Abstract:
The present disclosure provides new outdoor kitchen unit assemblies as well as new methods of assembling an outdoor kitchen unit. The kitchen unit includes a construction that facilitates quick and easy assembly as well as easy transport. When assembled, the units are structurally stable and durable.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure provides an outdoor kitchen unit and a method of assembling the same. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Outdoor cooking is common practice. Commonly, outdoor cooking is done on free-standing grill units. Free-standing grill units typically include a metal frame supported on wheels and including a grilling surface positioned under a pivot cover above a propane tank that fuels the grill. 
         [0003]    In addition, some outdoor cooking is done in outdoor kitchen units that include burners and other grill components that are integrated into an “island.” An “island” typically serves functions other than grilling or in addition to grilling For example, “islands” can provide a counter surface for food preparation, include multiple drawers for storage, burners and grill for cooking, sink and faucets, and refrigerators and freezers. Also, the “islands” often serve a decorative function as they include surfaces that are often cladded with decorative outdoor materials such as tiles, rocks, etc. There is a need for islands that are sturdy, easy to install and assemble, and easy to transport. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present disclosure provides new outdoor kitchen unit assemblies as well as new methods of assembling an outdoor kitchen unit. The kitchen unit includes a construction that facilitates quick and easy assembly as well as easy transport. When assembled, the units are structurally stable and durable. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a kitchen unit according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a top view of a base frame of the frame assembly of the kitchen unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of a base frame of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of a rear frame of the frame assembly of the kitchen unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is side elevation view of a front frame of the frame assembly of the kitchen unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of a portion of the rear frame of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of a portion of the rear frame of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the engagement between the rear frame and the base frame; 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is a front elevation view of a first side frame of the frame assembly of the kitchen unit of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of the side frame of  FIG. 9 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  is an isometric view of the engagement between the rear frame and the side frame. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-11 , an embodiment of the present disclosure is described in greater detail. In the depicted embodiment the kitchen unit is a free-standing structure commonly referred to as an island  10 . The structure supports and houses kitchen related components such as grilling surfaces, refrigerators, sinks, etc. The structure also provides storage space within and a working surface thereon. The working surface thereon is referred to herein as a countertop  12 . In the depicted embodiment the countertop includes a channel/groove in the bottom surface that matches the upper edges of the frame assembly. During assembly the channel aligns with the top edges of the frame assembly and affixes thereto with adhesive and fasteners. 
         [0017]    In the depicted embodiment, the island includes four walls that extend from a base frame  14 . Each of the walls and base frame includes a frame that is configured to be cladded by outdoor appropriate material such as a cement board (e.g., HardieBacker®), stucco, title, rock, etc. or combinations thereof. In the depicted embodiment the walls include a first wall including a frame (e.g., a rear frame  16 ), a second wall including a frame (e.g., a first side frame  18 ), a third wall including a frame (e.g., a second side frame), and a fourth wall including a frame (a front frame  20 ). It should be appreciated that many alternative configurations are possible including, for example, embodiments with more or less walls (e.g., three walls or five walls). 
         [0018]    In the depicted embodiment the island is configured for easy transport and efficient transport. The frame members/walls are configured such that they can be shipped in a stacked orientation. For example, in the depicted embodiment the longer members (front and rear frames  16 ,  20  and base frame  14 ) generally define the overall length L of the shipping package, the first and second side frame members/walls can be stacked adjacent to each other over the longer frame members. The height of the shipping package is generally defined by the height H of the frame members/walls (e.g., the package length could be 105, 110, or 120 percent of the length L of the base frame). The thickness/depth of the shipping package is generally defined by the combined width of the frame members/walls (e.g., the width of the base frame+the width of the front and rear frames+the width of the side walls). In an embodiment where the width of the frame is one inch, the package can be as thin as four inches. In most embodiments additional packaging materials are inserted between the frame elements, and the frame elements can include cladding materials affixed thereto so the thickness of the package is greater than four inches but less than ten inches. It should be appreciated that many alternative configurations are possible. 
