Patent Publication Number: US-6341817-B1

Title: Conventional cooler with reclinable seat back and seat

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to coolers whose main purpose consists in maintaining and keeping foods and beverages fresh and cool, while taking advantage of the cooler&#39;s structure and material to provide a seating function. 
     The conventional coolers known in the market for maintaining and conserving drinks and foods fresh and cool are made of different materials and shapes. These coolers are well known and described in the field, most commonly made of hard plastic or any other insulated material being in a square or rectangular shape similar to a box, varying in size. It is composed of six sides: top side; bottom side; back side; front side; transversal left side; transversal right side. Generally, the top side is the cover of the cooler. 
     Some coolers are opened by completely removing the cover, and these are mostly made of polyurethane, their capacity is reduced and they are not very resistant. Bigger models, however, are made of hard plastic or any other resistant material with more capacity on the inside, but still being portable and comfortable to use in a picnic or any other similar activity for the storage and conservation of fresh foods and drinks. These models are opened by lifting the top side backwards in a 90 degree angle. The cover or top side is sustained and attached together at the top of the back side with hinges (similar to a common door). 
     Therefore, existing coolers only accomplish their described function, becoming just another accessory of the user. It has been observed, however, that people sometimes use common coolers as seats or tables; but since the purpose and fabrication of such coolers are not intended for these services, the users do not obtain the comfort desired. 
     Therefore, the purpose of the present invention consists in satisfying the necessities of the users allowing them to have a cooler that could be used also as a seat, as well as a table or bunk, without any risk to the user or the cooler concerning comfort and stability. Specifically, the present invention has the following objectives: 
     1.—One objective of the invention consists in providing a cooler with a seat and a reclinable seat back. 
     2.—Another objective of the invention consists in providing a cooler with a seat and seat back on the top side of the cooler. 
     3.—Another objective of the invention consists in providing a cooler with a seat and reclinable seat back, which can be positioned at different inclination angles in accordance with the user&#39;s comfort. 
     4.—Another objective of the invention consists in providing a cooler with a seat and reclinable seat back putting on top of the seat and against the seat back a cushion or a similar material for a better comfort for the user. 
     5.—An additional objective of the invention consists in providing a cooler with a seat and reclinable seat back which can be positioned at a 180 degree angle to obtain a table or bunk where the user may lay down. 
     6.—Another objective of the invention consists in providing a cooler with a seat and reclinable seat back, which, when positioned at 130 degree angle or higher, it can be sustained by legs. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler with the cover and seat back of the cooler closed, showing the exterior parts. 
     FIG. 2 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler with the cover of the cooler closed and the seat back of the invention opened at a 90 degree angle. 
     FIG. 3 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler with the cover of the cooler closed and the seat back opened at different opening positions of 90, 110 and 130 degrees. 
     FIG. 4 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler with the cover of the cooler slightly opened, showing its contents, and with the seat back opened 90 degrees. 
     FIG. 5 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler with the cover of the cooler closed and the seat back opened at ay 90 degree angle, with a cushion being shown on top of the seat and against the seat back to make the seat and seat back more comfortable. 
     FIG. 6 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler with the cover and seat back closed, on the external side of such seat back two legs being shown in a closed position, which legs are used when the seat back is opened at more than a 130 degree angle. 
     FIG. 7 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler with the cover and the seat back closed, where the legs of the seat back can be seen opened at a 90 degree angle. 
     FIG. 8 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler with the cover closed and the seat back opened at a 180 degree angle, supported by the legs which are opened at a 90 degree angle. 
     FIGS. 9A and 9B are perspective views of one of the legs located on the external side of the cooler, with the details of such leg being shown in FIG.  9 B. 
     FIG. 10 is a ¾ aerial perspective view of the backside of the cooler with the cover of the cooler closed and the seat back closed, two rails and two sliding legs or extremities being shown on the bottom side of the cooler. 
