Patent ID: 7497583

Claim:
A light for an umbrella pole, comprising in combination: a body comprising a generally circular outer periphery, an inner sidewall surface at least partially defining an opening for receiving the pole, the opening extending along a transverse axis, the body further comprising a first housing portion, a second housing portion, and a hinge coupling the first housing portion to the second housing portion at a first location adjacent the outer periphery, the hinge being configured to enable pivoting of the first housing portion and the second housing portion relative to each other about an axis parallel to the transverse axis of the opening between a first position and a second position, wherein when in the first position, the first housing portion and the second housing portion are coupled at the hinge but spaced apart at a location spaced from the hinge such that a gap larger than the umbrella pole extends at the outer periphery between the first and second portions, the gap permitting the inner sidewall surface to be moved into adjacency with the umbrella pole; and wherein when in the second position, the first housing portion and the second housing portion are moved into adjacency at the location spaced from the hinge; the body further comprising a first lateral surface extending between the outer periphery and the inner sidewall surface and a second lateral surface extending between the outer periphery and the inner sidewall surface, the first and second lateral surfaces being disposed on opposite sides of the body; a clamping device comprising a gripping surface and a resilient member adjacent to the gripping surface biasing the gripping surface away from the inner sidewall surface, at least a portion of the clamping device being movable relative to the sidewall surface between an extended position and a range of clamping positions, the clamping positions being located at least between the extended position and the sidewall surface, the resilient member urging the gripping surface toward the extended position, whereby the light can be self-supported at various positions along a range of umbrella poles of different diameters; the first lateral surface having a plurality of recesses therein around the opening, each recess having mounted therein a source or sources of electric light, to direct the light away from the first surface of the body, the light being mountable on an umbrella pole with the light sources pointing downwardly; and means on or in the body for providing energy to the light sources.