CONFIGURABLE STORAGE DEVICE

Abstract

A storage device includes an insulated interior volume with a set of horizontal and vertical grooves on the interior walls, along with at least one top door and at least one side door, to collectively provide a three-dimensionally reconfigurable interior space for storage of various food items, along with ice or other cooling agents.

Claims

1. A storage device comprising: a thermally insulated structure including a number of interior surfaces defining an interior volume for storing items; a top of the thermally insulated structure, the top including a first door for vertical access to the interior volume; a side of the thermally insulated structure, the side including a second door for horizontal access to the interior volume; and a plurality of grooves within the interior surfaces, the plurality of grooves including a plurality of horizontal grooves in at least two opposing, vertical ones of the interior surfaces and a plurality of vertical grooves in the at least two opposing, vertical ones of the interior surfaces.

2. The storage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of horizontal grooves includes at least two pairs of opposing grooves, each pair defining a horizontal plane through the interior volume.

3. The storage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of horizontal grooves includes three or more pairs of opposing grooves, each pair defining a horizontal plane through the interior volume.

4. The storage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertical grooves includes at least two pairs of opposing grooves, each pair defining a vertical plane through the interior volume.

5. The storage device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vertical grooves includes three or more pairs of opposing grooves, each pair defining a vertical plane through the interior volume.

6. The storage device of claim 1, further comprising one or more dividers, each of the one or more dividers removably and replaceably positionable between an opposing pair of the plurality of grooves.

7. The storage device of claim 6, wherein one of the dividers is dimensioned to span a first gap between one of the opposing pair of the plurality of grooves.

8. The storage device of claim 7, wherein the one of the dividers spans a second gap across the interior volume in a transverse plane to the first gap, thereby separating the interior volume into two separate regions.

9. The storage device of claim 7, wherein the one of the dividers partially spans a second gap across the interior volume in a transverse plane to the first gap without fully separating the interior volume into two separate regions.

10. The storage device of claim 6, wherein one of the dividers includes a reusable cold pack containing a freezable cooling material.

11. The storage device of claim 6, wherein one of the dividers includes a watertight enclosure configured to fluidically seal items therein from other regions of the interior volume.

12. The storage device of claim 6, wherein one of the dividers includes a plurality of through-holes.

13. The storage device of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of pegs shaped and sized to be removably and replaceably coupled to the one of the dividers to enforce separation between items placed adjacent thereto.

14. The storage device of claim 6, wherein one of the dividers includes a drawer and a removable drawer assembly configured to provide access to contents of the drawer by extending the drawer with the removable drawer assembly through at least one of the first door and the second door when the one of the dividers is placed for use in the interior volume.

15. The storage device of claim 6, wherein one of the dividers includes a basket.

16. The storage device of claim 1, further comprising a third door positioned to provide vertical access to the interior volume, the third door positioned on a same side of the thermally insulated structure as the second door.

17. The storage device of claim 1, further comprising a third door positioned to provide vertical access to the interior volume, the third door positioned on a different side of the thermally insulated structure than the second door.

18. The storage device of claim 1, wherein the top of the storage device is a removable top forming the first door.

19. The storage device of claim 18, wherein the removable top is hingeably coupled to a sidewall of the thermally insulated structure.

20. A storage device comprising: a thermally insulated structure including an interior volume, a top with a first door for vertical access to the interior volume, and a plurality of sides including a first side with a second door positioned to provide vertical access to the interior volume; a plurality of grooves within an interior surface of the interior volume, the plurality of grooves including a plurality of horizontal grooves and a plurality of vertical grooves; and one or more dividers shaped and sized for removable and replaceable positioning across pairs of the plurality of grooves to configure the interior volume for storage of items.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the devices, systems, and methods described herein will be apparent from the following description of particular embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the devices, systems, and methods described herein. In the drawings, like reference numerals generally identify corresponding elements.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a storage device.

[0011] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a storage device.

[0012] FIG. 3 shows a top view cross section of a storage device.

[0013] FIG. 4 shows a side view cross section of a storage device.

[0014] FIG. 5 shows a front view of an interior of a storage device.

[0015] FIG. 6 shows a divider for a storage device.

[0016] FIG. 7 shows a divider for a storage device.

[0017] FIG. 8 shows a divider for a storage device.

[0018] FIG. 9 shows a peg for a storage device.

[0019] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a storage device.

