Abstract:
The invention is a one-piece transparent, portable cooler with air gaps positioned within the sidewalls providing insulation properties and means for easily viewing the contents of the cooler from any angle. In addition to the obvious advantage to security personnel in being able to quickly screen the contents, the present invention provides envelopes on the sides and top of the cooler with the envelopes conforming substantially in size to its respective side or top. These can be easily inserted and removed through the access slots provided.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates generally to containers for holding materials for storage, more specifically, to a transparent cooler for storing perishable foods.  
         [0003]     For many years coolers have been regularly used for all types of working and recreational occasions. Whether the cooler is being used to keep items cold or warm, we use coolers when we&#39;re working and when we&#39;re playing. They go with us to construction sites and sporting events. We toss them into pickup trucks and fishing boats.  
         [0004]     Unfortunately, due to recent international events including the threat of terrorism and other acts of violence, security measures have been tightened at many public events and venues. Safety and security for guests, employees, entertainers and players have always been a concern, but these recent events have prompted security measures that include exclusion or limitation of many items including the use of coolers from such venues. Many security measures include limiting the package size and type.  
         [0005]     Commonly such events have continued to accept transparent packages and coolers due to the ease and ability to inspect the contents in an expeditious way.  
         [0006]     The present invention&#39;s transparent cooler meets the demands of the new security measures and provides the user improved means to maintain and store perishable foods. The construction of the present invention&#39;s cooler includes side panels and a top cover that are made of a clear plastic or like material that allows the user or others to view the contents within the cooler.  
         [0007]     In an additional preferred element in the construction of the present invention&#39;s end and sidewalls, the transparent plastic or like material has exterior panels forming envelopes. The envelopes provide means to insert sun reflective materials and/or interchangeable decorative coverings. The removable sun reflective panels can be inserted in any or all of the four sides and/or top creating a sun block barrier.  
         [0008]     Artistically, the sun reflective panels may include pictorial or decorative coverings to suit the user or to reflect the event (favorite team, player, or the like).  
         [0009]     Still yet another additional element of the present invention includes an alternate construction of the transparent cooler utilizing a top mounted lifting handle in lieu of end panel handles. The handle is supported by looped straps that wrap each corner of the base.  
         [0010]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0011]     There are containers for holding materials for storage. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,703 issued to Edward Cornish et al. on Jul. 25, 1972.  
         [0012]     A patent was issued on May 24, 1977 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,731 to Tony E. Branscum. Another patent was issued to David D. Rocca on Nov. 9, 1993 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,215. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,307 was issued to Joseph M. Shink on Apr. 9, 1996 and still yet another was issued on Jun. 17, 1997 to Yoshiya Nishino et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,896.  
         [0013]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,478 was issued to William M. Bostic et al. on Jul. 6, 1999. Another patent was issued to Melvin S. Mogil on Jun. 19, 2001 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,328. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,928 was issued to William J. Giacci on Jul. 9, 2002.  
       U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,703  
     Inventor: Edward Cornish et al.  
     Issued: Jul. 25, 1972  
       [0014]     Container for holding material during storage or transportation in which the separable, insulated cover contains a body of heat-absorbing substance thermally exposed to the interior of the container through heat-conducting inside face of the cover, the cover being capable of being formed from a single piece of fiberboard or other sheet metal.  
       U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,731  
     Inventor: Tony E. Branscum  
     Issued: May 24, 1977  
       [0015]     A refreezable container for a cold storage structure which can be releasably secured to the lid of the structure is the subject of the present invention. The container comprises yieldable spaced apart sidewalls which form an enclosure for holding a refreezable liquid. A passageway through the enclosure and its sidewalls receives an elongated stud. The stud has a gripping surface at one end and is threaded on the other end. Along the length of the stud a lateral projection extends outwardly so that the combined dimension of the projection and the stud is greater than the corresponding dimension of the passageway. The yieldable passageway walls permit insertion of the stud which may then be turned to screw the threaded stud into a correspondingly threaded receptacle in the lid of the cold storage structure.  
       U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,215  
     Inventor: David D. Rocca  
     Issued: Nov. 9, 1993  
       [0016]     A cooler that allows for its transportability by the selective attachment to the cooler structure of axle and wheel assembly to the undercarriage of the cooler as desired. By the affixing to the undercarriage of the cooler mounting blocks that are capable of selectively receiving the axle portion of a wheel and axle assembly in rotational mechanical inter-fit, the features and advantages of the proposed invention are achieved.  
       U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,307  
     Inventor: Joseph M. Shink  
     Issued: Apr. 9, 1996  
       [0017]     An insulated cooler which can be mounted to the floor of an automobile and provides access to open beverage containers. The cooler includes an insulated box which has a front wall separated from a back wall by a pair of side walls. The front, back and side walls are attached to a bottom wall that together define an inner cavity. The insulated cooler also has a top cover adapted to enclose the inner cavity of the box. The insulated box is small enough to be placed between the driver and front passenger of an automobile. The cooler has a strip of hook and loop material which can secure the bottom wall of the box to the carpet of the car. Additionally, the top cover has a pair of apertures adapted to receive beverage containers. The apertures may be covered by a flap which can be fastened to either the front or back walls of the box.  
