Gas Grill with Burner Bypassable Temperature Control

Abstract

To provide a gas-fired cooking grill and gas valve assembly useful for controlling the temperature within a cooking chamber.SOLUTION: According to the present invention, a grill has a cooking chamber, a plurality of gas burners for heating the cooking chamber, a plurality of first valves to control flow of a combustible gas to a respective one of the gas burners, a gas intake to receive the combustible gas from a combustible gas source, and a second valve having a thermostatic automatic control valve portion. The second valve is disposed intermediate between the gas intake and the plurality of first valves and is in fluid communication with the gas intake and the plurality of first valves. The second valve is configured to receive an input from a user for selection between a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode. The second valve, in the first cooking mode, routes the combustible gas from the gas intake to the plurality of first valves, and in the second cooking mode, routes the combustible gas from the gas intake to the thermostatic automatic control valve portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The following relates generally to gas appliances, and more particularly to burner-bypassable control of the temperature within the chamber of a gas appliance, such as a gas-fired cooking grill. [Background technology]

[0002] A typical outdoor gas-fired cooking grill has one or more burners to heat the cooking chamber and one or more manually adjustable valves to control the flow of gas to the burners. However, weather conditions (e.g., wind speed / direction, ambient temperature, precipitation) can affect the operation of a gas grill and can affect the temperature inside the cooking chamber of the gas grill for a given valve setting. This can make cooking using a gas grill challenging because actual cooking conditions can be uncertain and can be difficult to predict for varying weather conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In one aspect, a gas-fired cooking grill is provided, the grill including a cooking chamber, a plurality of gas burners for heating the cooking chamber, a plurality of first valves each controlling a flow of combustible gas to a respective one of the gas burners, a gas inlet for receiving combustible gas from a combustible gas source, and a thermostatic valve. a second valve having a thermostatic valve portion, the second valve disposed intermediate the gas inlet and the plurality of first valves and in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the plurality of first valves, the second valve configured to receive input from a user for selecting between a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode, the second valve routing the combustible gas from the gas inlet to the plurality of first valves in the first cooking mode and routing the combustible gas from the gas inlet to the thermostatic valve portion in the second cooking mode, the thermostatic valve portion selectively routing the combustible gas to a subset of the gas burners based on a comparison of a desired temperature and an actual temperature of the cooking chamber.

[0004] The second valve may be controlled by a control knob that is operable by the user.

[0005] A control knob can cooperate with the second valve to set the desired temperature.

[0006] The thermostatic valve portion may be a capillary valve.

[0007] The capillary valve may have a temperature sensor bulb disposed within the cooking chamber for sensing temperature, the temperature sensor bulb containing a fluid that expands upon heating, the fluid being connected to a septum that moves the capillary valve from an open position toward a closed position when the actual temperature of the cooking chamber exceeds a desired temperature.

[0008] A gas-fired cooking grill may have four burners and four first valves, and a second valve configured to selectively bypass two of the four burners.

[0009] Four burners are arranged in a generally parallel configuration, with the inner two of the four burners being selectively bypassed burners.

[0010] The thermostatic valve may have a plurality of ports, one of the ports being coupled to at least one of the burners that is not selectively bypassed and another port being coupled to at least one of the other burners that is selectively bypassed.

[0011] In another aspect, a gas valve assembly for a gas-fired cooking grill is provided, the gas valve assembly including a plurality of first valves, each controlling a flow of combustible gas to a respective one of a plurality of gas burners for heating a cooking chamber of the gas-fired cooking grill; a gas inlet for receiving combustible gas from a combustible gas source; and a second valve having a thermostatic valve portion, the second valve disposed intermediate the gas inlet and the plurality of first valves and in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the plurality of first valves; a valve configured to receive input from a user for selecting between a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode, the second valve routing the combustible gas from the gas inlet to the plurality of first valves in the first cooking mode and routing the combustible gas from the gas inlet to a thermostatic valve portion in the second cooking mode, the thermostatic valve portion selectively routing the combustible gas to a subset of the gas burners based on a comparison of the desired temperature and the actual temperature of the cooking chamber.

[0012] The second valve may be controlled by a control knob that is operable by the user.

[0013] A control knob can cooperate with the second valve to set the desired temperature.

[0014] The thermostatic valve portion may be a capillary valve.

[0015] The capillary valve may have a temperature sensor portion disposed within the cooking chamber for sensing temperature, the temperature sensor portion containing a fluid that expands upon heating, the fluid being connected to a partition wall that moves the capillary valve from an open position toward a closed position when the actual temperature of the cooking chamber exceeds a desired temperature.

