Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates to a support for a fuel tank, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a moveable support for a fuel tank used in connection with a barbecue grill and/or other cooking accessories.
Over the past few decades, the popularity of gas barbecue grills and outdoor cooking devices has increased tremendously. Such barbecue grills may be connected to a cart assembly and thus moveable between various locations, or the barbecue grills may be incorporated into or connected to a fixed structure, such as a built-in island. Additionally, the barbecue grill may receive its fuel for cooking from a fuel tank, often holding liquid propane, and/or from a direct line, typically carrying natural gas which is conveyed through piping. When a fuel tank is utilized a tank support is usually incorporated into the cart assembly or fixed structure.
Manufacturers of cart assemblies and other fixed structures have introduced a number of support devices for the barbecue grill fuel tank. Conventional support devices, however, suffer from a number of problems and limitations. Most conventional support devices are affixed to a portion of the frame assembly of the barbecue grill or the cooking device, typically a vertical frame member. In this manner, the support device and the fuel tank are exposed to potentially harsh outdoor elements. Also, the frame members must be specifically designed or reinforced to withstand the increased loads presented by the support device and the fuel tank. Additionally, because most frame assemblies are formed from a plurality of frame members, access to a spent fuel tank is compromised when the support device is affixed to the frame assembly.
A number of larger gas barbecue grills have a frame assembly which includes a cabinet or a storage cavity, and the fuel tank is placed therein. In this manner, the fuel tank remains unsecured and susceptible to unexpected movement. Alternatively, a conventional support device is permanently affixed to an internal frame member of the cabinet. In either case, the structure of the cabinet impairs the access to and replacement of a spent fuel tank.
Therefore, there is a definite need for a support device for a fuel tank that is movable between a first position wherein the fuel tank is protected and stored for use, and a second position, wherein the fuel tank is accessible. In addition, there is a need for a support device that provides for generally unobstructed removal and replacement of a spent fuel tank.
The present invention is provided to solve these and other problems.
The present invention relates to a fuel tank enclosure and support apparatus for a fuel tank used in connection with a gas barbecue grill assembly or other gas outdoor cooking device. The support apparatus generally comprises a housing member and a support member for the fuel tank.
According to one embodiment, the support member is a door assembly. The door assembly has a first wall and a second wall adjacent and transverse to the first wall. The second wall of the door assembly is adapted to support the fuel tank. In one embodiment the first and second walls are in intersecting vertical planes.
According to another embodiment, a gusset joins a portion of the first wall and the second wall to provide additional rigidity to the door assembly. The gusset may extend from adjacent one end of the first wall and join the second wall adjacent one end of the second wall.
According to another embodiment, the door assembly is moveable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the door assembly and the fuel tank are positioned generally within the housing member of the enclosure. In the second position, a portion of the door assembly is positioned generally beyond a portion of the housing and the frame assembly. Further, in the second position the fuel tank is positioned generally beyond the housing and the frame assembly. Thus, when the door is in the first position the fuel tank is stored for use, and when the door is in the second position the fuel tank is accessible, meaning that a user can detach and/or remove an empty fuel tank from the door assembly.
According to another embodiment, a tank scale is provided. The fuel tank is supported by the fuel tank scale.
According to another embodiment, the tank enclosure has a first vent aperture and a second vent aperture. The first vent aperture is adjacent a top of the fuel tank enclosure, and the second vent aperture is adjacent a bottom of the fuel tank enclosure.
According to another embodiment, the housing member of the fuel tank enclosure assembly has a first wall, a second wall opposing the first wall, a top wall, a bottom wall opposing the top wall, and a rear wall. Further, the housing member has an opening leading to a cavity between the walls of the housing for the fuel tank. Typically, when the door is in the first position the door substantially covers the opening to the cavity of the housing.
According to another embodiment, the housing member has no bottom wall.
According to another embodiment, a shaft member is provided. The door assembly rotates about the shaft member to move from the first position to the second position. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft member resides in a generally vertical axis.
