Collapsible cooler convertible to a stadium seat

• US 8,011,194 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James C. Dimmitt
• Original Assignee: James C. Dimmitt
• Inventors: Dimmitt, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALI, MOHAMMAD M
• Application Number:
  US12/586,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20110067428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 624/577, 624/571, 621/15, 297/188.01, 297/188.08, 297/188.09, 297/188.1, 297/188.12, 297/188.13, 297/183.3, 297/183.5, 220/592.01, 220/592.2, 220/592.03, 220/592.04
• US Class Current: 62/115
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/14 with built-in rolling means
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 9/00 Purses, Luggage or bags convertible into objects for other use sacks or packs carried on the body and convertible into other articles A45F4/02; trunk-wardrobes A47B61/06; trunk-beds A47C17/82
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/16 Chairs or seats detachably mounted on stadium benches detachably mounted children's chairs A47D1/10
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/52 Trunk chairs, i.e. chairs collapsible to self contained carrying case, e.g. trunk shape trunk tables A47B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A collapsible foldable cooler can be converted to a stadium seat by folding back a top lid and folding diagonally down the top portions of the sidewalls. The folded down top lid extends along the back wall, forming a part of a converted stadium seat backrest, while the sidewalls form the sides of the stadium seat.

Claims

1. A collapsible cooler apparatus convertible to a stadium seat, comprising:

a flexible collapsible shell having a front wall, a back wall, a pair of opposing sidewalls, a bottom wall and a top lid pivotally secured to the back wall, said top lid being configured to fold down against an inner surface of the back wall and together with the back wall, form an upright back of the stadium seat, and wherein said sidewalls having top portions being configured to fold down against bottom portions of the sidewalls while lower portions of the sidewalls remain unfolded, said top portions and said lower portions forming upright sidewalls of the stadium seat.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a set of rotating wheel sets secured to the back and bottom walls of the shell.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a pair of spaced-apart stationary legs secured to a front portion of the bottom wall.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an engagement hook secured to exterior of the bottom wall, said engagement hook being movable between a normally folded position under the bottom wall and a retracted position forwardly of the front wall, said hook being configured to detachably engage a stadium bench, while the bottom wall is configured to rest on the stadium bench.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said engagement hook is spring loaded for retaining the engagement hook in a normally folded position.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one rigid plate is positioned on an interior surface of the bottom wall.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a padding layer is positioned over said at least one plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said padding layer is formed from an open-cell foam material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a padding layer is secured to an interior surface of the top lid.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer mounted on interior surfaces of the shell.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle cage secured to an outside surface of the back wall, and wherein a retractable handle is secured in said handle cage.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said handle is a telescopically extendable handle.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a pocket secured to the handle cage.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a shoulder strap removably positioned in said pocket.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a flexible pouch configured to be detachably secured to the bottom wall and to extend downwardly from the bottom wall when the cooler is converted to form the stadium seat.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said top portions of the sidewalls are each configured to fold diagonally inwardly when forming upwardly extending walls of the stadium seat.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a band of hook-and-loop fasteners is positioned on an inner surface of the top lid and a matching band of hook-and-loop fasteners is positioned on an inner surface of the bottom wall, said hook-and-loop fasteners being engageable for detachably securing the top lid in a folded down position, while forming the upright back of the stadium seat.

18. A method of converting a cooler into a stadium seat, comprising the steps:

providing a flexible collapsible shell having a front wall, a back wall, a pair of opposing sidewalls and a top lid pivotally secured to the back wall along a pivot line;

folding the top lid along the pivot line downwardly and inwardly such that the lid extends along the back wall and together with the back wall forms an upright back of the stadium seat;

folding upper portions of each of the sidewalls downwardly and inwardly against lower portions of the sidewalls, thereby forming upright sides of the stadium seat.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of providing hook-and-loop fasteners on a portion of the top lid and an inner surface of the bottom wall and engaging the hook-and-loop fasteners to thereby secure the top lid in a substantially vertical orientation against the back wall while the top lid and the back wall form the upright back of the stadium seat.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of providing an engagement hook and securing the engagement hood to exterior of the bottom wall, said engagement hook being movable between a normally folded position under the bottom wall and a retracted position forwardly of the front wall.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising a step of moving the engagement hook into a retracted position prior to mounting the cooler on a stadium bench, while engaging the engagement hood with the stadium bench.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said engagement hook is spring loaded for retaining the engagement hook in a normally folded position.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of providing handle cage secured to an outside surface of the back wall and securing a retractable handle in said handle cage.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said handle is a telescopically extendable handle.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising a step of providing a pocket secured to the handle cage and providing a shoulder strap removably positioned in said pocket.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising a step of providing a flexible pouch and detachably securing said flexible pouch to inside surface of the bottom wall when the cooler is converted to form the stadium seat, said pouch extending below the bottom wall when the cooler is converted to form the stadium seat.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of providing a set of rotating wheel sets secured to the back and bottom walls of the shell and a pair of spaced-apart stationary legs secured to a front portion of the bottom wall.