Outdoor kitchen unit

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An outdoor kitchen unit comprising:
 a frame assembly including:
 a base frame; 
 a front frame; 
 a rear frame; 
 a first side frame; 
 a second side frame; 
   a countertop including a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface including a locking structure that mates with the top edges of the base frame, front frame, rear frame, first side frame, and second side frame;   wherein the first and second side frames are configured to be secured between the front frame and the rear frame such that the first and second side frames do not contribute to the overall length of the assembled frame assembly,   wherein the base frame is configured to be secured between the front frame and the rear frame, 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.   
     
     
         2 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener assembly that is configured to apply a force that drives an edge of the first side frame against an edge of the front frame and rear frame. 
     
     
         3 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket that engages an inside facing edge of a vertical frame member of the first side frame, a threaded nut fixed to an inside edge of a vertical frame member of the front frame, and a threaded bolt that engages the bracket and the nut and is arranged and configured to drive the bracket along with the vertical frame member to which it is engaged against the vertical frame member of the front frame. 
     
     
         4 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener assembly that secures the first side frame in place between the front frame and rear frame wherein the fastener assembly includes a threaded bolt that extends from an inside edge of a vertical frame member of the side frame and a tab with an aperture therein that is configured and arranged to receive the threaded bolt that extends from an inside edge of a vertical frame member of the front frame. 
     
     
         5 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a first fastener assembly that secures the first side frame in place between the front frame and rear frame, a second fastener assembly that secures the first side frame in place between the front frame and rear frame, and a third fastener assembly located between the first fastener assembly and second fastener assembly, the third fastener assembly configured to apply a force that drives an edge of the first side frame against an edge of the front frame and rear frame. 
     
     
         6 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , wherein the base frame is configured to interlock with the front frame and rear frame and relative vertical motion therebetween is limited so long as the front and rear frames are held in place by the first and second side frames. 
     
     
         7 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , wherein the base frame is configured to be engaged with the front frame and rear frame by sliding the front and rear frames towards the based frame horizontally. 
     
     
         8 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , wherein the base frame is configured to be secured to the front frame and rear frame such that releasing the side frames simultaneously releases the front and rear frames from the base frame. 
     
     
         9 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , wherein the base frame includes a plurality of protrusions that are configured to be received in recesses on the front frame and rear frame. 
     
     
         10 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , wherein the base frame includes a plurality of tabs that are configured to slide over the inside surface of horizontally members of the front frame and rear frame. 
     
     
         11 . The outdoor kitchen unit of  claim 1 , wherein the base frame, front frame, rear frame, first side frame and second side frame are configured such that when disassembled they can be stacked in a box with the countertop that is less than 10 inches thick and has a length that is less than 110 percent of the length of the front frame and a width that is less than 110 percent of the height of the side frame. 
     
     
         12 . An outdoor kitchen unit comprising:
 a frame assembly including:
 a base frame; 
 a front frame; 
 a rear frame; 
 a first side frame; 
 a second side frame; 
   a countertop including a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface including a locking structure that mates with the top edges of the base frame, front frame, rear frame, first side frame, and second side frame;   a fastener assembly configured to pull a longitudinal surface of at least one of the rear frame or front frame into face-to-face engagement with a longitudinal surface of at least one the first side frame or the second side frame;   wherein the first and second side frames are nested between the front frame and the rear frame.   
     
     
         13 . The outdoor kitchen of  claim 12 , wherein the fastener assembly includes a nut fixed to at least one of the rear frame or front frame that aligns with a bolt that extends through a clamp bracket, the clamp bracket configured to engage an inwardly facing surface of the at least one the first side frame or the second side frame. 
     
     
         14 . The outdoor kitchen of  claim 13 , wherein the clamp bracket is configured to engage the inwardly facing surface of the at least one of the first side frame or the second side frame at a number of different longitudinal positions. 
     
     
         15 . The outdoor kitchen of  claim 12 , wherein the fastener assembly further comprises a plurality of fastening members that limit the longitudinal movement of the at least one the first side frame or the second side frame relative to the at least one of the rear frame or front frame. 
     
     
         16 . The outdoor kitchen of  claim 12 , wherein the base frame includes a plurality of tabs that limit the movement of the base frame in a vertical direction. 
     
     
         17 . The outdoor kitchen of  claim 12 , wherein the base frame includes a plurality of bosses that interlock with the front frame and rear frame that limit the movement of the base frame in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         18 . The outdoor kitchen of  claim 12 , wherein the base frame is configured to be releasable from the front and rear frames upon releasing the front and rear frames from the first and second side frames. 
     
     
         19 . The outdoor kitchen of  claim 12 , further comprising at least a grilling unit or refrigerator unit supported by the frame assembly. 
     
     
         20 . A method of assembling an outdoor kitchen unit comprising:
 leveling a base frame member of a frame assembly;   engaging a first wall frame member of the frame assembly with the base frame;   fastening a second wall frame member of the frame assembly to a first wall frame member;   fastening a third wall frame member of the frame assembly to a first wall frame member;   engaging a fourth wall frame member of the frame assembly with the base frame and fastening the fourth wall to the second wall frame member and third wall frame member;   securing a countertop to the frame assembly; and   securing a grill unit to the frame assembly.