Prefilled Smoke Container Venting and Seaming for Easy Grill Smoking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing smokers or grills that use wood chips or pellets for smoking food require frequent cleaning and refilling, which can be cumbersome and inconvenient, especially for novice grillers, and expensive smokers are often necessary for smoking food effectively.

Innovation Solution

A prefilled smoke container, similar to a beer can, filled with smoke fuel like wood chips or pellets, that can be easily used on conventional grills without the need for cleaning or refilling, and a method to automate the filling, sealing, and packaging of these containers using a conveyor system with ventilation, filling, sealing, and packaging systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wood chips or pellets are used in smokers or grills for smoking food, then smoking function is achieved, but frequent cleaning and refilling is required which is cumbersome and inconvenient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of smoking foodVSAvoidtime for cleaning and refilling

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-filling containers with smoke fuel (wood chips or pellets) before use. The automated production line fills containers with the appropriate amount of smoke fuel, seals them, and prepares them for distribution. This eliminates the need for users to manually refill containers during or after smoking operations, significantly reducing maintenance time and effort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs disposable pre-filled containers that are designed for single-use. After the smoke fuel is consumed, the entire container is discarded rather than cleaned and refilled. This approach transforms the cumbersome maintenance task into a simple replace operation, greatly improving ease of operation for consumers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Productivity

If pre-filled smoke containers are produced manually, then flexibility is maintained, but production efficiency is low and distribution is difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction efficiency of smoke containersVSAvoidcomplexity of automated production system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The automated production system is divided into distinct functional modules: container positioning, vent hole application, filling, sealing, and packaging. Each module performs a specific task independently, allowing for efficient production while maintaining system manageability. This segmentation enables high-volume production without excessive overall complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The automated production line is designed to be versatile, handling different types of containers and smoke fuels through a single integrated system. The machinery can accommodate various container sizes and shapes, and can fill with different smoke fuel types, making the complex system universally applicable to multiple product variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If vent holes are not pre-placed in containers, then container integrity is maintained, but smoking function is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmoking function of containerVSAvoidsimplicity of container production

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Vent holes are pre-placed in containers during the automated production process, before the containers reach the consumer. This preliminary action ensures that every container is ready for immediate use upon opening, guaranteeing reliable smoking function without requiring any setup by the user. The vent hole placement is integrated into the production line workflow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The vent hole application process is merged with the container sealing process in the automated production line. Both operations are performed sequentially on the same container within the same production cycle, combining multiple manufacturing steps into an integrated process that maintains simplicity while ensuring functional reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12503257B2Method to fill a container

Publication Date: 2025.12.23 KOONTZ CURTIS S

AI summary

Disclosed is a method to fill and seal a container for smoking food on a grill. The method includes positioning a container on a conveyor system, receiving the container in a vent hole applicator system, and placing a vent hole in the container with the vent hole applicator system. The method further includes receiving the container in a filling system, positioning the container adjacent to a tube from the filling system, and dispensing a smoke fuel from a hopper into the container through the tube. The method further includes receiving the container in a seam sealing system, positioning a lid onto the container, and curling the lid and container top to form a double seam. The method further includes receiving the container in a packaging system and packaging the container into sale packs for distribution.