CYLINDRICAL COOLER

Abstract

The cylindrical cooler is an insulated, bucket-type cooler for storing and transporting cans, bottles and the like. The cylindrical cooler includes a thermally insulating receptacle having a base, a cylindrical sidewall and an open upper end. A drainage port is formed through the base, and a circular rim is formed about an upper end of the cylindrical sidewall. A thermally insulating lid is pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall by a hinge mounted on the circular rim. A latch is positioned diametrically opposite the hinge for selectively locking the thermally insulating lid in a closed configuration for selectively covering and sealing the open upper end of the thermally insulating receptacle. Additionally, a plurality of feet extend from the base. Adjacent ones of the feet are spaced apart with respect to one another to define drainage passages therebetween.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to coolers for food, beverages and the like, and particularly to a cylindrical cooler having liquid drainage passages defined in a base thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Coolers for holding beverages or other food items desired to be kept cool are well known. Coolers are manufactured in a variety of sizes and shapes and are made from a wide variety of insulating materials, such as foam or resilient polystyrene plastic. Coolers are commonly filled with ice in order to cool beverages or other items or to maintain the cool temperature of those items. Over time, however, the ice melts, resulting in ever-increasing volumes of liquid water contained in the cooler. Although coolers with side drainage ports are common, such coolers can only drain liquids above the height of the port. Draining any additional liquids requires the user to tip or angle the cooler, which is often quite heavy and burdensome. Thus, a cylindrical cooler solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cylindrical cooler is an insulated, bucket-type cooler for storing and transporting cans, bottles and the like. The cylindrical cooler includes a thermally insulating receptacle having a base, a cylindrical sidewall and an open upper end. A drainage port is formed centrally through the base, and a circular rim is formed about an upper end of the cylindrical sidewall, defining the open upper end of the thermally insulating receptacle. A thermally insulating lid is pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall by a hinge mounted on the circular rim.

A latch is positioned diametrically opposite the hinge for selectively locking the thermally insulating lid in a closed configuration for selectively covering and sealing the open upper end of the thermally insulating receptacle. The latch includes an engaging member having opposed first and second ends, with the first end thereof being pivotally secured to the thermally insulating lid, and the second end thereof defining a grasping member for engaging a user's hand, allowing the user to engage and disengage the latch single handedly. The engaging member of the latch is selectively received within a receiving passage defined in the circular rim for releasable frictional engagement therewith. The cooler includes a plurality of feet to elevate the base above a horizontal support surface upon which the cooler is positioned. Adjacent ones of the feet are spaced apart with respect to one another to define drainage passages therebetween.

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

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a cylindrical cooler according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the cylindrical cooler according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the cylindrical cooler according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view in section of the cylindrical cooler according to the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the cylindrical cooler 10 is an insulated, bucket-type cooler for storing and transporting cans C, bottles and the like. The cylindrical cooler 10 includes a thermally insulating receptacle 12 having a base 26, a cylindrical sidewall 14 and an open upper end 18. The thermally insulating receptacle 12 defines an open interior region 16 for receiving any desired cans C, bottles, food or the like which the user wishes to store and/or transport. It should be understood that cans C shown in FIG. 1 are shown for exemplary purposes only, and that the relative dimensions of thermally insulating receptacle 12 are also shown for exemplary purposes only. Cylindrical cooler 10 may be produced in a variety of sizes dependent upon the type and number of items the user desires to store and/or transport therein. The thermally insulating receptacle 12 can be formed from foam, a resilient polystyrene plastic, and/or other insulating materials.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a drainage port 40 is formed centrally through the base 26, allowing selective drainage of water from melting ice, for example. Drainage port 40 is selectively sealed by a plug 36, which may threadedly engage drainage port 40, as shown, and may be releasably secured in a fluid-tight manner with an additional gasket 38 or the like. The cooler 10 includes a plurality of feet 28 to elevate the base above a horizontal support surface upon which the cooler 10 is positioned. The feet 28 can include a rubber material to prevent the cooler 10 from moving or sliding on the support surface. As best seen in FIG. 3, adjacent ones of the feet 28 are spaced apart with respect to one another to define drainage passages 30 therebetween. Thus, when the plug 36 is removed from drainage port 40 to drain liquid from within the thermally insulating receptacle 12, the liquid is free to flow through drainage passages 30, even when base 26 rests on a support surface S (as in FIG. 1), such as a table, the ground, etc. Although four feet 28 (and four corresponding drainage passages 30) are shown in FIG. 3, it should be understood that any desired number of feet 28 may extend from the cylindrical wall and/or the underside of the base 26.

A handle 24 is preferably pivotally secured to cylindrical sidewall 14 for ease of carrying and transport of the cylindrical cooler 10. In an embodiment, the handle can include a metal core, e.g., a stainless steel core, and a foam or other soft covering surrounding at least a portion of the metal core. A circular rim 36 is preferably formed about an upper end of the cylindrical sidewall 14, as best shown in FIG. 1. The circular rim 36 defines the upper end 18 of the thermally insulating receptacle 12. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, one or more side rods 22, e.g., a pair of side rods 22, may be mounted on the circular rim 36 for engagement with an external strap, harness or the like, providing the user with additional carrying options for the cylindrical cooler 10.

