Abstract:
A cooler with installed audio equipment is disclosed. The cooler is divided into two distinct and watertight compartments. One compartment is for traditional cooler use, for example, with iced beverages. This compartment may be wet, and has an internal drain to facilitate removal of water or other liquids. A second compartment is provided for audio equipment including speakers and an amplifier. A removable power supply also may be housed in the second compartment. The audio equipment may be supplied with an audio signal for a portable device, such as an mp3 player. The cooler is fitted with dual lids, one for each compartment. The cooler compartment lid may be opened while the audio equipment compartment lid remains closed, thus protecting the audio equipment from potentially damaging liquid. Conversely, the audio equipment compartment lid may be opened as desired without introducing warm air into the cooler compartment. The resulting device provides a portable cooler capable of producing high-end audio.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Recreation takes many forms. When groups recreate, it is common to bring a cooler (sometimes called an ice chest) along with iced beverages or other items. It is also common to bring some type of audio device capable of providing music. Trips to the beach, outings on boats, tailgating prior to sports events, and picnics are just a few examples of situations where it is often desirable to have both a cooler with iced items and an audio device. 
         [0002]    Traditionally, satisfying this desire required bringing two separate items on the outing. A trip to the beach, for example, might include one person bringing a cooler and another person bringing a portable stereo. It is not surprising that some persons have tried to combine these two items into a single device. Those efforts have not been entirely satisfactory. 
         [0003]    Some efforts along these lines have involved installing a full, portable stereo device into the lid or some other part of a cooler. The stereo devices used typically were the same kind of portable stereos usually carried by persons. These devices are somewhat large, with many models being comparable in size to a cooler. It clearly was not feasible to combine a large, portable stereo device with a cooler of about the same size. Doing so would leave little or no space left in the cooler. 
         [0004]    A different approach to this challenge has been tried by some. Rather than trying to install a portable, full-function, stereo device into a cooler, some persons have instead used audio components similar to those used in vehicles. Car audio speakers have been installed in holes cut into the sides of coolers, and various audio components have been placed inside the cooler to power the speakers. These systems provide quality audio, but use a relatively large amount of power, thus requiring either a power source or a large battery. In addition, these systems tended to convert the entire cooler into an audio device, with the audio equipment using the full space in the cooler. This approach, therefore, results in the replacement of one type of portable audio device (e.g., a portable stereo) with another (a cooler retrofitted with car audio equipment). 
         [0005]    The reason this approach fails to combine an audio device and a cooler is that the installed audio equipment must be isolated from water. When car audio devices, including speakers, are installed inside the cooler, it is no longer possible to use the cooler to ice beverages or other items. The water resulting from melting ice would damage or destroy the audio equipment. 
         [0006]    One known device uses a divider to form two separate compartments within a cooler. This device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,491 to Donald II, et al. The device disclosed in the Donald patent, however, suffers from the same problems noted above, because the device installs speakers in both compartments. This arrangement results in speakers in the cooler compartment. The speakers and the wiring for those speakers are either exposed to potentially damaging water or must somehow be sealed. Sealing the back area of an audio speaker can materially alter its performance and greatly reduce the quality of the audio it produces. Moreover, the back area of the speaker, even if sealed, may be subject to physical damage from beverage cans, ice, or other items in the cooler compartment. 
         [0007]    The Donald device is different in another respect, too. It is a multi-media apparatus, capable of providing audio and video to users. It requires a number of audio and video components installed in the cooler. This results is substantial weight. A multi-media system also may draw considerable power, which would require a larger capacity power source to provide a desirable use period (e.g., at least a few hours). Portable power typically means lead-acid batteries, which are heavy. The more or larger the batteries are, the heavier they are. 
         [0008]    What is needed is a device that combines the best of both worlds. Such a device would include a reasonably-sized cooler compartment that is fully sealed and separated from an audio equipment compartment. Dual lids or covers would allow one compartment to be accessed while keeping the other compartment closed. This feature would help protect the audio equipment from water, and also help keep the cooler compartment cool. The audio equipment would be relatively small (e.g., compared to a fall suite of audio and video equipment), and the audio source could be a personal audio player like an mp3 player or a portable satellite radio receiver. It also would be desirable to minimize the power consumption so that a relatively small, portable power supply could be used. 
