The present disclosure relates generally to coolers, and more particularly, to a collapsible hard-sided cooler.
Coolers, ice chests, ice boxes, or the like are commonly used to store contents (e.g., food, beverages, etc.) and keep the contents cool. Some coolers are hard-sided and may provide the performance and durability desired by a user. However, because hard-sided coolers are typically rigid, such coolers tend to take up more space than desired the coolers are not in use. Such hard-sided coolers can be inconvenient to store and to transport when not in use. While soft-sided coolers are collapsible, and thus, and may be convenient to store and transport, soft-sided coolers may lack the performance and durability that may be desired by a user. Thus, a hard-sided cooler that is collapsible into a smaller size may be desirable.
The embodiments herein may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals indicate identically or functionally similar elements, of which:
It should be understood that the above-referenced drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various preferred features illustrative of the basic principles of the disclosure. The specific design features of the present disclosure, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment.
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. Further, throughout the specification, like reference numerals refer to like elements.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Referring now to embodiments of the present disclosure, the biodegradable cooler discussed herein can be made of a biodegradable material, such as a pulp-based material, or made from paper, sugar cane, hemp, bamboo, or the like. Because the pulp-based material, or other similar type material, is compostable, recyclable, and/or biodegradable, the cooler can be disposed in an environmentally friendly manner in which the cooler degrades rapidly relative to conventional polystyrene coolers and without toxic residues.
The accompanying figures illustrate various embodiments of the disclosed biodegradable cooler. As described in detail hereinbelow,
It is understood that the aforementioned embodiments and features associated therewith are not mutually exclusive of each other. Any of the features shown to be associated with an embodiment described herein may be adopted in another embodiment described herein. Therefore, the description herein of various embodiments does not imply that any features associated with a particular embodiment are limited solely to said embodiment.
In some example embodiments, the multiple panels include an upper front panel 112, a lower front panel 114, and an end panel 106 as more clearly shown in
In some example embodiments, some panels of the multiple panels are rotatably attached to the base 108, and other panels of the multiple panels are rotatably attached to the frame 110. For example, the lower front panel 114 and the lower back panel 204 are rotatably attached to the base 108, and the upper front panel 112, the upper back panel 202, and the end panels 106, 206 are rotatably attached to the frame 110. The end panel is rotatably attached to a section 120 of the frame 110, and the end panel 206 is rotatably attached to a section 208 of the frame 110.
In some example embodiments, an attachment section 222 of the upper front panel 112 may be attached to attachment sections 216, 218 of the frame 110. The attachment section 216 may be at one end of a front section 118 of the frame 110, and the attachment section 218 may be at an opposite end of the front section 118 of the frame 110 from the attachment section 216. The attachment section 222 of the upper front panel 112 may be positioned between and rotatably attached to the attachment sections 216, 218 of the frame 110. A snap-on hinge similar to the snap-on hinge attachment mechanism shown in
In some example embodiments, an attachment section 220 of the lower front panel 114 may be attached to attachment sections 210, 212 of the base 108. The attachment section 210 may be at one end of a front section 134 of the base 108, and the attachment section 212 may be at an opposite end of the front section 134 of the base 108 from the attachment section 210. The attachment section 220 of the lower front panel 114 may be positioned between and rotatably attached to the attachment sections 210, 212 of the base 108. A snap-on hinge similar to the snap-on hinge attachment mechanism shown in
Alternatively, an attachment mechanism that uses one or more rods may be used to rotatably attach the lower front panel 114 to the base 108. In some alternative embodiments, other rotatable attachment means may be used. The lower back panel 204 may be rotatably attached to the base 108 in a similar manner as the lower front panel 114 is attached to the base 108.
