Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a barbeque grill light that is portable and easily adjustable so as to provide task lighting for illuminating items cooking on a grate at night or under low light conditions.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to accessories for cooking device, and more particularly to an improved side light for gas barbeque grills.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Barbeque gas grills are very popular for outdoor cooking. They generally comprise a cart, a firebox or cooking chamber, a cover for the firebox or cooking chamber, one or more gas burners, controls for the gas burners, one or more propane (e.g. gas) cylinders, cooking grid, side shelves with or without burners, and perhaps one or more warming racks. Numerous models exist in all types, styles, sizes and shapes. An example of such a typical barbeque is shown in U.S. Pat. No. D462,564. This patent shows at least two side tables, one of which having a side burner and grill.  
         [0003]     Gas grills are generally used for outdoor barbecuing. Many of these grills are of the transportable type wherein the grill is attached to a support structure having wheels and handles for pushing the support structure or cart into a desired location. Accordingly, the grill may be used at night and in a location that is not provided with direct, task or indirect lighting. Even if indirect lighting is provided, it may be insufficient to allow for the person using the gas grill to be able to grill items to the desired level.  
         [0004]     Various devices have been proposed in the prior art for lighting a grill, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,618 to Matthews; U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,169 to Walendziak; U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,875 to Hegedus; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,640 to Naperola.  
         [0005]     As such, it is desired to have portable lighting which does not reduce the ability of the grill to be moved to a desired location. It is also desired to have a grill lighting device that is easily installed on new or existing gas grills. Furthermore, it is desirable to have a lighting apparatus which is directable so as to direct the light on to the grill cooking grate or an area adjacent to the grill.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     An aspect of the present invention is a barbecue light comprising: (a) a base having a C-shaped socket with a slot; (b) a first arm having a first end with an opening and a second end being receivable in the slot and having a ball sized to be movably received in the slot so as to allow rotary motion of the second arm; (c) a second arm having a first and second end, the first slidably receivable in the opening of the first arm between an extended and a retracted position; and (d) an illuminating means pivotally attached to the second end of the second arm, the illuminating means is controlled by control means having an off position when the illuminating means is in a substantially horizontal position and an on position when the illuminating means is moved beyond the substantially horizontal position; whereby a user directs light by any one of pivoting the illuminating means, moving the second arm between the extended and retracted position, and rotating the second arm.  
         [0007]     The barbeque light of the present invention is portable and can be easily affixed to a side table of gas grill so as to illuminate items cooking on a grate at night or under low light conditions and to enable a person using the barbecue grill to see the item(s) cooking. It can be easily and rapidly attached to the side plate by a person having limited technical ability without the use of numerous tools. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     Various objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated and better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a gas grill having an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0011]     FIGS.  3  to  5  are explodes view of a portion of  FIG. 1  showing embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0012]     In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which  FIGS. 1 through 5  illustrate embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0013]     In the description and drawings herein, and unless noted otherwise, the terms “vertical” and “horizontal”, can be references to a Cartesian co-ordinate system in which the vertical direction generally extends in an “up and down” orientation from bottom to top while the horizontal direction generally extends in a “left to right” or “side to side” orientation. In addition, the lateral direction generally extends in an orientation that is extending out from or into the page.  
         [0014]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the present invention is shown.  FIG. 1  provides a gas barbeque  10  having a grill housing  12  designed to enclose a burner (not shown). A cooking surface or cooking grid, in the nature of one or more grill plates (not shown), and a warming rack (not shown) may also be contained within the grill housing  12 . Barbeque  10  also has at least one side table  16  to which lighting assembly  18  is attached. A fuel flow controller, for instance console  15 , may be provided to moderate the flow of fuel to the burner. If a self-contained fuel source is used, including a fuel container, such as a propane tank for example, then a fuel source or container support base  20  may be employed to support the tank. If an external fuel source, such as piped natural gas, is used then base  22  may be omitted. Relocation of the barbeque  10  may be facilitated by the addition of wheels  24  and/or casters  26 .  
