Self-cleaning grilling devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12385644-B2
Application number	US-202117456263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2021
Priority date	Mar 26, 2018
Publication date	Aug 12, 2025
Grant date	Aug 12, 2025

Abstract

A firepot for a grilling device comprises one or more walls at least partially forming an outer boundary of the firepot. The firepot is structurally configured to hold at least partially ignited solid fuel. The firepot also comprises a floor defining, at least in part, a lower end of the firepot. The floor comprises one or more holes extending through the floor. Additionally, a portion of the one or more walls form a solid fuel delivery opening that comprises a solid fuel portal through which solid fuel is deliverable to an interior of the firepot. A heating element mount is positioned to hold a heating element within the interior of the firepot.

First claim

We claim:

1. A grilling device, comprising:
a grilling cavity comprising a firepot comprising a bottom surface;
an evacuation cavity located below the firepot;
a cavity separator located between the grilling cavity and the evacuation cavity, the bottom surface of the firepot in vertical alignment with and spaced apart from the cavity separator;
one or more tunnels extending through the cavity separator, the evacuation cavity in direct communication with the grilling cavity through the one or more tunnels, openings in the bottom surface of the firepot vertically aligned with the one or more tunnels, wherein the one or more tunnels are individually shaped and configured to cause combustion byproducts generated within the firepot to exit the grilling cavity in a cyclonic path; wherein at least some of the one or more tunnels are positioned and configured to convey the combustion byproducts from the firepot to the evacuation cavity; and
a screen physically contacting the cavity separator, the screen positioned laterally adjacent to and over the firepot and configured to direct ash and debris generated as the combustion byproducts within the firepot toward the evacuation cavity.

2. A self-cleaning grilling device, comprising:
an evacuation cavity positioned below a grilling cavity;
one or more conical-shaped tunnels disposed in a cavity separator between the evacuation cavity and the grilling cavity, the one or more conical-shaped tunnels providing openings through which ash and debris are drawn from the grilling cavity into the evacuation cavity;
a firepot positioned within the grilling cavity, the firepot comprising openings extending through a floor defining a lower boundary of the firepot, the firepot overlying and remote from the cavity separator, and wherein the openings in the floor of the firepot are at least partially vertically aligned with the one or more conical-shaped tunnels; and
a screen physically contacting the cavity separator, the screen positioned laterally adjacent to and over the firepot and configured to direct the ash and debris generated as a combustion byproduct within the firepot toward the evacuation cavity,
wherein the floor of the firepot comprises one or more of a hinged portion, movable shutters, and a mesh screen.

3. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tunnels are individually tapered such that a width of an upper boundary of one of the tunnels is relatively smaller than a width of a lower boundary thereof.

4. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tunnels comprise multiple tunnels aligned in one or more rows.

5. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tunnels comprise two or more conical-shaped tunnels configured to amplify a suction force exerted on the combustion byproducts within the grilling cavity to facilitate the combustion byproducts to be drawn from the grilling cavity to the evacuation cavity.

6. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tunnels comprise elongated tunnels comprising a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape in a central region of the cavity separator and circular tunnels in a peripheral region located between the central region and a perimeter of the cavity separator.

7. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the openings in the firepot are configured to allow ash and debris of the combustion byproducts to fall through the bottom surface of the firepot toward the cavity separator.

8. The grilling device of claim 1 , further comprising a fan adjacent to the evacuation cavity, wherein the fan is configured to circulate air through air openings in a wall of the firepot to allow the combustion byproducts to exit the firepot.

9. The grilling device of claim 1 , further comprising an auger box positioned to provide fuel to the firepot, the auger box in vertical alignment with and spaced apart from the cavity separator.

10. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 2 , wherein at least some of the one or more conical-shaped tunnels comprise:
an upper opening on a side of the cavity separator facing the grilling cavity; and
a lower opening on a lower side of the cavity separator facing the evacuation cavity, a cross-sectional area of the lower opening relatively greater than a cross-sectional area of the upper opening.

11. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more conical-shaped tunnels of the cavity separator are relatively larger than the openings in the floor of the firepot, the one or more conical-shaped tunnels configured to allow the ash and debris to be carried by air circulating therethrough.

12. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 2 , wherein the cavity separator is configured to retain at least a portion of the ash and debris within the grilling cavity during operation of the self-cleaning grilling device and to allow the ash and debris to be drawn through the one or more conical-shaped tunnels and into the evacuation cavity following operation of the self-cleaning grilling device.

13. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 2 , wherein the evacuation cavity comprises an outlet in a sidewall thereof, the outlet configured to connect with a vacuum nozzle to facilitate the ash and debris in the evacuation cavity to be drawn out of the evacuation cavity.

14. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the grilling cavity comprises one or more cooking surfaces for suspending food products over the firepot while grilling or warming the food products with the grilling device.

15. The grilling device of claim 1 , wherein the grilling cavity includes a food cooking area, the firepot is positioned within the grilling cavity below the food cooking area, and the screen is positioned over the firepot between the firepot and the food cooking area.

16. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 2 , wherein the grilling cavity includes a food cooking area, the firepot is positioned within the grilling cavity below the food cooking area, and the screen is positioned over the firepot between the firepot and the food cooking area.

Assignees

• Traeger Pellet Grills Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• F24B15/00

  Implements for use in connection with stoves or ranges · CPC title

• F24B1/16

  with fuel storage in multiple or divided hoppers within the stove or range · CPC title

• A47J37/0786

  Accessories · CPC title

• A47J37/0704 Primary

  with horizontal fire box · CPC title

• A47J37/079

  Charcoal igniting devices · CPC title