Battery operated light with attachment collar

Abstract

A barbecue light has a collar that can be attached or removed from a handle or other elongated member of a barbecue without the use of tools. The collar has a range of closed positions with cushions mounted within the collar so that when the collar is properly installed on the elongated member, the collar will be tightly secured on the elongated member and will not easily move relative thereto. The collar has a barbecue light affixed thereto. A method of removably attaching the barbecue light to the barbecue grill is provided.

1 . A removable collar for attaching a light to an elongated member of a barbecue grill, said collar comprising two sections, being a first section and a second section pivotally connected to one another along a pivot axis, said utility item being located on said collar, said first section and said second section each having a free end, there being two free ends, said collar having a closed position and an open position, said free ends having corresponding interlocks thereon, said interlocks having a plurality of interlocking positions over a pre-determined range, in said closed position said interlocks being engaged with one another and, in said open position said interlocks being unlocked relative to one another, a central opening surrounded by said sections varies in size depending upon said interlocking position.  
   
   
       2 . A collar as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said collar has a sufficient gap between said free ends in said open position to be placed laterally on said elongated member, said collar having sufficient size to surround said elongated member in said closed position.  
   
   
       3 . A collar as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said two sections are generally rigid with a small degree of flexibility for locking or unlocking said collar.  
   
   
       4 . A collar as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said first section has an interlock on an outer surface of said free end, said second section having an interlock on an inner surface of said free end, said two sections being sized and shaped so that said interlocks move relative to one another in opposite directions in a parallel relationship in contact with one another over said predetermined range as said sections move.  
   
   
       5 . A collar as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said interlocks are a plurality of sawteeth oriented transversely to a direction of movement of said sections.  
   
   
       6 . A collar as claimed in  claim 5  wherein there are several sawteeth on each free end.  
   
   
       7 . A collar as claimed in  claim 6  wherein there are a greater number of sawteeth on one of said free ends than on another of said free ends, some of said sawteeth interlocking with one another over a range of movement of said sections.  
   
   
       8 . A collar as claimed in  claim 3  wherein there is a cushion on an inner surface of said sections, said cushion contacting said elongated member when said collar is in said closed position.  
   
   
       9 . A collar as claimed in  claim 7  wherein there are a plurality of cushions on an interior surface of said sections.  
   
   
       10 . A collar as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said cushions are removable and replaceable in said collar.  
   
   
       11 . A collar as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said some of said cushions are thicker than other of said cushions.  
   
   
       12 . A collar as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said collar has a ridge on an outer surface thereof to removably attach said barbecue light to said collar.  
   
   
       13 . A collar as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said collar is flexible enough to unlock said interlocks, but rigid enough to maintain said collar in said closed position when desired.  
   
   
       14 . A collar as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said cushions and said sections are sized so that said collar fits tightly on said elongated member when said collar is in said closed position.  
   
   
       15 . A collar as claimed in  claim 12  wherein said cushions are attached to said collar through dovetail connections.  
   
   
       16 . A collar as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said cushions are spaced apart from one another.  
   
   
       17 . A method of removably attaching a light to an elongated member of a barbecue using a collar having two sections pivotally connected to one another along a pivot axis, said two sections being a first section and a second section, said sections each having a free end opposite to said pivot axis, said free ends having corresponding interlocks thereon to lock or unlock said collar in a closed or open position respectively, said method comprising commencing with said collar in said closed position, unlocking said interlocks and moving said free ends apart from one another, placing said collar on said elongated member so that said collar can be made to surround said elongated member and moving said free ends together to a locked position.  
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17  including the steps of locking the collar in a closed position on said elongated member in which said collar fits tightly on said elongated member.  
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 18  including the step of adding a cushion on an interior surface of said collar.  
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 19  including the steps of adding a plurality of cushions.  
   
   
       21 . A method as claimed in  claim 20  including the step of determining whether to add cushions that are thicker or thinner to ensure that said collar fits tightly on said elongated member in said closed position.  
   
   
       22 . A removable collar as for attaching a light to an elongated member of a barbecue grill, said collar comprising two sections, said sections being sized relative to one another and having interlocks thereon to enable said sections to be releasably locked together, said interlocks being constructed to provide a plurality of interlocking positions over a predetermined range, in said closed position, said interlocks being engaged with one another in said open position, said interlocks being unlocked relative to one another, in said closed position said sections surrounding a central opening, said central opening varying in size with said interlocking position.