Abstract:
A portable beverage cooler support has a support base and a least one support leg coupled thereto. The support base is sized to be receptive to at least one beverage cooler. A removable partition may be used to adjust the support base to multiple sized beverage coolers or provide a reinforced space between multiple beverage coolers. A lip or extension surrounds the support base wholly or in part to help retain any number of beverage coolers upon the support base. The beverage cooler(s) may further be secured in place by adjustable support straps that attach to the beverage cooler and the portable beverage cooler support. The portable beverage cooler support may bear the logo and colors of a sports team or other branding, patterns, textures, and the like. In some instances, the portable beverage cooler has at least one wireless speaker that may function with any number of wireless devices.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application claims the priority of U.S. Ser. No. 62/043,549 filed on Aug. 29, 2014, the contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The field of the invention and its embodiments relate to support devices for holding or supporting an item in an elevated position, namely at least one beverage cooler. In particular, the present invention and its embodiments relate to a beverage cooler support that securely supports a beverage cooler in an elevated position. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Coolers are typically known by a number of different names depending on your age and location such as beverage cooler, ice box, ice chest, and cool box. Even though the names may vary, these devices primarily serve the same function by keeping one&#39;s food and drink cold by insulating the interior of the cooler from the external environment and elements. 
     Generally coolers are designed to be placed on the ground and accessed by an individual as desired. However, by placing the cooler on the ground, the cooler often collects dirt, dust, and debris which needs to be cleaned off. At times, coolers can have condensation form on their exterior surfaces. Now instead of cleaning dust, dirt, and other grime, one must clean wet grass, mud, and the like or risk soiling their clothes, automobile interior, or home. Some individuals combat this by placing a towel or similar absorbent device underneath the cooler. However, the towel then becomes saturated with condensation and grime and must be washed. Further, towels provide ample opportunity for insects and the like to hide and be brought into the home or automobile. 
     To combat this problem, in some instances, individuals have integrated extendable legs into a cooler in order to enable the cooler to be positioned above the ground. While this may solve at least one problem, it gives rise to a number of other issues. For example, the cooler&#39;s higher center of gravity make it easier to tip over and spill it contents or to cause injury to another. Further, the condensation from such coolers may pool and collect around the area underneath the cooler providing for slippery conditions or again necessitating the need for a towel or absorbent padding. 
     Additionally, there are a number of people for whom coolers are not easily accessed. For example, the elderly or people with physical ailments, especially of the back, often have a hard time bending over to pick up an object. Traditional coolers are sized and located as such that they often are situated at or below a person&#39;s knee. This requires some type of bending on the body in able to be in a position to access the cooler. This, in turn, often requires these people to rely on others to retrieve items from a cooler or have to go without the item sought. 
     Thus, there is a need for a cooler support apparatus that effectively and safely positions a cooler in an elevated position. Additionally, the cooler support should be able to provide support for at least one and preferably multiple coolers. Further, the cooler support apparatus should be able to prevent the buildup of condensation on the ground thereby leading to unsafe conditions for persons and animals alike. The present invention and its embodiments meet and exceed these objectives. 
