Abstract:
A cooler apparatus is disclosed having an onboard air conditioning assembly. The apparatus may be used to retain and chill food and beverages while simultaneously functioning to cool the surrounding environment. The air conditioner assembly may include a radiator positioned on or in a wall of a housing and an exhaust fan positioned to circulate air through the radiator. A source of air may be provided to the exhaust fan by an air intake fan. Additionally, a fluid reservoir containing a coolant for the radiator may be provided that includes at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing. The coolant may thus be chilled by adding a predetermined quantity of ice to the interior of the housing and the chilled coolant may then be circulated between the reservoir and the radiator by a pump.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/231,227, filed Aug. 4, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A cooler apparatus is disclosed having an onboard air conditioning assembly. The apparatus may be used to retain and chill food and beverages while simultaneously functioning to cool the surrounding environment. 
       REFERENCE TO RELATED ART 
       [0003]    Cooler apparatus are known in the art that can emit chilled air from an interior of the cooler into the environment. One such apparatus was the multifunction cooler disclosed by McCarrell in U.S. Pat. No. 7,475,563. Such devices, however, suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, restrictions to air flow in the interior of the cooler may result when the cooler is completely filled with ice, food and beverages, or both. 
         [0004]    Another apparatus was the portable air conditioner disclosed by Martello in U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,489. In Martello, a pump was positioned on a base of an ice water filled reservoir/cooler housing. The pump then functioned to intake chilled water directly from the reservoir and conducts it to an evaporator coil positioned in the lid of the air housing. Return lines are also provided to conduct water from the coil back into the reservoir. Martello thus described an open system for a portable air conditioner unit. A disadvantage of this open system is that debris normally found in a cooler can be drawn into the pump and cause damage. It would not have been appropriate, therefore, for Martello to function simultaneously as a cooler for ice, food and beverages, and an air conditioner. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A completely green, multifunction cooler apparatus is disclosed that may be used to retain and chill food and beverages while simultaneously functioning to cool the surrounding environment. The apparatus may include a housing having a base, with a pair of sidewalls and a pair of end walls that extend from the base. The base and walls define an interior and an open top for the housing. A cover may also be provided to close off the open top and enclose the interior. 
         [0006]    In addition, an air conditioner assembly may be included for use in cooling the surrounding environment. This assembly may comprise a radiator positioned in a wall of the housing and an exhaust fan that is proximate to, in line with, and interior to the radiator so that it may function to circulate air across the radiator. An air intake fan and an air flaw conduit extending between the air intake fan and the exhaust fan may also be provided to ensure that the exhaust fan has an adequate supply of air. A fluid reservoir containing a coolant may be positioned in the housing with at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing. 
         [0007]    In operation a predetermined quantity of ice positioned in the interior of the housing operates to chill the coolant in the fluid reservoir. A pump may then operate to circulate the coolant between the reservoir and the radiator. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Reference will be made herein to the attached figures wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout and wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a multifunction cooler apparatus; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a partially exploded perspective view of the cooler apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing the insulated interior of the apparatus with the inner shell or liner removed; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a planar side cut-away view of the cooler apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing the airflow through the apparatus; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective partial cut-away view of the cooler apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing the coolant reservoir, pump, induction and exhaust fans and power supply; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the cooler apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing various accessories. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-5 , a cooler apparatus  10  may include a housing  12 , (and optionally an insulated barrier or insert  14 ), a cover  16  for the housing  12 , and an air conditioner assembly  18 . The air conditioner assembly  18  may be a closed system that uses ice  100  retained in the housing  12  to chill food and beverages placed in the housing. The ice  100  also functions to chill a coolant (not shown) for the air conditioner assembly, which is then used by the assembly  18  to chill air that may be exhausted through ports defined in the housing  12  and/or the cover  16 . 
         [0015]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , the housing  12  may be constructed as an open-top container having a base or floor  20 , side walls  22 ,  24  and end walls  26 ,  28 , with the walls  22 - 28  extending from the base  20  to define an interior space  30 . The walls  22 - 28  and base  20  may be insulated (as is known) to allow ice  100  to remain frozen for extended periods of time. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the walls  22 - 28  and base  20  may be constructed to include a layer of foam insulating material positioned between an inner shell or liner  30  and an outer shell  32 . Alternatively, the housing  12  may include an outer shell  32  and an insert  14 , with the insert  14  being dimensioned to fit within the outer shell  32  and comprising an inner shell  30  having an insulated base and walls and defining an interior space for retaining ice, food and beverages. 
         [0016]    The cover  16  may be dimensioned to fit the open top of the housing  12  to enclose the interior space  30 . The cover  16  may also be removably or pivotably attached to the housing  12  and insulated. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a first opening or port  34  may be defined in the outer shell  32  of the side wall  22  of the housing  12  for use as an air intake port as will be described further below. A drain  35  may also be provide in the housing  12  proximate the base  20  to assist with the removing of any water that may collect in the interior space  30 . A second opening or port  36  may likewise be defined in the outer shell  32  of the same  22  or a different wall  24 - 28  of the housing  12  to function as an exhaust port. As best shown in  FIG. 1 , these openings or ports  34 ,  36  may also be covered by a vinyl screen  38 ,  40 . 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , the housing  12  (and the cover  16 ) may be constructed of plastic, metal, metal alloy, or a combination thereof, from several parts and in a variety of shapes and styles according to the needs of the user. The housing  12  (and the cover  16 ) may also be molded as a unitary structure using known construction methods and materials. Accessory features may also be provided such as wheels  42  and a retractable handle(s)  44  or the like. These accessory features  42 ,  44  may be constructed in the same manner as the housing  12 . 
