BARBEQUE COVER ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A barbecue cover assembly includes a container having a base, walls moveable between an erected configuration and an outwardly collapsed configuration, and a barbecue cover which can be housed in the container when the walls are in the erected configuration. The base has a high friction material on the underside thereof. The walls can be secured in the erected configuration, and the barbecue cover assembly can be positioned on top of a notional barbecue so that the walls can be moved to the outwardly collapsed configuration to permit the cover to be deployed to a barbecue covering position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/448,081 filed on Jun. 7, 2006 entitled BARBECUE COVER ASSEMBLY, the teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to barbecue covers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is usual to position a cover over a barbecue when the barbecue is not in use, and many different kinds of barbecue covers are known for this purpose. However, known barbecue covers are often difficult to fit onto and to remove from a barbecue and are also often cumbersome and unsightly when not in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a barbecue cover assembly. The barbecue cover assembly comprises a container having a base with a high-friction material disposed on its underside, and a front wall, a rear wall and first and second side walls secured to the base. The walls are moveable between an erected configuration and an outwardly collapsed configuration, and are securable in the erected configuration. The barbecue cover assembly further comprises a barbecue cover having a barbecue covering shape, which is housable within the container when the walls are in the erected configuration. The barbecue cover includes an upper central portion corresponding to the top of a notional barbecue to be covered, and the upper central portion of the barbecue cover is secured to the container. The upper central portion of the barbecue cover is secured to the container such that when the barbecue cover assembly is positioned on top of the notional barbecue with the front wall of the container aligned with the front of the notional barbecue, the barbecue covering shape of the barbecue cover is aligned with the barbecue so that the walls can be moved to the outwardly collapsed configuration to permit the barbecue cover to be deployed to a barbecue covering position.

The high friction material on the underside of the base may be PVC-coated polyester scrim. The high friction material may have approximately a 90 degree coefficient of friction.

The container may also include a lid, which may be hingedly secured to an upper end of the rear wall of the container and have a hinged flap for overlapping an upper end of the front wall when the walls are in the erected configuration, with the inner surface of the hinged flap and the outer surface of the upper end of the front wall each having one or more respective pairs of mating fasteners.

The upper central portion of the barbecue cover may be secured to the container by way of one or more extension members, with each extension member having a first end secured to the container and a second end secured to the upper central portion of the barbecue cover. The one or more extension members may consist of two extension members, with the first end of each extension member being secured to the container at a junction between the base and a side wall of the container.

The base may be rectangular, and may have a length of about 11 to 13 inches and a width of about 8 to 10 inches, with the walls having a height of about 5 to 7 inches.

The container may further comprise straps and receivers having complementary fastener elements which can secure each wall to an adjacent wall.

The upper central portion of the barbecue cover may be adjustably secured to the container to allow for constrained adjustment of the position of the upper central portion of the barbecue cover relative to the container during deployment of the barbecue cover.

In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a barbecue cover assembly. The barbecue cover assembly comprises a container having a defined front, and having a base with high-friction material disposed on its underside as well as a plurality of wall sections secured to the base and moveable between an erected configuration and an outwardly collapsed configuration. The wall sections are securable in the erected configuration. The barbecue cover assembly further comprises a barbecue cover having a barbecue covering shape and which is housable within the container when the walls are in the erected configuration. The barbecue cover includes an upper central portion corresponding to the top of a notional barbecue to be covered. The upper central portion of the barbecue cover is secured to the container such that when the barbecue cover assembly is positioned on top of the notional barbecue with the defined front of the container aligned with the front of the notional barbecue, the barbecue covering shape of the barbecue cover is aligned with the notional barbecue so that the walls can be moved to the outwardly collapsed configuration to permit the barbecue cover to be deployed to a barbecue covering position.

The high friction material may be PVC-coated polyester scrim, and may have approximately a 90 degree coefficient of friction.

The container may also have a lid, which may be operable to secure the wall sections in the erected configuration.

The upper central portion of the barbecue cover may be secured to the container by way of one or more extension members, with each extension member having a first end secured to the container and a second end secured to the upper central portion of the barbecue cover. The one or more extension members may consist of two extension members, with the first end of each extension member being secured to the container at a junction between the base and a wall section of the container.

The base may be rectangular and, may have a length of about 11 to 13 inches and a width of about 8 to 10 inches, with the walls having a height of about 5 to 7 inches.