[0020] FIG. 11 shows a removable drawer assembly for a storage device.

[0021] FIG. 12 shows a removable drawer assembly for a storage device.

[0022] FIG. 13 shows a removable container for a storage device.

[0023] FIG. 14 shows a removable container for a storage device.

[0024] FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a storage device.

DESCRIPTION

[0025] Embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures. The foregoing may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein.

[0026] All documents mentioned herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. References to items in the singular should be understood to include items in the plural, and vice versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise or clear from the text. Grammatical conjunctions are intended to express any and all disjunctive and conjunctive combinations of conjoined clauses, sentences, words, and the like, unless otherwise stated or clear from the context. Thus, the term or should generally be understood to mean and/or and so forth.

[0027] Recitation of ranges of values herein are not intended to be limiting, referring instead individually to any and all values falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value within such a range is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. The words about, approximately or the like, when accompanying a numerical value, are to be construed as indicating a deviation as would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art to operate satisfactorily for an intended purpose. Similarly, words of approximation such as approximately or substantially when used in reference to physical characteristics, should be understood to contemplate a range of deviations that would be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art to operate satisfactorily for a corresponding use, function, purpose, or the like. Ranges of values and/or numeric values are provided herein as examples only, and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of the described embodiments. Where ranges of values are provided, they are also intended to include each value within the range as if set forth individually, unless expressly stated to the contrary. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., such as, or the like) provided herein, is intended merely to better describe the embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the embodiments. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any unclaimed element as essential to the practice of the embodiments.

[0028] In the following description, it is understood that terms such as first, second, top, bottom, up, down, and the like, are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms unless specifically stated to the contrary.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a storage device. In general, the storage device 100 may be a food storage device such as an ice chest, cooler, or the like, with a thermally insulated structure 102 including a number of walls formed by exterior and interior surfaces that define an interior volume for storing items. The thermally insulated structure 102 may be formed of any suitable materials for thermally insulating the interior volume and providing a rugged exterior suitable for transporting and preserving food and beverages. For example, a shell of the thermally insulated structure 102 (as well as any additional components of the storage device 100, such as doors, subcontainers, handles, and so forth) may be formed of a durable, lightweight, impact resistant polymer such as high-density polyethylene or polypropylene, or a metal or other structural material or the like. Insulating foams such as polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam may be used within the walls of the thermally insulated structure 102 to improve thermal insulation so that the interior volume can remain cool and preserve food, beverages, and ice over extended periods such as hours or days.

[0030] A top 104 of the storage device 100 may include a first door 106 for vertical access to the interior volume, e.g., in an up and down direction in FIG. 1. The first door 106 may be rotatably coupled a wall of the storage device 100 by one or more hinges (not shown) to permit opening and closing of the first door 106. The first door 106 may also include one or more latches 108 or the like that can secure the first door 106 to the body of the storage device 100 when the first door 106 is in a closed position, e.g., when the first door 106 is not in use. It will be understood that, while the first door 106 may form a removable top that is hingeably coupled to a sidewall, the first door 106 may also or instead be formed as a lid or the like that is fully removable from the storage device 100 for access to the interior thereof.

[0031] A side 110 of the storage device 100 may include a second door 112 for horizontal access to the interior volume, e.g., in a left-to-right direction in FIG. 1. The second door 112 may be rotatably coupled to a wall of the storage device 100 by one or more hinges (not shown) to permit opening and closing of the second door 112. The second door 112 may also include one or more latches 114 or the like that can secure the second door 112 to the body of the storage device 100 when the second door 112 is in a closed position, e.g., when the second door 112 is not in use.

[0032] As a significant advantage, by providing independent horizontal and vertical access to the interior of the storage device 100 with multiple doors, the interior volume can be flexibly partitioned both horizontally and vertically for improved three-dimensional configurability based on, e.g., the size, shape, and packaging of items to be places in the storage device 100.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a storage device. The storage device 100 may include any of the storage devices described herein. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first door 106 and the second door 112 may be rotated on hinges 116 into open positions to permit access to the interior volume 118 of the storage device 100. While hinges 116 are illustrated, it will be appreciated that the first door 106 and/or the second door 112 may also or instead slide, detach, fold, or otherwise move or interact with the thermally insulated structure 102 of the storage device 100 to permit intermittent access to the interior volume 118 through the first door 106 and or the second door 112.

