Abstract:
The thermal container in accordance with the present invention is a portable thermal chest such as a cooler having a pedal-operated hinged lid. An articulated linkage is provided between a foot-operated pedal and the hinged top of the chest to allow the chest to be conveniently opened without use of the user&#39;s hands.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in part of application Ser. No. 10/114,635, filed Apr. 3, 20002. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to thermally insulated containers. More particularly, the present invention relates to portable thermal chests such as picnic coolers.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     A number of companies including Coleman® and Igloo® manufacture portable thermal chests or coolers. Such coolers are frequently fabricated as a double-wall chest with a thermal foam filling and removable or hinged lid. They are frequently constructed of lightweight materials, such as molded plastic or stamped aluminum, to keep loaded as well as unloaded weight to a minimum.  
         [0006]     If an individual has his/her arms or hands full, operating a lid for the purpose of accessing the interior compartment is difficult or impossible, since no provision for “hands-free” operation. Either the operator must put the objects down, or rely on assistance from second individual. An example would be a fisherman/women who has a wriggling fish in one hand and a rod in the other.  
         [0007]     Many containers are manufacture for holding hazardous waste or trash that employ foot pedal-operated hinged lids. For example United Receptacle of Pottsville Pennsylvania manufactures “Square Step Cans” with positive leverage foot pedals that allow for “hands-free” operation.  
         [0008]     It would be desirable to provide a thermal chest having a design which provides for “hands-free” operation of the hinged lid. Such a chest would have the advantage of relieving the user from setting down items or foodstuffs before opening the lid, providing for ease of use, avoidance of contamination, and avoidance of the risk of dropping breakable items while attempting to operate the lid.  
         [0009]     Thus, a thermal container which is designed to avoid the aforementioned problems is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The thermal container in accordance with the present invention is a portable thermal chest having a pedal-operated hinged lid. An articulated linkage is provided between a foot-operated pedal and the hinged top of the chest to allow the chest to be conveniently opened without use of the user&#39;s hands.  
         [0011]     It is an aspect of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.  
         [0012]     These and other aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a thermal container with pedal operated lid according to the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the thermal container of  FIG. 1  with the lid in an open position.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of the thermal container of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
       [0016]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]     The present invention is a portable thermal chest having a foot pedal-operated hinged lid.  
         [0018]     Referring to the Figures, pedal-operated thermal chest system  10  includes a thermal chest  12  having a hinged lid  14  having end portions  15 . Thermal chest  12  has a thermal chest body  16  of generally rectangular shaped and having thermal chest end walls  18  thermal chest front wall, and thermal chest rear wall of equal heights defining thermal chest upper rim  24 . Thermal chest hinged lid  14  has a lid front portion  25 . Thermal chest bottom wall connects end walls, front wall, and rear wall  22  to form thermal chest body  16 .  
         [0019]     A lid manipulating mechanism is provided by articulated linkage system  30  having a pedal  32  mounted thereon is attached to thermal chest  12  to allow foot-operated, hinged lifting of lid  14 . Articulated linkage system  30  includes a pedal  32 , a “U” shaped pedal link extending around the exterior of front wall  20  and the exterior of sidewalls  18  of chest body  16 , and a lid lift arm  42  along the exterior of sidewalls  18 . The “U” spaced pedal link has a pedal link front portion  36  extending along the front wall of thermal chest body  16  and pedal link side portions  38  extending along the thermal chest opposed end walls  18 . Lid lift arms  42  are rotatably attached to respective opposed hinged lid end portions  15  by lift arm lid axles  44  at lift arm upper end portions  46 . Lid lift arms  42  are attached at their lower end portions  48  to “U” shaped pedal link end portions  52  at linkage joint axles  50 . The “U” shaped pedal link  34  is rotatably attached to thermal chest endwalls  18  spaced upward from thermal chest bottom wall  28  by pedal link pivot axles  40 . Hinged lid  14  is rotatably attached to thermal chest rear wall  22  by hinges  54  so as to sealingly engage upper rim  24  when in a closed position.  
         [0020]     In operation, the user steps on foot pedal  32 , which rotates side portion  38  of “U” shaped pedal link  34  around pedal link pivot axles  40 . This causes lid lift arms  42  to be urged upward, lifting lid  14  at lift arm lid axles  44 . As pedal  32  is urged downward though its full travel, lid lift arms  42  extend lid  14  to its full open position as shown in  FIG. 2 . The user may the place perishable items in ice I therein. The lid  14  will then close by its own weight acting on articulated linkage system  30  until it seals against thermal chest upper rim  24 .  
         [0021]     The pedal link pivot axle is preferably located toward the front wall, resulting in a mechanical advantage with respect to the relative travel of the lift arms  42 , so that a small amount of travel of the pedal  32  results in significantly more travel at the lid end portions  15 , thus raising and opening hinged lid  14  to a convenient open angle for easy access to the inside of thermal chest  12 .  
         [0022]     The pedal linkage  34  is preferably made of rigid metal strips formed accordingly. The chest body and lid are of lightweight materials, preferably of sandwiched stiff plastic or aluminum sheet and insulating foam.  
         [0023]     The resulting inventive thermal chest system  10  has advantages including allowing the lid of the thermal chest to be opened by stepping on or otherwise operating the pedal without using the hands, enabling lid operation while the user&#39;s arms are fully loaded. Other advantages include avoidance of contamination of the items to be stored therein by eliminating the need to set them down to open the lid of the thermal chest, and avoidance of the possibility of dropping items while attempting to open the thermal chest lid while the user&#39;s hands are occupied by holding the items. The thermal chest system of the present invention may be of any convenient size, but is most desirable in a large capacity portable thermal chest useful in storing food items or to easily receive fresh-caught fish while still on the fishing line or removed and still alive.  
         [0024]     It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.