Abstract:
A portable insulated cooler device useful as a self-contained cold food/beverage serving stand. The cooler has a main lid selectively closing a top opening, the top opening supporting one or more removable food container trays with apertures for holding separately sealed food containers. A cold compartment is located below the trays and is in direct thermal communication with the underside of the trays. The trays preferably fill the top opening to seal and insulate the cold compartment relative to the top opening. An access door is formed in a side wall of the cooler for direct access to the cold compartment, and a movable shelf can be folded down flat over the access door when not in use, and folded up to a convenient serving position above the access door that also shields the access opening when the door is open.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS/PRIORITY BENEFIT CLAIM  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/480,757, filed Apr. 29, 2011 by the same inventor (Bose), the entirety of which provisional application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The subject matter of the present application is in the field of portable insulated ice chests or “coolers”. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Coolers with supplemental inserts or attachments for food-organizing and food-serving functions are known. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,485 to Schmelzer teaches a cooler with a plurality of trays selectively stored on the lid or connected to the sides of the cooler for use. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,165 to White et al teaches a food organizing and protecting insert that mounts in a portable cooler to provide a horizontal shelf with food receptacle receiving apertures and a closed chamber to hold ice when the cooler lid is open. The food receptacles are held by their upper rims in apertures in the insert shelf so that the body of each food receptacle is within the cooled chamber. One or more hinged transparent covers close to cover the food receptacles. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,056 to Brown et al teaches a portable cooler with a drawer having a food grate located above an ice storage space in the drawer. The grate keeps the food spaced from the ice beneath it. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,965 to White et al. discloses an insert that fits into the interior of a portable cooler, with a planar platform with apertures that support flanged food receptacles. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,252 to Rand shows a portable cooler with a drawer in the front wall communicating with a lower storage compartment. 
         [0009]    Prior coolers such as the foregoing examples are often too limited in function and/or too complicated for all-around use, especially for use as a general purpose serving station for cold food and beverages at parties or picnics. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0010]    I have invented a truly useful cooler for serving cold foods and beverages while protecting them from heat, insects, and contamination. The cooler comprises a cooler with a main lid covering a top opening; at least one, and preferably a plurality, of removable food container trays supported in the top opening for supporting separately-sealed food containers; a cold/thermal compartment below the food container trays in direct thermal communication with the underside of the food container tray(s); a side (preferably front) access door in a side wall of the cooler to provide access to the cold compartment; and a flip-up shelf, with a lowered storage position folded flat against the sidewall over the front access door, and a raised serving position projecting horizontally from the cooler above the access door adjacent the food container tray. 
         [0011]    In a preferred form, the removable food container trays fully cover the top opening of the cooler to seal and insulate the cold compartment beneath. 
         [0012]    In a further form, the cooler is mounted on a wheeled support frame, and is movable on the support frame between a lowered transport position and a raised serving position. 
         [0013]    The top opening, lid, and removable food container trays define a serving area that can be conveniently closed off to protect it from sun and insects between servings, and that even in use preserves the cold temperature of the cold compartment. The individual food containers are held in their trays such that they are covered by the cooler lid when their own individual lids or covers are removed, so that the cooler main lid can function as a supplemental cover if the individual container lids are missing. The serving shelf is positioned to support a plate or bowl adjacent the serving area while food is served from the containers. 
         [0014]    If the cooler is supplied with a thermoelectric module or some other type of heating-capable element, the “cooler” can also be used to keep foods warm. 
         [0015]    These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a cooler according to the present invention, with the cooler in a lowered transport position on a support frame. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but with the cooler in a raised serving position on the support frame. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the cooler of  FIG. 1 , showing the right (non-wheeled) end of the cooler in more detail. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a front elevation view of the cooler of  FIG. 1 , with the support frame exploded away from the cooler box, and the cooler box in section, to illustrate an example attachment method. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4A  is an end elevation view of the cooler of  FIG. 1 , showing the support frame extended and the cooler in a raised serving position. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 1  but with the cooler in the raised serving position, and with the cooler lid open and the front serving shelf stowed flat. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but shows the front shelf deployed up, the front access door open, and a food container storage tray exploded from the cooler interior and a food container from the remaining tray placed on the shelf. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but the access door is closed while the shelf is deployed up, the cooler is lowered to what would normally be the transport position, and the food container trays are both in place in the cooler body. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the cooler of  FIG. 1 , with the shelf stowed flat. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a top view of the cooler of  FIG. 1 , with the shelf up and the main lid open. 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a detail perspective view of the shelf and its mounting hardware exploded away from the front of the cooler and the access door. 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a left side (end) view of the coolor of  FIG. 1 , sectioned through the cooler body to show the interior, and with the serving shelf down and cooler lid closed. 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is similar to  FIG. 11 , but with the shelf raised and the cooler lid open. 
