Collapsible and Portable Fire Pit

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/660,245, filed on Jun. 14, 1024, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/716,400, filed on Nov. 5, 2024, each of which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present technology is generally related to fire pits, and more particularly, to fire pits that are collapsible and portable.

Fire pits have become a popular “must-have” for backyard use such as for social gatherings on a summer evening, for providing some light and heat during a cook-out, or for making s′mores with the family. Often, such fire pits are permanent structures, or at the very least-they are heavy, bulky, and difficult to move. Thus, once the fire pit is constructed, the fire pit generally stays in place through the whole season of use, and often still remains in place in the off-season because of the difficulties associated with setting up the fire pit, breaking it down, if needed, or simply moving it to access the yard, such as, to mow the grass.

Conventional portable fire pits have become more prevalent in the market. Notably, fire pits have become popular for a variety of uses in a variety of locations, including at the beach, park, campsites, sporting fields, parking lots, tailgates, and the like, where the fire pit can be set-up for use, but also disassembled for transport in the user's car or truck without occupying too much storage space. However, conventional, portable fire pits are very difficult to move, especially by a single person. Additionally, such conventional portable fire pit designs are commonly very bulky and take up a lot of space, for both transport in a car and storage when not being used. As a result, there remains a need for a collapsible and portable fire pit assembly that improves upon the collapsibility and portability that is desirable for intended uses, especially uses that are temporary that would benefit from a quick assembly and quick disassembly.

Additionally, portable and collapsible fire pits must be sufficiently sturdy when assembled so as to reduce any risk during use. If a fire pit can easily fall apart when a fire has been started in the structure, it can cause the fire to spread and possibly damage the user's yard, patio, deck, or home. As a result, there is also a need for a collapsible and portable fire pit assembly that will be sturdy and safe during set-up conditions and use.

In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a fire pit assembly that can be easily set up and collapsed, especially by a single user, without requiring tremendous effort to move the fire pit assembly, to set-up and assemble the fire pit assembly for use, to break-down and disassemble the fire pit assembly after use, and all without compromising the structural integrity of the fire pit assembly when is use. Further, there is a need for such a fire pit assembly that can be set-up for use and then disassembled and collapsed when not in use with minimal effort, again, especially by a single user, without limiting or compromising the structural features of the assembly structure. Still further, there is a need for a fire pit assembly that can be easily set-up in any desirable location without compromising or affecting the safety and structural integrity of the assembly, especially on all types of surfaces, including soft ground and sand. Still further, there is a need for a fire pit assembly that provides optimal venting and air flow to increase burn time of a fire in the fire pit and to also reduce smoke emitted by a fire in the fire pit. Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a portable and collapsible fire pit assembly that overcomes the problems and drawbacks associated with prior art fire pit structures, and therefore significantly improves the utility of such a fire pit while permitting easy transportation and/or storage in a collapsed condition.

The present disclosure addresses these issues and provides a means to circumvent the associated drawbacks of such conventional fire pit designs.

Example aspects of the present disclosure include:

A collapsible and portable fire pit according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a body comprising a series of interconnected slat members each adapted to engage and maintain a connection with an adjacent slat member, wherein the series of interconnected slat members are connected together at a connection and collectively moveable between a standing configuration and a collapsed configuration, and wherein the series of interconnected slat members define a burn chamber when in the standing configuration; a base adapted for supporting the body when the series of slat members are in the standing configuration, wherein the base assists in maintaining the series of slat members in the standing configuration; and a retention rim adapted to be placed on the main body section when the series of slat members are in the set-up condition, said top retention rim structure defining a central opening.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein each slat of the series of interconnected slats comprise an inner slat connected to an outer slat, wherein the inner slat and the outer slat form a cavity, wherein the inner slat has a first vent and the outer slat has a second vent, and wherein the first vent, the second vent, and the cavity facilitate air intake and heat flow during use of the fire pit.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the base includes a plurality of perforations, and wherein the air intake can enter into the burn chamber from underneath the base and through the plurality of perforations.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein a first burn flow is defined by the air intake entering into the burn chamber from underneath the base and a second burn flow is defined by air flow from the burn chamber exiting through some perforations of the plurality of perforations into corresponding cavities of each slat of the series of interconnected slats.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein each outer slat includes a heat reflective material applied to a surface of the outer slat.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein each inner slat includes a heat reflective material applied to a surface of the inner slat.

Any of the aspects herein, further comprising at least one support foot connected to the base and movable between a folded configuration and a deployed configuration, wherein the at least one support foot raises the base when in the deployed configuration.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the connection is formed by a rod on one slat of the series of interconnected slats received by a receiver on an adjacent slat.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the connection comprises at least one of a limited connection or an unlimited connection, wherein the limited connection limits pivotal rotation of adjacent slats and the unlimited connection does not limit pivotal rotation of adjacent slats.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the limited connection is formed by a tab extending from the receiver and limiting rotation of a slat adjacent to the tab.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the body is cylindrical.

