U.S. patent application number 11/143035 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-22 for hardside cooler with soft cover.
Invention is credited to Maldonado, John, Stone, Michelle.
Application Number | 20050279123 11/143035 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35784304 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050279123 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Maldonado, John ; et
al. |
December 22, 2005 |
Hardside cooler with soft cover
Abstract
An insulated container, such as a cooler or ice chest, with a
hardside interior and a softside exterior is disclosed that has the
benefits of softside coolers, such as the ability to include
pockets and pouches, as well as the benefits of hardside coolers
(e.g. protection to the contents inside and rigid attachment of
wheels, handles, etc.) The softside exterior may be directly
connected to the hardside interior, for example by sewing. The
cooler may have a lid hingedly attached to the liner, and the lid
may be hard plastic including a softside exterior on the top of the
lid. The cooler may have wheels and an extendable handle attached
to the hardside interior to aid in transportation of the cooler in
some embodiments.
Inventors: |
Maldonado, John; (Katy,
TX) ; Stone, Michelle; (Houston, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HOWREY LLP
C/O IP DOCKETING DEPARTMENT
2941 FAIRVIEW PARK DRIVE, SUITE 200
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22042-7195
US
|
Family ID: |
35784304 |
Appl. No.: |
11/143035 |
Filed: |
June 2, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60580865 |
Jun 17, 2004 |
|
|
|
60581801 |
Jun 21, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
62/457.7 ;
190/115; 190/119; 190/18R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 11/20 20130101;
A45C 5/02 20130101; F25D 3/08 20130101; F25D 2331/801 20130101;
A45C 13/02 20130101; A45C 5/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
062/457.7 ;
190/119; 190/115; 190/018.00R |
International
Class: |
A45C 013/30; F25D
003/08; A45F 003/44 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An insulated container comprising: a hard liner having a front,
back, two sides, and a bottom to define a cavity; a hard lid
hingedly attachable to the liner; and pliable material attachable
to the outside of the hard liner.
2. The insulated container of claim 1, wherein the pliable material
contains flexible closed cell foam.
3. The insulated container of claim 2, wherein a pliable material
is attached to the lid.
4. The insulated container of claim 3, in which the pliable
material is sewn directly onto the hard liner or lid.
5. The insulated container of claim 3, in which the insulated
container further comprises an extendable handle, at least two
feet, and at least two wheels rotatably attachable to the
liner.
6. The insulated container of claim 3, in which the pliable
material includes snaps adapted to mate with snaps on the liner and
lid to attach the pliable material to the insulated container.
7. The insulated container of claim 1, wherein the softside cover
includes a front pouch.
8. An insulated container such as a cooler or ice chest comprising:
a hard liner having a cavity; a lid hingedly attachable to the
liner; and a pliable material attached to the outside wall of the
hard liner.
9. The insulated container of claim 8, in which the liner has a
front, back, bottom, and two sides that define the cavity.
10. The insulated container of claim 9, in which the pliable
material is directly attachable to the lid.
11. The insulated container of claim 10, in which the pliable
material is sewn directly onto the liner or the lid.
12. The insulated container of claim 10, in which the pliable
material includes snaps adapted to mate with snaps on the liner or
lid.
13. The insulated container of claim 10 in which an upper end of
the pliable material is attached to a hoop, and an upper end of the
liner includes a lip to form a pocket between the lip and the upper
end of the liner, the hoop being sandwiched in the pocket to attach
the pliable material to the liner.
14. The insulated container of claim 9, in which the pliable
material includes at least a side pocket or a front pouch with an
accessory.
15. The insulated container of claim 14, wherein at least a portion
of the side pocket is mesh.
16. The insulated container of claim 10, wherein the lid softside
includes a dry storage pocket.
17. The insulated container of claim 10, wherein the container
further comprises an extendable handle and wheels attachable to the
liner.
18. The insulated container of claim 17, wherein the container
further comprises at least a side handle attachable to each side of
the liner.
19. The insulated container of claim 18, wherein the side handle
comprises a rotatable loop.
20. The insulated container of claim 17, wherein the container
further comprises at least two feet attachable to the bottom of the
liner.
