AU2005201080A1

AU2005201080A1 - Combined Barbeque and Refrigerator Apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2005201080A1
Application number: AU2005201080A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Maitham Al-alyawy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-03-12
Filing date: 2005-03-11
Publication date: 2005-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-11
Also published as: AU2005201080B2

Description

P/00/009 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

ORIGINAL

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention title: "COMBINED BARBECUE AND REFRIGERATOR APPARATUS" Applicant: MAITHAM AL-ALYAWY Associated Provisional Application No.: 2004901273 U "COMBINED BARBECUE AND REFRIGERATOR APPARATUS" Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus oo 00and relates particularly, though not exclusively, to such a combined apparatus which is portable and can be used for camping and picnics.

SBackground to the Invention A popular pastime in Australia is enjoyment of the great outdoors by camping or picnicking in the bush or in designated camping or picnic grounds. It is common to take a portable barbecue unit in order to cook sausages, chops and/or other food on the spot. It is also common to take a portable insulated container, such as an ice box or Esky (Registered Trade Mark), for storing perishable foods and/or drinks to keep them cool. For more extended periods, such as on camping trips, people often take along a small refrigerator that can operate on gas or 12/240 volt electricity to keep food and drinks cold. Typically, both barbecues and refrigerators are quite bulky items and when going camping or on a picnic, packing space is at a premium.

Therefore, the present invention was developed with a view to providing a combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus that provides the advantages of both and that is of relatively compact construction.

References to prior art in this specification are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be taken as an admission that such prior art is part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus comprising: an insulated cabinet with a refrigeration device for keeping the interior of the cabinet chilled; a barbecue unit with a cook-top for cooking or heating food; a plurality of support legs mounted in said insulated cabinet for supporting said 0 barbecue unit in spaced relation to said insulated cabinet, and wherein said 00 _barbecue unit can be lowered on the support legs to reduce the space between a 0 top of the cabinet and a bottom of the barbecue unit whereby the combined 0 apparatus can be made relatively compact for storage and transportation.

Preferably said plurality of support legs are adjustably mounted in said insulated cabinet, wherein the length of said support legs can be adjusted to change the height of the barbecue unit. Typically the barbecue unit is of rectangular configuration and the apparatus has four legs supporting the barbecue unit, one leg at each corner respectively of the barbecue unit. Advantageously said insulated cabinet is also of rectangular configuration, with a similar footprint to that of said barbecue unit, and said support legs are slidably received in matching apertures provided in the four corners respectively of the cabinet.

Advantageously the support legs are fixed to the barbecue unit, and the barbecue unit can be separated from the insulated cabinet by lifting the legs out of the support sleeves, so that the barbecue unit can be used as a free-standing unit.

Preferably the insulated cabinet is provided with a locking means for locking the support legs in a locked condition in the matching apertures. Typically said locking means comprises a plurality of spaced apart transverse holes provided along part of the length of each support leg, for slidably receiving a corresponding locking element therein, wherein said apertures define different spacings between the top of the cabinet and the bottom of the barbecue unit.

Preferably said locking means further comprises an activating mechanism for moving the locking elements into and out of engagement with said apertures.

Preferably the locking means comprises four locking elements, one for each support leg, and a pair of activating mechanisms, one on each side of the insulated cabinet for simultaneously activating a pair of the locking elements.

N Typically both the barbecue unit and the refrigeration device are provided with a plurality of control knobs which are advantageously recessed into the apparatus, so that the control knobs do not protrude substantially from an external surface of the apparatus and therefore do not provide an obstruction, or cannot be accidentally damaged, during storage or transportation.

00 Advantageously said barbecue unit and refrigeration device can both be Soperated on gas, typically from the same LPG bottle. Preferably said refrigeration device can also operate on electricity, typically a 12 volt or 240 volt supply.

