COLLAPSIBLE AND PORTABLE FIRE PIT WITH CARRYING CASE

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/725,125, filed on Nov. 26, 2024, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present technology is generally related to fire pits, and more particularly, to fire pits that are collapsible and portable and can be transported and/or stored in a corresponding carrying case.

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. Further, once a portable fire pit is disassembled into its components, it is typically desirable to transport and/or store the portable fire pit in a bag shortly after disassembly. However, conventional bags may be damaged or destroyed from the portable fire pit when it is still warm.

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 carrying case that can be used to transport and store the fire pit, even when the fire pit is still warm after disassembly.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a portable and collapsible fire pit assembly and corresponding carry case 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 and cases.

SUMMARY

Example aspects of the present disclosure include:

A carrying case for a portable fire pit according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a body having at least one compartment and an opening for receiving at least one component of the portable fire pit; and a stand connected to the body at a hinge point; a support connected to the stand at a first end and to the body at a second end opposite the first end, wherein when the stand is in an extended position, an angle is formed between the stand and the body.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the at least one compartment is coated with a fire retardant and heat-resistant material.

Any of the aspects herein, further comprising at least one strap connected to the body.

Any of the aspects herein, further comprising a handle connected to the body, wherein the carrying case is configured to be carried by at least one of the at least one strap or the handle.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the support includes a first support and a second support.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the at least one compartment comprises a first compartment and a second compartment separated by a divider.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the first compartment is sized to receive a body of the portable fire pit and the second compartment is sized to receive a base and a retention rim of the portable fire pit.

Any of the aspects herein, further comprising a lid configured to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein the lid covers the opening when in the closed position.

Any of the aspects herein, further comprising a buckle assembly configured to hold the lid in the closed position.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the buckle assembly comprises a first strap at least partially secured to the body and extending along a rear surface of the body and the lid, a second strap at least partially secured to the body and extending along at least a portion of a front surface of the body, a buckle protrusion secured to an end of the first strap, a buckle receiver secured to an end of the second strap, wherein the lid is held in the closed position when the buckle protrusion is received in the buckle receiver.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the angle is less than 90 degrees.

A carrying case according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a body having at least one compartment and an opening for receiving at least one component for storage in the body; a lid configured to move between an open position and a closed position; at least one strap connected to the body; a stand connected to the body at a hinge point; and a support connected to the stand at a first end and to the body at a second end opposite the first end, wherein the lid covers the opening when in the closed position, wherein the carrying case is configured to be carried the at least one strap, and wherein when the stand is in an extended position, an angle is formed between the stand and the body.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the at least one compartment is coated with a fire retardant and heat-resistant material.

Any of the aspects herein, further comprising a handle connected to the body, wherein the carrying case is configured to be carried by at least one of the at least one strap or the handle.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the support includes a first support and a second support.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the at least one compartment comprises a first compartment and a second compartment separated by a divider.

Any of the aspects herein, further comprising a buckle assembly configured to hold the lid in the closed position.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the buckle assembly comprises a first strap at least partially secured to the body and extending along a rear surface of the body and the lid, a second strap at least partially secured to the body and extending along at least a portion of a front surface of the body, a buckle protrusion secured to an end of the first strap, a buckle receiver secured to an end of the second strap, wherein the lid is held in the closed position when the buckle protrusion is received in the buckle receiver.

Any of the aspects herein, wherein the angle is less than 90 degrees.

A carrying case for a portable fire pit according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a body having a first compartment sized to receive a body of the portable fire pit, a second compartment sized to receive a base and a retention rim, and an opening for receiving the body, the base, and the retention rim of the portable fire pit; a lid configured to move between an open position and a closed position; a buckle assembly configured to hold the lid in the closed position; at least one strap connected to the body; a stand connected to the body at a hinge point; and a support connected to the stand at a first end and to the body at a second end opposite the first end, wherein the lid covers the opening when in the closed position, wherein the carrying case is configured to be carried the at least one strap, and wherein when the stand is in an extended position, an angle is formed between the stand and the body.

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 X₁-X_n, Y₁-Y_m, and Z₁-Z_o, 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., X₁ and X₂) as well as a combination of elements selected from two or more classes (e.g., Y₁ and Z_o).