According to another embodiment, the shaft member has an angled portion to provide support for the door. Further, in one embodiment the shaft member has a top end and a bottom end. In this embodiment the shaft member may engage the housing or frame assembly adjacent both the top and bottom ends of the door. In one embodiment, a first end of the shaft extends past an extent of a first end of the door, and a second end of the shaft extends past an extent of a second end of the door. The first and second ends of the shaft extend into the housing assembly of the barbecue grill.
According to another embodiment, a retaining member is provided. The retaining member removably secures the door in the second position. The retaining member is adapted to provide securement to the door such that the position of the door remains generally fixed. In one embodiment, the retaining member is a magnet that removably secures the door to a wall of the housing.
The fuel tank support apparatus of various embodiments provides a number of significant advantages over conventional fuel tank support devices. One such advantage is the ability to rotate the door from a stored position (first position) to an access position (second position) such that a spent fuel tank can be removed and replaced. Another advantage is the ability to rotate the door from the access position to the stored position once the replacement fuel tank is connected to the door. Yet another advantage provided by the door is positioning the fuel tank within the housing in the stored position to preclude exposure to outdoor elements.
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
Referring now in detail to the FIGS., and specifically to
For reference purposes, the barbecue grill assembly 20 shown in
Referring back to the tank enclosure assembly 10, in one embodiment shown in
With respect to this example of the door 12 of the tank enclosure assembly 10, the first wall 38 has a first end 44, a second end 46, a third end 48 and a fourth end 50. Similarly, the second wall 40 has a first end 52, a second end 54, a third end 56 and a fourth end 58. The first end 44 of the first wall 38 is adjacent to the first end 52 of the second wall 40, the fourth end 50 of the first wall 38 is adjacent to the gusset 42, and the fourth end 58 of the second wall 40 is adjacent to the gusset 42.
Additionally, portions of the first and second walls 38, 40 of the door 12 have flanges 60 to assist in increasing the structural rigidity of the door 12. Specifically, the second and third ends 46, 48 of the first wall 38, and the second and third ends 54, 56 of the second wall 40 have such flanges 60. Additionally, the gusset 42 may also have a flange 61 to increase the rigidity and overall strength of the door 12.
The door 12 of the tank enclosure assembly 10 is moveable between a first position, as shown in
To move from the first position to the second position, the door 12 rotates or pivots about a hinge assembly 18. In one embodiment, the hinge/pivot assembly 18 is a shaft 62. Thus, in this embodiment the door 12 rotates about the shaft member 62 to move from the first position to the second position. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the shaft member 62 resides in a generally vertical axis to provide rotational support for the door 12 to rotate about the fuel tank enclosure frame assembly 14. Thus, in a preferred embodiment the door 12 is rotatable about a generally vertical axis.
As best shown in
To accept and retain the shaft 62, the door 12 has a first aperture 70 in one of the upper portions of the door 12, and a second aperture 72 in one of the lower portions of the door 12 as shown in
As explained above, the door 12 is rotatedly connected to either the housing assembly 16 or the fuel tank enclosure frame assembly 14 (which may be a component of the housing assembly 16). Further, the fuel tank enclosure frame assembly 14 may be part of the frame assembly 22, part of the built-in support structure 26, or it may be a separate component. In the embodiment illustrated in
As shown in
In this embodiment of the housing assembly 16, the back wall 86 of the housing assembly 16 has an aperture 94 for housing a vent 96, and an aperture 98 for housing a grommet 100. As best shown in
As shown in
Fuel is supplied from the fuel tank 63 via a fuel line 116 that extends from the tank valve 118 to the gas connection port 104. This fuel line 116 is generally a flexible fuel line 116 which is long enough to allow the fuel tank 63 to be moveable, i.e., when the door 12 is moved from the first position (
Ultimately, the fuel tank 63 is contained within the cavity 85 of the housing assembly 16 when the door 12 is positioned in the first position as described above. Similarly, when the door 12 is in the first position, as shown in
When the door 12 is in the first position, however, the opening to the cavity 85 of the housing 16 is not completely closed in a preferred embodiment. Instead, a gap 120 is defined adjacent at least one edge of the door 12. In one embodiment, a gap 120 is provided adjacent the bottom edge of the door 12, generally at the location adjacent the fourth end 50 of the first wall 38.
