Cooler support shelf
The cooler support shelf is a rectangular platform having each of two corner sections of one side of the platform perpendicularly connected to separate vertical rails. The tops of the two rails are curved into hooks in the direction away from the platform. Diagonal support struts are connected from opposed sides of the platform to the lower part of each vertical rail. A hook and loop restraining strap is connected near the top of each vertical rail. The two straps can connect around the cooler to keep it in place on the platform.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/731,877, filed Nov. 1, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable and foldable shelves to support large objects, such as beverage coolers, luggage, bait boxes and the like. The invention particularly relates to transportable and foldable shelves that can be removably suspended on the exterior or interior side of the gunwales or transom of a boat, the back of a chair, automobile, house doors, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are a host of occupations and activities where large, bulky, moderately heavy containers are used in the vicinity of an individual, such as a worker or one who is engaging in recreational activities, in order to store tools, repair kits, game equipment, fishing gear, food, beverages, ice, and the like. The containers, whatever they may contain, are useful but inconvenient to the user, for they are inevitably put in some out-of-the-way place on the ground near the activity, but out of the individual's traffic pattern. If the container is a heavy toolbox, the mechanic is inevitably visiting the container many times during the course of a repair job to retrieve the right tool for the job. The worker will be repeatedly bending over many times a day to search through the collection of tools in the ground-situated toolbox and suffer a sore back as a consequence.
In the sport of recreational boating, the ordinary cooler is a required companion. In the cooler are kept the food, beverages and delicacies (plus ice) that comprise a large part of the purpose of the adventure. The bigger the cooler, the better the adventure. However, the price in space on the boat deck is considerable. As always, the cooler must be relegated to an unobtrusive part of the boat deck, but a part that is still conveniently accessible to crew and guests. That requirement is hard to fulfill, given all the paraphernalia that winds up competing for space on an active boat deck.
In that other segment of recreational boating, sport fishing, no true sport fisherman has ever come across a tackle box that could be called too big. The cockpit deck of the fishing boat may be cluttered with large bait or tackle boxes containing, very nearby, the magical lures, leaders and weights for a successful day of fishing. At the same time, however, the essential bulky cooler must be near at hand with its own convenient space and refreshments.
Clearly, there is a need to make access to large, bulky containers, such as beverage coolers used in boating and other activities, more convenient to the user. That task should be resolved without compromising either the availability of space or the accessibility of available space. The present invention turns to unique shelving configurations to overcome the problem.
Thus a cooler support shelf solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe cooler support shelf comprises a rectangular platform having each of two corners of one side of the platform perpendicularly connected to separate vertical rails. The tops of the two vertical rails are curved into a broad hook in the direction away from the platform. Diagonal support struts are connected from opposing sides of the platform to the lower part of each vertical rail. Support struts are also connected between the side of the platform connected to a vertical rail and the opposing side. A hook and loop restraining strap is connected near the top of each vertical rail. The two straps can connect around the cooler to keep it in place on the platform.
In another embodiment, the cooler support shelf is folded toward the vertical rails so that the cooler support shelf can be conveniently stored and carried.
These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to
Since the cooler 10 of
Referring to
Aluminum is the preferred material of construction for the cooler support shelf of the invention, since it is lightweight and corrosion resistant. However, steel may be employed, as well as engineering plastics, such as high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, Lexan® (polybisphenol-A carbonate, a registered trademark of General Electric Corporation of Pittsfield, Mass.), polyesters (polyethylene terephthalate), Delrin® (polyoxymethylene, a registered trademark of E.I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company of Wilmington, Del.), polyamides, and like polymers.
Referring to
When the bolt and wing nut fasteners are so engaged, the platform member 12 is extended and essentially perpendicular to the side of the boat or whatever is supporting the main rails 16 and 18. When the bolts and wing nuts are removed, the unrestrained edge of the platform member 12 can be lowered to fold the platform member 12 for transportation or storage of the cooler support shelf.
Referring to
While a preferred use for the cooler support shelf of the invention is to support a cooler in marine applications, it is obvious to one schooled in the art that the support shelf of the invention is useful for the support of many items, including tackle boxes, bait boxes, scrub pails, tool boxes, laundry hampers, fuel containers, toy boxes and the like. Where the word cooler is used herein to describe the invention, other applications obvious in the art are included with that term.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
Claims
1. A cooler support shelf, comprising:
- a generally rectangular horizontal platform member;
- two vertical main rails attached to the platform member, the main rails having upper ends curved into hooks; and
- two diagonal support rails connecting the main rails to an outer side portion of the platform member.
2. The cooler support shelf of claim 1, further comprising two hook and loop fastener straps, one of the straps being connected to a corresponding one of said main rails, respectively, the straps helping to retain an object supported on said platform member.
3. The cooler support shelf of claim 1, wherein each main rail further includes a platform corner support for supporting said platform member.
4. The cooler support shelf of claim 3, further comprising two fasteners, each of the fasteners extending through aligned apertures defined in said main rails and in said platform member to thereby attach said platform member to said main rails.
5. The cooler support shelf of claim 4, wherein each said fastener comprises a bolt and a wing nut.
6. The cooler support shelf of claim 5, wherein each said fastener further comprises a washer.
7. The cooler support shelf of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of slats extending across said platform member.
8. The cooler support shelf of claim 1, further comprising two fasteners, each of the fasteners extending through aligned apertures in said main rails and said platform member to thereby attach said platform member to said main rails.
9. The cooler support shelf of claim 8, wherein each said fastener comprises a bolt and a wing nut.
10. The cooler support shelf according to claim 1, wherein said platform member comprises four flat horizontal members forming an open rectangular frame, each of the horizontal members having a vertical flange extending orthogonal thereto around the periphery of the rectangular frame in order to prevent a base of a cooler from shifting laterally on said platform member.
11. The cooler support shelf according to claim 11, further comprising a plurality of slats extending across said rectangular frame.
12. The cooler support shelf according to claim 11, further comprising a pair of straps attached to said vertical rails, the straps having mating hook and loop fasteners, the straps being adapted for wrapping around a cooler placed on said platform member in order to secure the cooler on said platform member.
13. The cooler support shelf according to claim 1, wherein said platform member, said vertical rails, and said diagonal support rails are made from aluminum.
14. A folding support shelf, comprising:
- a generally rectangular open frame forming a horizontal platform member having an aperture in each corner of one side of the platform;
- two main rails, each of the rails having a platform corner support, the main rails each having an upper end formed into a hook;
- fasteners connecting the main rails to the platform member; and
- two diagonal support rails connecting the main rails to an outer side portion of the platform member.
15. The support shelf of claim 14, further comprising two hook and loop fastener straps, the straps being connected to the main rails, respectively, for retaining an object supported on said platform member.
16. The support shelf of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of fasteners attaching said platform member to said main rails.
17. The support shelf of claim 16, wherein each said fastener comprises a bolt and a wing nut so that removal of both of said wing nuts from both of said bolts allows the support shelf to be folded.
18. The support shelf of claim 17, wherein each said fastener further comprises a washer.
19. The support shelf of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of slats extending across said platform member.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 11, 2006
Publication Date: May 3, 2007
Inventor: David Gray (Eufaula, OK)
Application Number: 11/545,555
International Classification: A47F 5/00 (20060101);