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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and form a part of the specification to illustrate several examples of the present disclosure. These drawings, together with the description, explain the principles of the disclosure. The drawings simply illustrate preferred and alternative examples of how the disclosure can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the disclosure to only the illustrated and described examples. Further features and advantages will become apparent from the following, more detailed, description of the various aspects, embodiments, and configurations of the disclosure, as illustrated by the drawings referenced below.

FIG. 1A is a front, tilted view of a fire pit according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a front, tilted, partially exploded view of the fire pit of FIG. 1A according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a front view of an outer slat according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a top view of the outer slat of FIG. 2A according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3A is a front view of an inner slat according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3B is a top view of the inner slat of FIG. 3A according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a body of the fire pit according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a top, detailed view of the body of FIG. 4 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a top, tilted, detailed view of the body of FIG. 4 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 7 is a bottom, tilted view of an alternative embodiment of the body according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a plurality of connections on a body of a fire pit according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 is a tilted view of a fire pit in a collapsed configuration according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a front, tilted view of a base according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 is a side, cross-sectional view of the base taken along line A-A of FIG. 10 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 is a tilted, cross-sectional view of the fire pit according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a top, tilted view of a retention rim according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 is a bottom, tilted view of the retention rim of FIG. 13 according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 is a front, tilted view of the fire pit and a carrying case according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a front, tilted view of the carrying case according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 17 is another front, tilted view of the carrying case according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 18 is a top, tilted view of the carrying case with a lid in an open position according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 19 is a side, tilted view of the carrying case with the lid in the open position according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 20 is a rear view of the carrying case according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 21 is a front view of the carrying case according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a portable and collapsible fire pit (100) and corresponding carrying case (160). The fire pit (100) can move between a deployed or standing configuration (170) (shown in FIG. 1A) for use and a collapsed or packed down configuration (172) (shown in FIG. 9) for transportation and storage. The fire pit (100), when in the collapsed configuration (172) is easy to store and transport to different locations, which enables the use of the fire pit (100) in locations in which a fire pit may be difficult to install or is undesirable to have. For example, the fire pit (100) can be used as a fire pit on a beach for a day, then transported and stored in the collapsed configuration (172). The fire pit (100) is not limited to the use cases and examples described herein.

Turning to the Figures, FIG. 1A illustrates a tilted view of the fire pit (100) and FIG. 1B illustrates a partial exploded view of the fire pit (100). A set of feet (128) are not shown in FIG. 1B for clarity. The fire pit (100) includes a body (102), a base (104), and a retention rim (106). It will be appreciated that in some embodiments the fire pit (100) may not include the base (104) and/or the retention rim (106). As shown, the fire pit (100) is cylindrical in shape and circular when viewed from a top of the fire pit (100). In other embodiments, the fire pit (100) may be any shape when viewed from the top of the fire pit (100) such as, for example, triangular, square, oval, rectangular, hexagonal, polygonal, or any other geometrical shape. The fire pit (100) may also have any number of sides such as, for example, 12 sides, 20 sides, etc. The fire pit (100) may have an inner circumference of, for example, 46″ inches. In other embodiments, the fire pit (100) may have an inner circumference of less than or greater than 46″.

The body (102) may include at least one handle (126) for positioning, picking up, or otherwise moving the body (102). The body (102) is formed from a set of slats (108) and each slat (108) is formed by an outer slat (110) and an inner slat (112), as will be discussed in detail below.

Turning to FIGS. 2A and 2B, a front view and a top view of the outer slat (110) are respectively shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer slat (110) has a slightly arcuate shape and a pair of flanges extending towards the inner slat (112) when viewed from the top. In other embodiments, the outer slat (110) can have any shape when viewed from the top.

Turning to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a front view and a top view of the inner slat (112) are respectively shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner slat (112) is planar and has a rod (114) at one end and a receiver (116) at the other end. The receiver (116) can receive the rod (114) of an adjacent inner slat (112) to form a connection (118) (shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6) between adjacent inner slats (112). In the illustrated embodiment, the receiver (116) is a barrel that can receive the rod (114). It will be appreciated that the connection (118) between adjacent slats (108) can take any form, including various embodiments described below.

Turning to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7, a top view, a detailed top view, a tilted, detailed top view, and a tilted, detailed bottom view of the body (102) are respectively shown. The base (104) and the retention rim (106) are not shown for clarity. As shown, the inner slat (112) and the outer slat (110) form the slat (108), which has a cavity (164).

