Patent Publication Number: US-2023140662-A1

Title: Cooking devices with secondary smoke generation

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/240,826, filed Sep. 3, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Smokers and pellet grills are cooking devices that combust solid fuels, such as wood pellets, to product smoke and heat to cook food. However, in many cases, users wish to smoke food with multiple types of smoke from different sources (e.g., different types of wood) for more complex flavors. In these situations, users have to improvise an approach to allow for a second type of smoking, such as by filling a container with a second type of solid fuel, igniting the solid fuel manually, and then inserting the container into the grill or smoker. This method is cumbersome and does not provide the user with any control over the smoke produced by the second solid fuel source. Accordingly, improvements are needed in cooking devices to permit secondary smoke generation. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed cooking device includes a cooking chamber including at least one cooking surface, a wood pellet burner positioned below the cooking chamber and configured to combust wood pellets and provide a first source of smoke, a wood pellet hopper configured to store a supply of wood pellets, an auger configured to feed wood pellets to the wood pellet burner, and a secondary solid fuel combustion unit removably inserted into the cooking device below the cooking chamber and configured to combust a second solid fuel and provide a second source of smoke. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can be a smoker or a pellet grill. Additionally, the cooking surface can include a plurality of cooking surfaces. The secondary solid fuel combustion unit can be removably inserted into a receiving aperture/opening integrated into the cooking device and configured to receive the secondary solid fuel combustion unit. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the secondary solid fuel combustion unit can be a removable smoke box configured to slide into and out of an opening/aperture in the cooking device or can be an integrated smoke tube configured to slide into and out of an opening/aperture in the cooking device. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed cooking device is a wood pellet grill and includes a cooking surface including one or more cooking racks, a wood pellet burner positioned below the cooking surface and configured to combust wood pellets and provide a first source of smoke, a wood pellet hopper configured to store a supply of wood pellets, an auger configured to feed wood pellets to the wood pellet burner, a secondary solid fuel combustion unit removably inserted into the cooking device below the cooking chamber and configured to combust a second solid fuel and provide a second source of smoke, the secondary solid fuel combustion unit being removably inserted into a receiving aperture integrated into the cooking device and configured to receive the secondary solid fuel combustion unit, and a hot rod tube integrated into the cooking device and configured to ignite the second solid fuel within the secondary solid fuel combustion unit. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the secondary solid fuel combustion unit can be a pellet tube. The pellet tube can be rotatable within the receiving aperture via a handle located on the external housing. The pellet tube can include a plurality of holes distributed along a body of the pellet tube such that rotation of the pellet tube alters an airflow through the pellet tube (and a burn rate of pellets/solid fuel inside the tube). 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the pellet tube can include a dimple that protrudes through a slot in the receiving aperture, the slot being shaped to restrict movement of the dimple beyond a predetermined angle and prevent further rotation the pellet tube. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the hot rod tube can also be further configured to pass through the wood pellet burner and ignite wood pellets in the wood pellet burner. Therefore a single hot rod tube/igniter can be used to ignite both the pellets in the wood pellet burner and any pellet/wood chips/solid fuel in the pellet tube. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the pellet grill can further include a burner housing enclosing the wood pellet burner and one or more openings in the burner housing configured to blow air onto the pellet tube and thereby keep pellets/solid fuel within the tube smoldering. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can include an external housing, a cooking chamber within the external housing, a wood pellet burner positioned below the cooking chamber and configured to combust wood pellets and provide a first source of smoke, a wood pellet hopper configured to store a supply of wood pellets, an auger configured to feed wood pellets to the wood pellet burner, a secondary solid fuel combustion unit removably inserted into the cooking device below the cooking chamber and configured to combust a second solid fuel and provide a second source of smoke, the secondary solid fuel combustion unit being removably inserted into a receiving aperture integrated into the cooking device and configured to receive the secondary solid fuel combustion unit, and a valve disposed above the wood pellet burner and below the secondary solid fuel combustion unit, wherein the wood pellet burner is further configured to combust the second solid fuel in the secondary solid fuel combustion unit when the valve is in the open position. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the valve can be a butterfly valve and the cooking device can further include a handle on the external housing configured to actuate the butterfly valve. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can include a housing configured to receive the secondary solid fuel combustion unit, the housing comprising a ceiling configured to seal the secondary solid fuel combustion unit when the secondary solid fuel combustion unit is completely inserted into the receiving aperture. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can be a smoker and the cooking chamber can include a plurality of cooking racks. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can be a pellet grill and the cooking chamber can include at least one cooking rack. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can include a drip tray configured to route smoke produced by the wood pellet burner and smoke produced by secondary solid fuel combustion unit to the sides of the cooking device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS.  1 - 4    illustrate a cooking device with secondary smoke generation according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIGS.  5 - 8    illustrate additional components of the cooking device with secondary smoke generation according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    illustrates a view of the sleeve from the front face of the cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIGS.  10 - 12    illustrate the sleeve and the opening in the sleeve through which a dimple is inserted. 