[0016] A gas-fired cooking grill may have four burners and four first valves, and a second valve configured to selectively bypass two of the four burners.

[0017] Four burners are arranged in a generally parallel configuration, with the inner two of the four burners being selectively bypassed burners.

[0018] The thermostatic valve may have a plurality of ports, one of the ports being coupled to at least one of the burners that is not selectively bypassed and another port being coupled to at least one of the other burners that is selectively bypassed.

[0019] These and other aspects are contemplated and described herein. It will be appreciated that the foregoing summary describes exemplary aspects of embodiments to aid the skilled reader in understanding the following detailed description.

[0020] The embodiments can be better understood with reference to the figures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a front schematic view showing a gas grill having an exemplary system for controlling the temperature of the cooking chamber of the gas grill. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a system for controlling the temperature of the cooking chamber of the gas grill of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing another exemplary system for controlling the temperature of the cooking chamber of the gas grill of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a region R4 in FIG. 3. [Figure 5A] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example thermostatic valve of the system of FIG. 2. [Figure 5B] 3 is a top view of an example thermostatic valve of the system of FIG. 2. [Figure 5C] FIG. 3 is a front view of an example thermostatic valve of the system of FIG. 2. [Figure 5D] FIG. 3 is a right side view of an example thermostatic valve of the system of FIG. 2. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is an exemplary schematic diagram of the system of FIG. 2 showing an exemplary internal configuration of the thermostatic valve of FIGS. 5A-5D. [Figure 7A] FIG. 1 shows a four-burner gas-fired cooking grill in the first cooking mode shown. [Figure 7B] FIG. 1 shows a four-burner gas-fired cooking grill in the second cooking mode. [Figure 8A] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a system for bypassably controlling the temperature of a cooking chamber of a gas grill, according to an embodiment, in a first cooking mode. [Figure 8B] 8B is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for bypassably controlling the temperature of a cooking chamber of a gas grill according to the system of FIG. 8A in a second cooking mode. [Figure 9] FIG. 8B is a perspective view of a second valve embodiment for use in the system of FIG. 8A. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view showing the second valve according to FIG. 9 in a first cooking mode. [Figure 10B]FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view showing the second valve according to FIG. 9 in a second cooking mode. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the valve stem of the second valve of FIG. 9. [Figure 12A] FIG. 10 is a top partial cross-sectional view showing the second valve of FIG. 9 in a first cooking mode. [Figure 12B] FIG. 10 is a side partial cross-sectional view showing the second valve of FIG. 9 in a first cooking mode. [Figure 12C] FIG. 10 is a side partial cross-sectional view showing the second valve of FIG. 9 in a second cooking mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The embodiments will now be described with reference to the figures. For simplicity and clarity of description, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Additionally, numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described herein may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described herein. Furthermore, this description should not be considered to limit the scope of the embodiments described herein.

[0023] Various terms used throughout this description may be read and understood as follows, unless the context indicates otherwise: "Or" as used throughout is inclusive as if written "and / or." Singular articles and pronouns used throughout include their plural forms, and vice versa. Similarly, gender-specific pronouns include their opposites, and therefore pronouns should not be understood as limiting what is described herein to a single gender use, implementation, performance, etc. "Illustrative" should be understood as "illustrative" or "exemplary," and not necessarily as "preferred" over other embodiments. Other definitions of terms may be provided herein. These definitions apply to any preceding or following examples of the term, as will be understood by reading this description.

[0024] The following relates generally to gas appliances and, more particularly, to bypassable control of the temperature within the chamber of a gas appliance, such as a gas-fired cooking grill.

[0025] In various embodiments, aspects of the present disclosure can be particularly useful for controlling the temperature within the cooking chamber of a gas-fired cooking grill. In some embodiments, use of the systems and methods described herein can improve the control and predictability of cooking conditions within the cooking chamber of an outdoor gas-fired cooking grill.

[0026] Aspects of the present disclosure may also be useful in controlling the operation of other types of appliances, such as, for example, gas-fired outdoor heaters, gas-fired fireplaces, and gas-fired smokers. In various appliances, the systems and methods described herein may be used to control the temperature of a chamber, such as a compartment, partially enclosed space, or cavity, of such appliances.

[0027] The term "connect" or "couple" can include a direct connection / coupled, such that two elements are connected / coupled to one another without any intermediate elements, and can also include an indirect connection, such that at least one additional element is located between the two elements. In the context of connecting valves, burners, manifolds, and conduits, the term "connect" or "coupled" can also mean fluid communication. As used herein, the term "substantially" can be applied to modify any quantitative expression that varies within acceptable limits without resulting in a change in its associated basic function. Various exemplary embodiments are described with reference to the drawings.

