Container with expandable portion
First Claim
1. A soft sided insulated container assembly comprising:
- a first container portion and a second container portion;
said first container portion being a soft-sided insulated container portion;
said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion having a length and a breadth and a depth, said length being greater than said breadth, and said breadth being greater than said depth;
said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion having a first panel, said first panel having a predominantly rectangular plan form, said rectangular plan form having a pair of first and second generally opposed long sides, and a pair of first and second generally opposed short sides;
said first panel having a periphery;
said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion having an insulated peripheral wall mounted about said first panel, said peripheral wall extending away from said first panel in a direction of said depth, and said insulated peripheral wall having a margin distant from said first panel;
said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion having a second panel, said second panel having a predominantly rectangular plan form having a pair of first and second long sides, and a pair of first and second short sides;
said second panel being hingedly mounted to said margin of said peripheral wall along one of said long sides thereof;
said second panel being movable between a closed position and an open position relative to said peripheral wall;
a first closure operable releasably to secure said second panel in said closed position;
said second container portion being a soft-sided;
said second soft-sided, container portion being mounted to said second panel of said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion;
said second soft-sided container portion being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, and said container assembly including members operable releasably to secure said second container portion in said collapsed position;
said second soft-sided, container portion having a predominantly rectangular footprint corresponding substantially to said predominantly rectangular plan form of said second panel of said first container portion, having respective first and second long sides, and respective first and second short sides; and
said second container portion having a second closure mounted along one of said first and second short sides thereof;
said soft-sided insulated container assembly defining a lunch container assembly adapted for use maintaining either of foods and beverages in a cooled or warmed condition.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A soft sided insulated container assembly has a first insulated container portion and a second insulated container portion. The second insulated container portion can be collapsed to a flat position, and secured in place. Either of the container portions may have a liner. The liner in the first container portion may be a substantially rigid liner. The assembly may have a lifting member. In one example the second portion may be hingedly mounted to the first portion, and the lifting member may be mounted such that when the assembly is lifted, the hinge is in an up-and-down orientation. In another embodiment, the lifting member may be eccentrically mounted, such that the assembly may possibly sit more comfortably against a carrier'"'"'s hip. The first container portion may have an auxiliary opening or door, and that door may be more easily opened than the main access of the first insulated container portion.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A soft sided insulated container assembly comprising:
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a first container portion and a second container portion; said first container portion being a soft-sided insulated container portion; said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion having a length and a breadth and a depth, said length being greater than said breadth, and said breadth being greater than said depth; said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion having a first panel, said first panel having a predominantly rectangular plan form, said rectangular plan form having a pair of first and second generally opposed long sides, and a pair of first and second generally opposed short sides; said first panel having a periphery; said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion having an insulated peripheral wall mounted about said first panel, said peripheral wall extending away from said first panel in a direction of said depth, and said insulated peripheral wall having a margin distant from said first panel; said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion having a second panel, said second panel having a predominantly rectangular plan form having a pair of first and second long sides, and a pair of first and second short sides; said second panel being hingedly mounted to said margin of said peripheral wall along one of said long sides thereof; said second panel being movable between a closed position and an open position relative to said peripheral wall; a first closure operable releasably to secure said second panel in said closed position; said second container portion being a soft-sided; said second soft-sided, container portion being mounted to said second panel of said first, soft-sided, insulated container portion; said second soft-sided container portion being movable from a collapsed position to an expanded position, and said container assembly including members operable releasably to secure said second container portion in said collapsed position; said second soft-sided, container portion having a predominantly rectangular footprint corresponding substantially to said predominantly rectangular plan form of said second panel of said first container portion, having respective first and second long sides, and respective first and second short sides; and said second container portion having a second closure mounted along one of said first and second short sides thereof; said soft-sided insulated container assembly defining a lunch container assembly adapted for use maintaining either of foods and beverages in a cooled or warmed condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A lunch box assembly comprising:
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a soft-sided insulated container having a first portion and a second portion; said first portion having the shape of a rectangular box having a length, a width and a depth; said length and width being greater than said depth; said length being greater than said width; said first portion including a wall structure, said wall structure including a soft-sided insulated panel having an inner layer, an outer layer, and a layer of foam thermal insulation located between the inner layer and the outer layer; said wall structure including a front and a back, a first short side, a second short side, a first long side and a second long side; said front and back panels each having a rectangular shape defined by said length and said width such that each has first and second long edges, and first and second short edges; said first and second short sides each having a rectangular shape defined by said width and depth; said first and second long sides each having a rectangular shape defined by said length and depth; said first and second short sides and said first and second long sides co-operating to define an upstanding sidewall mounted peripherally about said back panel; said upstanding peripheral wall and said back panel co-operating to define an soft-sided, insulated open-topped box having a first chamber therein, said first portion being of a size to accommodate a person'"'"'s lunch; said first long side having a first long edge margin adjacent to said first long edge of said back panel; said first long side having a second long edge margin distant from said back panel; said first long edge of said front panel being hingedly mounted to said second long edge margin of said first long side; said front panel defining a lid of said open-topped box, said lid being pivotally movable between a first, closed position, and a second, open position; said front panel defining an insulated wall permitting said first and second portions to be at different temperatures; said first portion having a closure by which to secure said lid in said first, closed position relative to said open-topped box; said upstanding wall of said first portion having an handle mounted thereto by which to carry said lunch box assembly; said second portion being mounted to said front panel of said first portion; said second portion including a main panel overlying said front panel; said second portion defining a second chamber therein; said main panel having first and second long sides and first and second short sides; said second portion having a peripheral wall running about said first long side, said first short side and said second long side of said main panel; said peripheral wall of said second portion being U-shaped and collapsible; said second short side of said main panel defining an opening edge of said second portion at which access to said second chamber is provided; said second portion including a closure member; said closure member of said second portion being movable between a first, open position permitting access to said second chamber; and
a second, closed position obstructing access to said second chamber at said second short edge of said main panel;said main panel of said second portion being movable relative to said front panel of said first portion, said main panel being movable away from said first portion to a first opposed position spaced distantly from said front panel to define an expanded position of said second portion for carrying objects; and
said main panel being movable to a second opposed position more closely adjacent to said front panel of said first portion to define a collapsed position; andsaid lunch box having members operable to secure said main panel in said second opposed position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification