Abstract:
A removable, flexible, soft sided pocket secured to the external wall of a rigid, rectangular box shaped ice chest cooler. The pocket is configured in a width to height ratio similar to a side of a typical ice chest. The thickness of the pocket is small relative to its width and height. A zippered opening extends across the top of the pocket. The top and bottom edges of the pocket each incorporate attachment flaps that include two or more snaps that are positioned to align with snap bases on the side of the ice chest. The removable pocket may be snapped onto or removed from the sidewall of the ice chest leaving only the low profile snap bases permanently attached. The pocket may in kit form to allow for retrofitting an existing cooler with a pocket sized specifically for the cooler or ice chest.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under Title 35 United States Code §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/118,110; filed: Feb. 19, 2015, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to accessories for portable ice chests and coolers. The present invention relates more specifically to a removable, external pocket accessory attachable to the exterior surface of a portable ice chest or cooler. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Most portable ice chests and coolers currently on the market are specifically structured to contain food and drink products that are meant to be kept cold. While there are many portable containers in the nature of ice chests and coolers that also incorporate sections reserved for maintaining food at room temperature or heated, it is difficult to adequately isolate the cold side from the hot side. Efforts have still been made in the past to incorporate both hot and cold regions inside portable ice chests or coolers. Most of these previous efforts are complex and often fail to prevent the transfer of heat from the warm or room temperature portion into the cold portion of the portable ice chest. Some efforts have been made to create soft sided ice chests or coolers that have pockets positioned on the outside of the coolers in order to allow the user to transport items such as napkins, silverware, plates, etc., that do not need to be kept cold within the main enclosure of the cooler. Unfortunately, such soft sided coolers do not perform as well as rigid sided coolers and often sacrifice the ability to maintain products at a colder temperature within the cooler for the versatility of a flexible, soft sided cooler with pockets. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention therefore provides a removable, flexible, soft sided pocket that may be secured to the external wall of a rigid, rectangular box shaped ice chest or cooler. The rectangular box shaped pocket is generally configured in a width to height ratio that is similar to the largest external wall of a typical ice chest or cooler (usually the “front” of the cooler). The thickness or depth of the pocket (extending away from the rigid wall of the cooler) is small in comparison to its width and height. A zippered opening is provided across the top edge of the pocket. Most importantly, the top edge of the pocket and the bottom edge of the pocket each incorporate attachment flaps that run the width of the pocket and include two or more snap tops that are positioned to align with snap bases secured onto the rigid wall of the existing cooler or ice chest. The removable pocket may be snapped onto or removed from the sidewall of the rigid ice chest or cooler, leaving only the low profile snap bases on the cooler after removal. The present invention is preferably provided in a kit form that allows the user to retrofit an existing cooler with a pocket constructed in size and appearance suitable for association with the existing cooler or ice chest. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the front of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention shown in an orientation as it would be installed on an ice chest/cooler. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the reverse side of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention shown as it would appear removed from installation on an ice chest/cooler. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an elevational side view of the left hand side chest of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an elevational side view of the right hand side of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of an assembly of components provided in kit form to implement the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention shown installed on an ice chest/cooler. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    Reference is made first to  FIG. 1  which is a perspective view of the ice chest/cooler pocket of the present invention shown detached from an ice chest or cooler, but constructed and oriented to be positioned on an ice chest or cooler, once the appropriate matching snap connectors are installed on the cooler. 
         [0016]    The terms ice chest and cooler are used interchangeably in the present disclosure and generally refer to any of a number of different types of ice chest or cooler designs, generally boxed rectangular in construction, that incorporate durable plastic exterior and interior walls separated by one or more layers of insulation material. A typical ice chest or cooler includes a hinged lid similarly constructed of an interior and an exterior plastic wall separated by a layer of insulation material. The manner of attaching the pocket structure of the present invention is, as described in more detail below, generally the process of securing snap connector bases to an external wall of the cooler and thereafter snapping the pocket structure to the external wall. 
