Furniture Cooler Combination Device

Abstract

A furniture cooler combination device facilitates discrete storage of items in a cooler positioned on a deck, porch, or in a sitting area. The device includes a box positioned beneath a lid. The insulated box has a bottom wall and a peripheral wall coupled to and extending up from the bottom wall. A distal edge of the peripheral wall relative to the bottom wall defines an open top of the box. An exterior surface of the peripheral wall is structured to resemble a plurality of legs and panels. Each panel has an outer face inset relative an associated outside face of each of the legs wherein the exterior surface is configured to resemble furniture.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to bench and cooler devices and more particularly pertains to a new bench and cooler device for facilitating discrete storage of items in a cooler positioned on a deck, porch, or in a sitting area.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to bench and cooler devices. However, the bench and cooler devices known provide a cooler having a seating surface or provide a seat having an outward appearance clearly including or revealing the presence of a cooler.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a box positioned beneath a lid. The insulated box has a bottom wall and a peripheral wall coupled to and extending up from the bottom wall. A distal edge of the peripheral wall relative to the bottom wall defines an open top of the box. An exterior surface of the peripheral wall is structured to resemble a plurality of legs and panels. Each panel has an outer face inset relative an associated outside face of each of the legs wherein the exterior surface is configured to resemble furniture.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top front side perspective view of a furniture cooler combination device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a top front side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a detailed partial top front side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a detailed partial top front side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a detailed partial top front side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new bench and cooler devices embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the furniture cooler combination device 10 generally comprises a lid 12 having opposed lateral ends 14. The lid 12 has an upper surface 16 extending between the opposed lateral ends 14. The lid 12 is constructed of an insulating material such as foam, Styrofoam, gel, or the like. The upper surface 16 of the lid 12 is structured to resemble a plurality of parallel planks 18 extending perpendicularly between the opposed lateral ends 14 of the lid 12 to resemble a table or bench top. This can be achieved through the connection of separate pieces to an underlying frame 20 or by an integral piece having cutouts or grooves providing the desired appearance.

A box 22 is positioned beneath the lid 12. The box 22 is insulated as described below. The box 22 has a bottom wall 24 and a peripheral wall 26 coupled to and extending up from the bottom wall 24. A distal edge 28 of the peripheral wall 26 relative to the bottom wall 24 defines an open top 30 of the box 22. An exterior surface 32 of the peripheral wall 26 is structured to resemble a plurality of legs 34 and panels 36. This may be legs 34 positioned at each of four corners of the box 22 as would be understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art, or may be a pair of the legs 34 positioned at front corners of the box 22. Each of the panels 36 may be coupled to and extend between an associated pair of the legs 34. When only two legs 34 are provided, a front panel 36A extends between an associated pair of the legs 34 while lateral panels 36B extend rearwardly from an associated one of the legs 34. Each of the legs 34 may be positioned at a respective corner 38 of the box 22 such that each leg 34 has a pair of outside faces 40. Each panel 36 has an outer face 42 inset relative an associated one of the outside faces 40 of each of the associated pair of legs 34. Thus, the exterior surface 32 is configured to resemble furniture, particularly a table or bench. The outer face 42 of each panel 36 is continuous and planar. The outer surface 42 may also be a color, colors, or pattern to either match or contrast with the legs 34 enhancing the appearance for aesthetics or to promote visual presentation that the device 10 is a conventional stand alone piece of furniture.

The lid 12 is coupled to and pivotable relative to the box 22 wherein the lid 12 is positionable to selectively cover the open top 30 of the box 22. The box 22 has an interior shell 50 spaced inwardly from an exterior shell 52. The box 22 includes an insulating material 54 positioned between the interior shell 50 and the exterior shell 52. A peripheral edge 44 of the lid 12 is larger than a perimeter edge 56 of the box 22 wherein the lid 12 has a peripheral portion 58 extending outwardly from the perimeter edge 56 of the box 22 when the lid 12 is in a closed position 60. Thus, the lid 12 resembles a table top. An uppermost surface 62 of the insulating material 54 is planar and inset from respective uppermost surfaces 64,66 of the interior shell 50 and the exterior shell 52. A lip 68 extends downwardly from the lid 12. The lip 68 has a width complementary to a distance between the uppermost surfaces 64,66 of the interior shell 50 and the exterior shell 52. The lip 68 extends between the uppermost surfaces 64,66 of the interior shell 50 and the exterior shell 52 when the lid 12 is in the closed position 60.

The lid 12 includes a plate 70 having an outer edge 72 positioned spaced inwardly from the lip 68. The plate 70 has a shape complementary to the uppermost surface 64 of the interior shell 50 wherein the plate 70 covers the open top 30 of the box 22 when the lid 12 is in the closed position 60. Each of a plurality of beams 74 is coupled to and extends from an underside 76 of the plate 70. The plurality of beams 74 includes a pair of lateral beams 74A and a front beam 74B. The lateral beams 74A are positioned perpendicular relative to the front beam 74B. Each of the plurality of beams 74 is positioned to extend through the open top 30 and into an interior space 78 of the box 22 adjacent to a respective side 76 of an interior surface 80 of the interior shell 50 when the lid 12 is in the closed position 60.

A tether 82 has a first end 84 coupled to the interior surface 80 of the interior shell 50 of the box 22 and a second end 86 coupled to the underside 76 of the plate 70. The tether 82 has a length wherein the tether 82 inhibits how far the lid 12 is pivotable relative to the box 22.

In use, the device 10 is structured to resemble a table or bench of conventional design but having the box 22 for storage of items in a discrete manner. The device 10 provides temporary storage for items such as deliveries of groceries or goods.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. A furniture cooler combination device comprising: a lid having opposed lateral ends, said lid having an upper surface extending between said opposed lateral ends; anda box positioned beneath said lid, said box being insulated, said box having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall coupled to and extending up from said bottom wall, a distal edge of said peripheral wall relative to said bottom wall defining an open top of said box, an exterior surface of said peripheral wall being structured to resemble a plurality of legs and panels, each of said panels being coupled to and extending between an associated pair of said legs, each of said legs being positioned at a respective corner of said box such that each said leg has a pair of outside faces, each said panel having an outer face inset relative an associated one of said outside faces of each of said associated pair of legs wherein said exterior surface is configured to resemble furniture.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising said outer face of each said panel being continuous and planar.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising said lid being coupled to and pivotable relative to said box wherein said lid is positionable to selectively cover said open top of said box.

4. The device of claim 3, further comprising said lid being constructed of an insulating material.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising said upper surface of said lid being patterned to resemble a plurality of parallel planks extending perpendicularly between said opposed lateral ends of said lid.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a peripheral edge of said lid being larger than a perimeter edge of said box wherein said lid has a peripheral portion extending outwardly from said perimeter edge of said box when said lid is in a closed position whereby said lid resembles a table top.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising said box having an interior shell spaced inwardly from an exterior shell, said box including an insulating material being positioned between said interior shell and said exterior shell.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising: an uppermost surface of said insulating material being planar and inset from respective uppermost surfaces of said interior shell and said exterior shell; anda lip extending downwardly from said top, said lip having a width complementary to a distance between said uppermost surfaces of said interior shell and said exterior shell, said lip extending between said uppermost surfaces of said interior shell and said exterior shell when said lid is in a closed position.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising said lid including a plate having an outer edge positioned spaced inwardly from said lip, said plate having a shape complementary to an interior edge of said uppermost surface of said interior shell wherein said plate covers said open top of said box when said lid is in said closed position.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of beams, each of said beams being coupled to and extending from an underside of said plate, said plurality of beams including a pair of lateral beams and a front beam, said lateral beams being positioned perpendicular relative to said front beam, each of said plurality of beams being positioned to extend through said open top and into an interior space of said box adjacent to a respective side of an interior surface of said interior shell when said lid is in the closed position.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising a tether having a first end coupled to an interior of said box and a second end coupled to an underside of said plate, said tether having a length wherein said tether inhibits how far said lid is pivotable relative to said box.

12. A furniture cooler combination device comprising: a lid having opposed lateral ends, said lid having an upper surface extending between said opposed lateral ends, said lid being constructed of an insulating material, said upper surface of said lid being patterned to resemble a plurality of parallel planks extending perpendicularly between said opposed lateral ends of said lid;a box positioned beneath said lid, said box being insulated, said box having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall coupled to and extending up from said bottom wall, a distal edge of said peripheral wall relative to said bottom wall defining an open top of said box, an exterior surface of said peripheral wall being structured to resemble a plurality of legs and panels, each of said panels being coupled to and extending between an associated pair of said legs, each of said legs being positioned at a respective corner of said box such that each said leg has a pair of outside faces, each said panel having an outer face inset relative an associated one of said outside faces of each of said associated pair of legs wherein said exterior surface is configured to resemble furniture, said outer face of each said panel being continuous and planar, said lid being coupled to and pivotable relative to said box wherein said lid is positionable to selectively cover said open top of said box, said box having an interior shell spaced inwardly from an exterior shell, said box including an insulating material being positioned between said interior shell and said exterior shell;a peripheral edge of said lid being larger than a perimeter edge of said box wherein said lid has a peripheral portion extending outwardly from said perimeter edge of said box when said lid is in a closed position whereby said lid resembles a table top;an uppermost surface of said insulating material being planar and inset from respective uppermost surfaces of said interior shell and said exterior shell;a lip extending downwardly from said top, said lip having a width complementary to a distance between said uppermost surfaces of said interior shell and said exterior shell, said lip extending between said uppermost surfaces of said interior shell and said exterior shell when said lid is in said closed position;said lid including a plate having an outer edge positioned spaced inwardly from said lip, said plate having a shape complementary to an interior edge of said uppermost surface of said interior shell wherein said plate covers said open top of said box when said lid is in said closed position;a plurality of beams, each of said beams being coupled to and extending from an underside of said plate, said plurality of beams including a pair of lateral beams and a front beam, said lateral beams being positioned perpendicular relative to said front beam, each of said plurality of beams being positioned to extend through said open top and into an interior space of said box adjacent to a respective side of an interior surface of said interior shell when said lid is in the closed position; anda tether having a first end coupled to said interior surface of said interior shell of said box and a second end coupled to an underside of said plate, said tether having a length wherein said tether inhibits how far said lid is pivotable relative to said box.