[0028] 1 depicts a schematic front view of a gas-fired cooking grill 10 with a system 11 for operating the gas grill 10. The gas grill 10 can have a cooking grate 17 and a lid 18. The lid 18 can be used to cover the cooking grate 17 to create an enclosed cooking chamber 32 (also shown schematically in FIG. 2) for cooking food. Both the cooking grate 17 and the lid 18 can be made of a metallic material, such as cast iron, stainless steel, or chrome-plated steel, that can withstand the heat of grilling and exhibits suitable corrosion resistance.

[0029] System 11 may include a fuel reservoir 12 for supplying gaseous fuel to burners 19A-19D (collectively referred to herein as "burners 19") (see FIG. 2). In various embodiments, fuel reservoir 12 may be a tank containing, for example, propane, butane, or natural gas. In some embodiments, fuel reservoir 12 may be a portable container releasably connectable to system 11. It will be appreciated that system 11 may be connected to a fuel supply line from a gas (e.g., natural gas) utility facility instead of fuel reservoir 12. System 11 may further include a pressure regulator 13 (shown in FIG. 2) that functions to adjust (e.g., reduce) the pressure of gas being supplied to system 11 from fuel reservoir 12.

[0030] The system 11 may include one or more first valves 22A-22D (collectively referred to herein as “first valves 22”), each operably controlled by a respective one of the control knobs 16A-16D (collectively referred to herein as “control knobs 16”). The control knob 16 may be used to adjust the setting of each one of the first valves 22. The first valves 22A-22D may be manually adjustable by turning the control knob 16. The system 11 may include a second valve 24 operably controlled by the control knob 14. The control knob 14 may be used to adjust the setting of the second valve 24. The control knob 14 may be associated with a temperature range display / indication for defining a desired temperature setting for the cooking chamber 32, as described below. The control knob 14 may be manually adjusted to a temperature within a desired temperature range for the cooking chamber 32 of the gas grill 10. The first valves 22A-22D may be of a different type than the second valve 24.

[0031] In some embodiments, gas grill 10 can have a secondary burner (not shown) operably controlled by third valve 30. Control knob 20 can be used to adjust the setting of third valve 30. In some embodiments, first valves 22A-22D and third valve 30 can be the same type.

[0032] Control knobs 14 , 16 , and 20 may protrude from control panel 21 , and corresponding valves 24 , 22 , and 30 , respectively, may be disposed at least partially behind control panel 21 .

[0033] 2 shows a perspective view of system 11 of gas grill 10. System 11 may be connected to fuel reservoir 12 and may include gas burner 19, first valve 22, and second valve 24. Gas burner 19 may include a perforated metal tube with an internal passage for receiving gas through respective first valve 22 and second valve 24. Gas burner 19 may include perforations disposed along the metal tube for venting gas from the metal tube.

[0034] Fuel contained within fuel reservoir 12 may be supplied to a flow splitter 31 configured to distribute gas among multiple branches of system 11. As depicted, gas may be supplied to second valve 24 and / or third valve 30 via flow splitter 31. Flow splitter 31 may be, for example, a T-pipe fitting.

[0035] A third valve 30 may be associated with the secondary burner (not shown) for controlling the flow of gas to the secondary burner. The third valve 30 may be adjustable to regulate the flow of gas to the secondary burner. The third valve 30 may be adjusted using the control knob 20 (shown in FIG. 1). The secondary burner may be external to the chamber 32 and may be independent of the setting of the second valve 24. In some embodiments, the gas grill 10 may have one or more additional burners that are external to the chamber 32 and / or may be independent of the second valve 24. For example, the gas grill 10 may have one or more other optional (e.g., secondary or other) burners that bypass the second valve 24 and are independent of the setting of the second valve 24.

[0036] Each of the first valves 22 may be associated with a respective one of the burners 19 and may be configured to control the flow of gas to a respective one of the gas burners 19. The burners 19 may be used to heat the chamber 32. In some embodiments, the burners 19 may be located within the chamber 32. The burners 19 may be disposed below the cooking grate (shown in FIG. 1 ). Each of the first valves 22 may be adjustable to adjust the flow of the respective gas supplied to the burners 19. Each of the first valves 22 may be manually adjusted using a respective one of the control knobs 16.