         [0017]    The example shown in  FIG. 1  is preferably configured and shaped to fit on a medium sized ice chest or cooler having dimensions of 2-3 feet in width, 1-2 feet in depth, and 1.5-2 feet in height. The dimensions of the pocket shown in  FIG. 1  therefore may preferably be on the order of 18 inches wide, 8 inches in height, and 1.5 inches in depth. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that as long as the size of the pocket is small enough to fit on the side of the selected ice chest or cooler, the construction of the pocket may be easily adapted to any size suitable for its intended purpose. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  discloses ice chest pocket  10  as generally constructed with front panel  12  surrounded by top box panel  14 , side box panel (left hand side)  16 , side box panel (right hand side) (not seen in this view) and bottom box panel (also not seen in this view). The stitching configuration for the ice chest pocket  10  is important. Preferably, front panel  12  is stitched to the side box panels with internal stitching visible only inside the pocket, as well as with optional top stitching  17  as shown on side box panel (left hand side)  16 . Use of the optional top stitching facilitates the creation of a box like structure while maintaining the soft sided construction of the pocket. 
         [0019]    Also seen in  FIG. 1  is the manner in which zipper closure  22  is incorporated into top box panel  14 . Top box panel  14  is preferably secured to adjoining panels with internal stitching as described above, as well as with top panel top stitch (optional)  15   a  &amp;  15   b  as shown. Zipper closure  22  is secured in place on top box panel using zipper top stitch  13   a  &amp;  13   b.  Zipper closure  22  preferably runs the entire width of top box panel  14  and is opened and closed using zipper pull  24 . Zipper closure  22  may alternately extend part way down along either or both of side box panel (left hand side)  16  and side box panel (right hand side)  32  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0020]    Alternate to being constructed of discrete side panels that are stitched or sewn together, top box panel  14 , side box panel (left hand side)  16 , side box panel (right hand side)  32 , and bottom panel  34  ( FIG. 6 ) may be constructed from a single length of narrow material that is stitched to front panel  12  and back panel  30 . A further alternate embodiment might eliminate bottom panel  34  and have front panel  12  stitched directly to back panel  30  to form the pocket enclosure. 
         [0021]    The most important features of ice chest pocket  10  of the present invention are top attachment flap  18  and bottom attachment flap  26 . Each of these attachment flaps  18  &amp;  26  are secured into the seams of the box structure of the pocket at the back panel and side box panel interfaces, and at the top and bottom box panel interfaces. Top attachment flap  18  incorporates optional top flap top stitch  19  in order to provide a clean and secure appearance. In the preferred embodiment, flaps  18  &amp;  26  are of double layer fabric construction finished with the respective top stitches  19  &amp;  27 . 
         [0022]    In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  top attachment flap  18  and bottom attachment flap  26  each incorporate a set of four snap connectors. Top attachment flap  18  comprises four spaced top flap attachment snaps  20   a - 20   d.  In a similar manner bottom attachment flap  26  incorporates four bottom flap attachment snaps  28   a - 28   d.  Each of these attachment snaps shown in  FIG. 1  includes the top portion of a two part snap connector assembly. The bottom portions of the two part snap connector assemblies, not seen in the view of  FIG. 1 , comprise part of the retrofit kit (see  FIG. 7 ) that provides the materials necessary to allow the user to install the removable pocket onto an existing ice chest or cooler. Attachment snaps  20   a - 20   d  and  28   a - 28   d  are preferably of stainless steel construction and, for the size shown in  FIG. 1 , may preferably be ⅝ inch diameter (for the cap portion of the snap) and ⅜ inch diameter for the stud portion of the snap. The top portions of the snap connectors are secured to the respective attachment flaps using a standard pressed rivet method of attachment. 
         [0023]    Reference is next made to  FIG. 2  which provides a perspective view of the reverse side of the ice chest/cooler pocket  10 . In this view the additional side box panel (right hand side)  32  is shown with its optional right hand side panel top stitch  33 . More significantly, back panel  30  is disclosed in this view comprising the primary construction panel for ice chest pocket  10  parallel to and sized similar to front panel  12  shown in  FIG. 1 . Additionally in  FIG. 2  the manner in which top attachment flap  18  and bottom attachment flap  26  are incorporated into the seams between back panel  30  and top box panel  14  and bottom box panel  34  (not seen in this view) is provided. Additionally, the open portions of each of the snap connectors  20   a - 20   d  and  28   a - 28   d  are shown structured to receive the stud portions of the standard two part snap connector assemblies. 