     FIG. 11 is a ¾ aerial perspective view of the backside of the cooler with the cover of the cooler closed and the seat back opened at a 90 degree angle, showing the legs or extremities to have been slid out at the back of the cooler. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The purpose of the common cooler consists in maintaining and keeping drinks and foods fresh and cool. 
     It is the intention of the present invention to provide not only a cooler to be used for keeping and maintaining drinks and foods fresh and cool, but also to provide the user with a seat and seat back or a table to be used by the user either to rest or simply to place articles on it that otherwise could not be placed on the ground, without affecting the normal use of the cooler. This invention characterizes itself by incorporating over the cover of the cooler, a second cover to be used as a reclinable seat back which could be opened up to 180 degrees with respect to the original position of the cover of the cooler. Therefore, the invention allows the user to comfortably sit down against the reclinable seat back, or to even lay down on top of the cooler with the seat back opened at a 180 degree angle while the cooler stays closed. The user may also use the invention as a table while opening the seat back at a 180 degree angle. The special characteristics of the present invention are detailed in the following description. 
     FIG. 1 shows the cooler ( 10 ) closed from an aerial perspective view, showing also the cover or top side of the cooler ( 11 ), as well as the reclinable seat back ( 12 ), which is located on top of the cover ( 11 ) of the cooler ( 10 ). A couple of brooches (snaps, locks, etc.) are provided ( 13  and  14 ) in one of the lateral transversal sides of the cooler ( 10 ). It is important to mention that the lateral sides of the cooler ( 10 ) are symmetric, consequently both sides have identical brooches not shown due to the perspective of the figure. Nevertheless, for purposes of the present description it shall be interpreted that whatever is described for one of the transversal sides is present and shall apply for the other transversal side, even if not shown in the figure. 
     It is important to mention that both brooches ( 13  and  14 ) are located at an identical distance from the corner formed by the frontal and lateral side of the cooler ( 10 ), and the frontal and lateral sides from the reclinable seat back ( 12 ), such brooches may be located anywhere within the first third of the cooler&#39;s body ( 10 ), and more specifically close to the corner formed by the frontal and lateral side of the cooler ( 10 ) and the reclinable seat back ( 12 ), the exact distance depending upon the actual measurements of the cooler. 
     The aforementioned brooches are located such that one ( 14 ) is in the lateral side of the cooler ( 10 ) and the other brooch ( 13 ) on the same side is located in the lateral side of the seat back ( 12 ). Both brooches ( 13  and  14 ) are located on the outside of the cooler, permitting the cover and the seat back to close hermetically and therefore allowing the inside contents to be maintained at a low temperature for a long time. The cooler lock or brooch can also be observed consisting of two pieces; the inferior piece ( 28 ) located on the body of the cooler ( 10 ) and the superior piece ( 29 ), located on the reclinable seat back ( 12 ) referred in the present application. Both pieces of such brooch or lock ( 28  and  29 ) are made of resistant plastic and operate to lock or close by pressure in a conventional manner known for a conventional cooler. On each of the transversal sides of the cooler ( 10 ), a handle or grip ( 30 ) is located of a conventional nature for conventional coolers. The back side of the cooler ( 25 , FIGS. 10 and 11) is attached to the seat back ( 12 ) by two hinges ( 31 ) located on the exterior part of the cooler ( 10 ). When opening the seat back ( 12 ), the hinges ( 31 ) remain underneath the seat back ( 12 ). The present invention contains two more hinges described in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 2 shows an aerial perspective view of the cooler ( 10 ) with the cover ( 11 ) of the cooler closed and the seat back ( 12 ) opened at a 90 degree angle, where the brooches ( 13  and  14 ) are attached together by way of leashes ( 16  and  16 ′). Therefore, the seat back can be maintained at a 90 degree angle with respect to its position when closed. Each leash has an adjustment brooch ( 17  and  17 ′) allowing the leashes ( 16  and  16 ′) to be adjusted at different lengths, therefore permitting the seat back ( 12 ) to be positioned at different reclinable angles at the comfort of the user. The aforementioned numbers ( 16 ′ and  17 ′) referred to the leash and brooch respectively and are identical to the leash and brooch identified with the numbers ( 16  and  17 ), therefore it is considered that it is not necessary to mentioned both sides, under the understanding that what is applicable to parts  16  and  17  is valid and applicable to parts  16 ′ and  17 ′. 
