Collapsible cooler apparatus

A collapsible cooler apparatus includes a floor assembly which includes a quantity of a heat transfer material in a sealed floor module. A plurality of foldable wall assemblies are provided which include a lower wall subassembly, an upper wall subassembly, and an interior hinge connecting the lower wall subassembly to the upper wall subassembly. The lower wall subassemblies include respective quantities of a heat transfer material in respective sealed lower wall modules. The upper wall subassemblies include respective quantities of a heat transfer material in respective upper wall modules. A plurality of peripheral hinges are connected between the floor module and the lower wall subassemblies for securing the lower wall subassemblies to the floor assembly. Flexible corner panels are connected between adjacent foldable wall assemblies. A carry strap assembly which includes a first end is connected to one upper wall subassembly, and a second end of the carry strap assembly is connected to an opposite upper wall subassembly. A lid assembly is adapted to fit onto upper edges of the respective upper wall subassemblies. The lid assembly is adapted to fit onto the long edges of the upper wall subassemblies. A lid hinge is connected between the lid assembly and an upper wall subassembly. The lid assembly includes a handle. The lid assembly includes a quantity of a heat transfer material in a sealed lid module.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to portable coolers that can keep 
food and other perishables cool when away from a power source and, more 
particularly, to a portable cooler that can be collapsed to occupy a 
relatively small volume when the cooler is not in use. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Portable coolers are very useful devices for keeping food and other 
perishables cool when away from a source of electrical power. Often 
coolers are rigid structures that occupy substantially the same volume of 
space whether the cooler is in use or empty. For practical storage 
purposes, it would be desirable if a portable cooler would occupy less 
space when not in use than when actually in use. 
The cooling medium often used for portable coolers is ice. A problem, 
however, associated with the use of ice is the liquid water that results 
from melted ice. The liquid water can penetrate into food containers if 
they are not provided with a water-fight seal, and very often they are not 
provided with such a seal. In this respect, it would be desirable if a 
portable cooler were provided with means for cooling stored items without 
using ice. 
As an alternative to the use of ice for cooling in portable coolers, sealed 
modules containing special heat-transfer materials have been developed. 
Such heat-transfer materials include mixtures of glycols and water. Such 
glycol mixtures are referred the use of conventional water ice, it would 
be desired if a portable cooler employed sealed modules containing blue 
ice or the like. 
Sealed modules containing blue ice are often placed in a home freezer 
compartment for a period of time, e.g. overnight, to allow the blue ice to 
freeze. A home freezer compartment is often used for a variety of 
purposes, and space therein is often very crowded. Thus, it would be 
desirable if a sealed module containing blue ice occupied a relatively 
small space in a freezer compartment. 
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating 
to portable coolers and collapsible containers, and the following U.S. 
patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 
2,519,960; 3,262,283; 5,035,122; 5,076,711; and 5,231,850. More 
specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 2,519,960 discloses a frozen food package in 
which blue ice is not employed. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,283 discloses a portable cooler that collapses for 
storage and that includes hollow walls in which a temperature modification 
medium is contained. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,283 discloses 
a non-folding floor, four walls, and a lid. The four walls are non-folding 
along the respective interior wall surfaces defined by the respective 
perimeters of the respective four walls. The non-folding walls are 
connected by hinges to the non-folding floor. Because of the non-folding 
nature of the four walls, when the device in U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,283 is 
collapsed for placement in a freezer, edges of the non-folding walls, 
which are adjacent to each other when the portable cooler is in a storage 
mode, are moved apart from one another, and the four non-folding walls are 
placed in the plane of the floor in the collapsed mode. To return the 
portable cooler to a storage mode, the four non-folding walls are lifted 
out of the plane of the floor of the device, and the edges of the four 
walls are placed adjacent to one another. A significant disadvantage in 
using the portable cooler in U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,283 is the need to 
essentially disassemble the device to collapse the device for placement in 
a freezer and the need to essentially reassemble the device for placement 
in the storage mode. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,122 discloses a portable cooler that includes 
non-folding walls which include a freezable gel within wall interiors. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,711 discloses a collapsible, two-walled container for 
holding fish and ice. The walls of the container, though flexible, are not 
disclosed as folding along the respective interior wall surfaces defined 
by the respective perimeters of the respective walls. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,850 discloses a portable cooler that includes 
non-folding walls which include a refrigerant within wall interiors of the 
cooler. 
Still other features would be desirable in a collapsible cooler apparatus. 
As mentioned above, it would be desirable to be able to interconvert a 
portable cooler from a collapsed mode to a storage mode without 
concomitant disassembly and reassembly. As a corollary, it would be 
desirable to be able to convert a portable cooler from a collapsed mode to 
a storage mode with a simple, one-handed pulling motion. In addition, it 
would be desirable to convert a portable cooler from a storage mode to a 
collapsed mode with a simple, one-handed pushing motion. 
