Pellet smoker

Abstract

A floor and an upright sidewall formed by two vertically coaxial members, each member having a floor baffle having a plurality of floor openings defined therein, each floor being held within a corresponding upright sidewall having a plurality of sidewall openings defined therein. The floor openings and the sidewall openings cooperate between the two coaxial members so that the flow of gas through the floor and upright sidewall of the baffle structure is controlled by rotation of the two vertically coaxial members relative to each other.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related cases

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 745,050, filed on October 12, 2018, and such provisional application is incorporated by reference into the present disclosure as if fully set forth at this point. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to solid fuel cooking, and more particularly to systems for cooking using solid fuel pellets. Background Art

[0004] In addition to other places, in the United States Patent No. 4823684 and the United States Patent No. 5251607 granted to Joseph Traeger et al., previous outdoor wood pellet fire cooking and smoking appliances are described. Some improvements and modifications of these products may have been made, but their basic operating principles remain the same. An electrically driven screw conveyor (auger) transports small compressed wood particles from an external hopper to a combustion chamber or fire pot (firepot, sometimes referred to as an inner combustion chamber) (typically cylindrical and / or with an open top). The combustion chamber or fire pot is supplied with combustion air, which is pressurized by an external fan and driven through a duct system to the area surrounding the fire pot and then through a hole in the outside of the fire pot, so that air is supplied to the combustion space. The hot air from the fire pot is transported to a cooking grill placed above the fire pot.

[0005] Wood pellet smoking and cooking appliances can be used to cook meat that tends to be large pieces, such as roasts or brisket. Such portions of meat may require a prolonged period (on the order of hours) of cooking at moderate temperatures as low as 200°F to 400°F. Moreover, cold smoking at temperatures below 200°F can be practiced. Since it is desirable to accommodate a considerable amount of meat, the size of the cooking area may be between 400 and 500 square inches. In order to provide uniform cooking across the cooking grid, groups of baffles may be placed above the fire pot. These baffles may be optimized based on the energy output per unit area to produce a relatively low heat intensity.

[0006] With appliances having relatively large cooking areas (common in the marketplace), it can become very difficult to achieve such higher heat intensities in a shorter period of time (on the order of minutes) as might be desired for grilling simply by increasing the size or by running the auger feed from the pellet hopper more rapidly. Such difficulties are based first on the problem of evenly distributing heat from a centralized heat source (e.g., a single fire pot) to a large, typically rectangular cooking area without absorbing or losing too much heat in the baffle structure necessary to accomplish this. A second difficulty from a commercial standpoint is the expense of increasing the auger drive and combustion air fan delivery and fire pot structure. Moreover, large-scale, high heat intensity fire systems struggle to deliver cold smoking features in currently available designs. Thus, it remains the case that most of the such pellet appliances described do not perform well for grilling, particularly in terms of providing high cooking grid temperatures to produce a searing action on the exterior of the food.

[0007] What are needed are apparatus and systems for solving the above and related problems. Summary of the invention

[0008] The disclosed invention comprises, in one aspect thereof, a two-member baffle structure for use in a smoker. The structure has a floor and upright side walls formed by two vertically coaxial members, each member having a floor baffle having a plurality of floor openings defined therein, each floor being held within a corresponding upright side wall having a plurality of side wall openings defined therein. The floor openings and the side wall openings cooperate between the two coaxial members so that the flow of gas through the floor and upright side walls of the baffle structure is controlled by axial rotation of the two vertically coaxial members relative to each other.

[0009] The baffle structure may have at least one configuration in which gas is allowed through the floor openings and blocked by the sidewall openings and at least one configuration in which gas is blocked by the floor openings and allowed through the sidewall openings. The baffle structure may have at least one configuration in which gas is simultaneously allowed through the floor openings and through the sidewall openings. In some embodiments, at least one of the floor and the upright sidewalls has a partially open configuration.

[0010] The baffle structure may further include a set of legs or other support structures affixed to the lower one of the two coaxial members to elevate the baffle structure above the fire pot in the firebox. The baffle structure may further include an intermediate baffle affixed vertically along a middle portion of the side wall of the upper one of the two coaxial members.

