U.S. patent application number 11/303403 was filed with the patent office on 2007-06-21 for pellet-fired bbq.
Invention is credited to Brian E. Traeger, Joseph P. Traeger, Mark A. Traeger, Randolph J. Traeger.
Application Number | 20070137634 11/303403 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38171989 |
Filed Date | 2007-06-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070137634 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Traeger; Joseph P. ; et
al. |
June 21, 2007 |
Pellet-fired BBQ
Abstract
A pellet-fired cooking apparatus is provided. The cooking
apparatus may include an outer shell into which are mounted at
least a fuel support member and a food support member. Pellet fuel
may be placed on the fuel support member and may be used to cook
food placed on the food support member. The fuel support member may
have a construction that allows for controlled combustion of the
pellet fuel, providing for desired cooking characteristics of the
pellet fuel. Intake air for combustion may be provided to the
pellet fuel through one or more hollow supports for the cooking
apparatus.
Inventors: |
Traeger; Joseph P.; (Mt.
Angel, OR) ; Traeger; Mark A.; (Mt. Angel, OR)
; Traeger; Randolph J.; (Mt. Angel, OR) ; Traeger;
Brian E.; (Mt. Angel, OR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
POLSINELLI SHALTON FLANIGAN SUELTHAUS PC
700 W. 47TH STREET
SUITE 1000
KANSAS CITY
MO
64112-1802
US
|
Family ID: |
38171989 |
Appl. No.: |
11/303403 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/29 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 37/0704
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/029 |
International
Class: |
F24B 3/00 20060101
F24B003/00 |
Claims
1. A cooking apparatus comprising: a housing, the housing
comprising: a shell defining an interior and an exterior, wherein
the shell includes an upper portion and a lower portion, and
further wherein at least the lower portion has a substantially
imperforate surface construction; a food support member; and a
pellet fuel support member, wherein the food support member and the
pellet fuel support member are disposed above a lower surface of
the housing; and at least one housing support, wherein the at least
one housing support includes at least one air inlet to the interior
of the shell.
2. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, further including a deflective
member positioned relative to the air inlet to at least
substantially obstruct access to the air inlet from the interior of
the housing.
3. The cooking apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one
housing support is an extension of the lower portion of the shell,
and wherein each air inlet is configured as an opening in the lower
portion of the shell.
4. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one grill
support is configured as at least one hollow leg mounted to the
lower portion of the shell such that an interior space of the
hollow leg is functionally continuous with the interior of the
housing via the air inlet and with an outside environment via an
opening in the at least one leg.
5. The cooking apparatus of claim 4, wherein the interior of the
shell includes a deflective member positioned relative to the air
inlet to at least substantially obstruct access to the air inlet
from the interior of the housing.
6. The cooking apparatus of claim 5, wherein the opening in the at
least one hollow leg is positioned at an end of the hollow leg
distal from the shell.
7. The cooking apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one
hollow leg includes a removable covering obstructing at least a
portion of the opening in the hollow leg.
8. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portions of the
shell together describe a substantially semi-spherical shape.
9. The cooking apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one grill
support is configured as at least one hollow leg, and further
wherein the at least one leg is mounted to the lower portion of the
shell such that an interior space of the hollow leg is functionally
continuous with the interior of the housing via the air inlet and
with an outside environment via an opening in the at least one
leg.
10. The cooking apparatus of claim 9, wherein the interior of the
shell includes a deflective member positioned relative to the air
inlet to at least substantially obstruct access to the air inlet
from the interior of the housing.
11. The cooking apparatus of claim 10, wherein the opening in the
at least one hollow leg is positioned at an end of the hollow leg
distal from the shell.
12. The cooking apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one
hollow leg includes a removable covering obstructing at least a
portion of the opening in the hollow leg.