[0037] A second valve 24 may be located in the system 11 upstream of the first valve 22 (intermediate between the fuel reservoir 12 and the first valve 22) and may be configured to controllably supply gas through the first valve 22 to the burners 19. The second valve 24 and the first valve 22 may be disposed in series between the fuel reservoir 12 and one or more of the burners 19. The second valve 24 may be used to control the temperature of the chamber 32. The second valve 24 may be adjustable to set a desired temperature for the chamber 32. The position of the control knob 14 (shown in FIG. 1) may indicate the desired temperature for the chamber 32. The second valve 24 may be automatically adjustable based on the desired temperature setting for the chamber 32 and the actual temperature of the chamber 32.

[0038] In some embodiments, the second valve 24 can be a temperature regulating valve that is automatically adjustable to control the flow of gas to maintain a desired temperature at a location, such as the interior of the cooking chamber 32. In some embodiments, the second valve 24 can be operably connected to a temperature-sensing element, such as a capillary tube 26 operably connected to a temperature sensor temperature sensing portion 28. The temperature sensing portion 28 and the capillary tube 26 can be integrally formed or can be separate components operably connected (e.g., in fluid communication) to each other. A suitable fluid (e.g., steam or liquid) contained within the temperature sensing portion 28 or the capillary tube 26 can expand when heated and contract when cooled, and changes in pressure within the temperature sensing portion 28 and the capillary tube 26 can cause the second valve 24 to open or close.

[0039] The temperature-sensing element 28 can be located within the chamber 32 of the gas grill 10 and / or can be otherwise exposed to the actual temperature of the chamber 32. It will be appreciated that the temperature-sensing element 28 can be located at another location having a temperature related to the temperature within the chamber 32. In some embodiments, the second valve 24 can be a capillary-type thermostatic valve having a capillary tube 26 and a temperature-sensing temperature-sensing element 28. For example, the second valve 24 can be of the type known as a thermal expansion valve or thermostatic expansion valve (often abbreviated as a TEV, TXV, or TX valve). The second valve 24 can function as a measuring device to measure fuel flow to one or more burners 19 as a function of the temperature to which the temperature-sensing element 28 is exposed in order to maintain a desired temperature within the cooking chamber 32.

[0040] The system 11 may further include a gas manifold 40 for distributing gas from the second valve 24 to the first valve 22. The manifold 40 may have an inlet for receiving gas from the second valve 24 and multiple outlets for routing gas to the first valve 22 and associated burner 19. The manifold 40 and other gas lines of the system 11 may be implemented using, for example, appropriate tubing and / or hoses and fittings.

[0041] Although FIGS. 1-2 show system 11 with four burners 19, system 11 can have a different number of burners 19 (e.g., one, two, three, four, six, or eight), each controllably supplied with gas by an associated first valve 22. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another exemplary system 110 for controlling the temperature of the cooking chamber of the gas grill of FIG. 1. System 110 can have elements that are the same as or similar to elements of system 11, and like elements are designated using like reference numerals. The fuel reservoir 12 and burner 19 are shown schematically. System 110 can have any number of burners 19. For example, burner 19 can be a primary burner used to heat the cooking chamber 32 of cooking grill 10.

[0042] The system 110 can have one or more burners 19G that bypass the second valve 24 and can be controlled via one or more third valves 30. Such burners 19G can include, for example, side burners and / or rotisserie burners (e.g., rearward) of the cooking grill 10.

[0043] System 110 may have one or more burners 19H disposed downstream of second valve 24 and further controllable via second valve 24. Burner 19H may also be controllable via first valve 22H. Burner 19H may be disposed within cooking chamber 32, but may be disposed at a different location within cooking chamber 32. For example, burners 19A-19F may be disposed below cooking grate 17, and burner 19H may be a rotisserie burner disposed above (e.g., rearward of) cooking grate 17. One or more gas manifolds 40 and associated burners 19 may be connected downstream of second valve 24 and controllable via second valve 24. For example, one or more additional gas manifolds 40A may be fluidly connected to gas manifold 40 via T-fitting 33.

[0044] 4 is an enlarged view of region R4 of FIG. 3 showing an additional gas manifold 40A fluidly connected to gas manifold 40 via T-fitting 33. Manifolds 40, 40A may be connected to T-fitting 33 via, for example, threaded engagement or welding.

