Method and apparatus for providing a portable preassembled grill

• US 6,439,221 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meco Corporation (Unaka Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meco Corporation (Unaka Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Ward, Eric A., Fox, Jeffery G., Smelcer, Claude N., Buono, Steven A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cocks, Josiah C.
• Application Number:
  US09/671,093
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 126/25.R, 126/41.R, 126/9.R, 126/9.B, 126/38, 126/59, 126/153, 126/276, 126/25.A, 993/39, 993/40, 994/49
• US Class Current: 126/25.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 2037/0777 with foldable construction for storage or transport purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0704 with horizontal fire box

Abstract

The present invention is drawn to a method and apparatus for providing a portable and 100% preassembled grill. More particularly, the invention is drawn to providing a grill having two pairs of pivoting legs that collapse to have wheels at one end and handle means at the other for easy shipping and consumer handling, but which assembles without tools. In a collapsed state, all of the support legs extend toward the rear of the grill and, in an erected state, an upper part of one pair of support legs is pivoted to the front of the grill and pivotally connected to the other set of legs at a central part. An upper part of this other set of legs engages a catch at a rear of the grill without tools to form a rigid, raised support base for the grill.

Claims

1. A method of providing a portable preassembled grill, comprising:

providing a grill body having front and rear portions;

pivotally attaching a first pair of support legs to the front portion of the grill body;

pivotally attaching a second pair of inverted U-shape support legs by pivots to opposing inner sides of a central portion of the first pair of support legs;

providing a loop on an upper part of said second pair of inverted U-shape support legs for engaging; and

providing a catch at a rear portion of said grill body,

wherein, in a collapsed state, the first pair of support legs and second pair of inverted U-shape support legs extend toward the rear of the grill body and, in an erected state, the loop of said second pair of inverted U-shape support legs engages said catch without tools to form a rigid, raised support base for the grill body.

2. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 1, further comprising providing a gate on said catch.

3. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 2, wherein said gate on said catch is gravity actuated.

4. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 2, further comprising providing means to secure said second pair of support legs to said grill body when in a collapsed state.

5. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 4, wherein said means to secure comprises a rotating latch on said grill body that engages a crossbar spanning said second pair of support legs.

6. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 1, further comprising attaching wheels to the lower portion of each of the first pair of support legs and providing a handle to the front of the grill body.

7. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 1, further comprising providing a lid hinged to the grill body.

8. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 7, further comprising providing a lid latch to secure said lid to said grill body.

9. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 1, wherein said loop is additionally used to hang said grill for storage.

10. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 1, further comprising merchandising the grills by hanging them for display.

11. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 1, further comprising inserting the grill into a storage cover for transport or storage.

12. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 1, further comprising transporting the grill from a retail location by rolling the grill on the wheels while in a collapsed condition.

13. The method of providing a portable preassembled grill of claim 6, wherein said handle is additionally used to hang said grill for storage.

14. A method of providing a portable preassembled grill, comprising:

providing a grill body having a front and rear portions;

pivotally attaching a first pair of support legs to the front portion of the grill body;

pivotally attaching a second pair of support legs by pivots to opposing inner sides of a central portion of the first pair of support legs; and

providing a catch at a rear portion of said grill body,

wherein, in a collapsed state, the first and second pair of support legs extend toward the rear of the grill body and, in an erected state, an upper part of said second pair of support legs engages said catch without tools to form a rigid, raised support base for the grill body,

and further comprising providing means to secure said second pair of support legs to said grill body when in a collapsed state, wherein said means to secure comprises a rotating latch on said grill body that engages a crossbar spanning said second pair of support legs.

15. A portable preassembled grill, comprising:

a grill body having a front and rear portions;

a first pair of support legs pivotally attached to the front portion of the grill body;

a second pair of support legs attached by pivots to opposing inner sides of a central portion of the first pair of support legs and dimensioned to nest within said first pair of support legs when collapsed; and

a catch at a rear portion of said grill body,

wherein said second pair of support legs are formed in an inverted U-shape and further comprise a loop on an upper part of said second pair of support legs, and

wherein, in a collapsed state, the nested first and second pair of support legs extend toward the rear of the grill body and, in an erected state, said loop engages said catch without tools to form a rigid, raised support base for the grill body.

16. The portable preassembled grill of claim 15, further comprising a gate on said catch.

17. The portable preassembled grill of claim 16, wherein said gate on said catch pivotally attached to the grill body at one end so as to be gravity actuated.

18. The portable preassembled grill of claim 16, further comprising means to secure said second pair of support legs to said grill body when in a collapsed state.

19. The portable preassembled grill of claim 18, wherein said means to secure comprises a rotating latch on said grill body that engages a crossbar spanning said second pair of support legs.

20. The portable preassembled grill of claim 15, further comprising wheels attached to the lower portion of each of the first pair of support legs and a handle on the front of the grill body.

21. The portable preassembled grill of claim 15, further comprising a lid hinged to the grill body.

22. The portable preassembled grill of claim 21, further comprising a lid latch to secure said lid to said grill body.

23. The portable preassembled grill of claim 15, wherein said loop is configured to hang said grill for storage.

24. The portable preassembled grill of claim 15, further comprising a storage cover for transport or storage.

25. The portable preassembled grill of claim 20, wherein said handle is configured to hang said grill for storage.

26. A portable preassembled grill, comprising:

a grill body having a front and rear portions;

a first pair of support legs pivotally attached to the front portion of the grill body;

a second pair of support legs attached by pivots to opposing inner sides of a central portion of the first pair of support legs and dimensioned to nest within said first pair of support legs when collapsed;

a catch at a rear portion of said grill body; and

a rotating latch on said grill body that engages a crossbar spanning said second pair of support legs to secure said second pair of support legs to said grill body when in a collapsed state,

wherein, in a collapsed state, the nested first and second pair of support legs extend toward the rear of the grill body and, in an erected state, an upper part of said second pair of support legs engages said catch without tools to form a rigid, raised support base for the grill body.

27. A method of providing a portable preassembled grill, comprising:

providing a grill body having a front and rear portions;

pivotally attaching a first pair of support legs to the front portion of the grill body;

pivotally attaching a second pair of support legs by pivots to opposing inner sides of a central portion of the first pair of support legs;

providing a catch at a rear portion of said grill body;

attaching wheels to the lower portion of each of the first pair of support legs; and

providing a handle to the front of the grill body,

wherein, in a collapsed state, the first and second pair of support legs extend toward the rear of the grill body and, in an erected state, an upper part of said second pair of support legs engages said catch without tools to form a rigid, raised support base for the grill body, and

wherein said second pair of support legs extend beyond the wheels when in a collapsed state so as to allow the grill to be stored upright on said second pair of support legs, yet roll when tilted.

28. A portable preassembled grill, comprising:

a grill body having a front and rear portions;

a first pair of support legs pivotally attached to the front portion of the grill body;

a second pair of support legs attached by pivots to opposing inner sides of a central portion of the first pair of support legs and dimensioned to nest within said first pair of support legs when collapsed;

a catch at a rear portion of said grill body;

wheels attached to the lower portion of each of the first pair of support legs; and

a handle on the front of the grill body

wherein, in a collapsed state, the nested first and second pair of support legs extend toward the rear of the grill body and, in an erected state, an upper part of said second pair of support legs engages said catch without tools to form a rigid, raised support base for the grill body, and

wherein said second pair of support legs are dimensioned so as to extend beyond the wheels when in a collapsed state so as to allow the grill to be stored upright on said second pair of support legs, yet roll when tilted.