         [0024]    Reference is next made to  FIGS. 3 &amp; 4  for detailed views of side box panel (left hand side)  16  and side box panel (right hand side)  32 . These similar but opposite end views again show the manner in which optional top stitching  17  &amp;  33  create a box like structure to the pocket  10 . Top attachment flap  18  and bottom attachment flap  26  are each shown secured into the box construction of the pocket at the back panel  30  as described above. Further seen in the views of  FIGS. 3 &amp; 4  is the manner in which top flap attachment snaps  20   a - 20   d  and bottom flap attachment snaps  28   a - 28   d  are secured within and extend through their respective attachment flaps. Once again these snap components are secured to the respective attachment flaps with a through the flap rivet attachment method that tightly secures this first of the two part snap connector components to the flap and therefore to the pocket as it is constructed during manufacture. Finally, in  FIGS. 3 &amp; 4  the overall depth of the pocket is seen in more detail with zipper closure  22  and zipper pull  24  positioned on top box panel  14  to allow alternate access to and closure of the interior of pocket  10 . 
         [0025]    Reference is next made to  FIGS. 5 &amp; 6  which provide a top plan view ( FIG. 5 ) and a bottom plan view ( FIG. 6 ) to complete the description of the various panels that go together to construct the box shaped pocket  10 .  FIG. 5 , a top plan view of pocket  10 , shows in greater detail the manner in which zipper closure  22  extends across the overall width of the pocket from one end of top box panel  14  to the other. The various optional top stitches  15   a  &amp;  15   b  securing the top panel to the back and front panels are also shown. Likewise, zipper top stitch  13   a  &amp;  13   b  show the manner in which zipper closure  22  is cleanly secured to the split material of top box panel  14 . 
         [0026]    As in  FIGS. 3 &amp; 4  described above,  FIGS. 5 &amp; 6  show the manner in which attachment snaps  20   a - 20   d  and  28   a - 28   d  are secured through the double layer thickness of attachment flaps  18  &amp;  26 . Optional top stitching  35  for bottom panel  34  is disclosed in more detail in  FIG. 6 . The manner in which the back and front panels are secured to the two sides, as well as the top and the bottom panels, is initially the same as most such fabric box construction methods. Initially constructed inside out, the various panels are sewn together and the overall pocket is then turned right side out. Top stitching as shown in the above described figures then secures the seam edges of the fabric to the top, bottom and side panels in a manner that better forms the rectangular box construction intended for the pocket. The four corners of the pocket, both back and front, are somewhat rounded as a result of the construction process, but this corner construction provides a rugged and secure manner of preventing separation between the various construction panels. 
         [0027]    Reference is next made to  FIG. 7  which is a top plan view of an assembly of components that includes the pocket device of the present invention, and is packaged together and sold as a retrofit kit suitable for installing the device of the present invention onto an existing ice chest or cooler. Ice chest pocket  10  shown in  FIG. 7  is constructed as described above, fully assembled and ready for installation onto an existing cooler. Retrofit kit  40  includes the basic ice chest pocket  10  sized according to the needs of the user and the specific size of the cooler to be retrofit. Various ice chest pocket  10  sizes may be specifically designated for each of the most popular types and sizes of ice chests and coolers. 
         [0028]    Also included within retrofit kit  40  are hardware  42  that includes snap base components and self tapping screws. As described above, ice chest pocket  10  requires only an array of snap bases be positioned on the wall of the ice chest or cooler (see  FIG. 8  below) in order to be used in conjunction with the cooler once the snap bases are positioned and secured. As most ice chests and coolers comprise relatively thick walls made up of an external hard plastic shell and an internal softer insulation space, a typical self tapping screw used to secure the individual snap bases is sufficient to provide secure attachment of the snap base to the cooler. In order to allow the user to accurately position and place each of the snap bases with self tapping screws, retrofit kit  40  further includes template  44  which is a paper or thin plastic template that may be placed against the external wall of the cooler and used to guide the user&#39;s attachment of the various snap bases with self tapping screws. Light adhesive material may be positioned on the back of template  44  in order to facilitate the placement of the template and therefore of the snap bases on the external wall of the cooler. 
         [0029]    Reference is finally made to  FIG. 8  which shows ice chest pocket  10  of the present invention positioned and installed on an ice chest/cooler  50  on the largest front wall surface of the cooler. 
         [0030]    Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with a number of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize modifications to these embodiments that still fall within the scope of the present invention. Because of variations in the sizes of different ice chests and coolers to which the present invention is intended to be retrofit, corresponding variations in the dimensions and configuration of the pocket are anticipated. Alternately, the present invention may be implemented through the manufacture and sale of a new ice chest or cooler with the pocket sold as an accessory included with the purchase of the new ice chest or cooler. Both the retrofit version of the present invention and the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) version incorporate the same basic elements and configurations.