           [0029]      FIG. 13  is similar to  FIG. 12 , but with the access door open beneath the shelf. 
           [0030]      FIG. 14  is similar to  FIGS. 11-13 , with food containers and interior accessories shown in various positions relative to the cooler. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]      FIGS. 1 through 4  show an exemplary cooler  10  according to the invention in order to teach how to make and use the claimed invention. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 1 through 4A  show cooler  10  combined with a wheeled support frame  100 , with the cooler having a lowered position on frame  100  ( FIGS. 1 and 3 ) that helps make the combination stable for transport. Cooler  10  includes a body  12 , for example rectangular in shape and made from metal or molded plastic, with insulated walls  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  and an insulated main lid  18  and an insulated bottom  19 .  FIG. 4  illustrates one example connection between the cooler body  12  and frame ends  101 , comprising nuts  110  secured to the end walls of the cooler body, and bolts  106  passing through telescoping upper legs  103  and secured to nuts  110  with appropriate spacers  108  and washers  109  in between. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 2 ,  4 , and  4 A show cooler  10  raised by frame  100  to a serving position, the cooler being locked securely in place by a latching mechanism L. Illustrated frame  100  is made from a pair of known, commercially available telescoping handles  101  used for wheeled luggage, one handle  101  attached to each end  14 ,  16  of the cooler body, the handle ends  101  preferably connected and stabilized with a crosspiece or other connecting member or members  101   a  ( FIG. 3 ) running between the handles below the cooler body. Each illustrated handle end  101  has an upper frame portion comprising legs  103  connected to cooler body  12  and joined by a handgrip at their upper ends, and a lower frame portion comprising legs  102 . Legs  102  may end in feet or supporting wheels  104  at one or both ends of the frame  100 . Latching mechanism L may comprise any known or other mechanism that allows upper frame portion  103  to telescope upwardly relative to lower frame  102 , and then to latch in place (for example on crossbar  102   a  connected between legs  102 ) with sufficient strength to support cooler  10  in the raised, latched position. 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , main lid  18  has been opened on hinges  18   a  ( FIG. 4A ) to expose top opening  20 , which in the illustrated embodiment is rectangular, being defined by the upper edges of end walls  14  and  16  and front and rear walls  15  and  17 . Top opening  20  supports one or more removable food container serving trays  22 , in the illustrated example two trays  22  of equal size each covering half of the top opening. 
         [0035]    Trays  22  rest on a suitable support, for example with the edges  22   a  of the trays resting on a peripheral shoulder  20   a  formed in or adjacent the upper ends of the side walls  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  and around the top opening  20  (best seen in  FIG. 6 ). Shoulder  20   a  may also support or engage a portion of main lid  18  when the main lid is closed, for example to provide a thermal and/or watertight seal, and in such case the thickness of the tray edges should be sized to not interfere with the proper closing and sealing of main lid  18  relative to cooler body  12 . Trays  22  may also be supported by other types of supports, including but not limited to legs that reach to the bottom of the cooler, or by projections such as rods or racks or studs extending across or into the top opening from the side walls. 
         [0036]    As best shown in  FIG. 6 , trays  22  include apertures  24  sized and shaped to receive independently sealable food containers  26  with their own lids  26   a.  The bodies of food containers  26  extend through trays  22  down into direct thermal communication with a cold compartment below the trays, while their upper ends remain supported above the trays  22  with lids  26   a  accessible. 
         [0037]    One way to support food containers  26  in apertures  24  is to size each aperture  24  slightly smaller than a horizontally protruding rim or flange portion of its associated container  26  (or lid  26   a ). Another way to achieve this support is to build some sort of supporting structure into each tray  22  located below the apertures  24 , for example container-supporting cages or netting attached to the underside of the trays to support the lower ends of the inserted containers. Other methods/structures for supporting the food containers  26  in trays  22  are possible without interfering with the structure or function of the invention, provided that the lower ends of containers  26  are in thermal communication with the thermal compartment so that the containers&#39; contents stay cold (or hot, as desired). Trays  22  may be insulated. 
