Retractable ice cooler

Abstract

One embodiment of an improved portable ice cooler that eases access to the cooled contents by integrating in a single apparatus an adjustable ice containment device, a front door, a window, internal lighting and a specialized external contour. The benefits these features provide are a significant reduction in the discomfort and difficulty currently encountered when placing, locating, and removing contents from a current state of the art ice cooler that is accessed from the top or front. The ice containment device further offers the capability of holding a desired level of retraction to the ice within the cooler. The provision for retraction of the ice and thereby the ability to adjust both the proximity of the ice to the items in the cooler as well as the weight of the ice upon those items can be utilized to cool fragile objects.

Claims

1. A thermally insulated ice cooler comprising: a front side; a back side; two lateral sides; and a bottom side, each of said front side, back side, two lateral sides, and bottom side having an interior surface which together form an interior space of said ice cooler; an upper ice containment layer disposed within said interior space and having an upper portion affixed to at least said interior surfaces of each of said two lateral sides of said ice cooler; and a retractable lower containment layer mounted within said interior space and having a lower portion nested below and contacting a lower portion of said upper ice containment layer; wherein said lower containment layer is configured to be retractable by a user to lift at least said lower portion of said upper ice containment layer; wherein, when said lower containment layer is unretracted, said lower portion of said upper ice containment layer and said lower portion of said lower containment layer are configured to be conformable to contents of the ice cooler resting on the interior surface of said bottom side of said ice cooler, wherein one end of said retractable lower containment layer is affixed to an anchor bar located adjacent to the interior surface of said back side of said ice cooler, said anchor bar having a first end and a second end, said first end of said anchor bar secured within the interior surface of one of said two lateral sides of said ice cooler, said second end of said anchor bar secured within the interior surface of the other of said two lateral sides of said ice cooler, and wherein a second end of said retractable lower containment layer is affixed to a roller that is configured to apply tension to said retractable lower containment layer so as to retract said retractable lower containment layer to lift said upper ice containment layer and any ice resting on said upper ice containment layer.

2. The thermally insulated ice cooler of claim 1 wherein said upper ice containment layer comprises a mesh fabric.

3. The thermally insulated ice cooler of claim 1, wherein a door is disposed within a portion of said front side of said ice cooler.

4. The thermally insulated ice cooler of claim 1, further comprising a top side having an interior surface to which a fill level indicator is secured.

5. The thermally insulated ice cooler of claim 1 wherein said retractable lower containment layer is retractable by at least one drawstring.

6. The thermally insulated ice cooler of claim 5 wherein a cord lock is fastened to said drawstring to secure said lower retractable containment layer in a specific position with respect to said upper ice containment layer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 Retractable Ice Cooler External ViewFront 1/6An oblique front view of the external features with a glimpse inside the top.

(2) FIG. 2 Retractable Ice Cooler External ViewBack 2/6An oblique back view of the external features.

(3) FIG. 3 Retractable Ice Cooler Ice Containment Assembly Subassemblies 3/6An oblique view of the individual components of the Ice Containment Assembly and their relative position within the cooler. The Cooler top is omitted for clarity.

(4) FIG. 4 Retractable Ice Cooler Ice Containment Assembly Retracted 4/6An oblique view depicting the Ice Containment Assembly in a retracted state with the top of the cooler removed and the ice omitted for clarity.

(5) FIG. 5 Retractable Ice Cooler Unretracted Ice Containment Assembly Side View Section 5/6section view just inside the left lateral wall depicting the relationship of the cooler components with the ice and cooled items.

(6) FIG. 6 Retractable Ice Cooler Retracted Ice Containment Assembly Side View Section 6/6A section view just inside the left lateral wall depicting the relationship of the retracted Ice Containment Assembly to the ice. Cooled items are omitted for clarity.

DRAWING REFERENCE NUMERALS

(7) TABLE-US-00002 100 Retractable Ice Cooler 101 Removable Fill Cap 102 Fill Opening 103 Bottom-Pivoting Front Door 104 Window 105 Door Latch 106 Light Switch 107 Loading Curvature 108 LED Lights 109 Fill Level Indicator 110 Top 111 Bottom 112 Front 113 Back 114 Lateral Side(s) 115 Lateral Inside Wall 116 Back Inside Wall 117 Front Inside Wall 118 Drawstring Opening 119 Color Coded Drawstring(s) 120 Cord Lock 121 Cooler Floor 200 Ice Containment Assembly 201 Small Sieve Mesh Fabric Anchor(s) 202 Small Sieve Mesh Fabric 203 Large Sieve Mesh Fabric 204 Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Anchor Bar 205 Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Terminal End 206 Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Retraction Roller 207 Small Sieve Mesh Fabric Ice Retention Bar 208 Dual Small Diameter Spool 209 Single Large Diameter Spool 210 Recessed Spiral Groove(s) 211 Ice 212 Drawstring Guide Raceway(s)