       U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,896  
     Inventor: Yoshiya Nishino  
     Issued: Jun. 17, 1997  
       [0018]     The present invention relates to a cold-hot storage box which can be used as a constant temperature box, a refrigerator for household use, or a freezer, and to a manufacturing method therefor. The cold-hot box of the present invention being characterized by the provision of an insulating container comprising a space of a double walled container made from an inner container and an outer container, enclosing at least one gas having low thermal conductivity selected from the group consisting of xenon, krypton, and argon.  
       U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,478  
     Inventor: William M. Bostic et al.  
     Issued: Jul. 6, 1999  
       [0019]     A lightweight, insulated chest and method are provided for transportation and storage of perishable and other items which require a temperature-controlled environment. The chest includes insulated side walls, bottom and a hinged cover which is pneumatically sealed to prevent tampering and for thermal security. The chest includes a fluid conduit within the cover for air evacuation and depressurization of the interior and also includes a conduit to provide a vacuum between the walls of the sides and bottom which contain a rigid polymeric foam insulation.  
       U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,328  
     Inventor: Melvin S. Mogil  
     Issued: Jun. 19, 2001  
       [0020]     A portable soft sided insulated container has an impermeable liner that provides a liquid holding barrier. The liner is folded from a single monolithic plastic sheet to reduce or eliminate the need for heat welded seams. The liner seats within the container and has a releasable attachment around its lip for mating with the rim of the container. The container has an insulated lid so that the entire assembly may be closed. The liner can be removed for cleaning, or replacement if punctured. When not in use the entire assembly can be folded into a collapsed position for storage. The container has two storage chambers that share a common insulated dividing wall.  
       U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,928  
     Inventor: William J. Giacci  
     Issued: Jul. 9, 2002  
       [0021]     A display container comprises a base having a planar supporting surface, the planar supporting surface being cant relative to horizontal along two orthogonal axes. The display container may also include a transparent cover disposed on the base, and a box foldingly enclosing the base and the transparent cover.  
         [0022]     While these containers for holding materials for storage may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.  
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0023]     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container for holding materials for storage.  
         [0024]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container with insulating means for holding perishable food items for storage.  
         [0025]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container with insulating means for holding hot materials for storage.  
         [0026]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container with insulating means for holding cold materials for storage.  
         [0027]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container having exteriorly positioned envelopes on the sides and top.  
         [0028]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container with means to have a sun reflective element contained within the walls and top of the container.  
         [0029]     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container with means to have a plurality of air spaces within the walls of the container.  
         [0030]     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container that provides means for lifting from either the top cover or end panels.  
         [0031]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container that is cost effective to manufacture.  
         [0032]     Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.  
         [0033]     The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an improved means for holding materials for storage in transparent containers. In addition to providing means for holding materials for storage with removable heat reflecting elements. Furthermore, providing a transparent container with means for having a plurality of envelope pouches formed on the walls of the container.  
         [0034]     The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES  
       [0035]     In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:  
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the present invention in use;  
         [0037]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention;  
         [0038]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the present invention having decorative panels;  
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the present invention;  
         [0040]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view with top wall seal removed from the present invention;  
         [0041]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the present invention;  
         [0042]      FIG. 7  is a detailed sectional view of the present invention;  
         [0043]      FIG. 8  is a detailed sectional view of the present invention;  
         [0044]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the top seal of the present invention; and  
         [0045]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an alternate carrying device of the present invention.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS  
       [0046]     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the figures illustrate the One-Piece Transparent Portable Cooler of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures. 
     10  One-Piece Transparent Portable Cooler      12  user      14  security personnel      15  cooler body      16  base      17  interior storage compartment      18  sidewall      20  cover      21  extruded lip of  20       22  handle      24  snap-on wall seal      26  insert envelope      28  decorative panel insert      30  wall member      32  inner sidewall      34  outer sidewall      36  insulating wall      38  air gap      40  compression seal      42  contents of  10       44  sealing channel      46  retaining flange      48  receiving element      50  top edge of  30       52  insert envelope panel      54  insert envelope recess      56  access slot of  52       58  alternate carrying device      60  base plate of  58       62  cord element of  58       64  looped end of  62       66  handle of  58     
 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0079]     The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the invention. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For a definition of the complete scope of the invention, the reader is directed to the appended claims.  
         [0080]      FIG. 1  is an illustrative view of the present invention  10  in use. The present invention  10  is a one-piece transparent, portable cooler  10  that provides means to view the contents  42  within the cooler  10 . The present invention  10  is fabricated of a transparent plastic or other like material having clear sidewalls  18  and removable top cover  20 . The transparency allows the user to see the contents  42  within the cooler  10  without opening the cover  20 . The transparent cooler  10  is particularly useful for security inspections at sporting events and other controlled activities by allowing security personnel  14  to visually examine the contents  42  without having to open the cooler. Side handles  22  make the transport of the present invention  10  simple and easy.  
