Barbecue grill tank enclosure

Abstract

The present invention provides a support apparatus for a fuel tank used in connection with a gas barbecue grill assembly. The support apparatus is connected to a portion of the frame assembly of the grill assembly. In one embodiment, the support apparatus includes a door having a first wall and a second wall adjacent and transverse to the first wall. In another embodiment, the support apparatus includes a door and a substantially vertical member rotatedly supporting the door. One wall of the door is adapted to support the fuel tank. The door is moveable between a first position wherein the fuel tank is stored for use, and a second position wherein the fuel tank is accessible. The support apparatus has a first vent and a second distal vent to vent the cavity of the housing.

1 . A fuel tank enclosure for a barbecue grill, comprising: 
 a door having a first wall and a second wall adjacent and transverse to the first wall, and a fuel tank bracket connected to the second wall to support the fuel tank, the door being moveable between a first position wherein the fuel tank is stored for use, and a second position wherein the fuel tank is accessible.    
     
     
         2 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a shaft member having a substantial portion residing in a generally vertical axis, the door rotating about the shaft member to move from the first position to the second position.  
     
     
         3 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a gusset joining a portion of the first wall and the second wall.  
     
     
         4 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel tank bracket comprises a fuel tank scale, and wherein the fuel tank is supported by the fuel tank scale.  
     
     
         5 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second walls are in intersecting vertical planes.  
     
     
         6 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing having a cavity for the fuel tank, wherein the door substantially covers a front opening to the cavity of the housing when the door is in the first position.  
     
     
         7 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 2 , further comprising a housing having a cavity for the fuel tank, wherein the door substantially covers a front opening to the cavity of the housing when the door is in the first position, and wherein the shaft member connects the door to the housing.  
     
     
         8 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a first vent aperture adjacent a top of the fuel tank enclosure, and a second vent aperture adjacent a bottom of the fuel tank enclosure.  
     
     
         9 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 8 , wherein the first vent aperture extends through a portion of the first wall of the door.  
     
     
         10 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 9 , wherein the second vent aperture resides beneath the door.  
     
     
         11 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 1 , further comprising a tank regulator and bulkhead assembly removably connected to the fuel tank enclosure.  
     
     
         12 . A fuel tank enclosure for a barbecue grill, comprising: 
 a housing assembly; and,    a door rotatedly connected about a generally vertical axis to the housing assembly, the door having a bracket to support the fuel tank, wherein the door rotates about the vertical axis from a first position to a second position, wherein the fuel tank is accessible when the door is in the second position, and wherein the fuel tank is retracted in the housing when the door is in the first position.    
     
     
         13 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 12 , wherein the door comprises a first wall and a second wall transverse to the first wall, the fuel tank being operably connected to the second wall of the door.  
     
     
         14 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 13 , further comprising a gusset connecting the first wall with the second wall, the gusset residing in an intersecting plane to the first and second walls.  
     
     
         15 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 12 , further comprising a shaft member connected to the door, the shaft member providing rotational support for the door to rotate about the housing assembly.  
     
     
         16 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 15 , wherein the shaft member has a reverse bent portion.  
     
     
         17 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 15 , wherein the shaft member has a top end and a bottom end, and wherein the shaft member engages the housing assembly adjacent both the top and bottom ends thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 12 , further comprising a bushing adjacent the door, wherein the bushing has a shoulder dimensioned to provide a defined gap adjacent an edge of the door, the gap providing an area for the ingress or egress of air flow about a cavity of the fuel tank enclosure.  
     
     
         19 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 12 , wherein the housing assembly has an open bottom.  
     
     
         20 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 12 , further comprising a first vent aperture adjacent a top of the fuel tank enclosure, and a second vent aperture adjacent a bottom of the fuel tank enclosure.  
     
     
         21 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 20 , wherein the first vent aperture extends through a portion of the first wall of the door, and wherein the second vent aperture resides beneath the door.  
     
     
         22 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 12 , wherein the housing assembly is a component of a frame supporting the barbecue grill.  
     
     
         23 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 12 , wherein the housing assembly is connected to a built-in support structure for the barbecue grill.  
     
     
         24 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 12 , further comprising a retaining member in the door to removably secure the door in the first position.  
     
     
         25 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 12 , wherein the housing assembly comprises a cabinet having a frame member.  
     
     
         26 . A support apparatus for a fuel tank used with a barbecue grill, the support apparatus comprising: 
 a door having a support for the fuel tank, and a substantially vertical member rotatedly supporting the door, wherein the substantially vertical member is connected to a support structure.    
     
     
         27 . The support apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the support structure is a built-in support structure for the barbecue grill.  
     
     
         28 . The support apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the support structure is a tank enclosure housing.  
     
     
         29 . The support apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the substantially vertical member is a shaft, wherein a first end of the shaft extends past an extent of a first end of the door, wherein a second end of the shaft extends past an extent of a second end of the door, and wherein the first and second ends of the shaft extend into the support structure.  
     
     
         30 . A fuel tank enclosure for housing a fuel tank to be in fluid communication with a gas burner of a barbecue grill assembly comprising: 
 a housing and a door rotatably connected to the housing, the housing having a cavity, wherein the fuel tank enclosure has a first vent and a second distal vent to vent the cavity of the housing.    
     
     
         31 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 30 , wherein a first vent opening of the first vent is adjacent a top of the fuel tank enclosure, and wherein a second vent opening of the second vent is adjacent a bottom of the fuel tank enclosure.  
     
     
         32 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 30 , wherein a vent opening of the first vent and a vent opening of the second vent exit adjacent a front of the fuel tank enclosure.  
     
     
         33 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 31 , wherein the first vent opening comprises a plurality of apertures adjacent a top of the door.  
     
     
         34 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 31 , wherein the second vent opening comprises an open bottom of the tank enclosure.  
     
     
         35 . A fuel tank enclosure for a barbecue grill assembly, comprising: 
 a housing having a cavity for a fuel tank;    a door substantially covering an opening to the cavity of the housing when the door is in a first position, the door being moveable to a second position to provide access to the cavity of the housing, wherein the door has an aperture in a wall thereof to provide a first vent for the cavity, and wherein the cavity has a second vent adjacent a bottom of the housing.    
     
     
         36 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 35 , wherein the housing has an open bottom.  
     
     
         37 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 35 , wherein the door rotates in a generally vertical axis about a shaft connected to the housing.  
     
     
         38 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 35 , wherein the door has a first wall, a second wall adjacent and transverse to the first wall, and a bracket connected to the second wall, the bracket adapted to support a fuel tank.  
     
     
         39 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 35 , further comprising a tank regulator and a bulkhead assembly removably connected to a regulator bracket, the regulator bracket being removably connected to the housing.  
     
     
         40 . The fuel tank enclosure of  claim 35 , wherein the bulkhead assembly comprises a first gas port for fluidly connecting a first gas burner to the fuel tank, and a second gas port for fluidly connecting a separate second gas burner to the fuel tank.