The container may further comprise straps and receivers having complementary fastener elements which can secure each wall section to an adjacent wall section.

The upper central portion of the barbecue cover may be adjustably secured to the container to allow for constrained adjustment of a position of the upper central portion of the barbecue cover relative to the container during deployment of the barbecue cover.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first exemplary embodiment of a barbecue cover assembly in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, showing an underside of a base of a container;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 located on top of a notional barbecue, the container of the barbecue cover assembly having its lid closed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, and showing the notional barbecue in its entirety;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container of the barbecue cover assembly having its lid open and its walls in an erected configuration;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having straps on a rear wall and a second side wall of the container unfastened;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open, the second side wall having been moved to an outwardly collapsed configuration, and having a strap on a first side wall of the container unfastened;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open, the second side wall and a front wall of the container having been moved to an outwardly collapsed configuration, and having a strap on a rear wall of the container unfastened;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the rear wall, front wall and first and second side walls in an outwardly collapsed configuration;

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the rear wall, front wall and first and second side walls in an outwardly collapsed configuration, with the barbecue cover having been elevated above the container to provide a view of extension members securing the barbecue cover to the container;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the rear wall, front wall and first and second side walls in an outwardly collapsed configuration, with the barbecue cover having been unfurled over the width of the notional barbecue at a central cooking portion thereof;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the rear wall, front wall and first and second side walls in an outwardly collapsed configuration, with the barbecue cover extended along the length of the notional barbecue over one end thereof;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the rear wall, front wall and first and second side walls in an outwardly collapsed configuration, with the barbecue cover covering the notional barbecue;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the front wall and first side wall in an outwardly collapsed configuration and the rear wall and the second side wall in an erected configuration, with one lengthwise end of the barbecue cover having been pulled in a lengthwise direction inwardly from one end of the notional barbecue;

FIG. 13 is a detailed perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the front wall and first side wall in an outwardly collapsed configuration and the rear wall and the second side wall in an erected configuration, with one lengthwise end of the barbecue cover having been pulled in a lengthwise direction inwardly from one end of the notional barbecue;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the first side wall in an outwardly collapsed configuration and the front wall, rear wall and second side wall in an erected configuration, with both lengthwise ends of the barbecue cover having been pulled in a lengthwise direction inwardly from each end of the notional barbecue;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the front wall, rear wall and first and second side walls secured in an erected configuration, with both lengthwise ends of the barbecue cover having been pulled in a lengthwise direction inwardly from each end of the notional barbecue;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the barbecue cover assembly of FIG. 1 on top of the notional barbecue of FIG. 2, the container having its lid open and having the front wall, rear wall and first and second side walls of the container secured in an erected configuration, with the barbecue cover substantially entirely disposed therein; and

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of a barbecue cover assembly in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, located on top of a notional barbecue.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, a barbecue cover assembly is provided. The barbecue cover assembly includes a barbecue cover, and a container for housing the barbecue cover when the barbecue cover is not in use.

The container has a front, which may be defined by the shape and configuration of the container, or may be arbitrarily defined, in which case it could be indicated by a marking or other indicia. The container is made up of a base having a high-friction material disposed on the underside thereof, and a plurality of wall sections secured to the base and moveable between an erected configuration in which they can be selectively secured, and an outwardly collapsed configuration. The container may optionally include a lid.

The barbecue cover has a barbecue covering shape and, as indicated above, can be housed within the container when the walls are in the erected configuration. The barbecue cover includes an upper central portion (corresponding to the top of a notional barbecue to be covered) which is secured to the container with a particular orientation relative to the container. Specifically, the upper central portion of the barbecue cover is secured to the container such that when the barbecue cover assembly is positioned on top of the notional barbecue with the defined front of the container aligned with the front of the notional barbecue, the barbecue covering shape of the barbecue cover is aligned with the barbecue. Accordingly, the walls can be moved to the outwardly collapsed configuration to permit the barbecue cover to be deployed to a barbecue covering position, and such deployment is considerably simplified because of the alignment between the barbecue covering shape of the barbecue cover and the notional barbecue itself.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 to 3, an exemplary barbecue cover assembly according to an aspect of the present invention is shown generally at 10. The barbecue cover assembly 10 comprises a container indicated generally by the reference numeral 12 and a barbecue cover indicated generally by the reference numeral 14. In FIGS. 1-3, the barbecue cover 14 is not visible because in those Figures it is housed inside the container 12.

