Grill Smoke Enhancer Layout for Fresh Air and Even Wood Chip Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smoke generating devices for gas barbecue grills are large, reduce cooking surface area, often placed in locations that do not receive fresh air, and are difficult to control in terms of temperature, leading to inefficient smoking processes.
Innovation Solution
A smoke generating device designed to be located lateral to the heat source in the lower portion of the cooking chamber, with air inlets below the heat source for fresh air intake, louvers to prevent wood chips from blocking air, and features for even heat transfer to prevent ignition and promote efficient wood chip consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If the smoke generating device is placed on top of the cooking grate or on top of sear bars, then smoke generation is achieved, but the available cooking surface area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The smoke generating device is repositioned from the vertical dimension (on top of cooking grate or sear bars) to the lateral dimension (side of the cooking chamber). This spatial reconfiguration allows smoke generation to occur without occupying cooking surface area, as the device is now positioned at the side rather than on top of the cooking surface.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If the smoke generating device is disposed between the heat source and the cooking surface, then smoke flavor is imparted to food, but the area for direct cooking is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device is relocated from a position in the vertical path between heat source and cooking surface to a lateral position at the side of the cooking chamber. This allows smoke to be generated and circulate through the cooking chamber without physically blocking the direct cooking surface area.
3Ease of operation
If the smoke generating device is placed in a location where it does not receive fresh air, then device placement is simplified, but smoke generation effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates localized air intake features (perforations or openings in the sides or bottom of the smoke generation chamber) that specifically target areas where fresh air circulates in the lower portion of the cooking chamber. This ensures the smoke generating device receives adequate fresh air supply without requiring complex placement considerations.
4Quantity of substance
If the temperature of the smoke generating device is not controlled, then wood chips can be used, but ignition of wood particles and excessive consumption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates localized cooling features such as perforations or openings in the sides or bottom of the smoke generation chamber that allow fresh air to enter and cool the wood chips. This creates a temperature gradient within the chamber, keeping the wood chip storage area cooler while allowing smoke generation in the heated zone, thus preventing ignition and excessive consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design maintains maximum cooking surface area, ensures effective air intake, and allows for flexible temperature control, resulting in efficient and even smoking without reducing the cooking surface area or prolonging cooking time.
Implementation Method 1
air inlets below the heat source for fresh air intake
Implementation Method 2
features for even heat transfer to prevent ignition and promote efficient wood chip consumption
Implementation Method 3
features for even heat transfer to prevent ignition and promote efficient wood chip consumption
Implementation Method 4
features for even heat transfer to prevent ignition and promote efficient wood chip consumption
Data Source
AI summary
The inventions disclosed herein relate to a smoke generating device for use with portable grills. Various embodiments of the smoke generating devices disclosed herein incorporate some combination of a number of features to solve the problem of prior art smoke generating devices. For example, a various embodiments of the present inventions incorporate some combination of means for mounting the device in a lower portion of a barbecue grill to allow the device to benefit from fresh air which enters the grill in the lower portion, an ignition bar for transferring heat from the burner to the smoker particles by conduction, convection, and radiation, a cover which extends in the vicinity of the flame emanating from the burner tube for transferring heat from the burner tube to the smoker particles by conduction, convection and radiation, louvers on air inlets for preventing the smoker particles from blocking the inlet of air, and legs which contact the flames emanating from the burner tube from transferring heat from the burner tube to the smoker particles by conduction.