[0045] 5A-5D are perspective, top, front, and right side views, respectively, of an exemplary second valve 24. The control knob 14 is removed from an interface 38, which may be a rotatable shaft. The second valve 24 may have an inlet 34 for receiving gas from the fuel reservoir 12 and an outlet 36 connected to a manifold 40 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0046] FIG. 6 is an example schematic diagram of the system 11, 110 showing an example internal configuration of the second (e.g., thermostatic) valve 24. The interface 38 may be rotatable, may be threadably engaged with the valve body 42 or other component, and may be operably coupled to an actuator, such as a spring 44, of the second valve 24. The spring 44 may function to affect movement of the valve member 46 to open or close an orifice 48 through which gas from the reservoir 12 is output to the manifold 40. When the control knob 14 is adjusted to cause rotation of the interface 38, the preload of the spring 44 may be adjusted to adjust the amount of compression of the spring 44 to adjust the biasing force applied by the spring 44 to the valve member 46. The angular position of the knob 14 may be calibrated to match the corresponding exposure temperature of the temperature-sensitive portion 28 and, therefore, the set desired temperature of the chamber 32. This adjustment of the control knob 14 may set the operating range of the valve member 46 of the second valve 24.

[0047] The fluid contained within the capillary tube 26 and / or temperature-sensitive portion 28 may have a coefficient of thermal expansion that allows exposure of the temperature-sensitive portion 28 to various temperatures to cause a change in the volume of the fluid and / or a change in pressure within the capillary tube 26 and temperature-sensitive portion 28. The temperature-sensitive portion 28 may be disposed within the chamber 32 and exposed to elevated temperatures during use of the gas grill 10. The temperature of the fluid within the temperature-sensitive portion 28 may increase, thereby causing thermal expansion of the fluid. As the volume of the fluid within the temperature-sensitive portion 28 increases, a portion of the fluid may be forced into the capillary tube 26. The fluid within the capillary tube 26 may engage a septum 50, which may be operably connected to the valve member 46 and cause actuation of the valve member 46 in response to changes in pressure within the capillary tube 26. The magnitude of the force acting on the septum 50 and the corresponding displacement of the septum 50 may be related to the actual temperature within the chamber 32. An increase in pressure inside the capillary tube 26 caused by an increase in temperature inside the cooking chamber 32 can urge the valve member 46 toward the closed position. Referring to Figure 6, an increase in temperature inside the chamber 32 can urge the valve member 46 downward by the septum 50, thereby closing an orifice 48 disposed between the inlet 34 and the outlet 36 of the second valve 24.

[0048] A spring 44 may be engaged with the valve member 46 and may resist a closing force applied to the valve member 46 by the diaphragm 50. In other words, the spring 44 may bias the valve member 46 toward an open position (e.g., upward in reference to FIG. 6 ). Thus, the resultant force applied to the spring member 46 by the spring 44 and the diaphragm 50 may determine the position of the valve member 46 relative to the orifice 48. If the actual temperature of the chamber 32 is lower than the desired temperature of the chamber 32, the resultant force acting on the valve member 46 by the spring 44 and the diaphragm 50 may move the valve member 46 toward the fully open position, thereby increasing the flow of gas to the burner 19. In contrast, if the actual temperature of the chamber 32 is higher than the desired temperature of the chamber 32, the resultant force acting on the valve member 46 may cause the valve member 46 to move toward the closed position, thereby decreasing the flow of gas to the burner 19. In a situation where the temperature of chamber 32 is equal to the desired temperature of chamber 32 set via interface 38, the resultant force acting on the valve member of second valve 24 may be zero, resulting in maintaining valve member 46 of second valve 24 in a stationary state. Thus, second valve 24 may function as a feedback measurement device to control the temperature inside cooking chamber 32 based on the temperature selected via interface 38.

[0049] In a further embodiment, the gas-fired cooking grill 10 can have two cooking modes: a first cooking mode (referred to as "BBQ mode") and a second cooking mode (referred to as "oven mode"). The first cooking mode operates with each burner 19 operating independently based on their respective control knobs 16. In the second cooking mode, at least a portion of the burners 19 are bypassed. Advantageously, bypassing at least a portion of the burners 19 allows for safe operation at lower temperatures using automatic adjustment of the second valve 24 using the capillary tube 26.

[0050] Typically, burners have a minimum gas output (measured in BTUs) at which the burner can operate safely without causing a blowout. In a blowout, there is not enough combustible gas output to sustain a flame. A blowout is particularly serious and dangerous because toxic, flammable gas continues to be output without combustion. In this embodiment, having a bypassable second valve 24 allows the system to automatically provide gas to only a portion of the burners. This allows the grill 10 to reach a sufficiently low temperature without dangerously allowing an open control knob 16 to cause too many burners 19 to receive gas, thereby causing less than the minimum gas output and risking a blowout.