[0011] The sidewall of each of the two vertically coaxial members may include a peripheral portion without a sidewall opening defined therein. The sidewall openings on each of the two vertically coaxial members may include a checkerboard pattern in the respective sidewall.

[0012] The invention disclosed herein, in another aspect, includes a cooking appliance having a cooking grid supported on a firebox having a fire cup contained therein, the fire cup burning a solid granular fuel supplied from an auger from outside the firebox. The appliance includes a baffle structure disposed above the fire cup and having an upper member coaxially nested within a lower member, wherein the upper member and the lower member are rotatable relative to each other. The upper member has a bottom plate defining a plurality of first bottom plate openings therein, the plurality of first openings being arranged in a first predetermined pattern on the bottom plate of the upper member. The lower member has a bottom plate defining a plurality of second bottom plate openings therein, the plurality of second openings being arranged in a second predetermined pattern on the bottom plate of the lower member. The upper member bottom plate is placed in contact with the lower member bottom plate, and the first predetermined pattern and the second predetermined pattern of the corresponding bottom plate openings defined in the corresponding bottom plates are arranged so that the overlap of the plurality of first openings and the plurality of second openings can be selected or deselected by the rotation of the upper member relative to the lower member.

[0013] In some embodiments, the upper member and the lower member further include an upper upright side wall and a lower upright side wall respectively connected to the respective bottom plates. The upper upright side wall and the lower upright side wall may define a plurality of upper side wall openings and a plurality of lower side wall openings, respectively. The upper upright side wall openings and the lower upright side wall openings may have such a configuration that the overlap between the plurality of first upright side wall openings and the plurality of second upright side wall openings can be selected or deselected by rotating the upper member relative to the lower member.

[0014] In some cases, when the overlap between the first plurality of upright sidewall openings and the second plurality of upright sidewall openings is not selected, the overlap between the first plurality of floor openings and the second plurality of floor openings is selected. In some cases, when the overlap between the first plurality of upright sidewall openings and the second plurality of upright sidewall openings is selected, the overlap between the first plurality of floor openings and the second plurality of floor openings is not selected.

[0015] The cooking appliance herein may include an upper member, the upper member further including an intermediate baffle spaced from the upper member floor. The intermediate baffle may be removable to allow easier access to the remainder of the baffle structure. The cooking appliance may include a set of legs or other structures that support the baffle structure above the fire cup. The baffle structure may intervene between the fire cup and the cooking grill and define a high temperature zone on the cooking grill, the high temperature zone acting when the overlap between the plurality of first floor openings and the plurality of second floor openings is selected.

[0016] The disclosed invention, in another aspect thereof, includes a cooking grill having a firebox with a heat source located therein and a cooking grate suspended above the heat source. The cooking grill has a baffle having a bottom plate and a side wall formed by two nested members axially rotatable relative to each other, the rotation of the two nested members opening and closing a plurality of first openings in the bottom plate and a plurality of second openings in the side wall. The nested members are rotated to close the plurality of first openings when the plurality of second openings are open, and vice versa. The baffle intervenes between the cooking grate and the heat source to concentrate heat on a high temperature zone of the cooking grate when the plurality of first openings are open, and to disperse heat away from the heat source to an area on the cooking grate that is larger than the high temperature zone when the plurality of first openings are closed.

[0017] The baffles may include an intermediate baffle that may be removable, spaced from the floor, and supported by the side walls. The heat source may be a solid particulate fuel burning fire pot with forced combustion air from outside the firebox. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a smoker according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a baffle structure according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of another baffle structure according to aspects of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 4 is a front perspective view of a smoker according to aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Reference now Figure 1 , shows a cross-sectional view of a smoker according to aspects of the present disclosure. The smoker 100 may include a firebox 102 having an openable lid 104. The lid 104 may be hinged and have a handle for opening and closing and one or more flues or exhausts 250. A pellet feed hopper system 106 may be seen, wherein a user feeds fuel pellets for auger delivery into a fire pot 204 for combustion. An exhaust conduit 206 may provide combustion air to the fire pot 204, possibly under positive pressure. Both the fuel and air supply may be controllable by the user with respect to the amount of heat and / or smoke generated.