As previously described, the slats (108) are connected together at the connection (118). The connection (118) can be a limited connection (120) in which the inner slats (112) have a limited range of pivot motion (e.g., within, for example, 10 degrees or less) or an unlimited connection (122) in which the inner slats (112) can pivot to any degree. In general, the connections are designed to facilitate set-up and break-down of the body (102). More specifically, the limited connection (120) is limited by a tab (124) extending from the receiver (116). In the illustrated embodiment, the tab (124) extends a length of the inner slat (112). In other embodiments, the tab (124) may extend a short distance along the inner slat (112), as shown in FIG. 7. Further, the tab (124) facilitates set up of the body (102) in that the tab (124) can guide the slats (108) into the circular shape (or any other shape of other embodiments of the body (102)) when moving to the standing configuration. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the limited connection (120) may be limited in any manner.

Turning to FIGS. 8 and 9 (and with reference to FIGS. 2A-7), a configuration of unlimited connections (122) and limited connections (120) and the body (102) in the collapsed configuration are respectively shown. The unlimited connection (122) is shown and labelled in FIG. 6. The unlimited connection (122) is formed by a series of hinges (175) on adjacent slats (108) connected by a rod. The unlimited connection (122) enables the adjacent slats (108) to rotate or pivot to any degree. As shown in FIG. 8, the body (102) includes two unlimited connections (122) on opposing sides of the body (102) and limited connections (120) in between the two unlimited connections (122). The two unlimited connections (122) are also spaced 90 degrees from two handles (126), though in other embodiments the body (102) may have any number of handles, unlimited connections, and any configuration.

The two unlimited connections (122) spaced on opposite ends facilitate moving the body (102) between the collapsed configuration and the standing configuration. More specifically, the two unlimited connections (122) enable the body (102) to be collapsed at the two unlimited connections (122) such that the body (102) folds flat onto itself. In other words, the body (102) can be folded flat such that the slats (108) form two rows of slats (108) with one row of slats (108) resting on top of the other row of slats (108).

The illustrated configuration enables the body (102) to be folded flat, as shown in FIG. 9, for transportation and/or storage. The body (102), the base (104), and the retention rim (106) can be inserted into and stored in, for example, a bag. Further, the inner slats (112) being planar facilitate a low profile of the body (102) when the body (102) is in the collapsed configuration (172). In the embodiment illustrated, the body (120) is made up of layers of equal number of slats (108). In alternate designs, the slats (108) can be collapsed in an aligned array designed to reduce the footprint of the collapsed body (102). When the body (102) is collapsed, the slats (108) remain connected by, for example, the connection (118) and/or a mechanical tension mechanism (136), as described below. By remaining connected during collapsing and storage, the slats (108) can easily be set up again and moved to the standing configuration.

Turning to FIGS. 10 and 11, a top, tilted view of the base (104) and side, cross-sectional view taken along line A-A are respectively shown. The base (104) is preferably constructed of the same material as the body (102). In other instances, the base (104) can be a different material than the body (102).

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, the base (104) has a base body (138) and a base pan (140). The base body (138) is circular in shape and has a diameter slightly larger than a diameter of the body (102). A larger base (104) ensures greater stability in the standing configuration, so that when in use, the risk of the assembly fire pit (100) tipping over is greatly reduced. The base body (138) also includes a sidewall (142) that extends up and is configured to provide support to hold the body (102) within the base (104), as shown in FIG. 1A. In the illustrated embodiment, the base (104) also contains a channel (144) that runs the outer circumference of the base body (138), allowing the bottom of the body (102) to fit securely in the channel (144) and retaining its desired circular shape when set-up. The channel (144) also helps reduce the risk of the body (102) shifting or collapsing when in use.

As shown in FIG. 11, the base pan (140) can be a frusto-conically shaped base pan (140). Additionally, the base (104) forces side wall alignment (for the body (102)) upon installation, and further, can maintain the set-up shape and volume of the body (102) during use of the fire pit (100).

In the illustrated embodiments, the base (104) is independent of the body (102), and can be removed to facilitate set-up, cleaning, transport and storage of the fire pit (100). In alternate embodiments, the base body (138) may be foldable in half by means of a one direction hinge system (not shown) so as to reduce the footprint of the base (104) for storage and transport. In other embodiments, the base (104) may be connected to the body (102) and the body (102) may be configured to fold over the base (104) when in the collapsed configuration.