         FIGS.  13 - 15    illustrate additional views of an integrated smoke tube portion, a knob, the sleeve, a sleeve opening, and a dimple. 
         FIGS.  16 - 17    show additional views of an integrated smoke tube portion illustrating a ventilation hole pattern. 
         FIGS.  18 - 23    illustrate the back end of an integrated pellet tube and surrounding structures according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIGS.  22 - 23    illustrate the back end of the cooking device without a bracket. 
         FIG.  24    illustrates internal components of the pellet grill according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIGS.  25 - 29    illustrate another cooking device with secondary smoke generation according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIGS.  30 - 37    illustrate another cooking device with secondary smoke generation according to an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Applicant has discovered novel cooking devices with secondary smoke generation. The disclosed cooking devices includes a cooking chamber having at least one cooking surface and a solid fuel combustion unit positioned below the cooking chamber and configured to combust a first solid fuel and provide a first source of smoke. The at least one cooking surface can be plurality of cooking surfaces, such as multiple wire racks. 
     Disclosed cooking devices additionally include a secondary solid fuel combustion unit removably inserted into the cooking device below the cooking chamber and configured to combust a second solid fuel and provide a second source of smoke. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, explained in greater detail with respect to  FIGS.  1 - 37   , the disclosed cooking device includes a cooking chamber including at least one cooking surface, a wood pellet burner positioned below the cooking chamber and configured to combust wood pellets and provide a first source of smoke, a wood pellet hopper configured to store a supply of wood pellets, an auger configured to feed wood pellets to the wood pellet burner, and a secondary solid fuel combustion unit removably inserted into the cooking device below the cooking chamber and configured to combust a second solid fuel and provide a second source of smoke. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can be a smoker or a pellet grill. Additionally, the cooking surface can include a plurality of cooking surfaces. The secondary solid fuel combustion unit can be removably inserted into a receiving aperture/opening integrated into the cooking device and configured to receive the secondary solid fuel combustion unit. 
     The secondary solid fuel combustion unit can be a removable smoke box configured to slide into and out of an opening/aperture in the cooking device or can be an integrated smoke tube configured to slide into and out of an opening/aperture in the cooking device. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, explained in greater detail with respect to  FIGS.  1 - 24   , the disclosed cooking device is a wood pellet grill and includes a cooking surface including one or more cooking racks, a wood pellet burner positioned below the cooking surface and configured to combust wood pellets and provide a first source of smoke, a wood pellet hopper configured to store a supply of wood pellets, an auger configured to feed wood pellets to the wood pellet burner, a secondary solid fuel combustion unit removably inserted into the cooking device below the cooking chamber and configured to combust a second solid fuel and provide a second source of smoke, the secondary solid fuel combustion unit being removably inserted into a receiving aperture integrated into the cooking device and configured to receive the secondary solid fuel combustion unit, and a hot rod tube integrated into the cooking device and configured to ignite the second solid fuel within the secondary solid fuel combustion unit. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the secondary solid fuel combustion unit can be a pellet tube. The pellet tube can be rotatable within the receiving aperture via a handle located on the external housing. The pellet tube can include a plurality of holes distributed along a body of the pellet tube such that rotation of the pellet tube alters an airflow through the pellet tube (and a burn rate of pellets/solid fuel inside the tube). 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the pellet tube can include a dimple that protrudes through a slot in the receiving aperture, the slot being shaped to restrict movement of the dimple beyond a predetermined angle and prevent further rotation the pellet tube. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the hot rod tube can also be further configured to pass through the wood pellet burner and ignite wood pellets in the wood pellet burner. Therefore a single hot rod tube/igniter can be used to ignite both the pellets in the wood pellet burner and any pellet/wood chips/solid fuel in the pellet tube. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the pellet grill can further include a burner housing enclosing the wood pellet burner and one or more openings in the burner housing configured to blow air onto the pellet tube and thereby keep pellets/solid fuel within the tube smoldering. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, explained in greater detail with respect to  FIGS.  25 - 37   , the cooking device can include an external housing, a cooking chamber within the external housing, a wood pellet burner positioned below the cooking chamber and configured to combust wood pellets and provide a first source of smoke, a wood pellet hopper configured to store a supply of wood pellets, an auger configured to feed wood pellets to the wood pellet burner, a secondary solid fuel combustion unit removably inserted into the cooking device below the cooking chamber and configured to combust a second solid fuel and provide a second source of smoke, the secondary solid fuel combustion unit being removably inserted into a receiving aperture integrated into the cooking device and configured to receive the secondary solid fuel combustion unit, and a valve disposed above the wood pellet burner and below the secondary solid fuel combustion unit, wherein the wood pellet burner is further configured to combust the second solid fuel in the secondary solid fuel combustion unit when the valve is in the open position. 
