Patent Publication Number: US-2022214045-A1

Title: Method of handling wood fuel pellets

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This disclosure relates to fuel handling operations in general and, more specifically, to fuel handling operations for pellet fueled cooking devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Compressed wood fuel pellets are used in a variety of applications including heating and cooking. For either mobile or stationery applications it may be desirable to handle pellets in buckets instead of directly from a bag. One issue that arises in handling wood pellets is that the mechanical action of pellets on each other in the act of moving them tends to grind small particles of wood dust off the surface of the pellets. This fine dust has a strong affinity to combine with water vapor in the air or stray droplets of water and create a glue like paste that severely impedes the movement of the pellets through the auger systems typically used to transport them and, can cause component failure or downtime due to necessary repairs. 
     What is needed is a system and method for addressing the above and related concerns. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention of the present disclosure, in one aspect thereof, comprises a fuel pellet handling system including a filter insert sized to fit into a fuel pellet handling bucket. The filter insert comprises a filter floor elevated by a plurality of standoffs to define a space below the screen mesh fuel insert. The filter floor defines openings allowing dust to pass therethrough but retaining fuel pellets. 
     In some embodiments, the filter floor comprises a screen mesh. The filter insert may further comprise an upright wall extending from the filter floor. The upright wall may comprise a screen mesh. The upright wall may comprise four screen mesh panels arranged in a rectilinear configuration extending upwardly from the filter floor. 
     The filter insert may include a pair of handles joined to the upright wall. Each of the pair of handles may be joined to a different one of the four screen mesh panels. 
     In some embodiments, a lower frame is situated at a perimeter of the floor and joined to the plurality of standoffs. An upper frame may be situated an upper perimeter of the four upright planar screen mesh walls and joining the pair of handles to the upright wall. 
     In invention of the present disclosure, in another aspect thereof, comprises a fuel pellet handling system having a screen mesh floor, four upright screen wall panels arranged in a slab sided configuration and joined to the floor to define an interior volume for storing fuel pellets, and a plurality of standoffs elevated the screen mesh floor to define a space below the screen mesh floor. The screen mesh floor and the screen wall panels retain fuel pellets in the interior volume while allowing particles below a predetermined size to pass through. 
     Some embodiments further comprise a lower frame having a frame rail at a junction of each of the four upright screen wall panels and the screen mesh floor. The plurality of standoffs may be affixed to the lower frame. 
     Some embodiments further comprise an upper frame joined to the four upright screen walls panels at an opposite end thereof from the screen mesh floor, the upper frame providing a plurality of handles extending upwardly therefrom. The upper frame may comprise four frame rails, with one of each of the frame rail joined to one of the four upright screen walls. 
     In some embodiments, each of the plurality of handles joins to a single frame rail of the upper frame. In other embodiments, each of the plurality of handles joins to two of the frame rails of the upper frame. 
     The invention of the present disclosure, in another aspect thereof, comprises a fuel pellet handling system including a fuel pellet bucket having an interior volume of a first contour, an open top, and a floor, and a screen mesh insert sized to fit within the interior volume and having a second contour corresponding to the first contour. The mesh screen insert has a mesh screen floor elevated above the pellet bucket floor by at least one standoff such that a void is defined between the mesh screen floor and the bucket floor. 
     The mesh screen insert may have at least one handle affixed on a top thereof. The handle of the mesh screen insert may be rotatable between an extended position and a lowered position. The handle may span an opening into the screen mesh insert. In some cases, a lid fits onto the pellet fuel bucket. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a filter insert for a pellet handling system according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a pellet handling system according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a filter insert for a pellet handling system according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a filter insert for a pellet handling system according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a filter insert for a pellet handling system according to aspects of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of one embodiment of a filter insert  100  for a pellet handling system according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. In various embodiments, the present disclosure provides a screen wire basket as a filter insert  100  that acts as an inner liner for a bucket used for transporting fuel pellets. The insert  100  may be generally rectilinear in appearance and shape, or may have other shapes that conform to the bucket or container in which it is utilized. 