Advantageously said refrigeration device is a low power device that operates without the use of a compressor.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Brief Description of the Drawings The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the combined barbecue and refrigeration apparatus, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the barbecue unit of the apparatus of Figure 1 with the hotplate removed to reveal the arrangement of the gas burners; Figure 3 is a partial cut-away view of the barbecue unit of Figure 2 taken in a longitudinal directional; CFigure 4 is a partial cut-away view of the barbecue unit of Figure 2 taken in a lateral directional; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus of Figure 1 showing a pair of drip trays pulled out; 0Figure 6 is a perspective view of the combined barbecue and refrigerator 00 _apparatus of Figure 1 showing a drawer in the insulated cabinet pulled out; Figure 7 and illustrate a locking means employed in the combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus of Figure 1 in the unlocked condition; Figure 8 and illustrate the locking means of Figure 7 in the locked condition; Figure 9 is a partially cut-away end view of the combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus of Figure 1 showing the barbecue unit at its lowest position; Figure 10 is a partially cut-away end view of the combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus of Figure 1 showing the barbecue unit at its highest position; Figure 11 is a rear perspective view of the combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus of Figure 1 with a protective grill removed; and, Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a refrigeration device employed in the combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments A preferred embodiment of the combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus of the invention, as illustrated in Figure 1, comprises an insulated cabinet 12 with a refrigeration device 14, (not visible in Figure for keeping the interior of the cabinet cool, and a barbecue unit 16 with a cook-top 18 for cooking or heating food. The refrigeration device 14 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 11 and 12. The insulated cabinet with the refrigeration device form a refrigerator. A plurality of support legs 20 are mounted in the insulated cabinet 12 for supporting the barbecue unit 16 in spaced relation to the insulated cabinet 12.

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0o The support legs 20 are preferably adjustably mounted in the insulated cabinet 12, wherein the length of the support legs can be adjusted to change the height N of the barbecue unit 16. In this embodiment the barbecue unit 12 is of rectangular configuration and the apparatus has four legs 20 supporting the N barbecue unit 12, one leg at each corner respectively.

In the preferred embodiment the insulated cabinet 12 is also of rectangular configuration, with a similar footprint to that of the barbecue unit 16, and having a top wall 22 and a bottom wall (not visible), a rear wall 24, two side walls 26 and a front wall 28. All the walls of the insulated cabinet 12 are fully insulated to reduce thermal transfer so to keep the interior of the cabinet at a constant temperature.

Preferably an inner liner of the cabinet 12 is made from a thermoplastic material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). ABS has excellent thermoforming characteristics, a high impact strength, high heat resistance, is mould and mildew resistant, and has very low water absorption. The outer walls of the cabinet are typically manufactured from lightweight stainless steel or aluminium sheet metal, welded to a steel frame made from angle iron and square tubing.

Front wall 28 forms the front wall of a drawer 29, which is slidably received in the insulated cabinet 12, as can be seen most clearly in Figure 6. Drawer 29 is provided with a plurality of vertically separated compartments for storing food and drink items.

The support legs 20 are preferably slidably received in matching apertures provided in the four corners respectively of the cabinet 12. The support legs are welded to the underside of barbecue unit 16, and the barbecue unit 16 can be separated from the insulated cabinet 12 by lifting the legs out of the apertures In this way the barbecue unit 16 can be used as a free-standing unit, in a different location from the insulated cabinet 12, if desired. However, importantly, when the support legs 20 are received in the matching apertures 30 of the N cabinet 12, the barbecue unit 16 can be lowered on the support legs 20 to reduce the space between the top wall 22 of the cabinet and a bottom of the barbecue unit. By this means the combined apparatus 10 can be made relatively compact for storage and transportation as illustrated in Figure 9. Preferably, even when the barbecue unit 16 is lowered to its minimum height there is a still a

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0 small gap between the bottom of the barbecue unit and the top wall 22 of the cabinet. This ensures that heat from the barbecue unit does not damage the N cabinet, and also provides a narrow storage space where other items can be stowed during storage and transportation.

The insulted cabinet 12 is preferably provided with a pair of wheels 32 adjacent one end and a pair of short legs 34 at the other end, of matching height. The provision of the wheels 32 permits the apparatus 10 to be wheeled into position in a similar manner to a wheel barrow, rather than having to lift and carry it everywhere. For this purpose, the apparatus 10 also comprises a retractable handlebar 36 slidably mounted on the underside of the insulated cabinet 12. The handlebar 36 can be pulled out to an extended position as shown in Figure 11, or retracted for storage and transportation.

