Foldable Grill Cart Assembly for Tool-Free Setup and Portability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Grills are often difficult to assemble and transport due to numerous components and complex setup requirements, lacking portability and flexibility compared to permanent outdoor installations.
Innovation Solution
A grill system with a foldable cart that transitions between upright and folded states, allowing the burner box to be detachably coupled, featuring a base with rotatably coupled frames that can be easily assembled and disassembled without tools, reducing setup time and storage volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a grill system uses a traditional permanent installation with numerous components, then the structural stability and functionality are improved, but the assembly complexity and setup time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The grill system is divided into modular components including a base, four frames (front, back, left, right), and a grill grate. Each frame is further segmented into coupler assemblies that can be independently assembled and detached. This segmentation allows the complex structure to be built from simple, standardized parts rather than requiring assembly of numerous small components.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler assemblies serve multiple functions: they connect frames to the base, provide folding capability for portability, and enable easy detachment for storage. The same coupler structure is used at all four corners of the grill, providing universal connectivity without requiring different types of fasteners or complex joining mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a grill system is designed as a permanent installation, then the functionality and features are enhanced, but the portability and flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The grill system incorporates dynamic folding capability through the coupler assemblies, allowing the frames to transition between an extended operational position and a collapsed storage position. This dynamic feature enables the grill to adapt between providing full functionality during use and minimizing footprint during transport or storage, without sacrificing setup ease.
3Volume of moving object
If a foldable stand is used to mount the firebox, then the portability is improved, but the set-up steps become complex and the folded configuration takes up significant space
Solution Approach 1:
The coupler assemblies utilize asymmetric geometry where the coupling surfaces and locking mechanisms are positioned to allow easy one-handed operation. The asymmetry in the coupler design enables intuitive assembly and detachment without requiring complex sequences of steps, while the folded configuration achieves compact dimensions by aligning frames parallel to the base rather than maintaining rigid perpendicular relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
In an embodiment, a grill is provided. The grill can include a grill cart and a burner box. The grill cart configured to be transitioned between an upright state and a folded state. The coupling between a first side frame and a base is located in a first plane that is substantially parallel with a plane defined by a bottom plate of the base, and the coupling between a second side frame and the bottom plate of the base is located in a second plane that is substantially parallel with the plane defined by the bottom plate. The first plane is located a first distance away from the plane defined by the bottom plate and the second plane is located a second distance away from the plane defined by the bottom plate. The first distance is not equivalent to the second distance. Other embodiments are also included herein.