     Review of Related Technology: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,451,709 pertains to a portable cooler and table assembly that may be easily transported in a single, self-contained unit. The assembly may be converted for use as a table for a variety of recreational activities, e.g., dining, drinking, games such as ping pong, beer pong, table hockey, card games, board games, preparation for sporting events and meals. The table and cooler may be permanently attached to each other, or alternatively, the cooler may be detachable from the table. The table may fold or collapse to assist in converting the assembly from a compact, lightweight transportable unit into a fully extended and operable table and cooler. The table surface may contain surface features such as grooves, indentations, nets, game pieces, etc. The cooler may comprise any container that is capable of containing ice or some other refrigeration or heating system, e.g., a conventional 54 quart beverage cooler. Alternatively, the cooler may be replaced with a storage container or other storage device. The assembly may also contain various wheels, legs and handles to assist in mobility and conversion. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,341,164 pertains to an ice chest that has retractable, telescoping legs extending at respective forward and rearward angles from each respective end wall of the ice chest. The ice chest has handles at the upper central portion of the ice chest end wall having push buttons therein which release the telescoping legs from a locked position and which fall to the open position under their own weight and lock in a secure position. The push buttons actuate the locks by a linkage system. The front legs have pads at their lower ends, protecting the ends of the legs, and providing weight to pull the legs into the open, locked position. The rear legs have wheels which also providing weight to pull the legs into the open, locked position. A similar water cooler has retractable legs which have pads on their lower ends pulling the legs downward upon pushing buttons on handles on the sidewalls. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,575 pertains to a system for receiving and supporting a child car seat comprising a dolly having a rectangular support plate with a rectangular opening of a size and shape to receive the lower surface of a child car seat, the support plate having interleaved webbing at the lower extent of the opening for providing support to a child car seat located thereabove; securement means in the form of a strap and buckle secured to the side edges of the support plate adapted to releasably couple a child car seat to the support plate; a plurality of legs, the legs arranged in two pair including a first pair of legs pivotally secured at their upper ends to the opposed edges of the support plate; the second pair of legs slidably secured at their upper ends to other opposed edges of the support plate, a slidable coupling including tubular sleeves pivotally coupled to the support plate with the upper ends of the second pair of legs slidably received therein, the second legs each comprising a release button for retaining the sleeve at the upper end of the second legs and the legs in an extended operative orientation, the buttons adapted to be depressed to allow the second pair of legs to slide within the sleeves for movement to a collapsed orientation. 
     U.S. Patent Application 2007/0260348 pertains to a combination portable table and carrier device for transporting and reading construction plans (e.g. blueprints). The device includes a table having a plan storage compartment for holding one or more sets of construction plans in a flat or folded position. The storage compartment is flush with the surface of the table thus enabling the construction plans to be written on without problems from the underlying surface. A lid is hinged to the storage compartment and the table thus providing access to the storage compartment when open and a smooth work surface for the table when closed. The lid also protects the contents of the storage compartment when it is closed. Binder clips at opposite ends of the portable secure the set of construction plans in place for viewing and modification. The binder clips holds the turned pages of the plans, thereby permitting individual pages of the plans to be easily viewed while the entire set of plans is secured in place and held open to the selected page. 
     Various devices are known in the art. However, their structure and means of operation are substantially different from the present disclosure. The other inventions fail to solve all the problems taught by the present disclosure. The present invention and its embodiments provide for supporting a beverage cooler in an elevated position with repositionable holding areas and an anchored base. Further, the present invention provides a simple and effective way to remove condensation, debris, and the like from the apparatus. At least one embodiment of this invention is presented in the drawings below and will be described in more detail herein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention and its embodiments describe and teach a support for a beverage cooler or other item(s) that reduce mess and makes it easier to access and retrieve items from a beverage cooler. Thus, a portable beverage cooler support is described and taught having a support base, wherein the support base has at least one support drain; a least one support leg; at least one removable partition adapted to be removably coupled to the support base; at least two support straps; and a vertical extension extending vertically upwards partially or wholly from a perimeter of the support base. 
     Preferably, the portable beverage cooler has more than one support leg and up to four support legs, although the exact number of supporting structures (legs) may vary with the dimensions of the support base. To provide further rigidity to the structure there may be lateral members positioned between and attached to the support legs. 
     Once a beverage cooler is placed upon the support base, a removable partition can be used to prevent movement of the beverage cooler by positioning a removable partition on at least one side of the beverage cooler. Support straps at then used to secure the beverage cooler to the support base via slots or other structures of the portable beverage cooler support. Further, a number of ground anchors or stakes may be used to further secure the apparatus as a whole. 
