Food and Beverage Cooler Assembly

• US 20180186550A1
• Filed: 01/04/2017
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Granted Patent: US 10,843,863 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/16 hinged for upward or downward movement cigar or cigarette receptacles A24F15/00; suitcases, ètuis A45C; casings for cosmetic substances with hinged covers A45D40/22; toolboxes B25H3/02; hinges of door or similar type E05D ; boxes for switchboards with hinged covers H02B1/066
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3813 rigid container being in the form of a box, tray or like container
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3816 formed of foam material
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3823 formed of different materials, e.g. laminated or foam filling between walls
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/06 Movable containers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/08 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally

Abstract

A cooler assembly for the storage of one or more objects includes a cooler portion having a main portion and a cover portion that is removably or pivotable relative to the main portion. First and second main portion securement features are disposed on a side wall of the main portion, and the first and second main portion securement features may be identical. First and second attachment assemblies, which may include a container, have identical first and second attachment securement features, respectively, which may releaseably engage either of the first and second main portion securement features to allow the first and second attachment assemblies to be transported with and stored on the cooler portion.

Claims

1. A cooler assembly for the storage of one or more objects, the cooler assembly comprising:

a cooler portion, the cooler portion comprising;

a main portion having one or more side walls having one or more interior surfaces that at least partially define an interior portion that is adapted to receive the one or more objects, wherein one or more exterior surfaces of the one or more side walls of the main portion define an exterior portion of the cooler portion;

a cover portion at least one of pivotably coupled to or removably secured to the main portion, wherein when the cover portion is in a closed position relative to the main portion, one or more interior surfaces of the cover portion at least partially define the interior portion;

a first main portion securement feature disposed at a first location on at least one of the one or more side walls of the main portion; and

a second main portion securement feature disposed at a second location on at least one of the one or more side walls of the main portion; and

a first attachment assembly, the first attachment assembly having a first attachment securement feature adapted to releaseably engage the first main portion securement feature or the second main portion securement feature to removably secure the first attachment assembly to at least one of the one or more side walls of the main portion.

2. The cooler assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a second attachment assembly, the second attachment assembly having a second attachment securement feature adapted to releaseably engage the first main portion securement feature or the second main portion securement feature to removably secure the second attachment assembly to at least one of the one or more side walls of the main portion.

3. The cooler assembly of claim 2, wherein the first attachment securement feature is substantially identical to the second attachment securement feature.

4. The cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more side walls each extends in a direction along a main portion axis from a first end to a second end, and wherein the one or more side walls includes four side walls that cooperate to form a rectangular shape when viewed along the main portion axis.

5. The cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more side walls includes one or more insulation materials between the one or more interior surfaces and the one or more exterior surfaces.

6. The cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein the first main portion securement feature includes a first bar portion that is offset from a first portion of one or more of the exterior surfaces of the one or more side walls, and wherein the second main portion securement feature includes a second bar portion that is offset from a second portion of one or more of the exterior surfaces of the one or more side walls.

7. The cooler assembly of claim 6, wherein all or a portion of the first bar portion has a rectangular cross-sectional shape and all or a portion of the second bar portion has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

8. The cooler assembly of claim 6, wherein each of the first bar portion and the second bar portion is secured between a first lateral ridge and a second lateral ridge, and wherein each of the first lateral ridge and the second lateral ridge is elongated and extends in a direction from a first point at or adjacent to a first end of the main portion to a second point at or adjacent to the second end of the main portion.

9. The cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein the first attachment assembly includes an accessory portion and a clip portion removably secured to the accessory portion, and wherein the first attachment securement feature is disposed on the clip portion.

10. The cooler assembly of claim 2, wherein the second attachment assembly includes an accessory portion and a clip portion removably secured to the accessory portion, and wherein the second attachment securement feature is disposed on the clip portion.

11. The cooler assembly of claim 9, wherein the accessory portion of the first attachment assembly includes a container adapted to be opened and closed.

12. The cooler assembly of claim 9, wherein a first clip arm of the clip portion of the first attachment assembly includes a lip disposed at or adjacent to an end portion of the first clip arm, and the lip removably engages a slot formed in or on a first end of the accessory portion of the first attachment assembly to secure the clip portion to the accessory portion.

13. The cooler assembly of claim 10, wherein a first clip arm of the clip portion of the second attachment assembly includes a lip disposed at or adjacent to an end portion of the first clip arm, and the lip removably engages a slot formed in or on a first end of the accessory portion of the second attachment assembly to secure the clip portion to the accessory portion.

14. The cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein the first attachment securement feature includes at least one retaining arm adapted to releaseably engage the first main portion securement feature or the second main portion securement feature.

15. The cooler assembly of claim 2, wherein the second attachment securement feature includes at least one retaining arm adapted to releaseably engage the first main portion securement feature or the second main portion securement feature.

16. The cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein a light is disposed in at least one of the one or more interior surfaces of the cover portion.

17. The cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover portion is pivotably coupled to the main portion by a hinge.

18. The cooler assembly of claim 17, wherein the cover portion is releaseably secured to the main portion by one or more closure members, and each of the one or more closure members includes a support member coupled to the main portion, a latch member removably coupled to the cover portion, and a connection member having a first portion coupled to the support member and a second portion coupled to the latch member.

