Patent ID: 7313927

Claim:
A portable cooler device for storing and transporting individual meals and beverages, the device comprising: an outer soft shell with at least one padded layer of thermal insulation material, a means for carrying the device comprising an adjustable shoulder strap removably attached to the shell, and a front cover panel adapted for opening to access the interior of the shell and adapted for closing with an airtight seal; a rigid frame rack adapted to be inserted within the shell, the rack comprising at least a top and a bottom and a pair of side walls on the exterior of the rack with an open front and a series of vertical walls from the open front of the rack to a back of the rack forming a series of compartments separated by the series of vertical walls, the series of vertical walls each having a multiplicity of openings therethrough to admit air circulation between adjacent pairs of the series of compartments, at least one first pair of adjacent vertical walls forming a meal container compartment between facing sides of the at least one first pair of adjacent vertical walls, a series of mating horizontal tracks running from the open front of the rack to the back of the rack in a vertical array on each of the facing sides, a single vertical wall spaced apart from a side wall on each side of the rack to form a compartment on each side of the rack for receiving a coolant container, and at least one second pair of adjacent vertical walls forming a compartment for receiving beverage containers, each of the series of vertical walls being formed of a rigid material to prevent containers in one compartment from pressing against containers in adjacent compartments; a series of meal containers each comprising a tray for containing a meal therein and a cover engaging the tray with an airtight seal, the series of meal containers adapted for sliding removably on the pairs of horizontal tracks in a vertical array with each of the adjacent meal containers spaced apart from each adjacent container, each of the trays having a pattern of recessed channels in a bottom of the tray, the pattern of recessed channels forming air circulation paths on an exterior of the tray and forming food separators on an interior of the tray; a pair of coolant containers adapted to fit within the two side compartments of the rack, each of the pair of coolant containers having a series of recessed channels in a top edge and a bottom edge and a back edge for allowing air circulation through the recessed channels.