Most of the time, a notional barbecue will be idle, and it is at those times that it is desirable to cover the barbecue, to protect it from the elements. At those times, a barbecue cover 14 according to an aspect of the present invention will be deployed in a barbecue covering position, as shown in FIG. 11. When it is desired to use the notional barbecue, a barbecue cover 14 according to an aspect of the present invention may be packed into a compact arrangement, such as the container 12 shown in FIG. 2, which sits on top of the notional barbecue, and then removed from the notional barbecue so that cooking may begin. Once cooking is complete and the notional barbecue has cooled, the rectangular container 12 within which the barbecue cover 14 is housed may be placed back on top of the notional barbecue, and the barbecue cover 14 may be redeployed to the barbecue covering position, as shown in FIG. 11.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 3, the exemplary container 12 has a base 16 and a plurality of wall sections, namely a front wall 18, a rear wall 20 (not visible in the perspective view of FIGS. 1-3), a first side wall 22 and a second side wall 24 (not visible in the perspective view of FIGS. 1-4). In one embodiment, the base 16 and the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 are substantially rigid. In an exemplary embodiment, the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 are made from corrugated polyethylene sandwiched between two layers of polyester-supported PVC material. Each of the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 is secured to the base 16 and is moveable between an erected configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, and an outwardly collapsed configuration, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 11. FIGS. 4 to 7 show the transition between the erected configuration and the outwardly collapsed configuration. In the illustrated embodiment, the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 are each hingedly secured to the base 16 by way of a living hinge arrangement, although other suitable arrangements, such as individual hinges, may also be used.

The walls 18, 20, 22, 24 are not permanently secured to one another, so as to enable movement of the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 to the outwardly collapsed configuration. The walls 18, 20, 22, 24 are securable in the erected configuration; in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 16, the walls may be secured in the erected configuration by way of straps and receivers having complementary fastener elements which can secure each wall to an adjacent wall. One example of a suitable set of complementary fastener elements is a Velcro®-type hook-and-loop arrangement, which is used in the illustrated embodiment. More particularly, in the illustrated embodiment, the rear wall 20 has two straps 26A, 28A (see FIG. 5) secured to its upper corners, with the straps 26A, 28A having either a hook region or a loop region for mating with complementary hook or loop patches 26B, 28B (see FIGS. 5 and 7) on the upper rear corners of the first and second side walls 22, 24. Similarly, in the illustrated embodiment each side wall 22, 24 has a respective strap 30A, 31A (see FIG. 5) secured to its upper front corner, the straps 30A, 31A having either a hook region or a loop region for mating with complementary hook or loop patches 30B, 31B (see FIGS. 4 to 6) on the upper rear corners of the front wall 18.

In the illustrated embodiment, the container 14 has a lid 32. The lid 32 is hingedly secured by way of a living hinge to an upper end of the rear wall 20 of the container 12, and has a hinged flap 36, secured to the lid 32 by way of a living hinge, for overlapping an upper end of the front wall 18 when the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 are in the erected configuration. The inner surface (relative to the container 12) of the hinged flap 36 and the outer surface of the upper end of the front wall 18 each have disposed thereon two pairs of mating hook-and-loop fastening surfaces 40A, 40B. Optionally (not shown), only a single pair of hook-and-loop fastening surfaces, or more than two hook-and-loop fastening surfaces, may be used. Also optionally, a container according to an aspect of the present invention need not include a lid since, generally speaking, it will store the barbecue cover 14 only for the relatively short periods of time during which a barbecue is in use or is cooling down thereafter.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the barbecue cover assembly 10 may be placed on top of a notional barbecue denoted generally by the reference letter “B” (for “barbecue”). The base 16 has a layer of high-friction material disposed on an underside thereof, which facilitates retention of the container 12 on top of the notional barbecue once it is positioned thereon. The high friction material may be, for example, a PVC-coated polyester scrim, such as that offered under the trademark “Gravitac” by the assignee hereof, and may be, for example, approximately ¼ inch in thickness. In one embodiment, the high friction material has approximately a 90 degree coefficient of friction.

