Automated Temperature Control System for Solid-Fueled Grills or Ovens

• US 20130061765A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IOT Controls LLC
• Original Assignee: IOT Controls LLC
• Inventors: Reinhart, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,427,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 99/329.R
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/17 in a gaseous atmosphere with forced air or gas circulation, in vacuum or under pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 2202/00 Devices having temperature indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0664 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0754 with blowers providing forced air circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0786 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/06 for tools or spare parts for vehicle roof parts B60J7/20; for spare wheels B62D
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0273 Movable tailboards for vehicles comprising non-movable sideboards, e.g. pick-up trucks B62D33/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24B 1/187 Condition responsive controls for regulating combustion
• CPC Class Codes: F24B 1/1895 flue-gas control dampers
• CPC Class Codes: F24B 5/08 around the baking oven
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/001 arrangements for discharging combustion gases
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/2007 from oven cavities
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/32 Arrangements of ducts for hot gases, e.g. in or around baking ovens
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/322 with forced circulation
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/06 for preparation purposes

Abstract

An automated temperature control system for a barbecue grill or other structure comprises an automated damper assembly coupled to a vent of said grill, which damper assembly opens and closes selectively to adjust the flow passage area of the grill'"'"'s vent. The system further comprises an operating area temperature probe for communicating the temperature of the operating area of the grill to the automated damper assembly, such that the automated damper assembly may maintain a user-specified target operating temperature by way of affecting combustion rates within the grill. A remote control may also be provided to allow the user to input a desired temperature for the system to obtain and/or to change temperature information for the grill or other structure.

Claims

1. An automated temperature control system for a barbecue grill, the system comprising:

an automated damper assembly coupled to one of an exhaust vent and inlet vent of said grill,

a remote control for selectively adjusting the damper assembly to change the flow passage area of the at least one exhaust vent and inlet vent of the grill,

at least one operating temperature probe operatively coupled to said remote control,

wherein the at least one operating temperature probe communicates with the remote control to open or close the damper assembly such that the flow passage area of said exhaust vent or inlet vent is selectively adjusted.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one food temperature probe operatively coupled to the remote control.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the automated damper assembly comprises a base adapter, a base plate, and a valve plate,

wherein said base plate is attached to said base adapter, said base plate comprising a plurality of apertures thereon;

wherein said valve plate is movably attached to said base plate, said valve plate comprising a plurality of apertures thereon, the valve plate capable of moving with respect to the base plate such that the apertures of the base plate may align with the apertures of the valve plate or such that the valve plate may partially or fully cover the apertures of the base plate.

4. The automated temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the automated damper assembly comprises a base plate and a valve plate;

wherein said base plate comprises a plurality of apertures thereon;

and wherein said valve plate is movably attached to said base plate, said valve plate comprising a plurality of apertures thereon, the valve plate capable of moving with respect to the base plate such that the apertures of the base plate may align with the apertures of the valve plate or such that the valve plate may partially or fully cover the apertures of the base plate.

5. The automated temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the automated damper assembly comprises at least one louver.

6. An automated temperature control system for a barbecue grill, the system comprising

an automated damper assembly coupled to at least one of an exhaust vent and inlet vent of said grill,

a remote control for selectively adjusting the damper assembly to change the flow passage area of the at least one exhaust vent and inlet vent of the grill,

at least one operating temperature probe operatively coupled to said remote control, the operating temperature probe capable of sensing a temperature in the grill,

wherein said grill comprises a cooking region and a combustion region, said combustion region containing a combustible fuel supply for use during a cooking process, the combustible fuel supply following an air path once it is ignited;

wherein the air path of the combustible fuel supply is operatively coupled to the damper assembly such that when the damper assembly adjusts the flow passage area of the at least one of exhaust vent or inlet vent, the rate of combustion of the combustible fuel supply is correspondingly adjusted.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising at least one food temperature probe operatively coupled to the remote control.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the air path of the combustible fuel supply is through the combustion region and the cooking region of the grill.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the air path of the combustible fuel supply is through the combustion region of the grill.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the automated damper assembly comprises a base adapter, a base plate, and a valve plate,

wherein said base plate is attached to said base adapter, said base plate comprising a plurality of apertures thereon;

wherein said valve plate is movably attached to said base plate, said valve plate comprising a plurality of apertures thereon, the valve plate capable of moving with respect to the base plate such that the apertures of the base plate may align with the apertures of the valve plate or such that the valve plate may partially or fully cover the apertures of the base plate.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the automated damper assembly comprises a base plate and a valve plate,

wherein said base plate comprises a plurality of apertures thereon;

wherein said valve plate is movably attached to said base plate, said valve plate comprising a plurality of apertures thereon, the valve plate capable of moving with respect to the base plate such that the apertures of the base plate may align with the apertures of the valve plate or such that the valve plate may partially or fully cover the apertures of the base plate.

12. The automated temperature control system of claim 6, wherein the automated damper assembly comprises at least one louver.

13. An automated temperature control system, the system comprising

an automated damper assembly coupled to at least one of an exhaust vent and inlet vent of a structure,

a remote control for selectively adjusting the damper assembly to change the flow passage area of the at least one exhaust vent and inlet vent of the structure,

at least one operating temperature probe coupled to said remote control, the operating temperature probe capable of sensing a temperature in the structure,

wherein said structure comprises a first region and a second region, said second region containing a combustible fuel supply, the combustible fuel supply following an air path once it is ignited;

wherein the air path of the combustible fuel supply is operatively coupled to the damper assembly such that when the damper assembly adjusts the flow passage area of the at least one of exhaust vent or inlet vent, the rate of combustion of the combustible fuel supply is correspondingly adjusted.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising at least one food temperature probe operatively coupled to the remote control.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the air path of the combustible fuel supply is through the first region and second region of the structure.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the air path of the combustible fuel supply is through the second region of the structure.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the automated damper assembly comprises a base adapter, a base plate, and a valve plate,

wherein said base plate is attached to said base adapter, said base plate comprising a plurality of apertures thereon;

wherein said valve plate is movably attached to said base plate, said valve plate comprising a plurality of apertures thereon, the valve plate capable of moving with respect to the base plate such that the apertures of the base plate may align with the apertures of the valve plate or such that the valve plate may partially or fully cover the apertures of the base plate.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the automated damper assembly comprises a base plate and a valve plate,

wherein said base plate comprises a plurality of apertures thereon;

wherein said valve plate is movably attached to said base plate, said valve plate comprising a plurality of apertures thereon, the valve plate capable of moving with respect to the base plate such that the apertures of the base plate may align with the apertures of the valve plate or such that the valve plate may partially or fully cover the apertures of the base plate.

19. The automated temperature control system of claim 13, wherein the automated damper assembly comprises at least one louver.