     The valve can be a butterfly valve or any other kind of open/closed valve and the cooking device can further include a handle on the external housing configured to actuate the butterfly valve. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can include a housing configured to receive the secondary solid fuel combustion unit, the housing comprising a ceiling configured to seal the secondary solid fuel combustion unit when the secondary solid fuel combustion unit is completely inserted into the receiving aperture. 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can be a smoker and the cooking chamber can include a plurality of cooking racks. This configuration is explained with respect to  FIGS.  25 - 29   . 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can be a pellet grill and the cooking chamber can include at least one cooking rack. This configuration is explained with respect to  FIGS.  30 - 37   . 
     According to this exemplary embodiment, the cooking device can include a drip tray configured to route smoke produced by the wood pellet burner and smoke produced by secondary solid fuel combustion unit to the sides of the cooking device. 
     The cooking device can be a smoker, as explained in greater detail with respect to  FIGS.  25  to  29   . The cooking device can also be a grill, such as a pellet grill, as explained in greater detail with respect to  FIGS.  1 - 24  and  30 - 37   . 
     The secondary solid fuel combustion unit can be removably inserted into a receiving aperture integrated into the cooking device and configured to receive the secondary solid fuel combustion unit. The receiving aperture can be a drawer, a tube, a hollow opening, and/or any other type of opening that is integrated into the cooking device. 
     The secondary solid fuel combustion unit can be a removable smoke box configured to slide into and out of an opening in the cooking device, as shown in  FIGS.  25 - 37   . 
     The secondary solid fuel combustion unit can also be an integrated smoke tube configured to slide into and out of an opening in the cooking device, as shown in  FIGS.  1 - 24   . Although not illustrated, it is understood that an integrated smoke tube, such as the one shown in  FIGS.  1 - 24   , can be utilized with a smoker, such as the one shown in  FIGS.  25 - 29   . 
       FIGS.  1 - 24    illustrate a cooking device with secondary smoke generation according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in  FIGS.  1 - 2   , the cooking device is a pellet grill  100  and includes a pellet hopper  102  that stores combustible fuel pellets that are supplied to the burner. The pellet grill  100  additionally includes a secondary solid fuel combustion unit in the form of integrated pellet tube  101 . 
       FIG.  3    illustrates a zoomed in view of the integrated pellet tube  101 . Additionally,  FIG.  4    shows the integrated pellet tube  101  with several grill components made transparent to illustrate the entire integrated pellet tube  101 . 
       FIGS.  5 - 8    illustrate additional components of the cooking device with secondary smoke generation according to an exemplary embodiment. Integrated pellet tube  101  includes the tube knob  101 A and the pellet tube portion  101 B. The tube knob  101 A can be constructed from, for example, bakelite (i.e., polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride) to prevent melting. The tube knob  101 A can also have a brass insert molded into it. As shown in  FIGS.  5 - 6   , there is also a gap between the end of the pellet tube portion  101 B and the tube knob  101 A, which prevents the tube knob  101 A from getting too hot. 
       FIGS.  5 - 6    also illustrate a burner housing  104  for a solid fuel combustion unit (i.e. pellet combustion unit). Burner housing  106  can include openings  106 A and  106 B to blow air onto the pellet tube  101 . The openings  106 A and  106 B route air to the pellet tube  101  (from the combustion unit) and can keep pellets within the tube smoldering when either the main pellet grill is not running or set at lower temperatures. This extra air keeps pellets from completely extinguishing. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  5 - 6   , the pellet tube portion  101 B includes a dimple  101 C that protrudes through an opening in a sleeve  105  that receives the integrated pellet tube  101 . As explained in greater detail with respect to subsequent drawings, the dimple  101 C allows the integrated pellet tube  101  to be aligned in the correct position when it is inserted into sleeve  105 . The dimple also acts as a stop on the rotation of the integrated pellet tube  101  that prevents the user from rotating the pellet tube  101  beyond a certain point. The rotation of the pellet tube  101  alters the alignment of the holes in the pellet tube portion  101 B and thereby adjusts the burn/smoldering rate of the pellets in the pellet tube. 