[0034] The storage device 100 may include a plurality of grooves within the interior surfaces of the thermally insulated structure 102, such as a plurality of horizontal grooves 120 in the vertical interior surfaces 122 and a plurality of vertical grooves 124 in the vertical interior surfaces 122. As more specifically illustrated, the plurality of vertical grooves 124 may be positioned on (at least) two opposing ones of the vertical interior surfaces 122, and the plurality of horizontal grooves 120 may similarly be positioned on (at least) two opposing ones of the vertical interior surfaces 122. As illustrated, the opposing vertical interior surfaces 122 may be on the front and back of the interior volume 118, although the storage device 100 may also or instead include grooves on other opposing surfaces, such as the opposing side surfaces or the opposing top and bottom surfaces. This geometric arrangement usefully provides parallel sets of grooves to slidably receive dividers in various vertical and horizontal positions along the vertical interior surfaces 122 so that the interior volume 118 of the storage device 100 can be flexibly portioned into numerous arrangements of rectangular containment volumes by removing and replacing dividers as desired.

[0035] For example, in one embodiment, the plurality of horizontal grooves 120 may include one or more pairs of opposing grooves, or at least two pairs of opposing grooves, each pair defining a horizontal plane through the interior volume 118. In this manner a number of dividers may be inserted in a position to span the interior volume 118 across each pair of opposing grooves, thus dividing the interior volume 118 into two or more horizontal subsections. While FIG. 2 shows four pairs of horizontal grooves, it will be understood that any number of pairs of grooves may be used according to the size of the interior volume 118, the desired level of granularity in interior partitioning, and any other practical or aesthetic constraints. For example, the plurality of horizontal grooves 120 may include three or more pairs of horizontal grooves, four or more pairs of horizontal grooves, or any other suitable number of opposing groups of horizontal grooves for receiving dividers to partition the interior volume 118 horizontally.

[0036] Similarly, in an embodiment the plurality of vertical grooves 124 may include one or more pairs of opposing grooves or at least two pairs of opposing grooves, with each pair defining a vertical plane through the interior volume 118. In this manner, a number of dividers may be inserted in a position to span the interior volume 118 across each pair of opposing grooves, thus dividing the interior volume 118 into two or more vertical subsections. While FIG. 2 shows four pairs of vertical grooves, it will be understood that any number of pairs of vertical grooves may be used according to the size of the interior volume 118, the desired level of granularity in interior partitioning, and any other practical or aesthetic constraints. For example, the plurality of vertical grooves 124 may include three or more pairs of vertical grooves, four or more pairs of vertical grooves, or any other suitable number of opposing groups of vertical grooves for receiving dividers to partition the interior volume 118 vertically.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a top view cross section of a storage device. The storage device 100 may include any of the storage devices described herein. The storage device 100 may include one or more vertical interior surfaces 122, one or more exterior surfaces 126, and an insulating material 128 between the interior and exterior surfaces to thermally insulate the interior volume 118 of the storage device 100. In the top view of FIG. 3, the plurality of vertical grooves 124 can be seen in opposing pairs that span the interior volume 118 to provide a physical path for placement of dividers to form vertical partitions within the interior volume 118.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a side view cross section of a storage device. The storage device 100 may include any of the storage devices described herein. The storage device 100 may include one or more vertical interior surfaces 122, one or more exterior surfaces 126, and an insulating material 128 between the interior and exterior surfaces to thermally insulate the interior volume 118 of the storage device 100. In the side view of FIG. 4, the plurality of horizontal grooves 120 can be seen in opposing pairs that span the interior volume 118 to provide a physical path for placement of dividers to form horizontal partitions within the interior volume 118.

[0039] A top 130 of the storage device 100 may form a first door 106 as described herein. In one aspect, the top 130 may be a removable top that can be removed and/or detached from the storage device 100 to facilitate access to the interior volume 118. In another aspect, the top 130 may be hingeably coupled to a sidewall 132 of the thermally insulated structure, such as any of the walls extending vertically to form the sides of the storage device 100.

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a front view of an interior of a storage device. The storage device 100 may include any of the storage devices described herein. The storage device 100 may include an interior vertical surface 122 (in this case, the rear surface, when viewed from the front) with a plurality of horizontal grooves 120 and a plurality of vertical grooves 124. In general, the horizontal and vertical grooves may have corresponding grooves on the opposing, interior vertical surface (e.g., the front, not shown in FIG. 5), and may intersect one another as they vertically and horizontally traverse the interior vertical surface 122 of the storage device 100.