[0023] The cooking grate 202 may be disposed within the firebox 102, and the food item rests on the firebox 102 while being cooked. The baffle structure 300 is interposed between the fire pot 204 and the cooking grate 202 as described herein. The baffle structure 300 may be used to control the transfer of heat and combustion products to provide diffuse transfer throughout the smoker 100 and the cooking grate 202. The baffle structure 300 may also be configured to focus the transfer of heat and combustion products to a smaller and therefore higher temperature area or high temperature cooking zone 203.

[0024] Reference now Figure 2 , shows an exploded perspective view of a baffle structure 300 according to aspects of the present disclosure. The baffle 300 structure is shown as "exploded" for illustrative purposes. When the components are assembled for operation, the lower portion 302 can receive a cooperating upper portion 320. In order to adjust the operation of the baffle structure 300, the upper portion 320 can be rotated relative to the lower portion 302. The rotation can be relative to the central vertical axis A. Thus, the lower portion 302 and the upper portion 320 can be considered to be axially concentric (e.g., relative to the axis A). In some embodiments, fasteners attach the lower portion 302 to the upper portion 320 such that the ability to rotate about the axis A is maintained.

[0025] In some embodiments, the lower portion 302 may be placed in a stationary position within the firebox 102. The support structure 304 may be configured to properly seat the lower portion 302 above the fire cup 204. As illustrated, the support structure 304 includes legs that may be high enough and spaced sufficiently to pass through the auger and ventilation mechanism to the fire cup 204. The baffle structure 300 may also be coaxially aligned with the fire cup 204.

[0026] The lower portion 302 may include a cylindrical wall 306 having a number of openings 310 defined in an otherwise enclosed portion 308. The enclosed portion 308 of the wall 306 is constructed to be solid or impermeable so that gases cannot pass through the enclosed portion 308. Thus, gases and combustion products must pass through the openings 310 to pass through the cylindrical wall 306. As shown, the openings 310 may be multi-leveled or multi-tiered. In other embodiments, the openings 310 may be placed only in the upper half (or lower half) of the cylindrical wall 306 or in any position in another configuration or manner. The openings 310 may be limited to a certain percentage of the circumference of the wall 306. For example, even if some openings are "stacked" as shown, the openings 310 may occupy 30%, 50%, or 60% of the circumference of the wall 306. In addition, the openings 310 may be evenly or unevenly distributed. The illustrated multi-level openings 310 may be as shown. Figure 23. The multi-layer openings 310 may be sorted into vertical columns as shown in FIG. 2, or the multi-layer openings 310 may form a staggered or checkerboard pattern or may include a combination of patterns that may include multiple vertical / horizontally aligned patterns.

[0027] A plate or dome-shaped baffle 314 may be located near the bottom or lower edge of the wall 306, the plate or dome-shaped baffle 314 further having a solid portion 314 interrupted by various openings 316. Again, the openings 316 may be limited to a certain percentage (e.g., 30%, 50%, 60%) of the total area of ​​the baffle 314.

[0028] In the illustrated embodiment, the upper portion 320 is nested and seated within the lower portion 302. The upper portion 320 may include a cylindrical peripheral wall 322 that is positioned proximate to or in contact with the lower cylindrical wall 306 when the baffle structure 300 is assembled. In some embodiments, the upper portion 320 rests on a baffle 324 within the lower portion 302.

[0029] The wall 322 of the upper portion 320 defines a number of openings 324, which may be stacked vertically as shown, but they may occupy only a portion of the total perimeter of the perimeter of the wall 322. The size and position of the openings 324 may be made to correspond to the size and position of the openings 310 in the lower wall 306, so that the openings may be aligned to allow gas to pass through the openings. In some embodiments, the openings 310 are substantially identical in position and size to the openings 324. In some embodiments, the openings 310, 324 may be made to occupy less than half of the perimeter of the respective walls 306, 322, so that by appropriately rotating the upper portion 320 relative to the lower portion 302, the passage of gas through the openings 310, 324 (both walls 306, 322) may be substantially or completely blocked. In other embodiments, the openings on the walls 306, 322 may have a "checkerboard" appearance, such that there is an opening on every or nearly every perimeter portion of the walls 306, 322, but the openings are still rotatable to an open position or a closed position.

