Patent Publication Number: US-2007103907-A1

Title: Retractable light assembly for a barbeque

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a system and method for providing illumination. More particularly, the present invention is directed to lighting systems and methods for providing illumination to an operation area, such as the food preparation or cooking areas of a barbeque or grill. In another embodiment, the subject invention relates to an operating assembly such as a barbeque or grill that includes a retractable light assembly for illuminating one or more operation areas thereof.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The barbeque continues to increase in popularity. Presently, about 80% of families in the United States own and use a barbeque, also known as a grill. Even though it was once largely only a summertime activity, barbecuing is now done throughout the year, in all weather, and even after sunset. Many accessories are available for the grill including a variety of lighting systems to enhance use of the grill. However, it has been found that there are disadvantages to known grill lighting systems. For example, one such lighting system has been proposed for use with an otherwise conventional grill having a hinged lid for covering a grilling surface of the barbeque. The hinged lid includes a handle on a front panel or side by which the lid may be lifted. The lighting system is positioned in the barbeque handle. However, the lighting system integrated into the lid handle is subjected to the heat emanating from the grill area covered by the lid. When the lid is lifted, the heat, smoke, moisture, and other possible by-products created by the cooking process come into contact with the lid handle lighting system. This is particularly true of those lid handle lights that are or can be positioned in or above the grilling surface after the lid is lifted. This can make the lighting system hot to the touch. Also, the heat and moisture can damage the components of the light, such as the circuitry, while smoke and grease, and the like, can cloud the lens of the light. Overall, heat can shorten the life of known lighting systems and any electrical components exposed to the heat in the lid and handle.  
      Other lighting systems attach or are intended to be positioned on or around the barbeque. These known systems take up valuable space of the barbeque work surface and are vulnerable to physical damage during use of the barbeque. For example, one such lighting system includes a gooseneck-mounted lamp that is attachable to the barbeque by a clamp. Since it must be clamped to the barbeque, the lamp cannot easily or quickly be removed from the barbeque, particularly by the person attempting to cook on the barbeque. The gooseneck mounted lamp also may be bent to any position, including a dangerous position within the travel of the barbeque lid, thereby making it vulnerable to breakage during opening and closing of the lid. Such failures would leave the consumer at risk of glass falling into the food being prepared. As with the lid handle light, the gooseneck lamp when positioned over the grill is exposed to damaging heat and moisture and impaired by cooking by-products.  
      Accordingly, there is a demand therefore for a simple, safe, and effective assembly that provides light to an operation area, work surface, or grilling surface of a barbeque grill or any other application where illumination is needed without taking valuable working space adjacent to these areas or surfaces. The present invention satisfies the demand.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention has a principal objective of providing illumination to an otherwise conventional barbeque having at least an operating area. One example of an operation area is a grilling surface. One embodiment of the present invention provides a light assembly that includes an outer casing and an inner casing that are sized and shaped and cooperate so that the assembly is retractable. An embodiment of the light system includes an apparatus by which the casing, and therefore the light assembly may be attachable to the barbeque. The outer casing includes an inner wall that defines a receiving aperture and an outer wall by which the light assembly may be attached to the barbeque. The light assembly may include an inner casing sized and shaped to be received in the receiving aperture and from which the inner casing may be extended. A light source is positioned in the inner casing by which an operation area of the barbeque may be illuminated when the inner casing is in an extended condition from the outer casing.  
      Other embodiments of the present invention provide an outer causing including a first outer housing component connected to a second outer housing component. The outer casing may include a pair of longitudinal channels formed therethrough. The inner casing may have a pair of pins extending therefrom. Each of the pair of pins sized, shaped and positioned so as to slidingly engage with one of the pair of longitudinal channels. In another embodiment, the unit could be rotated up into position.  
      The mount or mounting apparatus may include a flange extending from the outer casing by which the retractable light assembly may be mounted flush with a horizontal surface of the barbeque when the retractable light assembly is in a retracted condition. The mounting flange may include a pair of access holes sized and shaped to permit a user to grasp the inner casing. The retractable light assembly may further include a lens cap positioned atop the inner casing and covering the light source. The inner casing may include an inclined shoulder that may be annular and a lens cap that may have an inclined bottom edge to match the inclined shoulder.  
