Liner for an insulated container

Abstract

A removable container liner for a rigid insulating container includes a bottom portion and a wall portion formed as a single unitary body. The body may be composed of a stain resistant and odor resistant plastic. The liner may be configured to be used within an insulated container such as a cooler or water jug.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

It is known in the art to provide rigid container liners that may be used, for example, for storage and insulation of content. In addition, it is known in the art to provide a rigid liner that offers structure, support and waterproofing qualities to a corresponding soft, flexible container. An example of such a liner is disclosed in Melk, U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,095. Liners are generally used in many kinds of containers. Containers that are intended to hold food or liquids, however, generally do not have a liner included or installed. Given that some containers such as coolers are too large to completely fit inside a typical kitchen sink or bathroom sink, adequately cleaning the interior of the containers can be quite difficult and time-consuming. In addition, the containers, which are often composed of a plastic, may become permanently stained or retain odors resulting from the food or liquids they are used to hold, caused, for instance, by acids contained within the food or liquid. Also, liquid containers in which water is stored for an extended length of time may impart a “stale” taste to the water, thus ruining the flavor of the water.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

A liner may generally have a bottom portion, a wall portion, a wall edge, and an opening formed by the wall edge, through which content such as food or liquid may be deposited and stored within the liner. The dimensions of the bottom portion and the wall portion may be designed such that the liner fits within a rigid insulated container and is also removable from the container. The shape of the liner may precisely mimic the contours of the interior surface of the insulated container, or it may also be slightly smaller. For instance, the wall edge of the liner may be aligned with a side edge of the rigid insulating container when the liner is fully inserted.

Materials from which the liner may be composed may include a thermoplastic material, a polycarbonate such as Stain Shield®, or a polyethylene terephthalate. The material used may be dishwasher-safe and may resist stain and odor caused by food or liquid.

In general, an insulated container liner in accordance with the teachings of the disclosure is removable from a container, resistant to stains and odors caused by common household elements, and provides for easier, faster cleaning. In addition, the liner may also be dishwasher-safe. The insulated container liner is preferably used to line personal insulated coolers and water jugs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a container liner and an insulated container within which the container liner is disposed;

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the container liner;

FIG. 3 depicts a top view of the container liner;

FIG. 4 depicts a front view of the container liner; and

FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of a container liner having a cylindrical shape and an insulated container for the storage of liquids within which the container liner is disposed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, a liner 10 is disclosed having a rectangular prismatic shape. The liner 10 includes a bottom portion 20, a bottom peripheral edge 60, side walls 30, and an upper wall edge 40. In particular, the upper wall edge 40 is disposed along the top of the side walls 30 and bounds an opening 50 configured to receive content therein.

A rigid insulating container 100, as shown in FIG. 1, is configured to receive the liner 10 and may have, for example, a rectangular box shape. The rigid insulating container 100 has an opening edge 110 and a bottom surface 120. As shown in FIG. 1, the insertion of the liner 10 into the rigid insulating container 100 commences as the liner 10 is lowered with the bottom portion 20 facing downward until a bottom peripheral edge 60 of the liner 10 is level with the opening edge 110 of the rigid insulating container 100. The liner 10 may then be lowered into the recess 140 of the rigid insulating container 100, until the bottom portion 20 of the liner 10 rests on a bottom surface 120 of the rigid insulating container 100.

The dimensions of liner 10 should preferably match the contours of the interior of the rigid insulating container 100. More particularly, the bottom portion 20 and the side walls 30 of the liner 10 may remain in contact with the bottom surface 120 and side wall surfaces 130 of the rigid insulating container 100 when the liner 10 is fully inserted. Content stored in the rigid insulating container 100 may be placed within the liner 10 through the opening 30.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, the upper wall edge 40 of the liner 10 may be aligned with the opening edge 110 of the rigid insulating container 100 such that when the liner 10 is fully inserted, the upper wall edge 40 may be positioned either coincident with or below the opening edge 110. The upper wall edge 40 may be disposed in such a manner if the height of the side walls 30 is equal to or less than the height of the side wall surfaces 130 of the rigid insulating container 100. Aligning the upper wall edge 40 coincident with or below the opening edge 110 when the liner 10 is fully inserted into the rigid insulating container 100, may be necessary in order to permit a lid 150 or other cover for the rigid insulating container 100 to properly close and be secured. If desired, the liner 10 may include a flange 70, as shown in FIG. 5, that may extend across a portion of the opening edge 110 when the liner 10 is fully inserted into the rigid insulating container 100. A space may be provided between the bottom portion 20 of the liner 10 and the bottom surface 120 of the rigid insulating container 100, so that a layer of ice may be contained in the space below the liner 10.