13. A cooking apparatus comprising: a housing, the housing
comprising: means for supporting food in an interior space of the
housing; and means for supporting pellet fuel in the interior space
of the housing, wherein the means for supporting food and the means
for supporting pellet fuel are displaced vertically from a lower
surface of the housing; and means for supporting the housing above
a surface, wherein at least a portion of the means for supporting
the housing provides an air inlet for the interior of the
housing.
14. The cooking apparatus of claim 13, further including a means
for deflecting wherein the means for deflecting is positioned
relative to the air inlet to at least substantially obstruct access
to the air inlet from the interior of the housing.
15. A cooking apparatus comprising: a housing, the housing
comprising: a shell defining an interior and an exterior, wherein
the shell includes an upper portion and a lower portion each having
a substantially imperforate construction and capable of being held
in relatively fixed placement by a plurality of fastening devices;
a food support at least temporarily mounted in the interior of the
shell, wherein the food support has a substantially open and planar
configuration defined by a plurality of crosspieces mounted to a
frame; a fuel support at least temporarily mounted in the interior
of the shell, wherein the fuel support has a substantially planar
configuration defined by a substantially imperforate support
material; and a deflective member at least temporarily mounted in
the interior of the shell, wherein the deflective member has a
substantially planar configuration defined by an at least
substantially imperforate deflective material, and further wherein
the deflective member and the fuel support are mounted on a
connection rod in a connection rod assembly such that the
deflective member is disposed vertically below the fuel support on
the connection rod; and at least one housing support, wherein at
least one housing support is configured with an air inlet sized
suitably to allow fluid communication of air between the interior
and the exterior of the shell to such an extent that combustion of
a pellet fuel supported on the fuel support can occur.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES
[0001] No provisional patent application was filed for the subject
matter of this disclosure.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] Barbecue grills or stoves are a popular way to prepare food
away from the kitchen of a home. Typically, barbecue grills or
stoves include a relatively open food support over a heat source,
such as a collection of charcoal briquettes. The open food support,
or grill, is commonly constructed of a number of horizontally
disposed, parallel elements connected to a frame. In cases where
charcoal briquettes are used as the heat source, those briquettes,
too, may be supported on an open grill. Alternatively, the
briquettes may rest upon a bottom surface of a shell making up the
body of the barbecue grill or stove.
[0003] The barbecue grill described above may be sufficient for
cooking food over a collection of charcoal briquettes. However, the
described barbecue grill may not be adequate for producing heat at
a high level in a short period of time, or for utilizing a pellet
fuel source. As another potential drawback, charcoal briquettes
used in a conventional barbecue grill in the described manner may
stay hot for several hours after their intended usage period,
making clean-up a difficult proposition.
[0004] A barbecue grill as described in the present disclosure
overcomes the flaws inherent in the prior art by providing a
barbecue grill suitable for using a pellet fuel for cooking
foodstuffs in an efficient manner. Such a pellet-fueled barbecue
grill may provide sufficient heat for cooking in a very short
period of time, and may allow the pellet fuel to cool in a much
shorter time than occurs in a conventional barbecue grill.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0005] The present disclosure provides a pellet-fired barbecue for
cooking food using heat produced by combustion of a pellet fuel.
The pellet-fired barbecue may include a standard, narrow-gauge wire
food support and a fuel support, both encompassed within the
barbecue grill body. The fuel support may be a substantially solid
structure, having a minimum of open space; such a configuration may
provide for a controlled burn of a pellet fuel used as a heat
source for cooking food in the barbecue. A variety of
configurations of the fuel support may be used for a variety of
different pellet fuels. Air used in the combustion of a pellet fuel
in the barbecue grill may enter the grill through one or more
supports of the barbecue.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a cutaway side view of a first embodiment of a
pellet-fired barbecue.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of an interior space of
the first embodiment of a pellet-fired barbecue.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a plan view of an interior space of the first
embodiment of a pellet-fired barbecue, with a food support and a
fuel support remove
[0009] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary fuel support for use in a
pellet-fired barbecue of the type disclosed.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a cutaway side view of a second embodiment of a
pellet-fired barbecue.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a cutaway perspective view of an interior space of
the second embodiment of a pellet-fired barbecue.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a plan view of an interior space of the second
embodiment of a pellet-fired barbecue, with a food support and a
fuel support removed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a barbecue grill
10, the barbecue being designed according to the details of the
present disclosure. In an illustrated embodiment, barbecue grill 10
may typically be constructed with a grill body 20 formed from at
least first and second shell portions 21, 22. In an embodiment
where the shell includes more than one shell portion, the multiple
shell portions may be held in fixed relation to each other through
at least one latch assembly 30 The shell portions may separate an
external environment 19 of the barbecue grill from an interior 29.