     In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the insert  100  comprises a wall  102  comprising four panels  104 . The panels  104  may be generally planar but may be rounded or radiused where they join together. In some embodiments, the panels  104  and the wall  102  may be a continuous piece of material with no seams. In other embodiments, one or more of the panels  104  may be formed separately and joined together. The wall  102  may comprise a wire screen material or a planar material than is bent to the appropriate shape and perforated (before or after bending). 
     The wall  102  may be constructed such that openings therein allow dust and other fine material to pass through while retaining all or a majority of the useable fuel pellets. In various embodiments, openings or apertures in the wall  102  may range from 0.5 mm up 5 mm. In other embodiments, openings or apertures may range from large enough to effectively pass dust particles but small enough to prevent passage of most or all intact fuel pellets. 
     A floor  106  may be provided for the insert  100  near a bottom end thereof. The floor  106  and wall  102  define an interior volume  108  in which fuel pellets are received, transported, etc., but which will allow dust and other fine materials to pass or fall through. To that end, the floor  106  may comprise a wire screen, mesh, or perforated material similar to the wall  102 . The floor may be a planar component affixed to a lower portion of the wall  102 . 
     In some embodiments, the floor  106  may be formed as a separate component from the wall  102  and then attached thereto. A lower frame  110  may bound the floor  106  and or the lower wall  102 . The lower frame  110  may interconnect the wall  102  and the floor  106  and may provide structural rigidity. In the present embodiment, the floor  106  is generally square, though it may have radiused corners to match the panels  104  of the wall  102 . The lower frame  110  may comprise a number of rails  112  joined together with each rail  110  aligning with a conjunction of a wall panel  104  and one side of the floor  106 . The joints of adjacent frame rails  112  may be radiused to match the wall panels  104  and/or floor  106 . The lower frame  110  may comprise a wire or metallic material. It may affix to the wall  102  and/or floor  106  via welding, use of an adhesive, or other mechanisms. 
     Rather than resting directly on a container floor, the insert  100  may provide one or more standoffs  114  projecting downwardly from the wall panels  104 , floor  106 , or, as illustrated, from the rails  112  of the frame  110 . The standoffs  114  may comprise a lower rail or foot  116  suspended by spaced apart legs  118 . In other embodiments other structures or configurations may be utilized that allow the floor  106  to be elevated above a container floor into which the insert  100  is placed. 
     The insert  100  may also provide handles, such as illustrated handles  120 , that allow the insert to be moved or inserted and removed from the pellet container. A top portion of the wall  102  may be affixed to a top frame  126 . The top frame  126  may have four rails  128  joined in a square configuration (possibly radiused at the corners). One rail  128  may be situated atop each of the four wall panels  104 . The top frame may provide mounting locations for the handles  120 . 
     The handles  120  may comprise a grip  122  suspended over the frame rail  128  by a pair of spaced apart arms  124 . The arms  124  may angle inward toward the grip  122  in some embodiments. As shown, there are two handles  120  located on two opposite frame rails  128 . Four or more handles  120  may be provided but two are sufficient for stable lifting and movement of the insert  100 . 
     The insert  100  may also be said to have a contour conforming to an interior of the bucket  200  such that the interior volume  108  of the insert  100  is nearly the same as the interior volume  209  of the bucket  202 . In some embodiments, the loss of interior volume  108  of the insert  100  relative to the interior volume  209  of the bucket  202  is due only to the necessity of the wall  102  of the insert  100  to fit within the walls  204  of the bucket  202  and due to the wall  102  of the insert  100  being somewhat shorter than the walls  204  of the bucket  202  due to the standoffs  114  and/or handles  120  of the insert  100 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , an exploded perspective view of a pellet handling system  200  according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown.  FIG. 2  illustrates one possible application of the insert  100  described above. The insert  100  may comprise a screen wire basket is somewhat smaller in dimension from a transport bucket  202  with which it may be used to transport and handle pellet fuel. The screen wire is sized to retain normal commercial pellets but allow dust to pass. As noted above, perforated sheets or other arrangements may be used to retain pellets but pass dust. 