In some example embodiments, the upper front panel 112 is rotatably attached to the lower front panel 114, and the upper back panel 202 is rotatably attached to the lower back panel 204. To illustrate, an attachment section 226 of the upper front panel 112 may be attached to attachment sections 228, 230 of the lower front panel 114. For example, the attachment section 228 may be at one end of a perimeter of the frame 110, and the attachment section 230 may be at an opposite end of the lower front panel 114 from the attachment section 228. The attachment section 226 of the upper front panel 112 may be positioned between and rotatably attached to the attachment sections 228, 230 of the lower front panel 114. In some alternative embodiments, the upper front panel 112 may include attachment sections 228, 230, and the lower front panel 114 may include the attachment section 226. A snap-on hinge similar to the snap-on hinge attachment mechanism shown in
In some example embodiments, the panel 302 may include a second attachment section at an opposite end from the attachment section 306, where a second protruding structure similar to the protruding structure 308 protrudes out from the second attachment section. The attachment section 310 of the panel 304 may also include another attachment hole at an opposite end from the attachment hole 312, where the second protruding structure of the panel 302 can get snapped into the second attachment hole such that the panel 302 and the panel 304 are rotatable with respect to each other.
Referring to
In some example embodiments, the lid 104 may be rotatably attached to the frame 110. For example, the frame 110 may include an attachment section 232 that gets inserted or snapped in a space between attachment sections 234, 236 of the lid 104. For example, the attachment section 232 may be attached to the attachment sections 234, 236 using the rotatable attachment mechanism shown in
Referring to
In some example embodiments, the strap 124 may extend around the cooler body 102 including around the base 108. For example, the strap 124 may extend around the cooler body 102 twice. To illustrate, some sections of the strap 124 may be on the front side of the cooler 100 and some sections of the strap 124 may be on the back side of the cooler 100. The sections of the strap 124 that extend above the cooler body 102 from the opposite sides of the cooler 100 may be held together, for example, with one hand to carry the cooler 100. For example, a strap cover, such as a strap cover 138, may be attached to each section of the strap 124 is used for carrying the cooler 100. In some alternative embodiments, the cooler 100 may include a different type of handle without departing from the scope of this disclosure.
In some example embodiments, the liner 200 may be positioned in the cavity of the cooler body 102. For example, liner 200 may be placed in the cooler body 102 such that a top perimeter rim 238 of the liner 200 snaps in place on the frame 110. The liner 200 may be a soft sided liner that can collapse along with the cooler body 102 without the need to remove the liner 200 from the cooler body 102. For example, the liner 200 may be a flexible welded liner. The liner 200 may also be a leak-proof liner to enable the use of the cooler 100 for holding items, such as ice, cold drink bottles, etc., that be result in a liquid inside the liner 200. For example, ice may be placed inside the liner 200 after the liner 200 is positioned in the cavity of the cooler body 100. The liner 200 may be made from expanded polypropylene (EPPE), ethylene-butylacrylate copolymer (EBA), and/or from another suitable material using methods know to those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. In some alternative embodiments, the liner 200 may be removed from the cooler body 102 before collapsing the cooler 100.
In some example embodiments, the end panel 106 may be rotatably attached to the section 120 of the frame 110 in a similar manner as the end panel 206. To illustrate, the attachment tab 412 of the end panel 106 may be inserted or snapped in a notch 414 of the section 120 of the frame 110, and a second attachment tab of the end panel 106 may be inserted or snapped in a second notch in the section 120 of the frame 110. The attachment tabs of the end panel 106 may be attached to the section 120 using the snap-on attachment mechanism shown in
In some example embodiments, the end panels 106, 206 are in contact with the base 108 when the cooler 100 is un-collapsed as shown in
In some example embodiments, the upper front panel 112, the lower front panel 114, the upper back panel 202, the lower back panel 204, and the end panel 106, 206 define the cavity 402 of the cooler body 102 when the cooler 100 is un-collapsed as shown in
In some example embodiments, the strap 124 may be made from a fabric or another suitable material as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, the base 108 and the frame 110 may be made from polyurethane and/or polyethylene or from another suitable material as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. The base 108 and the frame 110 may be made using blow molding or injection molding methods. In some example embodiments, the panels 110, 114, 202, 204, 106, 206 may be made from polyurethane and/or from another suitable material as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure. The panels 110, 114, 202, 204, 106, 206 may be made using blow molding and may be foamed or air filled.
