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US 12,653,342 B2Granted
Hopper lighting for pellet grills
OwnerEthan Albrecht, Gregory J. Dykesinventors
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Abstract
Hopper lighting for pellet grills is disclosed. An example pellet grill includes a hopper, a lighting module, and a controller. The hopper includes a pellet fuel storage compartment. The pellet fuel storage compartment is configured to contain pellet fuel. The lighting module includes a light source. The light source is configured to display light into, onto, or across the pellet fuel storage compartment when the light source is activated. The controller is configured to activate the light source in response to detecting an occurrence of an activation triggering event.
Claims21
A pellet grill, comprising:
- a hopper including a pellet fuel storage compartment, the pellet fuel storage compartment configured to contain pellet fuel;
- a lighting module including a light source, the light source configured to display light into, onto, or across the pellet fuel storage compartment when the light source is activated;
- a fuel level sensor configured to detect a level of the pellet fuel within the pellet fuel storage compartment;
- and
- a controller operatively coupled to the lighting module and the fuel level sensor, the controller configured to activate the light source in response to detecting an occurrence of an activation triggering event, wherein the controller, in connection with activating the light source, is further configured to:
- compare the level of the pellet fuel contained in the pellet fuel storage compartment to a first fuel level threshold;
- in response to determining that the level of the pellet fuel is above the first fuel level threshold, command the light source to display a first color of light;
- and
- in response to determining that the level of the pellet fuel is below the first fuel level threshold, command the light source to display a second color of light different from the first color of light.
6 more elements
A pellet grill, comprising:
- a hopper including a pellet fuel storage compartment, the pellet fuel storage compartment configured to contain pellet fuel;
- a lighting module including a light source, the light source configured to display light into, onto, or across the pellet fuel storage compartment when the light source is activated;
- an ambient light sensor configured to detect an amount of ambient light around an exterior of the pellet grill;
- and
- a controller operatively coupled to the lighting module and the ambient light sensor, the controller configured to activate the light source in response to determining that the amount of ambient light detected around the exterior of the pellet grill is below an ambient light threshold.
2 more elements
A pellet grill, comprising:
- a hopper including a pellet fuel storage compartment, the pellet fuel storage compartment configured to contain pellet fuel;
- a lighting module including a light source, the light source configured to display light into, onto, or across the pellet fuel storage compartment when the light source is activated;
- a fuel level sensor configured to detect a level of the pellet fuel within the pellet fuel storage compartment;
- and
- a controller operatively coupled to the lighting module and the fuel level sensor, the controller configured to activate the light source in response to detecting an occurrence of an activation triggering event, wherein the controller, in connection with activating the light source, is further configured to command the light source to display a color of light determined based on a comparison of the level of the pellet fuel contained in the pellet fuel storage compartment to a fuel level threshold, wherein the color of light displayed by the light source differs depending on whether the level of the pellet fuel contained in the pellet fuel storage compartment is above or below the fuel level threshold.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.