     In another embodiment there is a portable beverage cooler support having a support base with a perimeter and a first end and a second end, wherein the support base has at least one support drain; four support legs with two of the support legs being coupled to the support base at the first end of the support base and two of the support legs being coupled to the support base at the second end of the support base, wherein the four support legs are independently adjustable; at least one removable partition adapted to be removably coupled to the support base; at least one ground anchor coupled to the support base via a length of at least semi-flexible material; at least two adjustable support straps having a first end and a second end, wherein there is a securement mechanism attached to each of the first end and the second end of the at least two support straps; and a vertical extension extending vertically upwards wholly around the perimeter of the support base. 
     The portable beverage cooler support may have any combination of logos, characters, writing, patterns, textures, symbols, insignia, colors, or images on any part of the apparatus. For example, the logos and color patterns of a sports team may be reflected on the apparatus. 
     The portable beverage cooler may have a carrying handle to increase the ease of portability of the apparatus. Further, the support base, depending on the size, may have two separate sections that are hingeably coupled to one another. By bringing the two sections together, the portable beverage cooler support may be able to be conveniently transported and stowed. 
     To combat some of the issues noted with existing portable coolers, the portable beverage cooler support may further have a removable liner sized to fit the support base. The liner may also be sized to fit a particular size beverage cooler rather than the base. This liner can prevent the buildup or leakage of condensation in undesirable places thereby helping to prevent messes and/or injury from slippage. 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention there is a portable beverage cooler support having a support base with a perimeter and a first end and a second end, wherein the support base has at least one support drain; four support legs with two of the support legs being coupled to the support base at the first end of the support base and two of the support legs being coupled to the support base at the second end of the support base, wherein the four support legs are independently adjustable; at least one removable partition adapted to be removably coupled to the support base; at least one ground anchor coupled to the support base via a length of at least semi-flexible material; at least two adjustable support straps having a first end and a second end, wherein there is a securement mechanism attached to each of the first end and the second end of the at least two support straps; a vertical extension extending vertically upwards wholly around the perimeter of the support base; and at least one wireless speaker. The wireless speaker may wirelessly pair, or couple, to any number of electronic devices and may further be powered by a power source. 
     In general, the present invention succeeds in conferring the following, and others not mentioned, benefits and objectives. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that can support any number of beverage coolers. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that supports any number of beverage coolers at an elevated position. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that reduces or eliminates the mess associated with placing a beverage cooler on the ground. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that is readily portable and lightweight. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that is inexpensive. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that is durable and resilient. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that safely and effectively support a beverage cooler. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that secures the beverage cooler in an upright position. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that is easy to use by all ages and physical ability levels. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a portable beverage cooler support that organizes a variety of items and stows them neatly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in a functional position. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention with a beverage cooler thereon and secured in position. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in a transporting position. 
         FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in an alternate transporting position. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. Identical elements in the various figures are identified with the same reference numerals. 
     Reference will now be made in detail to each embodiment of the present invention. Such embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the present invention, which is not intended to be limited thereto. In fact, those of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate upon reading the present specification and viewing the present drawings that various modifications and variations can be made thereto. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is a portable beverage cooler support  100  in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention. The portable beverage cooler support  100  generally has a support base  102  and at least one support leg  106 . Preferably, there are four support legs  106  with the four support legs  106  divided into two pairs of legs with one pair positioned at a first end  101  of the support base  102  and the other pair positioned at a second end  103  of the support base  102 . 
     The support legs  106  are rotatably coupled to the support base  102 . The support legs  106  may be rotated under the support base  102  to be placed in a storage position (see  FIG. 6A ) or may be positioned to support the support base  102  by being outwardly rotated from their storage position. The angle of rotation of the support legs may vary, but is preferably such that the support legs  106  provide adequate support for the support base  102  and any items contained thereon. Typically, such a foundation is created when the support legs  106  are rotated to form an angle, with respect to the support base  102 , of greater than 90°. However, as noted, the formed angle between the support base  102  and the support legs  106  may vary and may require a locking mechanism  122  (see  FIG. 7 ) to ensure proper support position. 
