التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
| العنوان: |
Swing away tailgate barbeque cooking system |
| Patent Number: |
12024,131 |
| تاريخ النشر: |
July 02, 2024 |
| Appl. No: |
18/237955 |
| Application Filed: |
August 25, 2023 |
| مستخلص: |
The swing away tailgate barbeque cooking system allows for a cooking apparatus to be mounted on a vehicle or RV. Once at the location, the unit can swing away from the vehicle on a plane up to approximately 180 degrees. The user can then pivot the cooking apparatus into a position that is favorable for cooking. An adjustable leg or legs can be utilized which enable the unit to be much heavier than other swing away units. The adjustable legs make the unit very easy for one person to swing open or swing close. The adjustable legs also allow the unit to be in a level orientation when on uneven ground. The unit can be easily disconnected and rolled away from the carry vehicle. The unit can then be used as a stand-alone grill for home cooking. |
| Inventors: |
Larkins, William Douglas (Burns, TN, US) |
| Claim: |
1. A method of mounting a swing away tailgate barbeque cooking system to a vehicle comprising at least one vehicle hitch, the method comprising: a) providing a vehicle comprising at least one vehicle hitch; b) providing a swing away tailgate barbeque cooking system comprising: i) at least one connecting arm comprising a forward end configured to connect to the at least one vehicle hitch, a rear end and a length extending from the forward end to the rear end; ii) a mounting arm comprising a first portion located rearwardly relative to the at least one connecting arm and connected to the at least one connecting arm rear end, the mounting arm further comprising a second portion extending rearwardly from the first portion; iii) a swing away arm located rearwardly relative to the mounting arm and pivotably connected to the second portion, the swing away arm configured to pivot about a pivot axis from a storage position in which the swing arm is parallel to and faces the first portion to an open position in which the swing arm does not face the first straight portion; and iv) a support frame configured to support a cooking apparatus, the support frame connected to the swing away arm and configured to pivot with the swing away arm about the pivot axis from the storage position to the open position, wherein the swing away tailgate barbeque cooking system further comprises a plurality of legs extending downwardly from the mounting arm, the swing away arm and/or the support frame, the plurality of legs comprising caster wheels configured to roll along the ground, the caster wheels located below the mounting arm, the swing away arm and the support frame; and c) removably connecting the forward end of the at least one connecting arm to the at least one trailer hitch so that the at least one connecting arm extends rearwardly from the at least one trailer hitch. |
| Claim: |
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the support frame comprises a floor configured to support a cooking apparatus and plurality of sidewalls extending upwardly from the floor. |
| Claim: |
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the floor is rectangular in shape. |
| Claim: |
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the floor comprises a width of at least about 1 foot and a length of at least about two feet. |
| Claim: |
5. The method of claim 2 wherein the method further comprises positioning a grill or other cooking apparatus on the floor and/or connecting a grill or other cooking apparatus to the floor. |
| Claim: |
6. The method of claim 2 wherein the floor comprises a front located in front of the swing away arm, a rear located behind the swing away arm, and a width extending from the front to the rear and further wherein the floor width comprises a center located directly above the swing away arm so that the floor is centered on the swing away arm. |
| Claim: |
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the swing away arm is comprised of a fixed portion pivotably connected to the second portion and a telescoping portion configured to move at least partially along a length of the fixed portion to adjust the length of the swing away arm and further wherein the support frame is connected to the telescoping portion. |
| Claim: |
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the swing away arm and mounting arm and the bottom of the frame are located above the forward end of the at least one connecting arm. |
| Claim: |
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the swing away arm, the first portion of the mounting arm and the second portion of the mounting arm are co-planar and the bottom of the frame is located above the swing away arm and mounting arm. |
| Claim: |
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one connecting arm is located below the swing away arm, the first portion of the mounting arm and the second portion of the mounting arm. |
| Claim: |
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises rolling the caster wheels along the ground. |
| Claim: |
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the frame bottom is configured to hold at least thirty pounds. |
| Claim: |
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of legs are removably connected to sockets located on the mounting arm, the swing away arm and/or the support frame. |
| Claim: |
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the method further comprises removing the plurality of legs from the sockets and attaching a plurality of adjustment posts/jacks to the sockets, the plurality of adjustment posts/jacks having a variable height and a flat bottom configured to rest on the ground, the plurality of adjustment posts/jacks configured to raise and lower the mounting arm, swing away arm and/or support frame. |
| Claim: |
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the swing away tailgate barbeque cooking system further comprises a lock configured to maintain the swing away arm in the storage position. |
| Claim: |
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the lock comprises a lip located on the swing away arm that is configured to releasably engage the mounting arm. |
| Claim: |
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the lock comprises a locking pin. |
| Claim: |
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the lock comprises a bar extending forwardly from the swing away arm and comprising a front portion configured to engage and connect to the mounting arm when the swing away arm is in the storage position. |
| Claim: |
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the swing away arm and the mounting arm each comprise a top, a bottom, and a height extending from the top to the bottom, and further wherein the pivot axis is a parallel to the height of the swing away arm and the mounting arm. |
| Claim: |
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the swing away arm is pivotably connected to the second portion by a pivot bolt extending parallel to the pivot axis. |
| Claim: |
21. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion extends rearwardly from the first portion at an angle of between about 30 degrees and about 90 degrees. |
| Claim: |
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the first portion is straight and oriented perpendicular to the length of the at least one connecting arm. |
| Claim: |
23. The method of claim 1 wherein the second portion comprises a rear end located at least 6 inches to the rear of the first portion. |
| Claim: |
24. The method of claim 1 wherein the first portion comprises a left side, a right side and a length extending from the left side to the right side and further wherein the second portion extends rearwardly from the left side or the right side. |
| Claim: |
25. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of legs are pivotably connected to the mounting arm, the swing away arm and/or the support frame and are configured to pivot from a wheeling position in which the plurality of legs are perpendicular to the ground and the caster wheels contact the ground to a leg storage position in which the plurality of legs are not perpendicular to the ground and the caster wheels are not on the ground. |
| Claim: |
26. The method of claim 1 wherein each leg comprises a caster wheel. |
| Claim: |
27. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one connecting arm, the mounting arm and/or the swing away arm are comprised of a plurality of parts. |
| Claim: |
28. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle hitch is a vehicle hitch receiver and the at least one connecting arm is configured to slide into the vehicle hitch receiver. |
| Claim: |
29. The method of claim 1 wherein the caster wheels are configured to support at least the mounting arm, the swing away arm and the support frame when the at least one connecting arm is not attached to the vehicle. |
| Claim: |
30. The method of claim 1 wherein the connecting arm and the swing away arm each have a length of at least about two feet. |
| Claim: |
31. The method of claim 1 wherein the swing away tailgate barbeque cooking system further comprises a plurality of cranks coupled to the plurality of legs and configured to raise and lower the height of the plurality of legs. |
| Claim: |
32. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of legs comprises at least two front legs and at least two rear legs. |
| Claim: |
33. The method of claim 32 wherein, in the storage position, the front legs are located approximately the same distance behind the vehicle, and the rear legs are located approximately the same distance behind the front legs. |
| Claim: |
34. The method of claim 1 wherein the swing away tailgate barbeque cooking system further comprises a secondary vehicle hitch connecting to the mounting arm for allowing the vehicle to tow a secondary vehicle, the secondary vehicle hitch located below the swing away arm. |
| Primary Examiner: |
Schwenning, Lynn E |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: |
Cortesi, Shane |
| رقم الانضمام: |
edspgr.12024131 |
| قاعدة البيانات: |
USPTO Patent Grants |