Collapsible Grill Accessory Cart for Compact Under-Shelf Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Outdoor cooking and storage solutions face challenges in compact storage and versatility, particularly when space is limited and protection from the environment is needed, as existing appliances and utility carts lack efficient stowability and adaptability to different heights and configurations.
Innovation Solution
A utility cart designed for outdoor use that can be raised for working surfaces and lowered for storage, featuring an expandable top section with foldable wings, accessible compartments, and attachable accessories, allowing it to fit under grill shelves and provide versatile storage and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the cart is designed with a fixed large working surface, then the working area is improved, but the storage space and compactness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The top section is divided into a fixed base portion and an extendable wing portion that can be segmented and folded. The wing portion can be extended to increase working surface area when needed, and folded back into the base portion for compact storage, resolving the contradiction between large working area and compact storage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The top section is designed with dynamic extendability, allowing the working surface area to change from a compact folded state to an extended working state. This dynamic transformation enables the cart to provide both compact storage and large working surface area at different times, resolving the static contradiction between these two requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cart is designed to be height-adjustable for versatility, then the adaptability is improved, but the structural complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cart is segmented into a base section and a top section that can be independently positioned. The top section can be selectively extended to different heights using the height-adjustable mechanism, providing versatility without requiring the entire cart structure to be complex. Each segment maintains relative simplicity while gaining adaptive capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The height-adjustable mechanism provides multi-functionality by enabling the cart to adapt to different working heights and configurations. This single mechanism serves multiple purposes: adjusting working height, accommodating different user preferences, and providing versatile positioning, thereby improving adaptability without proportionally increasing overall structural complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cart includes multiple compartments and accessories, then the functionality is improved, but the device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cart employs a nested compartment structure where smaller storage compartments are positioned within or alongside larger sections. Accessories and storage elements are integrated into the existing structure rather than added as separate external components, allowing multiple functions to be packed into a compact form without proportionally increasing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functions are merged into integrated components. For example, the top section serves both as a working surface and as a structural element that houses storage compartments. Accessories are combined with the main cart structure rather than being separate attachments, reducing the number of independent components and simplifying the overall device while maintaining functional versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for a cart, such as an accessory or utility cart, that may be used in conjunction with an outdoor grill or outdoor kitchen area. The cart can be stowed in a lowered position such that it may effectively fit underneath a side shelf of a standard outdoor grill. The cart can comprise a top and base section, where the top section is selectably extendable from the base section between a lowered and raised position. Further the top section can have a top working surface with at least one foldable wing, which can be extended or stowed into a recess in the base section in the lowered position. The base section can comprise a utility compartment for storage, and wheel to provide portability.