IP Library Granted Patent US 11,359,817
Granted Patent B2
US 11,359,817 · App. 16/678,006 · Granted Jun 14, 2022

Pellet grills

Inventors: Brian C. Donnelly (Naperville, IL); Ryan P. Lundberg (Park Ridge, IL); David Eckhardt (Oswego, IL)
Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
F24B13/04A47J36/32A47J37/0704A47J37/0709A47J37/0786F23B40/08F24B15/005G05B23/027G05B23/0262H04L67/125A47J36/321A47J37/0754
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,359,817
App. No.
16/678,006
Granted
Jun 14, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Pellet grills and associated methods of operation are disclosed. An example pellet grill includes a one or more processors configured to detect an improper shutdown of a control system of the pellet grill. The one or more processors are further configured to generate a notification in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown, the notification indicating that the control system was improperly shutdown. The one or more processors are further configured to cause the notification to be presented at a user interface of the pellet grill.

Claims (41)

1. A pellet grill, comprising:

an auger;

an auger motor operatively coupled to the auger; and

one or more processors configured to:

detect an improper shutdown of a control system of the pellet grill; and

in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown:

generate a notification indicating that the control system was improperly shutdown;

cause the notification to be presented at a user interface of the pellet grill;

command the auger motor to repeatedly pulse the auger between a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction;

determine, based on the pulsed rotation of the auger, whether the auger is jammed; and

in response to determining that the auger is jammed, initiate a protocol to clear the jam.

2. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to detect the improper shutdown by detecting an unexpected loss of power to the control system.

3. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the notification to be wirelessly transmitted from the pellet grill to a device located remotely from the pellet grill.

4. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to initiate a diagnostic check of the control system in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown.

5. The pellet grill of claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to initiate a startup protocol of the control system following completion of the diagnostic check.

6. The pellet grill of claim 1 , wherein the auger motor is a direct current (DC) powered electric motor.

7. The pellet grill of claim 1 , further comprising a fan and a burn pot, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to command the fan to operate in a pulsed output mode in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown, the operation of the fan in the pulsed output mode to cause ash located in the burn pot to be removed from the burn pot.

8. The pellet grill of claim 7 , wherein the fan is a direct current (DC) powered electric fan.

9. A method, comprising:

detecting, via one or more processors of a pellet grill, an improper shutdown of a control system of the pellet grill; and

in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown:

generating, via the one or more processors, a notification indicating that the control system was improperly shutdown;

presenting the notification at a user interface of the pellet grill;

commanding, via the one or more processors, an auger motor of the pellet grill operatively coupled to an auger of the pellet grill to repeatedly pulse the auger between a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction;

determining, via the one or more processors, based on the pulsed rotation of the auger, whether the auger is jammed; and

in response to determining that the auger is jammed, initiating, via the one or more processors, a protocol to clear the jam.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein detecting the improper shutdown includes detecting an unexpected loss of power to the control system.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising initiating, via the one or more processors, a diagnostic check of the control system in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising initiating, via the one or more processors, a startup protocol of the control system following completion of the diagnostic check.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising commanding, via the one or more processors, a fan of the pellet grill to operate in a pulsed output mode in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown, the operation of the fan in the pulsed output mode to cause ash located in the burn pot to be removed from the burn pot.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a pellet grill to at least:

detect an improper shutdown of a control system of the pellet grill; and

in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown:

generate a notification indicating that the control system was improperly shutdown;

cause the notification to be presented at a user interface of the pellet grill;

command an auger motor of the pellet grill operatively coupled to an auger of the pellet grill to repeatedly pulse the auger between a first direction of rotation and a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction;

determine, based on the pulsed rotation of the auger, whether the auger is jammed; and

in response to determining that the auger is jammed, initiate a protocol to clear the jam.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to detect the improper shutdown by detecting an unexpected loss of power to the control system.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to initiate a diagnostic check of the control system in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to command a fan of the pellet grill to operate in a pulsed output mode in response to the control system regaining power following detection of the improper shutdown, the operation of the fan in the pulsed output mode to cause ash located in the burn pot to be removed from 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 050957/0001 →
Cited By (6)
US 1,063,483 US 12,298,010 US 12,342,960 US 12,446,730 US 12,478,213 US 12,631,336