     Further, the support legs  106  are preferably partially or wholly coated in a non-slip material  126 . This non-slip material  126  allows the portable beverage cooler support  100  to be placed on a variety of terrain without comprising the support provided by the support legs  106 . In some instances, the support legs  106  have a lateral member  114  extending between each pair of the supports legs  106 . This lateral member  114  provides further support by reducing the independent movement of one of the support legs  106  and preventing tipping of the portable beverage cooler support  100  which may result in injury. In some instances, see  FIG. 7 , there is not lateral member(s)  114  enabling independent rotation of each support leg  106  rather than rotation of pairs of support legs  106 . 
     The support base  102  may have varying dimensions but generally bears a rectangular shape with a vertical extension  110  extending wholly are partially around the perimeter of the support base  102 . The vertical extension  110  may have slots  120  for coupling any number of beverage coolers  124  to the support base  102  (see  FIG. 2 ). The number of slots  120  and the positions of the slots  120  may vary as required. Additionally, the slots  120  may have varying shapes as shown in  FIG. 1 . This enables the slots  120  to have different types of attachment mechanisms affixed thereto (i.e. clamps, hooks, etc.). 
     The interior area of the support base  102  may be partitioned by any number of removable partitions  108 . These removable partitions  108  are adapted to be removably coupled to the support base  102 . Thus, any suitable mechanism may be used to achieve such coupling including but not limited magnets, snaps, locks, fasteners, tabs, grooves, pins, screws, tacks, and the like or any combination thereof. Each of the removable partitions  108  can be used to create support areas  105   a ,  105   b , and  105   c  where an item may be positioned and further secured to the support base  102 . The removable partitions  108 , themselves, made be made from any suitable material including but not limited to plastics, metals, composites, resins, rubbers, and the like or any combination thereof. 
     The support base  102  further may have a support drain  104  which may be used to rid the interior of the support base  102  of excess moisture and particulates. The support drain  104  may have a cap  107  (see  FIG. 4 ) or fitting that allows for the temporary retention of any such materials. The cap or fitting may be attached via any suitable mechanism including but not limited to threading and friction. 
     Additionally, the support base  102  may have a textured surface comprising various configurations of ridges, groves, bumps, and the like or any combination thereof. The textured surface may provide for easier movement of any item contained thereon and may help direct the flow of condensate present on the support base  102 . A carrying handle  128  is also positioned on the support base  102  to enable the portable beverage cooler support  100  to be readily transportable. In some instances, there may be more than one handle or the handle may be removable. 
     In  FIG. 2 , the portable beverage cooler support  100  is shown in use with a beverage cooler  124  positioned and secured thereon. The portable beverage cooler  124  is positioned in support area  105   b  and flanked on each side by either the vertical extension  110  or the removable partitions  108 . These structures effectively “lock” the beverage cooler  124  in positioned upon the support base  102 . The other supports areas  105   a ,  105   c  may be used to hold other beverage coolers  124  or cups, napkins, utensils, or the like or any combination thereof. 
     Attached to the beverage cooler handle(s)  139  is a support strap  112 . The support strap  112  has a first end and a second end with a securement mechanism  137  thereon each of the ends. 
     Preferably, one end, either the first end or the second end, of the support strap  112  is secured to the beverage cooler handle  139  whereas the other end is secured to the slot  120  in the vertical extension  110 . The support straps  112  are adjustable via an adjustment mechanism  133  that allows the length of the support straps  112  to be changed as necessary. In some instances, the support straps  112  may have each securement mechanism  137  attached to the beverage cooler handle  139  and have the length of the support strap  112  looped around and through the slot  120 . The securement mechanism  137  is preferably a hook or hook like structure but may employ clamps, buckles, and the like or any combination thereof. In some instances, the beverage cooler  124  may not have any exterior handles providing a sufficient coupling surface. In this case, any of the other alternate measures, and those not mentioned, may be used. 