Any of the aspects herein, further comprising a locking mechanism configured to lock the body to the base.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the locking mechanism also locks the body to the rim.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the body includes a pair of handles positioned opposite each other.

A collapsible and portable fire pit according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a body comprising a series of interconnected slat members each adapted to engage and maintain a connection with an adjacent slat member, wherein the series of interconnected slat members are connected together at a connection and collectively moveable between a standing configuration and a collapsed configuration, and wherein the series of interconnected slat members define a burn chamber when in the standing configuration; a base adapted for supporting the body when the series of slat members are in the standing configuration, wherein the base assists in maintaining the series of slat members in the standing configuration; at least one support foot connected to the base and movable between a folded configuration and a deployed configuration, wherein the at least one support foot raises the base when in the deployed configuration; and a retention rim adapted to be placed on the main body section when the series of slat members are in the set-up condition, said top retention rim structure defining a central opening.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein each slat of the series of interconnected slats comprise an inner slat connected to an outer slat, wherein the inner slat and the outer slat form a cavity, wherein the inner slat has a first vent and the outer slat has a second vent, and wherein the first vent, the second vent, and the cavity facilitate air intake and heat flow during use of the fire pit.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the base includes a plurality of perforations, and wherein the air intake can enter into the burn chamber from underneath the base and through the plurality of perforations.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein a first burn flow is defined by the air intake entering into the burn chamber from underneath the base and a second burn flow is defined by air flow from the burn chamber exiting through some perforations of the plurality of perforations into corresponding cavities of each slat of the series of interconnected slats.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein each outer slat includes a heat reflective material applied to a surface of the outer slat.

A method of deploying a fire pit according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises positioning a base and moving a set of support feet on the base from a folded configuration and a deployed configuration; moving a body from a collapsed configuration to a standing configuration; positioning the body on the base; positioning a rim on the body on an opposite side of the base; and locking the body to the base via a locking mechanism.

The details of one or more aspects of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the techniques described in this disclosure will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

The phrases “at least one”, “one or more”, and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “at least one of A, B, or C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, “one or more of A, B, or C” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B and C together. When each one of A, B, and C in the above expressions refers to an element, such as X, Y, and Z, or class of elements, such as X-X, Y-Y, and Z-Z, the phrase is intended to refer to a single element selected from X, Y, and Z, a combination of elements selected from the same class (e.g., Xand X) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Yand Z).

The term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” can be used interchangeably.

The preceding is a simplified summary of the disclosure to provide an understanding of some aspects of the disclosure. This summary is neither an extensive nor exhaustive overview of the disclosure and its various aspects, embodiments, and configurations. It is intended neither to identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure but to present selected concepts of the disclosure in a simplified form as an introduction to the more detailed description presented below. As will be appreciated, other aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below.

Numerous additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the embodiment descriptions provided hereinbelow.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a portable and collapsible fire pit (). The fire pit () can move between a deployed or standing configuration () (shown in) for use and a collapsed or packed down configuration () (shown in) for transportation and storage. The fire pit (), when in the collapsed configuration () is easy to store and transport to different locations, which enables the use of the fire pit () in locations in which a fire pit may be difficult to install or is undesirable to have. For example, the fire pit () can be used as a fire pit on a beach for a day, then transported and stored in the collapsed configuration (). The fire pit () is not limited to the use cases and examples described herein. The fire pit () is also designed to improve air flow and reduce smoke during use.

Turning to the Figures,illustrates a tilted view of the fire pit () andillustrates a partial exploded view of the fire pit (). A set of feet () are not shown infor clarity. The fire pit () includes a body (), a base (), and a retention rim (). It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the fire pit () may not include the base () and/or the retention rim (). As shown, the fire pit () is cylindrical in shape and circular when viewed from a top of the fire pit (). In other embodiments, the fire pit () may be any shape when viewed from the top of the fire pit () such as, for example, triangular, square, oval, rectangular, hexagonal, polygonal, or any other geometrical shape. The fire pit () may also have any number of sides such as, for example, 12 sides, 20 sides, etc. The fire pit () may have an inner circumference of, for example, 46″ inches. In other embodiments, the fire pit () may have an inner circumference of less than or greater than 46″.

The body () may include at least one handle () for positioning, picking up, or otherwise moving the body (). The body () is formed from a set of slats () and each slat () is formed by an outer slat () and an inner slat (), as will be discussed in detail below.

Turning to, a front view and a top view of the outer slat () are respectively shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer slat () has a slightly arcuate shape and a pair of flanges extending towards the inner slat () when viewed from the top. In other embodiments, the outer slat () can have any shape when viewed from the top.

Turning to, a front view and a top view of the inner slat () are respectively shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner slat () is planar and has a rod () at one end and a receiver () at the other end. The receiver () can receive the rod () of an adjacent inner slat () to form a connection () (shown in) between adjacent inner slats (). In the illustrated embodiment, the receiver () is a barrel that can receive the rod (). It will be appreciated that the connection () between adjacent slats () can take any form, including various embodiments described below.