The barbecue cover 14 has a barbecue covering shape in the sense that, when deployed, it can assume a three dimensional shape conforming generally to the shape of the notional barbecue to be covered, and defines an interior volume that accommodates the notional barbecue. Referring specifically to FIG. 3, a typical barbecue, as illustrated by the notional barbecue B, will generally have a length L that is substantially greater than its width W, and a central cooking portion C having a greater height H_C than the height H_S of the side portions S (which may include, for example, shelves or side burners (not shown), or may be omitted from certain barbecues. As such, the barbecue cover 14 will have a corresponding length, width and height, somewhat larger than those of the notional barbecue to be covered, and will have an upper central portion 42 (see FIG. 10) corresponding to the top of the notional barbecue, or more particularly the top of the central cooking portion C of the notional barbecue. The barbecue cover 14 may slope downward from the upper central portion 42 towards its lengthwise ends, to conform to the general shape of the barbecue. It will be appreciated that a barbecue cover assembly 12 having a barbecue cover 14 of a particular set of dimensions may be designed to accommodate a range of notional barbecue shapes and sizes. As such, from a commercial perspective one could offer, for example, “small”, “medium” and “large” barbecue cover assemblies, with each size of assembly having a container 12 and barbecue cover 14 dimensioned to cover notional barbecues within a given size range. Alternatively, a single “one size fits all” or “one size fits most” construction may be used, with the dimensions of the barbecue cover 14 being determined by the size and shape (or range of sizes and shapes) of the notional barbecue(s) to be covered. In this regard, a container having a rectangular base 16 with a length of about 11 to 13 inches and a width of about 8 to 10 inches, with walls 18, 20, 22, 24 having a height of about 5 to 7 inches, has been found to be generally suitable. The barbecue cover 14 is constructed of a flexible material having suitable resistance to environmental factors such as heat, cold and precipitation. Such materials may include PVC, polyester, polyester-supported PVC, PU-coated polyester, PVC-coated polyester, and polyethylene-coated polyester. In an exemplary embodiment, the barbecue cover 14 is made from PVC-coated polyester.

With specific reference now to FIG. 8, the upper central portion 42 of the barbecue cover 14 is secured to the container 12. More particularly, the upper central portion 42 of the barbecue cover 14 is secured to the container 12 in such a way that when the barbecue cover assembly 10 is positioned on top of the notional barbecue B with the front wall 18 of the container 12 aligned with the front of the notional barbecue B, the barbecue covering shape of the barbecue cover 14 will be aligned with the barbecue B. In other words, when the container 12 is placed on top of the upper surface US of the of the central cooking portion C of the barbecue B with its front wall 18 facing substantially in the same direction as the front of the notional barbecue B, the length of the barbecue cover 14 will be aligned with the length L of the notional barbecue B, and the width of the barbecue cover 14 will be aligned with the width W of the notional barbecue B. It will be appreciated that this alignment facilitates placement of the barbecue cover 14 over the notional barbecue B. Thus, because the barbecue cover 14 is housable within the container 12 when the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 are in the erected configuration, once the container 12 is placed on top of the notional barbecue B with their respective fronts aligned, the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 can be moved to the outwardly collapsed configuration to permit the barbecue cover 14 to be deployed to a barbecue covering position (as shown in FIG. 11).

With reference now to FIG. 8A, in the embodiment shown the upper central portion 42 of the barbecue cover 14 is secured to the container by way of two extension members 50. FIG. 8A shows the barbecue cover 14 elevated above the outwardly collapsed container 12 so that the extension members 50 are more clearly visible; it will be appreciated that when in use, the barbecue cover assembly 10 would seldom, if ever, be placed in the configuration shown in FIG. 8A. The extension members 50 may be made from the same material as the barbecue cover 14, or from another suitable material.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 8A, each extension member 50 has a first end 50A secured to the container 12 and a second end 50B secured to the upper central portion 42 of the barbecue cover 14. In the particular embodiment shown, the extension members 50 are rectangular in shape, and the first end 50A of each extension member 50 is secured to the container at a junction between the base 16 and a one of the side walls 20, 22 of the container. More particularly, each first end 50A and second end 50B of each attachment member 50 defines a respective edge 50A, 50B, with each extension member 50 being secured to the container 12 (at its first end 50A) and the upper central portion (at its second end 50B) along the entire length of the respective edge 50A, 50B. The extension members 50 may be secured to the container 12 and to the upper central portion 42 of the barbecue cover 14 by any suitable technique, such as stitching or adhesive. Optionally, the extension members 50 may be removably secured to the container 12 or to the upper central portion 42, such as by hook-and-loop fasteners or snap fasteners, to permit the barbecue cover to be cleaned.

