Abstract:
A portable ice storage and dispensing device has a portable container for housing the ice to be dispensed. An opening is formed on the portable insulated container. The opening is used for dispensing the ice out of the portable insulated container. An ice dispenser is located internal to the portable insulated container and extends partially out of the portable insulated container. The ice dispenser is used for moving and directing the ice out of the opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a portable cooler and, more specifically, to a portable cooler which will store and dispense ice without an individual having to use his/her hands to grab or scoop the ice from the portable cooler. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Golf has become one of the fastest growing sports throughout the world. Each year, more and more people are playing golf. In states with nice year around temperatures, golf courses are busy all year long. This is especially true in states like Arizona, California, and Florida. 
     Unfortunately, in recent months, people who have gone golfing have become sick after drinking water in water containers which were provided on the golf course. Many of these golfer suffered what is commonly called the Norwalk virus. The Norwalk virus is caused by drinking water contaminated with stool from an infected person. In most cases, people who come down with the Norwalk virus will suffer from nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and headaches. However, in some extreme cases, people have been know to die from the Norwalk virus. 
     Because of these recent outbreaks of the Norwalk virus, many golf courses have been forced to changed how they supply water and ice to golfers. Many golf courses now prevent ice from being dispensed manually from a ice chest to a cup for fear that the person dispensing the ice may contaminate the ice. Some golf courses have thought of prepackaging the ice in cups to dispense to golfers on the course. However, when the temperature begins to rise in the summer months, the prepackaged ice will tend to melt fairly quickly. 
     Therefore, a need existed to provide a portable ice chest with an ice dispensing mechanism. The portable ice chest with the ice dispensing mechanism must allow one to dispense ice from the ice chest without having his/her hands come in contact with the ice. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable ice chest with an ice dispensing mechanism. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable ice chest with an ice dispensing mechanism that allows one to dispense ice from the ice chest without having his/her hands come in contact with the ice. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a portable ice storage and dispensing device is disclosed. The portable ice storage and dispensing device has a portable container for housing the ice to be dispensed. An opening is formed on the portable insulated container. The opening is used for dispensing the ice out of the portable insulated container. An ice dispenser is located internal to the portable insulated container and extends partially out of the portable insulated container. The ice dispenser is used for moving and directing the ice out of the opening. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a portable ice storage and dispensing device is disclosed. The portable ice storage and dispensing device has a portable insulated container for housing the ice to be dispensed. An opening is formed on the portable insulated container. The opening is used for dispensing the ice out of the portable insulated container. An ice dispenser is located internal to the portable insulated container and extends out of the portable insulated container for moving and directing the ice out of the opening. The ice dispenser has an elongated rod member rotatably coupled to the portable container. A plurality of winged members are coupled to the elongated rod member for moving the ice out of the portable container. A guide member is coupled to the opening to move the ice in a desired direction. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of providing a portable ice storage and dispensing device is disclosed. The method comprising: providing a portable insulated container for housing the ice to be dispensed; providing an opening formed on the portable insulated container for dispensing the ice out of the portable insulated container; and providing an ice dispenser located internal to the portable insulated container and extending out of the portable insulated container for moving and directing the ice out of the opening. 
     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an elevated perspective view of the portable ice chest with an ice dispensing mechanism of the present invention with the top lid removed. 
     FIG. 2 is a cross sectional side view of the portable ice chest with an ice dispensing mechanism of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the portable ice chest with an ice dispensing mechanism of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a portable ice chest with an ice dispensing mechanism  10  (hereinafter ice chest  10 ) is shown. The ice chest  10  will allow one to store and dispense ice into a cup or other container without one having to handle the ice. Thus, the ice chest  10  will have valuable health benefits by lessening the chances of a person contaminating the ice by having to handle and dispense the ice. 
