Cooler chest/liquid dispenser combination

A double-walled, insulated portable cooler chest having a separate, self-contained, removable, non-insulated tapered liquid container disposed adjacent one end wall of said cooler and having a lower end wall hole and a dispenser tap therethrough communicating with the exterior through the end-wall of the chest. Liquid dispenser container is blow-molded of a polyolefin polymer with special lugs disposed on each side thereof to cooperatively engage wedge-shaped retaining shoulders in the interior side walls of the chest. An interior nut is utilized to screw threadably engage an inner extension of the tap in a manner so as to simultaneously maintain the tap and the liquid container in proper positions. The liquid container is provided with a lid closure for a top opening of a sufficient size to permit a person to extend one hand into the container for the purpose of removing the nut from the tap extension to permit removal of said liquid container from the cooler chamber for cleaning purposes. A tap assembly compressively confines the liquid container end wall and the end wall of the chest. The tapered chest wall shoulders cooperatingly urge the container end wall into contact with the interior end wall as the tapered container is pushed downwardly in the chest, thereby insuring proper tap hole alignment and secure confinement of the liquid container without stress on the tap that could result in misalignment and leakage.

FIELD 
This invention relates to the field of portable cooler chests for general 
and recreational use, and more particularly to an improved chest in which 
a liquid container is disposed interiorly of the chest with an exteriorly 
actuable dispensing tap in communication therewith so that beverage in the 
container may be withdrawn by operation of the tap. A special wedge-shaped 
container having intergrally molded lugs thereon cooperatingly engage 
shoulders on the interior side walls of the chest to position and secure 
the container in the chest interior with accurate alignment. 
BACKGROUND 
Cooler chests of various shapes and sizes are and have been in extremely 
wide usage in connection with a wide variety of outdoor activities of 
families and friends. Generally, a supply of ice is disposed in the cooler 
chest chamber to refrigerate food supplies, fish catches, etc., for a 
day's activities. Heretofore, it has been necessary to provide a second 
unit, generally in the form of an insulated jug for beverages. 
Jugs of this nature are generally provided with an exterior tap means for 
withdrawing the beverages therefrom without removal of the jug lid or 
necessitating a pouring operation. However, it has been necessary to 
transport and to carry two separate items to the scene of the outdoor 
activities. 
There also have been a number of attempts to provide cooling appliances or 
water coolers in which a fluid container is disposed interiorly of a 
larger container in having an exterior tap. Examples of these are found in 
typical U.S. Patents as follows: Nos. 700,005; 1,776,307; 305,269; 
1,648,594; 2,151,104; and 3,613,872. Other typical patents showing 
containers within other containers, not having exterior taps are shown in 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,459,295; 3,266,623; 3,288,344; and 3,670,918. 
Of these prior art approaches to the problems, the Armstrong U.S. Pat. No. 
700,005 and the Bosque U.S. Pat. No. 1,776,307 appear to be the most 
pertinent. However, both patents are extremely complex water cooler 
devices which do not offer the advantages of the present invention. 
Similarly, Japanese Patent to Kondo 46-20990 of 1967 calls for an integral 
fluid storage tank in an insulated icebox which has both an exterior tap 
and an exterior communicating air vent system. 
Accordingly, there is a need for a simple cooler chest having a 
self-contained liquid dispenser for beverages which maintains all the 
conveniences of a separate cooler chest and thermos jug without the need 
to transport the second item to the site of the activities. 
THE INVENTION 
OBJECTS 
It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a cooler chest 
which incorporates an interior chamber for the reception of ice supply, an 
assortment of foods, and a removable self-contained liquid dispenser means 
for a beverage, with no transfer of odors, tastes or the like 
therebetween. 
It is another object of this invention to provide the liquid dispenser 
means with an exterior tap whereby beverage may be withdrawn therefrom 
without opening the chest, thereby holding its refrigeration longer. 
It is another object of this invention to provide means whereby the 
exterior tap may be extended through one wall of the cooler chest into 
open communication with the interior of the removable liquid container 
disposed therein. 
Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the exterior 
tap may be manually removed to permit removal of the liquid container from 
the cooler chest for cleaning and other purposes. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a double-wall insulated, 
portable cooler chest having a separate, self-contained removable, 
non-insulated, tapered liquid container disposed adjacent one end wall of 
said cooler. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an easily manufactured 
liquid dispenser container having special lugs disposed on each side 
thereof to cooperatingly engage wedge-shaped retaining shoulders on 
interior side walls of a cooler chest which is adapted to receive the 
liquid dispenser container. 