      The source of the light for the retractable light assembly can include an array of LEDs. The inner casing may include a pawl and the outer casing may include a notch, the notch being positioned in the outer casing such that the pawl and notch engage when the inner casing is extended from the outer casing. In another embodiment, the cap could be a “push to release,” or “twist lock” design.  
      These and other advantages, as well as the invention itself, will become apparent in the details of construction and operation as more fully described and claimed below. Moreover, it should be appreciated that several aspects of the invention can be used in other applications where illumination of a work surface or operation area would be desirable.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view according to one embodiment of the present invention showing a retractable light assembly in an extended mode;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the assembly of  FIG. 1  in a retracted mode;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a partially exploded, partial view of a lower portion of an inner housing of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a partially exploded view of the light assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 5  illustrates a partially exploded, partial view of an upper portion of an inner housing of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of a retractable light assembly mounted within and in a retracted mode in a barbeque;  
       FIG. 7  illustrates a perspective view of a retractable light assembly mounted within and in an extended mode from a barbeque; and  
       FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective view of a barbeque with an embodiment of the retractable light assembly extended from the barbeque. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      An assembly for illuminating a barbeque according to the present invention is identified in the accompanying drawings as  10 . The assembly  10  includes two main components, namely, an outer casing  12 —having an inner wall  13  sized and shaped to define a receiving aperture  13 A—and an inner casing  14 , having an outer wall  15 , which is sized and shaped to fit within the receiving aperture  13 A of the outer casing. An aspect of the present invention is that the inner casing  14  is extendable and/or telescopes from the outer casing  12 .  
      One embodiment of the assembly  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and includes an outer casing  12  formable from two major casing components  30 —a first outer housing component  31  and a second outer housing component  32 . The first outer housing component  31  and the second outer housing component  32  are sized and shaped so that they may be fastened together to form an essentially hollow container, and thereby the outer casing  12 . Housing components  31 ,  32 , of the  FIG. 2  embodiment, each may include a channel  20  formed therein, oriented generally longitudinally along the outer casing  12 . Channels  20  may be opposite each other when the housing components  31 ,  32  are joined to form outer casing  12 . The channel  20  may include a top end  24  that may function as an upper stop and a bottom end  26  that may function as a lower stop (explained in more detail below). A flange  16  may extend radially from an upper end  12 A of the outer casing  12  of which the outer casing may be mounted to the grill surface  62  (see  FIG. 6 ). The outer casing  12 , and therefore the assembly  10  may be attached by a variety of other means to a flat surface, like a work surface of a grill, or any suitable surface where illumination is desired nearby.  
      The receiving aperture  13 A of the outer casing  12  is sized and shaped to permit the inner casing  14  to be held in the operating position shown in  FIGS. 1, 7  and  8 , that is extended from within the outer casing  14 .  
      The inner casing  14  includes a light source  46 . Embodiments may include one or more LEDs. Preferably, the one or more LEDs are an array of LED elements in a number sufficient to illuminate some or all of an operation area  60  of a grill  62 . The operation area  60  includes the working surface  64  (see  FIG. 8 , for example) but could include a portion of or the entire operation area  60  of the side shelves  62 A of grill  62 .  
      Embodiments of the inner casing  14  may include light sources positioned at or adjacent to an upper end  14 A of or all or some of the length  14 B of the inner casing. A cap  18 , preferably transparent or translucent, providing a lens effect may be positioned over the light source  46  and provide some protection thereto.  
      The light source  46  requires a source of electricity (not shown). It is considered well within the abilities of one with skill in the art to provide electricity to the light source  46 . For example, one or more batteries (not show) may be provided in or adjacent to the inner casing with electrical connections to the light source  46 . A switch (not shown) may be provided for permitting electrical current to flow to and from the light source and the battery. The electric power may be supplied from a source external to the inner casing  14  or to the assembly  10  such as through known circuitry. In one embodiment, a solar panel may be provided on or near the barbeque for supplying the electricity to the assembly  10  such as for directly powering or charging the battery or batteries for light source  46 . Another embodiment includes conversion of the heat energy produced by the grill into electric potential. Any suitable source of electricity is contemplated by the present invention.  