     The ice chest  10  will have an ice storage container  12  (hereinafter container  12 ). The container  12  is used to store the ice which will be dispensed. The container  12  is generally, an insulated container  12 . An insulated container  12  is preferred in order to keep the ice from melting The container  12  may come in various sizes and shapes. However, in general, a rectangular container  12  similar in size and shape to current ice chests are used. A lid  13  is movably coupled to the container  12 . The lid  13  is used to enclose the container  12  in order to keep the ice from melting. The lid  13  is generally insulated as well. The lid  13  may be moved in an open and closed position in order to insert more ice into the container  12 . 
     An opening  14  is formed through the container  12 . The opening may be located anywhere on the container  12 . However, in general, the opening  14  is formed on one of the smaller side walls  16 . The opening  14  is where ice will be dispensed from the container  12 . A guide member  18  may be coupled to the opening  14 . The guide member  18  is used to direct the ice out in a downward manner so that the ice may more easily be dispensed into a cup or other container. The guide member  18  is generally a small housing which will fit over the opening  14 . The housing will have an opening at a bottom section to allow the ice to exit the housing into a cup/container. The guide member  18  may be made of any material. Stainless steel has been used as the guide member  18 . Stainless steel was used since this metal seems to have properties which resist bacteria growth. However, this should not be seen as to limit the scope of the present invention. Other material like plastic, fiberglass, and the like may be used. 
     An ice dispensing device  20  is located internally within the container  12 . The ice dispensing device  20  will allow one to dispense ice out of the container  12  and out the guide member  18  without one having to manually pick or scope the ice with one&#39;s hand or with an ice scooper. The ice dispensing device  20  may be made out of a plurality of different materials. Stainless steel has been used since this metal seems to have properties which resist bacteria growth. However, this should not be seen as to limit the scope of the present invention. Other material like plastic, fiberglass, and the like may be used. 
     The ice dispensing device  20  has an elongated rod member  22 . The rod member  22  generally extends from one side wall  16  of the container  12  to the opposite side wall  16 . The rod member  22  will generally protrude out of the container  12  and be rotatably coupled to the guide member  18 . The other end of the rod member  22  is rotatably coupled to the side wall  16 . A reenforcement plate  24  may be positioned on the interior of the container  12  on the side wall  16 . The reenforcement plate  24  will provide additional support and stability when using the ice dispensing device  20 . 
     Coupled to the rod member  22  are a plurality of wing members  26 . The wing members  26  will be coupled to the rod member  22  so that the wing members  26  are angled at different positions. The wing members  26  are used to move the ice towards the opening  14  in the container  12  when the rod member  26  is rotated so that the ice may be dispensed. 
     Located at the rod member  22  is a handle section  25 . The handle section  25  is used to rotate the rod member  22 . In operation, one will rotate the handle section  25 . The rotation of the handle section  25  will rotate the rod member  22  and hence the wing members  26 . The wing members  26  will move and direct the ice towards the opening  14  and dispense the ice out through the guide member  18 . 
     A channeling  27  could also form part of the ice dispensing device  20 . The channeling  27  would be a “U” shape channeling  27  which is coupled to a bottom section of the container  12 . The channeling  27  is positioned so that one end of the channeling  27  is aligned with the opening  14 . Thus, the channeling  27  will help to direct the ice out of the opening  14  when the ice dispensing device  20  is used. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the reenforcement plate  24  is coupled to one end of the channeling  27 . A second reenforcement plate  24 A is coupled to the other end of the channeling  27 . The second reenforcement plate  24 A will have an opening  29 . The opening is aligned with the opening  14  to allow the ice to be moved out of the container  12 . 
     The container  12  may also have a sloped interior member  29 . The sloped interior member  29  will help force the ice in a downward manner so that the ice dispensing device  20  can more easily dispense the ice out of the container  12  and out the guide member  18 . 
     It should be noted that a small motor  35  could be coupled to the rod member  22 . The motor may be an AC or DC motor. However, a small DC motor would probably be used since a DC motor could be coupled to a DC power source on a motorized beverage cart. The motor would further be coupled to a switch. When moving the switch to an “ON” position, the motor would rotate the rod member  22  and dispense the ice. Once the ice is dispensed, the switch may be moved to an “OFF” position thereby turning off the motor and stopping the dispensing of the ice. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.