Patent Application
20180271324
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present disclosure relates to gas flow-timer systems for barbeque grills. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a barbeque grill gas flow-timer assembly.
The grounds enclosing multi-family apartment or condominium complexes and the picnic areas found in parks are often equipped with barbecue grills available for public use by residents or visitors. Typically, a barbecue gas grill includes a burner area where food is cooked, a cover over the burner area, at least one burner valve that opens and closes the delivery of a gas (usually natural gas) to the burner area, an igniter to ignite the gas under the burner area, and a gas line that delivers gas from the gas source to the burner valve.
Due to the frequency of their use, such “shared” barbecue grills may have parts that are missing or broken due to misuse, theft, etc. Because they do not own these “shared” barbecue grills, such users may be less inclined to pay adequate attention after finishing their grilling to shut off the burner or gas valves. This leads to the costly waste of natural gas or depletion or emptying of the gas source, thereby preventing further use and enjoyment of the grill by others. Also, these users may be less inclined to take proper care of the barbecue grill, either because they are not familiar with its correct use or because they do not assume responsibility for the repair of the barbecue grill, should something happen to it. The control knobs for the burner valves are especially susceptible to loss or breakage due to their high visibility on the grill panel, the ease with which they can be loosened or removed, and their frequent usage. Similarly, residential homeowners oftentimes forget to turn “off” the barbeque grill after use posing a substantial burn or fire danger to themselves and others.
Therefore, a need exists for a barbecue grill that can automatically shut off the delivery of gas to the burner valve(s) after a specified duration of time, that reduces the likelihood that control knobs will be removed from the grill panel, and that offers clear and highly visible instructions on the barbecue grill as to its proper use and operation.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a barbeque grill gas flow-timer assembly for use with a barbecue gas grill having at least one burner valve and an igniter to heat the grill burner by igniting gas delivered to the burner valve includes a first burner controller disposable onto the first burner valve, a gas flow-timer manifold disposable onto both a gas input line from a gas supply and a gas output line to the first burner valve, and a gas flow-timer on the gas flow-timer manifold to regulate the delivery of gas through the gas flow-timer manifold to the first burner valve for a selected duration of time.
In another embodiment, the gas flow-timer assembly further includes a second burner controller disposable onto a second burner valve of the barbecue grill, the gas output line being further connected to the second burner valve with the gas flow-timer regulating the delivery of gas to the second burner valve for a selected duration of time. In other embodiments of the barbecue grill, it is contemplated that third, fourth, fifth etc. burner controllers are utilized with third, fourth, fifth burner valves connected to a corresponding number of grill burners.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the gas flow-timer includes a gas flow-timer controller.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the first burner controller includes a first set screw insertable through a first set screw opening to lock the first burner control to the first burner valve. In yet a further embodiment, the second burner controller is also secured to to the second burner valve by the insertion of another first set screw through its first set screw opening. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the gas flow-timer controller may include a second set screw insertable through a second set screw opening to lock the gas flow-timer controller to the gas-flow timer.
In another embodiment, the assembly may further include a grill panel proximate the gas flow-timer. The grill panel may be comprised of a material on which is laser-etched an instructional statement about how to use the gas flow-timer grill and/or safely operate the same.
According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the gas flow-timer assembly further includes a first burner controller disposable onto the first burner valve. The first burner controller has a first set screw disposed through a first set screw opening to lock the first burner controller to the first burner valve. In this embodiment, the assembly also includes a second burner controller that is secured to the second burner valve with the first set screw disposed through the first set screw opening. The assembly further includes a gas flow-timer manifold disposable onto both a gas input line from a gas supply and a gas output line to the first burner valve and the second burner valve. In this embodiment, attached to the gas flow-timer manifold is a gas flow-timer having a gas flow-timer controller to regulate the delivery of gas through the gas flow-timer manifold, the first burner valve, and the second burner valve for a selected duration of time. The gas flow-timer controller further has a second set screw disposed through a second set screw opening to lock the gas flow-timer controller to the gas flow timer. Finally, this embodiment also includes a grill panel proximate the gas flow timer. The grill panel has a laser-etched instructional description on how to use the gas flow-timer grill.
These and other features and advantages of the various barbeque grill gas flow-timer assembly embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
Hereinafter, embodiments of a barbeque grill gas flow-timer assembly are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
This description may use the phrases “in an embodiment,” “in embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” or “in other embodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure.
It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting. As it is used in this description, “gas” or “fuel” may include propane, butane, other liquid petroleum gases, or natural gas. As used herein, the term “timer” generally refers to a mechanical, electronic, or digital timer that counts down from a specified duration of time measured in minutes to hours, depending on the time interval reflected on the timer.
As it is used in this description, “set screw” refers to a screw, bolt, or other fastener generally used to secure an object within or against another object by compression forces.
As it is used in this description, “laser-etched” refers to the use of a laser to etch, engrave, or mark an object made of metal, plastic, stone, glass, or natural materials such as wood.
The presently disclosed barbeque grill gas flow-timer assembly is referred to generally in
The barbeque grill gas flow-timer assembly 14 is designed to allow the user to activate the delivery of fuel from the gas supply or gas source 48 through the gas flow-timer manifold 16, the first burner valve 26, and the second burner valve 24 for a selected duration of time. In the embodiment depicted in
The installation and use of the gas flow-timer assembly 14 enables the gas flow-timer to regulate how long gas is allowed to travel from the gas flow-timer manifold 16, through the gas output line 19, and to the first burner valve 26 and the second burner valve 24. Once the specified duration of time set on the gas flow-timer 50 has elapsed, gas is no longer able to pass from the gas flow-timer manifold 16 to the first burner valve 26 and the second burner valve 24. This automatic gas “shut off” after the time set on the gas flow-timer 50 has elapsed prevents the inadvertent emptying of the gas source or continued burning of gas when the barbecue grill 10 is not being used.
As indicated in the embodiment of the barbeque grill gas flow-timer assembly 14 illustrated in
The inclusion of instructions on the grill panel 38 will encourage and assist users to operate the barbeque grill gas flow-timer assembly 14 properly, thereby reducing the likelihood of misuse and damage to the barbecue grill 10. Because the instructions are laser-etched 40 in a highly visible, easily accessible location on the barbecue grill 10, users will be able to readily find the instructions 40 and shall be less likely to misplace them.
In some embodiments, as shown for example in
In another embodiment of the barbeque gas flow-timer assembly 14, as again illustrated in
In another embodiment, as shown for example in
Although embodiments have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings for the purpose of illustration and description, it is to be understood that the disclosed systems and processes are not to be construed as limited thereby. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to the foregoing embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure.