Turning toa top view, a detailed top view, a tilted, detailed top view, and a tilted, detailed bottom view of the body () are respectively shown. The base () and the retention rim () are not shown for clarity. As shown, the inner slat () and the outer slat () form the slat (), which has a cavity (), shown and described in detail in.

As previously described, the slats () are connected together at the connection (). The connection () can be a limited connection () in which the inner slats () have a limited range of pivot motion (e.g., within, for example, 10 degrees or less) or an unlimited connection () in which the inner slats () can pivot to any degree. In general, the connections are designed to facilitate set-up and break-down of the body (). More specifically, the limited connection () is limited by a tab () extending from the receiver (). In the illustrated embodiment, the tab () extends a length of the inner slat (). In other embodiments, the tab () may extend a short distance along the inner slat (), as shown in. Further, the tab () facilitates set up of the body () in that the tab () can guide the slats () into the circular shape (or any other shape of other embodiments of the body ()) when moving to the standing configuration. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the limited connection () may be limited in any manner.

Turning to(and with reference to), a configuration of unlimited connections () and limited connections () and the body () in the collapsed configuration are respectively shown. The unlimited connection () is shown and labelled in. The unlimited connection () is formed by a series of hinges () on adjacent slats () connected by a rod. The unlimited connection () enables the adjacent slats () to rotate or pivot to any degree. As shown in, the body () includes two unlimited connections () on opposing sides of the body () and limited connections () in between the two unlimited connections (). The two unlimited connections () are also spaced 90 degrees from two handles (), though in other embodiments the body () may have any number of handles, unlimited connections, and any configuration.

The two unlimited connections () spaced on opposite ends facilitate moving the body () between the collapsed configuration and the standing configuration. More specifically, the two unlimited connections () enable the body () to be collapsed at the two unlimited connections () such that the body () folds flat onto itself. In other words, the body () can be folded flat such that the slats () form two rows of slats () with one row of slats () resting on top of the other row of slats ().

The illustrated configuration enables the body () to be folded flat, as shown in, for transportation and/or storage. The body (), the base (), and the retention rim () can be inserted into and stored in, for example, a bag. Further, the inner slats () being planar facilitate a low profile of the body () when the body () is in the collapsed configuration (). In the embodiment illustrated, the body () is made up of layers of equal number of slats (). In alternate designs, the slats () can be collapsed in an aligned array designed to reduce the footprint of the collapsed body (). When the body () is collapsed, the slats () remain connected by, for example, the connection () and/or a mechanical tension mechanism (), as described below. By remaining connected during collapsing and storage, the slats () can easily be set up again and moved to the standing configuration.

Turning to, a top, tilted view of the base () and side, cross-sectional view taken along line A-A are respectively shown. The base () is preferably constructed of the same material as the body (). In other instances, the base () can be a different material than the body ().

In the embodiment illustrated in, the base () has a base body () and a base pan (). The base body () is circular in shape and has a diameter slightly larger than a diameter of the body (). A larger base () ensures greater stability in the standing configuration, so that when in use, the risk of the assembly fire pit () tipping over is greatly reduced. The base body () also includes a sidewall () that extends up and is configured to provide support to hold the body () within the base (), as shown in. In the illustrated embodiment, the base () also contains a channel () that runs the outer circumference of the base body (), allowing the bottom of the body () to fit securely in the channel () and retaining its desired circular shape when set-up. The channel () also helps reduce the risk of the body () shifting or collapsing when in use.

As shown in, the base pan () can be a frusto-conically shaped base pan (). Additionally, the base () forces side wall alignment (for the body ()) upon installation, and further, can maintain the set-up shape and volume of the body () during use of the fire pit ().

In the illustrated embodiments, the base () is independent of the body (), and can be removed to facilitate set-up, cleaning, transport and storage of the fire pit (). In alternate embodiments, the base body () may be foldable in half by means of a one direction hinge system (not shown) so as to reduce the footprint of the base () for storage and transport. In other embodiments, the base () may be connected to the body () and the body () may be configured to fold over the base () when in the collapsed configuration.

In general, the base () serves as a collection for any ash, burnt wood, coals, or any other debris. Removal of such debris is simplified by merely removing the body () and cleaning the surface of the base body () and/or the base pan ().

Turning to, a tilted, cross-sectional view of the fire pit () is shown without the base pan () and one of the inner slats () for clarity. As shown, the body () can include a locking element () that secures the body () in its set-up condition to the base () and more specifically to the base body () and the base pan () during use. The locking element () can include a spring-loaded lever that acts as a lock for the set-up fire pit (). When the locking element () is engaged between the base body () and the base pan (), a user can lift and move the fire pit () without needed to disassemble the parts. In use, the locking element () also acts as a quick-release to disengage the body () from the base () when the user wants to collapse the fire pit ().

As shown, the body () also includes the handle () positioned above the locking element (). The body () also includes a button (), shown in, to actuate the locking element (). The button () may be, for example, a push button. The position of the handle () can provide aid in actuating the button () to actuate the locking element ().