         [0019]    In the depicted embodiment the island is configured for easy and efficient assembly. In the depicted embodiment the base frame  14  wall can be leveled on the ground surface as an initial step. Subsequently, either the back frame  16  or front frame  20  can be engaged with the base frame  14 . Then the first and second side frames  18 , which in this embodiment are substantially the same, can be fastened to the frame that is engaged with the base frame  14  (either the back frame  16  or the front frame  20 ). Finally, the remaining frame (either the back frame  16  or the front frame  20 ) can be fastened to the first and second side frames  18 , which are already fastened to one of either the back or front frames  16 ,  20  so that the remaining frame is also engaged with the base frame  14 . Once the frame assembly is assembled, the countertop can be secured thereto and the kitchen components can be connected to the assembly. It should be appreciated that the above steps for assembling the island is only one of a number of methods of assembly that are all consistent with the present disclosure. For example, in alternative embodiments the leveling step can be last, the side frame members can be connected to one of the front or rear frame members as an initial step, and the cladding material for the frame can be attached before or after the frame members are connected to each other. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the base frame  14  of the depicted embodiment is described in further detail. In the depicted embodiment the base frame is generally rectangular including a length L and a width W. In the depicted embodiment the length L defines the overall length of the frame assembly because the side frame members  18  are nested between the front and back frames  16 ,  20 . The side frame members rest over the upwardly facing surfaces  22 ,  24  of the end members  26 ,  28  of the base frame  14 . The front and back frames  16 ,  20  include apertures  30  that receive bosses  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  that extend outwardly from the base frame  14  in a widthwise direction. See  FIGS. 7 and 8 . The bosses  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  constrain the front and back frames  16 ,  20  from moving downwards towards the ground relative to the base frame  14 . The bosses  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38  constrain the front and back frames  16 ,  20  from moving horizontally in the longitudinal direction (the lengthwise direction) relative to the base frame  14 . The front and back frames  16 ,  20  include longitudinal members  64 ,  66  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) that abut the vertical outwardly facing faces  40 ,  42  of longitudinal frame members  44 ,  46  of the base frame  14 . In the depicted embodiment the base frame  14  includes a plurality of tabs  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  that extend in the widthwise direction from the top surfaces  56 ,  58  of longitudinal frame members  44 ,  46  of the base frame  14 . The tabs  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  are configured to extend over the top surface  60 ,  62  of longitudinal frame members  64 ,  66  and limit the relative vertical movement between the front and rear frames  16 ,  20  and the base frame  14  when the island is assembled. When the front and rear frames  16 ,  20  are lifted upwardly, for example, during relocation of the island, the base frame  14  is also lifted upwardly since the tabs  48 ,  50 ,  52 ,  54  extend from the base frame  14  over the longitudinal frame members  64 ,  66  of the front and rear frames  16 ,  20 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 , both the front and rear frames  16 ,  20  in the depicted embodiment, like the base frame  14 , are comprised of a number of connected together square cross-sectional metal tubes that are arranged generally in a single plane. As discussed above, the back frame  16  includes a longitudinal frame member  66  that abuts the longitudinal frame member  44  of the back frame  14 . A pair of vertical frame members  68 ,  70  extends upwardly from the longitudinal frame member  66 . The vertical frame members  68 ,  70  include first tabs  72 ,  74  and second tabs  80 ,  82  that extend inwardly from inside surfaces  76 ,  78  of the vertical frame member  68 ,  70 . On each of the vertical frame members between the first tabs  72 ,  74  and second tabs  80 ,  82  are nuts  84 ,  86  connected to the inside surfaces  76 ,  78  of the vertical frame members  68 ,  70 . The first and second tabs  72 ,  74 ,  80 ,  82  include apertures therein that receive bolts  88 ,  90  that extend from the side frames  18  (see  FIG. 10 ). The tabs retain the side frames  18  sandwiched between the front and back frames  16 ,  20  and limit relative motion between the frame members (in the longitudinal direction, vertical direction, horizontal direction, and widthwise direction). 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the side frames  18  located at the opposed ends of the island in the depicted embodiment share similar features. The side frames  18  include a base member  92 , a first vertical member  94  extending from the base member  92 , and a second vertical member  96  extending from the base member  92 . In the depicted embodiment the bottom facing surfaces  98  of the base member  92  rests on the upwardly facing surfaces  22 ,  24  of the end members  26 ,  28  of the base frame  14 . The exterior facing surfaces  100 ,  102  of the vertical members  94 ,  96  abut and engage the inside surfaces  76 ,  78  of the vertical frame members  68 ,  70  of the back frame  16  and the inside surfaces  104 ,  106  of the vertical frame members  108 ,  110  of the front frame  20 . As discussed above the bolts  88 ,  90  extend through apertures in the first and second tabs  72 ,  74 ,  80 ,  82 ,  112 ,  114 ,  116 ,  118  on both the front frame  16  and the back frame  20 . See  FIG. 11 . 
         [0023]    In the depicted embodiment a bracket assembly is used to drive the exterior facing surfaces  100 ,  102  of the side frame  18  into engagement with the inside surface of the vertical frame members of the front frame  20  and back frame  16 . The engagement includes face-to-face direct contact between the square tube members, which results in a construction that is similar to welding the two members together in that the island has little wobble even without additional cross-members or struts that connect the frame members at an angle. It should be appreciated that in an alternative embodiment angled struts, cross-members, and cables could also be used to add structural rigidity to the island. In the depicted embodiment the bracket assembly includes an L-shaped bracket member that engages the inside facing surfaces  120 ,  122  of the vertical frame members  94 ,  96 . Bolts with a wing nut shaped end  124  extend though the L-shaped bracket and engage the nuts  84 ,  86 . As the bolts with a wing nut shaped end  124  are tightened, the side frame is squeezed against the rear frame and the front frame. It should be appreciated that many alternative bracket assemblies are also possible. For example, many different bolts and bracket configurations are possible. For example, the L-shaped bracket could be replaced with a collar welded to the vertical frame member that allows the bolt to extend therethrough and engage the nuts  84 ,  86 . 
         [0024]    As discussed above, in the depicted embodiment the first and second side frames  18  are configured to be secured between the front frame  20  and the rear frame  16  such that the first and second side frames do not contribute to the overall length of the assembled frame assembly (i.e., they are nested between the front and rear frames). Also, the base frame  14  is configured to be secured between the front frame  20  and the rear frame  16  such that the depth of the assembled frame assembly is defined by the distance between an outwardly facing face of the front frame and an outwardly facing face of the rear frame. Also as discussed above, the fastener assembly is configured to pull a longitudinal surface of a frame member of at least one of the rear frame or front frame into face-to-face engagement with a longitudinal surface of a frame member of at least one the first side frame or the second side frame. 
         [0025]    The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.