[0030] The upper portion 320 may also provide a lower baffle 326 that provides an opening 328 that may be configured and positioned to cooperate with the opening 316 in the baffle 314 of the lower portion 302. Thus, the baffles 326, 314 may also cooperate to allow the flow of gases and combustion products or substantially obstruct them.

[0031] The upper portion 320 may also be provided with an intermediate baffle 330 along a vertical middle portion thereof. The intermediate baffle 330 may help ensure that even when the upper portion 320 and the lower portion 302 are rotated so that the heated gases and combustion products pass through, the rising heat and combustion products are evenly distributed over the high temperature cooking zone 302. The intermediate baffle 330 may be removable from the upper portion 320 for cleaning or other purposes.

[0032] In some embodiments, the positions of the holes 310, 324 defined in the walls 306, 322 may be offset from the corresponding holes 316, 328 in the baffles 314, 326. Thus, in operation, when the baffles 314, 326 are configured to admit and transfer a maximum amount of heat, gases, and other combustion products, the heat, gases, and other combustion products are retained to the greatest extent by the walls 306, 322 and transferred upward (possibly through the baffles 330) to the high temperature cooking zone 203 of the cooking grill 202. Such a configuration may be useful for high temperature cooking operations. On the other hand, when the baffles 312, 326 are rotated to reduce the amount of heat, gases, and other combustion products entering the baffle structure 300, the walls 306, 322 may be configured to allow more throughflow or a maximum amount of throughflow. Such a configuration will tend to spread the heat, smoke, and other combustion products throughout the cooking grill 202. This may be useful for lower temperature cooking operations. In such cases, the entire cooking grid 202 may have a similar or substantially similar cooking temperature such that the high temperature cooking zone 203 may be used in a similar manner as the remainder of the cooking grid 202 .

[0033] It should also be appreciated that various other configurations may be selectively enabled by rotation of the upper portion 320 relative to the lower portion 302 by adjusting the position of the holes 310, 324 in the walls 306, 322 relative to the holes 316, 328 in the baffles 312, 326. For example, passages through the walls 306, 322 may be closed or open, while the baffle openings may be partially open, or vice versa. It is also possible to arrange the holes 310, 324 in the walls 306, 322 relative to the holes 316, 328 in the baffles 312, 326 such that passages through both the walls and the baffles may be selectively partially open simultaneously.

[0034] It will be appreciated that in some aspects, the upper portion 320 and the lower portion 302 are combined to form a single baffle structure having a floor (including baffles 326, 314) that can be opened and closed. Similarly, side walls (including walls 306, 322) are formed that can also be opened and closed. Furthermore, the upper portion 320 and the lower portion 302 can be configured so that the floor or the side walls are open, but not both at the same time. Such operation can be called "selective" because the user can choose which openings to utilize. It should also be understood that when the floor or side walls are "closed", the floor or side walls are not necessarily completely sealed with respect to all gas seepage. More specifically, there is no overlap between the openings in the floor 326, 314 or the walls 306, 322, as the case may be. In such a case, the corresponding openings will be considered "closed". It can also be said that there is no straight, unobstructed or non-curved path for gas or fluid to pass through.

[0035] Thus, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure, a circular baffle structure 300 may be disposed and positioned generally above and around the open top of the fire cup 204. The structure 300 may include two concentric, generally cylindrical structures (e.g., an upper portion 320 and a lower portion 302) that may be rotated relative to one another to open or close various matching openings to alter the flow of hot gases from the fire cup 204 outwardly to the cooking grill 202. Above the fire cup 204, the escaping gases may thus be dispersed or concentrated in the central grilling zone 203 located on the grill 202 toward the end of the total cooking grill area.