     In yet other instances, the support strap  112  is integrated into the support base  102  and retractably extends therefrom to secure the beverage cooler  124 . The support straps  112  may have some elastic properties and may comprise but are not limited to natural and synthetic fibers including cotton, wool, polyester, silk, straws, grasses, rayon, nylon, acrylic, and polyolefin. 
     The portable beverage cooler support  100  may further include a number of ground anchors  118 . The ground anchors  118  provide additional support for the portable beverage cooler support  100 . The ground anchors  118  are connected to a length of material  116  that is preferably at least semi-flexible in nature. This may include various fibers, cables, wires, ropes, twines, strings, and the like or any combination thereof. The length of material  116  preferably extends from the support base  102  to the ground anchor  118  and may be a single mechanism or have differing components. 
     For example, the ground anchor  118  and length of material  116  may be removably attached to the support base  102  or may be permanently attached to the support base  102 . 
     Further, each of the components may be made from a singular material or may have different compositions that are separable from one another. It is preferable that there are about four to about five ground anchors  118  with a length of material  116  extending therefrom and coupling the ground anchors  118  to the support base  102 . These ground anchors  118  may be positioned on each of the four corners of the support base  102  and the underside (center) of the support base  102 . This provides added support and securement to prevent the portable beverage cooler support  100  from tipping and spilling the contents of the beverage cooler  124  or causing property damage or personal injury. 
       FIGS. 3-5  show differing views of the portable beverage cooler support  100  with the support legs  106  extended and the apparatus ready for use. In  FIG. 3 , there is a top view of the portable beverage cooler support  100 . From this view the angle of the support legs  106  in relation to the support base  102  is apparent. There are two removable partitions  108  which has resulted in three different support areas. In one of the support areas, there is a removable liner  148 . The removable liner  148  is preferably a thin, flexible, and at least water-resistant material that lines all or part of the support base  102  and multiple liners may be used in conjunction with one another. As shown, the removable liner  148  may fit into one of the support areas and is repositionable to any point of the support base  102 . 
     One function of the removable liner  148  is to collect condensation or moisture or food (and other debris) particulates and make cleaning the portable beverage cooler support  100  quick and easy. The edges of the removable liner  148  may be bent upwards at some angle or have other mechanisms to promote retention of the aforementioned materials. 
     In  FIG. 4 , there is a bottom view of the portable beverage cooler support  100 . The underside of the support base  102  is visible along with the connection points between the support legs  106  and the support base  102 . The support drain  104 , as seen in  FIG. 3 , has a drain cap  107  that may be attached through a number of mechanisms including threading and friction. The drain cap  107  prevents unwanted drainage of any moisture or solid material. Each of the support legs  106  are shown with a lateral member  114  extending therebetween. As noted, in some cases, there is no lateral member  114  and the legs move independent from one another. 
     From the side, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the support base  102  is generally planar in that it sits within the same place minus the vertical extension  110  surrounding some or all of the perimeter. The carrying handle  128  is positioned towards the midline of the portable beverage cooler support  100  so that the weight may be distributed evenly as possible. In some circumstances, the carrying handle may exist in duplicate or be set off center to accommodate differences in weight attributable to the first end  101  or the second end  103 . 
     In  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the portable beverage cooler support  100  is shown in a transportation or storage position. In  FIG. 6A , the portable beverage cooler support  100  is shown on its side and being carried by the carrying handle  128 . The support legs  106  have been rotated inwards to lie substantially parallel with the support base  102 . The support legs  106  may be positioned individually or in tandem when connected with the lateral member  114 . This transportation position makes the portable beverage cooler support  100  easier to transport and prevent damage to the support legs, lateral member  114 , or non-slip coating  126 . 
