Direct-current solid-fuel grill
AssigneeTraeger Pellet Grills, LLC
InventorsMichael Colston, Daniel W. Sluder, Daniel A. Altenritter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims19
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.
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.