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONFIRST EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1, 2, 3

(8) The process of making the Retractable Ice Cooler 100 involves molding a thermally insulated plastic cooler typically in a cube or rectangular shape. The Cooler 100 is constructed such that it has a Removable Fill Cap 101, a Fill Opening 102 and a single Bottom-Pivoting Front Door 103. The Top 110 of the Cooler 100 is typically a flat surface continuously molded with the adjacent vertical sides of the cooler. The Removable Fill Cap 101 is a circular threaded and thermally insulated removable cap of a predetermined diameter suitable for the placement of Ice 211 into the Cooler 100. Inside the Cooler 100 immediately adjacent to the Fill Opening 102 is a Fill Level Indicator 109. The Fill Level Indicator 109 suspends from the inside Top 110 of the Cooler 100. The Indicator 109 is a high visibility, flexible, weighted, beaded line similar to a pull chain for a light. The suspended end of the Indicator 109 serves as a visual cue of the maximum depth to which Ice 211 may be placed in the Cooler 100 without hindering the performance of the Ice Containment Assembly 200.

(9) The Bottom-Pivoting Front Door 103 is positioned on the Front 112 of the Cooler 100. This Door 103 has a Door Latch 105 at its top and it closes flush with the adjacent surfaces of the Cooler 100. The bottom of the Door 103 is positioned above the base of the Cooler 100 at a sufficient distance to minimize the potential for accumulated melt water to leak from the opening. When opened fully, the Door 103 pivots down greater than 90 degrees. The Door 103 is large and intended for the placement and removal of items stored in the cooler. The Door 103 is typically made of opaque materials although may be constructed to integrate a horizontal rectangular tempered glass (or other impact-resistant and abrasion-resistant transparent material) to form a Window 104. The Window 104 material would typically be a double wall design with a sealed internal vacuum space to maintain thermal efficiency. This Window 104 aids locating items within the cooler.

(10) On the Top 110 of the Cooler 100 above the Front Door 103 is a three-way push-button Light Switch 106 mounted flush with the Cooler 100 surface. This Switch 106 may be set to Off, On, or Auto, and it operates multiple LED lights 108 embedded in the Front Inside Wall 116 and Lateral Inside Walls 115 of the Cooler 100.

(11) The Back 113 of the Cooler 100 is formed by a molded vertical wall which employs a long radius Loading Curvature 107 which forms the transition to the Bottom of the Cooler 111. This Curvature 107 exists to ease rolling the Cooler 100 onto its Back 113 which facilitates the stocking of the Cooler 100 with items to be cooled. Near the top center of the Back 113 of the Cooler 100, a small Drawstring Opening 118 forms an outlet passage through which two Color Coded Drawstrings 119 are routed. A single Cord Lock 120 couples the Drawstrings 119.

FIG. 3, 4, 5, 6

(12) Inside the Retractable Ice Cooler 100 resides the Ice Containment Assembly 200 which separates the Cooler 100 into two distinct spaces. The volume of these spaces is adjustable and their movable boundary is defined by the position of two layered mesh fabrics. A Small Sieve Mesh Fabric 202 which consists of a strong 4-way stretchable, smooth nylon (or similar webbed mesh) forms the top layer. The sieve size of this Mesh 202 is generally pea-sized or smaller. The Mesh 202 is anchored directly to both Lateral Inside Walls 115 and the Back Inside Wall 116. The front portion of the Mesh 202 is anchored to a rigid horizontal bar that extends the width of the cooler and resides immediately above the Bottom-Pivoting Front Door 103. These four anchor points promote a bathtub configuration of the Mesh 202.

(13) The rigid horizontal bar that anchors the Small Sieve Mesh Fabric 202 at the Front 112 of the Cooler 100 is the Small Sieve Mesh Fabric Ice Retention Bar 207. The Small Sieve Mesh Fabric Ice Retention Bar 207 is fixed parallel to the front wall of the Cooler 100 but does not contact it. The Retention Bar 207 and the attached Small Mesh 202 form one side of a narrow horizontal gap. The opposing side is formed by the Front Inside Wall 117 of the Cooler 100. This horizontal gap is utilized as a track through which the second underlying mesh called the Large Sieve Mesh Fabric 203 is periodically moved.

