Abstract:
A device is described for providing a removable, disposable or reusable liner for a container. The liner may include an adhesive about the perimeter, a liner spout, and handles. The liner is particularly well suited to conform to the interior of a cooler and may seal to the inside of the cooler or overlap and seal to the outside of the container.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application having Ser. No. 14/484,782 and claims the filing benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/878,704 filed Sep. 17, 2013, the contents which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention pertains generally to containers and a liner for the container in particular. The liner is suitable for use with many types and forms of containers and may be adaptable for many different applications including ice coolers and fish live wells. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Generally, outdoor enthusiasts commonly utilize containers of various sizes and shapes to transport goods. Oftentimes, it is desirable to keep the goods cool in the container, whereby ice is typically used to create a cool temperature within the container. An insulated cooler is one common container that is utilized to keep goods cool during transport and stowage. As the ice melts within the cooler the goods may become wet and, depending on the goods, may stain the interior sidewalls of the cooler. Also, as the ice melts it may become messy to remove the goods from the cooler. Although some containers, coolers for example, may include a drain outlet to drain the melted ice, wet goods within the cooler remains a problem. Over the years attempts have been made to effectively line containers with a removable lining, however deficiencies remain with the prior liners. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Embodiments according to aspects of the invention include a liner having a pair of handles, drain valve and an adhesive seal surrounding a perimeter of the open end of the liner. The liner may be formed from a pliable, transparent, thin plastic or plastic film, including for example a food grade plastic. The handles may be die cut or perforated into the liner or may, for example, be sonic welded to the liner. Further, the drain may be formed integral with the container as a tubular portion extending from the liner. Alternatively, the drain may include a separate valve assembly molded into or otherwise sealed and affixed to a lower end or side portion of the liner. In embodiments of the invention the outer diameter of the spigot or tube may be sized to fit within an opening of an existing drain of a cooler. 
         [0007]    Also described herein is a liner that conforms to the shape of a cooler. In this manner the liner may be adhered snuggly to the walls of the cooler and avoids interfering with goods contained within the cooler. Also described herein is an adhesive deposited on or applied to the liner that is strategically positioned on the liner to allow the user to adhere the liner to an interior sidewall or exterior sidewall of a container. When the liner is removed from the cooler the perimeter edge of the liner may be inverted so that the adhesive on opposite sides and ends of the liner may be adhered together to thereby effectively seal the liner and any contents within the liner. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Advantages of the invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a liner apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a liner apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an end view of a liner apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged, exploded view of a drain plug in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an interior portion of a liner apparatus showing an exploded top perspective view of a drain plug in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of a liner apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the second embodiment with a container and its spout shown in phantom. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0017]    The following description provides detail of various embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each of these embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not intended to be a limitation of the invention. Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. By way of example, those skilled in the art will recognize that features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, may be used in another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention also cover such modifications and variations that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
         [0018]    Turning attention now to the Figures, embodiments of the liner will now be described in more detail. With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , a liner  10  is shown that is particularly well suited for use to line the inner sides of a hard wall cooler (not shown). The liner  10  includes handles  16 , fluid outlet or drain  50  and a perimeter adhesive  14 . The liner  10  may be manufactured from a durable resin or plastic and may be formed from a sheet material or may include sections welded together to form a shape having sides  30 , a bottom  32 , an open end  34 , an interior  36 , exterior  38 , and perimeter  42  (see  FIG. 5 ). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the liner  10  may be formed from a single material or may be spliced together from multiple sheets of material and joined together with liquid impermeable seems. The shape of the liner may be adapted to conform to the interior shape of a desired container. For example, without limitation, the liner may take on the shape of the interior of a rectangular cooler, a round multi-gallon bucket, or a complex shape of a live well in a bow or other portion of a boat. 
         [0019]    In an embodiment of the invention, the handles  16  are formed separate from the liner and adhered to the liner with adhesive, bond, well, fasteners or other suitable affixing method. In another embodiment of the invention, a portion of the liner  10  is die cut or perforated near the open end  34  and along the liner sides  30  to form a slit, slot, or other opening to allow a user to extend a hand through the slot to grasp the liner. In this manner, handles  16  may be formed integral with the liner. 
         [0020]    The adhesive  14  may be deposited or otherwise applied to an upper side of the liner  10  near the perimeter  42  of the liner  10 . The adhesive  14  may be of known suitable construction, but preferably includes a tack that adheres to a container but also releases from the container when the liner  14  is removed. 
         [0021]    The adhesive  14  also preferably creates a liquid impermeably seal between the container and liner when adhered to the container. Alternatively, an adhesive tape may be applied to the liner  10  with varying tact so that the tape permanently adheres to a portion of the liner  10  but may adhere and be removed from a container. The tape may be applied along the perimeter  42  of the liner  10  near the open end  34  having a portion of the tape extending from the liner and including a removable backing (not shown). 