In general, the base (104) 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 (102) and cleaning the surface of the base body (138) and/or the base pan (140).

Turning to FIG. 12, a tilted, cross-sectional view of the fire pit (100) is shown without the base pan (140) and one of the inner slats (112) for clarity. As shown, the body (102) can include a locking element (146) that secures the body (102) in its set-up condition to the base (104) and more specifically to the base body (138) and the base pan (140) during use. The locking element (146) can include a spring-loaded lever that acts as a lock for the set-up fire pit (100). When the locking element (146) is engaged between the base body (138) and the base pan (140), a user can lift and move the fire pit (100) without needed to disassemble the parts. In use, the locking element (146) also acts as a quick-release to disengage the body (102) from the base (104) when the user wants to collapse the fire pit (100).

As shown, the body (102) also includes the handle (126) positioned above the locking element (146). The body (102) also includes a button (145), shown in FIG. 15, to actuate the locking element (146). The button (145) may be, for example, a push button. The position of the handle (126) can provide aid in actuating the button (145) to actuate the locking element (146).

The base (104) further includes support feet (128) (shown in FIGS. 1A and 12) that collectively raise the entire fire pit (100) off the ground. This is desirable when using the container (100) on certain surfaces, such as uneven ground, sand, wet grass or mud. Raising the set-up container (100) off the ground is also advantageous for certain intended uses of the container (100), including as a fire pit, where raising the container (100) off the ground can improve air flow into the container (100) through vents formed into the base pan (140). Similarly, when used as a cooler, the container (100) can include a plug on the base pan (140) to drain excess water. Similarly, as noted herein, the container (100) can be used as an article of furniture, such as a table or stool, where it may be desirable to raise the container (100) off the ground.

The support feet (128) can be moveable between a deployed configuration and a stored configuration. The support feet (128) raise the base (104) (and thus the fire pit (100)) when in the deployed configuration. The support feet (128) can be foldable, removable, fixed, adjustable, or the like. In the illustrated embodiments, the support feet (128) comprise three folding legs that can be folded up for storage, or even removed, as desired. The support feet (128) can include various embodiments such as, for example, a plurality of support feet (128) spread around the circumference of the base (104), a support ring extending around the entire circumference of the base (104) that elevates the body (102) while maintaining stable contact with the ground surface, and support feet (128) which can be folded up about a hinge and stored under the base (104) when not in use. The support feet (128) can also be biased towards a set up configuration and a packed down configuration. In such embodiments, the bias can be, for example, a spring bias. Such bias aids in setting up or packing down the support feet (128).

Turning to FIGS. 13 and 14, a top, tilted view and a bottom, tilted view of the retention rim (106) are respectively shown. In some embodiments, the retention rim (106) is constructed of the same material as the body (102) and the base (104). In other embodiments, the retention rim (106) can be constructed of a different material than the body (102) and/or the base (104). As illustrated, the retention rim (106) is generally circular in shape to complement the shape of the body (102) in the standing configuration (170). More particularly, the retention rim (106) comprises a rim body (148) defining a central opening (150). In the illustrated embodiment, the retention rim (106) has a diameter that is equal to that of the base (104), again to mitigate any risks of the fire pit (100) tipping over during use. In some embodiments, the retention rim (106) can include a channel (154) that runs the outer circumference, allowing the top of the body (102) to fit securely in the channel (154), which assists in maintaining the set-up shape of the body (102). The retention rim (106) also includes a sidewall (152) that extends over a top of the slats (108) and helps hold the retention rim (106) on the body (102).

In an alternative embodiment, the retention rim (106) can be provided with a locking element that secures the body (102) in its set-up condition, especially during use. The locking element can be used in conjunction with one or more carry handles provided on the retention rim (106) which provides leverage for securing the locking element. The one or more carry handles can also act to dissipate heat so that the unit can be carried safely without risk burning injury.

In the illustrated embodiment, the retention rim (106) is independent of the body (102), and can be removed to facilitate set-up, cleaning, transport and storage of the fire pit (100). Like the base (104), the retention rim (106) may be foldable in half by means of a one direction hinge system (not shown) to reduce the overall footprint of the fire pit (100).

