Abstract:
A chest cooler accessory for maintaining food items above a level of ice and water within the chest cooler that includes a rectangular elastic net that is maintained around three sides to the undersurface of the chest cooler lid to be open along the rectangular elastic net side that is adjacent to the lid latching side to allow food items to be passed into the rectangular elastic net that flexes to support which items above the water and ice level during transport, and which rectangular elastic net attachment to the lid undersurface is with fasteners that do not effect the lid internal integrity, and said rectangular elastic net is arranged to have a splash guard mounted thereto to block passage of water therethrough.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Continuation in Part Application of application Ser. No. 14/939,947, for a “CHEST COOLER ACCESSORY” filed Nov. 12, 2015, that is abandoned with the entry of this Continuation in Part application. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention relates to accessory items for inclusion with portable ice chest coolers as a person will carry with them in the wilderness, to a sporting event, or in a vehicle, where ice is poured into the cooler to keep items, such as drinks, cold and to chill food items, such as sandwiches, cheese, and the like. With the accessory item for maintaining such food items above the ice and water level, protecting them from water contamination. 
         [0004]    Prior Art 
         [0005]    Heretofore, where an owner has wished to carry both drinks and food items in their ice chest for a distance, or over time, they have attempted to separate such food items as by placing non-food items, such as trays, dishes or the like above the ice level with such food items there above, or have packed the food items in separate containers, or the like. In practice, where the chest has been exposed to movement during travel, as the ice melts, water has sloshed over the food items, making them undesirable for consumption. The invention, to protect such food items, employs an elastic net arrangement that is fixed to the undersurface of the ice chest lid, apart from the level of ice and water within the chest, for carrying the perishable food items above and away from the melting ice while still keeping those food items cool and dry. Additionally, recognizing that the ice chest, in a normal course of use, could fall onto its side or be dropped and cause water to splash onto the elastic net and onto the food items therein, the invention further includes a splash guard that is easily releasably installed to cover over the elastic net as a barrier to water reaching the food items. Which splash guard, by utilizing attachment points that are at spaced internals around the splash guard perimeter, such that, any water as reaches the food items, such water will travel out from between which attachment points and back into the water and ice mixture when the ice chest is righted. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an elastic net for mounting to the undersurface of a conventional ice chest cooler to maintain food items above the level of ice and water within the chest during transport and over time. 
         [0007]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an elastic net arrangement mounted on three sides to the ice chest lid undersurface that has spaced holes formed therethrough to receive push to lock fasteners that are fitted through the elastic net and are press fitted into the holes formed in the undersurface of an ice chest cooler lid, securing the elastic net thereto, above a level of ice and water within the chest, for receiving food items passed across the open elastic net side and holding such food items above and out of the ice and water. 
         [0008]    Still another object of the present invention is to provide an elastic net arrangement that is easily and permanently mounted to an undersurface of an ice chest cooler lid to receive and protect food items fitted therein from water damage during movement of the ice chest, where the installation of the elastic net will not effect the insulating characteristics of the chest lid. 
         [0009]    The invention is an accessory item for a conventional ice chest cooler that is in an elastic net arranged for mounting to an undersurface of the chest lid and, ay include a flexible strap frame connected to three sides of the elastic net, where the elastic net receives press to lock fasteners installed at intervals around three sides of the elastic nets that are push fitted into holes formed through the chest lid undersurface to lock within the lid ,with the unconnected side of the elastic net, adjacent to the lid latch edge, is left open to receive food items fitted there across and held place by the net, maintain the food items above a level of ice and water in the cooler. Additionally, the invention preferably includes a a splash guard for release able attachment across the elastic net to protect the food items from water contamination should the chest cooler be tipped and the water and ice therein splash into the elastic net, which splash guard is preferably attached at spaced points around the elastic net outer edges to provide gaps between which attachment point for water to drain back into the water and ice mixture. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description in which the invention is described in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation perspective view of the invention in a chest cooler accessory where the chest cooler is shown as containing ice with canned drinks therein, and shows the chest lid as having been raised, exposing the chest cooler accessory that consists of an elastic strap net and flexible fabric frame mounted to the underside of the chest lid that is shown as containing food items; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a front elevation view of the elastic strap net attached on three sides to the flexible fabric frame adjacent to the lid latch side of  FIG. 1 , and shows press to lock fasteners aligned with each of spaced holes formed through the flexible fabric frame; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a front elevation section of the chest lid of  FIG. 1  and shows an operators&#39; hand turning a hand drill, so as to form spaced holes in the undersurface of the chest lid that are each to receive a press to lock fastener, as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows the flexible fabric frame whereto is connected the elastic strap net that has space holes formed therethrough that are aligned with the holes formed in the chest lid of  FIG. 3 , and shows the press to lock fasteners of  FIGS. 2 and 3  aligned for fitting through which aligned flexible fabric frame and lid holes; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  shows the flexible fabric frame and elastic strap net of the invention fitted to the undersurface of the chest lid, with the open elastic net side positioned so as to be adjacent to the chest lid latch edge; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5  of the chest lid, showing an end section of the chest lid as being filled with insulation, and showing push to lock fasteners, as having flexible teeth that slope towards their head end, to hold the fasteners in the lid interior without damage thereto; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side elevation sectional view of the top portion of the chest cooler and cooler lid showing the chest cooler as containing a level of ice and showing food items supported within the elastic strap net; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation sectional view of the top portion of the chest cooler and cooler lid, with the lid closed over the chest cooler top portion, showing the elastic net supported above the level of ice and water in the chest cooler; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  shows another embodiment of an elastic net that is a single unit formed from an elastic material with spaced openings and as including spaced holes formed around three sides to receive push to lock fasteners fitted therethough, and shows a splash guard aligned for fitting over the elastic net with sections of hook and mat couplings secured to the opposing surfaces of the elastic net and splash guard, respectively; 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  shows the splash guard and elastic net of  FIG. 9  coupled together; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  shows the elastic net with the splash fitted thereto mounted to the lid of an ice chest. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    The invention, as is hereinafter described, is in chest cooler accessory as shown in the Figs., with  FIG. 1  showing a front elevation view of such chest cooler  10  that includes a rectangular box  11  with a lid  12  that is connected along hinge  13  that is pivoted to close over the open top of the rectangular box, as shown in  FIG. 8 . The rectangular box  11  includes an inner shell  11   a  for fitting into the box  11 , and is spaced apart therefrom to provide an air space therebetween, or is arranged to receive an insulation material  11   c  installed therein, as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Which  FIGS. 7 and 8  also show the lid  12  as including an inner lid  12   a  that is also spaced apart from the lid  12  to provide an air space therebetween, or which space can receive an insulation material  12   b  installed therein. 
         [0023]    Shown in  FIGS. 1, 7 and 8 , the chest cooler  10  rectangular box  11  is filled with a layer of ice  14  that a number of canned drinks  15  are shown immersed in. Over time, and during travel, that ice will melt and turn to water that, of course, will not effect the containerized drinks  15  or food items that are maintained in their own containers. However, for perishable food items  16 , such as wrapped sandwiches, cheese in plastic wraps or loose wraps, fruit, or the like, that, when exposed to the water and ice mixture, may become uneatable. Even when the perishable food items  16  are separated from the ice and water, they may be exposed or immersed when the chest cooler is moved or tilted. 
         [0024]    The invention is in a chest cooler accessory to overcome the problem of separation of food items  16  from the ice and water mixture by providing a simple and effective elastic net arrangement secured to the lid  12  inner surface  12   a  to maintain such food items  16  above the level of ice and water  14 . Shown in the Figs., the accessory for a chest cooler  10 , is in a food item support  20  that in shown in  FIG. 2  as including an elastic net  21  that is formed, in one embodiment, from elastic cloth straps  22  that cross at right angles, forming the rectangular elastic net  21 , and in another embodiment of FIGS.  9  through  11  as a single elastic net  50 . The elastic cloth straps  22  crossings  23  are preferably formed by weaving the straps over and under one another, as shown best in  FIGS. 1, 7 and 8 , and which crossings of the elastic cloth straps  22  are preferably secured together, as by sewing, or by application of an adhesive thereto, or the like. So arranged, the elastic net  21 , and elastic net  50 , will stretch to receive food items  16  fitted therein, supporting those food items, above the ice and water level, and will return to its unstretched attitude when the food items  16  are removed. 
         [0025]    Further to the assembly of the rectangular elastic net  21 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , the elastic cloth straps  22  receive a support border  24  fitted thereover that has a U shape, and is formed from straight sections of flexible cloth straps  25  that are secured at their corners to one another at right angles, and the border support  24  is fitted to three sides of the elastic net  21 , to cover over the elastic cloth straps  22  ends, and is secured thereto as by sewing, or with an adhesive, maintaining the support border  24  around three of the four elastic net  21  side. Shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2, 4 and 5, 7 and 8 , the elastic net  21  is thereby left open on the side away from the lid hinge  13 . With, in  FIGS. 9 through 11 , the elastic net  50  is shown as a single unit and has holes  51  formed therethrough at the elastic net corners and at spaced intervals around three sides. Which holes  51  are to receive fasteners  28  as shown in  FIG. 9 , for coupling the elastic net  50  to the under surface  12   a  of the top  12  of the ice chest  10 , so as to leave open the elastic net  50  edge of the ice chest  10  lid  12  that is opposite to the ice chest lid hinges  13 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . So arranged the elastic net  50  edge can be pulled away from the lid  12  undersurface  12   a  so as to allow food items to be fitted therethrough. 