Interior 29 of the barbecue grill may house one or more food
support members 40 and one or more fuel support members 50. A
barbecue grill, including the grill body 20 and structures
associated with it, may be supported on grill support 60.
[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, a grill body 20 may include a first
shell portion 21 and a second shell portion 22. The first and
second shell portions may be constructed of any material suitable
for use in containing high temperatures and combusting pellet fuel.
For example, in an illustrated embodiment, the shell portions are
constructed of steel. The first and second shell portions may be
held in fixed relation to one another by at least one latch
assembly 30. Each shell portion 21, 22 may have an exterior surface
24 and an interior surface 25. Surfaces 24, 25 may be locations to
which are attached a number of accessories and/or other components
of the barbecue grill. For example, a shell portion 21 may have
attached to it one or more of a handle 23, and/or a thermometer 27,
and/or a vent assembly 28, and/or any other appropriate barbecue
grill component. Although shown as defining a roughly cylindrical
and hemispherical grill body 20, first and second shell portions
21, 22 may define any appropriate space. For example, grill body 20
could be spherical, as in a second disclosed embodiment (shown in
FIG. 5-7), or an ovoid shape, or cube shaped, or any other suitable
design.
[0015] As noted above, a number of shell portions 21, 22 may be
held in fixed relation to each other by at least one latch assembly
30. In an illustrated embodiment, there may be three latch
assemblies 30 spaced equidistant about a periphery of the barbecue
grill body 20. Each latch assembly 30 may include an external latch
portion 31 and an internal latch portion 32. Each latch assembly 30
may be fixed at least temporarily to a shell portion through
welding, or adhesion, or screwing, or any other appropriate
fastening technique. In the illustrated embodiment, latch assembly
30 may be held to a shell portion 22 through a plurality of rivets
that span from an exterior surface 24 to an interior surface 25 of
the shell portion. In a case where the grill body 20 is composed of
an upper shell portion 21 and a lower shell portion 22, a given
latch assembly 30 may hold the upper and lower shell portions in
fixed relation by removably hooking a portion of the latch assembly
of the lower shell portion over a shell lip 26 included on the
upper shell portion. Alternatively, or in addition, upper and lower
shell portions 21, 22 may be held fixedly through a design feature
included in the shell portions, such as a tongue-and-groove
arrangement.
[0016] As noted above, an interior 29 of grill body 20 may house a
food support member 40. The food support member may have an upper
surface 41 and a lower surface 42. To support food over a heat
source, food support member may include a number of grill elements
44 separated by spaces 43. In a typical embodiment, spaces 43 may
be much larger than grill elements 44, providing a substantially
open structure upon which to support food items. In this way, there
may be a minimal amount of heat-deflecting material between a food
item 300 placed upon the food support member and a pellet fuel
source 100 providing cooking heat from below. In a typical
embodiment, the food support member may be made of a steel
material, where the grill elements 44 are configured as
narrow-gauge steel rods, or tines. Of course, any one of many
possible structures may be used as a food support. Food support
member 40 may rest against an interior surface of the grill body,
or it may be supported by internal portions 32 of latch assemblies
30, as shown.
[0017] Food on food support member 40 may be cooked over heat
supplied by pellet fuel 100. Pellet fuel 100 may be supported in an
interior space 29 of grill body 20 by a fuel support member 50.