Alternatively, FIG. 6 shows a container liner 200 having a cylindrical shape. The cylindrical liner 200 is configured to line a cylindrical container 300 intended to hold liquids such as water or soup. In particular, the cylindrical liner 200 has a bottom surface 210, a side wall 220, an upper wall edge 230, a bottom edge 240, and a circular opening 250 bounded by the upper wall edge 230. The dimensions of the cylindrical liner 200 should preferably match the contours of the interior of the cylindrical container 300. More particularly, the circumference of the cylindrical liner 200 should be slightly less than, but approximately equal to, the circumference of an inner wall surface 310 of the cylindrical container 300. This permits the side wall 220 of the cylindrical liner 200 to remain adjacent to the inner wall surface 310 of the cylindrical container 300 and securely rest against the wall surface 310. The wall edge 230 of the cylindrical liner 200 may be coincident with or slightly below an opening edge 320 of the cylindrical container 300. If desired, the cylindrical liner 200 may include a flange (not shown) that may extend across a portion of the opening edge 110 when the liner 10 is fully inserted into the cylindrical container 300. A space may be provided between the bottom surface 210 of the cylindrical liner 200 and a bottom surface 330 of the cylindrical container 300, so that a layer of ice may be contained in the space below the cylindrical liner 200.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 6, the liner 10 and the cylindrical liner 200 may each be a single unitary body and can be formed using methods such as an injection molding process, a blow molding process, and a one-step blow molding process. The liner 10 may be composed of a thermoplastic such as Stain Shield™, a polycarbonate, or a polyethylene terephthalate, or other material configured to resist stain and odor caused by food and liquids. In addition, the liner 10 and/or the cylindrical liner 200 may be composed of a material configured to be safely cleaned in a dishwasher as well as by hand.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the disclosure is applicable to liners composed of materials other than plastic, such as, for example, metal.

Claims

1. A removable lining element configured to fit within a rigid insulated container, the lining element comprising:

a bottom portion;

a wall portion attached to the bottom portion;

a wall edge formed by an edge of the wall portion; and

a mouth for receiving content therein, the mouth being substantially coincident with an opening of the rigid insulated container.

2. The removable lining element of claim 1 comprising a rigid unitary body.

3. The removable lining element of claim 1 shaped to substantially follow the contours of an interior surface of the rigid insulated container.

4. The removable lining element of claim 1 configured for resisting stains and odors.

5. The removable lining element of claim 1 comprising a wall portion integrally formed to the bottom portion.

6. The removable lining element according to claim 1, wherein the removable lining element is composed of a thermoplastic material.

7. The removable lining element of claim 6, wherein the thermoplastic material is a Stain Shield™ polymer.

8. The removable lining element of claim 6, wherein the thermoplastic material is a polycarbonate.

9. The removable lining element of claim 6, wherein the thermoplastic material is a polyethylene terephthalate.

10. The removable lining element according to claim 1 being formed by an injection molding process.

11. The removable lining element according to claim 1 being formed by a blow molding process.

12. The removable lining element according to claim 1 being formed by a one-step blow molding process.

13. The removable lining element according to claim 1 wherein the bottom portion and the wall portion together define a rectangular prismatic cavity.

14. The removable lining element according to claim 1 wherein the bottom portion and the wall portion together define a cylindrical cavity.

15. The removable lining element according to claim 1 wherein the bottom portion and the wall portion together define a triangular prismatic cavity.

16. The removable lining element according to claim 1 wherein the bottom portion and the wall portion together define a trapezoidal prismatic cavity.

17. The removable lining element according to claim 1 wherein the rigid insulated container is a cooler.

18. The removable lining element according to claim 1 wherein the rigid insulated container is a portable liquid container.

19. A method of resisting stain and odor within a rigid insulated container having an interior surface, comprising:

providing a removable rigid lining element; and

preventing content from contacting the interior surface of the rigid insulated container.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the removable rigid lining element is composed of a thermoplastic material.