Patents by Inventor William Alexander Mecker

William Alexander Mecker 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).

  • Publication number: 20230255401
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for presenting location-based food movement notifications in connection with cook programs of grills are disclosed. An example grill includes a cookbox, a lid, a cooking chamber, a controller, and a lighting module. The cooking chamber is defined by the cookbox and the lid. The controller implements a cook program to cook an item of food within the cooking chamber. The cook program includes a food movement step requiring the item of food to be added to the cooking chamber, to be removed from the cooking chamber, or to be moved within the cooking chamber. In response to determining that the cook program has advanced to the food movement step, the controller causes the lighting module to present a location-based food movement notification indicating a location within the cooking chamber at which the food movement step is to be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin James Glennon, William Alexander Mecker
  • Publication number: 20230165405
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for presenting safety-based temperature status notifications for grills are disclosed. An example grill includes a controller to determine whether a condition indicative of a safety-based temperature status of the grill is satisfied. In response to determining that the condition is satisfied, the controller is to instruct a lighting module or a user interface of the grill to present a notification indicating the safety-based temperature status.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin James Glennon, William Alexander Mecker
  • Publication number: 20230092837
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for automatically advancing steps of cook programs for grills based on detected lid position data are disclosed. An example grill includes a cookbox, a lid, a cooking chamber, and a controller. The lid is movable relative to the cookbox between a closed position and an open position. The cooking chamber is defined by the cookbox and the lid, and is accessible to a user of the grill when the lid is in the open position. The controller is to implement a cook program to cook an item of food within the cooking chamber. The cook program includes a plurality of ordered steps, which include a lid-opening step requiring the lid to be moved from the closed position to the open position. In response to determining, based on lid position data, that the lid-opening step has been performed, the controller is to automatically advance the plurality of ordered steps from the lid-opening step to a next step of the plurality of ordered steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin James Glennon, William Alexander Mecker, Mallory Evans
  • Publication number: 20230078302
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for automating startup processes of gas grills are disclosed. An example grill includes a first burner, a second burner, a first burner valve operatively positioned between the first burner and a manifold of the grill, a second burner valve operatively positioned between the second burner and the manifold, a first ignitor operatively positioned relative to the first burner, and a second ignitor operatively positioned relative to the second burner. The example grill further includes a controller operatively coupled to the first burner valve, the second burner valve, the first ignitor, and the second ignitor. In response to determining that a user-based startup request has been received at the grill, the controller is to instruct the first burner valve and the second burner valve to open, and instruct the first ignitor and the second ignitor to ignite corresponding ones of the first burner and the second burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin James Glennon, William Alexander Mecker
  • Publication number: 20230079421
    Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for automating shutdown processes of gas grills are disclosed. An example grill includes a first burner, a second burner, a first burner valve operatively positioned between the first burner and a manifold of the grill, and a second burner valve operatively positioned between the second burner and the manifold. The example grill further includes a controller operatively coupled to the first burner valve and the second burner valve. In response to determining that a shutdown request has been received at the grill, the controller is to instruct the first burner valve and the second burner valve to close.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Kevin James Glennon, William Alexander Mecker
  • Publication number: 20220167793
    Abstract: Example inset frames configured to interchangeably support cooking accessories of various shapes and sizes within a cookbox of a grill are described. An example inset frame is configured to be positioned within a cookbox of a grill. The inset frame comprises a support lattice configured to interchangeably support a rectangular cooking accessory and a circular cooking accessory within the cookbox of the grill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Brian C. Donnelly, Shannon Ella Cerny, Christian Hyde, Cassandra A.S. McVey, William Alexander Mecker, Michelle Stohl
  • Patent number: D914430
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: William Alexander Mecker, Qian Hamel
  • Patent number: D953110
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: William Alexander Mecker, Jonas Lagerstedt, Mathias Schmidt, Nicholas Beyrer, Stephen Krotseng, Angela M. Schilt
  • Patent number: D959904
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: Derek Bennion, Shannon Ella Cerny, William Alexander Mecker, Romualdo Sonny Siazon, Brian C. Donnelly
  • Patent number: D959905
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: Derek Bennion, Shannon Ella Cerny, William Alexander Mecker, Romualdo Sonny Siazon, Brian C. Donnelly
  • Patent number: D971674
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: William Alexander Mecker, Qian Hamel
  • Patent number: D972888
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: WEBER-STEPHEN PRODUCTS LLC
    Inventors: Derek Bennion, Shannon Ella Cerny, William Alexander Mecker, Romualdo Sonny Siazon, Brian C. Donnelly
  • Patent number: D996134
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Derek Bennion, Shannon Ella Cerny, William Alexander Mecker, Romualdo Sonny Siazon, Brian C. Donnelly
  • Patent number: D1009547
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Zoe Noelle Gomer, William Alexander Mecker, Qian Hamel, Henry Michael Hillstrom
  • Patent number: D1010386
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Zoe Noelle Gomer, William Alexander Mecker, Qian Hamel, Henry Michael Hillstrom
  • Patent number: D1013439
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Derek Bennion, William Alexander Mecker, Douglas W. Masek, James Keclik
  • Patent number: D1013441
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Zoe Noelle Gomer, William Alexander Mecker, Qian Hamel, Henry Michael Hillstrom
  • Patent number: D1014170
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Zoe Noelle Gomer, William Alexander Mecker, Qian Hamel, Sean Alan Yakes
  • Patent number: D1014171
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC
    Inventors: Zoe Noelle Gomer, William Alexander Mecker, Qian Hamel, Henry Michael Hillstrom