       FIG.  9    illustrates a view of the sleeve  105  from the front face of the pellet grill.  FIGS.  10 - 12    illustrate the sleeve  105  and the opening  105 A in the sleeve through which the dimple is inserted. As shown in  FIGS.  10 - 12   , the opening  105 A includes a slot to receive dimple and then curves to allow the integrated pellet tube to be rotated and the dimple to move through the opening  105 A region.  FIGS.  13 - 15    illustrate additional views of the integrated smoke tube portion  101 B, the knob  101 A, the sleeve  105 , the sleeve opening  105 A, and the dimple  101 C. 
       FIGS.  16 - 17    show additional views of the integrated smoke tube portion  101 B illustrating the ventilation hole pattern. The hole pattern allows more air to flow into and out of the tube and also allows for greater user control of the burn rate of pellets within the tube by adjusting the position of the tube (by rotating the tube) relative to the sleeve. The hole pattern shown ensures that less air will enter and exit the tube when the tube is in the closed/low position. Therefore, even when the pellet grill is set to high temperatures, the pellets within the tube can be set to smolder rather than burn. As the tube is rotated more holes open up and more air is blown on the pellets, causing them to burn and/or burn faster. 
     The integrated smoke tube portion  101 B and end cap (in black) can be constructed from 304 stainless steel (also known as A2 Stainless or 18/8 for its composition of 18% chromium and 8% nickel). The black end cap of integrated smoke tube portion  101 B is steel and can be powder coated black and assembled with the knob  101 A. 
       FIGS.  18 - 23    illustrate the back end of the integrated pellet tube  101  and surrounding structures according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown, the integrated pellet tube portion  101 B includes a barrier cap  101 D on the back end that is configured to keep pellets within the integrated pellet tube  101 . Also shown is a hot rod tube  106  that is used to ignite the pellets within the integrated pellet tube  101 . The hot rod tube  106  can be the same hot rod tube that is used in the primary burner of the pellet grill. Bracket  107  can be used to run the hot rod to the integrated pellet tube  101 . As shown in  FIG.  21   , when the integrated pellet tube  101  is rotated to the lighting position, the pellets will fall out against the hot rod  106  and light. 
       FIGS.  22 - 23    illustrate the back end of the grill without the bracket  107 . As shown in  FIGS.  22 - 23   , slot  108  can be used for feeding the hot rod out of the feeder box and into the bracket. 
       FIG.  24    illustrates internal components of the pellet grill according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in  FIG.  24   , the pellet grill includes a pellet hopper  102  storing pellets that provides the pellets to a solid fuel combustion unit  104  that combusts the pellets and the integrated pellet tube portion  101 B that acts as a secondary solid fuel combustion unit and also combusts pellets stored in the integrated pellet tube. 
       FIGS.  25 - 29    illustrate another cooking device with secondary smoke generation according to an exemplary embodiment. The cooking device shown in these figures is a vertical smoker  200  that includes a pellet hopper  202  which feeds pellets to first solid fuel combustion unit  205  within the smoker  200  via tube  206  and provides a first source of smoke. The smoker  200  additionally includes a secondary solid fuel combustion unit in the form of a removable smoke box  201  that is configured to slide into and out of an opening in the smoker/cooking device. The smoke box  201  is removably inserted into the cooking device below a cooking chamber within the smoker and configured to combust a second solid fuel and provide a second source of smoke. 
     The integrated stick smoke box  201  allows a user to add charcoal, wood chunks, and/or pellets to the smoker  200  to add additional smoke flavor. When using charcoal or wood chunks, this can add more of a traditional smoke flavor to the pellet smoke generated from the combustion of wood pellets by the primary burner. 