Turning to FIGS. 15-21, a carrying case (160) for the fire pit (100) (or any collapsible container) will now be described. FIG. 15 illustrates a front, tilted view of the fire pit (100) and the carrying case (160). As noted, the fire pit (100) in the collapsed configuration (172) can further be placed in a carrying case (160) for storage and transport.

Turning to FIGS. 16 and 17, a rear, tilted view and a rear view of the carrying case (160) are respectively shown. The carrying case (160) includes a body (162), a lid (161), a stand (166), a handle (168), and a pair of shoulder straps (174). It will be appreciated that the carrying case (160) can have more or less features than described. For example, the carrying case (160) may have an additional handle positioned on either side of the carrying case (160). In another example, the carrying case (160) may have a first and a second stand.

The pair of shoulder straps (174) may be used to carry the carrying case (160) as a backpack or messenger bag. Additionally or alternatively, the handle (168) may also be used to carry the carrying case (160). The shoulder straps (174), the handle (168), and/or the lid (161) may be formed from, for example, fabric. In other embodiments, the shoulder straps (174), the handle (168), and/or the lid (161) may be formed from any material such as, for example, plastic.

The stand (166) as illustrated is a single stand. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments the stand (166) can be formed from two or more support legs. The stand (166), when hinged and extended from the body (162), forms an angle (178) (labelled in FIG. 19) between the stand (166) and the body (162). The angle (178) may be, for example, 90 degrees or less. In other embodiments, the angle (178) may be greater than 90 degrees. In some embodiments, the angle (178) can be adjusted to facilitate insertion or removal of the fire pit assembly (100) from the carrying case (160). Further, the stand (166) facilitates loading of the carrying case (160) by a single user who does not need to hold the carrying case (160) or hold the lid (161) open when trying to fit the components of the collapsed fire pit assembly 10 into the compartments (190) of the carrying case (160).

The stand (166) is connected to the body (162) at a hinge point (180). During use, a user can simply kick the stand (166) open or use their hand to pull the stand (166) open. The stand (166) is also supported by a support (182) connected to the stand (166) at a first end and to the body (162) at a second end opposite the first end. In the illustrated embodiment, the support (182) includes a first support (184) and a second support (186) to provide additional structural support to the stand (166). In some embodiments, the stand (166) may be supported by one support, two supports, or more than two supports. The support (182) provides additional structural support to the stand (166) and the body (162) when the stand (166) is expanded and ready for loading. Such structural support and the stand (166) ensure that the carrying case (160) stays in place during loading and unloading of the fire pit (100) to and from the carrying case (160). As illustrated, the stand (166) is integrated with the body (162) of the carrying case (160). It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the stand (166) may be a component separate from the carrying case (160).

Turning to FIGS. 18 and 19, the carrying case (160) with the lid (161) in an open position and the stand (166) in an extended position are shown in a first view and a second view, respectively. Once the lid (161) is in the open position, the lid (161) may stay in the open position for easy loading of the fire pit (100) into the carrying case (160). The body (162) of the carrying case (160) has an opening (188) through which the fire pit (100) can be inserted into the carrying case (160). The body (162) may be formed from any solid material such as, for example, a plastic, carbon fiber, metal, a metal alloy, or the like. The body (162) may be formed through, for example, injection molding or thermoformed. The body (162) may also be hydro-dipped, painted, or otherwise coated in a material. In other embodiments, the body (162) may not be painted or hydro-dipped.

As shown, the carrying case (160) includes two compartments (190) separated by a divider (192). In other instances, the carrying case (160) can include any number of compartments (190) (and dividers (192)) such as, for example, one compartment, two compartments, or more than two compartments. The compartments (190) may be sized to store different components of the fire pit (100) when disassembled. For example, one compartment (190) may store the body (102) and another compartment (190) may store the base (104) and/or the retention rim (106) of the fire pit (100). Because the body (162) of the carrying case (160) is formed from a solid material, the components can be easily inserted into their respective compartments (190). Further, the compartments (190) may be coated with a flame retardant and heat-resistant material. Such coating may enable the fire pit (100) to be disassembled and packed in the carrying case (160) prior to the fire pit (100) being completely cool. Because a typical fire pit (100) may take upward to 2-hours to cool down, it is beneficial to be able to pack the fire pit (100) in the carrying case (160) while the fire pit (100) is still warm. Such coating may also protect the carrying case (160) itself, and prevent degradation of the carrying case (160) when transporting the fire pit (100) when warm.

