Method and apparatus for venting a cooking apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for venting a cooking apparatus. A cooking apparatus may have one or more vents and/or vent openings. The cooking apparatus may include one or more actuators for venting. The cooking apparatus may include a lid. The lid may include one or more vents and/or vent openings. The one or more vents and/or lid may be positionable between a closed position and an open position.

1 . An appliance having a cooking cavity comprising:
 a housing having the cooking cavity and defining an opening into the cooking cavity;   a lid hingedly attached adjacent the opening into the cooking cavity of the housing, and wherein the lid is positionable between a closed position and an open position relative to the opening into the cooking cavity, and wherein the lid defines at least one vent opening;   wherein the lid includes one or more vents and one or more handles;   wherein the one or more vents are moveable between a closed position closing the at least one vent opening to define a portion of the cooking cavity and an open position different from the closed position; and   wherein the one or more handles actuate the one or more vents between the closed position and the open position.   
     
     
         2 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the one or more handles actuate the one or more vents when the lid is in the closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the one or more handles is in a first position when the one or more vents are in the closed position and a second position when the one or more vents are in the open position. 
     
     
         4 . The appliance of  claim 3  wherein in the first position the at least a portion of the one or more handles is proximate to the lid and wherein in the second position the at least a portion of the one or more handles is distal away from the lid. 
     
     
         5 . The appliance of  claim 3  wherein in the first position the at least a portion of the one or more handles is distal away from the lid and wherein in the second position the at least a portion of the one or more handles is proximate to the lid. 
     
     
         6 . The appliance of  claim 3  wherein the at least one portion of the one or more handles linearly translates between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the one or more vents is adjacent a rear wall of the lid and the one or more handles is adjacent a front wall of the lid. 
     
     
         8 . The appliance of  claim 1  further comprising an articulating assembly between the one or more vents and the one or more handles. 
     
     
         9 . The appliance of  claim 8  wherein the articulating assembly includes one or more linkage members between the one or more vents and the one or more handles. 
     
     
         10 . A lid hingedly attached to an appliance and positionable between a closed position and an open position, the lid comprising:
 one or more vents positionable between a closed position closing one or more vent openings defined by at least a portion of the lid and an open position opening the one or more vent openings defined by at least the portion the lid; and   one or more handles connected to the lid, wherein the one or more handles actuate the one or more vents between the closed position and the open position.   
     
     
         11 . The lid of  claim 10  further comprising an articulating assembly between the one or more vents and the one or more handles. 
     
     
         12 . The lid of  claim 11  wherein the articulating assembly includes one or more linkage members between the one or more vents and the one or more handles. 
     
     
         13 . The lid of  claim 10  wherein the one or more vents pivot about a hinge relative to the lid. 
     
     
         14 . The lid of  claim 10  wherein the one or more vents are positioned on a top wall of lid and the one or more handles are positioned on a front wall of the lid. 
     
     
         15 . The lid of  claim 10  wherein the one or more handles actuate the one or more vents between the closed position and the open position by at least one of pushing and/or pulling the one or more handles relative to the lid. 
     
     
         16 . The lid of  claim 10  in combination with an outdoor appliance. 
     
     
         17 . The lid of  claim 10  is positionable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the one or more vents are actuated when the lid is in at least one of the open position and/or the closed position. 
     
     
         18 . A method of articulating one or more vents of a cooking appliance comprising the steps of:
 providing a housing having a cooking cavity defining an opening into the cooking cavity and a lid hingedly attached adjacent the opening into the cooking cavity of the housing, and wherein the lid is positionable between a closed position and an open position relative to the opening into the cooking cavity, and wherein the lid includes one or more vents positionable between a closed position closing at least one vent opening and an open position different from the closed position; and   actuating one or more handles of the lid to position the one or more vents between the closed position and the open position when the lid is in at least the closed position.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising pivoting the one or more vents relative to the lid between the closed position and the open position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising venting the cooking cavity before opening the lid to the open position. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein actuating the one or more handles includes pushing at least a portion of the one or more handles relative to the lid. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein actuating the one or more handles includes pulling at least a portion of the one or more handles relative to the lid. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18  wherein actuating the one or more handles deploys the one or more vents away from the at least one vent opening to the open position. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein actuating the handle includes the step of sliding the handle relative to the lid.