[0036] In various embodiments of the present disclosure, a simple and effective way is provided to vary the heat intensity of a particle device from a low heat intensity over a large area to a high heat intensity over a smaller area. Among the non-limiting and non-exclusive distinguishing features of the various embodiments are: a symmetrical cylindrical structure that discharges gas outward from the sides of the cylindrical baffle structure 300; and a top that thereby distributes the hot gas more effectively when a larger area is being heated. On the other hand, when a smaller area is being heated, the gas can be substantially or completely restricted to vertical movement outward from the top of the cylindrical portion. In addition, a system of overlapping openings (e.g., 310 and 324 and / or 316 and 328) allows for fine-tuning of the relative impact and large impact imparted by completely changing from one configuration to another.

[0037] It should be appreciated that the lower portion 302 and the upper portion 322 may be inverted so that the baffles 326, 314 are closer to the cooking grid than the fire pot 204. In such a case, the intermediate baffle 330 may or may not be present or may be located elsewhere.

[0038] Reference now Figure 3, shows an exploded perspective view of another baffle structure 400 according to aspects of the present disclosure. Baffle structure 400 may be used and function similarly to baffle structure 300, and the two components have a certain degree of commonality of parts and construction. Baffle structure 400 has an upper portion 322 that nests into lower portion 302 so that the components can rotate relative to each other about axis A. Upper portion 322 may or may not be affixed to lower portion 302 using rotatable fasteners (not shown). Holes or openings 404, 406 are defined in the walls of upper portion 322 and lower portion 302, respectively. Such holes 404, 406 are preferably Figure 3 The holes shown in FIG. 5 are more limited in number and area, but the operating principle is similar.

[0039] Internal baffles (e.g., 314, 326 of FIG. 6) are also housed within the upper portion 322 and the lower portion 302, and cooperate to create an adjustable floor within the baffle structure 400, thereby allowing more or less combustion gases and heat from the fire cup 402 to enter the baffle structure 400. Furthermore, the upper portion 322 and the lower portion 302 can be configured with baffles and openings so that the upper portion 322 and the lower portion 302 can be rotated relative to each other, so that the airflow is not substantially obstructed from below (e.g., by baffles 314, 326), but is blocked or restricted through the openings 404, 406, or vice versa. In some embodiments, the baffles 314, 326 are open while the openings 404, 406 are also open. Fine-tuning of the airflow through the baffles 314, 326 and the openings 404, 406 can be accomplished by partial rotation of the upper portion 322 relative to the lower portion 302.

[0040] The baffle structure 400 may also be remotely adjustable. A rod 410 may be provided attached to the upper portion 322, the rod 410 being movable within a cooperating slot 412 defined in the lower portion 302. The rod and slot may be sized such that movement of the rod 410 as a whole in one direction opens the baffles 314, 326 and closes the apertures 404, 406, while movement as a whole in the opposite direction closes the baffles 314, 326 and opens the apertures 404, 406. Movement of the rod 410 to an intermediate region of the slot 412 may result in the baffles 314, 326 and apertures 404, 406 being partially opened.

[0041] The upper portion 322 again houses the middle baffle 330, which may be centrally located (in height) within the baffle structure 400. In some embodiments, the middle baffle 330 is closer to the baffle 326 or closer to the food grill 202. The middle baffle 330 may be located above or below the openings 404 or with some of the openings located above the middle baffle and some of the openings located below the middle baffle. The baffle structure 400 provides one or more supports 408 at predetermined locations internally and may be affixed to the upper portion 322 to position and rest the middle baffle 330. The middle baffle 330 may be removable for different cooking configurations, for cleaning, etc. A handle 402 may be provided on the middle baffle.

[0042] The baffle structure 400 also provides the same display as that shown for the baffle structure 300 ( Figure 3 ) of a support structure 450 of different configurations. Here, the support structure 450 is generally cylindrical and provides side panels 450 interrupted by openings 454. The side panels 450 may vary in number and size (consistent with the openings 454) and may define screened areas or openings 456 within the panels 452 to further fine tune the air and airflow.

[0043] Bracket 458 may be affixed to support structure 450 , possibly centered therein, and sized to cooperate with fire pot 204 so that support structure 450 and baffle structure 400 are properly centered above fire pot 402 and in position below cooking grid 202 .

