Direct-current solid-fuel grill

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11690476-B2
Application number	US-201915733638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2019
Priority date	Feb 9, 2018
Publication date	Jul 4, 2023
Grant date	Jul 4, 2023

Abstract

A direct-current (DC) solid-fuel grill comprises a direct-current power source and a direct-current auger motor receiving power from the direct-current power source. The DC solid-fuel grill may also comprise a solid-fuel grill component configured to be driven by the direct-current auger motor. A direct-current controller or processor is in communication with the direct-current auger motor. The direct-current controller or processor is configured to provide at least a first signal to the direct-current auger motor causing the solid-fuel grill component to actuate at a first velocity, and a second signal to the direct-current auger motor causing the solid-fuel grill component to actuate at a second velocity.

First claim

We claim:

1. A direct-current solid-fuel grill comprising:
a direct-current power source;
a direct-current motor receiving power from the direct-current power source;
a solid-fuel grill component configured to be driven by the direct-current motor;
a heating element configured to provide a temperature reading when the heating element is not powered; and
a direct-current controller in communication with the heating element and the direct-current motor, wherein the direct-current controller is configured to:
provide a first signal to the direct-current motor causing the solid-fuel grill component to actuate at a first velocity;
provide a second signal to the direct-current motor causing the solid-fuel grill component to actuate at a second velocity;
provide a third signal to the heating element; and
terminate the third signal from the heating element and receive the temperature reading from the heating element when the third signal is terminated.

2. The direct-current solid-fuel grill of claim 1 , wherein the solid-fuel grill component comprises a blower.

3. The direct-current solid-fuel grill of claim 1 , wherein the solid-fuel grill component comprises a solid-fuel auger.

4. The direct-current solid-fuel grill of claim 1 , wherein the first velocity comprises a positive velocity and the second velocity comprises a negative velocity.

5. The direct-current solid-fuel grill of claim 1 , wherein the direct-current power source comprises a solar panel.

6. The direct-current solid-fuel grill of claim 1 , wherein the direct-current power source comprises a removable battery.

7. The direct-current solid-fuel grill of claim 1 , wherein the direct-current controller comprises a microprocessor.

8. The direct-current solid-fuel grill of claim 1 , wherein the direct-current controller comprises a voltage controller.

9. The direct-current solid-fuel grill of claim 1 , wherein the direct-current controller identifies operating characteristics of the solid-fuel grill component.

10. A method for operating a direct-current solid-fuel grill, the method comprising:
receiving, at a direct-current motor, power from a direct-current power source;
receiving, from a direct-current controller, a first signal to actuate the direct-current motor, wherein the first signal causes the direct-current motor to actuate at a first velocity;
driving, with the direct-current motor, a solid-fuel grill component at the first velocity;
receiving at least one of a velocity measurement from the direct-current motor and a temperature measurement from a temperature sensor;
determining that solid fuel being fed by a solid-fuel auger has clogged based on at least one of the velocity measurement and the temperature measurement;
in response to determining that solid fuel being fed by the solid-fuel auger has clogged, receiving, from the direct-current controller, a second signal to actuate the direct-current motor, wherein the second signal causes the direct-current motor to actuate at a second velocity and the second velocity is a negative velocity such that the solid-fuel auger reverses direction; and
driving, with the direct-current motor, the solid-fuel grill component at the second velocity.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the solid-fuel grill component comprises a blower.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the solid-fuel grill component comprises the solid-fuel auger.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first velocity comprises a positive velocity and the second velocity comprises a negative velocity.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the direct-current power source comprises a solar panel.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the direct-current power source comprises a removable battery.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the direct-current controller comprises a microprocessor.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the direct-current controller comprises a voltage controller.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the direct-current controller identifies operating characteristics of the solid-fuel grill component.

19. A direct-current solid-fuel grill comprising:
a direct-current power source;
a first direct-current motor receiving power from the direct-current power source;
a solid-fuel auger configured to be actuated by the first direct-current motor; and
a second direct-current motor receiving power from the direct-current power source;
a blower configured to be actuated by the first direct-current motor; and
a direct-current controller in communication with the first direct-current motor and the second direct-current motor, wherein the direct-current controller is configured to:
provide a first signal to the first direct-current motor and a third signal to the second direct-current motor causing the solid-fuel auger to actuate at a first velocity and the blower to actuate at a third velocity;
provide a second signal to the at least one of the first direct-current motor or the second direct-current motor causing the at least one of the solid-fuel auger or the blower to actuate at a second velocity; and
alternate the first signal and the third signal, such that the solid-fuel auger and the blower are not operating at the first velocity and the third velocity at a same time.

Assignees

• Traeger Pellet Grills Llc

Inventors

• Colston Michael
• Sluder Daniel W
• Altenritter Daniel A

Classifications

• A47J37/0704 Primary

  with horizontal fire box · CPC title

• A47J37/079

  Charcoal igniting devices · CPC title

• A47J37/0754

  with blowers providing forced air circulation · CPC title