Grill with cold smoke grilling modes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11259667-B2
Application number	US-201916362492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2019
Priority date	Mar 26, 2018
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A grilling device includes an auger feeder system, a heating element, a blower and a temperature control system. The temperature control system includes at least a first temperature sensor inside the firepot and a second temperature sensor inside a cooking chamber above the firepot. The heating element can also serve as the first temperature sensor. A method for controlling the temperature of the grill can include receiving temperature feedback information from one or more of the temperature sensors and adjusting power provided to the auger feeder system, heating element, and blower. The temperature control system produces cold smoke resulting from the combustion of lignin in solid wood fuel while minimizing temperatures inside the cooking chamber.

First claim

We claim:

1. A grilling device, comprising:
an oven having a cooking chamber for cooking food;
an auger feeder system configured for delivering wood fuel;
a firepot connected to the auger feeder system, the firepot having an interior space configured to receive wood fuel dispensed by the auger feeder system;
a heating element configured to provide heat to the interior space of the firepot;
a blower configured to provide oxygen to the interior space of the firepot; and
a digital controller;
wherein the digital controller is configured in connection with the heating element and the blower to intermittently ignite the wood fuel with the heating element to sustain a smoldering of wood fuel in the firepot such that combustion of the wood fuel is not self-sustaining without an external heat source and deliver smoke to the cooking chamber while maintaining a temperature in the cooking chamber at or below about 150° F. for at least 5 minutes.

2. The grilling device of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor positioned proximate one of the firepot or the cooking chamber.

3. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the grilling device is configured to measure a property of the heating element to determine a temperature.

4. The grilling device of claim 3 , further comprising an ohmmeter that measures an electrical resistance of the heating element.

5. The grilling device of claim 4 , wherein feedback information provided to the digital controller comprises the electrical resistance measured by the ohmmeter.

6. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the grilling device is configured to sustain a smoldering of wood fuel in the firepot by intermittently igniting the wood fuel in the firepot in combination with intermittent increases and decreases in oxygen supplied to the wood fuel in the firepot.

7. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the grilling device is configured to maintain a smoldering of the wood fuel in the firepot for at least ten minutes.

8. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the grilling device is configured to combust lignin in the firepot while maintaining a temperature within the cooking chamber of between about 70° F. to about 120° F. for a period of at least 5 minutes.

9. The grilling device of claim 1 , further comprising a storage comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the grilling device to perform the following steps:
ignite wood fuel within the interior space of the firepot by providing the heating element with a first amount of electrical power from a power source;
provide a second amount of electrical power to the heating element, the second amount of electrical power being less than the first amount of electrical power;
receive an electrical resistance signal from the heating element upon application of the second amount of electrical power to the heating element;
convert, at a processor, the electrical resistance signal to firepot temperature information; and
adjust the electrical power provided to the heating element and blower based on the firepot temperature information, wherein the adjustment:
prevents the fuel from entering into a state of continuous combustion, and maintains a temperature within the cooking chamber of 150° F. or less for at least five-minutes.

10. The grilling device of claim 9 , wherein the grilling device is further configured to:
identify a temperature within the cooking chamber of the grilling device; and
send information regarding the temperature within the cooking chamber to the processor,
wherein the processor adjusts the electrical power provided to the heating element and blower based at least in part on the information regarding the temperature in the cooking chamber, the cooking chamber comprising a space that is separate from the interior space of the firepot.

11. The grilling device of claim 10 , wherein the grilling device is further configured to:
change a speed of the blower or an auger in response to the information regarding the temperature in the cooking chamber.

12. The grilling device of claim 9 , wherein the grilling device is further configured to:
change a speed of the blower in response to the firepot temperature information.

13. The grilling device of claim 9 , wherein the grilling device is further configured to:
change a speed of an auger in response to the firepot temperature information.

14. The grilling device of claim 9 , wherein smoke from a smoldering of the wood fuel in the firepot is maintained at less than 100° F. for at least five-minutes.

15. The grilling device of claim 9 , wherein smoke from a smoldering of the wood fuel in the firepot is maintained at less than 80° F. for at least five-minutes.

Assignees

• Traeger Pellet Grills Llc

Inventors

• Colston Michael V
• Altenritter Daniel A C
• Sluder Daniel W

Classifications

• A47J37/0754

  with blowers providing forced air circulation · CPC title

• A47J37/0709 Primary

  with electric heating elements · CPC title

• A47J37/0704 Primary

  with horizontal fire box · CPC title

• F23B40/08

  into pot- or trough-shaped grates · CPC title

• F23G2209/261

  Woodwaste · CPC title