Abstract:
A Cooler Seat is disclosed. The seat has a seat back assembly and seat bottom assembly that provide comfortable seating and are collapsibly attached to a cooler container. The seat further includes a retractable awning for sun and rain protection. The seat bottom assembly further includes retractable footrests and clips for attaching to the tailgate of the conventional pickup truck. The seat is also configured to unfold and fit in the open end of a conventional pickup truck bed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to tamper-proof seals for containers and, more specifically, to a Cooler Seat. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   Several seating assemblies for the tailgates of pickup trucks have been available in the past. One such device is the “Pick-up Truck Tailgate Seating and Entertainment System” of Reitzloff et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,346. The Reitzloff system is a folding seatback that is mountable at the tailgate opening of a pickup bed. There is a cooperating series of seat cushions and drink holders mounted to the top surface of the tail gate itself, such that when the tailgate is lowered, a cushioned seat bottom is formed by the tailgate with the seatback being the Reitzloff device. The device further has a sound entertainment system built into it as well as an umbrella stand for attaching a sun shade thereto. 
   Another related device is the “Multi-functional Tailgate For Truck-like Vehicles” of Everett, U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,391. The Everett device is a “tailgate assembly” which consists of a pair of foldable seats that attaches or is incorporated into the tailgate of the pickup truck. The Everett foldable seats collapse into a flat condensed package and have a drink rest in between the pair. Each or both of the seats is exchangeable with a “table module,” which is a folding table. 
   Munguia, U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,504 and Edwards, U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,676 both disclose tailgate-mountable seating assemblies. The Munguia device has seats that actually swivel. The Edwards device is attachable to the tailgate of the pickup truck only through the use of a pair of “attachment projections” that permits the seats to be easily attached to and detached from a truck bed. 
   None of these prior truck bed seats discloses a device that truly meets all of the needs of the traveling sportsman. In particular, they fail to address the need for refrigerated storage. Furthermore, there is only limited provision for protection from the sun and rain. Still further, the devices are fairly limited in their application—they are designed specifically for vehicle tailgates, and are not well suited for other applications. 
   There is a device that touts itself as a “Cooler and Seat System;” it is found in O&#39;Quinn et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,844. The O&#39;Quinn device is essentially, a conventional cooler having a second lid atop the lid that encloses the cooler chamber. If the second lid is lifted, a seat is formed between the underside of the second lid and the top of the first (cooler-chamber-enclosing) lid. The O&#39;Quinn device addresses the need for portable refrigeration and seating, but does not attach securely to a tailgate, nor does it provide any other utility for sportsmen. 
   What is needed is a seat assembly for attaching to the bed of a pickup truck that incorporates seating, refrigerated storage, protection from the sun and rain, as well as attachments and receptacles to aid the sportsman. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Cooler Seat. The seat should have a seat back assembly and seat bottom assembly that provides comfortable seating and are collapsibly attached to a cooler container. The seat should further include a retractable awning for sun and rain protection. The seat bottom assembly should further include retractable footrests and clips for attaching to the tailgate of the conventional pickup truck. The seat should be configured to unfold and fit in the open end of a conventional pickup truck bed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which: 
       FIG. 1  perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the cooler seat of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred cooler assembly of the seat of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a preferred seat assembly of the cooler seat of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the cooler seat of  FIGS. 1–3 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the cooler seat of  FIGS. 1–4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide a Cooler Seat. 
   The present invention can best be understood by initial consideration of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the cooler seat  10  of the present invention. The seat  10  is a portable assembly that comprises a cooler assembly  13  and a seat assembly  18 . The cooler assembly  13  comprises, in part, a cooler container  12  having a lid  30  and a pair of handles  32  (one side depicted here). Shown here in its retracted position, is an awning  26 . The awning  26  is formed from flexible material that is an effective sun screen; if desired, water-proof material might also be used. The cooler container  12  itself is constructed in well-known ways of prior coolers, such as from blow-molded plastic in order to provide a durable, insulated container. 
   The seat assembly  18  comprises two main subassemblies, the seat back assembly  14  and the seat bottom assembly  16 . The seat back assembly  14  and seat bottom assembly  16  are attached to one another by a conventional means for permitting angular rotation between the two, such as the hinge  38  shown. The seat bottom assembly, more fully described below in connection with other drawing figures, has a pair of foot rests  22  retractably extending from its front face. The seat back assembly  14  also has a pair of removable cushions cooperatively aligned with those of the seat bottom assembly  16  in order to provide a pair of comfortable seats. 
   The seat assembly  13  is hingeably attached to the cooler assembly  13 ; the seat back assembly  14  can be reclined somewhat in order to provide a more comfortable seating position. Once pulled into the reclined position, the seat back assembly  14  is fixed in this position by a pair of struts  24  extending between the seat back assembly  14  and the cooler assembly  13 . Now turning to  FIG. 2 , we can examine the invention in more detail. 
     FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a preferred cooler assembly  13  of the seat of  FIG. 1 . The assembly  13  comprises a cooler container  12 , which is generally rectangular in shape in this embodiment, and defines an outer surface and an inner chamber  28 . The walls of the cooler container  12  are insulated in order to provide superior storage for refrigerated beverages, food and other items. A lid  30  is hingeably or detachably attached to the cooler container  12  in order to enclose the chamber  28 . 
