Flexible cooler with removable insert

• US 5,403,095 A
• Filed: 04/12/1994
• Issued: 04/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cooltech Corp. (Simply, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Outer Circle Products, Ltd.
• Inventors: Melk, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pascua, Jes F.
• Application Number:
  US08/226,416
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 383/110, 220/412, 220/408, 220/410, 220/773, 220/774, 220/775, 220/776, 220/420, 220/421, 150/901
• US Class Current: 383/110
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like

Abstract

A thermally insulating carrier for preventing temperature change of heated or cooled items placed therein. The carrier includes a flexible bag-like container having a compartment therein and a generally rigid hollow tub-like liner member which is removably disposed in the compartment. The flexible container includes a side wall portion, a base portion, and a displaceable cover. At least the side wall portion and cover are constructed incorporating a flexible insulating material for providing an insulating effect. The side wall portion is joined with the base portion and together with the cover define the compartment. A container aperture is defined by a top edge of the side wall portion. A closing device is attached to the container aperture and a perimeter of the cover for releasably retaining the cover over the container aperture. The hollow liner is integrally formed of a rigid, waterproof, and shatterproof material with side portions joined to a bottom portion. A mouth is formed around the top of the liner and is coincident with the container aperture. The liner improves the thermal characteristics, provides structural support for the flexible container, and prevents leakage of moisture from the flexible container.

Claims

1. A thermally insulating carrier for preventing temperature change of heated or cooled items placed therein, said carrier comprising:

a flexible container portion and a generally rigid hollow liner member removably positioned inside said flexible container portion;

said flexible container portion including a bottom portion and a walled portion attached thereto, said attached walled portion and bottom portion defining a compartment in said flexible thermally insulating carrier, a top edge of said walled portion defining a container aperture, a cover member displaceably overlying said container aperture, said walled portion includes at least a front surface and a rear surface, said front surface being attached to said bottom portion, said rear surface being integrally formed with said bottom portion and said cover, an integral hinge being formed between said rear surface and said cover, said container aperture being defined along a top edge of said front surface walled portion and said integral hinge;

zipper means cooperatively attached to said walled portion and said cover for releasably retaining said cover to said walled portion, a first zipper segment of said zipper means attached to said cover, a second zipper segment of said zipper means attached to said top edge of said front surface;

said hollow liner being formed as a single piece unitary body of a plastic material, said liner including upright wall portions and an integrally formed bottom portion, a concave corner joining said bottom portion and said wall portions for preventing accumulation of debris in said liner, a mouth on said liner for receiving items therethrough, said mouth and said container aperture being coincident, an outwardly extending lip portion formed along a top edge of said upright walls at said mouth for overlying said top edge of said walled portion, reinforcing said upright wall portions of said tub-like member and preventing material from becoming disposed between an inside surface of said flexible container and an outside surface of said hollow liner, said hollow liner being formed of a rigid and waterproof material and positioned inside of said compartment for improving the thermal characteristics, providing structural support for said container portion, and preventing leakage of moisture from said container portion.

2. A thermally insulating carrier as recited in claim 1, wherein said cover has a bottom side facing inwardly towards said compartment when said cover is positioned thereover, a top side of said cover on a side of said cover opposite said bottom side, said second zipper segment of said zipper means being attached to said cover between said bottom side and said top side for cooperative engaging said first zipper segment.

3. A thermally insulating carrier for preventing temperature change of heated or cooled items placed therein, said carrier comprising:

a flexible container portion and a hollow liner member removably positioned inside said flexible container portion;

said flexible container portion including a bottom, four wall portions attached thereto and a cover;

said bottom, cover, and four walls defining a compartment in said flexible thermally insulating carrier;

said carrier being defined by first and second pieces of material which are assembled to form a generally cubic structure, said first piece comprising left, right and front walls of said four walls, said second piece comprising said bottom, a rear wall, and said cover;

said second piece attached to said first piece along bottom edges of said front, left, and right walls attached to corresponding edges of said bottom, said rear wall of said first piece attached to said second piece along corresponding edges of said left and right walls;

a top edge of said second piece defining a container aperture, said cover removably overlying said container aperture, an integral hinge being formed between said rear wall and said cover, said closing means extending along a top edge of said front surface for retaining said cover over said container aperture;

closing means cooperatively attached to said walled portion and said cover for releasably retaining said cover to said walled portion, a first segment of said closing means attached to said cover, a second segment of said closing means attached to said container aperture;

said hollow liner being formed as a single piece unitary body of a plastic material, said liner including upright wall portions and an integrally formed bottom portion joined with said upright wall portions at generally right angles, a concave corner being formed between said bottom portion and said wall portions for preventing accumulation of debris in said liner, a mouth on said liner for receiving items therethrough, said mouth and said container aperture being coincident, an outwardly extending lip portion formed along a top edge of said upright walls for overlying said top edge of said walled portion and adding strength to said tub-like member and preventing material from becoming disposed between an inside surface of said flexible container and an outside surface of said hollow liner, said hollow liner being formed of a generally rigid and waterproof material and positioned inside said compartment for improving the thermal characteristics, providing structural support for said container portion, and preventing leakage of moisture from said container portion.

4. A thermally insulating carrier for preventing temperature change of heated or cooled items placed therein, said carrier comprising:

a flexible container portion and a rigid, hollow liner member disposed inside said flexible container portion;

said flexible container portion including a bottom portion and a walled portion attached thereto, said walled portion defining a front wall and two side walls, each of said side walls depending from opposite sides of said front wall, said bottom portion including a base, a rear wall, and a cover, each of said bottom portion and walled portion being formed of a unitary member, said walled portion having an upper edge defined by a continuous edge of said front wall and said depending side walls, and a bottom edge defined along an edge of said front wall and depending side walls opposite said top edge, said base being attached to said bottom edge of said walled portion, said rear wall being attached at spaced apart locations to spaced apart edges of said depending side walls, an integral hinge being defined between said rear wall and said cover of said unitary bottom portion, an inside surface of said bottom portion and said walled portion defining a compartment therein;

zipper means cooperatively attached to said walled portion and said cover for releasably retaining said cover to said walled portion, a first zipper segment of said zipper means attached to an edge of said cover corresponding to said top edge of said walled portion, a second zipper segment of said zipper means attached to said top edge of said walled portion for cooperative engaging said first zipper segment to retain said cover over said compartment;

radiused corners between said front wall and each of said two side walls, said radiused corners defining arcuate portions of said top edge of said walled portion, said second zipper segment of said zipper means being attached to said top edge and defining arcuate portions of said second zipper segment along said radiused portions of said top edge, said first zipper segment being attached to said cover and defining cover radiused portions of said first zipper segment for cooperative engagement with said arcuate portion of said second zipper segment;

said hollow liner being formed as a single piece unitary body of a plastic material, said liner including upright wall portions and an integrally formed bottom portion, intersecting corners of said bottom portion and said walled portions defining concave radiused surfaces for preventing accumulation of debris in said liner, said wall portions of said liner defining a mouth for receiving items therethrough, said mouth of said liner and said container aperture being coincident, an outwardly extending lip portion formed along an upper edge of said wall portions of said liner, said walls of said liner having a dimension for positioning said extending lip overlying said top edge of said walled portion of said flexible container, said overlying lip portion reinforcing said upright wall portions of said liner and preventing material from becoming disposed between an inside surface of said flexible container and an outside surface of said liner, said liner being formed of a rigid, waterproof material.

5. An insulating carrier as recited in claim 4, wherein said bottom portion and said walled portion include an outer layer of abrasion-resistant material attached at a perimeter thereof to a water-resistant thermal barrier material, a layer of insulating material being retained between said outer layer and said water-resistant thermal barrier, said outer layer of said walled and bottom portions defining an exterior surface of said insulating carrier and said water-resistant thermal barrier defining an internal surface of said insulating carrier.