[0041] In general, the storage device 100 may include one or more dividers of various shapes and sizes for removable and replaceable positioning across (opposing) pairs of the plurality grooves within the interior volume 118. These dividers may be positioned to configure the interior volume 118 for storage of items having various shapes, sizes, weights, packaging, and so forth. A number of example dividers are described below, which may be used individually or in any suitable combination to configure the interior of the storage device 100 as described herein.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a divider for a storage device. The divider 600 may be shaped and sized to span the interior volume of the storage device, e.g., between two opposing vertical or horizontal grooves in the interior surfaces thereof. For example, the divider 600 may have a first dimension 602, such as a width, sized to span from a front to a back of the storage device to provide a vertical wall within the storage device. The divider 600 may have a second dimension 604, such as a height, sized to span from a bottom of the interior volume of the storage device to a top of the interior volume, or to some other height to provide a partial vertical wall within the interior volume. The divider 600 may include one or more holes 606 or similar openings to receive pegs or other inserts as further described herein. The holes 606 may be arranged in a rectangular grid as illustrated, or in any other pattern suitable for use in configuring the interior space of the storage device to store food and other items.

[0043] In general, a storage device as described herein may include any number of dividers 600, each of which may be removably and replaceably positionable between an opposing pair of the plurality of grooves in order to partition the interior of the storage device. Each divider 600 may be formed of any suitable material such as wood, metal, plastic, or some combination of these.

[0044] FIG. 7 shows a divider for a storage device. The divider 700 may be any of the dividers described herein. In an embodiment, the divider 700 may have a first dimension 702, such as a width, sized to span from a front to a back of the storage device to provide a vertical wall within the storage device. The divider 700 may have a second dimension 704, such as a height, sized to span partially from a bottom of the interior volume of the storage device to a top of the interior volume of the storage device. In this manner, the divider 700 may be used to create a partial wall that separates only a bottom region of the interior volume, or the divider may be placed, e.g., on a horizontal divider half way up from the bottom, to separate a top chamber of the interior volume into two different volumes for storage. In another aspect, the second dimension 704 may be equal to a length (within the interior) of the storage device, e.g., so that the divider 700 can form a full length, horizontal divider or shelf within the interior volume. As a significant advantage, the concurrent use of a vertical door permits the interior volume of the storage device to be completely separated into two vertically stacked interior chambers, while still facilitating horizontal access to each chamber through the vertical door. Alternatively, the concurrent use of a horizontal door with a full height divider permits the interior to be completely separated into two horizontally adjacent interior chambers, while still facilitating vertical access to each chamber through the horizontal door. The length (e.g., the first dimension 702 in FIG. 7) may instead include a partial length, such as a half-length or quarter-length, to permit configuration of the interior volume into multiple horizontally and/or vertically stacked chambers. In one aspect, a portion of the interior volume may be completely isolated from both the horizontal and the vertical door. In this case, a third door may be provided for access to the otherwise isolated volume, or the isolated volume may be used to contain cooling packs, ice, or the like that is used to maintain a desired temperature, but does not need to be otherwise accessed during use of the storage device.

[0045] FIG. 8 shows a divider for a storage device. In particular, FIG. 8 provides a perspective view of a divider 800, such as any of the dividers described herein. The divider 800 may be used, for example, to partition an interior volume of a storage device into multiple chambers for arrangement and storage of various food items, beverages, utensils, and so forth. The divider 800 may have a thickness 802, at least along the perimeter, to permit the divider 800 to be removed from and replaced to a pair of grooves in the storage device, e.g., by sliding the divider 800 along the grooves when a suitable one of the doors in the storage device is open. The thickness 802 may more specifically be selected, e.g., to form an interference fit within the grooves so that the divider 800 will retain a selected position within the storage device until a sliding force is applied to displace the divider 800 by overcoming the static friction of the interference fit. In one aspect, the divider 800 may include a plurality of through-holes 806 or other openings, slots, or the like to receive additional configuration hardware such as pegs, hooks, clips, and so forth.

