Cross-reference is made to U.S. Design patent application No. 29/711,905, titled “Cover for a Cooler”, filed Nov. 4, 2019, and U.S. Design patent application No. 29/711,906, titled “Cover for a Cooler”, also filed Nov. 4, 2019, all of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Present embodiments relate to a cooler cover. More specifically, but without limitation, present embodiments relate to an insulated cooler cover which may be formed in one configuration into a self-container to retain the cooler cover in an enclosed configuration when not being used with a cooler.
Some coolers are provided with an insulated cover in order to improve functionality of the cooler and maintain the desired temperature for a longer period of time, therefore reducing energy usage. However, when these cooler covers are not in use, they can be left away from the cooler and if formed in multiple pieces, pieces may be lost, soiled, or become wrinkled in such a way as to render the use difficult.
It would be desirable to overcome these and other deficiencies in the area of covers for coolers, so as to reduce associated problems.
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.
The present embodiments provide one or more of the features recited in the appended claims and/or the following features which alone or in any combination, may comprise patentable subject matter.
The present embodiments provide a cooler cover which has two configurations: one wherein the cooler cover may be formed to receive or otherwise cover a cooler, and a one wherein the cooler cover may be stored between two sides or panels of the cooler cover. In this way, the cooler cover may be stored together to avoid loss of parts, avoid excessive soiling of the cover, and stored in a folded fashion so that the cooler cover is easily used at a later date.
According to some embodiments, a cooler cover may comprise a front side, a rear side, a bottom side, a top side, a first enclosure side, and a second enclosure side. The cooler cover may have a first configuration configured to cover a cooler, and a second configuration configured to form a self-container for the cooler cover. The first enclosure side and the second enclosure side each may have a fastener to: (a) in the first configuration, connect to at least one of the other sides to form the cover; and, in the second configuration, connect to connect to each other to define the self-container.
According to some optional embodiments, any of the following features and options may be used with the cooler individually or with other features and options. The top side capable of may be connectable to a cooler door. The top side may further comprise elastic straps and fastener structures. The top side extending over a front edge and a rear edge of the cooler door. The first enclosure side and the second enclosure side each may have an aperture that allows passage of a cooler handle. Alternatively, the front side and the rear side each may have an aperture that allows passage of a cooler handle. At least one of the front side, the rear side, the first enclosure side or the second enclosure side may have a vent aperture for airflow. The cooler cover may further comprise at least one opening for control access. The first enclosure side and the second enclosure side each may have a rigid structure within a cover material. The first enclosure side and the second enclosure side may each further comprise a lip. The first enclosure side and the second enclosure side may be connectable with each of the fasteners. The cooler cover may further comprise a space between the first and second enclosure sides in the second configuration. The front side, rear side, bottom side, and top side may all be capable of folding and positioning in the space in said second configuration.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. All of the above outlined features are to be understood as exemplary only and many more features and objectives of the various embodiments may be gleaned from the disclosure herein. Therefore, no limiting interpretation of this summary is to be understood without further reading of the entire specification, claims and drawings, included herewith. A more extensive presentation of features, details, utilities, and advantages of the present invention is provided in the following written description of various embodiments of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and defined in the appended claims.
In order that the embodiments may be better understood, embodiments of a cooler cover will now be described by way of examples. These embodiments are not to limit the scope of the claims as other embodiments of a cooler cover will become apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the instant description. Non-limiting examples of the present embodiments are shown in figures wherein:
It is to be understood that a cooler cover is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The described embodiments are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in some embodiments” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.
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In this view, the top side, or panel, 12 may also include a flap 26 which overhangs the front edge of the cooler top or door 34 (
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One or more of the sides, for example the front side 16 and/or the rear side 18 may have one or more ventilation air flow apertures 40, 42. The location or locations of these apertures 40, 42 may be dependent on the type of cooler used and the location for such compressor and condenser on an actively cooled system. The bottom side 14 may also include holes 43 for feet of the cooler to extend through. The feet (not shown) may be formed of rubber, plastic, or other skid-resistant material, for non-limiting example.
Shown adjacent to the panels 14, 16, 18 is the top panel 12. The top panel 12, as one skilled in the art can envision, connects by fastener to the pivoting top 34 (
Adjacent to the top panel 12 are the first and second enclosure sides 20, 22. The first and second enclosure sides 20, 22 may be formed of a fabric covering over an internal rigid structure so that the sides 20, 22 are not made entirely of fabric alone. Other materials may be utilized. Further, the fabric may have an internal insulating material within the exterior cover material. The first and second enclosure panels 20, 22, or ends, may also comprise a lip 28, 29 extending around each of the first and second enclosure panels 20, 22 to give each side a height or thickness dimension (
The instant view also allows one skilled in the art to ascertain that the first and second enclosure sides 20, 22 are positioned along the lateral edges 19 of the bottom side 14. As the enclosure sides 20, 22 are fastened to the front side 16, bottom side 14, and rear side 18, the cooler cover 10 gains its shape to receive of the cooler 30 therein. According to the instant embodiments, a fastener 50 may be provided along each side of the three sides 14, 16, 18 which correspond to the edges of the lips 28, 29 of first and second enclosure sides 20, 22. In some embodiments, the fastener 50 may be defined by first and second zipper tapes 52, 54 each of which have a plurality of mating teeth for fastening. In the instant embodiment, the zipper tapes 52 are located on the sides 14, 16, 18 and the corresponding zipper tapes 54 are located about three sides of the first and second enclosure sides 20, 22.
The zipper tape 52 and/or the zipper tape 54 may also be hidden behind a seam or hem to reduce the visibility of either half of the zipper teeth associated therewith when the structure is assembled. As shown in
Additionally, while the fasteners 50 are shown in the example as zippers, various other fasteners may be utilized, for example, including but not limited to, hook and loop fasteners, buttons, snaps, clasps, or any of various other fastener arrangements which will allow for connection of one side to an adjacent side of the cooler cover 10. Additionally, these fasteners may be hidden or exposed depending on the access needed and the location on the cover.
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Additionally, one or more pockets 76 may be located on one or more sides of the cooler cover 10. The pockets 76 may be opened or may have a pocket fastener such as a zipper or other fastening structures to allow for closing of the pocket when desired.
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Further, the embodiments show one of the two configurations for use which provide protection from soiling, damage, and/or loss.
It should be understood that any of the sides may be considered a front side or a rear side and the use of such terms should not be limiting as these are merely sides of the covers 10, 110. Any pair of sides, including the front and rear sides may define the enclosure sides of the storage configuration.
While several inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the invent of embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the inventive teachings is/are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.
All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases.
Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.
As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.
It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited.
In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures.
The foregoing description of methods and embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention and all equivalents be defined by the claims appended hereto.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201911066985.7 | Nov 2019 | CN | national |