         [0081]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention  10  in use. The present invention is a one piece transparent, portable cooler  10  that provides means to view the contents  42  therein without the need to remove the cover  20 . The cooler of the present invention  10  is made of a transparent plastic or like material having a clear base  16  and sidewalls  18  with a removable top cover  20 . The present invention  10  is particularly useful for security inspections at sporting events and other controlled activities. Side handles  22  make the transport of the present invention  10  simple and easy. Insert envelopes  26  are exteriorly disposed on and integral with all sidewalls  18  and the cover  20  to allow the user  12  to place decorative or functional panel inserts as desired.  
         [0082]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the present invention  10  with decorative panel inserts  28  placed within said insert envelopes  26 . The present invention is a one-piece transparent, portable cooler  10  that provides means to view the contents  42  therein without the need to remove the cover  20 . The cooler of the present invention  10  is made of a transparent plastic or like material having a clear body  15  and removable top cover  20 . The present invention  10  also provides decorative panel inserts  28  that are inserted within the provided insert envelopes  26 , top and sides. The present invention  10  is particularly useful for security inspections at sporting events and other controlled activities. Side handles  22  make the transport of the present invention  10  simple and easy. The insert envelope  26  is comprised of an insert envelope panel  52 , insert envelope recess  54  and access slot  56  whereby the user selected decorative panel inserts  28  can be inserted and retained therein for the purposes of providing a decorative element in addition to protecting the interior storage compartment  17  from direct sunlight.  
         [0083]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the present invention  10 . Shown is an exploded view of the present invention  10 , a one-piece transparent, portable cooler  10  that provides means to view the contents  42  therein without the need to remove the cover  20 . The cooler of the present invention  10  is made of a transparent plastic or like material having a clear body  15  and removable top cover  20 . The present invention  10  also provides decorative panel inserts  28  that are inserted within the provided insert envelopes  26 , top and sides. The present invention  10  is particularly useful for security inspections at sporting events and other controlled activities. Side handles  22  make the transport of the present invention  10  simple and easy. As previously stated, the insert envelope  26  is comprised of an insert envelope panel  52 , insert envelope recess  54  and access slot  56  whereby the user selected decorative panel inserts  28  can be inserted and retained therein for the purposes of providing a decorative element in addition to protecting the interior storage compartment  17  from direct sunlight while still providing means whereby a user can remove the inserts for inspection and easily place them back into their envelopes. Furthermore, because they are easily changed it would require little effort to design placards for display, as is evident in almost all stadium sporting events, and carry them to the stadium in the insert envelopes  26 .  
         [0084]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view with snap-on wall seal  24  removed from the body  15  of the present invention  10 . Shown is an exploded view of the present invention  10  with cover  20  and snap-on wall seal  24  removed, exposing the air gaps  38  between the wall members  30 . The cooler of the present invention  10  is made of a transparent plastic or like material having a clear base  16  and sidewalls  18  with a removable top cover  20 . The present invention  10  is particularly useful for security inspections at sporting events and other controlled activities due to the ease of removing and re-inserting the decorative panel inserts  28  from their respective insert envelope  26 .  
         [0085]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the present invention  10 . Shown is a sectional view of the present invention, a one piece transparent, portable cooler  10  having air gaps  38  within the insulating walls  36  providing insulation properties. The cover  20  has an extruded lip  21  that fits firmly over the snap-on wall seal  24 , sealing the interior storage compartment  17  and providing additional strength to the cooler body  15 .  
         [0086]      FIG. 7  is a detailed sectional view of the present invention. Shown is a sectional view of the present invention  10 , a one piece transparent, portable cooler  10  having air gaps  38  within the sidewalls  18  providing insulation properties. The cover  20  has an extruded lip  21  that fits firmly over the snap-on wall seal  24 , sealing the interior storage compartment  17  and providing additional strength to the cooler body  15 .  
         [0087]      FIG. 8  is a detailed sectional view of the present invention  10 . Shown is a sectional view of the present invention  10  with snap-on wall seal  24  and cover  20  removed for clarity. The one piece transparent, portable cooler  10  comprises air gaps  38  within the sidewalls  18  providing insulative properties. The cover  20  has an extruded lip  21  that fits firmly over the snap-on wall seal  24 , sealing the interior storage compartment  17  and providing additional strength to the cooler body  15 .  
         [0088]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the snap-on wall seal  24  of the present invention  10 . Shown is a view of the top snap on seal  24  of the present invention  10  having a cutaway section showing the dovetail like sealing channel  44  and compression seal  40 .  
         [0089]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an alternate carrying device  58  of the present invention  10 . Shown is an alternate carrying device  58  of the present invention  10  having a handle  66  with cord elements  62  looped ends  64  for securing to the corner edges of the cooler of the present invention  10 . It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.  
         [0090]     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.  
         [0091]     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.