Abstract:
A lighted cooler includes a thermally-insulated cooler body having a cooler body interior, at least one lid carried by the cooler body and closeable over the cooler body interior, a front body panel carried by the cooler body, a transparent light panel carried by the cooler body in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the front body panel, a plurality of lights carried by the front body panel adjacent to the transparent light panel, a power source electrically connected to the plurality of lights and a light control button electrically connected between the power source and the plurality of lights.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to coolers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a lighted cooler which is portable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Coolers are commonly used to transport food and/or beverages in a cooled condition. A typical conventional cooler includes an insulated bottom and walls with an insulated lid which is removably fitted on the walls. However, conventional coolers are typically not lighted. 
     Therefore, a lighted cooler having an eye-catching and stylish design is needed. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure is generally directed to a lighted cooler comprising a thermally-insulated cooler body having a cooler body interior, at least one lid carried by the cooler body and closeable over the cooler body interior, a front body panel carried by the cooler body, a transparent light panel carried by the cooler body in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the front body panel, a plurality of lights carried by the front body panel adjacent to the transparent light panel, a power source electrically connected to the plurality of lights and a light control button electrically connected between the power source and the plurality of lights. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the lighted cooler; 
         FIG. 1A  is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the lighted cooler, with an outer lid disposed in an open position; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of an illustrative embodiment of the lighted cooler; 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of an illustrative embodiment of the lighted cooler, with the outer lid disposed in an open position; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  4 - 4  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of an alternative illustrative embodiment of the lighted cooler; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a remote control unit of an illustrative embodiment of the lighted cooler; and 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view, taken along section lines  8 - 8  in  FIG. 1 , of a wheel of an illustrative embodiment of the lighted cooler. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. 
     Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-6  and  8  of the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the lighted cooler is generally indicated by reference numeral  1 . The lighted cooler  1  includes a thermally insulated cooler body  2  which may have a generally elongated, elliptical, oval or egg-shaped configuration. As shown in  FIG. 4 , a cooler interior  3  having an opening  3   a , which may have a generally elliptical shape, is provided in the cooler body  2 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  6 , in some embodiments multiple nets  30  may be provided in the cooler interior  3  along the wall thereof to receive and secure foods and/or beverages in the cooler interior  3 . An elongated handle shaft  14  may extend from the cooler body  2 . A handle grip  15  may be provided on the handle shaft  14 . 
     A thermally-insulated retractable outer lid  20  is provided on the cooler body  2 . The retractable outer lid  20  can be selectively opened and closed over the opening  3   a  of the cooler interior  3 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1A ,  3  and  4 , in some embodiments, a transparent retractable inner lid  21  is additionally provided on the cooler body  2  beneath the retractable outer lid  20  and can be selectively opened and closed over the opening  3   a  independently of the retractable outer lid  20 . A finger space  22  may be provided in the cooler body  2  at the edge of the closed retractable outer lid  20  and/or retractable inner lid  21  for aid in opening each. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , an axle  4  extends transversely across the cooler body  2 . Wheels  5  are mounted on respective ends of the axle  4 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , each wheel  5  may include a wheel hub  7  which is mounted on the axle  4  according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Multiple wheel lights  6 , each of which may be an LED, for example, are provided on the exterior surface of the wheel hub  7 . Faraday energy sources  44 , each having a magnet  45  and a coil  46 , may be provided in the wheel hub and electrically connected to the wheel lights  6  to provide power to illuminate the wheel lights  6 . Alternative energy sources such as batteries, for example, may be connected to the wheel lights  6 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , in some embodiments of the lighted cooler  1   a , the axle  4  ( FIG. 5 ) drivingly engages one or multiple tank-style wheels  32  on each side of the cooler body  2 . A continuous track  33  is trained around and driven by the tank-style wheels  32  responsive to operation of the drive motor  8 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a motor compartment  13  may be provided in the cooler body  2 . A drive motor  8  is provided in the motor compartment  13  and drivingly engages the axle  4  such as through drive gears  9 . A power source such as batteries  10 , for example, is electrically connected to the drive motor  8  such as through motor wiring  12 , for example. A directional control pad  16  for the drive motor  8  may be provided on the handle grip  15  or in any other suitable location and connected to the drive motor  8  to facilitate forward or reverse operation of the axle  4  and wheels  5 . A retractable recharge cord  11  may be connected to the batteries  10  or other power source and extend through a cord opening (not shown) provided in the cooler body  2  for connection to an electrical outlet (not shown) for recharging of the batteries  10 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a light compartment  24  is provided at a front end of the cooler body  2 . A convex front body panel  25  extends from the cooler body  2  and closes the light compartment  24 . A transparent convex light panel  28  extends from the cooler body  2  over the front body panel  25 . Multiple cooler lights  26 , which may be LEDs, are supported by the front body panel  25  and are positioned adjacent to the light panel  28 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the cooler lights  26  are electrically connected to the batteries  10  or other power source such as through light wiring  27 , for example. A light control button  18  may be provided on the handle grip  15  or other suitable location and electrically connected between the batteries  10  and the cooler lights  26  to facilitate selective turning of the cooler lights  26  on and off. The light control button  18  may additionally be electrically connected to the wheel lights  6  provided on the wheel hub  7  of each wheel  5 . Alternatively, a separate light control button (not shown) may be provided on the handle grip  15  or in an alternative location and electrically connected to the wheel lights  6  for separate control of the wheel lights  6 . 
     In typical use of the lighted cooler  1 , the retractable outer lid  20  and the retractable inner lid  21  are opened as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 3  to facilitate placement of cooled foods and/or beverages (not shown) in the cooler interior  3 . The foods and/or beverages may be secured in the nets  30  provided in the cooler interior  3 . The retractable inner lid  21  and the retractable outer lid  20  are then closed, as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 . A user (not shown) grips the handle grip  15  on the handle shaft  14  and manipulates the directional control pad  16  to operate the drive motor  8  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) in the forward or reverse direction. This facilitates travel of the lighted cooler  1  in the forward or reverse direction, respectively, as the wheels  5  rotate on a supporting surface (not shown). Alternatively, the lighted cooler  1  can be pushed or pulled on the supporting surface by pushing or pulling, respectively, the handle shaft  14  at the handle grip  15 . The cooler lights  26  can be selectively illuminated by depression of the light control supporting button  18 . In some embodiments, the retractable recharge cord  11  can be selectively extended from the cooler body  2  and plugged into an electrical outlet (not shown) to recharge the batteries  10 . 
     Referring next to  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments the drive motor  8  ( FIG. 5 ) may be operated using a hand-held remote control unit  36 . The remote control unit  36  may include a directional control pad  37  to facilitate directional control of the drive motor  8 . A transmitter  38  is connected to the directional control pad  37 . A power button  39  may be provided on the remote control unit  36  for turning of the drive motor  8  on and off. An LED  40  may be provided on the remote control unit  36  to indicate the “on” status of the remote control unit  36 . A receiver (not shown) is connected to the drive motor B and receives transmission signals (not shown) from the remote control unit  36 . The receiver translates the transmission signals into operation of the drive motor  8  in the forward or reverse direction. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.