Fuel support member 50 may have a fuel support body 51 having
openings 52 (shown most clearly in FIG. 4). Fuel support member 50
may be constructed of any material suitable for supporting the
pellet fuel when the fuel is combusting at a high temperature. For
example, in an illustrated embodiment, fuel support member 50 is
constructed of a steel support material. Openings 52 in the fuel
support body may bridge from an upper surface 53 to a lower surface
54 of the fuel support member and so may provide the fuel support
member with a "perforated" appearance (seen in more detail in FIG.
4). A fuel support member having perforate construction may allow
air to more easily reach fuel 100 supported thereon. Openings 52 in
fuel support member body 51 may also provide a route for pellet ash
200 from fully-combusted portions of pellet fuel 100 to move or
fall away from the pellet fuel during cooking. Pellet ash 200 may
then collect upon a heat shield 80 for at least temporary storage
before being collected and/or discarded. In an alternative
embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5-7, pellet ash 200 may collect along a
bottom surface of a lower shell portion 22 for at least temporary
storage before being collected and/or discarded.
[0018] Fuel support 50 may be supported in an interior space 29 of
the grill body 20 by resting upon an inner lip 57 of a fuel
platform 56. Fuel platform 56, in turn, may be fastened to an
interior surface 25 of one of the shell portions 21, 22 of the
grill body 20. Fuel platform 56 may rest against an inner surface
of the grill body, or it may be fastened temporarily or permanently
to an inner surface of the grill body. For example, fuel platform
may be welded to an inner surface of the grill body. Any
appropriate fastening technique may be used which allows the
combined fuel platform 56 and fuel support 50 to support the pellet
fuel.
[0019] As noted, fuel support 50 may rest upon a fuel platform lip
57, which may be a sub-region of the fuel platform. The fuel
platform lip 57 may be separated from the rest of the fuel platform
by a fuel holding ring 55. Fuel holding ring 55 may function to
contain a mass of pellet fuel 100 as it sits on a fuel support 50.
For example, if fuel support 50 is placed into the grill prior to
the addition of the pellet fuel, fuel holding ring 55 may prevent
the pellet fuel from spreading about the entirety of the fuel
platform 56 when the pellet fuel is placed into the grill.
[0020] Fuel support 50 may be placed separately into a barbecue
grill, or it may be included as a portion of a larger assembly. As
shown in FIG. 1, fuel support member 50 may be attached
permanently, semi-permanently, or temporarily to a connection rod
47. Connection rod 47 may likewise have attached to it a heat
shield 80 which may be used to catch pellet ash 200 as it falls
from a pellet fuel 100. Fuel support 50 and heat shield 80 may be
held to the rod through any appropriate means when provided as a
singular assembly. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, heat
shield 80 and fuel support may be welded to the connection rod.
Heat shield 80, like fuel support member 50, may be constructed of
any material suitable for supporting the pellet fuel ash when the
ash is derived from pellet fuel combusting at a high temperature,
and for deflective hot sparks that may be thrown off the pellet
fuel. For example, in an illustrated embodiment, heat shield 80 is
constructed of steel deflective material. Connection rod 47 may
have an included rod handle 48, which may be used to place the
connection rod, and any associated support and/or shield, into the
grill.
[0021] As noted earlier, a barbecue grill body 20 may be supported
by at least one grill support 60. In an illustrated embodiment, the
grill support 60 may be merely the lowest portion of the barbecue
grill body 20 whose only specialized supporting structure is a
flaring at the lowest portion of the grill body. The grill support
60 may be configured to have a hollow or tubular construction. With
a grill support having a hollow construction, it may be the case
that an interior portion 29 of grill body 20 may be in fluid
communication with an outside atmosphere 19 through one or more air
inlets 61 formed in the grill support. Such a hollow configuration
of a grill support 60, including one or more associated air inlets
61, may function to provide extra air from the outside atmosphere
to the interior of the grill body 20, facilitating combustion of
pellet fuel 100.