         [0038]    Still referring to  FIG. 6  and also to  FIG. 7 , trays  22  are removable from cooler body  12 , by simply lifting them out of the top opening  20 , for example via handles  22   a.  The volume beneath trays  22  comprises a thermal compartment  30 , which is an insulated volume defined between walls  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  and  19  and trays  22 . Ice or ice packs or other low-temperature media can be placed in compartment  30  to lower the temperature of the compartment. The undersides of trays  22 , and accordingly the lower ends of any food containers  26  held by the trays, are in thermal communication with thermal compartment  30 . By “thermal communication” I mean un-insulated, with convective or conductive cooling or heating between the air or cooling/heating media (ice, gel packs, thermoelectric module T, etc.) of thermal compartment  30  and the food containers  26  protruding from the undersides of trays  22 . 
         [0039]    While cooler  10  is shown in use as a cooler, using an appropriate heating element such as a thermoelectric module T in compartment  30  powered by an electrical connector plug P, the thermal communication between the lower ends of containers  26  and the thermal compartment  30  can involve heat transfer to the containers  26  to keep food in the containers warm. 
         [0040]      FIG. 6  shows the cooler body  12  raised to the serving position, and along with  FIGS. 7 through 9  further shows details of the operation of trays  22  and a front access door  34  in front wall  15 .  FIG. 6  shows one of trays  22  removed from opening  20 , and a food container  26  removed from its aperture  24  in the tray. The other tray  22  is shown in opening  20 , and a food container  26  removed from its aperture and supported on a shelf  40 . Shelf  40  normally stores flat against (or adjacent and parallel) the front side wall  15  of cooler body  12 , as shown in preceding  FIGS. 1-5 , and can be raised and locked in a horizontal serving position on lockable hinges or hinged brackets or swing-out supports  40   a  and  40   b  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . Food containers  26  can be removed from their trays  22  as needed and placed temporarily on shelf  40  for more convenient serving. Alternately, containers  26  can remain in trays  22  and plates, cups, bowls and the like can be placed on shelf  40  adjacent containers  26  to transfer food from the containers to the cups, bowls, plates, etc. 
         [0041]    Thermal compartment  30  can be accessed by removing one or both trays  22 , and it may also be accessed through side wall  15  of the cooler body via opening  32  selectively closed by a door or cover  34 . Door  34  may be a hinged or snap-on door or cover using one or more hinges or latches  34   a.  Door  34  may also be a sliding door or other form of closure, and is preferably insulated and may be transparent. Thermal compartment  30  holds removable cooling and/or heating media such as ice or cold or hot packs, or contains a cooling and/or heating element such as a thermoelectric module T. Thermal compartment  30  may be provided with fixed or removable grates or shelves such as  31  to support extra food containers  26 , beverages, condiments, etc. above any cooling media, or simply to provide more efficient storage in the compartment. 
         [0042]      FIGS. 10 and 11  show a preferred relationship between shelf  40  and front access opening/door  32 / 34 . Shelf  40  preferably lies at least partway over door  34  when the shelf is folded flat against wall  15  and the door is closed, for extra security and thermal insulation. When shelf  40  is flipped up to the horizontal serving position, it allows door  34  to freely open while shading and protecting the access opening  32  to thermal compartment  30  from sun, falling food, bird droppings, and the like.  FIG. 10  also shows more detail of the hinge and support structure  40   a  and  40   b  for shelf  40 . 
         [0043]      FIGS. 11 through 14  show different views of cooler  10 , and of the function and interrelationship of the various parts and food containers  26  with: removable shelf/grate  31  supporting extra containers  26  in the cold compartment beneath trays  22  ( FIG. 11 ); shelf  40  raised and supporting a container  26  taken from one of trays  22  ( FIG. 12 ); shelf  40  raised and access door  34  opened, with containers being taken both from tray  22  and thermal compartment  30  ( FIG. 13 ); shelf/grate  31  being removed from thermal compartment  30  ( FIG. 14 ); and, shelf/grate  31  shown positioned in thermal compartment  30  to support either extra food containers or removable cooling media ( FIG. 14 ). 
         [0044]    It will be understood that the disclosed embodiments represent presently preferred examples of how to make and use the invention, but are intended to enable rather than limit the invention. Variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It should further be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or discoveries or the scope of any such invention or discovery, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in science and the useful arts. The scope of the invention supported by the above disclosure should accordingly be construed within the scope of what it teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and within the scope of any claims that the above disclosure supports, whether the claims are made in this application or in a subsequent application claiming priority to this application.