The gap 120 provides an area for the ingress or egress of air flow about the cavity 85 of the housing 16. Air can also flow into and out of the cavity 85 through the vent 96 in the housing 16. As such, air flow patterns into and out of the cavity 85 are provided via the vent 96 and the air gap 120. In one embodiment the gap 120 is provided by a portion of at least one of the bushings 74, 76 adjacent the door 12.
As explained above, in this embodiment the first end 66 of the shaft 62 extends through the first bushing 74 adjacent the top of the door 12, and the second end 68 of the shaft 62 extends through the second bushing 76 adjacent the bottom of the door 12. The bushings 74, 76 generally have a stem portion 122 and a shoulder portion 124. The stem portion 122 of the first bushing 74 may be inserted into either the first aperture 70 of the door 12 or an aperture 126 in one of the fuel tank enclosure frame assembly 14 or the housing assembly 16. Similarly, the stem portion 122 of the second bushing 76 may be inserted into either the second aperture 72 of the door 12 or an aperture 128 in one of the fuel tank enclosure frame assembly 14 or the housing assembly 16. As explained above, it is understood that the fuel tank enclosure frame assembly 14 and the housing assembly 16 may be comprised of a single assembly or a multi-functional assembly.
Subsequently, the shoulder portion 124 of the first bushing 74 is positioned adjacent the top portion of the door 12, and the shoulder portion 124 of the second bushing 76 is positioned adjacent the bottom portion of the door 12. In one example, the bottom portion of the door 12 generally rests on the shoulder portion 124 of the second bushing 76. Thus, by engineering a height of the shoulder portion 124 of the bushings 74, 76 to a defined dimension, and specifically by engineering the height of the shoulder portion 124 of the second bushing 76 to a determined dimension, the gap adjacent the door 12 can be defined. More specifically, in this example the shoulder portion 124 of the second bushing 76 determines the height of the gap 120 adjacent the lower portion of the door 12.
The fuel tank enclosure assembly 10 may also include a handle 130 to assist a user in opening the door 12. The handle 130 is generally connected to the outside of the first wall 38 of the door 12. Additionally, the fuel tank enclosure assembly 10 may include a retaining member 132 (
An alternate embodiment of the fuel tank enclosure assembly 10′ is disclosed in
As shown in
In this embodiment, the door 12′ of the tank enclosure assembly 10′ has a first wall 38′, a second wall 40′ and a gusset 42′. The second wall 40′ is adapted to support the fuel tank 63. With reference to the two walls of the door 12′, the first wall 38′ is generally adjacent and transverse to the second wall 40′. Further, in this embodiment, the first and second walls 38′, 40′ are positioned in substantially intersecting vertical planes. The gusset 42′ connects the first wall 38′ and the second wall 40′ by joining a portion of the first wall 38′ and the second wall 40′. The gusset 42′ provides additional structural strength and rigidity to the door 12′ of the tank enclosure assembly 10′.
With respect to this example of the door 12′ of the tank enclosure assembly 10′, the first wall 38′ has a first end 44′, a second end 46′, a third end 48′ and a fourth end 50′. Similarly, the second wall 40′ has a first end 52′, a second end 54′, a third end 56′ and a fourth end 58′. The first end 44′ of the first wall 38′ is adjacent to the first end 52′ of the second wall 40′, the fourth end 50′ of the first wall 38′ is adjacent to the gusset 42′, and the fourth end 58′ of the second wall 40′ is adjacent to the gusset 42′.
Additionally, portions of the first and second walls 38′, 40′ of the door 12′ have flanges 60′ to assist in increasing the structural rigidity of the door 12′. Specifically, the second and third ends 46′, 48′ of the first wall 38′, and the second and third ends 54′, 56′ of the second wall 40′ have such flanges 60′. Additionally, the gusset 42′ may also have a flange 61′ to increase the rigidity and overall strength of the door 12′. An access slot 138′ is provided in the gusset 42′ to allow the shaft 62 to be inserted into position without having to bend the shaft 62′.
The tank enclosure assembly 10′ of this embodiment has a first vent 134′ in the door 12′. The first vent 134′ has a first vent opening or aperture 136′. In a preferred embodiment, the first vent 134′ is generally adjacent a top of the fuel tank enclosure 10′, and preferably adjacent a top or second end 46′ of the door 12′. As shown in
Like the door of the prior embodiment, the door 12′ of this tank enclosure assembly 10′ is moveable between a first position, as shown in
To move from the first position to the second position, the door 12′ rotates or pivots about a hinge assembly 18′. In one embodiment, the hinge/pivot assembly 18′ is a shaft 62′. Thus, in this embodiment the door 12′ rotates about the shaft member 62′ to move from the first position to the second position. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft member 62′ resides in a generally vertical axis to provide rotational support for the door 12′ to rotate about the fuel tank enclosure frame assembly 14′. Thus, in a preferred embodiment the door 12′ is rotatable about a generally vertical axis.
As best shown in
To accept and retain the shaft 62′, the door 12′ has a first aperture 70′ in one of the upper portions of the door 12′, and a second aperture 72′ in one of the lower portions of the door 12′ as shown in
As explained above, the door 12′ is rotatedly connected to either the housing assembly 16′ or the fuel tank enclosure frame assembly 14′ (which may be a component of the housing assembly 16′). Further, the fuel tank enclosure frame assembly 14′ may be part of the frame assembly 22, part of the built-in support structure 26, or it may be a separate component. In the embodiment illustrated in
As shown in
Also as shown in
In the preferred embodiment, the back wall 86′ of the housing assembly 16′ has an aperture 150′, and the sidewall 92′ of the housing assembly 16′ has an aperture 152′. These apertures 150′, 152′ are to allow piping to extend from the bulkhead assembly 144′ to the gas grill, typically for either the gas burners or an auxiliary burner, such as a side burner. Typically, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Ultimately, the fuel tank 63 is contained within the cavity 85′ of the housing assembly 16′ when the door 12′ is positioned in the first position as described above. Similarly, when the door 12′ is in the first position, as shown in
As explained above, the first end 66′ of the shaft 62′ extends through the first bushing 74′ adjacent the top of the door 12′, and the second end 68′ of the shaft 62′ extends through the second bushing 76′ adjacent the bottom of the door 12′. The first end 66′ of the shaft 62′ then further extends into the aperture 146′ in the top of the housing assembly 16′, and the second end 68′ of the shaft 62′ extends into the aperture 148′ in the cross member 79′ of the housing assembly 16′. This secures the door 12′ to the housing assembly 16′.
The fuel tank enclosure assembly 10′ also includes a pull handle 130′ which is inset into the door 12′ to assist a user in opening the door 12′. Additionally, the fuel tank enclosure assembly 10′ typically includes a retaining member 132′ (
Accordingly, the fuel tank enclosure 10′ of this embodiment includes a first vent 134′ and a second distal vent 135′ to vent the cavity 85′ of the fuel tank enclosure 10′. The first vent 134′ has a first vent aperture 136′, and the second vent 135′ has a second vent aperture 137′. The first vent 134′ is adjacent a top of the fuel tank enclosure 10′. In a preferred embodiment this is in the top or second end 46′ of the first wall 38′ of the door 12′. The second vent 135′ is adjacent a bottom of the fuel tank enclosure 10′. In a preferred embodiment, this is beneath the door 12′, and more particularly below the cross member 79′ of the housing assembly 16′. Since the housing assembly 16′ has an open bottom, the second vent 135′ of the tank enclosure 10′ can vent into the built-in support structure 26, as shown in
Several alternative embodiments and examples have been described and illustrated herein. A person of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate the features of the individual embodiments, and the possible combinations and variations of the components. A person of ordinary skill in the art would further appreciate that any of the embodiments could be provided in any combination with the other embodiments disclosed herein. Additionally, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and “fourth” as used herein are intended for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the embodiments in any way. Further, the term “plurality” as used herein indicates any number greater than one, either disjunctively or conjunctively, as necessary, up to an infinite number.
It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.
While the specific embodiments have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying Claims.