Fish Cooler Device

• US 20070028506A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daniel Lester
• Original Assignee: Daniel Lester
• Inventors: Lester, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,464,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 43/55
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/20 Keepnets or other containers for keeping captured fish A01K97/05 takes precedence

Abstract

A fish cooler device 10 comprising an insulated fish cooler lid 20 that provides a means for ease of deposition of fish, a funnel shaped fish receiver 30 for dropping fish through an aperture 22 and a trap door 40 into a thermally insulated container 24. The fish cooler device 10 may also feature an ice chest or cooler with two lids, an upper lid 26 and the fish cooler lid 20; and a fish remover tray 90 that provides for the fish to be easily removed from the ice/ice water without having to handle a single fish, and a funnel shaped fish receiver 30.

Claims

1. A fish cooler device comprising:

an insulated fish cooler lid for securing said fish cooler lid with a thermally insulated container such that said fish cooler lid holds fish in the container without allowing fish to escape the container or allowing heat to enter the container, said insulated fish cooler lid comprising an aperture for dropping fish through said aperture into the container;

a funnel shaped fish receiver for receiving fish deposited into said funnel shaped fish receiver comprising an upper portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver and a lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver with said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver attached with said fish cooler lid, said upper portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver larger than said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver for aiding in receiving fish and allowing the fish to slide toward said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver, said funnel shaped fish receiver comprising a porous flexible material so that said upper portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver may be lowered toward said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver for ease of transportation when not receiving fish, and such that said upper portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver raised away from said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver for receiving fish, said funnel shaped fish receiver further comprising;

a first funnel hanger pivotally attached with said fish cooler lid, and

a second funnel hanger pivotally attached with said fish cooler lid such that said first funnel hanger and said second funnel hanger may be pivoted to an approximate vertical position whereby said fish receiver may be secured in the raised position for receiving fish by attachment of said first funnel hanger and said second funnel hanger and such that said first funnel hanger and said second funnel hanger may be pivoted to an approximate horizontal position when said fish receiver is lowered for ease of transportation when not receiving fish; and

a trap door pivotally attached with said fish cooler lid below said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver whereby fish received in said funnel shaped fish receiver may pass through said fish cooler lid aperture wherein said trap door further comprises a closure means for allowing the weight of the fish to open said trap door and for closing said trap door after the fish passes through said trap door.

2. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said closure means comprises a counterbalance weight attached with said trap door for allowing the weight of the fish to open said trap door and for closing said trap door after the fish passes through said trap door.

3. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said insulated fish cooler lid further comprises a trap door locking means for preventing the opening of said trap door.

4. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said closure means comprises a spring operationally attached with said trap door and said fish cooler lid for allowing the weight of the fish to open said trap door and for closing said trap door after the fish passes through said trap door.

5. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said trap door further comprises a second trap door pivotally attached with said fish cooler lid with pivot attachment on opposing sides of the trap doors.

6. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said trap doors are angled in a V shape as viewed from the side of the fish cooler lid with the lower point of the V disposed where the adjacent sides of the trap doors meet and wherein the closure means further comprises a spring attached with a first end side of a first trap door and attached with a second end side of the second trap door wherein the spring is attached with the two trap doors wherein the sides of the trap doors for attaching are both on the same side of the fish cooler lid for allowing the weight of the fish to open said trap doors and for closing said trap doors after the fish passes through said trap doors.

7. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said trap doors are angled in a V shape as viewed from the side of the fish cooler lid with the lower point of the V disposed where the adjacent sides of the trap doors meet and wherein the closure means further comprises a spring attached with a first end side of a first trap door and attached with the cooler lid for allowing the weight of the fish to open said trap doors and for closing said trap doors after the fish passes through said trap doors.

12. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 1 in kit form further comprising a fish remover comprising four porous side walls and a porous bottom floor wherein said walls and floor are operationally attached such that said fish remover may be positioned within the thermally insulated container such that said fish remover may be inserted into or removed from the container whereby the fish remover contains fish within the fish remover.

8. A fish cooler device comprising:

a thermally insulated container;

an insulated fish cooler lid hingedly attached with said thermally insulated container such that said fish cooler lid holds fish in said container without allowing fish to escape said container or allowing heat to enter said container, said insulated fish cooler lid comprising an aperture in the fish cooler lid for dropping fish through said aperture into said container;

a funnel shaped fish receiver for receiving fish deposited into said funnel shaped fish receiver comprising an upper portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver and a lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver with said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver attached with said fish cooler lid, said upper portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver larger than said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver for aiding in receiving fish and allowing fish to slide toward said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver, said funnel shaped fish receiver comprising a porous flexible material so that said upper portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver may be lowered toward said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver for ease of transportation when not receiving fish and so that said upper portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver may be raised away from said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver for receiving fish;

a first funnel hanger pivotally attached with said fish cooler lid;

a second funnel hanger pivotally attached with said fish cooler lid such that said first funnel hanger and said second funnel hanger may be pivoted to an approximate vertical position whereby said fish receiver may be secured by said first funnel hanger and said second funnel hanger in the raised position for receiving fish and so that said first funnel hanger and said second funnel hanger may be pivoted to an approximate horizontal position when said fish receiver is lowered for ease of transportation when not receiving fish; and

a trap door pivotally attached with said fish cooler lid below said lower portion of said funnel shaped fish receiver whereby fish received in said funnel shaped fish receiver may pass through said fish cooler lid aperture wherein said trap door further comprises a closure means for allowing the weight of the fish resting on the trap door to open said trap door and for closing said trap door after the fish passes through said trap door.

9. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said thermally insulated container further comprises at least one wheel rotatably attached with said container exterior such that said container may be rolled from one location to another.

10. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 8 further comprising a fish remover further comprising porous side walls and a porous bottom floor wherein said walls and said floor are operationally attached such that said fish remover may be positioned within said thermally insulated container such that said fish remover may be inserted into and removed from said container whereby fish remover confines fish within the fish remover.

11. A fish cooler device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said thermally insulated container further comprises at least one wheel rotatably attached with said container exterior such that said container may be rolled from one location to another.

13. A method of depositing fish into a thermally insulated container and a fish cooler device including a fish cooler lid, the method comprising the steps of:

raising a lid of the thermally insulated container;

placing ice inside the thermally insulated container for keeping fish cool;

placing the fish cooler lid on the thermally insulated container;

pivoting a first funnel hanger and a second funnel hanger to an approximate vertical position;

raising an upper portion of a funnel shaped fish receiver;

securing the upper portion of the funnel shaped fish receiver with the first funnel hanger and the second funnel hanger in the raised position; and

depositing the fish into the funnel shaped fish receiver.

14. A method of depositing fish as set forth in claim 13 further comprising the steps, after depositing the fish into the funnel shaped fish receiver, of:

preparing the fish cooler device for moving further comprising the steps of;

unsecuring the upper portion of the funnel shaped fish receiver from the first funnel hanger and the second funnel hanger;

lowering the upper portion of the funnel shaped fish receiver;

pivoting the first funnel hanger and the second funnel hanger to an approximate horizontal position;

removing the fish cooler lid from the thermally insulated container; and

closing the lid of the thermally insulated container.

15. A method of depositing fish as set forth in claim 13 further comprising the steps, after raising an upper lid of a thermally insulated container and before placing ice inside the fish remover for keeping the fish cool, of:

placing a fish remover in the thermally insulated container for easily removing all of the fish together.

16. A method of depositing fish as set forth in claim 15 further comprising the steps, after depositing the fish into the funnel shaped fish receiver, of:

preparing the fish cooler device for moving further comprising the steps of;

unsecuring upper portion of the funnel shaped fish receiver from the first funnel hanger and second funnel hangers;

lowering upper portion of funnel shaped fish receiver after unsecuring the first funnel hanger and the second funnel hanger;

pivoting the first funnel hanger and the second funnel hangers to an approximate horizontal position after the funnel shaped fish receiver has been lowered;

removing the fish cooler lid;

closing the lid of the thermally insulated container;

securing the lid of the thermally insulated container; and

transporting the thermally insulated container.

17. A method of depositing fish as set forth in claim 15 further comprising the steps, after depositing the fish into the funnel shaped fish receiver, of:

removing the fish from the fish cooler device further comprising the steps of;

removing the fish cooler lid of the thermally insulated container;

removing the fish remover from the thermally insulated container to move the fish to a location to work on the fish;

lowering the lid of the thermally insulated container; and

securing the lid of the thermally insulated container.

18. A method of depositing fish into a fish cooler device, the method comprising the steps of:

raising an upper lid and a fish cooler lid hingedly attached with a thermally insulated container;

placing ice inside the thermally insulated container for keeping fish cool;

lowering the fish cooler lid and the upper lid on the thermally insulated container;

raising the upper lid hingedly attached with the thermally insulated container;

pivoting a first funnel hanger and a second funnel hanger to an approximate vertical position;

raising an upper portion of a funnel shaped fish receiver;

securing the upper portion of the funnel shaped fish receiver with the first funnel hanger and the second funnel hanger in the raised position;

depositing the fish into the funnel shaped fish receiver;

preparing the fish cooler device for moving comprising the steps of;

unsecuring the upper portion of the funnel shaped fish receiver from the first funnel hanger and the second funnel hangers,

lowering upper portion of funnel shaped fish receiver after unsecuring the first funnel hanger and the second funnel hanger,

pivoting the first funnel hanger and the second funnel hangers to an approximate horizontal position after the funnel shaped fish receiver has been lowered, and

closing the upper lid of the thermally insulated container; and

transporting the thermally insulated container.

19. A method of depositing fish as set forth in claim 18 further comprising the steps,

after raising an upper lid and a fish cooler lid hingedly attached with a thermally insulated container and before placing ice inside the fish remover for keeping the fish cool, of:

placing a fish remover in the thermally insulated container for easily removing all of the fish together; and

after transporting the thermally insulated container, of;

removing the fish from the fish cooler device comprising the steps of;

raising the upper lid and the fish cooler lid hingedly attached with a thermally insulated container;

removing the fish remover from the thermally insulated container to move the fish to a location to work on the fish;

lowering the upper lid and the fish cooler lid hingedly attached with a thermally insulated container; and

securing the upper lid and the fish cooler lid of the thermally insulated container.

20. A method of depositing fish as set forth in claim 18 wherein the transporting the thermally insulated container step further comprising the steps of:

pivoting the thermally insulated container on at least one wheel rotatably attached with the thermally insulated container to an angle for rolling the thermally insulated container;

rolling the thermally insulated container to the desired location using the at least one wheel rotatably attached with the thermally insulated container; and

pivoting the thermally insulated container back to an approximately horizontal position at the desired location.