[0022] In providing for relatively free air movement through air
inlets 61, grill support 60 may likewise allow pellet fuel ash or
sparks to likewise pass through the air inlets. To retard the flow
of ash or sparks through air inlets 61, heat shield 80 may be
placed in the interior of the grill body, as shown, such that it
may catch any fallen ash from pellet fuel 100. In addition,
judicious placement of heat shield 80 may prevent sparks or heated
air from exiting the one or more air inlets 61. A such, heat shield
80 may also be referred to as a deflective member, in that it may
deflect objects that may be on a path to exit from the interior 29
of the grill to the exterior 19 of the grill via any of the air
inlets 61.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a view of a pellet-fired barbecue grill that
lacks, or has had removed, an upper shell portion 21, leaving the
second, lower, shell portion 22 and structures that may be
associated with it. As shown in FIG. 2, a food support member 40
may be disposed vertically above a fuel support member 50. Both the
food support member 40 and the fuel support member 50 may rest
against an inner surface 25 of the second shell portion 22.
Alternatively, one or more of the food support member 40 and the
fuel support member 50 may be supported by a structure attached to
a shell portion of the grill. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, food
support member 40 may be supported by internal portions 32 of a
plurality of latch assemblies 30 while fuel support member 50 may
be supported on a fuel platform lip 57.
[0024] Pellet fuel 100 may rest upon fuel support member 50 during
combustion of the pellet fuel. Openings 52 (see FIG. 4) in the fuel
support member may provide not only for the relatively free flow of
air to the pellet fuel, but also for the disposal of pellet ash
200. For example, during the process of combustion, pellet fuel 100
may be incompletely consumed, leaving behind an ash residue 200.
Ash residue 200 may initially accumulate on upper surface of the
fuel support member but may also periodically fall through openings
52, then through fuel platform opening 75 in fuel platform 56 (see
also FIG. 1) and collect upon a provided heat shield 80.
Alternatively, pellet ash 200 may collect on an interior surface 25
of second shell portion, 22 (see FIGS. 5-7).
[0025] As noted, pellet fuel 100 may be combusted using air that
may be provided from an external environment 19 of the grill body.
Where grill support 60 is configured with a substantially hollow
construction, air may pass from outside to inside the barbecue
through the one or more air inlets 61. However, such a
configuration of grill support 60 may carry the risk that pellet
ash 200, or a spark from pellet fuel 100, may escape through one or
more of the air inlets to the outside of the barbecue. Escape of
ash from an interior to an exterior of the barbecue may result in a
mess that must be cleaned up after use of the barbecue. In
addition, escape of ash or sparks from the interior space of the
barbecue may carry the risk of a fire, if there are any combustible
materials nearby, or it may carry the risk of personal injury, if
someone is present near the barbecue and is contacted by the spark
or ash. To prevent the escape of at least ash and sparks from the
interior of the barbecue, the grill may be configured with a heat
shield 80 present in a lower portion of the grill body 20. Although
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as having a roughly circular shape, a heat
shield 80 may take any shape suitable for preventing objects from
entering the grill support 60 and potentially escaping from the
grill.
[0026] FIG. 3 presents a top view of a second shell portion 22 of a
barbecue, such that a possible construction of a fuel platform may
be more clearly seen. A fuel platform 56 may serve to obstruct the
passage of air through most of one portion of the grill body. As
such, fuel platform 56 may force most air entering the grill body
to pass through fuel platform opening 75 where, in the
fully-assembled grill, pellet fuel may be supported by fuel support
50 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). In the illustrated embodiment, a connection
rod and its associated structures may be placed vertically into the
grill body, such that a periphery of any associated fuel support
may rest on an upper surface of the fuel platform at fuel platform
lip 57. As shown, the grill body, fuel platform, and other
structures, may be configured with roughly circular cross-sectional
shapes, but other designs are possible. For example, the grill body
and associated structures may have square cross-sections, or
rectangular cross-sections, etc. In any case a heat shield 80 may
take any suitable shape for passing through platform opening 75 and
being suspended below fuel platform 56 to prevent the escape of ash
or sparks or other materials from an interior of the barbecue to
the exterior of the barbecue. In this construction, a spark guard
may have similar characteristics to a food support member and a
fuel support member, which may be removed from an interior of the
barbecue for cleaning, or storage, or for any other reason.