         [0009]    The present invention meets these needs. In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes a portable cooler having a cooler compartment and an audio equipment compartment. A separate lid is provided for each compartment. An amplifier, power supply, and speakers are positioned in the audio equipment compartment. The amplifier has an audio input line for connection to an audio source, such as a personal audio device like an mp3 player or radio. This configuration results in only the required electronic equipment, thus reducing the space required and the power consumed. The invention thus provides a truly portable cooler with high-quality audio. Additional features and characteristics of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a front schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an end schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the opposite end from that shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown with both lids open so the internal parts are visible. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown with both lids closed so the top of the lids are visible. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate the key components of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 1 , a front view is provided of a cooler  10  with a front wall  12 . The cooler has two internal compartments (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), and each compartment has its own lid. The cooler compartment lid  20  is positioned over the cooler compartment, and the audio equipment compartment lid  22  is positioned over the audio equipment compartment. A notch  23  in the audio equipment compartment lid  22  is provided that mates with a divider wall (shown in later figures). A pair of speakers  24  are mounted in the front wall  12 , so that the rear portions of the speakers are located within the audio equipment compartment. 
         [0016]    The cooler  10  has a pair of wheels  26  and a large swing handle  28 , which is rotated upward to lift one end of the cooler  10 . When so lifted, the cooler  10  rolls on the wheels  26 . The cooler compartment in the preferred embodiment is located on the end of the cooler  10  with the wheels  26 . When the cooler compartment is filled with ice and other items, it probably will be heavier than the audio equipment compartment. Positioning the cooler compartment near the wheels means the compartment need not be lifted much to enable the cooler  10  to roll. This males it easier to transport a filled cooler  10 . A drain hole is also placed in the cooler  10  on the end with the wheels  26 , which facilitates easy draining, particularly when the cooler  10  is being transported. The cooler  10  is tilted for transport, which aids in draining. This is another reason to place the cooler compartment on the end with the wheels  26 . Despite these preferences, the invention contemplates a cooler compartment on either end of the cooler  10 , as this aspect of the design is not critical to the benefits of the present invention. 
         [0017]    The cooler  10  shown in  FIG. 1  also has a first lifting handle  30  on the end with the swing handle  28 , and a second lifting handle  32  on the end with the wheels  26 . These lifting handles allows the entire cooler to be lifted or lowered. The cooler compartment lid  20  has a latch/grip  38  and the audio equipment compartment lid  22  has a latch  36 . No particular preference exists for the latches for the two lids.  FIG. 1  illustrates two common types of latches found on coolers. The cooler compartment latch/grip  38  shown in  FIG. 1  is a cut-out type of grip, with the lid having an internal lip or ridge that engages the inside of the cooler walls by a friction fit. The audio equipment compartment latch  36  is a snap-type latch. Either type may be used, or other types of latches may be used. For example, a lockable clasp may be used for the audio equipment compartment to provide the ability to lock that part of the cooler shut, and thus reduce the threat to theft. 
         [0018]    The two lids are connected to cooler using standard connecting hardware. For example, a long hinge may be used or a number of smaller hinges may be used. Some hinge-like connector is needed to allow the lids to open and shut. 
         [0019]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show the two end views of a preferred embodiment of the invention. In  FIG. 2 , the end having the large swing handle  28  is shown. Lifting handle  30  is also shown. The audio equipment compartment end wall  14  is seen in this figure. The dual lids are shown at different stages of opening, to highlight that each lid is a distinct part of the device. The audio equipment compartment lid  22 , with its latch  36 , is shown about 50% open. The cooler compartment lid  20  is shown about 20% open. The wheels  26  can be seen in profile, as can the front part of the speakers  24 . The back wall  18  forms the back side of the cooler  10 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  shows the cooler from the opposite end. In this illustration, the lids are both shut. The cooler compartment end wall  16  is shown, with the lifting handle  32  located on that wall. Back wall  18  is also identified. The wheels  26  are shown, as well. Finally, a drain plug  34  is shown covering a drain hole in the cooler compartment. 
         [0021]    Turning to  FIG. 4 , a number of key aspects of the invention are shown. The cooler compartment  42  and the audio equipment compartment  44  are shown, with a divider wall  40  separating these two compartments. The divider wall  40  is a watertight wall sealed to the interior of the front wall  12 , the back wall  18  and the bottom of the cooler  10 . The top edge of the divider wall  40  is not permanently sealed to any other component. Instead, the top edge of divider wall  40  engages the notch  23  in the audio equipment compartment lid  22 , and thus forms a seal when the lid is closed. There is no preference for this arrangement, and the notch  23  could be in the cooler compartment lid  20 . Alternatively, both lids could have smaller notches to fit the thickness of the divider wall  40 . 