[0046] The divider 800 may be dimensioned to span a first gap between an opposing pair of a plurality of grooves on the interior surface of the storage device, such as any of the plurality of horizontal or vertical grooves described herein. Although illustrated as a square, it will be appreciated that the divider 800 may have any dimensions suitable for use in partitioning the interior volume of the storage device. For example, the divider 800 may be dimensioned to span a gap from side to side between two opposing grooves, and may also be dimensioned to fully span a second gap across the interior volume in a transverse plane to the first gap, thus separating the interior into two fully separated volumes. In another aspect, the divider 800 may be dimensioned to partially span the second gap across the interior volume in the transverse plane to the first gap. In this configuration, the divider 800 will not fully partition the interior volume into two separate regions, instead providing a partial wall between two adjacent interior sections.

[0047] The divider 800 may also or instead be structurally configured for other useful functions in the context of food storage and containment. For example, in one aspect, the divider 800 may include a reusable cold pack containing a freezable cooling material, which may be coupled to or integrated into the body of the divider 800. For example, the divider 800 may be formed of a plastic casing of a durable plastic such as high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, or vinyl, and may be filled with water or water solutions, or filled with one or more materials with greater thermal capacitance such as hydroxyethyl cellulose, sodium polyacrylate, silica gel, polyacrylamide gel, or phase change materials such as propylene glycol. A reusable cold pack may optionally omit the through-holes 806 in order to incorporate more cooling material, and/or may have an increased thickness inside the perimeter to provide greater volume for additional cooling material while retaining edges that fit into the interior grooves of the storage device.

[0048] In another aspect, the divider 800 may be structurally configured to provide a fluidic barrier between interior regions. For example, the divider 800 may omit the through-holes 806, and may include a gasket, seal, or the like around the perimeter to form a water-tight seal with the two opposing grooves that it is inserted into. This permits a separation of dry items, e.g., napkins, bread, and the like, from materials such as ice, which may thus be permitted to melt without concerns about soaking the dry items. In another aspect, the divider 800 may be structurally configured with a basket such as a wire-mesh basket or the like for holding various food items. The basket may, for example, be rigidly incorporated into the divider 800 so that the entire basket can be slid into and out of the interior of the storage device along a pair of the grooves, or the basked may be configured as a drawer that can slide independently from the divider 800 to which it is attached.

[0049] FIG. 9 shows a peg for a storage device. In general, a peg 900 or other insert may include a body 902 and a stem 904. The stem 904 may be shaped and sized to fit into a through-hole or other opening in a divider such as any of the dividers described herein. In general, the stem 904 may be dimensioned to securely engage with the corresponding through-hole so that the peg 900 will remain in a selected position when place for use. The stem 904 may have a length equal to or less than a thickness of the corresponding divider so that the stem 904 does not extend beyond an opposing side of the divider when inserted into one of the through-holes for use. The stem 904 may also or instead be threaded, tapered, keyed, or otherwise shaped to mechanically interlock with a corresponding shape in one of the through-holes. Thus, for example, the peg 900 may have a stem 904 that is threaded so that it can be screwed into a matching, threaded through-hole in the divider.

[0050] In one embodiment, the body 902 of the peg 900 may have a simple geometric shape such as a cylinder. These may be used, for example, to maintain separation between delicate food or packaging, e.g., to prevent glass bottles from striking one another during movement of the storage device. Thus, a storage device as described herein may include a plurality of pegs shaped and sized to be removably and replaceably coupled to the one of the dividers to enforce separation between items placed adjacent thereto. It will also be understood that other complex or compound shapes may be used such as clips, eyelets, hooks, or the like, any of which may be used, either alone or in combination, to organize the interior of the storage device for various food items and the like. In general, the peg 900 or other insert may advantageously support further, more granular geometric configuration and use of the interior volume of a storage device, e.g., by supporting sub-partitioning of sections created by the dividers.

[0051] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a storage device, such as any of the storage devices described herein. As shown in FIG. 10, the storage device 1000 may have an interior volume 1002 configured by, e.g., various dividers 1004, pegs 1006, and other accessories 1008 (in this case, a removable drawer assembly) for a collection of food and other items that a user wishes to place in the storage device 1000. In this configuration, for example, reusable freezer packs may be inserted into the volume on the right of the right-most divider 1004, glass bottles may be inserted between the pegs 1006, and dry goods may be placed in an upper, left volume, above other food items, where they may remain free from any liquid or the like that might collect in the bottom of the storage device 1000. An accessory 1008 such as a drawer may be used as a divider in order to further partition the interior of the storage device 1000 for specific food storage functions, such as retaining dry goods away from liquids, structurally isolating deformable foods such as cheese, bread, or deli meats, or providing a separate storage area for plateware and the like.