     In  FIG. 6B , the portable beverage cooler support  100  has been folded in half about at least one hinge  134 . In this case, there may be two carrying handles  128  with one on each of the first section  130  of the support base  102  and one on the second section  132  of the support base  102 . The support base  102  hinges and folds preferably leaving the upper surface of the support base  102  and the vertical extension  110  exposed thereby preventing damage to the support legs  106 . However, in some instances it may be preferable to have the hinges  134  work in the opposite direction. In this manner of transportation and storage, the portable beverage cooler support  100  takes up substantially less space and may be easier to maneuver given the exact dimensions of the support base  102 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , there is another embodiment of the present invention. Here, the portable beverage cooler support  100  has a support base  102  with a first section  130  and a second section  132 . The first section  130  and the second section  132  are coupled with at least one hinge  134 . This enables the portable beverage support  100  to be transported as shown in  FIG. 6B . It should be noted that, in this instance, there are no lateral members  114  (see  FIG. 1 ) thereby making the legs independently rotatable. 
     The support legs  106 , vertical extension  110 , removable partitions  108 , support base  102  may have some form of aesthetic enhancement such as textures, patterns, characters, coloration, logos, words, and the like or any combination thereof. Further, the portable beverage cooler support  100  has a flag pole holder  150  that is capable of supporting a flag pole  152 . The flag pole holder  150  can accommodate any type of pole including those typically seen with umbrellas. Such an umbrella can provide shade and help keep everything contained thereunder that much more cool. Additional features may include a bottle opener  146  and storage for bottle caps or a wine opener (corkscrew) and speakers  140 . 
     The speakers  140  may be wired or wireless and may require a power source such as a rechargeable or solid state battery. Wireless speakers may employ Bluetooth® or other appropriate wireless technology to enable a wireless connection with an electronic device capable of playing music, radio broadcasts, and the like. In some instances, the portable beverage cooler support  100  may have a dock for direct connection of the electronic device through wired means. This enables connection to a wired speaker system and may allow for charging of the electronic device via the speaker&#39;s or another power source. 
     Generally, the portable beverage cooler support  100  in  FIGS. 1-7  has been described with holding a beverage cooler  124 . However, it is within the scope of this invention and its embodiments that any number of items may be held and/or secured thereto using the principles and components described herein. Thus, the portable beverage cooler support  100  may be used to hold and/or secure virtually any object in an elevated position to limit one from having to bend over and help keep the object and surrounding area clean. Further, the portable beverage cooler support  100  may have a carrying case which can envelop and help to transport the portable beverage cooler support  100 . The carrying case may have zippers, snaps, buttons, or the like and help to protect the portable beverage cooler support  100 . The carrying case may further have attachment points for a carrying strap or the like to facilitate easy transportation of the portable cooler beverage support  100 . Alternatively, such a carrying strap may be attached directly to the slots  120  as shown. 
     The portable beverage cooler support  100  and its components, as described, may be constructed from a number of materials including but not limited to plastics, metals, woods, glass, textiles, composites, rubbers, and the like or any combination thereof. 
     The support base  102  may be about 30 cm (12 inch) to about 122 cm (48 inch) in width and is preferably about 46 cm (18 inch) in width. The support base  102  may be about 30 cm (12 inch) to about 203 cm (80 inch) in length and is more preferably about 66 cm (26 inch) to about 133 cm (52 inch) in length. The support legs  106  may vary in their dimensions dependent on the degrees the support legs are capable of rotating from a storage position to a support position. However, it is preferable that the support legs  106  are of sufficient length to position the support base  102  about 30 cm (12 inch) to about 122 cm (48 inch) off the ground with a preferable elevated position of about 51 cm (20 inch) off the ground. Further, the support legs  106  may be height adjustable and can be adjusted depending on the needs for the given use. For example, at a children&#39;s party the legs can be lowered to make the cooler more accessible, whereas at a gathering serving primarily adults the legs can be raised to an adult can use the space more effectively. 
     Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of illustration and that numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.