     The insert  100  may be placed into the bucket  202  and rest on a floor  206  thereof. The bucket  202  may comprise a square or rectilinear shape with four walls  204  ascending from the floor. In some embodiments the bucket  212  may have a handle for transport or other uses. A tight-fitting lid  210  may also be provided. The lid  210  may fit tightly onto or seal onto an upper lip  209  of the bucket  202  with the insert (possibly containing fuel pellets) covered in an interior  208  of the bucket  202 . The bucket  202  may have other features making it compatible with particular pellet hoppers and other fuel handling equipment. 
     The standoffs  114  define a space between the floor  206  of the transport bucket  202  and the floor  106  of the insert  100 . In use, the transport bucket  202  with the insert  100  inside can be placed below the hopper of a pellet grill and catch fuel pellets as they are drained from the hoper. With the tight-fitting lid  210  the entire system  200  pellets can be stored until the next use event. At that point the insert  100  may be removed from the transport bucket  202  and the fuel pellets poured into the hopper. Dust or contaminants in the fuel pellets will tend to collect below the insert floor  106  and can be discarded. 
     The bucket  202  may be a vertically extended configuration of any closed cross section (such as an oval, rectangle, or triangle or any generalized closed section). The insert  100  may have a shape that conforms to the internal dimensions of the bucket  202  in that it fits inside the bucket  202  possibly mirroring the shape for maximum capacity for the bucket  202 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a filter insert  300  for a pellet handling system according to aspects of the present disclosure. The insert  300  is substantially similar or identical to the insert  100  with exceptions noted. It may also be used in the same or a similar way within the system  200  as the insert  100 . Here, handles  302  comprise grips  304  suspended above and attached to the upper frame  126  via legs  306 . The legs  306  are spaced apart but each is affixed to a separate frame rail  128 . Thus the grips  304  are somewhat suspended over the interior volume  108  of the insert  300 . The grips  304  are considered offset by about 45 degrees from the rails  128 . The handles  302 , in the configuration shown, allow for different options for pouring and manipulating the insert  300  but otherwise fulfill the function of the handles  120  discussed above (e.g., movement and manipulation of the insert  300  in or out of the associated bucket  200 ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a perspective view of another embodiment of a filter insert  400  for a pellet handling system according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The insert  400  is substantially similar or identical to the insert  100  with exceptions noted. It may also be used in the same or a similar way within the system  200  as the insert  100 . The insert  400  comprises a handle  402  with a grip  404  attached via spaced apart arms  406  into tabs  408  at inward bends  407 . The tabs  408  may be affixed to a pair of opposite wall panels  104  of the wall  102  and/or to top frame  406  on opposite rails  128 . The handle  402  operates similarly to a bucket handle and may lay down on or over the wall  102  of the insert  400  when not in use. The handle  402  may be used to lift or move the insert  400  and/or to aid in emptying or pouring out contents (fuel pellets) from the insert  400 . In use, a user may grip a lower portion of the insert  400  to empty or pour its contents (e.g., gripping at the offset  114  and the handle  402 ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of a filter insert  500  for a pellet handling system according to aspects of the present disclosure is shown. The insert  400  is substantially similar or identical to the insert  100  with exceptions noted. It may also be used in the same or a similar way within the system  200  as the insert  100 . 
     A wall  502  of the insert  500  may comprise four wall panels  504 . These may be integral components or may be formed separately and joined together. The wall panels  504  may be planar or substantially planar and may be joined to one another with a radius eliminating a sharp corner and conforming, for example, to radiused corners of lower frame  110  and/or floor  106 . Like the wall  102 , the wall  502  may comprise a wire screen or mesh material. It may also comprise a solid sheet of material that has been perforated such that dust and impurities may pass through while pelletized fuel is retained. The panels  504  may also comprise bends, folds, impressions, or other features to enhance stiffness or rigidity. Here, embossments  505  run vertically along the panels  504 . Two spaced apart vertical embossments  505  are provided on each panel  504  in the illustrated embodiments, but other configurations may be employed. The embossments  505  are not configured to substantially alter the interior volume of the insert  500 , nor to alter the ability of the panels  504  to retain fuel pellets but pass dust and impurities. 
