Portable Grill Locking Assembly for Safe Tank-Attached Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable grills face challenges in transitioning between erected and collapsed configurations safely and efficiently, particularly due to the risk of forgetting to detach the fuel tank, which can hinder compact storage and transportation.
Innovation Solution
The portable grill incorporates a leg lock assembly, tank blocker, and lid lock assembly to ensure safe and automated transitions between configurations, with the leg lock assembly allowing one-handed operation and the tank blocker preventing fuel tank attachment or detachment during transitions, and the lid lock preventing the lid from opening during transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the portable grill is designed with foldable legs to enable collapsed configuration for transport, then the portability and storage capability are improved, but the risk of accidental fuel tank attachment or detachment during configuration transition increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by providing a leg lock assembly that proactively prevents the leg from moving during fuel tank attachment/detachment operations. The lock assembly includes a lock bar that can be positioned to block leg movement, and a control mechanism that prevents fuel tank operations when the leg is not properly locked, thereby preventing accidental detachment or improper attachment during configuration transitions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by requiring the user to explicitly lock the leg in place before allowing fuel tank attachment or detachment operations. The system performs a preliminary check to ensure the leg is securely locked before enabling fuel tank operations, and automatically locks the leg when transitioning between configurations, ensuring safety conditions are met before critical operations
2Reliability
If the portable grill includes automated lock mechanisms to prevent accidental fuel tank attachment/detachment, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the leg locking function with the fuel tank attachment/detachment control into a single integrated system. The leg lock assembly and fuel tank control mechanism are coupled such that one mechanism serves dual purposes: securing the leg configuration and controlling fuel tank operations, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The leg lock assembly serves multiple functions: it locks the leg in place during configuration transitions, prevents accidental fuel tank attachment/detachment, and provides a unified control interface for both leg and fuel tank operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate control mechanisms and simplifies the overall system
3Ease of operation
If the leg lock assembly is designed for one-handed operation, then ease of operation is improved, but the mechanical design complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The leg lock assembly is designed with a spring-loaded mechanism that automatically engages and disengages the lock bar without requiring manual intervention for the locking action itself. The user simply needs to apply light pressure to release the lock, and the spring mechanism handles the locking force, enabling one-handed operation while reducing mechanical complexity
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
These features enhance user safety by preventing accidental fuel tank attachment or detachment during configuration changes and ensure the grill is securely locked in both configurations, facilitating easy transportation and storage while maintaining functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a compression spring positioned within the housing and configured to bias the lock bar in the first position
Implementation Method 2
a rotary damper operatively coupled to and/or operatively located between the front leg and the front flange... configured to restrict the front leg from rapidly and/or freely collapsing relative to the frame
Data Source
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AI summary
Portable grills are disclosed. An example portable grill movable between an erected configuration and a collapsed configuration includes a valve and regulator assembly and a tank blocker. The valve and regulator assembly includes a tank connector configured to removably couple a fuel tank to the valve and regulator assembly. The tank blocker is configured to prevent the portable grill from being moved from the erected configuration into the collapsed configuration when the portable grill is in the erected configuration and the fuel tank is coupled to the tank connector.