      The embodiment of the assembly  10  shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  may include an inner casing  14  having one or more pin  22  positioned so as to extend into the channel  20  of the outer casing  12 . Pins  22  serve to maintain alignment of the inner casing  14  relative to the outer casing  12 , prohibit removal of the inner casing from the outer casing, and provide limits or stops to the travel of the inner casing with respect to the outer casing. The present invention contemplates any suitable means for maintaining the alignment of the inner casing  14  and outer casing  12  while permitting a sliding relationship therebetween. It is contemplated by the present invention that the means of alignment and sliding engagement of the inner casing  12  and outer casing  14  may include other structures such as grooves, bushings and other elements as is known in the art (not shown).  
       FIG. 2  illustrates the retractable light  10  in a retracted condition. The retractable light  10  includes an outer casing  12 , which is formed of the first outer housing component  31  and a second outer housing component  32 . The first outer housing component  31  and a second outer housing component  32  match with each other to form the outer casing  12 , which takes the general form of a hollow cylinder. The first outer housing component  31  and a second outer housing component  32  may be joined by inserting screws (not shown) through projections  34 . Projections  34  may be self-tapping. It will be understood that the outer casing  12  may be any suitable number of components and joined in any suitable fashion known in the art.  
      The outer casing  12  of  FIG. 2  includes an illustrated one of a pair of channels  20  formed through the outer casing. A pair of channels  20  is preferred, but one or more channels may be used. A pin  22  connected to and extending from the inner casing  14  (see  FIG. 1 ) is positioned in the channel  20 . The pin  22  may be rectangular, rounded, square or any suitable shape. The number of pins  22  preferably coincides with the number of channels  20 . The outer casing  12  includes a flange  16 . An opposed pair of access holes  28  are formed through the flange  16 . When in the retracted position the cap  18  may preferably be aligned flush with the flange  16 . In an alternate embodiment, the cap  18  is provided inclined relative to horizontal to enhance the shedding of water or other fluids, which may inadvertently land on the lens cap and potentially harm the light source  46  ( FIG. 1 ) underneath. Furthermore, the cap  18  is translucent so that a user can tell whether the light is on or off when in the retracted position.  
      The user may grasp the cap  18  by inserting fingers into the access holes  28  in the flange  16  and by pulling upwardly will cause the cap  18  and thus, the inner casing  14  ( FIG. 1 ) to be extracted and extend from the outer casing  12  aperture  13 A.  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a partially exploded close-up view of the first inner  15  housing component  36  and second inner housing component  38 , which fit together to form the inner casing  14  (see  FIG. 1 ). The first inner housing component  36  and second inner housing component  38  may be held together by any known means, but are preferably held together by a threaded fastener  40  which fits into an opening  42  of the first inner housing component  36  and threads into a boss  44  extending from a corresponding component of the second inner housing component  38 . Of course, the inner casing  14  ( FIG. 1 ) may be formed of one or more components.  
      Each of the pins  22  may be formed of pin halves whereby the first inner housing component  36  includes first pin half  22 A which match to second pin half  22 B formed on the second housing component  38 . The first inner housing component  36  and second inner housing component  38  each may include a pawl  46  on a stiff, but flexible arm  47 . In use of the retractable light  10 , and again referring also to  FIG. 1 , each pawl  46  fits into a corresponding notch (not shown) formed on an inside of the outer casing  12  to retain the inner casing  14  in an extended position. The present invention contemplates any known means of retaining the inner casing  14  extended from the outer casing  12 .  
      When the inner casing  14  is urged downwardly, the arm  47  flexes and permits the pawl  46  to move inwardly and disengage from the notch, thus releasing the inner casing  14  from the outer casing  12  and permitting the inner casing to be retracted into the outer casing  12 . Preferably, each of first inner housing component  36  and second inner housing component  38  includes a pawl  46  formed on an arm  47  or an equivalent feature.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a partially exploded view of a retractable light  10  wherein the first outer housing component  31  and second outer housing component  32  fasten together to form the outer casing  12 . The first outer housing component  31  and second outer housing component  32  each include a channel  20  formed longitudinally therethrough. The outer casing includes a ring-shaped stop  48  disposed inside the outer casing to stop the inner casing  14  when retracted. The stop  48  may be a rubber ring or the like or any suitable means of preventing the further travel of the inner casing  14 .  
      The inner casing  14  may be formed of a first inner housing component  36  and a matching second inner housing component  38 , which, when fastened together, slidingly fits within the aperture  13 A of outer casing  12 . The inner casing  14  may include a pair of opposed pins  22 , which are sized and positioned to slidingly fit within respective channels  20 . Opposite the pins  22 , a light source  46  is captured between first inner housing component  36  and the second inner housing component  38  of the inner casing  14 . Any suitable mount for the light source  46  may be employed. Cap  18  fastens on the inner casing  14  so as to cover light source  46 .  