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known 
to use portable coolers which collapse for storage, the prior art 
described above does not teach or suggest a collapsible cooler apparatus 
which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) occupies 
less space when not in use than when actually in use; (2) provides means 
for cooling stored items without using water ice; (3) employs sealed 
modules containing blue ice or the like; (4) provides sealed module 
containing blue ice which occupy a relatively small space in a freezer 
compartment; (5) avoids the need to essentially disassemble a device to 
collapse the device for placement in a freezer and avoids the need to 
essentially reassemble the device for placement in a storage mode; (6) 
enables conversion of a portable cooler from a collapsed mode to a storage 
mode with a simple, one-handed pulling motion; and (7) enables conversion 
of a portable cooler from a storage mode to a collapsed mode with a 
simple, one-handed pushing motion. The foregoing desired characteristics 
are provided by the unique collapsible cooler apparatus of the present 
invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. 
Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be 
rendered evident. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
To achieve the foregoing and other advantages, the present invention, 
briefly described, provides a collapsible cooler apparatus which includes 
a floor assembly which includes a quantity of a heat transfer material in 
a sealed floor module. A plurality of foldable wall assemblies are 
provided which include a lower wall subassembly, an upper wall 
subassembly, and an interior hinge connecting the lower wall subassembly 
to the upper wall subassembly. The lower wall subassemblies include 
respective quantifies of a heat transfer material in respective scaled 
lower wall modules. The upper wall subassemblies include respective 
quantities of a heat transfer material in respective upper wall modules. A 
plurality of peripheral hinges arc connected between the floor module and 
the lower wall subassemblies for securing the lower wall subassemblies to 
the floor assembly. Flexible corner panels arc connected between adjacent 
foldable wall assemblies. A carry strap assembly which includes a first 
end is connected to one upper wall subassembly, and a second end of the 
carry strap assembly is connected to an opposite upper wall subassembly. 
A lid assembly is adapted to fit onto upper edges of the respective upper 
wall subassemblies. The lid assembly is adapted to fit onto the long edges 
of the upper wall subassemblies. A lid hinge is connected between the lid 
assembly and an upper wall subassembly. The lid assembly includes a 
handle. The lid assembly includes a quantity of a heat transfer material 
in a sealed lid module. 
Preferably, the lower wall subassemblies are trapezoidal shaped and include 
a long edge and a short edge. The upper wall subassemblies are trapezoidal 
shaped and also include a long edge and a short edge. The long edges of 
the lower wall subassemblies are connected to the floor assembly. The 
short edges of the upper wall subassemblies are connected to the short 
edges of the lower wall subassemblies. 
The above brief description sets forth rather broadly the more important 
features of the present invention in order that the detailed description 
thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the 
present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of 
course, additional features of the invention that will be described 
hereinafter and which will be for the subject matter of the claims 
appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining a preferred embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of the construction and to the arrangements of 
the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in 
the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood, 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for 
designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus which has all of the advantages of 
the prior art and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
collapsible cooler apparatus which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus which is of durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost 
of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which 
accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming 
public, thereby making such collapsible cooler apparatus available to the 
buying public. 
Still yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus which occupies less space when not 
in use than when actually in use. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus that provides means for cooling 
stored items without using water ice. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus which employs sealed modules 
containing blue ice or the like. 
Even another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus that provides sealed module 
containing blue ice which occupy a relatively small space in a freezer 
compartment. 
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus which avoids the need to essentially 
disassemble a device to collapse the device for placement in a freezer and 
avoids the need to essentially reassemble the device for placement in a 
storage mode. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus that enables conversion of a 
portable cooler from a collapsed mode to a storage mode with a simple, 
one-handed pulling motion. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved collapsible cooler apparatus which enables conversion of a 
portable cooler from a storage mode to a collapsed mode with a simple, 
one-handed pushing motion. 
These together with still other objects of the invention, along with the 
various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed 
out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference to the drawings, a new and improved collapsible cooler 
apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention 
will be described. 
Turning to FIGS. 1-6, there is shown an exemplary embodiment of the 
collapsible cooler apparatus of the invention generally designated by 
reference numeral 10. In its preferred form, collapsible cooler apparatus 
10 includes a floor assembly 12 which includes a quantity of a heat 
transfer material in a sealed floor module 14. A plurality of foldable 
wall assemblies 16 are provided which include a lower wall subassembly 22, 
an upper wall subassembly 24, and an interior hinge 26 connecting the 
lower wall subassembly 22 to the upper wall subassembly 24. The lower wall 
subassemblies 22 include respective quantities of a heat transfer material 
in respective sealed lower wall modules 18. The upper wall subassemblies 
24 include respective quantities of a heat transfer material in respective 
upper wall modules 19. A plurality of peripheral hinges 20 are connected 
between the floor module 14 and the lower wall subassemblies 22 for 
securing the lower wall subassemblies 22 to the floor assembly 12. 