(14) The Large Sieve Mesh Fabric 203 is a minimal stretch high-strength nylon (or similar mesh) with a sieve opening generally equivalent to a typical ice cube. This Large Sieve Mesh Fabric 203 is ideally configured as a molded-flat webbing such that it is substantially wider than it is thick. This flat configuration provides essential qualities of horizontal rigidity, conformability under vertical loads, ease of application to a roller, and a reduced potential to snag. The Large Mesh 203 is sized to match the width of the Cooler 100 and approximately half the length of the internal circumference of the Cooler 100 when measured from the Front Inside Wall 117 to the Back Inside Wall 116. The Large Mesh 203 is secured against the Back Inside Wall 116 by the Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Anchor Bar 204. The Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Anchor Bar 204 inserts at its opposite ends into each Lateral Inside Wall 115 at a level just below the row of Small Sieve Mesh Fabric Anchors 201. The Anchor Bar 204 maintains one end of the Large

(15) Mesh 203 in a horizontal plane abutting the Back Inside Wall 116. The Large Mesh 203 extends from the Back Inside Wall 116 across the Cooler Floor 121, loosely following the interior contour to the top of the Front Inside Wall 117. When unretracted the Large Mesh 203 resides entirely beneath the Small Mesh 202.

(16) The unanchored end of the Large Sieve Mesh Fabric 203 that extends up the Front Inside Wall 117 is referred to as the Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Terminal End 205. Near the top of the Front Inside Wall 117, the Terminal End 205 is routed upward through the narrow horizontal gap between the Front Inside Wall 117 and the Small Sieve Mesh Fabric Ice Retention Bar 207. Above this point, the Terminal End 205 is anchored along its entire width to the Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Retraction Roller 206. The Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Retraction Roller 206 is controlled by two Color Coded Drawstrings 119.

(17) The Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Retraction Roller 206 inserts at both ends near the top of each Lateral Inside Wall 115 adjacent to the Front Inside Wall 117 above the Bottom-Pivoting Front Door 103. The Retraction Roller 206 is constructed with two distinct diameters. Dual Small Diameter Spools 208 comprise the opposing ends of the Retraction Roller 206 and are separated by a single Large Diameter Spool 209. Each Small Diameter Spool 208 has a Recessed Spiral Groove 210 formed into it in which each Color Coded Drawstring 119 is alternately wound and unwound. The Single Large Diameter Spool 209 forms a roller upon which the Large Sieve Mesh Fabric 203 is alternately wrapped and unwrapped. The difference in the diameter of the Dual Small Diameter Spools 208 and that of the Single Large Diameter Spool 209 functions to increase the speed at which the Mesh 203 is wrapped upon the Large Diameter Spool 209. The Dual Small Diameter Spools 208 and integrated Recessed Spiral Grooves 210 form a compact and tangle-resistant drive mechanism for the Ice Containment Assembly 200.

(18) The Color Coded Drawstrings 119 are envisioned to comprise two small diameter, low-stretch, and high strength cords. The Drawstrings 119 individually insert into each of the Recessed Spiral Grooves 210 formed in the Dual Small Diameter Spools 208 of the Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Retraction Roller 206. The Drawstrings 119 are coiled individually within their respective Spiral Groove 210 and then extend diagonally away from the Dual Small Diameter Spools 208. Each Drawstring 119 then suspends unsupported for a short distance before it enters a close fitting rigid tubular structure called a Drawstring Guide Raceway 212. The Drawstring Guide Raceway's 212 are two fixed tubular pathways. The Raceways 212 route their respective Drawstring 119 from its respective Recessed Spiral Groove 210 across the top of the Cooler 100 interior to the Drawstring Opening 118. The Drawstring Opening 118 forms a common exit point on the Back 113 of the Cooler 100. The path of each Raceway 212 is configured to prevent obstruction of the Ice 211 when it is retracted within or poured into the Cooler 100. Each Raceway 212 aligns the pull of the Drawstrings 119 with their respective Spiral Groove 210. This alignment of pull provides for smooth retraction of the ice. The close fit of the Drawstrings 119 in the Raceways 212 prevent the formation of slack thereby minimizing the potential for each Drawstring 119 to tangle upon itself. Each Color Coded Drawstring 119 has a color sequence that progresses from green to yellow to red. This color progression becomes visible as the Drawstrings 119 are drawn out of the Cooler 100.

