CA2638177A1 - Charcoal / air bbq combustion chamber assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A new concept charcoal BBQ Assembly delivering a degree of heat control not before achieved. Open fire cooking. No need to close the lid to speed up the heating process or hold in heat. Simply rotate temp dial higher or lower.

No more problems with flare ups, fires or smoke caused by meat fats dripping on to hot coals. Simply turn on the Flare up suppression system to substantially eliminate recognised health risks resulting from carbonised / burnt meats;
which are known to produce carcinogens.

No more messy Ash Removal / Disposal problems. Advanced design of combustion chamber assembly automatically continuously removes ash from burner transferring it into storage container. Simply open port in container base and dump cold ash into any disposable container.

Unrivalled convenience; includes true grilling, smoking and convection modes.

Claims (29)

1. A Combustion Chamber assembly comprising a generally funnel shaped combustion space for holding a charge of solid fuel within the combustion space, the wall of which is perforated. These perforations allowing a controlled flow of air from a primary air delivery system into the combustion space having an ash exit at the bottom.

2. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 1 further comprising an ash collection unit centered on the ash exit and fitted to the base of the combustion assembly.

3. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 1, said assembly being operable during the combustion process to substantially preclude the intrusion of ambient air into the combustion space.

4. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 1, having the Combustion Chamber being received into an outer casing. The perforated combustion space wall and outer casing defining there between an air plenum. The air delivery system including an entry port into the plenum, external ducting, and a controllable variable speed blower supplying combustion air through the port into the plenum.

5. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 1, control over the combustion process being virtually fully dependent upon primary combustion air being supplied into the combustion space by an air delivery system from an external controllable variable speed blower.

6. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 2, having a combustion space wall sufficiently angled so that the combination of wall angle, gravity, and agitation of the fuel by the combustion air flowing into the combustion space through he wall perforations, result in the steady migration of ash downward into the ash collection unit.

7. The combustion assembly of claim 2, further comprising a fire grate in the lower part of the combustion space, separating the combustion space from the ash container.

8. The combustion assembly of claim 2, further including, in this embodiment (i.e.
without gas ignition), an Ash Storage Container centered on the ash exit and directly attached to the combustion assembly plenum base.

9. The combustion assembly of claim 1, further comprising a lateral air diffuser supplied with secondary air by a controllable variable speed blower through a duct system. This air diffuser is operable to project a lateral air sheet across the heating surface below the cooking zone.

10. The Combustion Chamber assembly as in claim 8, the Ash Storage Container enabling the entry of the secondary air supply duct into the assembly while substantially precluding ambient air when the ash container's exit port is sealed and the Combustion Chamber is operable.

11. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 9, in which the horizontal air diffuser is located on the assembly vertical axis above the heating surface, with said diffuser having a peripheral slot(s) to radially direct a generally horizontal air sheet across the heating surface.

12. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 1, in which the inner combustion space is designed to facilitate the rapid spread of combustion throughout the fuel charge, thereafter the burn rate (temp.) of the fuel being determined by the primary air flow rate into the combustion space.

13. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 9, further comprising primary and secondary air delivery systems, each having an independent air source comprised of a controllable variable speed electric air blower and all necessary ducting connections.

14. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 9, alternatively comprising primary and secondary airflow delivery systems having one of a common air source and having respective individual airflow rate controllers.

15. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 9, alternatively comprising primary and secondary airflow delivery systems having one of a fully controllable variable speed blower source and having one "Y" type proportional airflow valve in which there is one inlet ant two outlets, each one being directly proportionately controlled (i.e. 20% through one equals 80% through the other).

16. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 9, alternatively comprising primary and secondary air flows where the two airflow systems share a common source controllable variable speed blower.

17. The Combustion Chamber assembly of claim 1 mounted in a BBQ cabinet and further including cooking grill(s) mounted in the cabinet above the heating surface and at least partially covering the combustion space.

18. A Combustion Chamber assembly specifically designed to preclude the intrusion of ambient air, comprising a combustion space to hold a charge of solid fuel and having a controllable variable speed combustion air delivery system into said space.
When operable the heat radiated from the top open heating surface producing vertical convection currents thereby significantly inhibiting from the affecting the combustion process.

19. The Combustion Chamber assembly as in claim 18, where the base of the combustion space is open to allow ash through the ash exit into the Ash Storage Container, which when in storage mode (i.e. closed), prevents the intrusion of ambient air into the combustion space.

20. In a BBQ having a Combustion Chamber assembly, a combustion space, and a cooking zone, a diffuser unit includes an airflow delivery system to the diffuser head.
The diffuser head operable to direct the air flow as a horizontal air sheet above the heating surface and below the cooking zone.

21. The Combustion Chamber assembly as in claim 18, including the secondary air diffuser supply port being an integral part of the ash collection / storage unit which is designed to preclude the intrusion of ambient air into the combustion space.

22. In a BBQ as in claim 20, where the combustion assembly is symmetrical in form, with the diffuser head slot so configured and the head so located as to enable a lateral air sheet to be projected substantially over the total heating surface area between the heating surface and the cooking zone.

23. The BBQ having a combustion assembly as in claim 20, the diffuser head operable to project a radially directed lateral air sheet from the center of the heating surface.

24. The BBQ as in claim 20, the diffuser head having a peripheral aperture(s) designed to project a continuous air sheet substantially across the heating surface.

25. The BBQ as in claim 20, this includes a controllable variable speed air flow delivery system supplying the diffuser. The airflow operable at moderate velocity producing a lateral air sheet from the diffuser head that intercepts and blow to the BBQ outer perimeter smoke and flare ups caused by fats dripping on to the heating surface.

26. The BBQ as in claim 25, where the diffuser system is supplied with air at low velocities effectively acts to redistribute heat from the central area of the combustion space, which is generally the hottest, to the perimeter of the combustion space. This redistribution results in the heat being radiated more evenly across the overall heating surface which conducive to consistent cooking results.

27. The BBQ as in claim 25, the secondary airflow delivery system including an air blower and air ducts extending from said blower to which the air diffuser is finally connected.

28. In a BBQ having a Combustion Chamber assembly comprising a combustion space for holding a charge of solid fuel, and having a an ash exit in the lower part of the combustion space, and with a combustion airflow delivery system operable to supply a controlled flow of air through perforations into the combustion space to stimulate the emigration of ash towards the ash exit.

29. The Combustion Chamber assembly as in claim 2, the precipitation of ash following stimulation them being under the influence of gravity and migrating downwards to the ash exit.