21. The insulated container of claim 17, wherein a skid resistant
base it attachable to the bottom of the container.
22. The insulated container of claim 10, wherein the liner and lid
comprises hard plastic.
23. The insulated container of claim 8, where the liner further
comprises at least one cup holder bracket.
24. The insulated container of claim 23, wherein the bottom of the
lid comprises a circular recess or a recess adapted to retain a cup
holder attachable to the at least one cup holder bracket.
25. The insulated container of claim 8, further comprising a strap
attachable to the liner in at least two locations to provide a
securing mechanism with respect to the lid.
26. A cooler comprising: a hard plastic liner having a front, back,
two sides, and a bottom to define a cavity; a hard plastic lid,
wherein the lid is hingedly attachable to the liner; a softside
pliable material; means for attaching the softside pliable material
to the hard plastic liner; and means for fastening the lid against
the liner when closed.
27. The cooler of claim 26, wherein the means for attaching the
softside cover is sewing the cover directly onto the hard plastic
liner.
28. The cooler of claim 26 in which the means for fastening the lid
includes a inner surface and an outer surface on the lid, clamping
a recessed portion on an upper perimeter of the liner.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a non-provisional utility application
claiming priority to U.S. Provisional patent application No.
60/580,865, entitled, "Hardside Cooler with Soft Cover," by Stone
and Maldonado, filed Jun. 17, 2004, incorporated by reference in
its entirety herein; this application also claims priority to U.S.
Provisional application 60/581,801, entitled "Hardside Cooler with
Soft Cover" by Stone and Maldonado, filed Jun. 21, 2004, by Stone
and Maldonado, incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to the field of
insulated containers such as coolers or ice chests. More
particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and
method for providing a cooler having the hard liner integrated with
a soft cover.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Generally, it is known to provide an insulated container,
such as a cooler or an ice chest. Coolers and ice chests may be
generally categorized as hardsided or softsided. Hardsided coolers
include coolers having an outside body made from hard plastic, such
as blow molded or injection molded plastic and thus the hard
outside body provides a protective covering for the contents in the
cooler. Hardsided coolers may be constructed with a liner within
the outside body. Such as liner of the prior art is shown as item
200 in FIG. 11. Insulating foam is placed between the liner and the
outside body during construction of these hardsided coolers, as is
known by one of ordinary skill in the art. The liner also may be
comprised of injection molded plastic, capable of providing a
leak-proof cavity in which ice, liquid, beverages, food, etc. may
be contained. The liner of the cooler may include a plurality of
pairs of channels 202 to allow a divider to be positioned
vertically within the liner, to divide the liner vertically to
create vertical spaces or compartments within the liner. A divider
may also be adapted to lay flat on a shelf 206 in the liner to
divide the liner into compartments horizontally.
[0006] As stated above, to construct the hardsided coolers,
insulating foam may be placed between the liner and the hard
outside body to better thermally insulate the cooler. The foam may
be poured in liquid form between the outside body and the liner to
form the cooler, with the cooler being placed into a curing unit,
to cure the foam into a solid stated. A lid may be attached to the
cooler via a hinge and a locking mechanism may be provided on the
lid to secure the contents stored in the cooler. A rubber seal may
be placed around the perimeter of the lid to sealingly engage the
perimeter 207 of the liner 200, thereby providing a leak-proof
cavity within the cooler.
[0007] In contrast to hardside coolers, softside coolers typically
comprise coolers made of a pliable material, such as fabric, and
may include thermal insulation between the pliable material and the
food and/or beverages within the cooler. Softside coolers tend to
be popular because softside coolers are often collapsible and
require less storage space, when not being used. Softside coolers
may be more fashionable than a hardside cooler as a softside cooler
may contain pockets, as softside coolers may allow the attachment
of accessories or gadgets to the softside material. Softside
coolers have advantages of multifunctionality with storage
compartments, slip pockets, and other devices, which can easily be
sewn to the sides of the softside cooler. However, compared to
hardside coolers, softside coolers provide less protection to the
contents within the cooler, and may be more prone to wear over time
as compared to the hardsided counterparts.
