Leg assembly methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10975902-B2
Application number	US-201716319178-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 19, 2017
Priority date	Dec 27, 2016
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for assembling a device while maintaining the aesthetic appearance and structural integrity of a visible surface of the device. In one or more implementations of the invention, a system includes a first assembly piece with an assembly region that comprises an opening defined by first and second connecting elements. The system further includes a second assembly piece and a fastening assembly, where a portion of the second assembly piece is shaped to fit within the assembly region opening and the fastening assembly spans the first and second connecting elements to secure the first assembly piece to the second assembly piece, and tightening of the fastening assembly causes the second connecting element to deform, pressing a surface of the second assembly piece against an adjacent surface of the first connecting element and retaining a substantially even visible surface of the device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for assembling a grill, the system comprising:
a grill skirt comprising at least four assembly regions, each of the at least four assembly regions comprising:
a corner region of a single outer connecting element;
a discrete inner connecting element; and
an opening defined by the corner region of the single outer connecting element and the inner connecting element;

at least four support legs, wherein at least a portion of each of the support legs is shaped to fit within a respective opening of one of the at least four assembly regions; and
at least four fastener assemblies, each fastener assembly configured to span a respective opening defined by a respective corner region of the single outer connecting element and a respective inner connecting element and secure the grill skirt to a respective support leg, wherein tightening of the fastener assembly causes the respective inner connecting element to deform thereby pressing a surface of the respective support leg against an adjacent surface of the respective corner region of the single outer connecting element to retain a substantially even surface of a visible surface.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single outer connecting element is an integral portion of the grill skirt.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the visible surface of the grill comprises a visible surface of the grill skirt.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least four fastener assemblies comprises a mating pair of threaded fasteners.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the mating pair of threaded fasteners comprise a nut and bolt.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first single outer connecting element and discrete inner connecting elements comprise the same material.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first single outer connecting element comprise a first material and the discrete inner connecting elements comprise a second material, and wherein the second material is different from the first material.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second material comprises a malleable metal, and wherein the second material is more malleable than the first material.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second discrete inner connecting elements comprise a material having a thickness that is less than a thickness of the single outer connecting element.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the discrete inner connecting elements comprise one or more perforated or pre-weakened regions that when acted upon by a compressive stress cause at least a portion of the discrete inner connecting elements to deform.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface of each of the at least four support legs comprises a contour that is complementary to the adjacent surface of the single outer connecting element such that when the surface and adjacent surfaces are pressed together, tightening of a respective fastener assembly causes the single outer connecting element and a respective discrete inner connecting element to compress together, preventing deformation of the grill skirt.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface of each of the at least four support legs comprises a contour that is complementary to the adjacent surface of the single outer connecting element such that when the surface and adjacent surfaces are pressed together, tightening of the at least four fastener assemblies causes the first single outer connecting element to conform to the contour of the surfaces of the at least four support legs.

13. A method of assembling a grill, the method comprising:
aligning a grill skirt with at least four support legs, wherein the grill skirt comprising at least four assembly regions, each of the at least four assembly regions comprising:
a corner region of a single outer connecting element;
a discrete inner connecting element; and
an opening defined by the corner region of the single outer connecting element and the discrete inner connecting element, wherein aligning the grill skirt with the at least four support legs comprises inserting each support leg at least partially into a respective opening defined by the single outer connecting element and a respective discrete inner connecting element;

securing the grill skirt to the at least four support legs using fastener assemblies configured to compress the single outer connecting element, the discrete inner connecting elements, and the at least four support legs; and
tightening the fastener assemblies such that the discrete inner connecting element deforms, thereby pressing a surface of each of the at least four support legs against an adjacent surface of the single outer connecting element such that a visible surface of the grill skirt retains a substantially even surface.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising inserting a portion of each of the at least four support legs into a respective opening defined by the single outer connecting element and the discrete inner connecting elements.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein securing the grill skirt to the at least four support legs comprises spanning the single outer connecting element and the discrete inner connecting elements with the fastener assemblies.

16. A system for attaching a leg to a grill skirt without deforming a visible surface of the grill skirt, the system comprising:
a grill skirt comprising a single outer connecting element defining a substantially even visible surface and comprising four a leg attachment regions, each leg attachment region comprising a predefined surface shape or contour;
at least four securing elements, wherein each securing element and a respective leg attachment region of the single outer connecting element define an opening between the securing element and the respective leg attachment region;
a leg, wherein at least a portion of the leg is configured to be received in the opening; and
a fastener assembly configured to extend from an outer surface of the grill skirt, through the opening and the leg, and to an outer surface of the securing element, and
wherein tightening the fastener assembly causes the securing element to deform, thereby pressing the leg against the leg attachment region and retaining the substantially even visible surface of the grill skirt.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the substantially even visible surface and the leg have complementary surface shapes.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the securing element is configured to deform under a lower force than the grill skirt.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein:
each of the four securing elements is formed of a material that is different from or thinner than a material that forms the grill skirt; or
each of the four securing elements comprises one or more perforated or pre-weakened regions that when acted upon by a compressive stress cause at least a portion of each of the four securing elements to deform.

Assignees

• Traeger Pellet Grills Llc

Inventors

• Colston Michael Virgil
• Altenritter Daniel A C

Classifications

• F16B12/52

  Metal leg connections (F16B12/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47J37/0704

  with horizontal fire box · CPC title

• F16B12/30 Primary

  using threaded bolts · CPC title

• F16M11/16

  Details concerning attachment of head-supporting legs, with or without actuation of locking members thereof · CPC title

• A47J37/0786 Primary

  Accessories · CPC title