Cooler with dry storage compartment

A cooler assembly including an ice chest assembly and a receptacle assembly. The ice chest assembly includes an insulating container having a rectangular shape. The container has an opening that is covered by a lid. The lid is hingedly attached to one edge of the opening. The container includes handles attached to sides of the container. The receptacle assembly includes a tubular receptacle being extended through the interior of the cooler from one lateral side to another lateral side. The tubular receptacle has threaded ends to receive threaded caps. The threaded caps removably cover openings of the receptacle. The tubular receptacle has a dry and cool interior.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cooler and, more particularly, to a cooler that includes a dry storage compartment.

2. Description of the Related Art

Several designs for coolers have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include an insulated container with a receptacle extending through the interior of the container.

Applicant believes that a related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 9,360,248 issued for a portable beverage cooler having an outer portion for ice and an inner cylinder for receiving a beverage cup. Applicant believes that another related reference corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,440 issued for a cooler having an internal dry storage compartment. None of these references, however, teach of a cooler with dry storage compartment including an insulated rectangular container having a tubular receptacle extending through the interior of the cooler, the receptacle has threaded caps on each end which are accessible from the exterior of the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a cooler with dry storage compartment that includes a tubular receptacle that is easy to install to an insulated bin to storage items such as food, personal items or the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cooler with dry storage compartment that includes an insulating container to store items such as beverages, ice, or the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cooler with dry storage compartment that keeps the stored items dry and cool.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cooler with dry storage compartment that is portable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to with numeral10, it can be observed that it basically includes ice chest assembly20and receptacle assembly40. It should be understood there are modifications and variations of the invention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within the scope of the invention. Also, singular words should be read as plural and vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, where appropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply that the two are mutually exclusive.

The ice chest assembly20includes an ice chest21having a container22and a lid24. In one embodiment, container22may have a front wall22a, a left wall22b, a right wall22c, a rear wall22dand a bottom wall22e. In one embodiment, bottom wall22emay have a substantially rectangular shape. Other embodiments for the bottom wall22emay have a circular shape, rectangular shape with rounded corners oval shape, elliptical shape, triangular shape, pentagonal shape, trapezium shape, hexagonal shape, irregular shape, or any other suitable shape. A left edge of the bottom wall22eis connected to left wall22b. Left wall22bmay be perpendicular to the bottom wall22e. It also may be suitable to have the left wall22bhaving an inclination respect to bottom wall22e. Preferably, the left wall22bmay have a substantially rectangular flat shape. It also may be suitable to have the left wall22bhaving a rectangular shape with rounded edges, trapezium shape, a curved cross-sectional shape, an irregular shape or any other suitable shape. A right edge of the bottom wall22eis connected to the right wall22c. Right wall22cmay be perpendicular to the bottom wall22cand parallel to the left wall22b. It also may be suitable to have the right wall22chaving an inclination respect to bottom wall22e. Preferably, the right wall22cmay have a substantially rectangular flat shape. It also may be suitable to have the right wall22chaving a rectangular shape with rounded edges, trapezium shape, a curved cross-sectional shape, an irregular shape or any other suitable shape.

Rear wall22dmay be connected to a rear edge of the bottom wall22eand to one edge of the left wall22band to an edge of the right wall22c. Rear wall22dmay be perpendicular to the bottom wall22eand perpendicular to left wall22band perpendicular to the right wall22c. It also may be suitable for the rear wall22dto have an inclination. In one embodiment, rear wall22dmay have a substantially rectangular flat shape. The rear wall22dmay also have a trapezium shape, an irregular shape, or any other suitable shape. Front wall22amay be connected to bottom wall22eand to left wall22band to right wall22c. Front wall22amay be parallel and opposite to rear wall22d. Front wall22amay be perpendicular and adjacent to left wall22band to right wall22c. Front wall22emay have a rectangular shape, a trapezium shape, a hexagonal shape, an irregular shape, a curved shape, or any other suitable shape.

Ice chest assembly20may further include first handle26and second handle26a. In one embodiment, handle26and second handle26amay be defined by four bars perpendicularly connected one to each other. It also may be suitable to have first handle26and second handle26adefined by any other combinations of structures or shapes. First handle26and second handle26amay be made of a hard plastic, a metal with coating or any other suitable resistant material. First handle26may be hingedly connected to a middle top portion of left wall22b. Second handle26may be hingedly connected to a middle top portion of right wall22c. Right wall22cmay further include a water dispenser28located on a bottom portion. Ice chest21may be made of an insulating material such a combination of but not limiting to plastic, hard foam, refrigerating gel or any other material with high thermal insulation properties. It should be understood that ice chest21may be any kind of ice chest21and have any size.

Receptacle assembly40may include receptacle42. In one embodiment receptacle42may have an elongated cylindrical shape. It also may be suitable to have receptacle42with other cross sectional shape such as rectangular shape, oval shape, triangular shape, irregular shapes, helicoidal shape or any other shape suitable to define an elongated receptacle. Receptacle42may be entirely hollow or have separated sections. Receptacle42may include left end42aand right end42bopposite one to each other and providing access to interior of receptacle42. Left end42amay include an interior side having a first threaded portion44. Right end42bmay include an interior side having a second threaded portion44a. Receptacle42may have a slightly bigger length than large of container22. Receptacle42may be made of polyvinyl chloride, a hard plastic, or any other solid thermal insulating material.

Receptacle42may be extended through interior of ice chest from a bottom portion of left wall22bto a bottom portion of right wall22c. It also may be suitable to have receptacle42partially incorporated to ice chest. It may be suitable to incorporate receptacle42into any ice chest. It also may be suitable to mold the receptacle42to incorporate receptacle42in manufacturing ice chest. Receptacle assembly40further includes caps46. Caps46may have a cylindrical shape or any other shape. Caps46may have an exterior surface with cap threaded portion46a. Each cap46may cooperate with first threaded portion44and second threaded portion44ato removably seal receptacle42. Receptacle42may provide an isolated dry compartment for ice chest20to avoid that stored items such as food get wet. Referring now toFIG.1, it can be observed that interior of container42may have ice to maintain cold temperature of interior of container. It may be suitable to store items such beverages into container. Food or items that could be damage with water or wet may be stored into receptacle42.

Best observed inFIGS.2aand3a, the receptacle assembly40further may include a tray45. In one embodiment the tray45may have a first tray end and a second tray end with a semicircular shape. It should be understood that the first tray end and the second tray end may have any other suitable shape such as a rectangular shape, an oval shape, a triangular shape, an elliptical shape or the like. A bottom portion of the first end may be connected by a tray channel45a. The tray channel45amay be entirely concave defining a tray45with a semi cylindrical shape with an opening on the top portion. The opening of the tray45may receive sunglasses, cellphones, wallets, keys, cameras, food or any other item that a user wants to preserve cool and dry. Tray45may be a sliding tray. Tray45may be slidably received by the receptacle42. Tray45may have a slightly smaller diameter than the receptacle42so the tray45may fit into the receptacle42. Tray45may have same length as the receptacle42or smaller lengths. It also may be suitable to have additional trays with a smaller length to be received by the receptacle42.