[0008] On the other hand, compared to softside coolers, current
hardside coolers are known to have improved performance and
durability due to the use of plastic liners and lids, compared to
coolers made of other materials. As such, hardsided cooler offer
improved protection of delicate contents (e.g. sandwiches, eggs, or
cake) compared to softsided coolers. Further, cleaning the inside
of the plastic liner is also relatively easy compared to cleaning
the inside of the softside products. However, hardside coolers may
be more difficult to carry and store, as hardside coolers have a
hard outer body, which typically is not flexible. Further, it may
prove problematic in some instances to attach components or gadgets
to the hardside cooler.
[0009] Another type of cooler is a combination of a hardsided
cooler and a softsided cooler. This hybrid cooler comprises a hard
liner 200 of the prior art, typically injection molded, removable
from within a softside pouch. The MaxCold.TM. 10, offered by Igloo
Products Corp. of Katy, Tex., is an example of a cooler having a
removable hard liner, within a softside (e.g. fabric) outer
carrier. The benefits of such a design are that the hard liner is
removable for easy cleaning. Further, the softside carrier may also
be washed separately. However, the repeated removal of the liner
from the cooler may prevent the softside carrier from retaining its
original shape; thus, the liner may fall out of the carrier if the
cooler is tipped over. Additionally, the soft lid of the softside
carrier may not fasten securely as a hardside cooler having a hard
lid, in some situations.
[0010] In light of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide
an insulated container, such as a cooler or ice chest, which has
the advantages of both hardside and softside coolers, while
minimizing the disadvantages of hardside and softside coolers. By
way of example, it would be desirable that the cooler or ice chest
have a durable hard inner surface, which protects the contents of
the cooler and is relatively easy to clean. Further, it would be
desirable to provide an outer surface of the cooler with a softside
material to which accessories may be attached. Additionally, it is
desirable to have a hard lid that protects the contents inside and
is adapted to securely keep the lid closed. It would also be
desirable to be able to attach wheels and an extendable handle to
the insulated container or cooler to facilitate transportation of
the device.
[0011] The present invention is directed to overcoming, or at least
reducing the effects of, one or more of the issues set forth
above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The insulated container, such as a cooler or ice chest,
described herein is an "all-in-one" cooler that combines advantages
of both softside and hardside coolers, and creates one solution to
some of the disadvantages described above. In some embodiments, the
cooler utilizes a hard plastic liner and a plastic lid hingedly
attached to the liner, similar to hardsided coolers. Pliable
material, such as soft fabric and/or flexible closed-cell foam, may
be attached to the hard liner to create the outer walls of the
body, in some embodiments. The pliable material may be directly
attached to the liner, via glue or via direct stitching, in some
embodiments. The fabric and foam may provide thermal advantages,
such as keeping heat away from cooled contents or keeping heat from
escaping when the cooler contains warm contents.
[0013] In another embodiment, the insulated container may utilize a
hard container and hard lid. The container and lid may comprise
plastic as typically used in hardside coolers and the like. The lid
is attachable to the container in such a way to enclose the
container in one position and to provide access to the container in
another position. A pliable material is attached to the outside of
the container to become an integral part of the cooler. The pliable
softside material may be nylon, polyester, or other material
similar to material typically used in a softside cooler. In yet
another embodiment, separate pliable material may be attachable to
the lid and may be nylon, polyester, or other material similar to
the materials typically used in a softside cooler. It should be
understood that the container could be any shape, e.g. cylindrical,
square, rectangular, as long as it contains a cavity, as would be
appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit
of this disclosure.
[0014] In some embodiments, an insulated cooler is provided having
a hard liner, which contains a cavity, a hard lid hingedly attached
to the hard liner, and a softside cover attached to the exterior of
the liner. In some embodiments, the pliable material creates a
softside cover, and is fastened directly to the exterior of the
liner. The pliable material may be fastened to the exterior of the
liner by sewing the pliable material to the exterior of the liner;
gluing the pliable material to the exterior of the liner; providing
velcro straps on the pliable material to fasten through openings in
the liner; providing mating snaps on the pliable material and the
exterior of the liner; or providing the pliable material and the
exterior of the liner with mating parts of a zipper, for
example.
