Abstract:
A multi-functional lightweight carrying device features one or more storable serving trays and beverage holders, an adjustable handle convertible to a shoulder strap, and a specialized pocket holder for a cellular phone. The device is further capable of being secured to the seat of a vehicle via a seat-belt holder.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to portable carrying devices useful for storing, conveying and serving food and beverages, and in particular to soft-sided insulated coolers capable of such use. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     Simple portable coolers formed of hard-walled metal or plastic and designed solely to maintain food and beverages at low temperatures are well known in the art. For example, hard-sided insulated containers, such as coolers and jugs, are manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes by The Coleman Company of Wichita, Kans. Lightweight soft-sided devices which serve similar as well as additional functions such as serving food, holding beverage containers and holding a mobile or cellular telephone for easy retrieval would be desirable. 
     Such devices would make more convenient the conveyance of food, beverage and utensils to outdoor events such as beach outings, barbecues, picnics and football games, and at the same time would provide a convenient dining surface for serving the food and beverage. Another desired feature would be securing such a device to the seat of a car, van or truck to permit transport of the carrying device in a vehicle without danger of spillage or overturning of the contents in routine driving maneuvers. 
     For example, a portable carrying device modified by an attached tray would be capable of serving food by providing a table surface, thereby enhancing the utility of simple portable coolers. If further modified by a beverage holder, the cooler would then be capable of concurrently serving a beverage by securely holding a can or cup for ready consumption with the user&#39;s meal. 
     Such a tray and beverage holder combination could conveniently hold snacks or a sandwich while simultaneously serving drinks such as a carbonated beverage or juice, and would thus obviate the need for additional carriers and devices such as a ground cover or tarpaulin on which the food and beverage would ordinarily rest while eating and drinking. Moreover, such additional features would also maintain food and beverage well above ground level and thereby diminish the possibility of sand, dirt, crawling insects and the like contaminating the food and beverage. Therefore, such a multi-functional portable carrying device would improve the user&#39;s enjoyable and sanitary consumption of food and beverage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a portable carrying device which is capable of both storing, conveying and serving food and/or beverage. Thus, the present invention provides such a portable device having, for example, a base, a lid and four sidewalls including an insulative material and a liner shaped to fit the interior so as to form a food storage compartment, and also having at least one tray hingedly secured to the exterior of the food storage compartment. Optionally, in another embodiment of the present invention a beverage holder also can be hingedly secured to the exterior of the food storage compartment. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a portable device for storing, carrying and serving food which also can hold a cellular phone in a convenient manner. An embodiment of the present invention therefore provides a portable device as above described and also including a gusseted cell-phone holder which is fixedly secured to the exterior of the food storage compartment. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable device that is suited for steady, safe transport in an automotive vehicle. Yet another embodiment of the present invention thus provides a portable device as above described but also including a seat-belt strap for securing the device to a vehicle seat including, for example, a tether portion which is secured to the exterior of a sidewall or the base of the device, and which when held by a seat-belt can maintain the device securely on the vehicle seat. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable device that is suited for comfortable carriage by hand or shoulder. Thus, an embodiment of the present invention provides a single handle portion which allows for ease of conveyance by hand and ready conversion of the handle into a shoulder strap to free the user&#39;s hands for other purposes. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings will first briefly be described. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary portable carrying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a view of a seat-belt strap in a closed position and a tray in a closed position; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary portable carrying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a view of a tray in an open position, and cut-away-views of the tray and of a gusseted pocket; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary portable carrying device according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a view of a tray in an open position, a view of a gussetted pocket for holding additional foodstuffs, and a view of a beverage holder in an open position with a portion thereof cut away; 
     FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the exemplary portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and cut-away-views of the beverage holder and of a front wall; 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of an exemplary portable carrying device according an embodiment of the present invention including an adjustable carrying strap in a hand bag position; 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of an exemplary portable carrying device according an embodiment of the present invention including an adjustable carrying strap in a shoulder strap position; and 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary portable carrying device according an embodiment of the present invention including an adjustable carrying strap in an intermediate position. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, and from the claims. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1,  2 ,  3  and  4 , illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a portable carrying device  10  capable of, for example, storing, conveying and serving food and beverages. Portable carrying device  10  includes, for example, a base  11 , a lid  12  and four sidewalls  13 - 16 , including front wall  13  and back wall  14 . The base, lid and sidewalls each have, for example, an exterior and interior surface, such as a nylon (e.g., wipe clean surface  210  denier nylon) or flexible plastic material. Accordingly, the device  10  can be easily deformed (e.g., folded or flattened) for convenient storage. A thermally insulative material  70  is disposed adjacent the interior surface and joined together, for example, by an attachment at their respective adjacent edges. A liner  17  (see FIG.4) shaped to fit interiorly within the base, lid and four sidewalls and over the thermally insulated material is fixedly attached to, for example, the interior surface, e.g., at the upper edge of the four sidewalls, so as to cover the interior surface of the sidewalls, base and lid, and thereby to form an insulated food storage compartment  18 . The lid  12  is, for example, hingedly mounted to one sidewall, and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The lid  12  covers the food storage compartment when in the closed position, for example making a sealing connection with the four sidewalls. 
     The portable device  10  further includes, for example, at least one tray  19  hingedly secured to the exterior surface of at least one the sidewalls and adapted to pivot between a stably closed and a stably open position. The tray  19  may include, for example, a stiff flat sheet  20  (see FIG.5) disposed between fabric material, such as the same material used for the exterior surface of the sidewalls, means  21  for fixedly securing the stiff flat sheet in the stably open position, such as fabric strips or other suitable connection material connected between tray  19  and exterior surface of wall  13 , and means  22  for fixedly securing the tray in the stably closed position such as VELCRO tabs. Means  22  also may include a clasp, button, snap, zipper or other suitable fastening means. As in FIG. 1, the stiff flat sheet  20  is positioned vertically in the stably closed position so as to substantially flush with the sidewall, and, as in FIG. 2, is positioned horizontally in the stably open position so as to be substantially perpendicular to the sidewall. The tray  19 , when in the horizontal stably open position, may be used, for example, to support plates, beverages, food containers, etc. 
     As described above, the tray  19  includes, for example, a flat sheet of a stiff material  20 . The stiff material  20  is selected from, for example, a variety of materials suited to the purpose, and preferably is a sheet of cardboard or thermoplastic. The flat sheet  20  is optionally covered by a fabric, plastic coating or film which is selected from, for example, plasticized cloth, vinyl, leather or leatherette material, and the like. 
     The tray  19  is, for example, fixedly attached to the exterior sidewall of the portable carrying device  10  in a manner so as to be movable between open and closed positions by any effective means known in the art. Such attachment may be made, for example, by sewn stitching, riveting or welding along the edge of the tray  19  adjacent to the sidewall. 
     The portable carrying device  10  also includes, for example, at least one beverage holder  23  hingedly secured to a sidewall and adapted to move between a stably closed position and a stably open position. The beverage holder  23  includes, for example, at least one stiff flat sheet  24  (see FIGS.  3 , 4 ), a means  26  for fixedly securing the stiff flat sheet in the stably open position and a second means  25  for fixedly securing the stiff flat sheet in the stably closed position (see FIG.  4 ). The stiff flat sheet  24  may be disposed, for example, between fabric material such as the same material used for the exterior surface of the sidewalls and includes, for example, at least one cut-out ring  27  having a diameter sized to stably hold a pre-selected beverage container  28 . 
