Patent ID: 8317047

Claim:
An expandable and collapsible cooler, comprising: (a) a base defining a bottom portion of the cooler; (b) an upper rim defining an upper portion of the cooler; (c) a collapsible cooler wall extending between and attached to said base and said upper rim and surrounding an interior storage space of the cooler, the cooler wall comprising an inner collapsible wall and an outer collapsible wall that together define an intermediate space therebetween, each of the inner and outer collapsible walls comprising a flexible elastomeric membrane that includes a plurality of hinge lines at which the membrane is configured to bend such that the membrane is transitional between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; and (d) a drain conduit comprising a passageway providing fluid communication between an exterior of the cooler and the intermediate space; (e) wherein the cooler is transitionable between an expanded configuration for use of the cooler, and a collapsed configuration during nonuse of the cooler, by bending along the hinge lines, each of the configurations corresponding to a stable configuration of the cooler; (f) wherein the cooler further comprises one or more openings in the upper rim through which access is provided to the intermediate space defined between the inner and outer collapsible walls; and a lid that extends over both a top of the interior space defined by the inner collapsible wall and each of the one or more upper rim openings; (g) wherein each of the flexible elastomeric membranes is self supporting such that the cooler can remain in the expanded configuration even when the one or more openings in the upper rim are uncovered.