Solid-Fueled Cooker Automated Vent Control for Temperature Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing temperature control systems for solid-fueled grills and ovens are inefficient due to manual adjustments, inconsistent temperature maintenance, high power consumption, and inability to adapt to varying conditions, especially during long cooking cycles and temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
An automated temperature control system using a digital feedback device that automatically adjusts a mechanical vent damper to regulate airflow, allowing for precise temperature control across a wide range, reducing the need for continuous monitoring and frequent adjustments, and consuming less power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual throttling of vent dampers is used for temperature control, then the system structure remains simple, but temperature consistency and control accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated feedback control by continuously monitoring the cooking chamber temperature with a sensor and automatically adjusting the vent damper position based on the temperature deviation from the setpoint. This closed-loop feedback mechanism eliminates manual intervention while maintaining simple overall system structure, resolving the contradiction between control accuracy and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs self-adjustment by automatically modulating the vent damper based on real-time temperature readings without requiring external manual operation. The system serves itself by autonomously maintaining the desired temperature, improving control accuracy while avoiding the need for complex external control mechanisms.
2Speed
If forced air blowers are used to control airflow, then temperature control responsiveness improves, but the system cannot provide resistance to chimney effect airflow
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a blower to push air through the combustion chamber, the patent inverts the approach by using automated vent damper throttling to control the natural chimney effect airflow. The damper restricts the exhaust path, creating backpressure that naturally regulates the airflow rate without requiring active blowing, thus achieving both responsiveness and adaptability to chimney effect conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical forced air blower system with a passive vent damper throttling mechanism controlled by automated feedback. This substitution eliminates the need for complex blower control while maintaining airflow responsiveness through precise damper position modulation, resolving the contradiction between speed and adaptability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If frequent manual damper adjustments are made to maintain target temperature, then temperature consistency improves, but operator time and monitoring requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated feedback control system continuously monitors temperature and automatically adjusts the vent damper to maintain the target temperature, eliminating the need for manual monitoring and adjustment. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining temperature consistency through automated means, freeing operator time while achieving stable temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-regulation by automatically adjusting the vent damper position based on real-time temperature feedback, maintaining consistent temperature without requiring external operator intervention. This self-service capability improves temperature stability while eliminating the time loss associated with manual monitoring and adjustment.
4Quantity of substance
If vent damper passage area is reduced to control temperature, then airflow rate decreases, but the blower may be prevented from achieving required airflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the control approach by using vent damper throttling on the exhaust side rather than restricting intake airflow. This allows precise control of the airflow rate through backpressure regulation without creating conditions that would prevent the blower from achieving required airflow, maintaining both airflow control and blower reliability.
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
The system provides accurate and consistent temperature control, quickly responds to temperature fluctuations, is energy-efficient, and can be easily retrofitted to existing grills, ensuring reliable cooking performance even during long operations.
Implementation Method 1
an automated damper assembly in communication with the primary controller and configured to automatically adjust a mechanical vent damper to regulate airflow
Implementation Method 2
Temperature regulation is affected via automatic actuation of a mechanical vent damper, which damper throttles the flow of fresh air through the combustion chamber of the grill
Data Source
AI summary
A motor-actuated actuated-vent-valve is configured to operatively couple to a vent port of a solid-fueled cooker. The vent port is in series with both a flow of air into a combustion region of the cooker, and a flow of resulting combustion gases from the cooker, the flow of air being responsive to a position of the actuated-vent-valve. A first controller adapted to receive a sensed-temperature signal responsive to a temperature within a cooking region of the cooker, and operatively coupled to an externally-located actuator motor of the motor-actuated actuated-vent-valve, provides for automatically electronically controlling the position of the actuated-vent-valve to a continuum of positions within a range of the positions, thereby substantially regulating the first temperature within the cooking region of the solid-fueled cooker to a user-defined temperature level responsive to the sensed-temperature signal by controlling an exclusively-naturally-occurring flow of air into the combustion region of the cooker.