GB2405785A - Support frame for disposable barbecues - Google Patents

Abstract

A support frame 10 is configured to support a disposable barbecue 20. The support frame has foldable legs 12 and moveable supports 14 that engage recesses 11 to divide the opening in the frame into two portions if required. The supports 14 are configured to pivot about point 15. The opening in the frame can therefore be adjusted by means of supports 14 to fit a single large disposable barbecue or one or more small disposable barbecues.

Description

STAND FOR PORTABLE ITEM

The present invention relates to a stand upon which portable items may be mounted for storage or use. The invention has particular application in connection with mounting of disposable barbecues for use.

As is well known, there are available disposable barbecues which typically are available in two standard sizes. Such disposable barbecues usually comprise a tray, typically of metal foil containing charcoal or other fuel and having an open mesh top upon which food may be placed for cooking. These are intended as single use items to be disposed of after use and they may be used simply as sold if it is convenient.

However, such disposable barbecues become hot in use and there is therefore potential for them to damage the surface upon which they are placed for use and further it may be that a user may not have a convenient location to position such a barbecue for use.

Accordingly, it has been proposed previously to provide stands for such disposable barbecues to improve their safety and convenience in use. One previously proposed form of stand for disposable barbecues is shown in GBA-2 341 538. As described in that document, it is known for disposable barbecues to be available in two standard sizes and it may be convenient for the stand to be adaptable so as to be able to be used with either size.

The present invention provides a stand into which items, such as disposable barbecues, may be mounted in use, the stand being adaptable to accommodate two or more sizes of said item, the stand comprising a framework configured to define an opening suitable to receive and support the larger of said sizes and further comprising means moveable to an operative position to define a portion of said opening, said portion being adapted to receive and support the smaller of said sizes.

Preferably the stand is configured to have a generally open rectangular frame at the top which is sized to receive a large size disposable barbecue. The frame also comprises means for dividing the rectangular opening into two or more smaller rectangular openings, each size to receive a standard size disposable barbecue. This division is preferably achieved by the provision of an additional frame strut which may be selectively positioned to extend generally across the centre of said large rectangle across the shorter dimension.

In one preferred embodiment, the legs of the stand are foldable to permit easy storage.

In another embodiment, the stand is of a fixed construction and is designed to have the appearance of a conventional barbecue grill, but does not have a firebox but is adapted, as mentioned above, to receive a disposable barbecue.

To facilitate understanding of this invention a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a schematic plan view of the first embodiment of the invention configured as in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a plan view of the first embodiment in an alternative configuration; Figure 4 shows a plan view of the first embodiment of the invention in a further configuration; Figures Sa-5d show respective schematic perspective, plan, front elevation and side elevation views of a second preferred embodiment of the invention; and Figures 6-8 show alternate configurations of the second embodiment.

As can be seen in Figures 1-4 the first embodiment of the invention is essentially a framework which compromises an open rectangular top 10 formed by edge struts lea, lOb and lOc and led. The rectangular frame 10 is supported by legs 12 which in this embodiment are formed as simple wire frames pivotally mounted to frame 10 at points 13. This pivoting enables legs 12 to be folded up beneath the framework 10 for convenient storage.

The stand further comprises foldable supports 14 pivotally mounted on rectangular frame 10 at points 15. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 supports 14 can be pivoted to be in either of two positions. In the first position, shown in the right hand half of Figures 1 and 2, the support 14 is located in a unused position such that it does not interfere with the opening defined by rectangular frame 10. In its operative position, however, as shown in the left-hand side of Figures 1 and 2, the support 14 is pivoted such that bar 14a of frame 14 extends across the opening defined by frame 10. From another perspective, the foldable support 14 can be seen to be removable from an operative position as shown in the left-hand side of Figures 1 and 2 to an unused position shown in the right-hand half of Figures I and 2. Frame 10 conveniently is provided with partial cut outs 11 in which bar 14a can rest so that the upper surface of bar 14a is substantially level with the upper surface of frame 10. As shown in the Figures, the foldable supports 14 subdivide the long dimension of the frame 10.

