# US 11,439,276 B2 · Charcoal grill system and method for managing temperature within the same charcoal grill system

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- Number: US 11,439,276 B2
- Document ID: US11439276B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/832,392
- Filed: 2020-03-27
- Published: 2020-07-16
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-10
- Assignees: Spark Grills, Inc.
- Applicants: Spark Grills, Inc.
- Inventors: Benjamin West; Steve Owen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439276B2

## CPC

- A47J 37/079: {Charcoal igniting devices}
- A47J 37/0704: {with horizontal fire box}
- A47J 37/0754: {with blowers providing forced air circulation}
- A47J 37/0786: {Accessories}
- G01K 1/024: for remote indication
- A47J 36/321: {the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a handheld device}
- G01K 2207/06: for preparation purposes
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00)

## Abstract

Various charcoal cartridges are provided herein, including a charcoal cartridge having a unitary charcoal slab and a combustible igniter layer extending across the unitary charcoal slab. In some instances, the charcoal cartridge may have a plurality of holes extending through the unitary charcoal slab and/or a flavor layer that includes wood chips.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A charcoal cartridge comprising:
a unitary charcoal slab, and
packaging material for the charcoal slab, the packaging material having a machine-readable code that includes or provides a link to information regarding combustion characteristics of the charcoal cartridge.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of holes extending through the unitary charcoal slab.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 2, further comprising a combustible igniter layer extending across the unitary charcoal slab, wherein the plurality of holes further extends through the combustible igniter layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 3, wherein the combustible igniter layer extends across the breadth and width of the unitary charcoal slab.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 3, further comprising an igniter lead that comprises a combustible material and is configured to be contacted by an igniter of a grill when the charcoal cartridge fully inserted into a grill, wherein a flame front is configured to spread from the igniter lead to the combustible igniter layer and then to the unitary charcoal slab.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein the unitary charcoal slab is a single charcoal structure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 6, wherein the single charcoal structure is one of: a pressed structure, a cast structure, or an extruded structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a flavor layer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 8, wherein the flavor layer extends across the unitary charcoal slab.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein the charcoal cartridge has a flat top and a flat bottom.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein the charcoal cartridge has a rectangular shape.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable code is a radio-frequency identification tag.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable code is a near-field communication tag.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable code is a barcode.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable code is a quick-response (QR) code.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein combustion characteristics include one or more of the following: ignition temperature, operating temperature, peak temperature, combustion rate, and combustion duration.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable code is linked to a substantially unique identifier associated with a type of the charcoal cartridge, combustion characteristics of the charcoal cartridge, or the combustion characteristics and type of the charcoal cartridge.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable code is configured to be read by a wireless scanner.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The charcoal cartridge of claim 18, wherein the wireless scanner is coupled to a control panel on a charcoal grill.