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved combination of 
removable interior liquid container with a cooler chest in which the 
liquid container is tapered and cooperatingly fits with tapered chest wall 
shoulders which cooperatingly urge the container end wall into contact 
with the interior end wall as the tapered container is placed in the chest 
to insure proper tap hole alignment and secure confinement of the liquid 
container without such stresses on the tap that could result in 
misalignment and leakage. 
Still further, and other objects will become evident from the description 
which follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a cooler chest having a self-contained 
liquid dispenser for beverages, including tap means which extends through 
one wall of the cooler in a manner whereby the beverage in a container may 
be withdrawn by operation of the tap. The main portion of the cooler chest 
chamber may be packed with ice or other cooling means, and an assortment 
of foods, fish catches, etc. in a conventional manner, the ice serving to 
refrigerate not only the food, but also the beverage in the container. The 
beverage container is disposed adjacent one inner end wall of the chest. 
Being sealed, there is no transfer of odors or melted ice water to the 
beverage. 
The chest comprises a double-walled, insulated, portable cooler. The 
beverage container is a separate self-contained, removable, non-insulated, 
tapered liquid container disposed adjacent one end wall of the cooler. The 
double-walled chest has a recessed portion near the lower edge of the end 
wall and has a hole disposed therein. Likewise, the lower end wall of the 
liquid container has a hole which, when aligned with the hole in the chest 
end wall, receives a dispensing tap therethrough. An interior nut means is 
utilized to screw threadably engage an inner extension of the tap in a 
manner so as to simultaneously maintain the tap and the liquid container 
in proper positions. The liquid container is provided with a lid closure 
means for a top opening of sufficient size to permit a person to extend 
one hand into the container for the purpose of removing the nut means from 
the tap extension thereby permitting removal of the liquid container from 
the cooler chamber for cleaning purposes. The bottom end wall opening of 
the beverage container receives a rubber grommet which engages an O-ring 
of the tap nut means to seal the opening and provide a resilient member 
between the container wall and the inner wall of the chest. In addition, 
the tap extension is sufficiently threaded to permit sealingly engaging 
the tap to the liquid container separate and apart from the chest if need 
be. 
The liquid dispenser container is blow-molded of a polyolefin polymer, and 
has special lugs disposed on each side wall thereof. These lugs 
cooperatingly engage wedge-shaped retaining shoulders molded on the 
interior side walls of the chest. The tapered chest wall shoulders 
cooperatingly urge the container end wall into contact with the interior 
end wall of the chest as the tapered beverage container is pushed 
downwardly into the chest. This insures proper tap hole alignment and 
secure confinement of the liquid container without stress on the tap that 
could result in misalignment and leakage. When the nut is threadedly 
engaged on the top extension, the tap means compressively confines the 
liquid container end wall and the end wall of the chest so that there is 
no leakage. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
The following detailed description is by way of illustration, and not by 
way of limitation of the principles of the invention. Referring first to 
FIG. 1, chest 10 has a main body portion 11 of tapered side walls 12 and 
14, opposed, inwardly tapering end wall 16 and 18, a bottom wall 20 and a 
hinged closure lid 22. The closure lid 22 may be, for example, of the 
snap-on variety, or of the hinge type, with a recess 23 to assist an 
opening lid. The lid may be hollow as at 49 (FIG. 2) or contain 
insulation. Handle means 26 may be provided on the opposed end wall 16 and 
18. To assist in keeping the lid securely closed, shoulders 25 are 
provided in the lid spaced along the recessed periphery thereof as best 
seen in FIG. 2. These shoulders cooperatingly engage recesses 27 in the 
facing side and end walls of the chest to provide a snap-lock retaining 
engagement of the lid on the chest. 
Cooler chests of this nature may be provided in a variety of sizes and 
shapes, all of which provide an interior chamber 28 for receiving an ice 
supply and food which is refrigerated thereby. In use, the lid 22 is 
opened for selective removal of the foods. However, the lid need not be 
opened at any time for the dispensing of liquids. 
Liquid container 30 is removably positionable in the cooler chest 10. In 
the preferred form, the beverage container 30 is designed to provide a 
maximum content volume relative to the amount of space it occupies within 
the cooler chest chamber 28. For example, as best illustrated in FIG. 1, 
the beverage container 30 may be sized and shaped to substantially occupy 
a predetermined amount of space along one end wall, such as 18, within the 
side walls 12 and 14, in the bottom 20 and lid 22 of the chest 10. 