     The integrated smoke box  201  can be opened slightly to allow more air flow so that the solid fuel (e.g., the charcoal or wood) smokes more. Additionally, handle  203  is used to rotate a disc  204  over the burner  205  to allow the direct flame from the pellet burner  205  to ignite the wood or charcoal in the box. The disc  204  is a butterfly valve that lets heat and air up in the smoke box  201 B from the burner cup of the burner  205  to start the solid fuel within the smoke box  201 B smoking. Of course, different types of open/closed valves can be utilized. The handle  203  is typically opened to ignite and then closed. The handle  201 A of the integrated smoke box  201  has a gasket attached to seal the chamber so that smoke will go up into the chamber. There is also a gap  201 D between the gasket and the handle  201 A that improves the air flow of the smoke box. 
     The integrated smoke box  201  includes a handle  201 A and a smoke box  201 B that actually holds the combustible solid fuel. There is a box support  201 C underneath the smoke box  201 B that ensures that ash will not fall on the ground when changing the smoke box  201 B. As shown in  FIGS.  28 - 29   , the box support  201 C supports the smoke box  201 B when the smoke box  201 B is pulled out but not when the smoke box is completely inserted, thereby allowing the opened disc  204  to be used to ignite the solid fuel in the smoke box  201 B. 
     Also shown in  FIGS.  28 - 29    is a ceiling/housing  207  for the smoke box  201 B (which does not have a ceiling). The housing  207  for the smoke box  201 B allows for controlling flame from the burner and airflow while in use. When the smoke box  201 B is slid completely in, the housing  207  seals the top of the smoke box  201 B so that it will not smoke as much. The smoke box  201 B can be slid out a little to allow more air flow. 
     Smoke box  201 B includes a perforated screen  201 E that holds the solid fuel, such as wood or charcoal. It will continuously smolder and provide a second smoke source in addition to the smoke produced by the pellets of the smoker. 
       FIGS.  30 - 37    illustrate another cooking device with secondary smoke generation according to an exemplary embodiment. The cooking device shown in these figures is a pellet grill  300  that includes a pellet hopper  302  which feeds pellets to first solid fuel combustion unit  305  within the pellet grill  300  via tube  306  and provides a first source of smoke. The pellet grill  300  additionally includes a secondary solid fuel combustion unit in the form of a removable smoke box  301  that is configured to slide into and out of an opening in the pellet grill/cooking device. The smoke box  301  is removably inserted into the cooking device below a cooking chamber within the smoker and configured to combust a second solid fuel and provide a second source of smoke. 
     Several of the features shown in pellet grill  300  are similar to those shown with respect to  FIGS.  25 - 29   . The integrated stick smoke box  301  allows a user to add charcoal, wood chunks, and/or pellets to the pellet grill  300  to add additional smoke flavor. When using charcoal or wood chunks, this can add more of a traditional smoke flavor to the pellet smoke generated from the combustion of wood pellets by the primary burner. 
     The integrated smoke box  301  can be opened slightly to allow more air flow so that the solid fuel (e.g., the charcoal or wood) smokes more. Additionally, handle  303  is used to rotate a disc over the burner  305  to allow the direct flame from the pellet burner  235  to ignite the wood or charcoal in the box. The disc is a butterfly valve that lets heat and air up in the smoke box  301 B from the burner cup of the burner  305  to start the solid fuel within the smoke box  301 B smoking. The handle  303  is typically opened to ignite and then closed. The handle  301 A of the integrated smoke box  301  has a gasket attached to seal the chamber so that smoke will go up into the chamber. There is also a gap  301 D between the gasket and the handle  301 A that improves the air flow of the smoke box. 
     The integrated smoke box  301  includes a handle  301 A and a smoke box  301 B that actually holds the combustible solid fuel. The ceiling/housing  307  for the smoke box  301 B allows for controlling flame from the burner and airflow while in use. When the smoke box  301 B is slid completely in, the housing  307  seals the top of the smoke box  301 B so that it will not smoke as much. The smoke box  301 B can be slid out a little to allow more air flow. 
     Smoke box  301 B includes a perforated screen  301 C that holds the solid fuel, such as wood or charcoal. It will continuously smolder and provide a second smoke source in addition to the smoke produced by the pellets of the pellet grill. 
     Also shown in  FIGS.  30 - 37   , the pellet grill  301  includes a drip tray  308  that vents the smoke from the primary combustion unit (the pellet burner) and also the second combustion unit (the smoke box) to the sides of the pellet grill so that the smoke is not directly hitting the cooking racks within the cooking chamber but rather get routed to the sides of the grill. 
     Having described and illustrated the principles of our invention with reference to the described embodiments, it will be recognized that the described embodiments can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. For example, the components of the above-described devices could be rearranged or occur in a different series, as understood by those skilled in the art. It is understood, therefore, that this disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the following claims.