Patent Publication Number: US-2020300536-A1

Title: Cooler attachment for storing insulated beverage sleeves

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Insulated chests or coolers are used to store a variety of items, such as food and drink products, in a temperature-controlled environment. Known coolers can accommodate beverages coming in a variety of forms, including cans and bottles. However, beyond providing the temperature-controlled environment, at least some known coolers have generally limited capabilities, particularly for items other than food and drink products. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, a system is provided for storing one or more insulated beverage sleeves. The system includes a cooler including one or more cooler walls, and an attachment including a pair of sidewalls extending from a first cooler wall of the cooler walls, a body extending laterally between the sidewalls and spaced from the first cooler wall to define a cavity sized to house the insulated beverage sleeves, and a support extending laterally between the sidewalls and disposed at or adjacent to a lower portion of the body opposite the upper portion. The body has an upper portion that defines a mouth in fluid communication with the cavity. 
     In another aspect, an attachment is provided for use with a cooler for storing one or more insulated beverage sleeves. The attachment includes a body, a pair of sidewalls, and a support. The body includes a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a lower portion extending between the first side and the second side, and an upper portion opposite the lower portion and extending between the first side and the second side. The sidewalls include a first sidewall coupled to the first side and a second sidewall coupled to the second side. Each sidewall includes a flange coupleable to the cooler such that a cavity sized to house the one or more insulated beverage sleeves is defined between the body and the cooler. The support extends laterally between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The support is disposed at or adjacent to the lower portion of the body. 
     In yet another aspect, a method is provided for providing storage for one or more insulated beverage sleeves. The method includes providing a cooler including one or more cooler walls, extending a pair of sidewalls from a first cooler wall of the one or more cooler walls, extending a body laterally between the pair of sidewalls such that the body is spaced from the first cooler wall to define a cavity sized to house the one or more insulated beverage sleeves, and extending a support laterally between the pair of sidewalls. The body has an upper portion that defines a mouth in fluid communication with the cavity. The support is at or adjacent to a lower portion of the body opposite the upper portion. 
     Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the above-mentioned aspects. Further features may also be incorporated in the above-mentioned aspects as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. For instance, various features discussed below in relation to any of the illustrated examples may be incorporated into any of the above-described aspects, alone or in any combination. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following Detailed Description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters represent like elements throughout, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example insulated beverage sleeve. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an example cooler including an attachment that may be used to store one or more objects, such as the insulated beverage sleeve shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an example attachment that may be used with a cooler, such as the cooler shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of the attachment shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view of the attachment shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the attachment shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top view of the attachment shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the attachment shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of another example attachment that may be used with a cooler, such as the cooler shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom view of the attachment shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart of an example method that may be used to provide storage for one or more objects, such as the insulated beverage sleeve shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     Although specific features of various examples may be shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only. Any feature of any drawing may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with any feature of any other drawing. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure relates to portable containers and, more particularly, to a cooler attachment that may be used to store one or more insulated beverage sleeves. Attachments described herein are coupled to a cooler wall to provide a space in which one or more insulated beverage sleeves may be stored. Example attachments include a pair of sidewalls extending from the cooler wall and a body extending laterally between the pair of sidewalls to define a cavity sized to house the insulated beverage sleeves. An upper portion of the body defines a mouth that provides access to the cavity, and a lower portion of the body includes a support extending laterally between the sidewalls. Accordingly, examples described herein provide cooler users with a convenient, user-friendly place to store insulated beverage sleeves. 
       FIG. 1  shows an example insulated beverage sleeve  100  that is configured to keep a beverage (e.g., in a can or bottle) cold. The insulated beverage sleeve  100  may be fabricated, for example, from a fabric or foam material having insulating capabilities. Example materials include, but are not limited to, leather, neoprene, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), polyester, vinyl, open-cell foam, and closed-cell foam. In some examples, the insulated beverage sleeve  100  includes a pair of panels  110  and a bottom  120  extending therebetween. The panels  110  may be coupled to each other along two opposing seams  130  (e.g., at the left and right sides). 
     The insulated beverage sleeve  100  is moveable between a closed configuration (shown) and an open configuration (not shown). As shown in  FIG. 1 , the insulated beverage sleeve  100  is generally flat when in the closed configuration. In some examples, the seams  130  may be compressed or moved towards each other to move the insulated beverage sleeve  100  toward the open configuration, in which the panels  110  are spaced from each other for a can or bottle to be positioned therebetween. The panels  110  may be sized and/or shaped to accommodate a wide range of cans or bottles. 
