Portable Cooler Assembly

A portable cooler assembly includes a cooler that is comprised of a thermally insulating material wherein the cooler is configured to store ice and food items. The cooler has an upper chamber that is fluidly discrete from a lower chamber. The cooler includes a lid and a pair of first latches pivotally coupled to the lid which releasably engages the cooler for retaining the lid in a closed position. A mesh grill is positioned in the upper chamber in the cooler and food items can be placed upon the mesh grill. The mesh grill is spaced upwardly in the upwardly chamber to inhibit the food items from being exposed to water from melted ice. A drawer is slidably integrated into the cooler to contain food items.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to cooler devices and more particularly pertains to a new cooler device for transporting beverage containers and food items that must be kept cool. The device includes a cooler that has an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The device includes a drawer integrated into the upper chamber and a mesh grill that is spaced upwardly from a bottom of the lower chamber. Ice can be positioned beneath the mesh grill and the food items and beverage containers can be placed on the mesh grill to elevate the food items and the beverage containers above water from the melted ice.

The prior art relates to cooler devices including a variety of portable coolers that each has an adjustable partition for dividing an interior of the portable coolers into sections. In one particular instance the prior art discloses a portable cooler that combines adjustable partitions with receptacles integrated into the portable cooler and a lid of the portable cooler for receiving ice packs. In no instance does the prior art disclose a portable cooler that has an upper chamber that is fluidly discrete with a lower chamber, a drawer integrated into the cooler and a mesh grill disposed in the upper chamber for supporting food objects above water from melted ice.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a cooler that is comprised of a thermally insulating material wherein the cooler is configured to store ice and food items. The cooler has an upper chamber that is fluidly discrete from a lower chamber. The cooler includes a lid and a pair of first latches pivotally coupled to the lid which releasably engages the cooler for retaining the lid in a closed position. A mesh grill is positioned in the upper chamber in the cooler and food items can be placed upon the mesh grill. The mesh grill is spaced upwardly in the upwardly chamber to inhibit the food items from being exposed to water from melted ice. A drawer is slidably integrated into the cooler to contain food items.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated inFIGS.1through6, the portable cooler assembly10generally comprises a cooler12that is comprised of a thermally insulating material to store ice14and food items16. Additionally, the cooler12has an upper chamber18that is fluidly discrete from a lower chamber20. The cooler12has a lower wall22and an outer wall24extending upwardly from the lower wall22and the cooler12has a dividing wall26that is spaced from and lies on a plane that is oriented parallel to the lower wall22. The upper chamber18is defined between the dividing wall26and a top edge28of the outer wall24and the lower chamber20is defined between the dividing wall26and the lower wall22. Additionally, a front side30of the outer wall24has an opening32extending into the lower chamber20. The dividing wall26has a lip34extending upwardly from a top surface36of the dividing wall26and the lip34on the dividing wall26extends around a full perimeter of an interior surface38of the outer wall24.

The cooler12includes a lid40that is hingedly coupled to the top edge28of the outer wall24. The top edge28has a recess42extending toward the lower wall22and the recess42is aligned with the interior surface38of the outer wall24. Furthermore, the recess42extends around a full perimeter of the top edge28. The lid40has a lip44extending away from a bottom surface46of the lid40; the lip44on the lid40extends around a full perimeter of the lid40and the lip44on the lid40is offset from an outer surface48of the lid40. The lip44on the lid40fits into the recess42in the top edge28of the outer wall24when the lid40is closed to inhibit thermal communication between an interior of the cooler12and ambient air. A rear side50of the outer surface48of the lid40is hingedly coupled to a rear side52of the top edge28of the outer wall24of the cooler12. The lid40has a pair of cup holders53each recessed into the lid40for holding drinks.

The cooler12has a pair of first engaging elements54each extending away from the front side30of the outer wall24of the cooler12and each of the first engaging elements54is aligned with the top edge28of the outer wall24. Each of the first engaging elements54includes pair of blocks56which are spaced apart from each other and angle toward each other between the top edge28of the outer wall24and a bottom end58of the blocks56. Indicia60are printed on the front side30of the outer surface48of the lid40and the indicia60comprise a graduated scale defining a ruler.

The cooler12has a drain62extending through the outer wall24and the drain62is in fluid communication with the upper chamber18in the cooler12to drain62water from the upper chamber18. The drain62is actuatable between a closed condition and an open condition. The outer wall24of the cooler12has a pair of handle wells64each extending into a respective one of a first lateral side66and a second lateral side68of the outer wall24. The outer wall24of the cooler12has a pair of wheel wells70each recessed into an intersection between the first lateral side66of the outer wall24and a respective one of a rear side72and the front side30of the outer wall24. Continuing, the cooler12has a plurality of ridges74each extending away from the interior surface38of the outer wall24and each of the plurality of ridges74extends substantially between the top edge28of the outer wall24and the dividing wall26.

The plurality of ridges74is arranged into a plurality of pairs of ridges76and respective ones of the ridges74which comprise each of the pairs of ridges76is spaced apart from each other. The plurality of pairs of ridges76is spaced apart from each other and is evenly distributed between the first lateral side66and the second lateral side68of the outer wall24. Furthermore, the plurality of pairs of ridges76includes a set of first ridges78and a set of second ridges80. The set of first ridges78is disposed on the rear side72of the outer wall24and the set of second ridges80is disposed on the front side30of the outer wall24.