[0051] Figures 7A and 7B show a four-burner gas-fired cooking grill 10 in a first cooking mode shown in Figure 7A and a second cooking mode shown in Figure 7B. As shown, all four burners (19A through 19D) are operable in the first cooking mode, and only burner (1) 19A and burner (4) 19C are operable in the second cooking mode. The burner arrangement shown when considering Figure 2 is exemplary in nature, but represents a typical arrangement in which the four burners are generally arranged in parallel, with the inner two of the four burners being selectively bypassed burners to provide good heat distribution.

[0052] Figure 8A shows a schematic diagram of a system for bypassably controlling the temperature of a cooking chamber of a gas grill, according to an embodiment, in a first cooking mode, where supply gas is provided to second valve 700 (a capillary-type valve), which routes the gas to each of four burners (19A-19D) via first valves (16A-16D) as described herein. Figure 8B shows a schematic diagram of the system in a second cooking mode, where supply gas is provided to second valve 700, which routes the gas to only first burner 19A and fourth burner 19D via first valves (16A and 16D).

[0053] 9 shows a perspective view of a second valve 700 according to this embodiment. A combustible gas inlet 706 receives gas from a gas source. The second valve 700 is connected to burner (3) 19C using a hose connected to port (3) 702 and to burner (2) 19B using a hose connected to port (2) 704. The second valve 700 is connected to burner (1) 19A and burner (2) 19D through port (1) 708, for example, via a manifold.

[0054] The second valve 700 has a valve stem 710 for receiving a control knob. The valve stem 710 is used to select between a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode, and in some cases, to set a desired temperature for the chamber 32. The second valve 700 further has a capillary tube 714 operably connected to a temperature sensor temperature sensing portion 712. Because a suitable fluid (e.g., steam or liquid) contained within the temperature sensing portion 28 and / or capillary tube 26 can expand when heated and contract when cooled, changes in pressure within the temperature sensing portion 28 and capillary tube 26 can cause the second valve 700 to open or close, thereby selectively allowing or preventing gas from passing to the first burner 19A and the fourth burner 19D, respectively.

[0055] 10A is a cross-sectional front view of the second valve 700 in the first cooking mode. As shown, gas is received at the gas inlet 706 and routed through a first channel 718 formed between the valve body 716 and the valve stem 710. In this configuration, the first channel 718 is in communication with port (3) 702 and port (2) 704.

[0056] 10B is a cross-sectional front view of second valve 700 in the second cooking mode. As shown, valve stem 710 has rotated to block portion 720, thereby removing first channel 718 from communication with ports (3) 702 and (2) 704.

[0057] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the valve stem 710. The valve stem has an end portion 730 for receiving a control knob thereon. The valve stem 710 defines three channels. A first channel 718 provides a path for gas to pass through port (3) 702 and port (2) 704 in a first cooking mode. A second channel 732 provides a path for gas to pass through port (1) 708 in a first cooking mode to provide fuel for the first burner 19A and the fourth burner 19D. A third channel 734 provides a path for gas to pass through port (1) 708 in a second cooking mode to supply fuel for the first burner 19A and the fourth burner 19D when the capillary valve is open and to shut off fuel to the first burner 19A and the fourth burner 19D when the capillary valve is closed.

[0058] 12A and 12B show top and side partial cross-sectional views, respectively, of the second valve 700 in the first cooking mode. Rotation of the valve stem 710 in this configuration ultimately connects the first channel 718 to a path that routes gases through ports (3) 702 and (2) 704, and connects the second channel 732 to a path that routes gases through port (1) 708. Meanwhile, the third channel 734 is blocked from receiving any intake gases.

[0059] 12B shows a partial side cross-sectional view of the second valve 700 in the second cooking mode. Rotation of the valve stem 710 in this configuration ultimately connects the first channel 718 to a path that routes gases through ports (3) 702 and (2) 704, and connects the second channel 732 to a path that routes gases through port (1) 708, while the third channel 734 is blocked from receiving any intake gas.

[0060] FIG. 12C shows a partial side cross-sectional view of the second valve 700 in the second cooking mode. Rotation of the valve stem 710 in this configuration blocks the first channel 718 and the second channel 732, preventing inlet gas from flowing through. The third channel 734 is connected to a path that routes the inlet gas through a capillary valve portion 740 that ultimately connects to port (1) 708. The capillary valve portion 740 has a spring-loaded piston 742 that closes the flow of gas to port (1) 708 when the pressure from the expanding fluid in the capillary tube 714 reaches a value associated with a desired temperature in the cooking grill. Rotation of the valve stem 710 achieves different spring loads and, therefore, different pressures that correspond to different desired temperatures in the cooking grill. In another case, the capillary valve portion 740 may be routed through another port directly connected to the first burner 19A and the fourth burner 19D without passing through the first valve 16.

