US 12,267,918 B2
Electric grill with current protection circuitry
Eric Knappenberger, Chicago, IL (US); Julio C. Zuleta, Gilberts, IL (US); Matthew Lerch, Chicago, IL (US); and Jeffery C. Emmerich, Delavan, WI (US)
Assigned to Weber-Stephen Products LLC, Palatine, IL (US)
Filed by Weber-Stephen Products LLC, Palatine, IL (US)
Filed on Feb. 28, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/176,160.
Application 18/176,160 is a continuation of application No. 16/688,354, filed on Nov. 19, 2019, granted, now 11,622,420.
Application 16/688,354 is a continuation of application No. 15/200,687, filed on Jul. 1, 2016, granted, now 10,524,312, issued on Dec. 31, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0209659 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H05B 1/02 (2006.01); A47J 37/06 (2006.01); A47J 37/07 (2006.01); H02H 1/00 (2006.01); H02H 3/08 (2006.01); H02H 3/10 (2006.01); H02H 3/16 (2006.01); H02H 3/32 (2006.01); H02H 3/04 (2006.01)
CPC H05B 1/0266 (2013.01) [A47J 37/0676 (2013.01); A47J 37/07 (2013.01); A47J 37/0709 (2013.01); H02H 1/0007 (2013.01); H02H 3/08 (2013.01); H02H 3/105 (2013.01); H02H 3/167 (2013.01); H02H 3/32 (2013.01); H05B 1/0261 (2013.01); H02H 3/04 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electric grill, comprising:
a heating element connected to a voltage line through a triac, the heating element further connected to a neutral line;
a trip controller in communication with a latch, the latch connected between the heating element and the voltage line;
a current sensor to measure current delivered to the heating element; and
logic circuitry in communication with the trip controller and the current sensor, wherein the logic circuitry is to:
receive a current measurement from the current sensor;
access an expected current associated with a selected operating mode;
select a current threshold based on the expected current associated with the selected operating mode, the current threshold being less than the expected current;
cause the trip controller to disable the latch in response to the current reading from the current sensor being less than the current threshold; and
cause, in response to the disabling of the latch, presentation of an alert to indicate that the latch has been disabled.