Patent ID: 6997007
Filing Date: 2006-02-14
Classification: F25D

Abstract:
1. A light assembly and cooler system for facilitating the viewing of the contents of a cooler during dark conditions comprising, in combination: a cooler formed with a generally vertical large front wall and a parallel generally vertical large rear wall with two parallel generally vertical small end walls there between, the front and rear and end walls all having upper and lower and side edges, the cooler also formed with a horizontal large bottom wall with peripheral edges coupled to the lower edges of the front and rear and end walls, all of the walls being fabricated of essentially rigid spaced plastic sheets with an insulating foam there between, the upper edges of the front and rear and end walls forming a rectangular opening; a lid of a thermally insulating plastic material in a generally rectangular configuration with an outwardly extending periphery, the lid also including a hinge pivotally coupling one edge of the lid to the upper edge of the rear wall for allowing the lid to move between an opened orientation and a closed orientation, the lid adapted to rest in contact with the rectangular opening when the cooler is in the closed orientation, the lid adapted to rest out of contact with the rectangular opening when the cooler is in the opened orientation; a light assembly including a generally rectangular aperture in the front wall adjacent to the upper edge and closer to one side wall than to the other side wall, the light assembly also included an interior illumination panel and an exterior illumination panel with exterior surfaces coplanar with the plastic sheets of the front panel and a lithium battery operatively coupled to the panels for the illumination thereof, the light assembly also having a first switch extendable upwardly of the upper edge of the front wall to inactivate the panels when the lid is in the closed orientation to depress the first switch and to allow the first switch to extend upwardly when the lid is in the opened orientation to activate the panels to illuminate interior and exterior of the cooler, the light assembly also having a second switch located adjacent to the exterior panel adapted to be pressed by a user to inactivate the panels and to activate the panels to illuminate interior and exterior of the cooler; handles on the side panels adjacent to the opening for assisting a user in transporting the system; a latch on the lid adjacent to the upper edge of the front wall for manipulation by a user in locking the lid in a closed orientation and unlocking the lid for movement to the opened orientation; and a drain plug in the rear wall adjacent to the bottom wall for assisting a user in draining the system.