Collapsible Pedestal Attachment for a Portable Cooking Device and Associated Methods

Abstract

A pedestal for a cooking device comprises a main body including a base having a plurality of leg receiving passageways formed therein, sidewalls extending upwardly from the base, a passageway formed in a medial portion of the base and fastener receiving passageways formed in at least one of the sidewalls. The pedestal also includes a plurality of legs to be detachably connected to the base of the main body. The base and the sidewalls of the main body are adapted to engage a bottom portion of a cooking device to elevate the cooking device. The pedestal is moveable between an assembled position and a collapsed position. The assembled position of the pedestal is defined as the plurality of legs being connected to the main body. The collapsed position of the pedestal is defined by the plurality of legs being detached from the main body and being carried by the main body so that the main body and the plurality of legs are arranged in a substantially flat configuration.

1 . A pedestal for a cooking device comprising:
 a main body including a base having a plurality of leg receiving passageways formed therein, and sidewalls extending upwardly from the base; and   a plurality of legs to be detachably connected to the base of said main body;   wherein the base and the sidewalls of said main body are adapted to engage a bottom portion of the cooking device to elevate the cooking device;   wherein said plurality of legs extend through the base of said main body so that a top portion thereof is positioned above the base of said main body when each of said plurality of legs is connected to the base;   wherein a portion of said main body and a portion of each of said plurality of legs are adapted to detachably engage a lower portion of the cooking device; and   wherein the pedestal is moveable between an assembled position and a collapsed position, the assembled position being defined as said plurality of legs being connected to said main body, the collapsed position being defined by said plurality of legs being detached from said main body and being carried by said main body so that said main body and said plurality of legs are arranged in a substantially flat configuration.   
   
   
       2 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein the base of said main body includes a passageway formed therethrough. 
   
   
       3 . A pedestal according to  claim 2  wherein the passageway is centered in the base and adapted to be positioned adjacent a bottom portion of the cooking device. 
   
   
       4 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein said plurality of legs are threadably connected to the base of said main body. 
   
   
       5 . A pedestal according to  claim 4  further comprising a respective plurality of threaded inserts carried by the base of said main body to threadably receive the respective plurality of legs. 
   
   
       6 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  further comprising fastener receiving passageways formed in the sidewalls of said main body. 
   
   
       7 . A pedestal according to  claim 6  wherein the fastener receiving passageways are each adapted to receive a fastener therethrough and wherein the fastener engages the fastener receiving passageway and a vent of the cooking device to fasten the cooking device to the pedestal. 
   
   
       8 . A pedestal according to  claim 1  wherein the pedestal is adapted to be carried by the cooking device in a substantially flat configuration when the cooking device is in a collapsed position and the pedestal is in the collapsed position. 
   
   
       9 . A pedestal for a cooking device comprising:
 a main body including a base having a plurality of leg receiving passageways formed therein, sidewalls extending upwardly from the base, a passageway formed in a medial portion of the base and fastener receiving passageways formed in at least one of the sidewalls; and   a plurality of legs to be detachably threadably connected to the base of said main body;   wherein the base and the sidewalls of the main body are adapted to engage a bottom portion of a cooking device to elevate the cooking device; and   wherein the pedestal is moveable between an assembled position and a collapsed position, the assembled position being defined as said plurality of legs being connected to said main body, the collapsed position being defined by said plurality of legs being detached from said main body and being carried by said main body so that said main body and said plurality of legs are arranged in a substantially flat configuration.   
   
   
       10 . A pedestal according to  claim 9  further comprising a respective plurality of threaded inserts carried by the base of said main body to threadably receive the respective plurality of legs. 
   
   
       11 . A pedestal according to  claim 10  wherein said respective plurality of threaded inserts extend upwardly from the base of said main body to engage a portion of the cooking device when the cooking device is carried by the pedestal. 
   
   
       12 . A pedestal according to  claim 9  wherein the fastener receiving passageways are each adapted to receive a fastener therethrough and wherein the fastener engages the fastener receiving passageway and a vent of the cooking device to fasten the cooking device to the pedestal. 
   
   
       13 . A pedestal according to  claim 9  wherein the pedestal is adapted to be carried by the cooking device in a substantially flat configuration when the cooking device is in a collapsed position and the pedestal is in the collapsed position. 
   
   
       14 . A pedestal according to  claim 9  wherein the base and the sidewalls of said main body are adapted to engage a bottom portion of a cooking device to elevate the cooking device. 
   
   
       15 . A method of using a pedestal to elevate a cooking device, the pedestal comprising a main body including a base having a plurality of leg receiving passageways formed therein, sidewalls extending upwardly from the base, a passageway formed in a medial portion of the base and fastener receiving passageways formed in at least one of the sidewalls, the method comprising:
 moving the pedestal from a collapsed position defined by a plurality of legs being detached from the base of the main body and carried by the main body, to an assembled position defined by the plurality of legs being connected to the main body; and   fastening the pedestal to the cooking device when the pedestal is in the assembled position, wherein fastening the pedestal to the cooking device includes passing at least one fastener through at least one fastener receiving passageway to engage a portion of the cooking device.   
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the plurality of legs are connected to the main body when the pedestal is in the assembled position using a threaded connection. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein the base of the main body includes a respective plurality of threaded inserts to threadably receive the respective plurality of legs. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein the respective plurality of threaded inserts extend upwardly from the base of the main body to engage a portion of the cooking device when the cooking device is carried by the pedestal. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein fastening the pedestal to the cooking device includes engaging the fastener with a vent of the cooking device to fasten the cooking device to the pedestal. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein the pedestal is adapted to be carried by the cooking device in a substantially flat configuration when the cooking device is in a collapsed position and the pedestal is in the collapsed position.