourth said maximum height dimension. 
     
     
         6 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 5 , wherein said grooves have a maximum width, said maximum width being approximately equal to said groove maximum depth. 
     
     
         7 . A charcoal briquet for cooking having a convex upper surface, a convex lower surface and a periphery, said upper surface having a plurality of parallel grooves and said lower surface having a plurality of parallel grooves;
 said briquet comprises a shape, said shape is an ellipsoid having a major equatorial axis; and   said grooves having a depth and a width are aligned with and extend nearly the entire length of said major equatorial axis, said depth, said width, and said extension for aiding combustion by providing air circulation around said periphery and between one said briquet and at least another adjacent said briquet within a pile of briquets.   
     
     
         8 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 7 , wherein said briquet has two grooves in said upper surface and two grooves in said lower surface. 
     
     
         9 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 7 , wherein said grooves have a maximum depth and a maximum width, said groove maximum depth being approximately equal to said groove maximum width thereby providing an increased surface area to volume ratio up to about 26% relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet. 
     
     
         10 . A charcoal briquet for cooking having a convex upper surface, a convex lower surface and a periphery, said upper surface and said lower surface having a plurality of grooves spaced thereacross that aid combustion by providing air circulation around a majority of said periphery and between one said briquet and at least another said briquet within a pile of briquets. 
     
     
         11 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 10 , wherein said plurality of grooves are parallel. 
     
     
         12 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 10 , wherein said briquet includes an ellipsoid shape having a minor equatorial axis. 
     
     
         13 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 12 , wherein said grooves are aligned with said minor equatorial axis. 
     
     
         14 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 10 , wherein said briquet includes an ellipsoid shape having a major equatorial axis. 
     
     
         15 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 14 , wherein said grooves are aligned with said major equatorial axis. 
     
     
         16 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 10 , wherein said plurality of grooves includes at least two grooves. 
     
     
         17 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 10 , wherein said grooves have a maximum depth and said briquet has a maximum height dimension, said maximum depth being about one fourth said maximum height dimension thereby providing an increased surface area to volume ratio up to about 26% relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet. 
     
     
         18 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 17 , wherein said grooves have a maximum width, said maximum width being approximately equal to said groove maximum depth. 
     
     
         19 . A charcoal briquet for cooking having a convex upper surface, a convex lower surface and a periphery, said upper surface and said lower surface having a plurality of grooves spaced respectively across said upper surface and said lower surface, said plurality of grooves extend substantially from one side of said periphery to an opposing side of said periphery for aiding combustion by providing air circulation around and along a majority of said periphery and between one said briquet and at least another said briquet within a pile of briquets. 
     
     
         20 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 19 , wherein another one of said upper surface and said lower surface having a plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         21 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 19 , wherein said plurality of grooves include at least two grooves. 
     
     
         22 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 21 , wherein said plurality of grooves are substantially parallel. 
     
     
         23 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 19 , wherein said periphery is an ellipsoid shape having a major equatorial axis, said grooves are parallel to said major equatorial axis. 
     
     
         24 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 19 , wherein said grooves have a maximum depth and a maximum width, said groove maximum depth being approximately equal to said groove maximum width. 
     
     
         25 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 19 , wherein said periphery is an ellipsoid shape having a minor equatorial axis, said grooves are parallel to said minor equatorial axis. 
     
     
         26 . A charcoal briquet for cooking having an upper surface, a lower surface and a periphery, at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface having at least two grooves, said at least two grooves spaced apart from one another and extending substantially from one side of said periphery to an opposing side of said periphery for aiding combustion by providing air circulation around and along a majority of said periphery and between one said briquet and at least another said briquet within a pile of briquets. 
     
     
         27 . A charcoal briquet for cooking comprising:
 an upper surface, a lower surface, and a periphery;   said periphery defining a horizontal plane whereby said upper surface and said lower surface are symmetrical; and,   said upper surface and said lower surface each having at least one groove extending respectively across substantially entire said upper surface and said lower surface, and said grooves having a depth thereby providing an increased peripheral surface area to volume ratio of up to about 26% relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet for aid in spreading combustion around said periphery and from one said briquet to another said briquet.   
     
     
         28 . A plurality of charcoal briquets for cooking comprising:
 a first briquet having an upper surface and a lower surface;   at least a second briquet having an upper surface and a lower surface; and,   said upper surface and said lower surface of each said first briquet and said at least second briquet having at least one groove extending respectively across substantially entire said upper surface and said lower surface thereby providing an increased peripheral surface area to volume ratio up to about 26% relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet for allowing close contact between adjacent briquets and spreading combustion in a pile of said plurality of briquets.   
     
     
         29 . A plurality of charcoal briquets for cooking comprising:
 a first pillow-shaped briquet having a curved surface periphery;   at least a second pillow-shaped briquet having a curved surface periphery; and,   said curved surface periphery of each said first briquet and said at least second briquet having at least one groove extending substantially therearound for allowing close contact between adjacent briquets and spreading combustion in a pile of said plurality of briquets.   
     