     The insert  500  comprises an upper lip  520  in place of upper frame  126  ( FIG. 1 ). The upper lip  520  may comprise four rails  522  joined or formed into a square configuration or other configuration as may fit the top of the wall  502  (corners may be radiused, as with other components). Tabs  408  may be affixed to the lip  520  on a pair of opposite rails  522  and provide a mounting location for a handle  510 . Handle  510  may comprise a grip  510  having spaced apart arms  514  extending therefrom toward the tabs  408 . Insets  516  may extend inwardly from the arms (e.g., toward a center line of the handle  510  or insert  500 ) and locate hooks  518  for insertion into tabs  408 . The insets  516  allow the handle  510  to lie flat on the lip  520  while no part of the handle  510  extends laterally beyond the lip  520  and/or wall  520 . 
     The wall  502 , floor  106  with frame  110 , and lip  520  may be joined together with adhesives, welds, or other means as known in the art, in a similar or identical manner to the components of the inserts  100 ,  300 ,  400  discussed above. 
     It is to be understood that the terms “including”, “comprising”, “consisting” and grammatical variants thereof do not preclude the addition of one or more components, features, steps, or integers or groups thereof and that the terms are to be construed as specifying components, features, steps or integers. 
     If the specification or claims refer to “an additional” element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element. 
     It is to be understood that where the claims or specification refer to “a” or “an” element, such reference is not be construed that there is only one of that element. 
     It is to be understood that where the specification states that a component, feature, structure, or characteristic “may”, “might”, “can” or “could” be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included. 
     Where applicable, although state diagrams, flow diagrams or both may be used to describe embodiments, the invention is not limited to those diagrams or to the corresponding descriptions. For example, flow need not move through each illustrated box or state, or in exactly the same order as illustrated and described. 
     Methods of the present invention may be implemented by performing or completing manually, automatically, or a combination thereof, selected steps or tasks. 
     The term “method” may refer to manners, means, techniques and procedures for accomplishing a given task including, but not limited to, those manners, means, techniques and procedures either known to, or readily developed from known manners, means, techniques and procedures by practitioners of the art to which the invention belongs. 
     The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a ranger having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example, “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number is used herein to denote the end of a range ending with that number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. 
     When, in this document, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number)-(a second number)”, this means a range whose lower limit is the first number and whose upper limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 should be interpreted to mean a range whose lower limit is 25 and whose upper limit is 100. Additionally, it should be noted that where a range is given, every possible subrange or interval within that range is also specifically intended unless the context indicates to the contrary. For example, if the specification indicates a range of 25 to 100 such range is also intended to include subranges such as 26-100, 27-100, etc., 25-99, 25-98, etc., as well as any other possible combination of lower and upper values within the stated range, e.g., 33-47, 60-97, 41-45, 28-96, etc. Note that integer range values have been used in this paragraph for purposes of illustration only and decimal and fractional values (e.g., 46.7-91.3) should also be understood to be intended as possible subrange endpoints unless specifically excluded. 
     It should be noted that where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where context excludes that possibility), and the method can also include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all of the defined steps (except where context excludes that possibility). 
     Further, it should be noted that terms of approximation (e.g., “about”, “substantially”, “approximately”, etc.) are to be interpreted according to their ordinary and customary meanings as used in the associated art unless indicated otherwise herein. Absent a specific definition within this disclosure, and absent ordinary and customary usage in the associated art, such terms should be interpreted to be plus or minus 10% of the base value. 
     Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While the inventive device has been described and illustrated herein by reference to certain preferred embodiments in relation to the drawings attached thereto, various changes and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made therein by those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit of the inventive concept the scope of which is to be determined by the following claims.