OPERATION

FIG. 4, 5, 6

(19) The manner and process of using the Retractable Ice Cooler 100 begins with releasing all tension from the Color Coded Drawstrings 119. This is accomplished by sliding the Cord Lock 120 toward the exposed ends of the Drawstrings 119. The Cooler 100 may then be rolled on its Back 113 to load it vertically, or it may remain in the upright position to load it horizontally. When the Cooler 100 is rolled on its Back 113, the Bottom-Pivoting Front Door 103 is located at the top part of the Cooler 100. The Door 103 can then be opened beyond 90 degrees where it will stay open and not obstruct the placement of cooled items into the bottom of the Cooler 100. When the Cooler 100 is on its back, the Large and Small Sieve Mesh Fabrics 202 and 203 move under their own weight toward the Top 110 and Back 116 inside walls. This movement exposes the space normally covered by the Mesh Fabrics 202 and 203 which is available for loading of cooled items. When the contents have been loaded the Door 103 can then be latched shut. The Cooler 100 can then be rolled upright and the Removable Fill Cap 101 removed. Ice 211 is then poured into the Fill Opening 102 until the Ice 211 has covered the cooled items and displaced the Fill Level Indicator 109. The Removable Fill Cap 101 is then reinserted. As the Ice 211 fills the Cooler 100 the weight of the Ice 211 causes the Small and Large Sieve Mesh Fabrics 202 and 203 to conform to the contents loaded into the Cooler 100. The Cooler 100 may then be rocked back and forth to maximize the leveling and coverage of the ice over the contents. The automatic setting for the Light Switch 106 is then set. The Cooler 100 is now ready for operation.

(20) When retrieval of an item from the Cooler 100 is necessary it may be achieved in one of three ways. In the first and simplest method retrieval involves opening the Front Door 103 by means of releasing the Door Latch 105 and allowing the Door 103 to extend to a fully opened position. As the Door 103 is opened the LED Lights 108 are energized and they illuminate the lower interior of the Cooler 100. Retrieval of visible items may then be performed by simply reaching under or in front of the Mesh layers 202 and 203 to grasp the desired item.

(21) A second method of item retrieval may be performed by placing the Cooler 100 onto its Back 113. This rotating action allows a portion of the Ice 211 to shift off of the contents. The rotational effect further causes the Ice 211 to push the cooled items located toward the Front Inside Wall 117 of the Cooler 100 upward. This motion helps expose the items and eases their retrieval through the Bottom-Pivoting Front Door 103.

(22) The third method of item retrieval is performed with the Cooler 100 in an upright position. This method is useful when the desired item is not visible or easily grasped due to its size or encapsulation by the ice 211 and it's supporting Mesh layers 202 and 203. The Bottom-Pivoting Front Door 103 may be opened before or after the following steps. Retrieval begins by grasping the Color Coded Drawstrings 119 and briskly retracting them from the Cooler 100 while the opposite hand applies an equivalent downward pressure on the Top 110 of the Cooler 100 above the Door 103. The effect of these actions is to turn the Large Sieve Mesh Fabric Retraction Roller 206 so that it applies tension to the Large Sieve Mesh Fabric 203 and rolls it up onto the Single Large Diameter Spool 209. The rolling of the Large Mesh 203 upon the Spool 209 provides a progressive upward lift of the entire volume of Ice 211 into the top portion of the Cooler 100. The more the Drawstrings 119 are retracted from the Cooler 100 the greater the retraction and resultant lift that occurs to the Ice 211. The forceful retraction of the Ice 211 breaks up obstructive clumps of ice that frequently form. The Color Coded Drawstrings 119 incorporate a visual indicator of the extent of retraction applied to the Ice 211. As the Drawstrings 119 are progressively withdrawn from the Cooler 100 their color changes from green to yellow to red. This color progression informs the user of the safe range of retraction available.

(23) Retraction of the Ice 211 may be momentary or sustained. The Cord Lock 120 may be slid up the Drawstrings 119 to the edge of the Cooler 100 and locked in place when sustained retraction of the Ice 211 is desired. Sustained retraction of the Ice 211 is a desirable condition foreseeable when reloading the cooler contents, when frequent access is required, or when the weight of the ice may be injurious to the contents.

(24) When the desired contents have been removed from the Cooler 100 the Door 103 is closed and the Cord Lock 120 is released. Releasing the Cord Lock 120 restores the optimum cooling environment inside the Cooler 100 by allowing the retracted Ice 211 and underlying Mesh Fabrics 202 and 203 to collapse downward under the weight of the Ice 211 onto and conforming over the contents. Releasing the Cord Lock 120 also restores the maximum space available for Ice 211.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS AND SCOPE

(25) Thus, the reader will observe that the embodiment of the Retractable Ice Cooler improves the convenience and usefulness of an ice cooler. While the preceding description details multiple specificities these should not be interpreted as limitations to the scope of application. Rather, they serve to illustrate by example one possible embodiment. Additional variants are possible and could include a power-assisted roller to reduce or eliminate the manual effort necessary to retract the ice. A battery-operated apparatus, much like the drive mechanism that commonly operates an electric car window is envisioned. Exchanging the loose hanging Cord Lock ice retraction adjustment mechanism with a fixed position recessed locking cleat (similar to those used in sailboat deck rigging) would streamline the cooler appearance and enhance the durability of the ice retraction adjustment mechanism. Changes in the component materials are also possible and might include an integrated fabric mesh that combines the small sieve and large sieve qualities in one latticed fabric. Accordingly, the scope should not be limited to the embodiment detailed herein, but by the claims and their legal equivalents.