Patents by Inventor Daniel A. Altenritter
Daniel A. Altenritter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11690476Abstract: A direct-current (DC) solid-fuel grill comprises a direct-current power source and a direct-current auger motor receiving power from the direct-current power source. The DC solid-fuel grill may also comprise a solid-fuel grill component configured to be driven by the direct-current auger motor. A direct-current controller or processor is in communication with the direct-current auger motor. The direct-current controller or processor is configured to provide at least a first signal to the direct-current auger motor causing the solid-fuel grill component to actuate at a first velocity, and a second signal to the direct-current auger motor causing the solid-fuel grill component to actuate at a second velocity.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2019Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills, LLCInventors: Michael Colston, Daniel W. Sluder, Daniel A. Altenritter
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Publication number: 20210361115Abstract: A direct-current (DC) solid-fuel grill comprises a direct-current power source and a direct-current auger motor receiving power from the direct-current power source. The DC solid-fuel grill may also comprise a solid-fuel grill component configured to be driven by the direct-current auger motor. A direct-current controller or processor is in communication with the direct-current auger motor. The direct-current controller or processor is configured to provide at least a first signal to the direct-current auger motor causing the solid-fuel grill component to actuate at a first velocity, and a second signal to the direct-current auger motor causing the solid-fuel grill component to actuate at a second velocity.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2019Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Michael Colston, Daniel W. Sluder, Daniel A. Altenritter
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Publication number: 20210196078Abstract: A grill device includes a cooking portion assembly including a fire pot assembly, an ash-collection container, a bottom plate extending between the fire pot assembly and the ash-collection container, a drip tray disposed above the fire pot assembly and ash-collection container, a cooking chamber defined above the drip tray, and an expansion chamber defined beneath the drip tray and above the fire pot assembly, the ash-collection container, and the bottom plate, wherein the expansion chamber is configured to facilitate particulate within smoke produced by combustion within the fire pot assembly to fall out of the smoke before the smoke reaches the cooking chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2020Publication date: July 1, 2021Inventors: Michael V. Colston, Brayden Sundstrand, Brandon Martin, Daniel A. Altenritter
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Patent number: 10874252Abstract: A grilling device includes an oven section having an outer wall with opposing side portions and an encircling body portion extending therebetween. The body portion has an access opening and the grilling device includes a lid that selectively covers the access opening by means of a handle attached thereto. The grilling device also includes opposing hinge elements connected to opposite sides of the lid and to the side portions of the outer wall, as opposed to the encircling body portion. In particular, the hinge elements are connected to respective rear areas of the side portions. Accordingly, the path of opening the lid has a different shape or curvature and thereby positions the handle substantially lower than if the hinge elements were connected to the body portion adjacent to the access opening. The opposing side portions have a substantially oval shape and the hinge elements have an elongated configuration.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills LLCInventors: Michael Virgil Colston, Daniel Altenritter, Matthew Czach
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Publication number: 20200214503Abstract: A pellet grill includes a detection system configured to detect at least one pellet level in a hopper of the pellet grill. The detection system can include at least one sensor that is configured to detect at least one condition in the hopper of the pellet grill. The detection system may optionally include a communications module that is configured to notify a user of the at least one pellet level in the hopper of the pellet grill.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2020Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventor: Daniel A. Altenritter
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Patent number: 10568461Abstract: Grill rack systems include at least three grill racks and a mounting assembly for supporting the grill racks. The mounting assembly includes a plurality of grill rack mounting elements that are connectable to an inner surface of a grilling device. A grilling device with grill rack system includes an oven section having an outer wall that partially bounds an internal grilling compartment with an access opening and a lid that selectively covers the access opening. The grilling device also includes a grill rack system having at least three grill racks supported by a mounting assembly inside the internal grilling compartment. Oval-shaped grilling devices have the grill racks mounted therein in a vertically spaced configuration, with the front edge of each grill rack progressively recessed relative to an adjacent lower grill rack. At least one grill rack can have a removable grill rack insert and/or be slidable into the grill.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2016Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills, LLCInventors: Michael Colston, Daniel Altenritter, Matthew Czach
