Insulated ice chest with accessory holders

• US 7,140,507 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Igloo Products Corporation (Dometic Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Igloo Products Corporation (Dometic Group AB)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Fred, Leba, Minh, Maldonado, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GROSSO, HARRY A
• Application Number:
  US10/852,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20050263527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 220/23.83, 220/592.2, 220/592.25, 220/915.1, 220/915.2, 220/23.2, 220/23.4, 220/737, 623/71, 623/72, 624/571, 624/572, 624/577, D15/83, 221/302
• US Class Current: 220/592.2
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/20 Lunch or picnic boxes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/001 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/40 Umbrella, stick, or glove holders attached to a bag
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 3/08 portable, i.e. adapted to be carried personally

Abstract

An improved insulated cooler has accessory holders detachably secured to its outer wall. An exemplary holder is provided for containerized drinks. The holder is made of a rigid plastic upper ring at the top and may have flexible fabric or mesh lower portion at the bottom such that the holders can be nested into receptacles in the top surface of the lid for convenient storage. This arrangement provides the benefit of permitting the user to access conveniently the contents of the ice chest without having to remove drinks that otherwise would be sitting on the lid of the ice chest. There also may be one or more connections on the ice chest that permit a fishing rod holder, an umbrella holder, or other accessory holder to be affixed to the cooler.

Claims

1. An insulated cooler comprising:

upstanding insulating front, rear and side walls, a bottom wall and a lid, the walls and lid together defining an insulated enclosed space;

at least one accessory holder having a first coupling portion;

at least one second coupling portion complimentary to said first coupling portion provided on one of said front, rear and side walls for selectively coupling said accessory bolder to said respective wall,

wherein said accessory holder comprises a frame defining a perimeter of an accessory receiving space having an upwardly open mouth and wherein said first coupling portion is provided on an outer periphery of said frame;

at least one accessory holder storage receptacle defined in the lid of the cooler, wherein the storage receptacle is comprised of upper and lower portions, the upper portion having a diameter greater than the lower portion, the upper portion generally corresponding is size and shape to the frame of the accessory holder.

2. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, wherein said frame is substantially circular in cross-section.

3. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, further comprising a receptacle depending from said frame for receiving and supporting an accessory disposed in said accessory receiving space.

4. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, wherein, one of said first and second coupling portions defines a generally dovetail projection and the other of said coupling portions defines a generally dovetail receptacle for selectively receiving said dovetail projection.

5. An insulated cooler as in claim 4, wherein said dovetail receptacle is defined by a first and second inclined legs projecting from said one of said holder and said side wall and a bottom wall portion extending between said inclined walls for defining said dovetail receptacle.

6. An insulated cooler as in claim 4, wherein said dovetail projection comprises first and second flared walls extending outwardly from said one of said holder and said side wall, said flared walls projecting away from one another so the spacing between proximal ends of said flared walls is less than a spacing between distal ends of said flared walls.

7. An insulated cooler as in claim 6, wherein said dovetail projection further comprises wedge-shaped walls respectively extending generally perpendicular to said flared walls, said wedge-shaped wails having a maximum width adjacent an upper end thereof and a minimum width adjacent a lower end thereof.

8. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, wherein said accessory holder comprises a fishing rod holder, said fishing rod holder comprising an elongated generally cylindrical receptacle having a closed bottom wall and having a slot in a side wall thereof for accommodating a rod attachment portion of a fishing reel.

9. An insulated cooler as in claim 8, wherein said receptacle is flared toward said upwardly open mouth.

10. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, wherein the frame defines a closed perimeter.

11. An insulated cooler as in claim 10, wherein the holder is circular in cross-section.

12. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, wherein said first coupling portion is provided at or adjacent said upwardly open mouth of said accessory receiving space.

13. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, wherein said accessory holder has a substantially closed bottom wall to define an upwardly open receptacle.

14. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, wherein said holder comprises said frame and a flexible walled receptacle.

15. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, wherein said second coupling portion is provided adjacent an upper edge of said wail of the cooler.

16. An insulated cooler as in claim 1, further comprising at least one locking member for locking the holder frame in the upper portion of the receptacle.

17. An insulated cooler comprising:

upstanding insulating front, rear and side walls, a bottom wall and a lid, the walls and lid together defining an insulated enclosed space;

at least one accessory holder having a first coupling portion;

and at least one second coupling portion complimentary to said first coupling portion provided on one of said front, rear and side wails for selectively coupling said accessory holder to said respective wall;

wherein said accessory holder comprises a frame defining a perimeter of an accessory receiving space having an upwardly open mouth and wherein said first coupling portion is provided on an outer periphery of said frame;

wherein one of said first and second coupling portions defines a generally dovetail projection and the other of said coupling portions defines a generally dovetail receptacle for selectively receiving said dovetail projection;

wherein said dovetail projection comprises first an second flared walls extending outwardly from said one of said holder and said side wall, said flared walls projecting away from one another so the spacing between proximal ends of said flared walls is less than a spacing between distal ends of said flared walls; and

wherein said dovetail projection further comprises wedge-shaped walls respectively extending generally perpendicular to said flared walls, said wedge-shaped walls having a maximum width adjacent an upper end thereof and a minimum width adjacent a lower end thereof.