[0015] In other embodiments, a cooler has a lid is hingedly
attached to a liner having a cavity and a softside is also attached
to the outside wall of the liner. The cooler may also include a
pliable material (or "softside" material) attached to the lid to
create a softside cooler. In some embodiments, the softside
material may be sewn directly to the liner. In other embodiments,
the softside may be snapped or zipped onto the liner. The cooler
may further have wheels and an extendable handle attached to the
liner. In some embodiments, the softside may contain a side pocket
or a front pouch with an accessory such as a carabineer, key ring,
or grommet, for example. The front pouch or side pocket may include
a portion of mesh material. In one embodiment, the cooler may
further have a skid resistant base connected to the bottom of the
liner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a cooler
100 of the present disclosure including a "T-Shaped" handle 10 in
the extended position, inter alia.
[0017] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the
present disclosure having a cooler 100 having a portion of a pocket
95 comprised of mesh material 96.
[0018] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the
present disclosure of a cooler 100 having an extendable handle
10'.
[0019] FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present disclosure of
a cooler 100 having a portion 201 of a liner 200 adapted to secure
a lid 220.
[0020] FIG. 5 shows a side view of an embodiment of FIG. 4 of the
present disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a rear view of an embodiment of FIG. 4 of the
present disclosure of a cooler 100 having four wheels 20.
[0022] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the present disclosure of a
cooler 100 with the lid 20 in the open position.
[0023] FIG. 8 shows the front view of an embodiment of the present
disclosure of the cooler 100 having at least a portion of a front
pouch 40 comprising mesh material 96.
[0024] FIGS. 9A and 9B show an embodiment of present disclosure of
the cooler 100 having a snap-fit lid 220 and a liner 200.
[0025] FIG. 10A shows a perspective view of an alternative
embodiment of the present disclosure having a skid-resistant base
94.
[0026] FIG. 10B shows a top view of the alternative embodiment of
the present disclosure of FIG. 10A.
[0027] FIG. 10C shows a rear perspective of the alternative
embodiment of FIG. 10A of the present disclosure.
[0028] FIG. 10D shows a rear perspective of an alternative
embodiment of FIG. 10A of the present disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 10E shows a perspective view of the alternative
embodiment of FIG. 10A with the cooler 100 with its lid 220
open.
[0030] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a
liner 200 of the prior art.
[0031] FIG. 12A shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the
present disclosure of a cooler 100 having the pliable material such
on the lid 220 opened to expose a dry storage pocket 70.
[0032] FIG. 12B is a close-up view of an area of the dry storage
pocket 70 depicted in FIG. 12A and shows one embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0033] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way
of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein.
However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended
to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the
intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and
alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
[0034] Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described
below as they might be employed in the use of designs for insulated
container, coolers, or ice chests. As used herein, an insulated
container may be utilized interchangeably with ice chest, cooler,
and the like, and each term (insulated container, ice chest,
cooler) is to be given its ordinary meanings. In the interest of
clarity, not all features of an actual implementation are described
in this specification. It will of course be appreciated that in the
development of any such actual embodiment, numerous
implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the
developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related
and business-related constraints, which will vary from one
implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that
such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but
would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary
skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
[0035] Further aspects and advantages of the various embodiments of
the invention will become apparent from consideration of the
following description and drawings.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, an insulated container or cooler 100
comprises a liner 200 with a lid 220 hingedly attached to the liner
200. The liner 200 may be injection molded plastic typical of
liners currently on the market, and is shown in isolation in FIG.
11. Within the cooler 100 is a cavity for placing ice, food and
beverages, so that the insulated container or cooler 100 operates
to keep the contents cool; alternatively, the insulated container
100 may be utilized to keep contents therein warm.