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Patent number: 10455979Abstract: A smoke trap includes a receptacle with a floor opening, a tubular riser surrounding the opening and extending from the floor into a receptacle cavity, and a capping element disposed over an aperture in a riser. The capping element has an upper wall and a side wall partially bounding a body cavity and extending from the upper wall toward the floor. The capping element covers the aperture from above and from the side without fluidly sealing the aperture such that the aperture is in fluid communication with the body cavity and the body cavity is in fluid communication with the receptacle cavity. A portion of the side wall extends past the aperture such that the aperture is disposed within the body cavity. Grease management systems that include the smoke trap have means for transferring grease into the receptacle cavity to inhibit smoke from escaping the receptacle cavity through the opening.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2016Date of Patent: October 29, 2019Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills, LLCInventors: Michael Colston, Daniel Altenritter
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Patent number: 10427116Abstract: A stirring wand is configured for selective engagement with a mixing device. The stirring wand comprises a substantially vertical portion having an upper end and a lower end, a first tapered surface that includes a first pitch angle proximate the upper end of the substantially vertical portion and a second pitch angle proximate the lower end of the substantially vertical portion, a substantially horizontal portion having a base and a distal tip, and a second tapered surface extending from the base to the distal tip. The second tapered surface includes a third pitch angle proximate the base and a fourth pitch angle proximate the tip.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2017Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Daniel A. Altenritter, Michael P. Conti, Christopher A. Gregory, Bryce K. Porter
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Publication number: 20190150663Abstract: A grilling device includes an oven section having an outer wall with opposing side portions and an encircling body portion extending therebetween. The body portion has an access opening and the grilling device includes a lid that selectively covers the access opening by means of a handle attached thereto. The grilling device also includes opposing hinge elements connected to opposite sides of the lid and to the side portions of the outer wall, as opposed to the encircling body portion. In particular, the hinge elements are connected to respective rear areas of the side portions. Accordingly, the path of opening the lid has a different shape or curvature and thereby positions the handle substantially lower than if the hinge elements were connected to the body portion adjacent to the access opening. The opposing side portions have a substantially oval shape and the hinge elements have an elongated configuration.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2019Publication date: May 23, 2019Inventors: Michael Virgil Colston, Daniel Altenritter, Matthew Czach
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Patent number: 10238235Abstract: A grilling device includes a housing includes a fixed lower heating plate and a rotatable swing arm disposed at a primary pivot positioned proximate a rear end of the housing. An operable upper heating plate is coupled to the swing arm such that an intermediate portion of the swing arm rotationally engages a central portion of the upper heating plate at a secondary pivot to define an adjacent face-up position, a stacked face-up position and a face-down position. A leveling mechanism maintains the upper heating plate in parallel with the lower heating plate as the swing arm operates about at least a portion of the primary pivot.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2015Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Daniel A. Altenritter, Christopher L. Carpenter, Steven C. Drees, Yen-Hsi Lin
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Patent number: 10105007Abstract: A grilling device includes an oven section and a warming cabinet in thermal communication with the oven section. The oven section is directly heated by a heating mechanism, but the warming cabinet is heated indirectly by heat transferred from the oven section. The warming cabinet is disposed below the oven section such that heat from the oven section is transferred passively via conduction and radiation into the warming cabinet and is transferred actively via forced air convection as an air moving element forces air past an optional heat sink and/or other heating component(s) and into the warming cabinet. The air moving element also provides air to ignite and maintain a burning fuel source of the heating mechanism. The grill can include a utility shelf disposed below the warming cabinet, the space between the utility shelf and the bottom of the warming cabinet defining a utility space.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2015Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills, LLCInventors: Michael Colston, Daniel Altenritter, Matthew Czach
