Container with expandable portion

• US 20070278234A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Innovations Incorporated
• Original Assignee: California Innovations Incorporated
• Inventors: Mogil, Melvin S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,043,004 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/592.200
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/026 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/02 Materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 7/0072 telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/38 with thermal insulation vacuum bottles or the like A47J41/00 ; thermal insulation of domestic water storage heaters F24H1/182

Abstract

A soft sided insulated container assembly has a first insulated container portion and a second insulated container portion. The second insulated container portion can be collapsed to a flat position, and secured in place. Either of the container portions may have a liner. The liner in the first container portion may be a substantially rigid liner. The assembly may have a lifting member. In one example the second portion may be hingedly mounted to the first portion, and the lifting member may be mounted such that when the assembly is lifted, the hinge is in an up-and-down orientation. In another embodiment, the lifting member may be eccentrically mounted, such that the assembly may possibly sit more comfortably against a carrier'"'"'s hip. The first container portion may have an auxiliary opening or door, and that door may be more easily opened than the main access of the first insulated container portion.

Claims

1. A soft sided insulated container assembly comprising:

a first insulated container portion and a second insulated container portion;

said first insulated container portion having a length and a breadth and a depth, said length being greater than said breadth, and said breadth being greater than said depth;

said first insulated container portion having a first panel, said first panel having a predominantly rectangular plan form, said rectangular plan form having a pair of first and second generally opposed long sides, and a pair of first and second generally opposed short sides;

said first panel having a periphery;

said first insulated container portion having an insulated peripheral wall mounted about said first panel, said peripheral wall extending away from said first panel in a direction of said depth, and said insulated peripheral wall having a margin distant from said first panel;

said first insulated container portion having a second panel, said second panel having a predominantly rectangular plan form having a pair of first and second long sides, and a pair of first and second short sides;

said second panel being hingedly mounted to said margin of said peripheral wall along one of said long sides thereof;

said second panel being movable between a closed position and an open position relative to said peripheral wall;

a first closure operable releasably to secure said second panel in said closed position;

said second insulated container portion being mounted to said second panel of said first container portion;

said second insulated container portion being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, and said container assembly including members operable releasably to secure said second portion in said collapsed position;

said second insulated container portion having a predominantly rectangular footprint corresponding substantially to said predominantly rectangular footprint of said second panel of said first container portion, having respective first and second long sides, and respective first and second short sides; and

said second insulated container portion having a second closure mounted along one of said first and second short sides thereof.

2. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein:

said peripheral wall has a pair of first and second short sides, and a pair of first and second long sides, those short and long sides standing along the respective first and second short and long sides of said first panel, said first short side of said peripheral wall being closest adjacent to said second closure member; and

a lifting member is mounted to said peripheral wall whereby said first short side of said peripheral wall is positioned uppermost relative to said second short side of said peripheral wall when said container assembly is supported by said lifting member.

3. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein said second insulated container portion includes a main panel and a peripheral wall, the main panel has a peripheral margin having a pair of long portions and a short portion adjoining each other in a U-shape, said short portion being distant from said second closure member, and said peripheral wall being collapsible to permit said main panel of said second insulated container portion to move to a position closer to said second panel when said second insulated container portion is in said collapsed position than when said second insulated container portion is in said expanded position.

4. The container assembly of claim 3 wherein said second closure member has a first securement member operable to retain said second closure member in a closed position relative to said second insulated container portion, and a second securement member operable to retain said closure member against said main panel when said second insulated container portion is in said collapsed position.

5. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein said lifting member is a handle mounted to said first short side of said peripheral wall of said first insulated container portion.

6. The container assembly of claim 1 further comprising a second lifting member that includes a shoulder strap.

7. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein an auxiliary lodgement is mounted to one of said long sides of said peripheral wall of said first insulated container portion opposite to that long portion of said peripheral sidewall to which said second panel is hingedly mounted.