In some example embodiments, after rotating the end panels 106, 206 inward such that the end panels 106, 206 are substantially in horizontal positions, the user may collapse the upper front panel 112 and the lower front panel 114 as well as the upper back panel 202 and the lower back panel 204, for example, by pushing the panels inward. For example, the user may collapse the upper front panel 112 and the lower front panel 114 by pushing inward on the upper front panel 112 and/or the lower front panel 114 close to attachment sections of the upper front panel 112 and/or the lower front panel 114. The user may collapse the upper back panel 202 and the lower back panel 204 by pushing inward on the upper back panel 202 and/or the lower back panel 204 close to attachment sections of the upper back panel 202 and the lower back panel 204.
In some example embodiments, the upper front panel 112 may remain attached to the frame 110 and to the lower front panel 114 while the cooler 100 is being collapsed and after the cooler 100 is collapsed. The upper back panel 202 may remain attached to the frame 110 and to the lower back panel 204 while the cooler 100 is being collapsed and after the cooler 100 is collapsed. The lower front panel 114 may remain attached to the base 108 and to the upper front panel 112 while the cooler 100 is being collapsed and after the cooler 100 is collapsed. The lower back panel 204 may remain attached to the base 108 and to the upper back panel 202 while the cooler 100 is being collapsed and after the cooler 100 is collapsed. The cooler 100 may be transformed from the partially collapsed configuration shown in
In some example embodiments, the steps of collapsing the cooler 100 may be performed in the reverse order to un-collapse the cooler 100 from the collapsed configuration shown in
By using the base 108 as well as the panels 106, 206, 112, 114, 202, 204 that serve as hard-sided walls, the hard-sided collapsible cooler 100 can provide the performance and durability of a hard-side cooler while providing the collapsibility of a soft-side cooler. In some example embodiments, the height of the collapsed hard-sided collapsible cooler 100 as shown in
Referring to
In some example embodiments, the upper back panel 202 may be rotatably attached to the frame 110 using one or more rods, such as a rod 808, in a similar manner as the upper front panel 212. The lower back panel 204 may be rotatably attached to the frame 110 using one or more rods, such as a rod 812, in a similar manner as the lower front panel 214. The upper back panel 202 may be rotatably attached to the lower back panel 204 using one or more rods, such as a rod 810.
In some example embodiments, the lid 104 may be rotatably attached to the frame 110 using one or more rods that extend through sections of the lid 104 and the attachment section 232 of the frame 110.
Referring to
In some example embodiments, to rotatably attach the panel 902 to the panel 904, the attachment section 906 may be placed in a space 914 between the attachment sections 910, 912, and the rod 1000 or the rod 1100 may be inserted and extended through holes 920, 908, 918 as well as a hole at an opposite end of the attachment section 906 from the hole 908. Alternatively, one rod 1000 or 1100 may be inserted through the hole 920 and the hole 908 to extend partially into the attachment section 906 and another rod 1000 or 1100 may be inserted through the attachment structure 910 such that the rod extends entirely through attachment structure 910 and partially through the attachment section 906.
In general, the rod-based attachment mechanism described with respect
In contrast to the frame 110 of the cooler 100, the frame 1206 of the cooler 1200 may extend down further relative to the panels such that the attachment areas between the panels and the frame 1206 are hidden from view by the frame 1206. Further, in contrast to the handle 122 of the cooler 100, a handle 1208 of the cooler 1200 is rotatably attached directly to the frame 1206 on opposite sides of the cooler 1200. For example, a first end portion 1210 of the handle 1208 may be attached to the frame 1206 on one side of the frame 1206, and a second end portion 1212 of the handle 1208 may be attached to the frame 1206 on an opposite side of the frame 1206 such that the handle 1208 can extend over and across the lid 1204. The handle 1208 may include one or more slots 1216.
