Portable Cooler

Abstract

A cooler box having insulated compartments for containing food, ice, and water and additionally having syrup containers with dispensing spigots for the syrup, as well as dispensing spigots for the melted ice of the ice container and the water container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to portable "picnic" boxes of the type which are adapted to maintain food in a refrigerated condition during its transportation and storage prior to use at a point remote from the location where it was filled.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Picnic coolers presently known in the prior art usually consist of a single insulated compartment with a removable ice container which may be removed and emptied of the melted water when desired. A spigot from the food compartment allows melted ice, as well as other fluids to be drained therefrom. Such prior art picnic coolers often result in wet food due to the melted ice being in the same compartment with the foodstuff.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention uses an insulated compartmentalized arrangement in a picnic cooler and has food, water, ice, and syrup compartments with dispensing spigots for the melted ice, water and syrup provided so that these may be dispensed at the point of use while food is being served from the food compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the frame and one of the syrup containers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several FIGS., the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a picnic cooler constructed in accordance with the invention.

The picnic cooler 10 includes a base framework generally indicated at 11 which includes a pair of longitudinally extending lower angle members 12, 13 connected at their opposite ends by a pair of end angle members 14, 15. Upper longitudinally extending angle frame members 16, 17 are arranged in parallel relation to and spaced above the angle members 12, 13 and have their opposite ends connected by angle members 18, 19 respectively. An upright angle member 20 is positioned at each corner of the frame assembly 11 so that a generally rectangular open boxlike structure is formed.

A transverse angle frame member 21 is secured to the upper side frame members 16, 17 intermediate the opposite ends thereof and parallel to the end angle members 18, 19. A generally rectangular horizontal shelf 22 is provided with an integral upstanding backboard 23 terminating in a horizontal flange 24 on the upper edge thereof. The flange 24 is secured to the angle member 19 and the angle member 21 parallel to the angle members 16 and 17 with the shelf 22 extending toward the side of the framework 11. The outermost corner of the shelf 22 is cut away at 25 for reasons to be assigned. A second shelf 26 is of generally rectangular form and has an upstanding backboard 27 integrally formed therewith terminating in a flange 28 on the upper edge thereof. The flange 28 is secured to the angle members 19, 21 in parallel relation to the flange 24 with the shelf 26 extending outwardly therefrom. The shelf 26 is cut away at its forward corner 29 similar to the shelf 22 for reasons to be assigned.

A syrup container 30 of generally rectangular form is provided with a filling opening 31 in its upper surface and a spigot 32 opens through one end of the lower wall thereof. The syrup container 30 is carried by the shelf 22 and the opening 25 in the shelf 22 permits the spigot 32 to move freely into place as the container 30 is positioned on the shelf 22. A second syrup container 33 identical in construction to the syrup container 30 is adapted to be carried on the shelf 26.

A shell 34 covers the top and sides of he the framework 11 and is secured thereto. A pair of doors 35 open through the shell 34 at one end thereof to give access to the spigots 32. A door 36 opens through the shell 34 to permit the syrup tank 30 to be inserted onto the shelf 22. A second door 37 also opens through the shell 34 oppositely of the door 36 to permit the syrup tank 33 to be placed on the shelf 26.

An external shell 38 extends upwardly from the shell 34 and is integrally secured thereto as can be clearly seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The shell 38 has a horizontal top portion 39 to form a generally rectangular container. The shell 38 has a wall 40 inwardly spaced therefrom including the top portion 39. The wall 40 also has a bottom portion 41 spaced from the horizontal portion 42 of the shell 34. Insulation 43 fills the space between the shell 38 and the wall 40 and the space between the bottom portion 41 of the wall 40 and the horizontal portion 42 of the shell 34. A generally rectangular cover member 44 fills a generally rectangular opening in the top of the picnic cooler 10 and has insulation 43 therein. A handle 45 secured to the top 44 permits the top 44 to be removed when required.

A pair of upright sidewalls 46, 47 extend upwardly from the bottom portion 41 of the wall 40 and join at their opposite ends end walls 48 49 forming a food container space 50 centrally thereof. The walls 46, 47, 48, 49 are spaced inwardly from the shell 38 to form space 51 to receive ice for cooling the food space 50. A transverse wall 52 extends completely across the interior of the picnic cooler 10 in spaced relation to the inner end wall 49 to form a water tank 53 at one end of the picnic cooler 10.

A drain line 54 extends downwardly from the water tank 53 and a second drain line 55 extends downwardly from the ice compartment 51 with the two lines 54 and 55 joining in a pipe 56 which carries a spigot 57 on the outer end thereof. Access to the spigot 57 can be gained by opening the doors 35. The cover 44 extends across a portion of the water tank 53 to give access to the tank for filling purposes and also gives access to a portion of the space 51 for placing ice therein. A pair of angular insulated doors 58 are secured to the upper side edges of the picnic cooler 10 by means of hinges 59 and these doors 58 can be swung outwardly on the hinges 59 to permit the complete filling of the compartments 51 with ice.

In the use and operation of the picnic cooler 10, the cover 44 is removed and water is poured into the water tank 53 and ice is placed in the compartment 51 surrounding the food compartment 50. Food products to be cooled are then placed within the food compartment 50 and the cover 44 is replaced. Each of the syrup tanks 30 are filled through small doors 60 which open through the shell 34 in a position overlying the filling openings 31 of the tanks 30.

Cold water from the tank 53 as well as from the ice melting in the compartments 51 can be dispensed through the spigot 57 while syrups of differing flavors can be dispensed from the syrup tanks 30 through the spigots 32.

A bottom wall 60 in the base framework 11 produces a compartment for storage which can be reached for access through door 61 in the shell 34.

The instant invention provides considerable greater variety of food products which can be kept cool in a picnic cooler while at the same time maintaining a separation between the ice and the food products to prevent the liquid of the melting ice from coming in contact with the food.

The frames and walls of the instant picnic cooler may be formed of lightweight metal, plastics, or any other material which can be readily fabricated and withstand the requirements for a portable picnic cooler.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A portable picnic cooler comprising:

a base framework,

a shell covering said base framework,

syrup containers mounted in said base framework,

a generally rectangular insulated container secured to and extending upwardly from said base framework,

a food compartment formed centrally of said container and surrounded by an ice compartment

a water tank formed in said container at one end thereof,

means for dispensing water from said tank and melted ice from said ice compartment, and

means for dispensing syrup from said syrup containers.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein access doors are formed in said shell of said base framework and said water dispensing means and said syrup dispensing means are accessible through said doors.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said container is provided with an insulated cover at the top thereof for giving access to said water tank, said ice compartment, and said food compartment.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein a pair of oppositely disposed insulated angular covers are hingedly secured to said container adjacent the upper outer edges thereof to give access to said ice compartments.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein access covers are provided in said shell for enabling filling of said syrup containers.