[0061] In some cases, the second valve 700 may further include another channel in the valve stem 710 for selecting between different gas inlet sources, such as natural gas and propane, which may be opened or closed based on another valve system.

[0062] While the above example describes a four burner cooking grill for illustrative purposes, with four burners operable in a first cooking mode and two burners operable in a second cooking mode, it will be appreciated that any suitable number and arrangement of burners may be used so long as the number of burners in the second cooking mode does not fall below an appropriate safe gas output level.

[0063] The embodiments described herein provide non-limiting examples of possible implementations of the present technology. Upon reading this disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope of the present technology. For example, while the systems and methods are described in connection with a gas-fired cooking grill, it will be understood that the systems and methods described herein are applicable to other gas-fired appliances, such as a gas-fired smoker, a gas-fired heater, or a gas-fired fireplace. Because no electrical power source is required to operate some embodiments of the system 11, manual and mechanical control of various aspects of the system 11 in some embodiments may be advantageous. However, it will be understood that the first valve 22 and / or the second valve 24 can be electrically operated via an electric motor / actuator and can be controllable via an appropriate user interface, such as a control panel or display. It will be understood that the second valve 24 can be implemented in digital temperature controllers and other feedback control configurations with temperature sensing means, such as a thermocouple or thermistor. Other modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art in view of this disclosure, which modifications are within the scope of this technology.

[0064] While the above has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

[0065] Various examples of aspects of the present disclosure are described below as numbered clauses (1, 2, 3, etc.) for convenience, and are provided as examples and not as limitations on the subject technology. [Article 1] A gas-fired cooking grill, Cooking chamber and a plurality of gas burners for heating the cooking chamber; a plurality of first valves, each controlling the flow of combustible gas to a respective one of the gas burners; a gas inlet for receiving the flammable gas from a flammable gas source; a second valve having a thermostatic valve portion, the second valve disposed intermediate the gas inlet and the plurality of first valves and in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the plurality of first valves, the second valve configured to receive input from a user for selecting between a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode, the second valve routing the combustible gas from the gas inlet to the plurality of first valves in the first cooking mode and routing the combustible gas from the gas inlet to the thermostatic valve portion in the second cooking mode, the thermostatic valve portion selectively routing the combustible gas to a subset of the gas burners based on a comparison of a desired temperature and an actual temperature of the cooking chamber; Gas-fired cooking grill with [Clause 2] 10. The gas-fired cooking grill of claim 1, wherein the second valve is controlled by a user-operable control knob. [Article 3] 3. The gas-fired cooking grill of claim 2, wherein the control knob cooperates with the second valve to set the desired temperature. [Article 4] 10. The gas-fired cooking grill of claim 1, wherein the thermostatic valve portion is a capillary valve. [Article 5] 5. A gas-fired cooking grill as described in clause 4, wherein the capillary valve has a temperature sensor portion disposed within the cooking chamber for sensing temperature, the temperature sensor portion containing a fluid that expands when heated, the fluid being connected to a partition wall that moves the capillary valve from an open position toward a closed position when the actual temperature of the cooking chamber exceeds the desired temperature. [Article 6] 10. A gas-fired cooking grill as described in clause 1, having four burners and four first valves, the second valves being configured to selectively bypass two of the four burners. [Article 7] 7. A gas-fired cooking grill as described in clause 6, wherein the four burners are arranged in a generally parallel configuration, and the inner two of the four burners are the burners that are selectively bypassed. [Article 8] 10. A gas-fired cooking grill as described in clause 1, wherein the thermostatic valve has a plurality of ports, one of the ports being connected to at least one of the burners that is not selectively bypassed and another of the ports being connected to at least one of the other burners that is selectively bypassed. [Article 9] 1. A gas valve assembly for a gas-fired cooking grill, comprising: a plurality of first valves, each controlling the flow of combustible gas to a respective one of a plurality of gas burners for heating a cooking chamber of the gas-fired cooking grill; a gas inlet for receiving the flammable gas from a flammable gas source; a second valve having a thermostatic valve portion, the second valve disposed intermediate the gas inlet and the plurality of first valves and in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the plurality of first valves, the second valve configured to receive input from a user for selecting between a first cooking mode and a second cooking mode, the second valve routing the combustible gas from the gas inlet to the plurality of first valves in the first cooking mode and routing the combustible gas from the gas inlet to the thermostatic valve portion in the second cooking mode, the thermostatic valve portion selectively routing the combustible gas to a subset of the gas burners based on a comparison of a desired temperature and an actual temperature of the cooking chamber; A gas valve assembly comprising: [Article 10] 10. The gas valve assembly of clause 9, wherein the second valve is controlled by a control knob operable by the user. [Article 11] 11. The gas valve assembly of claim 10, wherein the control knob cooperates with the second valve to set the desired temperature. [Article 12] 10. The gas valve assembly of clause 9, wherein the thermostatic valve portion is a capillary valve. [Article 13] 13. The gas valve assembly of claim 12, wherein the capillary valve has a temperature sensor portion disposed within the cooking chamber for sensing temperature, the temperature sensor portion containing a fluid that expands when heated, the fluid being connected to a partition that moves the capillary valve from an open position toward a closed position when the actual temperature of the cooking chamber exceeds the desired temperature. [Article 14] 10. The gas valve assembly of claim 9, having four first valves, the second valve configured to selectively bypass two of the four burners. [Article 15] 15. A gas valve assembly as described in clause 14, wherein the four burners are arranged in a generally parallel arrangement, and the inner two of the four burners are the burners that are selectively bypassed. [Article 16] 10. The gas valve assembly of claim 9, wherein the thermostatic valve has a plurality of ports, one of the ports being connected to at least one of the burners that is not selectively bypassed and another of the ports being connected to at least one of the other burners that is selectively bypassed.