         [0026]    Shown in  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 , the net  21 , attached to the support border  24 , forms the food item support  20 , when the support border  24  is mounted to the chest cooler  10  lid undersurface  12   a.  Shown in  FIG. 3 , to receive the food item support  20 , the lid  12  inner surface  12   a  has holes  18  formed, as with a hand drill  17 , or other tool, into the lid inner surface  12   a  that will align with holes  26  that are formed through the support border  24 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , and holes  51  that are formed through the elastic net  50 , respectively. 
         [0027]    To install the food item support  20  and elastic net  50  to the lid under surface  12   a,  as shown in  FIGS. 4, 5, and 11 , the holes  18  and  51  are formed in the lid  12   a  undersurface and so as to receive locking fasteners  27  press fitted through the respective holes  18  and  51 , that travel into the space between the top of the lid  12  and lid undersurface  12   a,  that, as shown in  FIGS. 6 , through and  8  and  11 , that may be filled with an insulation material  12   b,  but, within the scope of this invention, may be an open space. 
         [0028]    The locking fasteners  27 , as shown best in  FIGS. 6 and 9 , preferably each include a broad head  28  and shaft  29  with threads  30  formed there around, and, preferably, the shaft  29  has a pointed end  29   a.  Which individual threads  30  each preferably slope towards the head  28  and are formed from a flexible material, such as a plastic, to bend when passed through a hold  18  or  51  and will flex back to their original attitude, within the ice chest lid  12 , when they have individually passed through holes  18  or  51 . So arranged, to install the locking fasteners  27  through the lid undersurface holes  18 , an operator pushes, as with their thumb or finger on the head  28 , urging the shaft  29  through the aligned support border holes  26 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , and lid undersurface holes  18 , and into the insulation material  12   b,  or into a void, with the locking fastener  27  threads  30  then flexing inwardly towards the shaft  29 , as they pass through the lid undersurface  12   a  holes  18 , and which threads  30  then flex outwardly, within the insulation material  12   b,  or void, whereby the threads outer ends will extends across the lid undersurface holes  18  edges, prohibiting withdrawal, and locking the food item support  20  support border  24  or elastic net  50  to the lid  12  undersurface  12   a,  as shown in  FIGS. 1,5, 7, 8  and  11 . 
         [0029]    While the locking fasteners  27 , as set out above, are preferred for securely fastening the food item support  20  support boarder  24  and elastic net  50  onto the lid  12  undersurface  12   a,  it should be understood that other fasteners having like capabilities could be so used within the scope of this disclosure. With the food item support  20  and elastic net  50  in place, food items  16 , as shown in  FIGS. 1   7  and  8 , can be passed through the opening between the lid  12  undersurface  12   a  and rectangular flexible net  21  top elastic strap  22  and elastic net  50  edge that flex outwardly, holding the food items  16  safely in place above the level of ice and water  14 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , during movement of the ice chest  10 . 
         [0030]    Additionally, both the food item support  20  and elastic net  50 , shown in  FIGS. 9 through 11 , can include a splash guard  60 , shown in  FIGS. 9 through 11 , for fitting across the elastic net  50 , and extending beyond the edges thereof. Which splash guard  60  is arranged for releasable attachment to the elastic net  50  to cover thereover and is mounted at spaced releasable attachment points to the lid  12   a  undersurface to prohibit water from splashing from the water and ice mixture in the chest cooler into the food item support  20  and elastic net  50  as that could contaminate the food items maintained therein. To maintain the splash guard  60  mounted over the flexible net  50 , as shown in  FIG. 11 , releasable fasteners  61  are provided that allow for a convenient mounting and removal of the splash guard  60  from the covering arrangement of  FIG. 11 . Which releasable fasteners  61  are shown in  FIG. 9  as like rectangular sections of hooks  61   a  and matts  61   b,  respectively, that each have an adhesive backing that, when pressed against the respective opposing surfaces of the elastic net  50  and splash guard  60  will adhere thereto and, when pressed together, will releasably connect. In practice, hook and mat sections of a Velcro® have been used to perform this connection of the splash guard  60  over the elastic net. Which matts  61   a  and  61   b,  shown in  FIGS. 9 through 11 , are spaced apart to provide openings therebetween that water as may splash into the elastic net  50 , should the ice chest be tipped, for example, to drain therefrom when the ice chest is righted. In practice, the splash guard  60  is preferably formed from a section of a clear plastic material that will flex when bent to accommodate movement of the elastic net  50 , and will allow a person opening the ice chest  10  to view the food items maintained in which elastic net  50 . 
         [0031]    Hereinabove has been set out a description of a preferred embodiment of the chest cooler accessory of the invention. It should however, be understood that the present invention can be varied within the scope of this disclosure without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.