As illustrated, the beverage container 30 comprises two end walls 32 and 
34, which are tapered relative to each other. In the example shown, the 
end wall 32 is substantially vertically planar, while the end wall 34 is 
tapered inwardly from top to bottom. In this manner the slope of the end 
wall 34 of the liquid container matches the slope of the shoulder 90 of 
end wall 18 of the chest. The liquid container also has tapered side walls 
36 and 38, a bottom wall 40 and top wall 42. The top wall 42 of the 
container 30 is provided with an enlarged opening 43 having an appropriate 
closure lid 44. The opening and lid may be in a variety of forms, but is 
sized to provide access means for a person's hand to remove the tap means 
described below. 
Cooler chest 10 main body portion 11 comprises an outer shell 46, an inner 
liner 48, and insulation material 50 disposed therebetween. The bottom 
inner liner portion 51 contains a plurality of ribs 52, 53, etc. on which 
the bottom 40 of the liquid container rests. This provides space 54 that 
permits contact of melting ice water with the container thereby cooling 
it. It also permits draining the interior of the chest. 
A tap means 60 extends through axially aligned holes 62 and 64 in the end 
wall 34 of the liquid container, and end wall 18 of the chest, 
respectively. For increased rigidity, and reduction of the length of the 
tap, the end wall 18 of the chest is recessed at 65 so the outer shell 46 
and inner liner 48, come into mating engagement in the area of the tap, as 
best seen in FIG. 2. The tap illustrated has a push button 66 which 
reciprocatingly opens to the position 67 as seen in phantom in FIG. 2. 
The tap of this example is molded of a plastic material. The tap comprises 
a shank portion 68 which extends through the axially aligned holes 62 and 
64, and includes an inner, extended threaded end portion 69 for the 
reception of a suitable nut 70 within the inner chamber 72 of the liquid 
container 30. The nut 70 cooperates with an annular flange 74 positioned 
against the exterior surface of outer shell 46 in the recessed area 65. 
Fitted around the hole 62 in the inner container 30, is a grommet 75. A 
discharge spout 76 extends outwardly and downwardly of the outer body 
portion 78 of the tap to discharge the contents of the liquid container 30 
into a suitable receptacle upon actuation of the tap valve in a 
conventional manner. 
As best seen in FIG. 2, a gasket such as O-ring 80 is disposed between the 
nut 70 and the grommet 75 for sealing purposes. When the nut is screwed on 
tightly, a tight seal is formed between the parts, with the O-ring and 
grommet being compressively secured between the end wall 34 of the liquid 
container and the double end wall formed by the mating of the outer shell 
46 and inner liner 48 in the recessed area 65. 
The inner liquid container 30 also has a pair of lugs 82 (see FIG. 1) and 
84 (see FIG. 2) disposed on the opposed side walls 36 and 38, respectively 
of the container. These may be integrally molded with the inner container 
walls during the operation of blow-molding the container. 
The inner liner wall 48 contains a pair of tapered shoulders 86 (see Item 
86 in phantom in FIG. 1) and 88 which cooperatingly engage with the lugs 
on the side walls of the liquid container 30. As seen in the Figures, the 
shoulders are tapered outwardly from top to bottom so that upon pressing 
the container downwardly in the chest, these shoulders cooperatingly urge 
the container end wall 34 into contact with the inner liner surface of the 
tapered chest end wall 18. This insures proper tap hole alignment and 
secure confinement of the liquid container, without stress on the tap that 
results in misalignment and leakage. By this cooperating engagement of lug 
with shoulder, the tap does not bear the entire stress of the liquid mass 
within the beverage container 30 as the entire chest and container 
assembly 10 is moved around. As the beverage in the container 30 sloshes 
around on movement, stress can be applied to the tap causing axial 
misalignment and leakage. The provision of the lug and shoulders prevents 
this type of leakage stressing. As can best be seen in FIG. 2, the width 
of the bottom of the container 30 is smaller then the upper portion thus 
mating with the inward taper of the side and end walls of the chest. 
It should be understood that various modifications within the scope of this 
invention can be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without 
departing from the spirit thereof. We therefore wish our invention to be 
defined by the scope of the appended claims as broadly as the prior art 
will permit, and in view of this specification if need be.