Patent Publication Number: US-6336341-B1

Title: Cooling system for ice chest

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a cooling system that is used with a portable ice chest. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     Spending the summer outdoors for picnics, fishing etc., is a popular pastime for many people. While such activities tend to be fun and memorable for most, a problem is experienced by many. The summer heat and humidity can lessen the degree of enjoyment or can curtail the time spent outside by the pleasure seekers. Most activities loose their enjoyment factor whenever the participant is suffering from heat exhaustion. 
     In order to combat the punishing outdoor heat and humidity, many steps can be taken. The activity can be scheduled at an off-peak time so that the most brutal heat is not experienced. This solution has only limited availability as some activities cannot be effectively scheduled at off-peak hours or the participants cannot attend during the desired hours. Some activities tend to be day long and therefore cut across non-peak as well as peak heat hours. 
     Another solution is to periodically escape the outdoors and cool off either in an air conditioned building or a running vehicle. Unfortunately, this solution can be very impractical for many activities such as camping or fishing in a small boat. Additionally, this tends to diminish the overall experience for the activity participants. 
     Therefore, the outdoor heat and humidity must be tackled head-on. Many devices have been proposed in order to accomplish this task. However, many prior art devices tend to be unduly cumbersome in size, making use of such devices limiting. Other devices have only a marginal effect on combating the heat, while other devices are unduly complex in design and operation rendering such devices impractical to own and operate. 
     Therefore, there is a need in the art for a device that can combat heat and humidity in an outdoor environment. Such a device must not be unduly cumbersome in size and weight, and must offer adequate cooling capacity. Such a device must not be unduly complex in design or operation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The cooling system for an ice chest of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art. The cooling cooler offer effective cooling capacity to a user in a relatively small size. The device is relatively simple in design and operation and is relatively easy to use. The device can also be used to providing heating if a user desires heating instead of cooling. 
     The cooling system for an ice chest of the present invention is comprised of a container adapted to hold a fluid such as water (hot or cold) as well as ice therein. A base having a first opening therein, is positioned on the container over an open top of the container. A radiator having an inlet and an outlet, is attached to the base. A pump is disposed within the container and is in fluid flow communication with the fluid. A first hose is fluid flow connected with the inlet of the radiator and with the pump. A second hose is fluid flow connected with the outlet of the radiator, the second hose passes through the first opening. A fan is attached to the base proximate the radiator so that the fan blows across the radiator. A power source is electrically connected to the fan and to the pump. A plenum is attached to the base and is positioned over the fan and the radiator. The power source can be a battery, a solar collector, or a plug which can be either a wall plug or a vehicle cigarette lighter plug. A switch is disposed between the power source and the fan and between the power source and the pump for controlling operation of each element. A thermostat can be electrically connected to the switch for controlling operation of the switch based upon the reading of the thermostat. The thermostat is attached to the plenum proximate the radiator. The container rests upon a drip pan. A third hose can be secured within a third opening located in the base while a fourth hose can be secured within a fourth opening located in the container. The fourth hose may have a check valve disposed therein. A second opening can be disposed within the plenum, while a filter is attached to the plenum to cover the second opening. A groove is disposed within the base and extends from proximate the radiator to an edge of the base. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cooling system for an ice chest of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the cooling system for an ice chest of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side sectioned view of the cooling system for an ice chest of the present invention. 
    
    
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the cooling system for an ice chest of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a container  12  adapted to hold a fluid F, such as water as well as ice, therein. The container  12  can be insulated in normal fashion. A base  14  having a first opening therein, is positioned on the container  12  over an open top of the container  12  and acts as the cover for the container  12 . A radiator  16  having an inlet  18  and an outlet  20 , is attached to the base  14 . A pump  22  is disposed within the container  12  and is in fluid flow communication with the fluid F held within the container  12 . A first hose  24  is fluid flow connected with the inlet  18  of the radiator  16  and with the pump  22 . A second hose  26  is fluid flow connected with the outlet  20  of the radiator  16 , the second hose  26  passes through the first opening. A fan  28  is attached to the base  16  proximate the radiator  16  so that the fan  28  blows across the radiator  16 . A plenum  30  is attached to the base  14  and is positioned over the fan  28  and the radiator  16 . The plenum  30  can be insulated. 
     A power source is electrically connected to the fan  28  and to the pump  22 . The power source can be a battery  32  or a solar collector  34  of any appropriate design, or both. If both a battery  32  and a solar collector  34  are used, the solar collector  34  can provide trickle down charging of the battery  32 . Additionally, the power source can be a plug  36  of either the type that is plugged into a wall outlet in order to receive electrical power or can be a cigarette lighter plug that is plugged into the cigarette lighter outlet of a vehicle in order to receive electrical power. A switch  38  is disposed between the power source and the fan  28  and between the power source and the pump  22  for controlling operation of each element. The switch  38  can be a basic on/off switch for switching both the fan  28  and the pump  22  on and off. Alternately, the switch  38  can be a dual switch that controls each element independently. As a further alternative, the switch  38 , whether a single switch or a dual switch can be partially or completely variable so that the speed of the fan  28  and/or the pump  22  can be controlled. Additionally, a thermostat  40  can be electrically connected to the switch  38  for controlling operation of the switch  38  based upon the output reading of the thermostat  40  so that if the temperature read by the thermostat  40  is below (or above if the device is being used for heating) a certain level, the switch  38  will be turned off and if the temperature read is above a certain level, the switch  38  is turned on. If desired, an appropriate timing circuit (not illustrated) can be electrically connected to the switch  38  so that the switch  38  does not rapidly cycle between on and off. Furthermore, appropriate circuitry (not illustrated) can be connected to the thermostat  40  in order to allow a user to set the temperature at which the thermostat  40  is to turn the switch  38  on and off. The thermostat  40  is attached to the plenum  30  proximate the radiator  16 . 
     The container  12  rests upon a drip pan  42 . A third hose  44  can be secured within a third opening located in the base  14  while a fourth hose  46  can be secured within a fourth opening located in the container  12 . The fourth hose  46  may have a check valve  48  disposed therein. A third opening  50  can be disposed within the plenum  30 , while a filter  52  is removably attached to the plenum  30  to cover the third opening  50 . A groove  54  is disposed within the base  14  and extends from proximate the radiator  16  to an edge of the base  14  in order to allow any collected fluid to drain away. 
     In order to use the cooling system for an ice chest  10  of the present invention, a fluid F is placed into the container  12  and the pump  22  is positioned within the container  12  so as to be in fluid flow communication with the fluid F held within the container  12 . The fan  28  and the pump  22  are activated causing the pump  22  to draw some of the fluid F from the container  12  and pass it, via the first hose  24 , to the radiator  16 . The fan  28  blows across the fluid bearing radiator  16  causing cool air (or hot air if the fluid is hot) to blow outwardly. The plenum  30  directs the flow of the air. The fluid F is discharged from the radiator  16  back into the container  12  via the second hose  26 . If a third hose  44  is used, the fan  28  will draw at least some of its working air from within the container  12  wherein the air is cooler. The fourth hose  46  allows air to reenter the container  12  so as not to cause a vacuum within the container  12  due to the fan  28  drawing air out of the container  12  via the third hose  44 . If the fourth hose  46  is disposed below the fluid line within the container  12  (which causes the incoming air to pass through the cold fluid F making the air within the container  12  even cooler), the check valve  48  prevents fluid from exiting the container  12 . 
     The groove  54  channels away any condensation that forms on the radiator  16  or the plenum  30  and drips onto the base  14 . The drip pan  42  catches any such condensation. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.