         [0022]    The backing protects the adhesive from dust and other contaminants and is removed from the tape adhesive when the tape is ready to be adhered to a desired surface. The backing may also allow the user to position the liner within a desired container before adhering the liner to the container. The adhesive may also be selected and of the type to allow the user to apply and remove the adhesive to and from the container multiple times. 
         [0023]    Referring next to  FIGS. 4-6 , the fluid outlet or drain  50  may be formed integral with the liner  14  or may include separate components. For example, the drain  50  may include a portion of the liner  10  extending from the side near the bottom to form a stem or tube  52  having a diameter sized to allow a user to extend the stem through an aperture or drain formed in a cooler, for example. Alternatively, the drain  50  may include an outer stem  52 , an adhesive seal  54  and an inner drain rim or outlet  56 . In this embodiment the liner includes an aperture through which the rim  56  and stem  52  are aligned. The annular seal  54  adheres the rim  56  to an interior bottom portion of the liner and the stem  52  couples in fluid communication to a drain passage  58  extending from the rim  56 . In this manner, the drain  50  is sealed to the liner and the stem  52  extends from an exterior of the liner (see  FIG. 4 ) providing a fluid passageway between the interior of the liner and the exterior of the liner. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the drain  50  may be modified to further include a valve of known suitable construction to allow the user to close or open the passage for fluid to flow from an interior of the liner. One suitable valve, for example, may be of the type to couple to an aeration system of a boat live well such that the liner may be inserted into the live well and utilized to contain fish or bait. 
         [0024]    In use, the liner  10  may be utilized as an inner membrane to a container. The container may be of any of a multitude of sizes and shapes and the liner may be pre-formed to conform to the shape of the desired or selected container. For example, without limitation intended, the container may be a cooler, a round bucket or pale, a recycle bin, a food cart, a minnow bucket, a trough, or a complex shape of a live well in a bow or other portion of a boat. The user inserts the liner into the container and utilizes the adhesive to attach the liner to the container. When removing the liner, the user may remove the liner and all of the contents within the liner to avoid contaminating the interior of the container. The adhesive may be utilized to seal the contents within the container. This method may be particularly useful and desirable when the contents held within the liner emits a strong odor (for example, fish odor). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the fish odor may be contained within the liner rather than exposing the fish to the container. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a second embodiment of the invention is generally indicated at  110 . The invention  110  is a container lining device for lining a container  112  having a container interior  114 , a container exterior  116  as defined by a container wall  118 . A container spout extends through the container wall  18  and allows fluids within the container interior  114  to allow fluids within the container interior  114  to pass therethrough to the container exterior  116  for disposal. As discussed above, the container  112  may be a cooler, a round bucket or pail, a recycle bin, a food cart, a minnow bucket, and the like. 
         [0026]    The container lining device  110  includes a bottom  124  that defines a bottom periphery  126 . It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the bottom periphery  126  may be similar in shape to the cross section of the container  112  as defined by the container wall  118 . 
         [0027]    The container lining device  110  also includes a sidewall  128  that extends up from the bottom  124  along the bottom periphery  126 . The sidewall  128  extends up to an open end  130 . The sidewall  128  defines an interior surface  132  and an exterior surface  134 . The bottom  124  and sidewall  128  are fabricated from a thin plastic not more than 3 mills thick. 
         [0028]    The bottom  124 , the sidewall  128 , the liner spout  136  and the pull tab  138  are all fabricated as a unitary structure. More specifically, the container lining device  110  is made from a single sheet of thin plastic and includes the liner spout  136  and pull tab  138 . 
         [0029]    An adhesive band  140  is disposed the adjacent end  130  and extends around the exterior surface  134  of the sidewall  128 . As discussed above, the adhesive band  140  allows the sidewall  128  of the container lining device  110  to be secured to the container interior  114  of the container  112 . 
         [0030]    The sidewall  128  includes a plurality of perforated sections  142  that extend along the sidewall  128  between the open end  130  and the adhesive band  140 . A plurality of perforated sections  142  can be used to create handles for removal of the container lining device  110  from the container  112  when it is determined that the container lining device  110  is no longer needed. Each of the plurality of perforated sections are spaced equidistantly from each other. In a second embodiment, there are only two perforated sections. 
         [0031]    Extending out from the sidewall  128  is a liner spout  136 . The liner spout  136  is disposed adjacent the bottom  124  in a position allowing the liner spout  136  to extend through the container spout  120  when the container lining device  110  is inserted within the container  112 . The liner spout includes a pull tab  138  that closes the liner spout  136 . When it is deemed to be necessary to remove liquid from the container lining device  110 , the pull tab  138  is pulled allowing the fluid to exit the container lining device  110  through the liner spout  136  that extends through the container spout  120 . 
         [0032]    The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
         [0033]    Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.