In some example embodiments, the handle 1208 may be rotated to a position such that the handle 1208 is flush or below the frame 1206 as shown in
In some example embodiments, panels 1310, 1312 of the cooler body 1302 may be foamed. For example, the upper panel 1310 may include foam 1314, and the lower panel 1312 may include foam 1316. The lid 1304 and the base 1306 may also be foamed, where the lid 1304 includes foam 1318, and the base 1308 includes foam 1320. The panels, the lid 1304, and the base 1308 may be made using methods, such as blow molding, as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
In some example embodiments, the cooler 1300 may also include a liner 1322. For example, the liner 1322 may correspond to the liner 200 shown in
Referring to
In some example embodiments, panels 1410, 1412 of the cooler body 1402 may be air filled. The panels, the lid 1404, and the base 1408 may be made using methods, such as blow molding, as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
In some example embodiments, the cooler 1400 may also include a liner 1422. For example, the liner 1422 may correspond to the liner 200 shown in
Referring to
In some example embodiments, panels 1510, 1512 of the cooler body 1502 and the base 1508 may be single-walled, and thus, may not be foamed or air filled. The lid 1504 may be air filled. The panels, the lid 1504, and the base 1508 may be made using methods, such as injection molding, as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
In some example embodiments, the cooler 1500 may include an insulated bag liner 1514 that is insulated using foam 1516 contained in the liner 1514. For example, the liner 1514 may be used instead of the liner 200 shown in
Referring to
Referring to
In some example embodiments, panels 1710, 1712 of the cooler body 1702 may be foamed. For example, the upper panel 1710 may include foam 1714, and the lower panel 1712 may include foam 1716. The lid 1704 and the base 1706 may also be foamed, where the lid 1704 includes foam 1718, and the base 1708 includes foam 1720. The panels, the lid 1704, and the base 1708 may be made using methods, such as blow molding, as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
In some example embodiments, the cooler 1700 may also include an insulated bag liner 1718 that is insulated using foam 1720 contained in the liner 1718. For example, the liner 1718 may be used instead of the liner 200 shown in
Referring to
In some example embodiments, panels 1810, 1812 of the cooler body 1802 may be air filled. The lid 1804 and the base 1806 may also be air filled. The panels, the lid 1804, and the base 1808 may be made using methods, such as blow molding, as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
In some example embodiments, the cooler 1800 may also include an insulated bag liner 1814 that is insulated using foam 1816 contained in the liner 1814. For example, the liner 1814 may be used instead of the liner 200 shown in
Referring to
In some example embodiments, panels 1910, 1912 of the cooler body 1902 and the base 1908 may be single-walled, and thus, may not be foamed or air filled. The lid 1904 may also be foamed, where the lid 1904 includes foam 1914. The panels, the lid 1904, and the base 1908 may be made using one or more methods, such as injection molding, blow molding, etc., as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
In some example embodiments, the cooler 1900 may include an insulated bag liner 1916 that is insulated using foam 1918 contained in the liner 1916. For example, the liner 1916 may be used instead of the liner 200 shown in
Referring to
In some example embodiments, panels 2010, 2012 of the cooler body 2002 and the base 2008 may be single-walled, and thus, may not be foamed or air filled. The lid 2004 may also air filled. The panels, the lid 2004, and the base 2008 may be made using one or more methods, such as injection molding, blow molding, etc., as can be readily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.
In some example embodiments, the cooler 2000 may also include a liner 2014. For example, the liner 2014 may correspond to the liner 200 shown in
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/960,489, entitled “Collapsible Hard-Sided Cooler”, filed on Jan. 13, 2020, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62960489 | Jan 2020 | US |