IP Library Granted Patent US 11,248,798
Granted Patent B2
US 11,248,798 · App. 16/677,874 · Granted Feb 15, 2022

Pellet grills

Inventors: Brian C. Donnelly (Naperville, IL); Ryan P. Lundberg (Park Ridge, IL); David A. Larson (Ingleside, IL)
Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
F24B13/04A47J36/32A47J37/0704A47J37/0709A47J37/0786F23B40/08F24B15/005G05B23/027G05B23/0262H04L67/125A47J36/321A47J37/0754
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,248,798
App. No.
16/677,874
Granted
Feb 15, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes a burn pot including an upper end having a first opening, a lower end located opposite the upper end and having a second opening, and a sidewall extending between the upper and lower ends. The example pellet grill further includes a fuel grate positioned within the burn pot between the upper and lower ends. The fuel grate is configured to support pellet fuel within the burn pot. The fuel grate includes a plurality of ash openings dimensioned to enable ash produced from combustion of the pellet fuel to pass downwardly through the fuel grate toward the second opening.

Claims (35)

1. A pellet grill, comprising:

a burn pot including an upper end having a first opening, a lower end located opposite the upper end and having a second opening, and a sidewall extending between the upper and lower ends and having a third opening;

a fuel grate positioned within the burn pot between the upper and lower ends, the fuel grate configured to support pellet fuel within the burn pot, the fuel grate including a plurality of ash openings dimensioned to enable ash produced from combustion of the pellet fuel to pass downwardly through the fuel grate toward the second opening, the fuel grate including an upper surface and a trough extending downwardly from the upper surface, the trough configured to centralize pellet fuel within the burn pot, the trough including a fourth opening aligned with the third opening; and

an ignitor extending through the third opening into the burn pot and through the fourth opening into the trough.

2. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the burn pot further includes a central axis intersecting the first and second openings, the sidewall tapering inwardly toward the central axis as the sidewall extends from the lower end toward the upper end.

3. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall circumscribes the fuel grate.

4. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the first opening is configured to receive heat produced from the combustion of the pellet fuel, and the second opening is configured to receive the ash produced from the combustion of the pellet fuel.

5. The pellet grill of claim 1 , further comprising an ash slide located below the second opening, the ash slide configured to receive the ash produced from the combustion of the pellet fuel, the ash slide extending rearwardly from and at a downward angle relative to the lower end of the burn pot.

6. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the ignitor is oriented in a first direction and the trough is oriented in a second direction, the second direction being orthogonal to the first direction.

7. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth openings are configured to slidingly receive the ignitor.

8. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the fuel grate further includes a plurality of flanges extending downwardly from the upper surface, the flanges configured to support the upper surface of the fuel grate above the lower end of the burn pot.

9. The pellet grill of claim 1 , further comprising a fan, wherein the sidewall further includes a plurality of airflow openings configured to receive an airflow generated by the fan.

10. The pellet grill of claim 9 , further comprising a housing, wherein the burn pot is positioned within the housing, and the fan is coupled to the housing.

11. The pellet grill of claim 10 , wherein the burn pot is located at a first end of the housing, and the fan is located at a second end of the housing opposite the first end of the housing.

12. The pellet grill of claim 11 , further comprising a first air guide extending inwardly from a first sidewall of the housing and a second air guide extending inwardly from a second sidewall of the housing located opposite the first sidewall of the housing, the first and second air guides carried by the housing and positioned between the burn pot and the fan, the first and second air guides configured to centralize the airflow generated by the fan as the airflow moves from the fan toward the burn pot.

13. A pellet grill, comprising:

a burn pot including an upper end having a first opening, a lower end located opposite the upper end and having a second opening, and a sidewall extending between the upper and lower ends and having a third opening;

a fuel grate positioned within the burn pot between the upper and lower ends, the fuel grate configured to support pellet fuel within the burn pot, the fuel grate including an upper surface and a trough extending downwardly from the upper surface, the trough configured to centralize pellet fuel within the burn pot, the trough including a fourth opening aligned with the third opening; and

an ignitor extending through the third opening into the burn pot and through the fourth opening into the trough.