Flexible corner panels 28 are connected between adjacent foldable wall 
assemblies 16. A carry strap assembly 30 which includes a first end 32 is 
connected to one upper wall subassembly 24, and a second end 34 of the 
carry strap assembly 30 is connected to an opposite upper wall subassembly 
24. 
When the collapsible cooler apparatus 10 of the invention is in a 
completely collapsed mode, as shown in FIG. 4, the collapsible cooler 
apparatus 10 is moved to a partially collapsed mode, as shown in FIG. 3, 
and to a fully expanded storage mode as shown in FIG. 1 by a person 
pulling up with one hand on the carry strap assembly 30. 
A lid assembly 40 is adapted to fit onto upper edges of the respective 
upper wall subassemblies 24. The lid assembly 40 is adapted to fit onto 
the long edges 50 of the upper wall subassemblies 24. A lid hinge 41 is 
connected between the lid assembly 40 and an upper wall subassembly 24. 
The lid assembly 40 includes a handle 42. The lid assembly 40 includes a 
quantity of a heat transfer material in a sealed lid module 44. 
To reverse the collapsible cooler apparatus 10 of the invention back to the 
fully collapsed mode, with all items removed from the collapsible cooler 
apparatus 10, the person simply presses down with one hand on the lid 
assembly 40. 
Preferably, the lower wall subassemblies 22 are trapezoidal shaped and 
include a long edge 46 and a short edge 48. The upper wall subassemblies 
24 are trapezoidal shaped and also include a long edge 50 and a short edge 
52. The long edges 46 of the lower wall subassemblies 22 are connected to 
the floor assembly 12. The short edges 52 of the upper wall subassemblies 
24 are connected to the short edges 48 of the lower wall subassemblies 22. 
The heat transfer material can be selected from a variety of materials 
which include, for example, blue ice, mixtures of glycol and water, and 
the heat transfer materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,262,283, 
5,035,122, and 5,231,850, discussed hereinabove and incorporated herein by 
reference. 
The hinges used for connecting the lower wall subassemblies 22 to the floor 
assembly 12, the upper wall subassemblies 24 to the lower wall 
subassemblies 22, and the lid assembly 40 to an upper wall subassembly 24 
can be made from thin sheets of flexible plastic such as commonly employed 
in a "living hinge". The floor assembly 12 and the foldable wall 
assemblies 16 can be covered with plastic sheet material such as vinyl 
plastic. If desired, a zipper can be provided for connecting the lid 
assembly 40 to upper wall subassemblies 24. In addition, the corner panels 
28 can be made from flexible vinyl plastic materials. In selecting hinge 
materials for various embodiments of the collapsible cooler apparatus 10 
of the invention, it is important to keep in mind that the hinge should 
operate effectively at very cold temperatures. If desired, mechanical 
hinges, such as those including a hinge pin, can be employed instead of 
flexible plastic materials. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
is apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly, no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation need be provided. 
It is apparent from the above that the present invention accomplishes all 
of the objects set forth by providing a new and improved collapsible 
cooler apparatus that is low in cost, relatively simple in design and 
operation, and which may advantageously be used to occupy less space when 
not in use than when actually in use. With the invention, a collapsible 
cooler apparatus provides means for cooling stored items without using 
water ice. With the invention, a collapsible cooler apparatus is provided 
which employs sealed modules containing blue ice or the like. With the 
invention, a collapsible cooler apparatus provides sealed module 
containing blue ice which occupy a relatively small space in a freezer 
compartment. With the invention, a collapsible cooler apparatus is 
provided which avoids the need to essentially disassemble a device to 
collapse the device for placement in a freezer and avoids the need to 
essentially reassemble the device for placement in a storage mode. With 
the invention, a collapsible cooler apparatus is provided which enables 
conversion of a portable cooler from a collapsed mode to a storage mode 
with a simple, one-handed pulling motion. With the invention, a 
collapsible cooler apparatus is provided which enables conversion of a 
portable cooler from a storage mode to a collapsed mode with a simple, 
one-handed pushing motion. 
Thus, while the present invention has been shown in the drawings and fully 
described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is 
presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment(s) of 
the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art 
that many modifications thereof may be made without departing from the 
principles and concepts set forth herein, including, but not limited to, 
variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use. 
Hence, the proper scope of the present invention should be determined only 
by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as encompass all 
such modifications as well as all relationships equivalent to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification. 
Finally, it will be appreciated that the purpose of the foregoing Abstract 
provided at the beginning of this specification is to enable the U.S. 
Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. Accordingly, the Abstract is neither intended to define 
the invention or the application, which only is measured by the claims, 
nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any 
way.