     
         30 . A plurality of charcoal briquets for cooking comprising:
 a first pillow-shaped briquet having a curved surface;   at least a second pillow-shaped briquet having a curved surface; and,   said curved surface of each said first briquet and said at least second briquet providing a means for allowing close contact between adjacent briquets, providing air circulation around an entirety of said curved surface of each said briquet and between said first briquet and at least said second briquet, and spreading combustion in a pile of said plurality of briquets.   
     
     
         31 . A charcoal briquet for cooking comprising:
 a convex upper surface, a convex lower surface and a periphery;   said upper surface having at least one groove and said lower surface having at least one groove;   at least one of said grooves extending substantially from one side of said periphery to an opposing side of said periphery; and,   said upper surface and said lower surface allowing close contact between adjacent briquets while said grooves providing air circulation around said periphery of each said briquet and between said adjacent briquets for spreading combustion in a pile of briquets.   
     
     
         32 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 31 , wherein the other of said grooves extending substantially from one side of said periphery to an opposing side of said periphery. 
     
     
         33 . A charcoal briquet for cooking comprising:
 a convex upper surface, a convex lower surface and a periphery;   said upper surface having at least one groove and said lower surface having at least one groove;   each of said grooves extending substantially from one side of said periphery to an opposing side of said periphery; and,   each of said grooves having a width and a depth, said width being substantially equal to said depth thereby providing an increased peripheral surface area to volume ratio up to about 26% relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet wherein said upper surface and said lower surface allowing close contact between adjacent briquets while said grooves providing air circulation around entire said periphery and between said adjacent briquets for spreading combustion in a pile of briquets.   
     
     
         34 . A charcoal briquet for cooking comprising:
 an upper surface, a lower surface and a periphery;   said upper surface having at least one groove and said lower surface having at lest one groove;   each of said grooves extending substantially from one side of said periphery to an opposing side of said periphery; and,   each of said grooves having a depth and said briquet having a height, said depth being about one-fourth of said height thereby providing an increased peripheral surface area to volume ratio up to about 26% relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet wherein said upper surface and said lower surface allowing close contact between adjacent briquets while said grooves providing air circulation around said periphery and between said adjacent briquets for spreading combustion in a pile of briquets.   
     
     
         35 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 34 , wherein said briquet further comprising at least another groove extending across at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface. 
     
     
         36 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 35 , wherein said at least one of said grooves and said at least another groove are substantially parallel to one another. 
     
     
         37 . A charcoal briquet for cooking comprising:
 an upper surface, a lower surface and a periphery;   at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface having at least two grooves;   said at least two grooves each extending substantially across said at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface; and,   said at least two grooves each having a width and a depth thereby providing an increased peripheral surface area to volume ratio relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet for aiding combustion by providing air circulation between one said briquet and at least another adjacent said briquet within a pile of briquets.   
     
     
         38 . A plurality of charcoal briquets for cooking comprising:
 a first briquet having an upper surface and a lower surface;   at least a second briquet having an upper surface and a lower surface; and   at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface of each said first briquet and said at least second briquet having at least one groove extending respectively across substantially entire at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface thereby providing an increased peripheral surface area to volume ratio relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet for allowing close contact between adjacent briquets and spreading combustion in a pile of said plurality of briquets.   
     
     
         39 . A plurality of charcoal briquets for cooking comprising:
 a first pillow-shaped briquet having a curved surface and a height;   at least a second pillow-shaped briquet having a curved surface and a height;   said curved surface of each said first briquet and said at least second briquet having at least one groove extending thereacross; and   each of said grooves having a depth, said depth is up to about 25% of said height along at least a portion of said curved surface thereby providing an increased peripheral surface area to volume ratio relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet for increased air circulation in a pile of briquets.   
     
     
         40 . The plurality of charcoal briquets for cooking according to  claim 39 , wherein:
 said curved surface of each said first briquet and said at least second briquet having at least another groove extending thereacross; and   each of said grooves having a depth, said depth is up to about 25% of said height along at least a portion of said curved surface.   
     
     
         41 . A charcoal briquet for cooking comprising:
 a briquet including an upper surface, a lower surface, and a height;   at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface having a groove;   said groove extending substantially across said at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface; and   said groove having a depth, said depth is up to about 25% of said height thereby providing an increased peripheral surface area to volume ratio relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said briquet for aiding combustion by providing air circulation between one said briquet and at least another said briquet within a pile of briquets.   
     
     
         42 . The charcoal briquet of  claim 41 , wherein said groove having a width, said width substantially equal to said depth. 
     
     
         43 . A plurality of charcoal briquets for cooking comprising:
 a first briquet having a convex upper surface and a convex lower surface;   at least a second briquet having a convex upper surface and convex lower surface; and, at least one of said convex upper surface and said convex lower surface of each said first briquet and said at least second briquet having at least one groove;   each of said grooves including a width substantially equal to a depth; and,   said depth is up to about 25% of a height of said first briquet and said at least second briquet, whereby said convex surfaces allow close contact between adjacent briquets while said grooves provide air circulation between said first briquet and said at least second briquet for enhancing ignition and spreading combustion in a pile of briquets.