19. The cooler assembly of claim 18, wherein the latch member of each of the one or more closure members is a cam that biases the latch member into a position in which the closure member is in a closed position.

20. The cooler assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more partition members adapted to be slidingly received in one or more partition grooves formed on or in at least one of the one or more interior surfaces of the main portion of the cooler portion.

21. The cooler assembly of claim 20, wherein each of the one or more partition members is planar and is slidingly received into an opposing pair of the one or more partition grooves to secure the partition member to the main portion.

22. The cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein the main portion includes a first tray recess around a perimeter portion of the one or more interior surfaces of the one or more side walls at or adjacent to an open first end of the main portion.

23. The cooler assembly of claim 22, further comprising:

a first tray having opposing end portions received on opposing portions of a first ledge of the first tray recess.

24. The cooler assembly of claim 23, wherein the main portion includes a second tray recess around the perimeter portion of the one or more interior surfaces of the one or more side walls at or adjacent to an open first end of the main portion.

25. The cooler assembly of claim 24, further comprising:

a second tray having opposing end portions received on opposing portions of a second ledge of the second tray recess.

26. The cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein the first main portion securement feature is substantially identical to the second main portion securement feature.

27. A cooler portion for the storage of one or more objects, the cooler portion comprising:

a main portion having one or more side walls having one or more interior surfaces that at least partially define an interior portion that is adapted to receive the one or more objects, wherein one or more exterior surfaces of the one or more side walls of the main portion define an exterior portion of the cooler portion;

a cover portion at least one of pivotably coupled to or removably secured to the main portion, wherein when the cover portion is in a closed position relative to the main portion, one or more interior surfaces of the cover portion cooperate to at least partially define the interior portion;

one or more closure members coupled to at least one of the cover portion or the main portion, the one or more closure members adapted to releaseably secure the cover portion to the main portion, wherein each of the one or more closure members includes a support member coupled to the main portion, a latch member removably coupled to the cover portion, and a connection member having a first portion coupled to the support member and a second portion coupled to the latch member;

a first main portion securement feature disposed at a first location on at least one of the one or more side walls of the main portion, the first main portion securement feature adapted to releaseably engage a first attachment securement feature of a first attachment assembly and adapted to releaseably engage a second attachment securement feature of a second attachment assembly; and

a second main portion securement feature disposed at a second location on at least one of the one or more side walls of the main portion, the second main portion securement feature adapted to releaseably engage the first attachment securement feature of the first attachment assembly and adapted to releaseably engage the second attachment securement feature of the second attachment assembly,

wherein the first main portion securement feature includes a first bar portion that is offset from a first portion of one or more of the exterior surfaces of the one or more side walls, and wherein the second main portion securement feature includes a second bar portion that is offset from a second portion of one or more of the exterior surfaces of the one or more side walls.

28. The cooler portion of claim 27, wherein all or a portion of the first bar portion has a rectangular cross-sectional shape and all or a portion of the second bar portion has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

29. The cooler portion of claim 27, wherein each of the first bar portion and the second bar portion is secured between a first lateral ridge and a second lateral ridge, and wherein each of the first lateral ridge and the second lateral ridge is elongated and extends in a direction from a first point at or adjacent to a first end of the main portion to a second point at or adjacent to the second end of the main portion.

30. The cooler portion of claim 27, wherein the latch member of each of the one or more closure members is a cam that biases the latch member into a position in which the closure member is in a closed position.

31. The cooler portion of claim 27, wherein a light is disposed in at least one of the one or more interior surfaces of the cover portion.

32. The cooler portion of claim 27, wherein the cover portion is pivotably coupled to the main portion by a hinge.

33. The cooler portion of claim 27, further comprising:

one or more partition members adapted to be slidingly received in one or more partition grooves formed on or in at least one of the one or more interior surfaces of the main portion.

34. The cooler portion of claim 33, wherein each of the one or more partition members is planar and is slidingly received into an opposing pair of the one or more partition grooves to secure the partition member to the main portion.

35. The cooler portion of claim 27, wherein the main portion includes a first tray recess around a perimeter portion of the one or more interior surfaces of the one or more side walls at or adjacent to an open first end of the main portion.

36. The cooler portion of claim 35, further comprising:

a first tray having opposing end portions received on opposing portions of a first ledge of the first tray recess.

37. The cooler portion of claim 36, wherein the main portion includes a second tray recess around the perimeter portion of the one or more interior surfaces of the one or more side walls at or adjacent to an open first end of the main portion.

38. The cooler portion of claim 37, further comprising:

a second tray having opposing end portions received on opposing portions of a second ledge of the second tray recess.

39. The cooler portion of claim 27, wherein the first main portion securement feature is substantially identical to the second main portion securement feature.

40. The cooler portion of claim 27, wherein the one or more side walls each extends in a direction along a main portion axis from a first end to a second end, and wherein the one or more side walls includes four side walls that cooperate to form a rectangular shape when viewed along the main portion axis.

41. The cooler portion of claim 27, wherein the one or more side walls includes one or more insulation materials between the one or more interior surfaces and the one or more exterior surfaces.