[0037] On the outside of the cooler 100 is shown a pliable (or
softside) material 240. The pliable material of the cooler of this
embodiment may comprise fabric, flexible polyester, and closed-cell
foam, for example. Between the liner 200 and the pliable material
may be placed insulating material. The pliable material 240, such
as closed-cell foam, shown on the outside of the cooler 100, may be
attached directly to the hard plastic of the liner 200 to create
the outer walls of the body in this embodiment. For example, the
pliable material 240, such as closed-cell foam, may be directly
attached to the liner 200, via glue or adhesive placed there
between. Alternatively, the pliable material may be directly
stitched to the liner 200. The closed-cell foam provides insulation
for the liner 200. Furthermore, closed-cell foam is adapted not to
absorb liquid if either the liner 200 or pliable material 240 were
to leak or tear.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 1, the cooler 100 may include an extendable
telescope handle 10. It should be realized that in the embodiment
shown, a right and front view perspective is shown; a left and
front perspective view may be identical. The telescopic handle 10
may be comprised of a "T" style telescoping handle as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2. Alternatively, the handle may be comprised of a
U-shaped or double telescoping handle 10' as shown in FIGS. 3-6. As
explained in more detail herinafter with respect to the U-shaped
handle 10', the liner 200 may include a bracket 205 (as shown in
FIG. 5) that is attached to or encloses a portion of extendable
handle 10'; and the handle may be attached to a base 19 of the
insulated container 100. The base 19 comprises a pair of wheels 20
such that when the insulated container 100 is titled backwardly,
the weight of the insulated container 100 rests on the wheels 20 to
facilitate transportation of the insulated container 100 from
location to location. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6, the
cooler 100 includes telescoping handle 10, 10' and wheels 20.
However, the handle 10, 10' and wheels 20 are not utilized in other
embodiments.
[0039] As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the insulated
container 100 includes handles 30 and a front pouch 40. The loop
handles 30 may rotate to multiple positions and angles to aid in
the transportation of insulated container 100 from location to
location.
[0040] A headphone grommet 50 is shown in FIG. 1 and is adapted to
be attachable to the front pouch 40. The front pouch 40 may include
an accessory such as a carabineer or key ring, for example. The
insulated container 100 may further comprise molded-in cupholder
brackets 60 such as those disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 10/852,662, entitled "Insulated Ice Chest with Accessory
Holders," filed May 25, 2004, incorporated by reference herein in
its entirety. Cup holders may be provided and attached on these
brackets 60.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 1, a dry storage pocket 70 may also be
provided on the upper portion of the insulated container 100. A lid
cover 80 of softside pliable material is also provided for cooler
100, which may be insulated. The handle 10 may be single as shown
in FIG. 1 or double posted 10' as shown in FIG. 3.
[0042] To construct the insulated container 100, the pliable or
softside material 240 is attachable to the liner 200 in various
ways. For instance, the pliable softside material 240 may be
directly affixed to the outside of the liner 200 via adhesive or
glue. Or the pliable softside material 240 may be directly stitched
to the liner 200, as described above. In the embodiment of FIG. 1,
the liner 200 of the insulted container 100 of FIG. 1 includes a
collar 207 located at the top and outside of the liner 200, the
prior art liner 200 being shown in isolation in FIG. 11. In the
embodiment of FIG. 1, the collar 207 includes a downwardly
protruding lip 208, which folds back downwardly over the exterior
upper perimeter of the liner 200. A circumferential pocket is
therefore created between the inside of the lip 208 and the outside
of the upper perimeter of the liner 200.
[0043] Further, the pliable material 240 may include a ring or hoop
of hardened material (e.g. plastic) attached to the upper end of
the material 240 and located on the upper perimeter of the
bag-shaped pliable material for assembly purposes. The upper end of
the pliable material 240 may be stitched around the hoop or
ring.
[0044] To construct the insulated container 100 of FIG. 1, the ring
or hoop may be inserted into the circumferential pocket on the
upper end of the liner to attach upper end of the softside pliable
material 240 to the upper end of the liner 200. In other words, the
hoop and the upper end of the pliable material 240 may be
sandwiched between the circumferential lip 208 and the perimeter of
the liner 200. In this way, the softside pliable material 240 may
be attached to the liner 200. Alternatively, the plastic ring or
hoop may be snapped into only the corners of the circumferential
pocket on the perimeter of the liner 200. In other embodiments, the
plastic ring or hoop may snap into the entire perimeter of the lip
208 of the collar 207. Alternatively, the pliable, softside
material 240 may be directly stitched to the liner 200, or glued to
the liner 200, as discussed above. Regardless of the means for
attachment, insulation material such as foam may be placed between
the pliable material 240 and the liner 200 to improve the
insulating function of the insulated cooler 100.