       FIG. 2  shows an example portable, insulated food and beverage chest or cooler  200 . The cooler  200  may be used to store various food and drink products. The cooler  200  includes a lower cooler wall or base  210  (not shown in detail) and a plurality of side cooler walls  220  extending upward from the base  210  to define an insulated enclosure volume therein and an opening that provides access to the insulated enclosure volume at an upper portion  222  of the side cooler walls  220 . Food and/or drink products, for example, may be stored in the insulated enclosure volume at a controlled temperature. 
     The cooler  200  includes an upper cooler wall or lid  230  at or adjacent to the upper portion  222  of the side cooler walls  220 . The lid  230  is moveable to selectively restrict or allow access to the opening and/or insulated enclosure volume defined in the cooler  200 . For example, the cooler  200  may include one or more hinges that pivotably attach the lid  230  to one or more side cooler walls  220 , such as a front cooler wall  232 , a rear cooler wall  234 , a right cooler wall  236 , and/or a left cooler wall  238 . In some examples, the lid  230  is detachable or removeable from the rest of the cooler  200 . Although the cooler  200  is shown as a hard-sided chest, any combination of the base  210 , lid  230 , front cooler wall  232 , rear cooler wall  234 , right cooler wall  236 , and/or left cooler wall  238  may be fabricated from a soft or flexible material. As will be understood, terms such as lower, upper, side, front, rear, right, and/or left are used herein for convenience of description only and are not to be considered limiting of the orientation of the cooler  200  and/or any other feature described herein. 
     In some examples, the cooler  200  includes one or more attachments  240  that may be used to store one or more objects (e.g., insulated beverage sleeve  100 ). As shown in  FIG. 2 , an attachment  240  may be coupled to a surface  242  of the cooler  200  to define a cavity  244  sized to house the insulated beverage sleeve  100 . In some examples, the attachment  240  is at a depressed area  246  of the surface  242  such that an elevation  248  of the attachment  240  is less than or substantially similar to the utmost elevation  250  of the surface  242  (i.e., the attachment  240  does not extend beyond, or does not extend much more beyond, other areas of the surface  242 ). Although the attachment  240  is shown as being attached to an outer surface of the front cooler wall  232 , as will be understood, attachments  240  may be attached to any surface  242  of any side cooler wall  220  and/or lid  230 . Additionally, the lid  230  may include one or more depressions  252  sized and/or shaped to receive a bottom of a can or bottle at an upper surface  254  of the cooler  200 . In this manner, a user may conveniently place or position a beverage on top of the cooler  200  in a secure manner 
       FIGS. 3-8  show an example attachment  300  (e.g., attachment  240 ) that may be used with the cooler  200  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). The attachment  300  includes a body  310  including a first side  312  (shown, e.g., in  FIG. 3 ), a second side  314  (shown e.g., in  FIG. 3 ) opposite the first side  312 , a lower portion  316  (shown e.g., in  FIG. 3 ) extending between the first side  312  and second side  314 , and an upper portion  318  (shown, e.g., in  FIG. 3 ) opposite the lower portion  316  and extending between the first side  312  and second side  314 . 
     The attachment  300  further includes a pair of sidewalls  320 . The sidewalls  320  may include, for example, a first sidewall  322  coupled to the first side  312  of the body  310  and a second sidewall  324  coupled to the second side  314  of the body  310  such that the body  310  extends laterally between the sidewalls  320 . In some examples, the first sidewall  322  and/or second sidewall  324  extends a first distance  326  (shown, e.g., in  FIG. 3 ) from the body  310  that allows the attachment  300  to have a desired elevation (e.g., elevation  248 ). 
     Each sidewall  320  includes a flange  328  for use in coupling the attachment  300  to the cooler  200 . The flanges  328  may be coupled, for example, to a first cooler wall (e.g., lid  230 , front cooler wall  232 , rear cooler wall  234 , right cooler wall  236 , left cooler wall  238 ) such that the sidewalls  320  extend from the first cooler wall and a cavity (e.g., cavity  244 ) sized to house the insulated beverage sleeve  100  is defined between the body  310  and the first cooler wall. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the attachment  300  may be integrally coupled to the first cooler wall. Alternatively, the attachment  300  may be removably coupled to the first cooler wall. In some examples, an upper portion of the attachment  300  (e.g., upper portion  318 ) includes a lip  332  extending between the flanges  328 . The upper portion of the attachment  300  defines a mouth in fluid communication with and/or providing access to the cavity  244 . 
