Portable cooler system

• US 5,845,515 A
• Filed: 03/28/1997
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christy L. Nelson
• Original Assignee: Christy L. Nelson
• Inventors: Nelson, Christy L
• Primary Examiner(s): DOERRLER, WILLIAM CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US08/828,044
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 62/371, 62/457.1, 62/457.2, 62/457.7, 62/372, 62/529
• US Class Current: 62/457.7
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/804 Boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/08 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/963 Off-grid food refrigeration

Abstract

A new Portable Cooler System for separating the ice from the food in the cooler. The inventive device includes a housing that fits within any brand of cooler or ice chests or can be built as an integral part of a new cooler.

Claims

1. A portable cooler system for keeping cooling liquids separated from items within the cooler system, the cooler system comprising:

an exterior cooler wall defining a cooler system interior;

an interior wall being held within the cooler system interior by a number of substantially vertical support stalls and a substantially horizontal bottom wall, said interior wall defining an interior space;

said interior wall being formed to have a plurality of apertures and each of said support walls having a number of flow openings for allowing fluid communication throughout said cooler system interior;

a removable inner housing being shaped to conform to said interior space, said inner housing being formed by a solid interior housing wall such that a liquid within said cooler system interior is prevented from entering an inner housing interior space; and

said inner housing having a handle means for grasping said inner housing such that said inner housing can be inserted into and removed from said interior space.

2. The portable cooler system of claim 1, further comprising:

a lid for covering said cooler system, said lid having a locking means for holding said lid in relation to said exterior wall to define a closed position.

3. The portable cooler system of claim 2 wherein the locking means comprises:

a pair of locking members disposed downwardly from said lid, each locking member having a substantially triangular protrusion;

a pair of notches, each of said notches protruding from an outside of said exterior wall and positioned proximate a corresponding one of said pair of locking members, each of said notches having a substantially rounded upper portion and a substantially planar lower portion for engaging said triangular protrusion whereby said lid is held in said closed position.

4. The portable cooler system of claim 1 wherein each of said support walls is formed to include a draining aperture, said draining aperture being positioned adjacent a lowermost portion of said exterior wall such that a fluid within said cooler system can flow over said lowermost portion of said exterior wall.

5. A portable cooler system as in claim 4, further comprising:

a drain spout positioned on an outside of said exterior wall, said drain spout leading into said cooler system interior such that a fluid within said cooler system interior can be drained through said drain spout.

6. A portable cooler system as in claim 1, further comprising:

a handle coupled to an outside of said exterior wall, said handle having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel a longitudinal axis of said cooler system, said handle being coupled to said outside of said exterior wall such that said handle can rotate about said longitudinal axis of said cooler system.