         [0022]    The drain hole  60  is shown inside the cooler compartment  42 . Water or other liquids in the cooler compartment may be drained through this hole  60 . As explained above, such draining is facilitated by lifting the opposite end of the cooler  10 . Internal wheel housings are also shown in the cooler compartment  42 . 
         [0023]    The audio equipment compartment  40  contains some of the key components of the invention. The speakers  24  are installed in the audio equipment compartment  44 . Speakers are mounted only in the front wall  12  in this embodiment, but additional speakers could be installed in the audio end wall  14  of on the back wall  18 , so long as any back wall speakers were positioned within the audio equipment compartment  44 . This is an important characteristic of the present invention. Locating the speakers  24  within the audio equipment compartment ensures the speakers  24  and the speaker wires  54  remain dry. It also allows for replacement (e.g., to upgrade or to replace a damaged speaker) of speakers even while the cooler compartment is filled with iced beverages. 
         [0024]    An amplifier  52  is shown mounted on the back wall  18  of the audio equipment compartment  44 . This is preferred, but the amplifier  52  could be mounted to any surface within the audio equipment compartment  44 , including on the divider wall  40 . If the amplifier  52 , or any other component, is mounted on the divider wall  40 , it may be necessary to apply sealant to the mounting holes to ensure the divider wall  40  remains a watertight separation between the two compartments. It also is preferred to permanently mount the amplifier  52  within the audio equipment compartment, though non-permanent installation is also contemplated. 
         [0025]    The amplifier  52  has at least three sets of electrical connections. It has a power line  53  that provides an appropriate power source to the amplifier  52 . In the preferred embodiment, this is a 12V DC power supply line. The supply may be fused to protect the amplifier  52  and speakers  24 . Second, the amplifier  52  has speaker wires  54  that extend from the amplifier  52  to the speakers  24 . An input source line  56  extends from the amplifier  52 , and is connected to an appropriate audio source. A mini-headphone jack  58  is shown at the end of the input source line  56  in the preferred embodiment. This jack  58  may be connected to a personal audio device like an mp3 player or a radio, including a satellite radio. 
         [0026]    The audio sources expected to be used with the present invention are small and use little power. For example, an iPod® Nano® mp3 player is about the size of a credit card and has a play time of several hours on a charge. Such a device could be connected to the invention via the mini-headphone jack  58  and supply audio for several hours. The small personal audio devices of this type could be placed inside the audio equipment compartment  44  for security reasons, or could be placed in a cup holder or other insert in the audio equipment compartment lid  22 . The latter option would leave the audio source available to users, which may be desirable to allow for easy selection of particular music choices. 
         [0027]    The amplifier  52  in the preferred embodiment is powered by a portable power supply  46 . In the most preferred embodiment, the power supply  46  is a portable jump-start battery, of a kind readily available from discount stores and auto parts stores. These batteries are 12V DC lead-acid batteries, but are typically much smaller than a full-size vehicle battery. This type of power supply is preferred because they are readily available, relatively small, and designed for easy charging. A battery of this type, when used with the preferred embodiment described herein, will power the invention for several hours of use. This arrangement provides a truly portable cooler with high-end audio that may be enjoyed for several hours. Some models of jump-start batteries have prewired lines with large electrical clamps on the end, for ease of connecting to a vehicle battery. Such lines are removed before use in the present invention, and the positive and negative contacts of the battery are connected to the appropriate power input connections of the amplifier. 
         [0028]    It is preferred to install the power supply  46  so that it may be removed for recharging. Brackets, straps, or other means for temporarily securing the power supply  46  within the audio equipment compartment  44  may be used. A bracket sized to a particular battery is most preferred, though a strap arrangement may provide more flexibility. The power supply  46  has an output line  53  that provides power to the amplifier  52 . Output line  53  represents the electrical power connection, and is likely to consist of two distinct wires in practice (i.e., a positive and negative connection). These connections are shown as a single output line  53  in the drawings for ease of illustration. The power supply  46  also has a cord  48  that may have a 12 V DC accessory plug  50 , mated to typical 12 V DC receptacles found in many automobiles. The power supply  46  may be charged while installed in the cooler, or it may be removed for charging. To accomplish the former, a charging cord long enough to reach at least a few feet outside the cooler is needed. 