It will be appreciated that instead of two support members shown in Figures 1 to 4, a single support member may be utilised to equally subdivide the opening defined by the rectangular frame 10. The pivoting point 1 S may be positioned at a different point along a dimension of the frame to enable the opening to be equally subdivided.

Various configurations of this embodiment are illustrated in the Figures. In Figures 1 and 2, as described above, one of the support frames 14 is in the operative position and the stand is sized such that in this case a single standard sized barbecue 20, shown in dotted outline, can be mounted in the smaller rectangular opening defined by struts 14a and 1 Od and parts of 1 Oa and l Oc.

Figure 3 shows the configuration where both of support frame 14 are located in their non-operative positions and in this case it will be seen that frame is sized such that a single large party sized barbecue 22 can be mounted and supported within frame 10.

In Figure 4 both of support frames 14 are in their operative positions and it will be seen that this generally divides the overall rectangular opening of frame 10 into two equal portions each of which can receive and support and single standard size barbecue 20.

Figures 5a-Sd illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the invention.

This embodiment is in the form of a fixed stand 30 having a top 32 and legs 34.

The stand is configured with features of a conventional barbecue including shelves 33,35 and windshield 36. The stand does not include a fixed firebox as would a conventional barbecue, but the top 32 includes aperture 40.

Figures 6 and 7 show views corresponding to Figure Sa, but with disposable barbecue inserted. As shown in Figure 7, aperture 40 in the top 32 of stand 30 is sized so as to receive and support a single large size disposable barbecue 42. As shown in Figure 6, aperture 40 may alternatively receive two small size disposable barbecues 44. These are supported by the edges of aperture and also a removable support member (not shown) which extends across aperture 40 from front to back. If desired of course only one small size barbecue may be inserted into the stand.

Figure 8 illustrates a further possible development of the embodiment of Figures 5 to 7. In this arrangement, a firebox SO with windshield, grill and grill support is inserted and supported in aperture 40 of stand 30 enabling the item to be used as a conventional barbecue as an alternative to use with disposable barbecues.

The pivoting foldable internal supports 14 shown in the first embodiment may, within the invention, be replaced or supplemented by alternative support members which may be positioned to support the smaller size items. Such supports may be lift out or clip-in dividers or may slide into position. They need not support the entire length of a side of an item to be supported; it may be sufficient to provide support at only around some of the perimeter of the item, for instance at the corners, or along only some of the length of the sides.

Further additional supports may be provided or additional positions may be enabled for the supports mentioned above, enabling the stand to be selectively configured to support more than two sizes of item.

Moreover, the foldable supports may be modified to include one or more further support members incorporated into the structure of each foldable support such that in an operative position the foldable support would divide the rectangular opening into three or more smaller openings.

Another modification involves the legs 12 which support the rectangular frame 10 in the first embodiment. Instead of wire frames, there may be provided four separate foldable legs which can also be folded up beneath the framework 10.

This modification enables the stand to be folded with the larger barbecue in place in the opening.

It will be seen therefore that this invention provides a simple but effective stand upon which disposable barbecues of standard sizes or other items can be mounted for easy and safe use.

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A stand comprising a framework including a support frame

   configured to define an opening suitable to receive and support a first item and further comprising removable means adaptable to subdivide the opening into at least two portions, at least one of said portions being adapted to receive and support a second item which is smaller than said first item.
2. 2. The stand according to claim 1, wherein the removable means comprises at least one foldable support pivotally mounted on the support frame and pivoted to be in either of two positions, wherein one position causes the opening to be subdivided.
3. 3. The stand according to claim 1, wherein the removable means comprises at least one support member arranged along one axis of the support frame, said member being detachable from the support frame.
4. 4. The stand according to claim 3 wherein the support frame includes at least two indents onto which opposite ends of the support member are mounted.
5. 5. The stand according to any one of claims 2 to 4 further comprising a plurality of foldable legs which support the support frame.
6. 6. The stand as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
7. 7. A portable barbeque comprising a stand according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
8. 8. The portable barbeque according to claim 7 wherein the first item is a large disposable barbecue and the second item is a disposable barbecue of smaller size.
9. 9. The portable barbeque according to claim 8 wherein the stand is arranged to receive more than one smaller disposable barbeque.