     The flat sheet  24  of beverage holder  23  is positioned vertically in the stably closed position so as to be, for example, substantially flush with the sidewall, and is positioned horizontally in the stably open position so as to be, for example, substantially perpendicular to the sidewall. Means  26  for fixedly securing the flat sheets in a stably open position may include, for example, a nylon, leather, vinyl, or leatherette cord or other suitable material. Means  25  may include for example, VELCRO tabs, button, snaps or other suitable fastening means. The beverage holder  23  may include one or more parallel flat sheets of stiff material. For example, when only one flat sheet is employed, the can or cup fits in the cut-out ring  27 , hanging stably therefrom. Alternatively, two flat sheets may be employed and thus the can or cup fits in the cut-out ring  27  of the upper flat sheet and the bottom of the can or cup rests on the lower flat sheet. 
     The portable storage device  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include, for example, means  29  for holding or carrying the portable device  10 . For example, means  29  can include carrying handles  29 ′ on opposing ends of portable device  10  and/or a shoulder strap  29 ″, as shown in FIG.  1 . Carrying handles  29 ′ may be integrally formed with the sidewalls of device  10  or separately attached thereto. Alternatively, means  29  could include the adjustable handle illustrated in FIGS. 5-7 and described below. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the portable device  10 , the base, lid and sidewalls are soft and deformable. Accordingly, when the device  10  is not in use, it can be folded or otherwise minimized for ease of storage. Similarly, when in use, the device  10  can be easily manipulated (e.g., mildly deformed as needed). For example, the base, lid and sidewalls may be exteriorly covered by a material or fabric such as a waterproof textile, plasticized cloth,  210  denier nylon, vinyl, leather or leatherette, or a combination thereof. The covering also may be nylon with a vinyl trim. The insulative material may include sheets fabricated from any polymer with suitable insulative and tactile properties such as plastic foam sheet of types well known in the art. One specific material is polyurethane foam. The liner material may include, for example, a conventional plastic liner suitable for use with food products. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the portable device  10 , the lid further comprises at least one fastening means  30 , shown partially in FIG.  3 . The lid  12  is maintained in the stably closed position by fastening means  30 , either semi-permanently so as to require an unlocking step or transiently so as to require a simple displacement to open the lid. Preferably, fastening means  30  includes a velcro-type closure having a suitably sized and shaped fastener portion  31  and complementary fastener portion  32 , one being fixedly attached interiorly to the lid and the other being fixedly attached exteriorly to the upper portion of the sidewall opposite the hinged mounting of the lid. This design serves to maintain the lid transiently in the stably closed position. The fastener portion  31  may include a velcro-type hook segment and the complementary fastener  32  portion may include a velcro-type loop segment. The fastener portion and complementary fastener portion may be attached to the lid or sidewall by any method known in the art, but preferably using plastic or metal rivets, stitching or adhesive. 
     Alternatively, the fastening means  30  can include a zipper assembly positioned substantially along the upper perimeter of the sidewalls so as to maintain the lid semi-permanently in a stably closed position. In an exemplary embodiment, the zipper assembly is of the parallel double-zipper type, wherein two zippers ride along two parallel zipper tracks running on opposite sides of the lid, thereby allowing rapid single-motion zipping and unzipping. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lid has a handle  33  positioned on the exterior surface thereof opposite to the hinged mount of the lid. The handle is preferably a loop of material or fabric attached to the lid. The fabric or material is any suited to the purpose known in the art, and preferably, is nylon, leather or plastic cord, or a metal piece. Similarly, the tray  19  and the beverage holder  23  each have a handle  34  and  35 , respectively, of like construction. 
     The sidewalls of portable device  10  are arranged, for example, in a substantially rectilinear array. Other orientations also are encompassed by the present invention. The attachment of the base, lid and sidewalls may be by any means known in the art suited for the purpose, such as sewn stitching or stapling or integral construction. 
     The stiff flat sheet  20  or stiff flat sheet  24  may be fabricated from a variety of suitable materials all well known in the art, such as high-density plastic sheeting or cardboard, and is preferably made from polyethylene or polypropylene board. 
