Patent ID: 7793649

Claim:
A method for controlling the rate of flow of a flammable fluid at generally constant pressure using a flow control apparatus, the flow control apparatus being free of a pressure regulator mechanism and settable at one of a first non-zero flow rate and a greater second flow rate, to achieve a desired temperature within an outdoor cooking apparatus having at least one volume defined therein, the method comprising the steps of: providing an outdoor cooking apparatus having a burner; providing the flow control apparatus having both automatic and manual modes for controlling the burner; assessing whether the flow control apparatus is to be automatically controlled; when the flow control apparatus is to be automatically controlled: assessing the temperature within the cooking apparatus; maintaining the flow state of the flow control apparatus when the temperature within the cooking apparatus is within the range of about: (i) an upper threshold value, which upper threshold value is greater than the desired temperature, and (ii) a lower threshold value, which lower threshold value is less than the desired temperature; assessing whether the temperature within the cooking apparatus is generally higher than the upper threshold value; and setting the flow control apparatus to the first non-zero flow rate when the temperature within the cooking apparatus is generally higher than the upper threshold value.