     The leashes ( 16  and  16 ′) can be removed from the brooches ( 13 ,  14  and  13 ′ and  14 ′ (not shown)), to be stored inside the cooler or any other place if required. 
     FIG. 3 is an aerial perspective of the cooler ( 10 ), with the cover ( 11 ) closed and the seat back ( 12 ), opened at a 90 degree angle, showing an additional opening of a 110 and 130 degree angle. Even though FIG. 3 shows the seat back ( 12 ) positioned at three different angles, such seat back ( 12 ) may be positioned at every possible angle from 0 to 180 degrees just by adjusting the leashes ( 16  and  16 ′) accordingly with the brooches ( 17  and  17 ′). The present figure shows the utility of the cover ( 11 ) of the cooler ( 10 ), in conjunction with the reclinable seat back ( 12 ) to form the seat for the user, or to use the cover ( 11 ) and the seat back ( 12 ) as a table. 
     FIG. 4 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler ( 10 ) with the cover ( 11 ) opened at a 20 degree angle and with the seat back ( 12 ) opened at a 90 degree angle. It is not necessary to completely lift the cover ( 11 ) to take any of the contents ( 18 ) out of the cooler ( 10 ). The hinges ( 34  not shown in the figure) of the cover ( 11 ) of the cooler are completely independent from the hinges ( 31 ) of the seat back ( 12 ), allowing the cover ( 11 ) of the cooler ( 10 ) to be opened without affecting the position of the seat back ( 12 ). The hinges are composed of two pairs; the number  31  pair for the opening of the seat back ( 12 ) and the number  34  pair for the opening of the cover ( 11 ) of the cooler ( 10 ). The location of the hinges depends on the width of the cooler ( 10 ), however, they are positioned in such way that they are independent of each other, and as mentioned before, it is possible to open the cooler without affecting the seat back ( 12 ). The hinges are of a conventional type and are well known in the field, the preferred location for the hinges ( 31 ) being closer to the end of the cooler ( 10 ) than that of the other pair of hinges ( 34 ), allowing the two pair of hinges to work independently. 
     FIG. 5 is a preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a perspective view of the cooler ( 10 ) with the cover ( 11 ) closed and the seat back ( 12 ) opened at a 90 degree angle. Placed over the cover ( 11 ) of the cooler ( 10 ) and leaning against the seat back ( 12 ) is a cushion ( 19 ) to make the seat more comfortable. The cushion ( 19 ) may also be removed from its position and stored away inside the cooler or any other storage place when not in use. The most comfortable position of the user to use the seat and reclinable seat back ( 12 ) is with the seat back ( 12 ) positioned at a 90 degree angle or higher. The integrated seat is formed by the top part of the cover ( 11 ) of the cooler ( 10 ). 
     FIG. 6 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler ( 10 ) with the cover ( 11 ) and the seat back ( 12 ) closed. On top of the external side of the seat back, a pair of legs ( 20  and  20 ′) are shown in a closed position. The legs are used when the seat back ( 12 ) is opened at a 180 degree angle. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the external side of the seat back ( 12 ) of the cooler ( 10 ) shows a pair of channels ( 21  and  21 ′), which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the frontal and back sides of the cooler ( 10 ). In each of the channels ( 21  and  21 ′), a leg ( 20  and  20 ′) is located. These legs are used to support the seat back ( 12 ) of the cooler ( 10 ) when opened more than 130 degrees. In the following, one leg shall be described and it shall be understood that they are symmetrical, i.e. what is being defined for one shall be the same for the other. 