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Patent number: 10098505Abstract: A damper mechanism for a stand mixer includes a swing body coupled to a pivot pin and operable along an actuation path between first and second positions. A piston damper is configured to provide a damping effect to a downward movement of a mixer head and is coupled to the swing body. The piston damper includes a damper housing and a piston rod, wherein the piston rod is operable between extended and compressed positions relative to the damper housing. The piston damper provides a damping effect along a portion of the actuation path of the swing body as a mixer head moves towards the closed position relative to a pedestal of the stand mixer.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2015Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Erica L. Roberts, Mark J. Sherman, Daniel A. Altenritter, Steve C. Drees, Stuart W. Athey, Everett S. Kettle, Arren J. McCormick
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Publication number: 20180001283Abstract: A stirring wand is configured for selective engagement with a mixing device. The stirring wand comprises a substantially vertical portion having an upper end and a lower end, a first tapered surface that includes a first pitch angle proximate the upper end of the substantially vertical portion and a second pitch angle proximate the lower end of the substantially vertical portion, a substantially horizontal portion having a base and a distal tip, and a second tapered surface extending from the base to the distal tip. The second tapered surface includes a third pitch angle proximate the base and a fourth pitch angle proximate the tip.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2017Publication date: January 4, 2018Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Daniel A. Altenritter, Michael P. Conti, Christopher A. Gregory, Bryce K. Porter
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Publication number: 20170181573Abstract: A grilling device includes a housing including a fixed lower heating plate and a rotatable swing arm disposed at a primary pivot positioned proximate a rear end of the housing. An operable upper heating plate is coupled to the swing arm such that an intermediate portion of the swing arm rotationally engages a central portion of the operable upper heating plate at a secondary pivot to define an adjacent face-up position, a stacked face-up position and a face-down position. An accessory heating plate is selectively secured proximate the operable upper heating plate, and maintained parallel with the operable upper heating plate. A leveling mechanism maintains the upper and accessory heating plates in parallel with the lower heating plate as the swing arm operates about at least a portion of the primary pivot.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2015Publication date: June 29, 2017Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Daniel A. Altenritter, Christopher L. Carpenter, Steven C. Drees, Yen-Hsi Lin
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Publication number: 20170181574Abstract: A grilling device includes a housing includes a fixed lower heating plate and a rotatable swing arm disposed at a primary pivot positioned proximate a rear end of the housing. An operable upper heating plate is coupled to the swing arm such that an intermediate portion of the swing arm rotationally engages a central portion of the upper heating plate at a secondary pivot to define an adjacent face-up position, a stacked face-up position and a face-down position. A leveling mechanism maintains the upper heating plate in parallel with the lower heating plate as the swing arm operates about at least a portion of the primary pivot.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2015Publication date: June 29, 2017Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATIONInventors: Daniel A. Altenritter, Christopher L. Carpenter, Steven C. Drees, Yen-Hsi Lin
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Patent number: 9687103Abstract: A cooking appliance kit includes a housing having a plurality of walls defining a heating cavity. A cooking vessel is configured to be inserted into the heating cavity. The cooking vessel includes a first rounded end, a second rounded end, and an intermediate necked portion that defines first and second wells that at least partially intersect. First and second distinct heater plates are disposed in the first and second wells, respectively. First and second drive arms are removable coupled to the housing in an operable communication with the drive system. The first drive arm includes a flipping wand and the second drive arm includes a stirring wand.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2013Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Whirlpool CorporationInventors: Michael P. Conti, Christopher A. Gregory, Bryce K. Porter, Daniel A. Altenritter, Mark J. Sherman
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Patent number: D827371Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills, LLCInventors: Michael Colston, Daniel Altenritter, Matthew Czach
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Patent number: D839047Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills, LLCInventors: Michael Colston, Daniel Altenritter, Matthew Czach
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Patent number: D853786Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2015Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Traeger Pellet Grills, LLCInventors: Michael Colston, Daniel Altenritter, Matthew Czach
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Patent number: D903090Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: RAEGER PELLET GRILLS, LLCInventors: Michael Colston, Daniel Altenritter