A dividing panel82is insertable between respective ones of the set of first ridges78and the second ridges80for dividing the upper chamber18into a first section84and a second section86. The dividing panel82can keep beverage containers88separated from food items16. A cutting board90is integrated into a top surface of the lid40and the cutting board90is comprised of a resilient material to facilitate food to be cut or chopped on the cutting board90.

A pair of first latches92is each pivotally coupled to the lid40and each of the first latches92is disposed on a front side94of the outer surface48of the lid40. Each of the first latches92has a handle96that is distally positioned with respect to a pivot point98of the first latches92and a ball100that is positioned closer to the handle96than the pivot point98. Each of the first latches92is positioned between the pair of blocks56associated with a respective one of the first engaging elements54on the outer wall24of the cooler12when the lid40is closed and when the pair of first latches92is moved into a locking position; the ball100associated with each of the first latches92abuts the bottom end58of the pair of blocks56associated with the respective first engaging element54for retaining the lid40in a closed position. Each of the first latches92is displaced from the pair of blocks56associated with the respective first engaging element54when the first latches92are moved into an unlocked position thereby facilitating the lid40to be opened.

A mesh grill102is positioned in the upper chamber18in the cooler12and the food items16are placed upon the mesh grill102. The mesh grill102is spaced upwardly in the upward chamber18to elevate the food items16thereby inhibiting the food items16from being exposed to water from melted ice14. The mesh grill102lies on the lip34on the dividing wall26such that the mesh grill102is spaced from the dividing wall26to accommodate ice cubes14positioned between the mesh grill102and the dividing wall26. In this way the food items16in the upper chamber18can be kept cold.

A drawer104is slidably integrated into the cooler12and the drawer104can contain food items16. The drawer104is positioned in the lower chamber20when the drawer104is closed and the drawer104slides into the opening32in the front side30of the outer wall24of the cooler12. A front wall106of the drawer104lies on a plane that is coplanar with the front side30of the outer wall24of the cooler12when the drawer104is closed. Additionally, the drawer104is comprised of a thermally insulating material to inhibit thermal communication between the food items16in the drawer104and ambient air when the drawer104is closed. The drawer104has a pair of second engaging elements108each extending away from the front wall106of the drawer104. Each of the second engaging elements108includes a pair of blocks110which are spaced apart from each other and angle toward each other between an upper edge112of the front wall106and a bottom end114of the blocks110associated with the second engaging elements108.

A pair of second latches116is each pivotally coupled to the front side30of the outer wall24of the cooler12. Each of the second latches116has a handle118that is distally positioned with respect to a pivot point120of the second latches116and a ball122that is positioned closer to the handle118than the pivot point120. Each of the second latches116is positioned between the pair of blocks56associated with a respective one of the second engaging elements108on the front wall106of the drawer104when the drawer104is closed and the pair of second latches116is moved into a locking position; the ball122associated with each of the second latches116abuts the bottom end114of the pair of blocks110associated with the respective second engaging element108for retaining the drawer104in a closed position. Conversely, each of the second latches116is displaced from the pair of blocks56associated with the respective second engaging element108when the second latches116are moved into an unlocked position thereby facilitating the drawer104to be opened.

A pair of carrying handles124is each pivotally disposed in a respective one of the handle wells64in the outer wall24of the cooler12and each of the carrying handles124can be gripped for carrying the cooler12. Each of the carrying handles124has a pair of lateral members126each pivotally coupled to the outer wall24of the cooler12and a central member128extending between the pair of lateral members126. The central member128of each of the carrying handles124can be gripped for carrying the cooler12. A pair of rollers130is each rotatably coupled to the cooler12to roll along a support surface132for transporting the cooler12along the support surface132. Each of the rollers130is positioned in a respective one of the wheel wells70in the outer wall24of the cooler12.

A pull handle134is pivotally coupled to the cooler12and the pull handle134can be gripped for rolling the cooler12on the pair of rollers130. The pull handle134has a pair of first members136that each has a first end138which is pivotally attached to the second lateral side68of the outer wall24of the cooler12. Each of the first members136has a first section140which slidably engages a second section142such that each of the first members136has a telescopically adjustable length. The pull handle134has a second member144extending between a second end146of each of the pair of first members136thereby facilitating the second member144to be gripped.

In use, ice14is poured into the upper chamber18such that the ice14is positioned beneath the mesh grill102. The dividing panel82can be placed between selected ridges74for sequestering beverage containers88from food items16or the cooler12can be employed without the dividing panel82. The food items16and the beverage containers88are placed on the mesh grill102thereby inhibiting the food items16and the beverage containers88from coming into contact with water from melted ice14. In this way the food items16are protected from spoiling due to becoming soaked with the water from the melted ice14. The lid40is closed and each of the first latches92is moved into the locking position to keep the lid40closed. Food items16that do not need to be kept cold can be stored in the drawer104and each of the second latches116can be moved into the locking position to keep the drawer104closed. The pull handle134can be gripped to roll the cooler12on the rollers to transport the cooler12or each of the carrying handles124can be gripped to carry the cooler12. The drain62can be opened at any time to drain62water that collects beneath the mesh grill102as the ice14melts.