         [0015]     In the context of describing embodiments of the claimed invention, variations of detail are disclosed. While one such variation is described in conjunction with another particular variation, yet other variations may generally be used in association as well. The description provided is therefore not intended to be limited to the particular combination of variations disclosed.  
         [0000]     Lighting Element  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  provides a detailed view of lighting element  18  while FIGS.  3  to  5  provide an exploded view of a portion of  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , for example, side table  16  has lighting element  18  removably attached thereto. As shown in greater detail in  FIG. 2 , there is provided light fixture or illumination means  30  pivotally attached to extendable arm  32  by way of joint  34 . While joint  34  is shown as a type of joint allowing light fixture  30  to pivot or move through a single axis, it will be understood that any joint (e.g. saddle joint, ball and socket joint, etc.) may be suitable for attaching light fixture  30  to arm  32 . Arm  32  is movably attached to base  36  by way of joint  38 . Base  36  can be removable affixed to side table  16  by way of a pair of bolts  40   a ′ and  40   a ″ as well as nuts  41 ′ and  41   a ″ which are received in appropriate size bores in side table  16 . While nuts and bolts  40   a ′,  40   a ″,  41   a ′ and  41   a ″ are disclosed, it will be understood that any suitable means for attaching or affixing base  36  to side table  16  could be employed. Base  36  could also be formed as part of side table  16  during manufacture of the barbeque  10  and its constituent elements.  
         [0017]     Light fixture  30  can be provided by any light that provides sufficient illumination to allow the user to see the items cooking. In the preferred embodiment, three battery powered light-emitting diode (LED)  30 ′,  30 ″ and  30 ″′ are provided. Light fixture  30  consists of a circuit which can include a “tilt switch”, known in the art. Typically such “tilt switches” are placed in electronic devices to automatically turn the electronic device “on” and “off” based on the position of conductive material such as a sphere or ball. As such, tilt switches can also be referred to as “ball switches”. A typical tilt switch comprises a hollow, enclosed housing or capsule having electrodes within the housing and extending through and outside the housing. Conventionally, a conductive material, such a ball is placed within the hollow housing. The housing is aligned in an “on” position when the conductive material in the shape of a ball electrically connects each of the electrodes, allowing the flow of electricity. The housing is aligned in an “off” position when the ball in the housing is tilted and does not electrically connect the electrodes, preventing the flow of electricity. It will be understood that when lighting fix  30  is in a generally horizontal position, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the tilt switch will be in the “off” position and lights  30 ′,  30 ″, and  30 ″′ will not be lit. Once lighting fixture  30  is moved out of the horizontal position, the tilt switch will be moved into the “on” position and lights  30 ′,  30 ″, and  30 ″′ will become lit. For example, lighting fixture  30  could be moved out of the horizontal position by as little as 25° to 30° from the horizontal in order for the tilt switch to move from the “off” position to the “on” position. It will be understood that the degree to which it is necessary to move lighting fixture  30  out of the horizontal in order to activate LED lights  30 ′,  30 ″ and  30 ″′, can varying depending on the circumstances.  
         [0018]     It will be understood that the light fixture  30  could also be placed in the lid of the barbeque or on the handle such that when the lid is lifted the lights will be on and will be off when the lid is returned to the initial closed position.  
         [0019]     Once out of the horizontal position, it can be seen in  FIGS. 2, 4  and  5  that light fixture  30  can be movable along one axis by way of joint  34 . Joint  34  provides movement of light fixture  30  along an axis generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of arm  32 , generally extending from joint  38  along arm  32  towards light fixture  30 . Additional range of motion can be provided by ball and socket joint  38  which generally permits some degree of rotary motion possible in every axis. Joint  38  consists essentially of a spherical knob or ball  40  at one end of arm  32 , with the knob fitting securely into a mating socket  42  in base  36 . Mating socket  42  is formed by circular generally C shaped side wall  44 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , C-shaped side wall  44  has a slot or recess  46  provided therein. Slot  46  is sized to fit the portion of arm  32  immediately adjacent ball  40 . This feature will be discussed in greater detail below. By virtue of movement about joints  34  and  38 , it will be understood that light fixture  30  can be placed in virtually any angle as required by the user.  
