Prior art

The following are the most relevant prior art references for US patent 11,812,895, identified from its citations. The analysis focuses on potential anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102, comparing the cited prior art to the independent claims (Claim 1 and Claim 16) of US11812895.

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Most Relevant Prior Art for US11812895

1. US4909137A

   • Full Citation: US4909137A, "Cooking grill grease catcher," by Giuliano Brugnoli.
   • Publication Date: March 20, 1990.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a device specifically designed for catching grease from a cooking grill.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant as it directly addresses the problem of grease collection from grills. It likely anticipates elements of Claim 1(a) ("at least one receptacle structured and arranged to receive and collect fluid draining from the outdoor cooking device"). Depending on its structural details, it could also anticipate Claim 1(b) ("an enclosure structured and arranged to enclose said at least one receptacle"). However, without reviewing the full patent, it is uncertain if it discloses the specific features of US11812895, such as a separable upper and lower enclosure, a mounting flange extending outwardly from the upper portion to mount to a drain, an insulation layer (especially an air gap), or thermal vents with dampers for airflow control.

2. US6463924B1

   • Full Citation: US6463924B1, "Grease collection device for a grill," by Kevin J. Osterman.
   • Publication Date: October 15, 2002.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a device specifically for collecting grease from a grill.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US4909137A, this reference directly describes a "grease collection device for a grill," thereby potentially anticipating Claim 1(a) ("at least one receptacle structured and arranged to receive and collect fluid draining from the outdoor cooking device"). It may also anticipate Claim 1(b) if the device includes an enclosure. The distinguishing features of US11812895, such as the two-part separable enclosure, specific drain mounting from the upper portion, insulation layer, and adjustable dampened vents (for Claim 16), would need to be thoroughly compared against the full disclosure of this patent.

3. US20080271613A1

   • Full Citation: US20080271613A1, "BBQ Grill Fire Guard," by Daniel Lee.
   • Publication Date: November 6, 2008.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a fire guard specifically for a BBQ grill. A key aspect of US11812895 is fire prevention through controlled ventilation.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is particularly relevant for Claim 16, which introduces thermal vents with dampers for fire suppression. A "Fire Guard" would inherently deal with mitigating fire risks. If this patent discloses an enclosure around a grease receptacle that includes thermal vents and, more critically, dampers to control airflow (and thus oxygen to a potential grease fire), it could strongly anticipate Claim 16(f) and Claim 16(g) ("at least one thermal vent structured and arranged to vent heat from the fluid collected" and "wherein said at least one thermal vent comprises at least one damper structured and arranged to dampen air flow through said enclosure"). Further review of the full document is needed to determine if it also anticipates the separable upper/lower portions, specific drain mounting, and insulation layer of Claim 1 and 16.

4. US20180228317A1

   • Full Citation: US20180228317A1, "Vertical Grill With External Drip Tray Module," by Bonnie Lee Buzick.
   • Publication Date: August 16, 2018.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a vertical grill that includes an external drip tray module. The term "drip tray module" suggests a comprehensive system for collecting fluids.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is a very strong candidate for anticipating many elements of Claim 1 and Claim 16. An "External Drip Tray Module" inherently includes a receptacle (Claim 1a) and an enclosure (Claim 1b). The term "module" also suggests a potentially separable or distinct component, which could overlap with the "separable from the upper portion" aspect of Claim 1(c). The critical points of comparison for anticipation would be whether this module specifically features: a mounting flange extending outwardly from an upper portion of the enclosure to attach to the drain of the cooking device (Claim 1c), an insulation layer (particularly an air gap) between the receptacle and enclosure walls (Claim 1d), and especially for Claim 16, thermal vents with dampers for controlling airflow and fire prevention (Claim 16f, 16g). A detailed review of this patent is necessary to assess the full extent of anticipation.

5. US20170020336A1

   • Full Citation: US20170020336A1, "Removable Grill Drain Pan Liner," by ColBar LLC.
   • Publication Date: January 26, 2017.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a removable liner for a grill drain pan, used for collecting fluids.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference directly relates to fluid collection from a grill's drain. The "removable grill drain pan liner" strongly anticipates Claim 1(a) ("at least one receptacle structured and arranged to receive and collect fluid draining"). The presence of a "drain pan" could imply an enclosure or part of one (Claim 1b). However, the specific structural requirements of US11812895's claims, such as the two-part separable enclosure, the specific mounting to the drain from an upper portion, the insulation layer, and dampened thermal vents, would be the primary areas of distinction.

6. US6237472B1

   • Full Citation: US6237472B1, "Drip collector," by Richard L. Gates.
   • Publication Date: May 29, 2001.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a device designed to collect drips, likely from cooking processes.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): As a "drip collector," this patent likely anticipates the fundamental element of Claim 1(a) ("at least one receptacle structured and arranged to receive and collect fluid draining from the outdoor cooking device"). The extent to which it further anticipates the specific features of US11812895's enclosure, mounting mechanism, insulation, and controlled ventilation would require examination of the full patent document.