[0045] Further, the lid 220 of the cooler 100 may contain a
softside material 240 attached to the lid 220. For example, the
softside material 240 may be directly attached to the lid, such as
being glued or sewn onto the lid.
[0046] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the pliable material or
softside material may be attached to the lid 220 and/or the liner
200. The pliable material or softside material may be nylon 91, PVC
93, or polyester, for example. Any pliable material or softside
material may be utilized, as would be realized by one of ordinary
skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. The direct
attachment of the softside material 240 to the liner 200
advantageously prevents the premature disengagement of the liner
200 from the softside pliable material 240. Further, direct
attachment of the softside pliable material 240 to the liner 200
creates an insulated container 100, which is more robust than
typical softside coolers presently on the market.
[0047] The outside cover of softside material 240 may also include
a side slip pocket 95. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a portion of
the side slip pocket 95 may be comprised of a mesh material 96. In
the embodiment of FIG. 3, the side slip pocket 95 is non-mesh
pliable material, such as fabric.
[0048] As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the disclosed cooler 100 may include
a plurality of legs 300. The legs 300 may operate to stop the
cooler 100 from rotating about the wheels 20, which may be simple
plastic wheels, or for larger insulated containers, the wheels may
be rubberized. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the legs 300 allow the
insulated container 100 to remain level when a user releases the
handle 10.
[0049] In the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3, a grommet 50 is shown
located on the top of a front pouch 40 to allow a cord (not shown)
for an electronic device, such as a headphone cord, to extend
inside of the front pouch 40. Also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are at
least one cup holder bracket 60 on the perimeter of the upper
surface of the liner 200 for connecting a removable cup holder (not
shown) to the liner 220. Alternatively, the insulated container may
include at least one cup holder 61 formed into the top of the lid
220, as shown in FIG. 10A and described hereinafter. Further, as
shown in FIG. 10E, the insulated container may include a
compartment 62 for selectively securing the removable cup holder
(not shown) in the lid 220, shown on the bottom side of the lid 220
in FIG. 10E. Also shown in FIG. 10E is the underside of the at
least one cup holder 61 described above. It should be mentioned
that the cup holder 61 also may be formed on the bottom of the lid
220, for use when the lid 220 is open.
[0050] The lid 220 rests against the upper perimeter of the liner
200 when the lid is closed. The upper perimeter of the liner 200 of
the insulated container 100 may include a recess 201, as shown in
FIG. 4, to facilitate the opening of the lid 220. In operation, the
recess 201 allows an operator to more easily apply an upward force
on the bottom side of the 220 to open the lid 220, than if the
upper perimeter of the liner 200 were not recessed.
[0051] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the liner 200 of the cooler 100
includes a bracket 205 attachable to a portion of an extendable
handle 10'. In some embodiments, the wheels 20 and the extendable
handle 10 may be constructed of an integral, molded component and
be attachable to the liner 200 through the softside pliable
material 240 by fasteners, such as screws, glue, and the like.
[0052] FIG. 6 shows a rear view of another embodiment of the
insulated container 100 having wheels 20 (e.g. two sets of two
wheels are shown) rotatably attachable to the liner 200 through the
softside pliable material 240. The wheels 20 are rotatably mounted
on an axle 21, which is attachable via a bracket 22 to the liner
200. The softside pliable material 240 may be sandwiched between
the bracket 22 and the liner 200.
[0053] As stated above, the handle 10 of the insulated container
100 may be comprised of single "T" member 10 as shown in FIGS. 1
and 2, having a gripping handle on an upper end. The single member
may be adapted to have a length that is adjustable. As shown in
FIG. 1, the single member of the handle 10 is telescopic.
Alternatively, handle 10' of the insulated container 100 may be
comprised of a pair of members substantially parallel to each
other, as shown in FIGS. 3-6. Each member may have a length that is
adjustable, e.g. each member may be comprised of telescopic
sections.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 6, a lower section of 11 the extendable
handle 10' is shown secured to the upper end of the liner 200 by
brackets 205. The lower section 11 of the handle 10' is shown be
secured to the liner 200 at an area proximate bracket 22 for added
support. In operation, an upward force on the handle 10 causes the
telescopic members to increase the length of the handle 10', to
facilitate the movement of the insulated container 100 from one
location to another.
