Patents Assigned to Align Machine Works, LLC
  • Publication number: 20240302054
    Abstract: An outdoor cooking oven comprises a reconfigurable heat deflector system and independently-controllable air vents that enable the cooking oven to be configured for various cooking methods, such as low and slow cooking or grilling. At least first and second shelves are mounted within a cooking chamber with the second shelf positioned beneath the first shelf. A heat deflector system disposed on the second shelf comprises at least first and second heat deflector elements that are removable from the cooking chamber to enable a user to reconfigure the heat deflector system to vary indirect heating of food items disposed on the first shelf. At least first and second air vents disposed in a bottom side of the exterior encasement beneath the cooking chamber are independently controllable to allow at least first and second airflows from the vents to be independent varied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Applicant: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Kyle Aasness
  • Publication number: 20230276988
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a system for conversion of a kamado cooker to a griddle comprises a support rack and a griddle component. The support rack is configured to seat within a lower bowl portion of the kamado cooker and define a plurality of vertical post structures. The griddle component defines a sloped cooking surface and comprises a rim aspect at least partially surrounding the sloped cooking surface and a drain slot. The griddle component is configured to be received by the plurality of vertical post structures of the support rack. When in use, grease on the sloped cooking surface is directed to the drain slot which discards the grease into combusting fuel (such as charcoal) beneath the griddle component, thereby mitigating or preventing grease fires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Applicant: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Kyle Aasness
  • Patent number: 11744402
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device are disclosed. Certain embodiments detachably mount within a kamado-styled cooker such that the lid of the cooker rests at an angle on the top of the device and thereby “closes off” and defines a cooking space within the interior that takes advantage of the pizza oven-like features of a kamado cooker. With an embodiment of the solution installed in a kamado cooker, an open doorway or window is defined for allowing a user to insert a pizza into the cooking space and place the pizza on a pizza stone held by the device. Embodiments allow for cooking to occur simultaneously via conductive, convective and radiant thermal energy transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, David Matthew Williams Hemming
  • Patent number: 11707158
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device are disclosed. Certain embodiments detachably mount within a kamado-styled cooker such that the lid of the cooker rests at an angle on the top of the device and thereby “closes off” and defines a cooking space within the interior that takes advantage of the pizza oven-like features of a kamado cooker. With an embodiment of the solution installed in a kamado cooker, an open doorway or window is defined for allowing a user to insert a pizza into the cooking space and place the pizza on a pizza stone held by the device. Embodiments allow for cooking to occur simultaneously via conductive, convective and radiant thermal energy transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, David Matthew Williams Hemming
  • Publication number: 20230017011
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device are disclosed. Certain embodiments detachably mount within a kamado-styled cooker such that the lid of the cooker rests at an angle on the top of the device and thereby “closes off” and defines a cooking space within the interior that takes advantage of the pizza oven-like features of a kamado cooker. With an embodiment of the solution installed in a kamado cooker, an open doorway or window is defined for allowing a user to insert a pizza into the cooking space and place the pizza on a pizza stone held by the device. Embodiments allow for cooking to occur simultaneously via conductive, convective and radiant thermal energy transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, David Matthew Williams Hemming
  • Patent number: 11510524
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a kamado-style cooker configured for use with pelletized fuel are disclosed. Certain embodiments include a cooking space above a firebox space. Various novel aspects of the cooker provide for thermal energy management within the firebox space such that temperature sensitive components of a wood pellet storage, delivery and combustion subsystem (e.g., electronic controllers, motors, pellet hopper and auger) may be housed within the firebox space, I.e., housed internal to the ovoid structural envelope of the cooker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, Kyle Aasness
  • Publication number: 20210315418
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a system and method for improving rotisserie grilling applications are disclosed. The system may include a support frame comprising at least one central shaft, a first side shaft, and a second side shaft. The system may also include a basket coupled to the two side shafts. The basket may comprise a locking device that couples to the first side shaft and a side shaft engagement mechanism that couples to the second side shaft. The basket may define a volume for receiving foodstuff. The side shaft engagement mechanism may comprise a clamp, such as clamp having a substantially c-shaped geometry. The support frame may further comprise a side shaft mounting unit that receives the one central shaft within a central portion of its geometry. The side shaft mounting unit may further comprise cylindrical shaped couplers for holding two side shafts relative to the central shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, Kyle Aasness
  • Publication number: 20210259467
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device are disclosed. Certain embodiments detachably mount within a kamado-styled cooker such that the lid of the cooker rests at an angle on the top of the device and thereby “closes off” and defines a cooking space within the interior that takes advantage of the pizza oven-like features of a kamado cooker. With an embodiment of the solution installed in a kamado cooker, an open doorway or window is defined for allowing a user to insert a pizza into the cooking space and place the pizza on a pizza stone held by the device. Embodiments allow for cooking to occur simultaneously via conductive, convective and radiant thermal energy transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, David Matthew Williams Hemming
  • Publication number: 20210052107
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a kamado-style cooker configured for use with pelletized fuel are disclosed. Certain embodiments include a cooking space above a firebox space. Various novel aspects of the cooker provide for thermal energy management within the firebox space such that temperature sensitive components of a wood pellet storage, delivery and combustion subsystem (e.g., electronic controllers, motors, pellet hopper and auger) may be housed within the firebox space, I.e., housed internal to the ovoid structural envelope of the cooker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, Kyle Aasness
  • Publication number: 20200348027
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a pelletized fuel delivery and combustion system are disclosed. Certain embodiments are configured to be detachably mounted to the exterior of a kettle-styled grill such as, but not limited to, a Weber® charcoal grill. When mounted to the kettle-styled grill, a firebox is external to the kettle and delivers thermal energy and smoke to the interior of the kettle by, and through, at least one damper port in the kettle. In this way, embodiments of the solution do not require significant, if any, modification to the kettle-styled grill in order for the kettle-styled grill to use a pelletized fuel source. Embodiments may also include temperature loop control and/or a thermal energy and smoke distribution plate configured to be set within the kettle of the grill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, Kyle Aasness, Brandon Wells
  • Publication number: 20200245811
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a kamado-style cooker pizza oven conversion device are disclosed. Certain embodiments detachably mount within a kamado-styled cooker such that the lid of the cooker rests at an angle on the top of the device and thereby “closes off” and defines a cooking space within the interior that takes advantage of the pizza oven-like features of a kamado cooker. With an embodiment of the solution installed in a kamado cooker, an open doorway or window is defined for allowing a user to insert a pizza into the cooking space and place the pizza on a pizza stone held by the device. Embodiments allow for cooking to occur simultaneously via conductive, convective and radiant thermal energy transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, David Matthew Williams Hemming
  • Publication number: 20200080725
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a pelletized fuel delivery and combustion system are disclosed. Certain embodiments are configured to be detachably mounted to the exterior of a kettle-styled grill such as, but not limited to, a Weber® charcoal grill. When mounted to the kettle-styled grill, a firebox is external to the kettle and delivers thermal energy and smoke to the interior of the kettle by, and through, at least one damper port in the kettle. In this way, embodiments of the solution do not require significant, if any, modification to the kettle-styled grill in order for the kettle-styled grill to use a pelletized fuel source. Embodiments may also include temperature loop control and/or a thermal energy and smoke distribution plate configured to be set within the kettle of the grill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, Kyle Aasness, Brandon Wells
  • Patent number: D893256
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, David Matthew Williams Hemming
  • Patent number: D983602
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Jeffrey Broadrick, David Matthew Williams Hemming
  • Patent number: D997631
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Kyle Aasness
  • Patent number: D997643
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Align Machine Works, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Pruitt, Kyle Aasness