While the barbecue cover 12 may be secured directly to the base 16, such as by stitching the upper central portion 42 to the base 16 or by gluing the underside of the upper central portion 42 to the upper surface of the base, it is believed that the use of extension members, such as extension members 50, provides certain advantages. With reference now to the particular embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 16, the extension members 50 allow for some limited movement of the upper central portion 42, and hence of the barbecue cover 14, relative to the container 12 while still securing the barbecue cover 14 to the container 12 in alignment therewith. Because the high-friction material on the underside of the base 16 will hold the container 12 in a substantially fixed position relative to the notional barbecue B as long as it is not subjected to excessive forces, the use of extension members 50 allows for some limited adjustment or “play” in the position of the barbecue cover 14 relative to the notional barbecue B, and the collapsed container 12 serves as an anchor. In the illustrated embodiment, the relative position of the upper central portion 42, and thus of the barbecue cover 14, can be adjusted along the length of the notional barbecue B, as denoted by the arrow P_L, along the width of the notional barbecue B, as denoted by the arrow P_W, or both, while maintaining the general alignment of the barbecue cover 14 with the container 12 (and hence with the notional barbecue “B”). This improves the ease with which the barbecue cover 12 can be placed over the notional barbecue B. Thus, the upper central portion 42 of the barbecue cover 14 is adjustably secured to the container 12, to allow for constrained adjustment of the position of the upper central portion 42 of the barbecue cover 14 relative to the position of the container 12 during deployment of the barbecue cover 14. The constraint on the positional adjustment will be defined by the length of the extension members.

In addition, where a container such as container 12 has sufficient mass, the use of extension members such as extension members 50 may assist in preventing the barbecue cover from being lifted off of a notional barbecue by a gust of normal wind. In particular, the extension members allow the barbecue cover 14 to be lifted some distance away from the notional barbecue B so as to absorb the energy of the wind gust while the collapsed container 12 remains in position on top of the notional barbecue B.

Extension member arrangements different from those illustrated may also be used, without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, a single suitable extension member may be used, or more than two extension members may be used. In one embodiment (not shown), the extension members may take the form of elastic or inelastic cords secured at one end thereof at or adjacent the corners of the base 16 and at the other end to the upper central portion 42 of the barbecue cover 12.

As described above, the barbecue cover 14 is housable within the container 12, and would typically be housed in the container 12 when the notional barbecue B is in use. Once the barbecuing operations have been completed and the notional barbecue B has cooled down, the barbecue cover 14 would typically be deployed to cover the notional barbecue 14 and protect it from the elements. An exemplary implementation of such a deployment process will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 11.

With reference first to FIG. 2, the barbecue cover assembly 10 is placed on the upper surface US of the central cooking portion C of the notional barbecue B. The high-friction material on the underside of the base 16 (not visible in FIG. 4) assists in maintaining the position of the container 12 relative to the upper surface US of the central cooking portion C of the notional barbecue B during subsequent deployment operations. Once the barbecue cover assembly 10 is positioned, as shown in FIG. 4 the lid 32 is opened by separating the mating hook-and-loop fastening surfaces 40A, 40B from one another and pivoting the lid 32 about its hinged connection to the rear wall 20.

Referring now to FIG. 5, after the lid 32 has been opened, the strap 28A securing the rear wall 20 to the second side wall 24 is separated from the complementary patch 28B on the second side wall 24, and the strap 31A securing the second side wall 24 to the front wall 18 is separated from the complementary patch 31B on the front wall 18. This allows the second side wall 24 to be individually moved from the erected configuration shown in FIG. 5 to the outwardly collapsed configuration shown in FIG. 6, by pivoting the second side wall 24 about its hinged connection to the base 16.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 6, the strap 30A which secures the first side wall 22 to the front wall 18 is separated from the complementary patch 30B on the front wall 18, allowing the front wall 18 to be pivoted about its hinged connection to the base 18 so that the front wall 18 moves individually from the erected configuration shown in FIG. 6 to the outwardly collapsed configuration shown in FIG. 7.

Still referring to FIG. 7, the strap 26A, which secures the rear wall 20 to the first side wall 22, is separated from the complementary patch 26B on the side wall 20. This enables both the rear wall 18 and the first side wall 22 to be individually (or, optionally, simultaneously) moved from the erected configuration shown in FIG. 7 to the outwardly collapsed configuration shown in FIG. 8.

