Fishing chest

• US 7,389,608 B1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Vincent Mackay
• Original Assignee: Michael Vincent Mackay
• Inventors: MacKay, Michael Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Ark; Darren W
• Application Number:
  US11/726,323
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 43/541, 43 55- 57, 43/212, 43/175, 206/315.11, 224/920, 224/922, 624/571, 624/577, 622/64
• US Class Current: 43/57
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/05 Containers for live bait kept in water, e.g. for minnows or shrimps
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/06 Containers or holders for hooks, lines, sinkers, flies or the like attached to a fishing rod A01K87/009
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/10 Supports for rods
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/20 Keepnets or other containers for keeping captured fish A01K97/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 97/22 Platforms or seat-boxes specially adapted for angling, e.g. tackle boxes for use as seats

Abstract

The invention is a fishing cooler that has wheels and a handle. The fishing cooler also features a plurality of cup holders, an externally removable and attachable rod holder, and a tackle box that can be attached either internally or externally. The fishing cooler has two internal compartments. The first compartment is for storing bait, and is smaller than the second compartment, which is for storing caught fish. Water can pass between each compartment, and a drain plug enables evacuation of all water inside of the cooler. Integrated on top of the cooler is a measuring line for such uses as measuring caught fish. The handle is hingedly connected at one side of the cooler, and extends when in use to enable the end user to pull the cooler behind he or she. The cooler may also include a drain cup and aerator that can be attached to either of the two drain plug holes. A portable light may be attached to the cooler.

Claims

1. A fishing cooler comprising:

(a) a cooler having a bottom and walls extending upwardly from the bottom, the bottom and the walls defining an interior volume of the cooler, the walls defining opposing sides and opposing ends of the cooler, the sides and ends of the cooler defining an upper perimeter of the cooler at upper portions thereof, the bottom defining an underside of the cooler opposite the upper perimeter, wherein the cooler further comprises;

(i) a plurality of grooves that adorn the upper perimeter of the cooler;

(ii) a pair of wheels for mobility, which attach to the underside of the cooler;

(iii) a hingedly attached pull handle which is connected to the cooler at the upper portion of one of the ends of the cooler, such that where necessary the end user may pull the cooler via the pair of wheels attached to the underside of the cooler;

(iv) a divider, which divides the interior volume of the cooler into a fish bait compartment, and a caught fish compartment;

wherein water can not pass between the fish bait compartment and the caught fish compartment;

(v) a pair of drain holes which are located at predetermined points on the walls of the cooler so as to provide drainage means for both the fish bait compartment and the caught fish compartment;

wherein the drain holes contain internal threads;

(vi) a pair of carry handles which are attached to the exterior of the opposing sides of the cooler and provide means to carry the cooler as opposed to rolling the cooler;

(b) a cooler top having a top side wherein the cooler top further comprises;

(i) a plurality of cup holders which are integrated into the top side of the cooler top;

(ii) a measuring line integrated into the top side of the cooler top, which provides a means to measure fish that are caught;

(iii) the top side of the cooler top can also act as a cutting board;

(iv) the cooler top can either be hingedly connected to one of the sides of the cooler or not hingedly connected at all, such that the top may be completely removed from the coolers

(c) a tackle box comprising;

an external protrusion which protrudes from a side of the tackle box and provides attaching means to the grooves located on the upper perimeter of the cooler;

(d) a rod holder comprising;

an external protrusion which protrudes from a side of the rod holder and provides attaching means to the grooves located on the upper perimeter of the cooler;

(e) a pair of drain plugs comprising;

the drain plugs containing external threading that correspond to the internal threads of the drain holes for the purpose of screwing and unscrewing the drain plugs to the drain holes for the purpose of sealing or unsealing the drain holes of the cooler;

(f) an aerator comprising;

the aerator having an aerator threaded insert that has external screw threads that correspond to the internal threads of the drain holes;

wherein the aerator attaches to and can be removed from the drain hole by screwing or unscrewing the aerator to or from the drain hole;

wherein the aerator can introduce oxygen to the water contained inside of the compartments of the cooler for the purpose of sustaining life to live bait or freshly caught fish that are contained in either of the fish bait compartment and caught fish compartment where the live bait and fish consume the oxygen from the water;

(g) a drain cup comprising;

the drain cup attaching to the cooler by a drain cup external threading that corresponds to the internal threading of the drain holes;

wherein the drain cup attaches to the cooler for the purpose of removing a predetermined portion of the liquid contained within the interior volume of the cooler;

and

(h) a light comprising;

an external protrusion which protrudes from a side of the light and provides attaching means to the grooves located on the upper perimeter of the cooler; and

wherein the light has a battery compartment contained within a housing of the light, which can be accessed for the removal of or installation of batteries.

2. The fishing cooler as described in claim 1 wherein the light is powered by an array of solar cells located along a top surface of the housing of the light.