     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the beverage holder  23  includes two cut-out rings  27 . The cut-out rings may be sized, for example, to fit commercially available bottle, cup or can sizes, and have commonly a diameter of about 2 inches to about 4 inches. Preferably, the cut-out rings have a diameter of about 2.5 inches. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention may also include at least one gusseted pocket  36  suitable for holding foodstuffs, such as an individual bag of french fries or onion rings. The pocket  36  is, for example, fixedly attached to the exterior surface of a sidewall and adapted to open a sufficient amount to receive and support foodstuffs between the exterior surface and the pocket material. The pocket  36  includes, for example, a suitably shaped flat sheet  37  positioned vertically so as to be substantially flush with the sidewall and capable of being positioned angularly so as to be oblique to the sidewall via the gussets on the side of the pocket  36  when the pocket is in use. 
     The gusseted pocket  36  may be positioned anywhere desired on a sidewall, such as substantially centrally on a sidewall if on a sidewall lacking a tray  19 . When not in use, the pocket  36  could be covered by tray  19  in the closed position. The suitably shaped flat sheet  37  may include various materials known in the art such as used for the lid, base and sidewalls, but is preferably nylon or plasticized cloth. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the portable carrying device  10  further includes a gusseted cell-phone holder  50 , which is attached, for example, to the exterior of one sidewall. Similar to the pocket  36 , the cell-phone holder includes, for example, a suitably dimensioned gussetted pocket fixedly secured to the exterior of a sidewall. 
     The portable carrying device  10  may further include, for example, a seat-belt strap  55  for securing the device  10  to a vehicle seat. The seat-belt strap  55  includes, for example, a tether portion  56  which is attached to the exterior of a sidewall or to the base and is adapted to open and close with respect to the exterior surface to receive a seat belt. The seat-belt strap further includes, for example, means  57  for securing the tether portion in the closed position, such as VELCRO, hooks, snaps, buttons or other suitable fastening means. Means  57  for fixedly securing the tether portion in the closed position may include, for example, a fastener portion and a complementary fastener portion, which are attached respectively to the tether portion and the sidewall. The fastener portion preferably includes a velcro-type hook segment and the complementary fastener portion preferably includes a velcro-type loop segment, located on the sidewall adjacent to the fixed securement of the tether portion such that the tether portion is flush with the sidewall in the closed position. The tether portion, the fastener portion and the complementary fastener portion are each attached to the sidewall or base by means known in the art, such as with plastic or metal rivets, stitching or adhesive. The tether portion  56  is suitably dimensioned so as to maintain the device  10  securely on the automotive vehicle seat. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 5-7, a telescoping handle  39  may be connected to a portable device  10  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. For example, adjustable straps  40  permit the handle  39  to move between a handbag position (see FIG. 5) and a shoulder bag position (see FIG. 7) or anywhere in between these positions (see FIG.  6 ). Such an adjustable strap avoids the need to have two separate handle systems as is common in the prior art (e.g., one lifting handle(s) and a separate shoulder strap). 
     The adjustable straps  40  are, for example, fixedly or removably attached to opposite sidewalls of the device  10 . In an alternative embodiment, a continuous strap could be used. The adjustable shoulder straps  40  removably attach to handle  39  by, for example, ladder lock clips  41  or other suitable adjustable clips, as are known in the art. Another portion of ladder clip  41  attaches to an end of handle  39 . For example, one end of the straps  40  may be permanently affixed to a sidewall while the other end of the strap  40  is adjustable with respect to an end of handle  39  via clip  41 . Suitable materials for the adjustable straps  40  and handle  39  may include leather, vinyl, waterproof cloth or leatherette. An optional handle covering may be provided on handle  39  for comfort of the user. 
     In a further exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, a sidewall of the carrying device  10  may include a harness  60 , such as a bungee cord or other extensible cord-like material, to permit additional articles to be secured against the exterior surface of the sidewall(s). The supplemental carrier  60  can provide, for example, increased transporting capacity for items which do not require temperature control.