It will be appreciated that the order in which the straps 26A, 28A, 30A, 31A were separated from their respective complementary patches 26B, 28B, 30B, 31B and the order in which the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 were moved from the erected configuration to the outwardly collapsed configuration, are arbitrary, and that these operations may be carried out in a different order without departing from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, it may in some instances be possible (although inefficient) to execute the operations required to move one or both of the side walls 22, 24 from the erected configuration to the outwardly collapsed configuration before opening the lid 32.

As shown in FIG. 8, the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 are in the outwardly collapsed configuration, and the barbecue cover 14 is ready to be placed in a covering relationship with the notional barbecue B.

Now referring to FIG. 9, the barbecue cover 14 which had been folded or, in the case of a less fastidious user, “bunched up”, inside the container 12, is unfurled over the width W of the notional barbecue B, as shown. Then, the barbecue cover 14 is extended over the length L of the notional barbecue B, first over one end thereof, as shown in FIG. 10, and then over the other, so that the notional barbecue B is completely covered by the barbecue cover 14 as shown in FIG. 11. It will be appreciated that the barbecue cover could alternatively be unfurled first along the length L of the notional barbecue B and then along the width W, or in alternating lengthwise and widthwise steps. In either case, the process is simplified by the fact that the position and orientation of the barbecue cover 14, relative to the notional barbecue B, is held substantially constant by the engagement of the high-friction material on the underside of the base 16 with the upper surface US of the central cooking portion C.

An exemplary process for removal of the barbecue cover 14 will now be described. As shown in FIG. 12, one lengthwise end of the barbecue cover 14 is pulled in a lengthwise direction inwardly from one end of the notional barbecue B, and the second side wall 24 and the rear wall 20 may be moved into the erected configuration as shown in more detail in FIG. 13 and secured to one another by affixing the strap 28A to the complementary patch 28B.

Next, as shown in FIG. 14, the other lengthwise end of the barbecue cover 14 is pulled in a lengthwise direction inwardly from the other end of the notional barbecue B, and the front wall 18 is then moved into the erected configuration and secured to the second side wall 24 by affixing the strap 31A to the corresponding patch 31B.

Then, as shown in FIG. 15, the first side wall 22 is moved into the erected configuration and secured to the front wall 18 and the rear wall 20 by affixing the respective straps 26A, 30A to their corresponding patches 26B, 30B (not shown in FIG. 15). Thus, the container 12 has been returned to its erected configuration, and a portion of the barbecue cover 14 is disposed therein.

With the container 12 in the erected configuration, the barbecue cover 14 can then be folded or “bundled” into the container 12 so that it is completely or substantially completely disposed therein, as shown in FIG. 16, and then the lid 32 may be closed and secured in the closed position by securing together the two pairs of mating hook-and-loop fastening surfaces 40A, 40B located on the hinged flap 36 and the outer surface of the upper end of the front wall 18, respectively. The barbecue cover assembly 10 will thus have been returned to the initial condition shown in FIG. 2, and can, for example, be removed from the notional barbecue B so that a user may prepare such suitable barbecued comestibles as may be desired.

It is to be appreciated that the above-described process for removing the barbecue cover 14, and returning the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 of the container 12 to the erected configuration so that the barbecue cover 14 may be housed therein, is merely one exemplary process for so doing. The steps of removing each portion of the barbecue cover 14 from the notional barbecue B, and moving each wall from the outwardly collapsed configuration to the erected configuration and securing it in that configuration, may be executed in any suitable order.

Reference has been made herein to the use of straps 26A, 28A, 30A and 31A and corresponding patches 26B, 28B, 30B and 31B having Velcro-type hook-and-loop fastening arrangements. Hook-and-loop fasteners made by entities other than Velcro Industries B.V. and its affiliates may also be used, subject to any relevant intellectual property rights, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Moreover, other suitable fasteners, including but not limited to snap-fasteners and magnetic fasteners, may also be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Moreover, in alternative embodiments of a barbecue cover assembly according to an aspect of the present invention, the straps 26A, 28A, 30A and 31A and their corresponding patches 26B, 28B, 30B and 31B may be omitted entirely, and a different arrangement may be used to secure the walls 18, 20, 22, 24 in the erected configuration. One such embodiment 110 is shown in FIG. 17, which is substantially identical to the first embodiment 10 described above, except that the front wall 118 and first side wall 122 and second side wall (not shown) of the container 112 are secured in the erected configuration by respective corresponding hinged flaps 136A, 136B and 136C on the lid 132. Each of the hinged flaps 136A, 136B and 136C, and each of the front wall 118, first side wall 122 and second side wall, have corresponding mating hook-and loop fasteners. The rear wall 120 is held in the erected configuration by securing the lid 132 to the front wall 118, first side wall 122 and second side wall by way of the hinged flaps 136A, 136B and 136C. Thus, in the embodiment 110 shown in FIG. 17, it is the lid 132 which secures the walls in the erected configuration. In a variation on this embodiment (not shown), a lid may comprise a separate part and include a downwardly-extending peripheral rim, similar to the downwardly-extending peripheral rim on a shoebox lid, and the downwardly-extending peripheral rim would serve to retain the walls in the erected configuration when the lid was placed on the container.