The barbecue unit 16 is in some respects of relatively conventional design. It comprises three gas burners 38a, 38b and 40, arranged as shown in Figure 2.

The two linear burners 38 can be independently operated for heating a hotplate 42 of the cook-top 18, and circular burner 40 is located under a griller that can be used to heat a saucepan or frying pan. Control knobs 44a, 44b and 44c for controlling the burners are mounted in a front panel 46 of the barbecue unit, and are recessed into the front panel 46, so that they do not protrude substantially from an external surface of the barbecue and therefore do not provide an obstruction, or cannot be accidentally damaged, during storage or transportation.

Preferably each of the control knobs 44 has a built-in gas ignition device that automatically ignites the gas as the knob is turned to the ON position.

Advantageously a gas line (not visible) for the burners passes down the hollow interior of one of the support legs 20 into the insulated cabinet 12, where it is coupled to the gas circuit of the refrigeration device 14. Two drip trays 48a and 48b are slidably mounted under the burners 38 and 40 for catching grease and oil waste from the hotplate and griller. The trays 48 can slide out for cleaning as shown in Figure Preferably a pair of detachable shelves 50, typically made from wood, can be attached to either side of the barbecue unit 16 to provide additional surfaces on 0 which food, plates, cooking utensils and pans may be placed. The shelves 00 0 are detached and stowed in the space between the bottom of the barbecue unit and the top wall 22 of the refrigerator during transport and storage. A series of thooks 52 may be provided along the front edge of each shelf 50 for hanging cooking utensils when not in use. Advantageously the barbecue unit 16 is also provided with a lid 54 for covering the unit when not in use. The lid 54 is sufficiently sturdy so that it can double as a tabletop when the barbecue is not in use. Advantageously the lid 54 can also be used as a windshield, while preparing food on the cook-top 18, by attaching it in a vertical orientation to the rear of the barbecue unit 16 when in use.

Preferably the insulated cabinet 12 is provided with a locking means for locking the support legs 20 in a locked condition in the matching apertures 30. Typically said locking means comprises a plurality of spaced apart transverse holes 56, provided along part of the length of each support leg 20, for slidably receiving a corresponding locking element 58 therein, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. The holes 56 define different spacings between the top wall 22 of the cabinet and the bottom of the barbecue unit 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the locking means further comprises a pair of activating mechanisms 60 mounted respectively in the two side walls 26 of the cabinet 12, for moving the locking elements 58 into and out of engagement with the holes 56 in the legs 20. Each activating mechanism simultaneously activates a pair of the locking elements 58. Figures 7 and 8 illustrate how the activating mechanisms 60 of the locking means operate.

Activating mechanism 60 comprises a rotatable lock handle 62 that can be rotated through 900 from a LOCK position to an UNLOCK position or vice versa.

The lock handle 62 is coupled to a pair of the locking elements 58, for example, by means of a rack and pinion gear arrangement, so that as the lock handle 62 is pivoted the locking elements 58 are translated linearly in a horizontal direction.

Figure 7 and shows the activating mechanism 60 in the unlocked condition, wherein the locking elements 58 are retracted, whereas Figure 8 (a) _and show the activating mechanism 60 in the locked condition, wherein the locking elements 58 are extended so as to engage with the transverse holes 56 in the support legs 20. Therefore, when the lock handles 62 on each side of the 00 cabinet 12 are rotated to the UNLOCK position, as shown in Figure the legs 20 of the barbecue unit 16 can slide freely in the apertures CHence the barbecue unit 16 can be lowered to its minimum height, as shown in Figure 9, and locked in this condition by rotating the lock handles 62 to the LOCK Cposition, as shown in Figure To raise the barbecue unit 16 to its maximum height, the lock handles 62 are rotated to the UNLOCK position, and the barbecue unit is then lifted with the support legs sliding freely in the apertures It can be locked in this position, as shown in Figure 10, by rotating the lock handles 62 back to the LOCK position.