The lid (161) may be closed during transport and/or storage of the carrying case (160) and the fire pit (100). It will be appreciated that the lid (161) may stay in the open position during loading of the carrying case (160). The lid (161) may, in some instances, be biased to the open position or capable of staying in the open position without a user holding the lid (161) open. When the lid (161) is moved to the closed position, the lid (161) may be held or locked in the closed position using, for example, a buckle, clasp, loop and hook material, or the like.

Turning to FIGS. 20 and 21, a rear view and a front view of the carrying case (160) are respectively shown. In the illustrated embodiment, the lid (161) is held or locked in the closed position via a buckle and strap assembly (194). The buckle and strap assembly (194) may include a first strap (196) extending along a rear surface (198) of the body (162) and over the lid (161) and partially secured to the body (162). The buckle and strap assembly (194) also includes a second strap (199) extending along at least a portion of a front surface (197) of the body (162) and at least partially secured to the body (162). The buckle and strap assembly (194) may also include a buckle protrusion (195) at an end of the first strap (196) and a buckle receiver (193) at an end of the second strap (199). The lid (161) is held or locked in the closed position when the buckle protrusion (195) is received or buckled into the buckle receiver (193). As previously described, the lid (161) may be releasably held or locked in the closed position using any mechanism. For example, the lid (161) may be held or locked in the closed position by a clasp, loop and hook material, the lid (161) being biased to the closed and/or open position, etc.

The carrying case (160) as described above enables easy loading of the disassembled fire pit (100) into the different compartments (190) of the carrying case (160) without the carrying case (160) falling over. The carrying case (160) can also transport and store the fire pit (100) when the fire pit (100) is still warm, which enables users to quickly pack the fire pit (100) when ready, instead of waiting for the fire pit (100) to fully cool before loading the fire pit (100) into the carrying case (160). Thus, the carrying case (160) beneficially allows for packing and transporting the fire pit (100) after disassembly of the fire pit (100) without having to wait for the fire pit (100) to fully cool down. Such benefits contribute to a decrease in time for disassembly and packing the fire pit (100) for transportation or storage.

Embodiments of the present disclosure described above include a portable and collapsible fire pit and carrying case. As described above, the fire pit can beneficially move between a deployed or standing configuration for use and a collapsed or packed down configuration for transportation and storage. The fire pit is also beneficially easy to store and transport to different locations, which enables the use of the fire pit in locations in which a permanent structure may be difficult to install or is undesirable to have. The fire pit may also come with a heat-resistant carrying case, which beneficially allows for packing and transporting the fire pit after disassembly of the fire pit without having to wait for the fire pit to fully cool down.

A number of variations and modifications of the foregoing disclosure can be used. It would be possible to provide for some features of the disclosure without providing others.

Although the present disclosure describes components and functions implemented in the aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations with reference to particular standards and protocols, the aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations are not limited to such standards and protocols. Other similar standards and protocols not mentioned herein are in existence and are considered to be included in the present disclosure. Moreover, the standards and protocols mentioned herein and other similar standards and protocols not mentioned herein are periodically superseded by faster or more effective equivalents having essentially the same functions. Such replacement standards and protocols having the same functions are considered equivalents included in the present disclosure.

The present disclosure, in various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations, includes components, methods, processes, systems and/or apparatus substantially as depicted and described herein, including various aspects, embodiments, configurations embodiments, subcombinations, and/or subsets thereof. Those of skill in the art will understand how to make and use the disclosed aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations after understanding the present disclosure. The present disclosure, in various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations, includes providing devices and processes in the absence of items not depicted and/or described herein or in various aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations hereof, including in the absence of such items as may have been used in previous devices or processes, e.g., for improving performance, achieving ease and/or reducing cost of implementation.

The foregoing discussion has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the disclosure to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description, for example, various features of the disclosure are grouped together in one or more aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations of the disclosure may be combined in alternate aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claims require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed aspect, embodiment, and/or configuration. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment of the disclosure.

Moreover, though the description has included description of one or more aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the disclosure, e.g., as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative aspects, embodiments, and/or configurations to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps to those claimed, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.