In another embodiment (not shown), the walls may be held in the erected configuration by an actuating member in the form of a cord extending around the upper ends of the walls and passing through apertures therein. The cord may be provided with a slider which retains the walls in the erected configuration, and can be slid back to permit the container walls to fall outwardly to the collapsed configuration to expose the barbecue cover. Conversely, to return the container to the erected configuration, a user would pull the cord and slide the slider along the cord to abut the front wall of the container. A lid similar to lid 32 in the first embodiment may be provided. An example of such an arrangement is shown in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20070283946 A1, which is co-owned by the assignee hereof.

A barbecue cover forming part of a barbecue cover assembly according to an aspect of the present invention may be of any suitable construction. While the exemplary barbecue cover 14 depicted herein has been of unitary construction (although it may be assembled by stitching or otherwise securing several pieces of material together), in other embodiments a barbecue cover may comprise a main portion and side portions. Only part of the inner edge of the side portion may be permanently secured to the main portion, with the remaining part of the inner edge being detachably connectable, such as by zippers, to the main portion after deployment. An example of such a barbecue cover is shown in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20070283946 A1, which is co-owned by the assignee hereof. Also, a barbecue cover according to an aspect of the present invention may be provided with hook-and-loop fastening straps at its lower, outer edges, to assist in securing the barbecue cover to the notional barbecue with which it will be used. Such straps could be fastened to one another either to tighten the lower edges of the cover around the base of the notional barbecue, or could be used to secure the lower edges of the cover directly to the notional barbecue (e.g. to the legs thereof).

In the exemplary embodiment herein described, the container 12 has taken the form of a rectangular parallelepiped. Other suitable shapes may, with suitable adaptation, also be used as containers for a barbecue cover assembly according to an aspect of the present invention. For example, the container may be a non-rectangular parallelepiped, or the container may have a triangular prismatic shape or a pentagonal, hexagonal, septagonal, octagonal or greater-sided prismatic shape, with the base being either regular or irregular. In addition, a cylindrical container or a container having an oval or elliptical base and a curved perimeter wall may be used, with the perimeter wall being divided into outwardly collapsible sections.

Optionally, one or more sides of, and/or a lid for, a container for a barbecue cover assembly according to an aspect of the present invention, may have a trademark or other promotional image disposed thereon, either that of the manufacturer or that of a third party who has retained the manufacturer. For example, a barbecue manufacturer or retailer may wish to place its trademark on the lid of a container for a barbecue cover assembly according to an aspect of the present invention, and offer the barbecue cover assembly either as a separate product or as a promotional item to incent purchase of a barbecue. Similar offers may be made by other barbecue-related entities, such as manufacturers or retailers of barbecue sauce or of meat, fish or poultry suitable for barbecuing, or even by entities only indirectly related to barbecuing, such as (e.g.) football teams or motorsport entities.

Reference has been made herein to a notional exemplary barbecue, denoted by the reference numeral “B”. Neither the notional exemplary barbecue B, nor any other barbecue, form part of the present invention, and any references to a barbecue in the claims are intended solely to define attributes of the invention and not to define any barbecue as a component of any embodiment of any aspect of the invention. Rather, the barbecue B is merely an exemplary barbecue representative of barbecues in association with which embodiments of aspects of the present invention may be used. Such a barbecue may be any barbecue on which the base 16 of the container 12 of an embodiment of the present invention may be stably placed and whose shape can be accommodated by the barbecue cover 14. As such, the top of the barbecue need not be perfectly flat, and may have some curvature, since the high-friction material on the underside of the base 16 will assist in maintaining the container 12, and hence the barbecue cover 14, in position on top of the barbecue.