[0027] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a fuel support member for use
with the described pellet-fired barbecue. In an illustrated
embodiment, fuel support member 50 may have a "perforated"
appearance, with a fuel support member body 51 being of generally
solid configuration but including a number of openings 52. As seen
in FIG. 1, openings 52 may form a passage from a lower surface 54
to an upper surface 53 of the fuel support member. Openings 52 may,
therefore, provide a way for intake air to pass from one or more
air inlets 61 in a grill support 60 (FIGS. 1-3) to a pellet fuel
disposed on an upper surface of the fuel support member. In an
illustrated embodiment, openings 52 are sized such that a minor
portion of the fuel support member is configured as open space.
Such a construction of fuel support member 50 may restrict an
amount of intake air that may pass through the one or more air
inlets and reach pellet fuel placed on the fuel support member. In
a pellet-fueled barbecue, a design of a fuel support member with
restricted airflow characteristics, as shown and described, may
provide a pellet fuel with favorable combustion characteristics.
For example, it may be that a user of the barbecue would use a
pellet fuel as a heat source that can reach a desired cooking
temperature rapidly, would combust at the desired cooking
temperature for enough time to cook a meal, and would be finished
combusting at the desired cooking temperature in a relatively short
amount of time. Thus, in an illustrated embodiment, openings 52 of
a fuel support member 50 may be approximately 8 percent of the
total area of a fuel support member 50 to allow for the described
desired burn characteristics. It may be that a number of
replaceable fuel support members could be provided for a given
barbecue, for use with a number of types of pellet fuel, each
having different desired combustion characteristics. In that case,
openings 52 may be configured as any percent of the total area of
the fuel support member that provides for the described burn
characteristics for a given pellet fuel. As can be seen from the
figures, a design of grill body shell portions 21, 22 may also
contribute to the modulation of the burn characteristics of a given
pellet fuel. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, shell
portions 21, 22 are substantially imperforate. This may allow an
only source of combustion air to be from one or more air inlets in
a grill support 60 and to be modulated by a percentage of open
space present in a fuel support member 50.
[0028] When used in a grill shown in the illustrated embodiments, a
pellet fuel used with the disclosed fuel support member may reach
optimal cooking temperature after approximately 10 minutes of
combustion; it may be substantially completely combusted in
approximately 60 minutes. In contrast, it may be that configuring
the fuel support structure 50 with a more open, grill-like
structure, as shown for one embodiment of a food support member 40,
may be problematic for using pellet fuel as a heat source for
cooking. As one possible difficulty, it may be that a substantially
open fuel support member could allow the pellet fuel to combust too
quickly, and at too high a temperature, for use as a cooking fuel.
As another possible difficulty, it may be that a more open fuel
support member could allow a partially-combusted fuel pellet to
fall through the fuel support member and come to rest on a bottom
interior surface of the second, lower shell portion or on an
associated heat shield; each partially-combusted fuel pellet
portion may thus become ruined for future use and the remaining
combined pellet fuel may not provide sufficient heat for cooking
any provided food.
[0029] FIGS. 5-7, and the following text, present a second
embodiment of a grill according to the present disclosure. In FIGS.