[0055] Accessory holders may be provided on the insulated container
100. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the cooler 100 includes a cup
holder bracket 60 on each upper corner of the liner 200. These
brackets 60 are adapted to mate with removable cup holders, as
described above.
[0056] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the
insulated container 100 having a lid 220 in the open position. The
insulated container 100 shown as the softside pliable material 240
attached to the liner 200 as described above (i.e. upper perimeter
of the softside pliable material 240 includes a plastic hoop or
ring, which is sandwiched between the downwardly-extending lip 208
and the upper perimeter of the liner 200).
[0057] FIG. 8 shows the front view of another embodiment of the
cooler 100 having a front pouch 40 partly comprised of a mesh
material 96.
[0058] It should be noted that heretofore, the attachment of the
softside pliable material 240 to the hardside liner 200 proved
problematic; however, with improvements in manufacturing and sewing
technology as described above, the softside exterior may be
directly attached to the hardside interior. For example, one means
for attaching the softside material 240 to the hard liner 200 is
sewing the softside material 240 directly onto the hardside liner
200. Another means for attaching the softside material 240 to the
liner 200 is via glue. Yet another means for attaching the softside
material 240 to the liner 200 is by incorporating mating snaps on
both the softside material 240 and the hard liner 200 such. Yet
another means for attaching the softside material 240 to the liner
200 is velcro straps on the softside material or hook and loop
straps on the softside material that feed through an opening in the
liner 200 or fasten around an exterior element of the liner 200.
While, yet another means for attachment could be to provide the
softside material 240 and hardside liner 200 with mating parts of a
zipper and zipping the softside material around the outside of the
hardside liner. In short, other means for attaching the softside
material may be utilized. A preferred method of attaching the
pliable material 240 to the liner 200 is via the hoop on the upper
perimeter of the pliable material 240 being snapped into the
circumferential pocket formed between the lip 208 and the upper
perimeter of the liner 200 as described above. In this way, the
insulated container 100 has benefits of softside coolers (e.g. the
cooler 100 can contain pockets 95 and pouches 40 and is
fashionable) and also has the benefits of a hardside cooler (such
as offering the protection of the contents in the container and
allowing for the rigid attachment of hardware such as wheels 20,
feet 300, and extendable handle 10).
[0059] As described above with respect to FIG. 4, the upper
perimeter of the liner 200 may include a recess 201 to facilitate
the opening of the lid 220. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-8,
the lid 220 is shown flush with liner 200 when in the closed
position. As such, the, the lid 220 rests on the d liner and, due
to gravity, closes the cooler. No additional means for securing the
lid 220 to the liner 200 is necessary.
[0060] In the embodiment of FIGS. 9A and 9B, a portion of each
surface of the lid 220 and liner 200 mate to create a snap-fit. The
lid 220 contains clamp 221, which contains an outer side 222 and a
ramp-shaped inner side 223. The upper end of the liner 200 includes
an area 201 which is recessed or has a decreased wall thickness in
relation to the rest of the liner 200, as shown in FIG. 9B. When
closing the lid 220, the clamp 221 snaps onto the recessed portion
201 of the upper end of the liner 200. The lid 220 then snaps
closed, the contacting fit on the front of the lid 220 acting to
prevent the lid 220 from inadvertently popping open. When closed,
the upper portion of the recess 201 is clamped between the outer
side 222 and the inner side 223. In this way, the lid 220
advantageously prevents prematurely opening of the insulated
container 100. Further, this method of selectively securing the lid
220 increases the manufacturability of the insulated container 100,
as the inner side 222 and outer side 222 can be molded when molding
the lid 220 (i.e. the single mold for the lid may be designed to
include the inner 223 and outer 222 sides without increasing the
cost of manufacturing the lid 220); subsequent operations are not
required.