A thermally insulating lid 20 is further pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall 14 by a hinge 32 mounted on circular rim 36. A latch 34 is positioned diametrically opposite the hinge 32 for selectively locking the thermally insulating lid 20 in a closed configuration, as shown in FIG. 2, after the lid 20 selectively covers and seals the open upper end 18 of the thermally insulating receptacle 12. The latch 34 includes an engaging member 42 having opposed first and second ends, 44, 46, respectively, with the first end 44 being pivotally secured to the thermally insulating lid 20, and the second end 46 defining a grasping member for engaging the user's hand, allowing the user to engage and disengage the latch 34 single handedly. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the engaging member 42 of the latch 34 is selectively received within a receiving passage 48 defined in the circular rim 36 for releasable frictional engagement therewith. The lid 20 may further include a seating pad or cushion 49 to provide a comfortable support surface upon which a user may sit.

As noted above, it should be understood that the relative dimensions of cylindrical cooler 10 are shown for exemplary purposes only. Cylindrical cooler 10 may be produced in a variety of sizes dependent upon the type and number of items the user desires to store and/or transport therein. Further, it should be understood that additional elements may be provided with cylindrical cooler 10, such as bottle opener 50, shown mounted to cylindrical sidewall 14, or the like.

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 cylindrical cooler, comprising:

a thermally insulating receptacle having a base, a plurality of feet, a cylindrical sidewall, and an open upper end, a drainage port being formed through the base;

a thermally insulating lid pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall; and

a latch pivotally secured to the thermally insulating lid, the latch being configured to frictionally engage a latch passage defined in an upper end of the cylindrical sidewall to selectively secure the thermally insulating lid in a closed configuration.

2. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 1, further comprising a circular rim formed about an upper end of the cylindrical sidewall, the latch passage being defined in the circular rim.

3. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 2, further comprising a hinge secured to the circular rim, wherein said thermally insulating lid is pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall by the hinge.

4. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 3, wherein said latch is positioned diametrically opposite to the hinge.

5. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 4, wherein said latch comprises an engaging member having opposed first and second ends, the first end thereof being pivotally secured to the thermally insulating lid, the second end thereof defining a grasping member for engaging a user's hand.

6. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 1, wherein the thermally insulating lid includes a seating pad upon which a user may sit when the thermally insulating lid is in the closed configuration.

7. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 1, further comprising a handle pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall.

8. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 1, further comprising a bottle opener mounted on the cylindrical sidewall.

9. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 1, further comprising a removable plug for selectively sealing the drainage port.

10. A cylindrical cooler, comprising:

a thermally insulating receptacle having a base, a cylindrical sidewall and an open upper end, a drainage port being formed through the base;

a thermally insulating lid pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall;

a latch for selectively locking the thermally insulating lid in a closed configuration for selectively covering and sealing the open upper end of the thermally insulating receptacle, wherein said latch comprises an engaging member having opposed first and second ends, the first end thereof being pivotally secured to the thermally insulating lid, the second end thereof defining a grasping member for engaging a user's hand, the engaging member being selectively received within a receiving latch passage defined in the cylindrical sidewall for releasable frictional engagement therewith; and

a plurality of feet extending from said base, adjacent ones of said feet being spaced apart with respect to one another to define drainage passages therebetween.

11. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 10, further comprising a circular rim formed about an upper end of the cylindrical sidewall.

12. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 11, further comprising a hinge secured to the circular rim, wherein said thermally insulating lid is pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall by the hinge.

13. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 12, wherein said latch is positioned diametrically opposite with respect to the hinge.

14. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 13, wherein the receiving passage is defined in the circular rim formed about the upper end the cylindrical sidewall.

15. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 10, further comprising a handle pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall.

16. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 10, further comprising a bottle opener mounted on the cylindrical sidewall.

17. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 10, further comprising a removable plug for selectively sealing the drainage port.

18. A cylindrical cooler, comprising:

a thermally insulating receptacle having a base, a cylindrical sidewall, and an open upper end, a drainage port being formed through the base, and a circular rim being formed about an upper end of the cylindrical sidewall;

a thermally insulating lid pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall;

a latch for selectively locking the thermally insulating lid in a closed configuration for selectively covering and sealing the open upper end of the thermally insulating receptacle, wherein said latch comprises an engaging member having opposed first and second ends, the first end thereof being pivotally secured to the thermally insulating lid, the second end thereof defining a grasping member for engaging a user's hand, the engaging member being selectively received within a receiving latch passage defined in the circular rim for releasable frictional engagement therewith; and

a plurality of feet extending from said base, adjacent ones of said feet being spaced apart with respect to one another to define drainage passages therebetween.

19. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 18, further comprising a hinge secured to the circular rim, wherein said thermally insulating lid is pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall by the hinge, said latch being positioned diametrically opposite with respect to the hinge.

20. The cylindrical cooler as recited in claim 19, further comprising a handle pivotally secured to the cylindrical sidewall.