5-7, and the following text, the elements of the second embodiment
are numbered similarly to the previously-discussed elements of the
first embodiment, with the addition of a preceding "1." For
example, the grill of the first embodiment is denoted "10," while
the grill of the second embodiment is denoted "110." FIG. 5 depicts
a second embodiment of a barbecue grill, 110, the grill being
designed according to the details of the present disclosure. In
this second illustrated embodiment, grill 110 may be constructed
with a grill body 120 having a generally spherical shape. As in the
first embodiment, where the shell includes more than one shell
portion, the multiple shell portions 121, 122 may be held in fixed
relation to each other through at least one latch assembly 130. The
shell portions may separate an external environment 119 of the
barbecue grill from an interior 129. Interior 129 of the barbecue
grill may house one or more food support members 140 and one or
more fuel support members 150. A barbecue grill, including the
grill body 120 and structures associated with it may be supported
on one or more grill supports 160. In the illustrated second
embodiment, there may be a plurality of grill supports 160
configured as legs.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 5, and in common with the first embodiment,
a fuel support member having perforate construction may be present
in the grill interior 129. Fuel support member 150 may rest against
an interior surface 125 of a lower shell portion 122 of the grill.
Alternatively, fuel support member 150 may be removably or
irremovably fastened to the interior surface of the grill. Openings
152 in fuel support member 150 may allow air to easily reach fuel
100 supported thereon. Openings 152 in fuel support member body 151
may also provide a route for pellet ash 200 from fully-combusted
portions of pellet fuel 100 to move or fall away from the pellet
fuel during cooking. Pellet ash 200 may then collect along a bottom
surface of lower shell portion 122 for at least temporary storage
before being collected and/or discarded.
[0031] As noted earlier, a barbecue grill body 120 may be supported
by at least one grill support 160. In the second illustrated
embodiment, the barbecue grill body is supported by three legs 160
attached to an eternal surface 124 of lower shell portion 122. Legs
160 may be spaced such that they are attached away from the lowest
point of the lower shell portion 122, and they may be spaced
equidistant about the periphery of the lower shell portion at the
level they are attached (seen more clearly in FIG. 7). As shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6, each leg may be of tubular construction, such that
an air inlet 161 of the grill at a proximal end of each leg may be
operatively connected to a distal end 162 of the same leg through
an open space. As such, the shape of each leg may be defined by
both an outer surface 163 and an inner surface 164 of the leg.
[0032] It may be that not every leg used to support grill body 120
is configured with a hollow or tubular construction. With a leg
having a hollow construction, such that an air inlet 161 of the
grill and a distal end 162 of the leg are operatively connected by
open space, it may be the case that an interior portion 129 of
grill body 120 may be in fluid communication with an outside
atmosphere 119 through the open space of the hollow leg. Such a
hollow configuration of each leg may function to provide for air
movement from the outside atmosphere to the interior of the grill
body 120, facilitating combustion of pellet fuel 100.
[0033] To provide for free air flow through a hollow leg grill
support 160, each such leg may be provided with a leg foot 170
and/or a heat shield 180. A leg foot 170 may be located at a distal
portion 162 of a leg grill support 160 relative to a grill body
120. A leg foot 170 may function to distribute the weight of the
barbecue grill over a greater surface area of the ground, which may
in turn prevent each leg grill support 160 from digging into the
ground with a resulting possibility of obstruction of free air flow
through the leg. Leg foot 170 may also work in a more general
manner in preventing foreign objects from obstructing a distal end
162 of the leg. Much as a leg foot 170 may protect a distal end 162
of a leg 160, heat shield 180 may function to protect an air inlet
161 at the junction of the grill body 120 and each leg 160 from the
entry of foreign objects. Each heat shield 180 may be mounted to an
internal surface 125 of one portion of the grill body, such that
the heat shield maintains fixed placement near an air inlet 161
from a leg 160 with which it is associated.
[0034] FIG. 6 shows a view of a pellet-fired barbecue grill that
lacks, or has had removed, an upper shell portion 121, leaving the
second, lower, shell portion 122 and structures that may be
associated with it. As shown in FIG. 6, a food support member 140
may be disposed vertically above a fuel support member 150. Both
the food support member 140 and the fuel support member 150 may
rest against an inner surface 125 of the second shell portion 122.