      Theft deterrent ring  50  is provided to hold the assembly  10  securely within the surface  62  to which it is attached. The ring  50  provides stability to the light assembly  10  by clamping the flange  16  to the shelf  62  (see  FIG. 7 ). As will be shown in more detail in  FIGS. 6-8 , after the assembly  10  is positioned in a grill, the retaining ring  50  is placed under the operation area  60  and rotated or slid into position. The ring locks in place by engaging tabs  51  (see also  FIG. 1 ) of the assembly  10  and prevents casual removal of the assembly. The tab(s)  51  and ring  50  locking mechanism may also be snapped into engagement and may permit removal of the assembly by depressing tab  51  and removing the ring.  
       FIG. 5  illustrates one preferred method of mounting the light source  46  to the first inner housing component  36  and the second inner housing component  38 . The first inner housing component  36  and the second inner housing component are provided with inclined faces  52 . Adjacent the inclined faces  52  are a pair of matching inclined grooves  54 . The light source  46 , in a preferred embodiment, is an array of LEDs mounted on a flat board, such as a PC board  47 . The PC board  47  fits into the matching grooves  54  and thus is held at an inclined angle with respect to vertical. It will be understood that the angle which the PC board  47  and thus the light source  46  is held may be varied according to the intended application, with the object of illuminating an adjacent or nearby operation area  60 . The PC board  47  and light source  46  may be fixed between the first inner housing component  36  and the second inner housing component  38 . The cap  18  may be positioned over the top thereof. Preferably, the cap  18  covers the entire light source  46  and PC board  47  in order to reduce or prevent moisture from coming into contact therewith. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a lower angled surface  53  of the cap  18  matches with an angled shoulder  55  on the inner casing  14 . The lower angled surface  53  and angled shoulder  55  also functions to direct water or other fluids from entering the inside of the inner casing  14  and contaminating or coming into contact with the electrical wiring, switches or other moisture sensitive elements (not shown).  
       FIG. 6  illustrates retractable light  10  positioned in an operation area  60  of a grill  62 . Preferably, the retractable light  10  may be spaced a distance from the working surface  64 , to prevent heat damage to the retractable light  10 . For example, the light  10  may be positioned within a recess in the operation area  60  by a distance that is appropriate for the possible heat generated from the working surface  64  and the materials from which the assembly  10  is made.  
      The assembly  10  is shown in the retracted condition with the cap  18  essentially flush with the flange  16 . Access holes  28  may be formed within the flange  16  in cooperation with the cap  18 . The cap  18  may be grasped by inserting the user&#39;s fingers into the access holes  28  in order to extend the retractable light  10 .  
       FIG. 7  illustrates retractable light  10  positioned into an operation area  60  of a grill  62 . In this illustration, the retractable light is shown in an extended condition. The inner casing  14  is shown extending above the operation area  60  of grill  62  and cap  18  in a position relative to working surface  64  sufficient to illuminate the surface  64 . It will be understood, that inserting the fingers in access holes  28  of the flange  16 , and withdrawing the inner casing  14  by way of the cap  18  in an upward direction accomplishes this.  
       FIG. 8  illustrates retractable light  10  positioned in an operation area  60  of grill  62 . Retractable light  10  includes outer casing  12  within which inner casing  14  is positioned as described above. As shown, inner casing  14  has been extended from outer casing  12  so that cap  18  is exposed and in a position to direct light onto the working surface  64  of grill  62 . It will be understood that one or more retractable light  10  may be provided to the grill  62  to particularly illuminate one or more separate areas of the operation area  60  of the grill  62  such as the control features  70  or a tool tray (not shown).  
      Whilst the above-described assembly is intended, in one embodiment to be used with a barbeque, it is to be realized that the retractable light illustrated and described herein could be incorporated in other apparati with similar or equivalent benefits for illuminating any desired operation area.  
      Whilst endeavoring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicants claim protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon. While the apparatus and method herein disclosed forms a preferred embodiment of this invention, this invention is not limited to that specific apparatus and method, and changes can be made therein without departing from the scope of this invention, which is defined in the appended claims.