Abstract:
A portable cooler including a sealable outer container, and a sealable inner container situated within the outer container. A first thermoelectric cooling device having a cooling panel and a heating panel is mounted on the wall of the outer container such that the cooling panel faces the interior of the sealable outer container and the heating panel faces outside of said sealable outer container. A second thermoelectric cooling device, also having a cooling panel and a heating panel, is mounted on the wall of the internal container such that the cooling panel faces the interior of the inner container and the heating panel faces outside of the sealable inner container into the interior of said sealable outer container.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to the field of portable coolers. More specifically, the present invention comprises a portable cooler with an integrated internal ice maker. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Portable coolers have been widely used for transporting cold storage items—such as food and drinks—from one location to another for many years. Conventionally, a portable cooler is loaded with cold storage items along with a cooling medium—such as ice or frozen gel packages—to keep the inside of the cooler cold. Assuming the cooler remains closed and a sufficient amount of cooling medium is used, the cold storage items will remain at near freezing temperatures for a couple of days. However, it is not uncommon for the contents of the container to be accessed periodically over time as the contents are consumed. This repeated opening of the container allows ambient heat to enter the portable container and expedites the depletion of the cooling medium. 
         [0005]    More recently, electrically-powered cooling elements have been employed in portable coolers to transfer heat out of the cooler. These devices are often configured to be powered by a 12 volt DC power source, such as a cigarette lighter of an automobile. Despite the existence of such powered transportable coolers, there remains a need for a portable cooler that is able to store cold storage items and make and store ice. While these cooling elements work well for keeping the cooler at near-freezing temperatures these cooling elements are not efficient enough to freeze ice. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a portable cooler that is capable of making ice and is small enough to be easily transported in a vehicle. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention comprises a portable cooler including a sealable outer container, and a sealable inner container situated within the outer container. A first thermoelectric cooling device having a cooling panel and a heating panel is mounted on the wall of the outer container such that the cooling panel faces the interior of the sealable outer container and the heating panel is located on the outside of the sealable outer container. A second thermoelectric cooling device, also having a cooling panel and a heating panel, is mounted on the wall of the internal container such that the cooling panel faces the interior of the inner container and the heating panel is located outside of the sealable inner container but inside the sealable outer container. 
         [0007]    With the thermoelectric cooling devices placed in this arrangement, the inner container can be made cold enough to freeze ice. As such, an ice maker may be placed in the inner container to provide the user with a constant supply of ice. The interior of the outer container is maintained at a temperature sufficient for the storage of drinks and food items. An integrated electrical control system is provided to distribute power to the thermoelectric cooling devices and operate the internal ice maker. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, showing the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a section view, showing the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a section view, showing an internal ice maker and storage container. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a section view, showing an internal ice maker and storage container. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view, showing an internal ice maker and storage container. 
           [0000]    
         
           
                 
               
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   REFERENCE NUMERALS IN THE DRAWINGS 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                     
                   10 
                   portable cooler 
                   12 
                   internal container 
                 
                 
                     
                   14 
                   Peltier panel 
                   16 
                   Peltier panel 
                 
                 
                     
                   18 
                   control module 
                   20 
                   top 
                 
                 
                     
                   22 
                   hinges 
                   24 
                   insulated wall 
                 
                 
                     
                   26 
                   insulated wall 
                   28 
                   top 
                 
                 
                     
                   30 
                   hinges 
                   32 
                   tab 
                 
                 
                     
                   34 
                   power cord 
                   36 
                   connector 
                 
                 
                     
                   38 
                   heating plate 
                   40 
                   cooling plate 
                 
                 
                     
                   42 
                   heating plate 
                   44 
                   cooling plate 
                 
                 
                     
                   46 
                   ice 
                   48 
                   tip 
                 
                 
                     
                   50 
                   conduit 
                   52 
                   pivot joint 
                 
                 
                     
                   54 
                   motor 
                   56 
                   drain 
                 
                 
                     
                   58 
                   tube 
                   60 
                   reservoir 
                 
                 
                     
                   62 
                   pump 
                   64 
                   storage zone 
                 
                 
                     
                   66 
                   port 
                   68 
                   ice maker 
                 
                 
                     
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The present invention, portable cooler  10 , is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Portable cooler  10  has much in common with a conventional “ice chest” type cooler. Portable cooler  10  is shaped as a rectangular box with sealable top  20 . It is preferred that portable cooler  10  be manufactured in the size range of conventional ice chest type coolers, so that portable cooler  10  may be transported in the trunk of a car. 
         [0014]    Sealable top  20  is attached to the bottom portion of portable cooler  10  with hinges  22 . Top  22  forms an air-tight seal with the bottom portion of the box when top  22  is closed. The bottom portion of portable cooler  10  is bounded by insulated walls, including insulated walls  26  and  24 , and an insulated base. 
         [0015]    Portable cooler  10  also has an integrated internal container  12  for making and storing ice. Like portable cooler  10 , internal container  12  in insulated with a sealable top  28 . Top  28  is attached to the insulated bottom portion of internal container  12  with hinges  30 . Tab  32  is provided on top  28  to facilitate opening of top  28 . 
         [0016]    Internal container  12  and the outer container of portable cooler  10  each have a Peltier panel (Peltier panels  14  and  16 , respectively) for rejecting heat out of the inside of the containers. Peltier panels  14  and  16  are thermoelectric devices which use the Peltier effect to create a temperature difference, ΔT, from an electric voltage. Commercially available Peltier panels are capable of creating a ΔT of approximately 40° F. from one side of the panel to the other. Thus, Peltier panel  16  functions to reject heat out of portable cooler  10  and thus cool the inside of portable cooler  10 . Peltier panel  14  rejects heat out of internal container  12  into the inside of portable cooler  10  and cools the inside of internal container  12 . 
         [0017]    Control module  18  is provided for controlling the many electronic elements of the present invention including Peltier panels  14  and  16  and the ice maker. Power cord  34  and connector  36  are provided so that portable cooler  10  may be powered by a 12 VDC source, such as 12 VDC electrical outlet in an automobile. 
         [0018]    A section view is provided in  FIG. 2  to illustrate the internal components of the present invention. Peltier panel  14  has cooling plate  44  facing the inside of internal container  12  and heating plate  42  facing the inside of portable cooler  10 . Commercially-available Peltier panels have two ceramic plates with an array of small BismuthTelluride cubes (“couples”) in between. The polarity of the DC current supplied to the panel determines the direction of heat transfer. 
         [0019]    When powered, Peltier panel  14  transfers heat out of internal container  12  (cooling plate  44  lowers the temperature of the inside of internal container  12 , and heating plate  42  heats the inside of portable cooler  10 ). Peltier panel  16  has cooling plate  40  facing the inside of the container and heating plate  38  facing the outside of portable cooler  10 . When powered, cooling plate  40  lowers the temperature inside portable cooler  10 , and heating plate  38  rejects heat outside of portable cooler  10 . 
         [0020]    It should be noted that the Peltier panels shown in the drawing views are merely representative of the type of thermoelectric devices that may be used in accordance with the present invention. Fans or other active devices may be employed with thermoelectric elements for improved efficiency. In addition, the heating and cooling plates of the Peltier panels may be ribbed or louvered to increase the surface area of heat transfer. 
         [0021]    Although a single Peltier panel is illustrated on each container, it may be desirable to employ multiple Peltier panels on either or both internal container  12  and/or portable cooler  10 . Also, Peltier panel  16  must be capable of removing the heat generated by Peltier panel  14  from portable cooler  10  while providing portable cooler  10  with a sufficiently cool internal temperature to store perishable food items and keep beverages cold. 
         [0022]    A detailed illustration of the internal container is provided in  FIG. 3 . Reservoir  60  is provided in the bottom of the internal container to hold a supply of water for the ice maker. Tube  58  extends to the bottom of reservoir  60  and is fluidly connected with pump  62 . Pump  62  draws water through tube  58  and into conduit  50 . The water passes through conduit  50  out tip  48  where it begins to freeze next to cooling plate  42  as ice  46 . Once ice  46  has formed on tip  48 , the control module actuates motor  54  to dump ice  46 . 
         [0023]    Turning to  FIG. 4 , the reader will note that ice  46  is ejected through port  66  of ice maker  68  into storage zone  64 . Weight sensors or timing circuits may be used to coordinate the freezing operations with the delivery of ice particles into storage zone  64 . A pressure pulse of water may also be expelled by pump  62  when motor  54  causes conduit  50  to pivot about pivot joint  52 . The pressure pulse of water helps separate ice  46  from tip  58  of conduit  50 . Alternatively, an electric current may be supplied to conduit  50  the heat the tip of conduit  50  and loosen the ice. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the motor is then actuated again to return conduits  50  to their original position. 
         [0024]    Turning back to  FIG. 3 , drain  56  is provided in the bottom of the storage zone, so that water melting off of the ice can return to reservoir  60 . Drain  56  also provides a port for filling reservoir  60 . Level sensors may be employed in reservoir  60  to shut off the ice maker when reservoir  60  is empty. The level sensors may also be integrated with a warning LED (possibly mounted on the outside of portable cooler  10 ) to inform the user when more water needs to be added to the reservoir. 
         [0025]    Other features may be added to the illustrated embodiment to improve the functionality of the present invention. For example, the portable cooler can be powered with solar panels. The solar panels may be incorporated into the lid or may be a free-standing separate component that is wired to the cooler. An integrated charge controller and battery bank may be used to store the harvested solar power. 
         [0026]    Also, top  20  may be replaced with a lid having multiple hatches, allowing the user to open a desired portion of the lid. Such a design would limit the amount of ambient heat that enters the portable cooler when the lid is opened, thereby reducing the demand on the Peltier panels. 
         [0027]    In addition, control module  18  may include one or more switches which the user can actuate to control the polarity of the current sent to one or both Peltier panels. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of three-position switches are employed—one switch for controlling Peltier panel  14  and a second switch for controlling Peltier panel  16 . These switches can be mounted to the inside or outside of the cooler. In the switch&#39;s first position, the switch sets the polarity such that the Peltier panel can be used for cooling the inside of the container. When both switches are set to this position, the cooler operates as described previously (i.e. Peltier panel  14  transfers heat out of the cooler and Peltier panel  16  transfers heat out of the internal container). In the switch&#39;s second position, the switch decouples the power from the Peltier panel so that it is inactive. The user may wish to set the switch for Peltier panel  14  to this position when the user does not require the use the ice maker. In the switch&#39;s third position, the switch reverses the polarity from the first position such that the Peltier panel can be used to heat the inside of the container. Using the third position, the user can use the “cooler” to keep food warm. 
         [0028]    The preceding description contains significant detail regarding the novel aspects of the present invention. It should not be construed, however, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention. For example, ice maker  68  is merely representative of one type of ice maker that can be used in accordance with the present invention. Many other ice maker designs may be used. Such a variation would not alter the function of the invention. The preceding descriptions should not be construed, therefore, as limiting the scope of the invention but rather as providing illustrations of the preferred embodiments of the invention.