IP Library Granted Patent US 11,181,276
Granted Patent B2
US 11,181,276 · App. 16/356,684 · Granted Nov 23, 2021

Self-cleaning grill

Inventors: Michael V. Colston (Salt Lake City, UT); Daniel A. C. Altenritter (Riverton, UT); Daniel W. Sluder (Salt Lake City, UT)
Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills LLC
F24B13/006A47J37/0704A47J37/0786F24B1/16F24B15/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,181,276
App. No.
16/356,684
Granted
Nov 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A firepot for a grilling device comprises one or more walls at least partially forming an outer boundary of the firepot. The firepot is structurally configured to hold at least partially ignited solid fuel. The firepot also comprises a floor defining, at least in part, a lower end of the firepot. The floor comprises one or more holes extending through the floor. Additionally, a portion of the one or more walls form a solid fuel delivery opening that comprises a solid fuel portal through which solid fuel is deliverable to an interior of the firepot. A heating element mount is positioned to hold a heating element within the interior of the firepot.

Claims (47)

1. A firepot for a grilling device, comprising:

one or more walls at least partially defining an outer boundary of the firepot, wherein the firepot is structurally configured to hold at least partially ignited solid fuel;

a floor defining, at least in part, a lower end of the firepot, wherein the floor comprises one or more holes extending through the floor;

a portion of the one or more walls defining a solid fuel delivery opening, wherein the solid fuel delivery opening comprises a solid fuel portal through which solid fuel is deliverable to an interior of the firepot;

a heating element mount positioned to hold a heating element within the interior of the firepot;

a landing zone integrated into the floor; and

a landing zone boundary defining a boundary between the landing zone and portions of the floor that comprise the one or more holes; and

wherein the landing zone boundary comprises a raised surface that extends above a surface of the landing zone and into the interior of the firepot.

2. The firepot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the landing zone comprises a portion of the floor that consists of a continuous sheet of material.

3. The firepot as recited in claim 1 , wherein:

a fan is positioned external to the firepot, the fan being positioned to direct air through the one or more holes extending through the floor and into the firepot.

4. The firepot as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:

an ash expulsion portal positioned to allow at least some ash carried by the air to exit the firepot.

5. The firepot as recited in claim 1 , wherein the firepot is disposed within a grill cavity, the grill cavity comprising:

at least a portion of an auger box;

a cavity separator; and

the cavity separator having one or more tunnels disposed therein, wherein the one or more tunnels extend through the cavity separator and into an evacuation cavity.

6. The firepot as recited in claim 5 , wherein the evacuation cavity comprises an outlet that is in communication with a vacuum nozzle, wherein the vacuum nozzle is positioned to draw ash out of the evacuation cavity when a vacuum is attached to the vacuum nozzle.

7. The firepot as recited in claim 5 , wherein the grill cavity comprises an ash capture mechanism positioned between the firepot and a cooking area within the grill cavity.

8. A self-cleaning grilling device, comprising:

an evacuation cavity;

a grill cavity comprising a firepot, wherein the firepot is structurally configured to hold at least partially ignited solid fuel, the firepot comprising:

one or more walls at least partially defining an outer boundary of the firepot;

a floor defining, at least in part, a lower end of the firepot, the floor comprising one or more holes extending through the floor; and

a landing zone integrated into the floor of the firepot, wherein the landing zone comprises a landing zone boundary defining a boundary between the landing zone and portions of the floor that comprise the one or more holes, the landing zone boundary comprising a raised surface that extends above a surface of the landing zone and into an interior of the firepot; and

one or more tunnels disposed in a cavity separator that is positioned between the evacuation cavity and the grill cavity, the one or more tunnels providing openings through which ash may be drawn from the grill cavity into the evacuation cavity.

9. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 8 , the evacuation cavity further comprising an outlet configured to connect with a vacuum nozzle, wherein connecting the vacuum nozzle causes ash in the evacuation cavity to be drawn out of the evacuation cavity.

10. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 8 , further comprising an ash capture mechanism positioned between the firepot and a cooking area within the grill cavity.

11. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 10 , wherein the ash capture mechanism comprises a mesh screen at least partially surrounding the firepot, the mesh screen configured to allow heat and air to pass therethrough but not allow ash to pass therethrough.

12. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 8 , wherein the firepot comprises:

a portion of the one or more walls defining a solid fuel delivery opening, wherein the solid fuel delivery opening comprises a solid fuel portal through which solid fuel is deliverable to an interior of the firepot; and

a heating element mount positioned to hold a heating element within the interior of the firepot.

13. The self-cleaning grilling device as recited in claim 8 , wherein at least one hole selected from the one or more holes is intersected by a wall selected from the one or more walls.

14. The self-cleaning grilling device as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:

a fan positioned external to the firepot, the fan being positioned to direct air through the one or more holes extending through the floor and into the firepot.

15. The self-cleaning grilling device as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:

an ash expulsion portal positioned to allow at least some ash carried by the air to exit the firepot.

16. A self-cleaning grilling device, comprising:

an evacuation cavity positioned below a grilling cavity;

the grilling cavity, wherein the grilling cavity is structurally configured to contain heat generated by solid fuel;

one or more tunnels disposed in a cavity separator between the evacuation cavity and the grilling cavity, the one or more tunnels providing openings through which ash may be drawn from the grilling cavity into the evacuation cavity; and

a firepot positioned within the grilling cavity, wherein the firepot comprises:

one or more walls at least partially defining an outer boundary of the firepot, wherein the firepot is structurally configured to hold at least partially ignited solid fuel;

a floor defining, at least in part, a lower end of the firepot, wherein the floor comprises one or more holes extending through the floor; and

a landing zone boundary defining a boundary between a landing zone and portions of the floor that comprise the one or more holes, wherein the landing zone boundary comprises a raised surface that extends above a surface of the landing zone and into the interior of the firepot.

17. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more tunnels comprise conical-shaped tunnels.

18. The self-cleaning grilling device of claim 16 , wherein the one or more tunnels comprise conical-shaped tunnels.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF PATENT AND TRADEMARK SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2024
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 067276/0414 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 9, 2021
From: TRAEGER PELLET GRILLS LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057434/0500 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2019
From: COLSTON, MICHAEL V.; ALTENRITTER, DANIEL A.C.; SLUDER, DANIEL W.
To: TRAEGER PELLET GRILLS LLC
Reel/Frame 048628/0040 →
Cited By (13)
US 1,063,483 US 1,063,487 US 1,091,214 US 12,241,627 US 12,298,010 US 12,342,960 US 12,396,070 US 12,446,730 US 12,478,213 US 12,502,033 US 12,535,219 US 12,667,225 US 12,708,237