The refrigeration device 14 of the apparatus 10 is largely housed in the rear wall 24 of the insulated cabinet 12, as can be seen most clearly in Figure 11. A protective grille 66 is provided on the rear wall 24 to protect the refrigeration device 14 from damage in use or during transportation. The refrigeration device 14 will be described in detail with reference to the schematic diagram of the refrigeration circuit shown in Figure 12. The refrigeration device 14 comprises a condenser 70 for cooling the refrigerant gas used in the closed refrigerant circuit so that it contracts and releases heat to ambient air. The refrigerant gas continues to cool as it flows downwards through a condenser tubing 72 and into a receiver 74. Receiver 74 has a gas refill valve 76 to permit regassing of the refrigerant circuit. The refrigerant gas then passes through an expansion valve 78 before entering heating tube 80 that extends vertically upwards, adjacent to a rectangular exhaust pipe 82. The expanded refrigerant gas then flows into an evaporator coil 84 mounted in the top wall 22 of the insulated cabinet. The expanded refrigerant gas extracts heat from the interior of the insulated cabinet, and this heat is released to ambient air as the refrigerant gas completes its circuit and passes back through the condenser Importantly, the refrigerant circuit can be powered by gas or electricity. If gas is used, a small burner 88 mounted at the base of the exhaust pipe 82 is lit to heat the air in the exhaust pipe 82. As the exhaust pipe 82 heats up, the refrigerant gas in the adjacent heating tube 80, is also heated and expands. A small hinged flap 86 at the top of the exhaust pipe 82 keeps the hot exhaust gases from the

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0o burner 88 trapped in the pipe 82 long enough to heat the walls of the exhaust pipe. An enlarged view of the hinged flap 86 is given in Figure 12. As the

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N pressure within the exhaust pipe builds-up the flap 86 eventually lifts to release the exhaust gases. The exhaust pipe 82 is preferably made from a length of N aluminium square tubing with high thermal conductivity. A gas control system for controlling the burner 88 comprises a safety valve 92, a gas ignition 94 and a gas regulator 96. The gas control system 94 is mounted in the bottom front of the insulated cabinet 12, as can be seen more clearly in Figures 1 and 5. An external supply of gas is connected to the gas control system 94 via a gas inlet 98.

Alternatively, if electricity is used, a small electric heating element 100, mounted on the opposite side of the exhaust pipe 82, is switched ON to provide a similar heating effect. The electric heating element 100 operates on 12 volts and is connected via an electrical control system 102 to a 12 volt power inlet 104. If a 240 volt power supply is used, it is plugged into a 240 volt power inlet 106, which is connected to a step down transformer (not visible) provided in the electrical control system 102. The electrical control system 102 is also mounted in the bottom front of the insulated cabinet 12. The electrical control system 102 further comprises a cooling system temperature sensor 110 mounted in the top wall 22 of the insulted cabinet 12, adjacent the evaporator coil 84. The temperature sensor 110 is used to control the temperature inside the insulated cabinet 12, and is connected to a temperature gauge 112.

All the control knobs 108 and the temperature gauge 112, for both the gas and the electrical control systems 90 and 102, are recessed into the front of the insulated cabinet, in a similar manner to the control knobs 44 for the barbecue burners. The preferred embodiment of the refrigeration device described above is extremely efficient and can chill the interior of the insulted cabinet down to -230 C. It is capable of the keeping the contents of the insulated cabinet below 16 0

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using as little as 300 g of LPG per day.

All the side walls of the combined apparatus 10 are totally flat with no protrusions of any sort, and all edges and corners are rounded for added safety. This allows for safer handling with minimal chance of materials catching, particularly in 00oo aconfined spaces such as the boot of a car, caravans, boats, motor homes and 0 trailers.

SNow that a preferred embodiment of the combined barbecue and refrigerator S 10 apparatus has been described in detail it will be apparent that it has a number of advantages, including the following: It is compact in design and because it is collapsible and portable it can be more easily stored and transported.

(ii) The slidable support legs permit the height of the barbecue unit to be easily adjusted, as well as allowing the barbecue unit to be used separately.