         [0020]     In addition to movement along joints  34  and  38 , arm  32  can telescope between a retracted, shorter position and an extended, longer position, as seen in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , arm  32  can be comprised of upper portion  48  and lower portion  50 . Upper and inner portion  48  of arm  32  is disposed within lower and outer portion  50  of arm  32  and is slidably received therein. Outer potion  50  has a lower end terminating with ball  40  and an upper end generally disposed towards light fixture  30 . Inner portion  48  has an upper end terminating with joint  34  attaching to lighting fixture  30  and a lower portion disposed at all times within outer portion outer  50  of arm  32  (not shown). Provided on a surface of inner portion  48  of arm  32  can at least one spring loaded knob,  48 ′ which is movable between an inward position and an outward position but can be biased outwardly. Provided on a surface of outer portion  50  of arm  32  is at least two bores,  50 ′ and  50 ″, sized to received knob  48 ′ of inner portion  48 , when knob  48 ′ is in the outward position. The interaction of the knob and the bores provide a locking mechanism for the movement of inner portion  48  along the longiduntial axis of arm  32  between the extended position and the retracted position. When inner portion  48  is in the shorter retracted position (as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 ), knob  48 ′ will engage bore  50 ′ thereby preventing movement of inner portion  48  of arm  32  along the longitutindal axis. However, a user can depress spring loaded knob  48 ′, releasing knob  48 ′ from bore  50 ′ thus allowing inner portion  48  to move from the shorter retracted position to the longer extended position. When bore  50 ″ and knob  48 ′ are parallel, knob  48 ′ will be biased up and into bore  50 ″ thereby locking inner portion  48  in the longer extended position (See  FIG. 5 ). To release inner portion  48 , knob  48 ′ is simply disengaged from bore  50 ′ and inner position  48  is moved back to the retracted shorter position.  
         [0021]     In operation, light element  18  can be removably attached to side table  16  by nuts and bolts  40   a ′ and  40   a ″ as well as  41   a ′ and  41   a ″ (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). When lighting is not required light element  18  can be kept in the downward or horizontal position (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 ). In this position light  30  is not illumintated as the title switch or ball switch contained therein is in the “off” position. In such a position, it will be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3  that the light  30  of lighting element  18  is directed away from the barbeque  10 . As clearly shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , base  36  is generally oriented towards barbeque  10  while light  30  of the lighting is generally oriented away from barbeque  10 . In order for lighting element  18  to be oriented in the downward or horizontal position, C-shaped side wall  44  is pointing away from barbeque  10 . In other words, the slot or recess  46  is provided on the side which is not immediately adjacent the grill housing (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , C-shaped side wall  44  is provided in a reverse C configuration so that the opening of the “C” points away from barbeque such that the C would be reversed if it were read from left to right, with the barbeque being on the right and light  30  being on the left. Conversely, if lighting element were on the side table opposite side table  16 , the other side of barbeque  10  as shown in  FIG. 1 , the opening of the “C” would point away from barbeque such that the C would be in a normal orientation if it were read from left to right, with the barbeque being on the left and light  30  being on the right (not shown).  
         [0022]     When the user of barbeque  10  required task lighting, however, such as when items were being cooked on grill plates  14 , light element  18  can be lifted up by arm  32  from the downward horizontal position towards a more vertical position. Once light  30  was lifted sufficiently vertical to move the conductive material into the “on” position, LED lights  30 ′,  30 ″ and  30 ″′ will be activated and provide the necessary illumination. By moving one or both of joints  34  and  38 , light  30  can be positioned so as to provide maximum task lighting to the area as dictated by the user. In addition, should further positioning be required, outer portion  50  of arm  32  can be moved from either the shortened or lengthened position to provide maximum lightening.  
         [0023]     Over time or with increased use, however, ball and socket joint  38  may loosen. As such, the ability of lighting element  18  to maintain a particular desired position may decrease relative to when the lighting element was first used or installed. In order to overcome this, generally C-shaped wall  44  will prevent arm  32  from moving to the horizontal position. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , arm  32  will rest on wall  44  so as to maintain light  30  over the barbeque  10 .  
         [0024]     It is understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable functional equivalents thereof.