     The left leg ( 20 ), with respect to the user if he is facing the cooler ( 10 ), is attached by one of its extremities ( 22 ) to the external side of the seat back ( 12 ) of the cooler ( 10 ) by any known means, for example a bolt transversal to the leg ( 20 ) of the cooler ( 10 ), but as long as it allows the leg ( 20 ) to rotate from 0 to 90 degrees. The leg ( 20 ) is attached to the external side of the seat back ( 12 ) of the cooler ( 10 ) at a frontal side of the seat back ( 12 ), and the other end of the leg ( 20 ) is provided with a particular form allowing the leg ( 20 ) to be attached to the external side of the seat back ( 12 ) of the cooler ( 10 ) by pressure. 
     The extremity of the leg ( 20 ) that is attached by pressure at the end of the channel ( 21 ) has enough space between the leg ( 20 ) and the channel ( 21 ) to allow the user to pull it out and place it into the desired position. 
     FIG. 7 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler with the cover ( 11 ) and the seat back ( 12 ) closed, where the legs ( 20  and  20 ′) of the seat back ( 12 ) are shown opened at a 90 degree angle. 
     FIG. 8 is an aerial perspective view of the cooler ( 10 ) with the cover ( 11 ) closed and the seat back ( 12 ) open at a 180 degree angle supported with the legs ( 20  and  20  ′) opened at a 90 degree angle. This angle of the seat back ( 12 ) is the maximum opening capacity. In this position, the user may lay down comfortably or at least two persons may sit down. The hinges ( 31 ) of the seat back ( 12 ) (when opened) remain below such seat back ( 12 ) therefore, the user may lay down comfortably. 
     FIGS. 9A and 9B are perspective views of the legs ( 20  and  20 ′) located on the external side of the seat back ( 12 ), one end of the legs ( 20  and  20 ′) being attached at the external side of the seat back ( 12 ) to the channel ( 23 ) through a bolt or any other known means, and the other end of the legs ( 20  and  20 ′) when opened or in use, being the end or extremity ( 24 ) that makes contact with the surface or ground. 
     The legs ( 20  and  20 ′) are telescopic, therefore these may be extended at will through a simple mechanism consisting of the following. Each leg ( 20  and  20 ′) is made of two pieces of the same size, the upper part of each leg ( 32  FIG.  9 A), i.e., the part that is attached to the seat back ( 12 ), is hollow and threaded on the inside, similar to a bolt. The lower part of each leg ( 33 ) is not hollow and is threaded on the outside. Therefore, when the seat back ( 12 ) is opened at least to a 130 degree angle, the legs ( 20  and  20 ′) can be extended at will to lean against the floor. As the seat back ( 12 ) opens to a greater angle than 130 degrees, the legs ( 20  and  20 ′) may be contracted or shortened by introducing the lower piece ( 33 FIG. 9B) into the upper piece ( 32 ) by rotating them until the legs ( 20  and  20 ′) reach the desired length and the seat back ( 12 ) reaches the desired reclinable angle. The length adjustment mechanism of the legs ( 20  and  20 ′) is independent of each leg ( 20  and  20 ′). Therefore, each leg ( 20  and  20 ′) can be adjusted to the required length and give the seat back ( 12 ) better stability. 
     FIG. 10 is a ¾ perspective view of the back side of the cooler ( 10 ) with the cover ( 11 ) and the seat back ( 12 ) closed, showing two rails ( 26  and  26 ′)) on the lower part of the cooler ( 10 ). These rails have two sliding legs ( 27  and  27 ′) that slide through the rails ( 26  and  26 ′). 
     FIG. 11 is a ¾ perspective view of the back side of the cooler ( 10 ) with the cover ( 11 ) closed and the seat back ( 12 ) opened at a 90 degree angle, showing the two sliding legs ( 27  and  27 ′) extended all the way to the back of the cooler ( 10 ) in order to provide better stability for the whole cooler ( 10 ) when the seat back ( 12 ) is opened or in use. 
     The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a cushion placed on the seat and against the seat back, as well as the legs employed when the seat back is opened at a 180 degree angle. 
     The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.