   Behind the lid  30  is the awning assembly  27 , which comprises an awning  26  made from sun- and/or water-resistant material. The awning  26  rolls onto and unrolls from a rotatable spool  29 . The spool  29  spans between a pair of retractable posts  34 A and  34 B adjacent to each corner of the container  12 . At the distal edge of the awning  26  is a edge rod  36  for keeping the awning flat and taut when it is extended. The edge rod  36  is held out in its position by a pair of side braces  31 A and  31 B (not shown). When transporting or storing the seat, the awning assembly  27  can be collapsed by folding the side braces  31 , rolling the awning  26  onto the spool  29 , and then retracting the posts  34  into the container  12 . The result will position the spooled awning  26  flat against the top of the cooler container  12 , adjacent to the lid  30 . 
   Although not depicted here, the cooler container  12  further includes at least one drain to empty unwanted liquid from the cooler. Furthermore, in other embodiments, the awning assembly  27  may be replaced with a simple umbrella, the pole of which is placed into a suitable aperture formed in the seat bottom assembly (see  FIG. 1 ). Turning to  FIG. 3 , we can now take a look at the seat assembly of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a preferred seat assembly  18  of the cooler seat of  FIG. 1 . The seat assembly  18 , as discussed above, has two sub-assemblies—the seat back assembly  14  and the seat bottom assembly  16 . The seat back assembly  14  is defined by a back chamber  40 , which is a container for storing additional (non-refrigerated) items, and a pair of removable cushions  20 . The cushions  20  are attached to the lid  15  of the chamber  40 ; the chamber  40  is accessed by opening the lid  15 . The seat back assembly  14  is attached to the seat bottom assembly  16  by a hinge  38  or other connecting apparatus that permits angular motion between the two assemblies  14  and  16 . 
   The seat bottom assembly  16  is defined by a bottom chamber  42 , provided for still more non-refrigerated item storage, and another pair of removable cushions  20 ; the cushions  20  are attachable to the lid  17  of the bottom chamber  42 . When the cushions  20  are removed from either the seat back or seat bottom, the lids  15  and  17  can be used as tables or cutting boards. Also found in or extending from the seat bottom assembly  16  are a pair of drink receptacles  44  for holding beverage containers and preventing them from tipping. Adjacent to the drink receptacles  44  are two or more pole receptacles  46 , which are essentially tubes recessed into the lid  17  of the bottom chamber  42 . The pole receptacles  46  are each provided to hold the handle of a fishing pole; this permits the sportsman to recline comfortably while fishing without the need to hold onto the pole. 
   The seat bottom assembly  16  is further defined by a pair of foot rests  22 A and  22 B retractably extendable therefrom. In this view, the foot rests  22  are in their retracted position; when desired, the can be extended outwardly and downwardly from the seat bottom assembly  16  to provide a resting place for the sportsman&#39;s feet when the cooler seat is mounted to the tailgate of the truck or other vehicle. Additional details regarding the present invention can be examined by review of  FIG. 4 . 
     FIG. 4  is a side view of the cooler seat  10  of  FIGS. 1–3 . In this side view, the seat  10  has been folded into itself in order to provide the most consolidated, compacted package. The seat  10  is most easily transported to and from the vehicle when in this folded position. As shown, the seat bottom assembly  16  folds against the seat back assembly  14 . The cushions (not shown) can be removed and placed into the bottom chamber and back chamber, if desired. The struts are removed so that the seat back assembly  14  can be folded flat against the front wall of the cooler assembly  13 . Furthermore, the awning assembly has been placed in its retracted position, with the awning rolled up on the spool and the poles retracted into the cooler container. Since the lid  30  is not obstructed by the seating assemblies or the awning assembly  27 , it provides easy access into the cooler container for the placement of removal of refrigerated products therein or therefrom. 
   Another element depicted here is the tailgate clip  48 . The tailgate clips  48  are durable arms extending from the bottom surface of the seat bottom assembly  16 . The clips  48  are configured to slip over the end of a conventional pickup truck tailgate. When the tailgate is opened, and the seat  10  is placed in its open position (e.g.  FIG. 1 ), the clips  48  can be slid over the end of the opened tailgate in order to retain the seat  10  in position when it is in use. The clips  48  comprise the following elements: a first portion extending from the bottom surface of the seat bottom assembly, a curved portion, and terminating in a substantially straight distal portion.  FIG. 5  depicts these clips  48  from another perspective. 
     FIG. 5  is a front view of the cooler seat  10  of  FIGS. 1–4 . As shown, the is embodiment includes two tailgate clips  48 A and  48 B, dispersed evenly along the width of the seat bottom assembly  16 ; this will provide substantial stability when the clips  48  are engaged to a tailgate. In other versions, either fewer or more clips  48  might be employed, depending upon the particular design of the clips  48  themselves. 
   The clips  48  are preferably coated with a rubberized protective coating in order to prevent damage to the painted surface of the tailgate. Furthermore, the clips  48  or cooler seat may be provided with cables, hasps, or other structure to lock the cooler seat to the vehicle. 
   Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.