Alternatively, one or more of the food support member 140 and the
fuel support member 150 may be supported by a structure attached to
the second shell portion. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, food
support member 140 may be supported by internal portions 132 of a
plurality of latch assemblies 130.
[0035] As noted earlier, pellet fuel 100 may be combusted using air
that may be provided from an external environment 119 of the grill
body. In an embodiment of the grill 100 where one or more legs 160
have a tubular structure, air may pass from outside 119 to inside
129 the grill through the one or more hollow legs. However, such a
configuration of legs 160 may carry the risk that pellet ash 200,
or a spark from pellet fuel 100, may escape through one or more of
the legs to the outside of the barbecue. Escape of ash from an
interior 129 to an exterior 119 of the barbecue may result in a
mess that must be cleaned up after use of the barbecue. In
addition, escape of ash or sparks from the interior space of the
barbecue may carry the risk of a fire, if there are any combustible
materials nearby, or it may carry the risk of personal injury, if
someone is present near the barbecue and is contacted by the spark
or ash. To prevent the escape of at least ash and sparks from the
interior 129 of the barbecue, an interior surface 125 of a shell
portion may be configured with one or more heat shields 180 present
near an air inlet 161 of each tubular leg 160 where it meets shell
portion 122. In the second illustrated embodiment, legs 160 may be
attached along a lower surface of a second, lower, shell portion of
the barbecue and a heat shield 180 may be positioned just above
each air inlet 161. Although shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 as having a
roughly rectangular perimeter, each heat shield 180 may take any
shape suitable for preventing objects from falling, or being
placed, into each of the air inlets 161.
[0036] FIG. 7 presents a top view of a second shell portion 122 of
a barbecue, such that a possible relative placement of heat shields
180, air inlets 161, and legs 160 may be more clearly seen. A heat
shield 180 may also be described as a deflective member, as some
portion of its function may be to deflect objects that may be on a
path to enter a given air inlet 161. In the second illustrated
embodiment, each heat shield 180 is associated with a single leg
160, such that the heat shield obstructs access to the leg from
above. As shown, each heat shield, or deflective member, may be
configured with a roughly rectangular shape, but other designs are
possible. For example, a heat shield 180 may be a single object of
a roughly ring-like constrution and may be mounted to an interior
surface 125 of the shell portion at a level just above the position
of attachment of legs 160. One or more heat shields 80 may take any
suitable shape for preventing the escape of ash or sparks or other
materials from an interior 129 of the barbecue to the exterior of
the barbecue. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, each heat shield 180 may be
mounted directly to the interior surface of the second shell
portion. However, each heat shield 180 may be placed permanently or
transiently in a protective configuration with the one or more
legs. For example, heat shields 180 may be welded to an interior of
the shell portion, or they may be riveted to the shell portion, or
they may be screwed to the interior of the shell portion.
Alternatively, if a heat shield is configured with appropriate
dimensions, it may rest against an interior of the shell portion
and reside there only temporarily. In this construction, a heat
shield may have similar characteristics to a food support member
and a fuel support member, which may be removed from an interior of
the barbecue for cleaning, or storage, or for any other reason.
FIG. 7 shows, for example, a second shell portion 122 of a barbecue
having removable food and fuel supports, such as shown in FIGS. 1,
2, 5, and 6, with the food and fuel supports having been removed to
show a lower interior surface 125 of the second shell portion
122.
[0037] Although the present invention has been shown and described
with reference to the foregoing operational principles and
preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the
art that various changes in form and detail may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present
invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives,
modifications and variances that fall within the scope of the
appended claims.
[0038] It is believed that the disclosure set forth above
encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility.
While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred
form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated
herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous
variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions
includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations
of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties
disclosed herein. Similarly, where the claims recite "a" or "a
first" element or the equivalent thereof, such claims should be
understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements,
neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
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