In general, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. More particularly, it will be appreciated that various individual features from different exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined to produce an embodiment not explicitly shown or described, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A barbecue cover assembly comprising:

a container having: a base, the base having a high-friction material disposed on an underside thereof; and a front wall, a rear wall and first and second side walls secured to the base and moveable between an erected configuration and an outwardly collapsed configuration, the walls being securable in the erected configuration;

a barbecue cover having a barbecue covering shape and being housable within the container when the walls are in the erected configuration, the barbecue cover including an upper central portion corresponding to a top of a notional barbecue to be covered, the upper central portion of the barbecue cover being secured to the container;

wherein the upper central portion of the barbecue cover is secured to the container such that when the barbecue cover assembly is positioned on top of the notional barbecue with the front wall of the container aligned with a front of the notional barbecue, the barbecue covering shape of the barbecue cover is aligned with the notional barbecue so that the walls can be moved to the outwardly collapsed configuration to permit the barbecue cover to be deployed to a barbecue covering position.

2. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 1 wherein the high friction material is PVC-coated polyester scrim.

3. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 1 wherein the high friction material has approximately a 90 degree coefficient of friction.

4. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 1 wherein the container also has a lid.

5. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 4, wherein the lid is hingedly secured to an upper end of the rear wall of the container and has a hinged flap for overlapping an upper end of the front wall when the walls are in the erected configuration, and wherein an inner surface of the hinged flap and an outer surface of the upper end of the front wall each have one or more respective pairs of mating fasteners.

6. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein the upper central portion of the barbecue cover is secured to the container by way of one or more extension members, each extension member having a first end secured to the container and a second end secured to the upper central portion of the barbecue cover.

7. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 6, wherein the one or more extension members consists of two extension members, and wherein the first end of each extension member is secured to the container at a junction between the base and a side wall of the container.

8. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base is rectangular and has a length of about 11 to 13 inches and a width of about 8 to 10 inches, and the walls have a height of about 5 to 7 inches.

9. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 1, the container further comprising straps and receivers having complementary fastener elements which can secure each wall to an adjacent wall.

10. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 1, wherein the upper central portion of the barbecue cover is adjustably secured to the container to allow for constrained adjustment of a position of the upper central portion of the barbecue cover relative to the container during deployment of the barbecue cover.

11. A barbecue cover assembly comprising:

a container having a defined front and having: a base, the base having a high-friction material disposed on an underside thereof; and a plurality of wall sections secured to the base and moveable between an erected configuration and an outwardly collapsed configuration, the wall sections being securable in the erected configuration;

a barbecue cover having a barbecue covering shape and being housable within the container when the walls are in the erected configuration, the barbecue cover including an upper central portion corresponding to a top of a notional barbecue to be covered, the upper central portion of the barbecue cover being secured to the container;

wherein the upper central portion of the barbecue cover is secured to the container such that when the barbecue cover assembly is positioned on top of the notional barbecue with the defined front of the container aligned with a front of the notional barbecue, the barbecue covering shape of the barbecue cover is aligned with the notional barbecue so that the walls can be moved to the outwardly collapsed configuration to permit the barbecue cover to be deployed to a barbecue covering position.

12. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 11 wherein the high friction material is PVC-coated polyester scrim.

13. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 11 wherein the high friction material has approximately a 90 degree coefficient of friction.

14. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 11 wherein the container also has a lid.

15. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 14, wherein the lid is operable to secure the wall sections in the erected configuration.

16. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 11, wherein the upper central portion of the barbecue cover is secured to the container by way of one or more extension members, each extension member having a first end secured to the container and a second end secured to the upper central portion of the barbecue cover.

17. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 16, wherein the one or more extension members consists of two extension members, and wherein the first end of each extension member is secured to the container at a junction between the base and a wall section of the container.

18. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 11, wherein the base is rectangular and has a length of about 11 to 13 inches and a width of about 8 to 10 inches, and the walls have a height of about 5 to 7 inches.

19. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 11, further comprising straps and receivers having complementary fastener elements which can secure each wall section to an adjacent wall section.

20. A barbecue cover assembly according to claim 11, wherein the upper central portion of the barbecue cover is adjustably secured to the container to allow for constrained adjustment of a position of the upper central portion of the barbecue cover relative to the container during deployment of the barbecue cover.