[0052] FIG. 11 shows a removable drawer assembly for a storage device. In general, the removable drawer assembly 1100 may include flanges 1102 or the like dimensioned so that the removable drawer assembly 1100 can be removably and replaceably positioned as a divider within the interior volume of a storage device, e.g., between opposing horizontal grooves. The removable drawer assembly 1100 may also include a drawer 1104 that can be accessed, e.g., through a side door of a storage device, and that can be horizontally opened and closed to access the contents thereof. Thus in one aspect, the storage device described herein may include a divider, wherein the divider includes a drawer 1104 in a removable drawer assembly 1100. The removable drawer assembly 1100 may be configured to provide access to contents of the drawer 1104 by permitting the drawer 1104 to extend from the removable drawer assembly 1100 through at least one of the first door and the second door of the storage device when the one of the dividers is placed for use in the interior volume.

[0053] FIG. 12 shows a removable drawer assembly for a storage device. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the drawer 1104 may be opened independently from the removable drawer assembly 1100, so that the contents of the drawer 1104 can be accessed without removing the removable drawer assembly 1100 from the storage device.

[0054] FIG. 13 shows a removable container for a storage device. In general, the removable container 1300 may include flanges 1302 or the like dimensioned so that the removable container 1300 can be removably and replaceably positioned within the interior volume of a storage device, e.g., between opposing horizontal grooves. The removable container 1300 may include a door 1304 or the like, which may usefully form a watertight seal when closed, in order to form a watertight enclosure around items placed within the removable container 1300. Thus, in one aspect, one of the dividers described herein may include a watertight enclosure configured to fluidically seal items therein from other regions of the interior volume. It will be understood that the watertight enclosure may also or instead include a watertight zipper, slider, or other mechanism for fluidically sealing contents within the removable container 1300. This permits fluidic isolation of contents of the removable container 1300, e.g., so that dry goods can be isolated from moisture and/or liquid, or that potentially fragile or leaky items in the removable container 1300 can be isolated from other contents of a storage device.

[0055] FIG. 14 shows a removable container for a storage device. As illustrated in FIG. 14, the door 1304 may be opened independently from the removable container 1300, so that the contents of the removable container 1300 can be accessed without removing the removable container 1300 from the storage device. To facilitate access, the removable container 1300 may advantageously be positioned horizontally above other items within the storage device. However, the removable container 1300 may also or instead be extended from the storage device by sliding along, e.g., horizontal grooves within the interior surface of the storage device, and then opened from the top. In another aspect, the door 1304 may be a side door so that contents of the removable container 1300 can be directly accessed horizontally (e.g., from the side).

[0056] FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a storage device. In general, the storage device 1500 may include any of the storage devices described herein. The storage device 1500 may include a variety of accessories and other structural features to improve the functionality of the storage device 1500. For example, the storage device 1500 may include one or more wheels 1502 and a handle 1504, which may telescope and/or hinge to facilitate transportation of the food storage device 1500 with the wheel(s) 1502.

[0057] In another aspect, the storage device 1500 may include a third door 1506, in addition to a top door and a side door. For example, the third door 1506 may be an additional side door on a side opposing or adjacent to a first side door, or the third door 1506 may be a sub-door within the side or top door to facilitate localized access. Thus, for example a storage device 1500 that includes a first door on the top and a second door on a side, the storage device 1500 may further include a third door 1506 positioned to provide vertical access to the interior volume, and/or positioned on a same side of the thermally insulated structure as the second door. In another aspect, the third door 1506 may be positioned to provide vertical access to the interior volume, and further positioned on a different side of the thermally insulated structure than the second door.

[0058] The storage device 1500 may also include other structural features known in the art to enhance use as an ice chest or other food storage device, such as a drain plug, carrying handles, cup holders, and so forth, as well as any other features, assemblies, accessories, and the like for improving the function thereof.

[0059] It will be appreciated that the devices, systems, and methods described above are set forth by way of example and not of limitation. Absent an explicit indication to the contrary, the disclosed features may be modified, supplemented, omitted, and/or re-ordered without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Numerous variations, additions, omissions, and other modifications will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, while particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure and are intended to form a part of the invention as described herein.