(iii) The refrigeration device can use multiple energy sources giving added flexibility to the combined apparatus.

(iv) The recessed control knobs provide added safety and protection from damage.

A quick release locking mechanism permits rapid set-up and easy height adjustment.

It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiment, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention. For example, the number and configuration of burners in the barbecue unit may be quite different to that described. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment described.

Claims

1. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus comprising: _an insulated cabinet with a refrigeration device for keeping the interior of the cabinet chilled; 00oo a barbecue unit with a cook-top for cooking or heating food; 0 a plurality of support legs mounted in said insulated cabinet for supporting S 10 said barbecue unit in spaced relation to said insulated cabinet, and wherein Ssaid barbecue unit can be lowered on the support legs to reduce the space between a top of the cabinet and a bottom of the barbecue unit whereby the combined apparatus can be made relatively compact for storage and transportation.

2. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of support legs are adjustably mounted in said insulated cabinet, wherein the length of said support legs can be adjusted to change the height of the barbecue unit.

3. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the barbecue unit is of rectangular configuration and the apparatus has four legs supporting the barbecue unit, one leg at each corner respectively of the barbecue unit.

4. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said insulated cabinet is also of rectangular configuration, with a similar footprint to that of said barbecue unit, and said support legs are slidably received in matching apertures provided in the four corners respectively of the cabinet. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the support legs are fixed to the barbecue unit, and the barbecue unit can be separated from the insulated cabinet by lifting the legs out of the matching apertures, so that the barbecue unit can be used as a free- standing unit. S6. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the insulated cabinet is provided with a locking means for locking the support legs in a locked condition in the matching apertures.

7. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said locking means comprises a plurality of spaced apart 00 0transverse holes provided along part of the length of each support leg, for receiving a corresponding locking element therein, wherein said holes define different spacings between the top of the cabinet and the bottom of the barbecue unit.

8. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said locking means further comprises an activating mechanism for moving the locking elements into and out of engagement with said transverse holes.

9. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said locking means comprises four of said locking elements, one for each support leg, and a pair of said activating mechanisms, one on each side of the insulated cabinet for simultaneously activating a pair of the locking elements.

10. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein said activating mechanism comprises a rotatable lock handle that can be rotated through 900 from a LOCK position to an UNLOCK position or vice versa.

11. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim wherein said lock handle is coupled to a pair of said locking elements, in such a manner that as the lock handle is pivoted the locking elements are translated linearly in a horizontal direction into or out of engagement with said transverse holes.

12. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein both the barbecue unit and the refrigeration device are provided with a plurality of control knobs which are recessed into the apparatus, so that the control knobs do not protrude substantially from an external surface of the apparatus and therefore do not provide an obstruction, or cannot be accidentally damaged, during storage or transportation. 00 O

13. A combined barbecue and refrigeration apparatus as defined in any one of 0 the preceding claims, wherein the insulated cabinet is provided with a pair (N o of wheels adjacent one end and a pair of short legs at the other end, of S 10 matching height, wherein the provision of the wheels permits the apparatus to be wheeled into position rather than having to be lifted and carried everywhere.

14. A combined barbecue and refrigeration apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the apparatus further comprises a retractable handlebar slidably mounted on the underside of the insulated cabinet, wherein the handlebar can be pulled out to an extended position for wheeling for apparatus, or retracted for storage and transportation. A combined barbecue and refrigeration apparatus as defined in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said refrigeration device is a low power device that operates without the use of a compressor.

16. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim wherein said refrigeration device comprises a condenser, a receiver, and a heating tube that extends vertically upwards adjacent to an exhaust pipe, whereby heated exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe heat a refrigerant gas that passes through said heating tube by conduction.

17. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein said exhaust tube is provided with a small hinged flap at the top so that the heated exhaust gases are trapped in the pipe long enough to heat the walls of the exhaust pipe. C 18. A combined barbecue and refrigerator apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any one or more of the accompanying drawings. o Dated this 11th day of March 2005 0 MAITHAM AL-ALYAWY by his Patent Attorney n Janet Stead