Collapsible Grill Support Assembly with Rotatable Pin Collar Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional grills lack a practical and efficient mechanism for collapsing and expanding their support assemblies, making them cumbersome for transportation and storage.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible support assembly featuring a rotatable pin collar assembly with a spring pin and handle, allowing the legs to transition between a standing locked configuration and a collapsed configuration, enabling easy folding and unfolding for operational and storage use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the grill support assembly is made fixed and stable for operational use, then stability during use is improved, but transportation and storage become cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The support assembly is designed with dynamic characteristics, allowing it to transition between a stable extended configuration for grilling operations and a collapsed configuration for transportation and storage. The legs can be moved between positions while maintaining stability in the operative state through locking mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The support assembly is divided into separable leg components that can be independently positioned. Each leg can be extended or collapsed relative to the grill body, allowing the structure to be segmented for compact storage while maintaining full support when assembled for use.
2Ease of operation
If a collapsible mechanism is added to the grill support assembly, then transportation and storage convenience is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The legs are designed to nest within each other when collapsed, with inner portions sliding within outer portions. This nesting arrangement allows the support assembly to compact into a small space while using simple cylindrical structures rather than complex mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring pin automatically engages with retaining apertures to lock the legs in their extended position for grilling operations. This self-locking mechanism eliminates the need for manual locking devices, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the collapsible functionality.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a locking mechanism is implemented to maintain standing position, then stability during use is improved, but ease of collapsing and expanding deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The spring pin automatically engages with the retaining aperture when the leg is in the extended position, providing self-locking stability without requiring manual intervention. The same spring mechanism allows easy release by simply pushing the leg to disengage the pin, enabling simple collapsing and expanding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex mechanical locking system is replaced with a simple spring-loaded pin that uses elastic deformation to provide locking force. This substitution maintains stable locking while allowing easy operation through minimal user input to overcome the spring force.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution allows for a compact and efficient storage of the grill while maintaining stability during use, enhancing user convenience and space management.
Implementation Method 1
a rotatable pin collar assembly configured to attach the first leg to the second leg in a slidable and lockable connection, the rotatable pin collar assembly including a spring pin configured to be retained in the retaining aperture
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of a support assembly for a grill may include a leg subassembly comprising a first leg and a second leg, a leg subassembly comprising a first leg and a second leg, the first leg defining a retaining aperture, and a rotatable pin collar assembly configured to couple the first leg to the second leg in a slidable and lockable connection, the rotatable pin collar assembly including a spring pin configured to be retained in the retaining aperture at a first longitudinal position on the first leg when the grill is in a standing locked configuration and configured to be positioned at a second longitudinal position on the first leg when the grill is in a collapsed configuration.