[0044] Reference now Figure 4 , shows a front perspective view of a smoker 100 according to aspects of the present disclosure. Figure 4 , the smoker 100 may have an external adjustment panel 500 for operating or adjusting the baffle structure 400 when the baffle structure 400 is located inside the smoker without opening the lid 104 and / or moving the cooking grate 202. The panel may provide a slot 501 through which the rod 410 passes when the baffle structure 400 is in place. A separate handle 502 may also be provided and coupled to the rod 410 on the outside and / or inside the smoker 100. The handle 502 may extend the rod 410 to a convenient position and / or be used to insulate the rod 510, wherein the rod 410 may be touched by a user of the smoker 100.

[0045] It should be understood that the terms "comprise", "include", "compose" and their grammatical variations do not exclude the addition of one or more components, features, steps or integers or groups thereof, and the terms should be interpreted as specifying components, features, steps or integers.

[0046] If the specification or claims refer to "an additional" element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element.

[0047] It should be understood that where the claims or specification refer to "a" or "an" element, such reference is not to be construed as there being only one of the element.

[0048] It should be understood that where the specification states a component, feature, structure, or characteristic “may,” “might,” “could,” or “might” be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included.

[0049] Where applicable, although state diagrams, flow charts, or both may be used to describe embodiments, the present invention is not limited to those diagrams or corresponding descriptions. For example, a flow need not proceed through each illustrated box or state or in exactly the same order as illustrated and described.

[0050] The method of the present invention can be implemented by executing or completing selected steps or tasks manually, automatically, or a combination thereof.

[0051] The term "method" may refer to ways, means, techniques, and procedures for completing a given task, including but not limited to those ways, means, techniques, and procedures known to practitioners in the field to which the invention belongs or readily developed by practitioners in the field to which the invention belongs from known ways, means, techniques, and procedures.

[0052] The term "at least" followed by a number is used herein to indicate the beginning of a range that begins at that number (which may be a range with an upper limit or without an 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 indicate the end of a range that ends at that number (which may be a range with 1 or 0 as its lower limit or a range with no lower limit, depending on 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%.

[0053] When a range is given in this document as "(first number) to (second number)" or "(first number)-(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 as meaning a range whose lower limit is 25 and whose upper limit is 100. In addition, it should be noted that, unless the context indicates otherwise, where a range is given, each possible subrange or interval within the range is also specifically selected. For example, if the specification indicates a range of 25 to 100, such a range is also intended to include subranges (such as, 26-100, 27-100, etc., 25-99, 25-98, etc.) and any other possible combination of lower and upper limits within the stated range, for example, 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 that, unless specifically excluded, decimal and fractional values ​​(eg, 46.7-91.3) should also be understood to be selected as possible sub-range endpoints.

[0054] It should be noted that where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps may be performed in any order or simultaneously (unless the context excludes this possibility), and that the method may also include one or more other steps that are performed before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all of the defined steps (unless the context excludes this possibility).

[0055] Furthermore, it should be noted that, unless otherwise indicated herein, approximate terms (e.g., "approximately," "substantially," "approximately," etc.) should be interpreted according to the usual and customary meaning of approximate terms as used in the associated art. In the absence of a specific definition within the present disclosure, and in the absence of usual and customary usage in the associated art, such terms should be interpreted as plus or minus 10% of the base value.

[0056] Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the purposes and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. Although the inventive apparatus has been described and illustrated herein with reference to certain preferred embodiments by way of reference to the drawings attached thereto, various changes and additional modifications besides those shown or suggested herein may be made therein by one 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 claims hereinafter.

Claims

1. A baffle structure (300, 400) for use in a smoker (100), comprising: a floor and upright sidewalls formed by two vertically coaxial members, each member having a floor stop (314, 326) having a plurality of floor openings (316, 328) defined therein, each floor being retained within a respective upright sidewall (306, 322) having a plurality of sidewall openings (310, 324) defined therein; wherein the floor opening and the side wall opening cooperate between the two coaxial members such that the flow of gas through the floor and upright side walls of the baffle structure is controlled by the rotation of the two vertically coaxial members relative to each other, wherein the baffle structure has at least one configuration in which gas is allowed to pass through the floor opening and is blocked by the side wall opening and at least one configuration in which gas is blocked by the floor opening and is allowed to pass through the side wall opening.