Claims

1. A gas-fired cooking grill, a cooking chamber; a plurality of gas burners for heating the cooking chamber; a plurality of first valves, each controlling the flow of gas to a respective one of the gas burners; a gas inlet for receiving the combustible gas from a source of said gas; a second valve disposed intermediate the gas inlet and the first and second subsets of first valves and in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the first and second subsets of first valves, the second valve configured to control the flow of gas to the first valves based on a desired temperature setting; and the second valve is further configured to selectively route the flow of the gas to the first subset of the first valves but bypass the second subset of the first valves.

2. 10. The gas-fired cooking grill of claim 1, wherein the second valves are configured to selectively route the flow of the gas to the first subset of the first valves but bypass the second subset of the first valves when the desired temperature setting is lower than the actual temperature of the cooking chamber.

3. 3. The gas-fired cooking grill of claim 1, wherein the plurality of burners comprises a plurality of outer burners and a plurality of inner burners disposed closer to a center of the grill than the plurality of outer burners, and wherein the second subset of first valves corresponds to one or more of the inner burners.

4. 4. The gas-fired cooking grill of claim 3, wherein four gas burners are provided and the second subset of first valves correspond to an inner two of the four gas burners.

5. 5. The gas-fired cooking grill of claim 1, wherein the second valve is a thermostatic valve.

6. 6. The gas-fired cooking grill of claim 5, wherein the thermostatic valve is a capillary valve.

7. 7. The gas-fired cooking grill of claim 5 or 6, wherein the thermostatic valve has a plurality of ports, one of the ports being coupled to at least one of the first subset of the first valves and another of the ports being coupled to at least one of the second subset of the first valves.

8. 1. A gas valve assembly for a gas-fired cooking grill, comprising: a plurality of first valves each controlling the flow of gas to a respective one of a plurality of gas burners for heating the cooking chamber; a gas inlet for receiving the combustible gas from a source of said gas; a second valve disposed intermediate the gas inlet and the first and second subsets of first valves and in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the first and second subsets of first valves, the second valve configured to control the flow of gas to the first valves based on a desired temperature setting; and the second valve is further configured to selectively route the flow of the gas to the first subset of the first valves but bypass the second subset of the first valves.

9. 9. The gas valve assembly of claim 8, wherein the second valve is configured to selectively route the flow of the gas to the first subset of the first valves but bypass the second subset of the first valves when the desired temperature setting is lower than the actual temperature of the cooking chamber.

10. 10. The gas valve assembly of claim 8 or 9, wherein the plurality of burners comprises a plurality of outer burners and a plurality of inner burners disposed closer to a center of the grill than the plurality of outer burners, and the divertable subset of first valves corresponds to one or more inner burners.

11. 11. The gas valve assembly of claim 10, wherein four gas burners are provided and the second subset of first valves correspond to an inner two of the four gas burners.

12. 12. A gas valve assembly according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the second valve is a thermostatic valve.

13. 13. The gas valve assembly of claim 12, wherein the thermostatic valve is a capillary valve.

14. 14. The gas valve assembly of claim 12 or 13, wherein the thermostatic valve has a plurality of ports, one of the ports being coupled to at least one of the first subset of the first valves and another of the ports being coupled to at least one of the second subset of the first valves.

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