14. The pellet grill of claim 13 , wherein the burn pot further includes a central axis intersecting the first and second openings, the sidewall tapering inwardly toward the central axis as the sidewall extends from the lower end toward the upper end.

15. The pellet grill of claim 13 , wherein the fuel grate further includes a plurality of ash openings dimensioned to enable ash produced from combustion of the pellet fuel to pass downwardly through the fuel grate toward the second opening.

16. The pellet grill of claim 13 , further comprising an ash slide located below the second opening, the ash slide configured to receive ash produced from combustion of the pellet fuel, the ash slide extending rearwardly from and at a downward angle relative to the lower end of the burn pot.

17. The pellet grill of claim 13 , further comprising:

a fan, wherein the sidewall of the burn pot further includes a plurality of airflow openings configured to receive an airflow generated by the fan;

a housing, wherein the burn pot is located within the housing at a first end of the housing, and the fan is coupled to the housing and located at a second end of the housing opposite the first end of the housing; and

a plurality of air guides carried by the housing and positioned between the burn pot and the fan, the plurality of air guides including a first air guide extending inwardly from a first sidewall of the housing and a second air guide extending inwardly from a second sidewall of the housing opposite the first sidewall of the housing, wherein the first and second air guides are configured to centralize the airflow generated by the fan as the airflow moves from the fan toward the burn pot.

18. A pellet grill, comprising:

a burn pot including an upper end having a first opening, a lower end located opposite the upper end and having a second opening, a central axis intersecting the first and second openings, and a sidewall extending between the upper and lower ends, the sidewall tapering inwardly toward the central axis as the sidewall extends from the lower end toward the upper end; and

a fuel grate positioned within the burn pot between the upper and lower ends, the fuel grate configured to support pellet fuel within the burn pot, the fuel grate including an upper surface and a trough extending downwardly from the upper surface, the trough configured to centralize pellet fuel within the burn pot, the sidewall including a third opening, the trough including a fourth opening aligned with the third opening, the third and fourth openings configured to slidingly receive an ignitor of the pellet grill.

19. The pellet grill of claim 18 , wherein the fuel grate further includes a plurality of ash openings dimensioned to enable ash produced from combustion of the pellet fuel to pass downwardly through the fuel grate toward the second opening.

20. The pellet grill of claim 18 , further comprising an ash slide located below the second opening, the ash slide configured to receive ash produced from combustion of the pellet fuel, the ash slide extending rearwardly from and at a downward angle relative to the lower end of the burn pot.

21. The pellet grill of claim 18 , further comprising:

a fan, wherein the sidewall of the burn pot further includes a plurality of airflow openings configured to receive an airflow generated by the fan;

a housing, wherein the burn pot is located within the housing at a first end of the housing, and the fan is coupled to the housing and located at a second end of the housing opposite the first end of the housing; and

a plurality of air guides carried by the housing and positioned between the burn pot and the fan, the plurality of air guides including a first air guide extending inwardly from a first sidewall of the housing and a second air guide extending inwardly from a second sidewall of the housing opposite the first sidewall of the housing, wherein the first and second air guides are configured to centralize the airflow generated by the fan as the airflow moves from the fan toward the burn pot.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2025
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 073364/0477 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2025
From: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC; JUNE LIFE, LLC; NORTH ATLANTIC IMPORTS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 072994/0778 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 1, 2025
From: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC; JUNE LIFE, LLC; NORTH ATLANTIC IMPORTS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 072995/0099 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2022
From: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 061300/0624 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Mar 23, 2020
From: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052205/0329 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 8, 2019
From: DONNELLY, BRIAN C.; LUNDBERG, RYAN P.; ALBRECHT, ETHAN; ECKHARDT, DAVID; LARSON, DAVID A.
To: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
Reel/Frame 050956/0089 →
Cited By (3)
US 1,063,483 US 12,446,730 US 12,478,213