     Opposite the lip  332  and/or mouth at or adjacent to a lower portion of the attachment  300  (e.g., lower portion  316 ), a support  340  extends laterally between the sidewalls  320 . The support  340  may extend from the body  310 , for example, a second distance  342  (shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) that is less than the first distance  326  the sidewalls  320  extend from the body  310 . In this manner, the support  340  may be spaced from the first cooler wall to define one or more passages  344  (shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) when the attachment  300  is coupled to the first cooler wall. The support  340  may be spaced from the first cooler wall, for example, along a width  346  (shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 ) of the support  340  to define a generally linear passage  344  between the support  340  and the first cooler wall. 
       FIGS. 9 and 10  show another example attachment  400  (e.g., attachment  240 ) that may be used with the cooler  200  (shown in  FIG. 2 ). The attachments  300  and  400  have some differences, but are otherwise substantially similar to each other. For example, rather than including a support  340  that may be spaced from a first cooler wall (e.g., lid  230 , front cooler wall  232 , rear cooler wall  234 , right cooler wall  236 , left cooler wall  238 ) along a width  346  of the support  340 , the attachment  400  includes a support  440  including a plurality of portions  442  spaced from the first cooler wall to define a plurality of passages  444  between the support  440  and the first cooler wall. 
       FIG. 11  is a flowchart of an example method  500  that may be used to provide storage for one or more insulated beverage sleeves  100 . The method  500  may be used to manufacture, for example, a cooler  200  including an attachment  240  (e.g., attachment  300 , attachment  400 ). The method  500  may be initiated, for example, by providing a cooler  200  including one or more cooler walls (e.g., base  210 , side cooler wall  220 , lid  230 ) at operation  510 . 
     A pair of sidewalls  320  are extended from a first cooler wall of the cooler walls at operation  520 . The sidewalls  320  may be extended, for example, from the lid  230 , front cooler wall  232 , rear cooler wall  234 , right cooler wall  236 , and/or left cooler wall  238 . In some examples, the sidewalls  320  are coupled to the first cooler wall such that the sidewalls  320  are moveable. For example, the sidewalls  320  may be moved to translate the attachment  240  about a surface of the first cooler wall (e.g., upwardly, downwardly, leftwardly, and/or rightwardly) and/or across the surface of the first cooler wall (e.g., inwardly and/or outwardly). In this manner, the attachment  240  may be moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. 
     A body  310  is extended laterally between the sidewalls  320  at operation  530 . The body  310  may be extended, for example, such that the body  310  is spaced from the first cooler wall to define a cavity  244  sized to house one or more insulated beverage sleeves  100 . The body  310  has an upper portion  318  that defines a mouth in fluid communication with and/or providing access to the cavity  244 . In some examples, the upper portion  318  of the body  310  is formed such that a lip  332  extends radially outward from the cavity  244 . 
     A support  340  or  440  is extended laterally between the sidewalls  320  at operation  540 . The support  340  or  440  may be extended, for example, at or adjacent to a lower portion  316  of the body  310  opposite the upper portion  318 . In some examples, the support  340  or  440  is positioned such that one or more passages  344  or  444  are defined between the support  340  or  440  and the first cooler wall. As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the support  340  may be spaced from the first cooler wall along a width  346  of the support  340  such that a generally linear passage  344  is defined between the support  340  and the first cooler wall. As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the support  440  may be positioned such that a plurality of portions  442  of the support  440  are spaced from the first cooler wall to define a plurality of passages  444 . 
     During use, one or more insulated beverage sleeves  100  may be stored in the cavity  244 . In this manner, a user may conveniently access or store one or more insulated beverage sleeves  100  at the cooler  200  in an effective and efficient manner The passages  444  allow fluid to be channeled therethrough (e.g., for cleaning or draining the cavity  244 ). 
     The order of execution or performance of the operations in examples of the disclosure illustrated and described herein is not essential, unless otherwise specified. That is, the operations may be performed in any order, unless otherwise specified, and examples of the disclosure may include additional or fewer operations than those disclosed herein. For example, it is contemplated that executing or performing a particular operation before, contemporaneously with, or after another operation is within the scope of aspects of the disclosure. 
     When introducing elements of aspects of the disclosure or the examples thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. Furthermore, references to an “embodiment” or “example” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments or examples that also incorporate the recited features. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. The phrase “one or more of the following: A, B, and C” means “at least one of A and/or at least one of B and/or at least one of C.” 
     Having described aspects of the disclosure in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of aspects of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products, and methods without departing from the scope of aspects of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 
     While aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of various examples with their associated operations, a person skilled in the art would appreciate that a combination of operations from any number of different examples is also within the scope of the aspects of the disclosure.