8. The container assembly of claim 7 wherein said lodgement is uninsulated, has a base which may be collapsed against said peripheral wall when not in use, and which has an open end closest to said first short side of said peripheral wall.

9. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second insulated container portions has a liner.

10. The container assembly of claim 9 wherein said liner is more rigid than said insulated wall structure.

11. An insulated container assembly comprising:

a first insulated container portion and a second insulated container portion;

said first and second insulated container portions being soft sided insulated container portions;

said first insulated container portion having a length and a breadth and a depth, said length being greater than said depth, and said depth being greater than said breadth;

said first insulated container portion having a first panel, said first panel having a predominantly rectangular plan form, said rectangular plan form having a pair of first and second generally opposed long sides running predominantly lengthwise, and a pair of first and second generally opposed short sides running breadthwise;

said first panel having a periphery;

said first insulated container portion having an insulated peripheral wall mounted about said first panel, said peripheral wall having first and second long sides, and first and second short sides, said peripheral wall extending away from said first panel depthwise, and each of said long sides and short sides having an upper margin portion distant from said first panel, said margin portions co-operatively defining an upper margin of said peripheral wall structure;

said first insulated container portion having a second panel, said second panel having a predominantly rectangular plan form having a pair of first and second long sides, and a pair of first and second short sides;

said second panel being hingedly mounted to said margin of said peripheral wall along said upper margin portion of said second of said long sides thereof;

said second panel being movable between a closed position and an open position relative to said peripheral wall;

a first closure operable releasably to secure said second panel in said closed position;

said second insulated container portion being mounted to said first of said long sides of said first container portion, said first of said long sides of said peripheral wall defining a back wall of said second insulated container portion;

said second insulated container portion being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, and said container assembly including members operable releasably to secure said second insulated container portion in said collapsed position;

said second insulated container portion having a predominantly rectangular front wall standing predominantly opposite said back wall, and side portions adjoining said front and back walls;

said second insulated container portion having a bottom wall portion adjacent to said first panel of said first insulated container portion; and

a top wall portion distant therefrom;

said second insulated container portion having a closure member operable to permit said top wall portion to move to an open position relative to said front wall, said top wall portion having a first securement to permit said top wall portion to close said second insulated container portion when said second insulated container portion is in a collapsed position, and a second securement operable to fasten said top wall in an overlapping position relative to said front wall when said second insulated container portion is in said collapsed position; and

said first insulated container portion having a first lifting member mounted thereto, said first lifting member having a center of lift closer to said margin portion of said second long side portion than to said margin portion of said first long side portion.

12. The insulated container assembly of claim 11 wherein said second panel of said first insulated container portion has a movable inset member mounted thereto, said movable inset member being movable to an open position providing a second means of internal access to said first container portion.

13. The insulated container assembly of claim 12 wherein said inset member has an inset member closure, and said first closure operable to secure said second panel of said first insulated container portion in said closed position is of a different type than said inset member closure.

14. The insulated container assembly of claim 13 wherein said first closure is a tracked fastener, and said second closure is a quick release closure.

15. The insulated container assembly of claim 11 wherein at least one of said first and second insulated container portions has a liner mounted therewithin.

16. The insulated container assembly of claim 15 wherein said liner has a rigidity greater than said peripheral wall of said first insulated container portion.

17. The insulated container assembly of claim 11 wherein said members operable releasably to secure said second insulated container portion in said collapsed position include straps having a first end fixedly mounted to said second insulated container portion, and a free end releasably attachable to said first insulated container portion in at least a first position and a second position.

18. The insulated container assembly of claim 17 wherein said straps are located closer to said bottom wall portion than to said top wall portion of said second insulated container portion.

19. The insulated container assembly of claim 11 wherein said lifting member is a strap, said strap having first and second ends fastened to said first and second short sides of said peripheral wall.

20. The insulated container assembly of claim 19 wherein each of said first and second ends is mounted to an attachment gusset having a base fastened to a respective one of said first and second short sides, and an apex closer to said back wall of said second insulated container portion than to said front wall.