[0061] Also the lid 220 can be opened more quickly than when other
securing means are utilized, such as prior art zippers. Further,
the stress induced on the upper perimeter of the liner 200 is
relatively low and affects only a percentage of the perimeter of
the upper end of the liner 200. That is, the entire upper end of
the liner 200 is not stress-cycled as the lid 220 is opened and
closed, as would be the case if the lid 220 had a perimeter just
slightly larger than the upper perimeter of the liner 220 creating
an interference fit all the way around the parameter.
[0062] Thus, with the reduced stress, durability of the container
is increased concomitantly. The resulting stress is applied only to
a small area as compared to other applications to secure the lid
220 and liner 200 such as creating seal ring around entire
perimeter of the liner 200. Additionally, this embodiment does not
cause excessive wear upon the opening and closing mechanism or on
the mechanism the operator would grasp to open the lid, e.g. the
softside pliable material.
[0063] The lid 220 may also include other types of mechanisms for
securing the lid 220 in a closed position with respect to the liner
200, as would be realized by one of ordinary skill in the art
having the benefit of this disclosure. For example, the lid 220 may
contain an inner surface that snaps onto a lip on the inside of
liner 200 when the lid 220 is closed onto the liner 200.
[0064] Referring to FIG. 10A, the insulated container cooler 100 is
shown with another means for fastening the lid 220 in a closed
position. The fastening means, such as an elastic cord 250, may be
provided to strap items, e.g. a towel (not shown), to the top of
the lid 220. The elastic cord 250 may be extended between hooks 255
and 260 that may be attached to or integral with the liner 200.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10D, the means for fastening the
lid, such as elastic cord 250, may be attached to a bracket 205 and
may be extendable to the hook 255 on the front of the insulated
container 100 to secure an item to the lid 220. The elastic cord
250 may further act to secure the lid 220 to the liner 200.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10C, the elastic cord 250 may be
extended between the hook 260 located on the rear of the cooler 100
and the hook 255 located on the front of the cooler 100 as shown in
FIGS. 10A and 10B. Each of the hooks 255 and 260 may be attached to
the liner 200, e.g. via screws, glue, etc, or may be integral with
the liner 200.
[0065] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 10A-10E, the insulated
container 100 has a skid-resistant-base 94 and wheels 20 attached
to the bottom of a liner 200. The skid-resistant base 94 may be
hard plastic, adapted to provide protection to the softside pliable
material 240 on the bottom of cooler 100. The skid-resistant base
94 may be formed of injection molded plastic. As shown, the
skid-resistant base 94 may be attached over softside material 240
via fasteners such as screws passing through the softside pliable
material, and into the liner. Alternatively, the skid-resistant
base 94 may be glued to the bottom of the insulated container
100.
[0066] Referring to FIG. 10A, the softside material 240 of the
cooler 100 may contain open pockets 41 and a closable pocket 42 on
the front of the cooler 100. The cooler shown in FIG. 10A also
includes a side mesh pocket 96. Referring to FIG. 10B, the top of
the lid 220 is shown containing a pair of circular recesses 61 in
which the bottom of a beverage container could be placed. In the
embodiment of FIG. 10E, the bottom of the lid 220 contains a
circular recess 61 for storing a beverage container when the lid
220 is open. Alternatively, the bottom of the lid 220 may include a
recess 62 for storing a cup holder (as described above) when the
cup holder is not attached to a cup holder bracket 60.
[0067] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a
prior art liner 200 as described above. The liner 200 may comprise
slots 202 that can be used to insert a divider (not shown) to
divide the liner 200 into different compartments. In some
embodiments, liner 200 may comprise a ridge 206 upon which a
divider (not shown) could be placed to divide liner 200 into two
horizontal compartments.
[0068] FIG. 12A shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a
cooler 100 having a dry storage pocket 70 located under softside
material 240 attachable to a lid 220. In some embodiments, the dry
storage pocket 70 may be accessible via a zipper 270. In other
embodiments, the dry storage pocket 70 may be accessed via hook and
loop closures or elastic closures. FIG. 12B is a close-up view of a
portion of 12A and shows in some embodiments the softside pliable
material 240 may be sewn 300 directly to the lid 220.
[0069] Although various embodiments have been shown and described,
the invention is not so limited and will be understood to include
all such modifications and variations as would be apparent to one
skilled in the art.
* * * * *