2. The baffle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The baffle structure has at least one configuration in which gas is allowed to simultaneously pass through the floor openings and through the sidewall openings.

3. The baffle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one of the floor and the upright sidewall has a partially open configuration.

4. The baffle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The baffle further includes a support structure (304) affixed to the lower one of the two coaxial members to elevate the smoker baffle structure above the fire pot (204) in the firebox.

5. The baffle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The baffle further includes an intermediate baffle (330) vertically affixed along a middle portion of the side wall of the upper one of the two coaxial members.

6. The baffle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sidewall of each of the two vertically coaxial members includes a peripheral portion without a sidewall opening defined therein.

7. The baffle structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sidewall opening on each of the two vertically coaxial members includes a checkerboard pattern in the respective sidewall.

8. A cooking utensil, comprising: A cooking grid (202) supported on a firebox (102), the firebox having a fire pot (204) accommodated therein, the fire pot burning solid granular fuel supplied from an auger conveyor from outside the firebox; and a baffle structure (300, 400) arranged above the cupping jar and having an upper member (320) coaxially nested within a lower member (302), wherein the upper member and the lower member are rotatable relative to each other; wherein the upper member has a floor (326) defining a plurality of first floor openings (328) therein, the plurality of first floor openings being arranged in a first predetermined pattern on the floor of the upper member; wherein the lower member has a floor (314) defining a plurality of second floor openings (316) therein, the plurality of second floor openings being arranged in a second predetermined pattern on the floor of the lower member; and wherein the upper member floor rests in contact with the lower member floor, and the first and second predetermined patterns of the respective floor openings defined in the respective floors are arranged such that an overlap of the plurality of first floor openings and the plurality of second floor openings can be selected or deselected by rotation of the upper member relative to the lower member, wherein the upper member and the lower member further include upper and lower upright side walls (306, 322) respectively connected to the respective bottom plates, wherein the upper upright sidewall and the lower upright sidewall define a plurality of upper sidewall openings and a plurality of lower sidewall openings, respectively, wherein the upper sidewall openings and the lower sidewall openings are configured such that an overlap between the plurality of upper sidewall openings and the plurality of lower sidewall openings can be selected or deselected by rotation of the upper member relative to the lower member, wherein, when the overlap between the plurality of upper side wall openings and the plurality of lower side wall openings is not selected, the overlap between the plurality of first bottom plate openings and the plurality of second bottom plate openings is selected, When the overlap between the plurality of upper side wall openings and the plurality of lower side wall openings is selected, the overlap between the plurality of first bottom plate openings and the plurality of second bottom plate openings is not selected.

9. The cooking device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The upper member further includes a removable intermediate baffle (330) spaced apart from the upper member floor.

10. The cooking appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that The cooking appliance further comprises a support structure (304) for supporting the baffle structure on the fire cup.

11. The cooking device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The baffle structure intervenes between the fire pot and the cooking grate and defines a high temperature zone on the cooking grate, the high temperature zone being effective when the overlap between the first plurality of floor openings and the second plurality of floor openings is selected.

12. A cooking grill, comprising: a firebox (102) having a heat source located therein and a cooking grate (202) suspended above the heat source; as well as A baffle (300, 400) having a bottom plate (314, 326) and a side wall (306, 322) formed by two nested members axially rotatable relative to each other, rotation of the two nested members opening and closing a plurality of first bottom plate openings (316, 328) in the bottom plate and a plurality of second bottom plate openings (310, 324) in the side wall; wherein the nested members are rotated to close the plurality of first floor openings when the plurality of second floor openings are open, and vice versa; wherein the baffle is interposed between the cooking grill and the heat source to concentrate heat on a high temperature area of ​​the cooking grill when the plurality of first bottom plate openings are open; and Wherein, when the plurality of first bottom plate openings are closed, the baffle plate disperses heat away from the heat source to an area on the cooking grill that is larger than the high temperature area.

13. The cooking grill of claim 12, wherein: The baffle includes an intermediate baffle (330) which is spaced apart from the bottom plate and supported by the side wall.

14. The cooking grill of claim 13, wherein: The heat source is a solid particle fuel burning fire pot with forced combustion air from outside the fire box.

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