         [0029]    The present invention also contemplates the use of more than one battery power supplies for extended uses. For example, if a group of persons is camping out overnight, a single battery power supply may not be sufficient to provide audio as long as desired. A second, or even third, portable jump-start type battery (i.e., a fully charged battery) may be brought and swapped out with the primary battery when that battery has depleted its charge. Holding brackets for additional power supply batteries may be provided on the top of the cooler compartment lid  20 , making it easier to transport such batteries. 
         [0030]    It is further contemplated that the power supply  46  could be used to maintain the charge of the personal audio player being used as the music source. A typical mp3 player uses very little power and could be easily recharged through the power supply  46  without causing a significant depletion of the power supply battery&#39;s charge. An appropriate adaptor may be needed for this type of use, but such adaptors are widely available for many types of personal audio players. A second power output line, or a split in the primary output line  53 , could be used to supply power to an appropriate personal audio player power adapter. When this capacity is combined with the use of multiple power supply batteries, the present invention provides the potential for high-quality audio for many hours, and possibly for an outing extending over two or more days. 
         [0031]    The power supply cord  48  and the audio input source line  56  may be installed using jacks mounted into the side of the audio equipment compartment  44 . This particular type of configuration is not shown in the figures, but is well-known in the art. By using a jack mounted in the side of the cooler, no cords would have to extend between the audio equipment compartment lid  22  and the sides of the cooler  10 . In other words, if no jack is used, and the portable audio device providing the audio signal to the amplifier  52  is outside the cooler, the line  56  between the portable audio device and the amplifier  52  must extend out of the cooler. When the audio compartment lid  22  is shut in such a situation, the lid  22  closes over the audio input line  56 . This is not a problem, but may not be desirable to some users. 
         [0032]    The jack configuration eliminates this concern. An input jack is installed in the audio compartment end wall  14 . The jack could be installed in the front wall  12  or back wall  18 , but the end wall  14  is preferred. The internal end of the jack is hard-wired to the amplifier input line. An external audio input line is then used to connect the system to the audio source. The external audio input line would have on one end a plug that fits into the input jack and on the other end, a plug that fits the output of the portable audio player. This arrangement avoids the need to run the input line  56  over the side of the cooler  10 . 
         [0033]    A jack also could be used for the power cord  48  to prevent the need to run this cord out of the cooler when the power supply is recharged. This may be less of a concern because recharging the power supply will not usually happen during use of the system. Alternatively, the power supply cord  48  and the audio input source line  56  could be installed through the wall of the cooler  10  in a more permanent fashion. Using some type of jack or quick-disconnect connection is preferred, however, as it provides more flexibility. 
         [0034]    A standard 12V DC power receptacle, of the same type commonly found in automobiles, may also be installed in a wall of the audio equipment compartment. The end wall is again preferred. This receptacle would be powered by the portable power supply  46 . Such a receptacle could be used for a variety of purposes. For example, a user with a 12V DC cell phone charger could plug the charger into the receptacle and recharge a cell phone. Many portable audio devices have 12V DC chargers, and those types of devices also could be recharged using such a receptacle. Other uses would also be possible. 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  shows the top of the cooler  10  with both lids closed. The audio equipment compartment lid  22  is shown with four cup or can holders  64 . Such holders also could be placed in the cooler compartment lid  20 , but that is not preferred, because all cups or cans would have to be removed each time the cooler compartment  42  is accessed. In addition, it is likely the holders  64  will extend partially into the space of the compartment below. There will be space available in the upper part of the audio equipment compartment  44 , but extending holders into the cooler compartment  42  might reduce the usable space within that compartment. 
         [0036]    The audio equipment compartment lid  22  also may have a recess designed to accommodate popular personal audio players. In addition, such a recess might be configured to mate with adaptors so that a wider array of personal music players would fit the recess. This approach is used in other systems designed for use with the iPod® line of music players. 
         [0037]    The audio input line  56  may be run to a plug mounted into a recess in the audio equipment compartment lid  22 . A mini-headphone plug could be permanently installed at one end of a recess, so that a personal audio player output connection would engage the mini-headphone plug when the audio player is placed into the recess. The player could be securely held in the recess (perhaps using custom-sized adaptors, if necessary, like those used with other iPod® compatible systems) and be connected to the audio system in one action. By using a custom plug, rather than a standard mini-headphone plug, this arrangement could provide a unitary audio connection and a power connection to keep the audio player charged while it is being used. These features are not central to the invention, but may enhance the system and make it more attractive to some users. 
         [0038]    While the preceding description is intended to provide an understanding of the present invention, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover modifications and variations on the structure and methods described above and all other equivalent arrangements that are within the scope and spirit of the following claims.