IP Library Granted Patent US 12710177
Granted Patent B2
US 12710177 · App. 18/009,087 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Griddle with temperature controller

Inventors: Blake Levien (Columbus, GA); Mcdonald Plummer (Columbus, GA)
Assignee: Loco—Crazy Good Cookers, Inc.
F24C3/126A23L5/15A47J36/32A47J37/0682A47J37/0713F23N1/00F24C15/086G05D23/1927G05D23/1932A23V2002/00A47J2037/0795A47J2202/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12710177
App. No.
18/009,087
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Implementations claimed and described herein provide system and methods for controlling griddle temperature. In one implementation, a temperature measurement of a region of a griddle top is obtained. The temperature measurement is captured using one or more sensors. A set temperature range is obtained for the region of the griddle top. The temperature measurement is compared to the set temperature range. One or more burners are adjusted based on whether the temperature measurement is within the set temperature range. The temperature of the region of the griddle top is maintained within the set temperature range using the one or more burners.

Claims (54)

1 . A griddle comprising:

a griddle top;

a plurality of burners including one or more first burners and one or more second burners, the one or more first burners operable to heat a first region of the griddle top, the one or more second burners operable to heat a second region of the griddle top;

a plurality of valves operable to control gas flow from one or more gas sources to the plurality of burners, the plurality of valves including one or more first valves and one or more second valves;

one or more sensors operable to capture a first temperature measurement of the first region of the griddle top and a second temperature measurement of the second region of the griddle top; and

a controller operable to:

receive the first temperature measurement of the first region of the griddle top and the second temperature measurement of the second region of the griddle top;

determine whether the first temperature measurement is within a first set temperature range and whether the second temperature measurement is within a second set temperature range for the second region; and

maintain a first temperature of the first region of the griddle top within the first set temperature range and a second temperature of the second region within the second set temperature range by adjusting at least one of the one or more first valves or the one or more second valves between an open position and a closed position to control the gas flow supplied to at least one of the one or more first burners based on the first temperature measurement or the one or more second burners based on the second temperature measurement.

2 . The griddle of claim 1 , wherein the controller automatically adjusts the plurality of valves.

3 . The griddle of claim 1 , wherein the controller automatically adjusts at least one of the plurality of burners by automatically adjusting an amount that at least one corresponding valve of the plurality of valves is open between the open position and the closed position.

4 . The griddle of claim 1 , wherein a central sensor of the one or more sensors is operable to measure a center of the first region of the griddle top.

5 . The griddle of claim 1 , further comprising:

a display, wherein the controller is further operable to:

output the first set temperature range and the first temperature measurement for the first region of the griddle top and the second set temperature range and the second temperature measurement for the second region of the griddle top for presentation with the display.

6 . A method comprising:

obtaining a first temperature measurement of a first region of a griddle top and a second temperature measurement of a second region of the griddle top, the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement captured using one or more sensors;

obtaining a first set temperature range for the first region of the griddle top and a second set temperature range for the second region of the griddle top;

comparing the first temperature measurement to the first set temperature range and the second temperature measurement to the second set temperature range; and

adjusting at least one of one or more first valves or one or more second valves between an open position and a closed position to control gas flow supplied to at least one of one or more first burners based on whether the first temperature measurement is within the first set temperature range or one or more second burners based on whether the second temperature measurement is within the second set temperature range, a first temperature of the first region of the griddle top maintained within the first set temperature range using the one or more first burners and a second temperature of the second region of the griddle top maintained within the second set temperature range using the one or more second burners.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more first valves and the one or more second valves are adjustable automatically.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first temperature measurement includes a central temperature measurement captured using a central sensor of the one or more sensors, the central temperature measurement corresponding to a center of the first region of the griddle top.

9 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

presenting the first set temperature range and the first temperature for the first region of the griddle top.

10 . A system comprising:

a griddle including a griddle top, the griddle top including a plurality of regions, the plurality of regions including a first region and a second region;

a plurality of burners including one or more first burners and one or more second burners, the one or more first burners operable to heat the first region of the griddle top, the one or more second burners operable to heat the second region of the griddle top;

a plurality of valves in communication with the plurality of burners, each of the plurality of valves controlling gas flow to a corresponding burner of the plurality of burners, the plurality of valves including one or more first valves associated with the one or more first burners and one or more second valves associated with the one or more second burners;

one or more sensors operable to capture a first temperature measurement of the first region of the griddle top and a second temperature measurement of the second region of the griddle top; and

a controller operable to control the plurality of burners by adjusting the plurality of valves between an open position and a closed position to control the gas flow supplied to the plurality of burners, the controller maintaining a first temperature of the first region of the griddle top within a first set temperature range by adjusting the one or more first valves, the controller maintaining a second temperature of the second region within a second set temperature range by adjusting the one or more second valves.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller automatically adjusts the plurality of valves.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is in communication with a portable device, the controller controlling the plurality of burners based on input received from the portable device.

13 . A system comprising:

a griddle including a griddle top including a first region and a second region;

a first burner operable to produce a first flame using gas supplied from one or more gas sources;

a second burner operable to produce a second flame using the gas supplied from the one or more gas sources;

a first additional burner operable to produce a third flame using the gas supplied from the one or more gas sources, the first flame and the third flame operable to heat the first region of the griddle top;

a second additional burner operable to produce a fourth flame using the gas supplied from the one or more gas sources, the second flame and the fourth flame operable to heat the second region of the griddle top;

an input system operable to obtain a first set temperature for the first region and a second set temperature for the second region;

a first valve and a first additional valve operable to maintain a first temperature of the first region of the griddle top according to the first set temperature, the first flame of the first burner controlled by moving the first valve between a closed position and an open position according to the first set temperature, the third flame of the first additional burner controlled by moving the first additional valve between the closed position and the open position according to the first set temperature; and

a second valve and a second additional valve operable to maintain a second temperature of the second region of the griddle top according to the second set temperature, the second flame of the second burner controlled by moving the second valve between the closed position and the open position according to the second set temperature, the fourth flame of the second additional burner controlled by moving the second additional valve between the closed position and the open position according to the second set temperature.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the input system includes a first input component associated with the first region and a second input component associated with the second region.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the input system is configured to communicate with a with a portable device.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the first valve is automatically adjusted based on the first set temperature and the second valve is automatically adjusted based on the second set temperature.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein one or more of the first valve, the first additional valve, the second valve, and the second additional valve are independently controllable.

18 . A method comprising:

obtaining a first set temperature for a first region of a griddle top;

obtaining a second set temperature for a second region of the griddle top;

heating the first region of the griddle top by producing one or more of a first flame at a first burner and a first additional flame at a first additional burner using gas supplied from one or more gas sources;

heating the second region of the griddle top by producing one or more of a second flame at a second burner and a second additional flame at a second additional burner using the gas supplied from one or more gas sources;

maintaining a first temperature of the first region of the griddle top according to the first set temperature using a first valve and a first additional valve, the first flame of the first burner controlled by moving the first valve between a closed position and an open position according to the first set temperature, the first additional flame of the first additional burner controlled by moving the first additional valve between the closed position and the open position according to the first set temperature; and

maintaining a second temperature of the second region of the griddle top according to the second set temperature using a second valve and a second additional valve, the second flame of the second burner controlled by moving the second valve between the closed position and the open position according to the second set temperature, the second additional flame of the second additional burner controlled by moving the second additional valve between the closed position and the open position according to the second set temperature.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the first valve, the first additional valve, the second valve, and the second additional valve each independently move to a respective position between the open position and the closed position automatically.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the respective position includes at least one of the open position, the closed position, or a partially open position.