         [0019]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , the air conditioner assembly  18  may include a radiator or coil  46  positioned in the wall  22  of the housing  12  proximate the second opening  36  and interior to the vinyl screen  40 . It will be appreciated, however, that the radiator  46  may be positioned in any of the walls  22 - 28  of the housing  12 , or in the cover  16 . At least one exhaust fan  48  may also be positioned interior to, and in line with, the radiator  46 . In the disclosed embodiment, the radiator  46  may be designed for low noise and have dimensions of about 157×133×25 mm. 
         [0020]    Still referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , the air conditioner assembly  18  may further include one or more intake fans  50 , a fluid reservoir  52 , a pump  54  and a power supply  56 . As best shown in  FIG. 3 , an intake fan  50  may be positioned in the wall  22  proximate the first port  34  and interior to the vinyl screen  38 . As also shown in  FIG. 3 , a panel  60  may extend between the fans  48 ,  50  and the ports  34 ,  36  to create an enclosed and unobstructed air channel or conduit  62  between those fans  48 ,  50 . It will also be appreciated, however, that this air conduit  62  may be defined by shaping of the insulating material of the housing  12  or that the entire assembly of ports  34 ,  36 , fans  48 ,  50 , conduit  62 , etc, may be constructed as a single unit that is then mounted into the wall  22 . In the disclosed embodiment the fan(s)  48 ,  50  may, for example, be 12V fans. 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the fluid reservoir or container  52  may be positioned, for example, within the floor  20  of the housing  12  between the shells  30 ,  32 , with the interior shell  32  optionally functioning as the upper surface of the reservoir  52 . The reservoir  52  may be constructed from a variety of materials including polymers, metals, or metal alloys as is known in the art. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the pump  54  may function to convey a coolant (not shown) by way of vinyl tubing  58  from the reservoir  52  to the radiator  46 . The pump  54  may comprise a compact form factor version  1  (CFF 1 ) pump having a ceramic bearing. The pump  54  and the tubing  58  may also be positioned in the insulated layer of the walls  22 ,  26  and between the shells  30 ,  32  of the housing  12 . 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the power supply  56  for the pump  54  and the fans  48 ,  50  may include one or more rechargeable Genesis NP 12V 2AH AGM batteries or the like. It will, however, be appreciated that other power supplies may be used. Like the pump  52 , the power supply  54  may also be positioned in the insulated layer of the wall  22  and between the shells  30 ,  32  of the housing  12 . The air conditioner assembly  18  may thus be activated by operation of a switch (not shown) electrically connected to the power supply  54 . In addition, as best shown in  FIG. 5 , electrical connectors and/or jacks  64  that are also electrically connected to the power supply  54  may be provided in a wall  26  of the housing  12 . These connectors  64  thus allow the apparatus  10  to be optionally connected to powered by all manner of AC or DC power sources  66 , including but not limited to 110 outlets, automobile outlets and solar panels 
         [0024]    As mention supra, an insulated insert  14  may used as an alternative to, or in addition to, using insulated walls  22 - 28  and base  20  for the housing  12  (or even where the housing  12  is uninsulated). The insert  14 , for example, may include a grate configured to rest within the housing interior and dimensioned so that it is spaced a distance from the base  20  of the outer shell  32 . Additionally, or alternatively, the insert  14  may be a wire or mesh cage dimensioned to fit inside the housing  12  and spaced a predetermined distance from interior surfaces of the outer shell  32  to allow for placement of the components of the air conditioner assembly  18 . Further, as mentioned above, the insert  14  may include a molded insulating foam structure having a base and walls that define a recess suitable for holding a quantity of ice, food and/or beverages. One or more access panels (not shown) may also be provided to permit access to the components of the air conditioner assembly  18 . It will, of course, also be appreciated that insert  14  could be dispensed with, and/or the ice  100  could be otherwise arranged to directly contact the reservoir  52  and the air conditioner assembly  18  otherwise remaining a closed system. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-5 , in operation, the air conditioner unit  18  may function as a closed system having a fluid/coolant that is chilled by (and separated from) ice  100  that is placed in the interior  30  of the housing  12 . Specifically, the pump  54  may function to circulate a fluid/coolant (not shown) from the reservoir  52  through the radiator  46  and back, with the exhaust fan  48  functioning to disperse the air chill by the radiator  46  out through the second opening or port  36 . In the disclosed embodiment, this fluid/coolant may include a solution of distilled water and double distilled deionized water. Although it will be appreciated that other solutions may be used. Moreover, since the various elements of the air conditioner assembly  18  remain separated from the ice  100 , the interior space  30  of the housing  12  remains available for chilling food and beverages (not shown). 
         [0026]    Having thus described my invention, various other embodiments will become apparent to those of skill in the art that do not depart from the scope of the claims. 
         [0027]    I claim: