Outdoor Cabinet Bracket and Concrete Panel Assembly for Custom Forms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for constructing outdoor kitchen cabinets are either labor-intensive and costly due to custom-built forms or impractical and inflexible due to prefabricated forms, which cannot be easily customized to fit different appliances or maintain structural integrity when modified.
Innovation Solution
A component system using specially designed brackets and lightweight concrete side panels that can be arranged to create customizable forms quickly and cost-effectively, allowing for easy adaptation to various appliance configurations without compromising structural integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom-built forms are constructed using metal studs and cement boards, then the forms can be customized to meet homeowner needs and fit various appliances, but the construction becomes labor-intensive and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the form construction into modular components: pre-formed concrete side panels with integrated metal edges, and separate bracket assemblies. These segments can be quickly assembled like LEGO blocks to create custom cabinet configurations without custom-building each form from scratch, thus maintaining customization while dramatically reducing labor time.
Solution Approach 2:
The concrete side panels are pre-formed with integrated metal edges and reinforcement structures before reaching the installation site. This preliminary preparation of structural elements allows for rapid on-site assembly using brackets, eliminating the need for time-consuming on-site form construction while preserving customization flexibility.
2Productivity
If prefabricated forms are used for quick installation, then installation time and cost are reduced, but the forms cannot be easily customized to fit different appliances
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic adaptability through its bracket-based assembly approach. Homeowners and installers can reconfigure the cabinet forms by simply changing bracket positions and configurations, allowing the same pre-formed panels to adapt to different appliance sizes and types without requiring custom construction or damaging the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-formed concrete side panels serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, define cabinet boundaries, and work with various bracket configurations to accommodate different appliance types. This universal design allows one set of panels to serve multiple customization needs, combining the benefits of prefabrication with adaptability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If prefabricated forms are cut to create new openings, then customization is possible, but the structural integrity of the forms is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of cutting into the pre-formed concrete panels to create openings, the system extracts the opening-creation function to the bracket assembly stage. Brackets are attached to the intact panels, and appliances are fitted through openings created in the bracket structure or by removing specific brackets, thereby preserving the structural integrity of the concrete panels while achieving customization.
4Strength
If metal studs are used to construct forms, then structural strength is provided, but cutting and modifying the forms becomes impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the structural function of metal studs with the form-defining function of concrete panels by integrating metal edges directly into the concrete side panels. This combination creates a hybrid structure where the concrete provides formability and the integrated metal edges provide structural strength, while the bracket system provides the modification capability that neither material alone would offer.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a component system for constructing the framework for cabinets of the type that are employed when building an outdoor kitchen. The components system consists of specially designed brackets used in conjunction with lightweight concrete side panels to construct the forms for the cabinets. The brackets have channels that attach to the corner edges of the concrete side panels and hold the side panels in place so that the top edges of the panels are accessible for attachment of back splashes and back bars. Brackets with more than one channel have support rods connecting their channels and holding them in spaced apart arrangement. Once the forms are constructed, their exterior surfaces can be finished in a variety of ways. The counter tops, wiring, plumbing, appliances and doors for the cabinets can then be installed to complete the cabinets and kitchen.