INSULATED CONTAINER WITH FOOT-OPERATED LID

Abstract

A cooler having a foot operated lid. The cooler includes a body, a lid, and a mechanism for opening the lid. The mechanism includes a pedal, the application of force to which causes the lid to move relative to the body. A cooler may also have a plurality of sides and a dry erase board mounted onto at least one of the sides. A cooler may also have a compartment inside at least one of the sides that is accessible by opening a door. A cooler may also include a bin or panel on at least one of the sides that is rotatably attached to at least one of the sides. The opening of the bin or panel allows access to the interior of the cooler without opening the lid.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/910,415, filed Apr. 5, 2007, incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Insulated containers, sometimes called “coolers” are quite popular, and are used in numerous activities. Large coolers are often seen at picnics and other social gatherings, and individual users utilize smaller coolers, such as to transport soup to work or to maintain a beverage at a cooler temperature during a sporting activity.

Typically, the walls of contemporary coolers include hard outer and inner shells, and an insulating central layer. The central layer is usually a product having a high insulation value, or R value, such as expanded polystyrene or polyurethane.

For most contemporary coolers, the outer and inner layers of the insulated containers are each formed in separate vacuum, injection, or blow molding machines. Liquid polyurethane is then manually placed between the inner and outer layers, and is permitted to expand to fill the void between the two layers. Alternatively, molded polystyrene foam is manually placed in the void between the two layers. The result is a container having smooth, hard, outer and inner surfaces, and an insulating central core. The outer layer protects the container and central core, and provides an attractive surface. The inner layer separates the central core from the contents of the container, and provides an impermeable layer so that liquids may be stored in the container.

Other insulated containers may be made to have soft sides. For example, soft-sided coolers may be formed from an insulating material, such as high density polyurethane foam, that is surrounded by a flexible fabric, such as vinyl. Such coolers may be produced by covering one or more pieces of insulating material with a flexible material and stitching the pieces or portions of the pieces together so as to form a container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description of some embodiments that are presented later.

In accordance with an embodiment, a cooler is provided including a body and a lid and a foot-operated opening mechanism. The opening mechanism may include a pedal, the application of pressure to which causes the lid to open.

In accordance with another embodiment, the outside of a cooler includes a dry erase board. The dry erase board may be, for example, on a body or a lid of the cooler.

In accordance with another embodiment, a cooler includes a body and a lid, the body or lid having an openable storage compartment. The storage compartment may be opened or closed by opening a door.

In accordance with another embodiment, a cooler includes a body, a lid, and an access bin. The access bin may be a panel located on and hingedly attached to a side of the body. Opening the door allows access into the interior of the cooler. The door may have side portions extending perpendicularly from side edges of the panel into the interior of the cooler, to prevent items from falling out of the cooler when the panel is open.

In accordance with another embodiment, the cooler includes a body, a lid, and an access panel. The access panel may be a panel hingedly attached to a side of the cooler, the opening of which allows access to the interior of the cooler. A membrane may be included that substantially prevents air flow between air interior to the cooler and ambient air when the access panel is open.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a cooler in accordance with an embodiment, the cooler shown in an open configuration;

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the rear of the cooler of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side perspective view of the cooler of FIG. 1 in a closed configuration;

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the cooler of FIG. 1 showing details of an opening mechanism in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows a side perspective view of a cooler in accordance with a second embodiment, the cooler shown in an open configuration;

FIG. 6 shows the cooler of FIG. 5 in a closed configuration;

FIG. 7 shows a partial sectional view of the cooler of FIG. 5 taken along the section lines 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows a cooler in accordance with a third embodiment, with the cooler shown in an open configuration;

FIG. 9 shows the cooler of FIG. 8 in a closed configuration;

FIG. 10 shows a partial sectional view of the cooler of FIG. 8 taken along the section lines 10-10, of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 shows a side perspective view of a cooler in accordance with a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 12 shows a front view of two of the coolers of FIG. 11 in a stacked configuration.

FIG. 13 shows a side perspective view of a cooler in accordance with a fifth embodiment; and

FIG. 14 shows a front view of two of the coolers of FIG. 13 in a stacked configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, various embodiments of the present invention will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the embodiment being described.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows a cooler 10 in accordance with an embodiment. The cooler 10 includes a lid 12 and a body 14. The lid 12 is a rectangular piece of insulating material enclosed in a hard plastic shell. As shown in FIG. 2, the lid 12 is connected to the body 14 along an edge by at least one hinge 16. As shown in FIG. 3, the lid 12 may have features common to coolers such as beverage holders 18, which are disk-shaped indentations with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of a common beverage container, or a hand grip 20, which is an indentation in the edge of the lid 12 that facilitates gripping the lid 12.

The body 14 of the cooler 10 includes side walls 22, a front wall 24, a rear wall 26, and a bottom 28 which each have a rectangular shape and include one or more layers of insulating material and a hard outer shell. The side walls 22, front wall 24, and rear wall 26 are rigidly connected together to surround a storage cavity 30 which has the shape of a box. In particular, one edge of each side wall 22 is connected to opposite edges of the bottom 28. Each remaining edge of the bottom 28 is connected to an edge of the front wall 24 and the rear wall 26, respectively. In addition, opposite edges of each side wall 22 are each connected to an edge of the front wall 24 and an edge of the rear wall 26, respectively. In this manner the side walls 22, front wall 24, rear wall 26, and bottom 28 form a box-like shape, the interior of which is the storage cavity 30.

The side walls 22 may have features common to coolers such as handles 32, a drain hole 34, and a plug 36. For example, the handles 32 may have a ring shape and may be hingedly connected to the side walls 22 on their exterior, as shown in FIG. 3. The drain hole 34 is a hole fluidly connecting the storage cavity 30 to the exterior of the cooler 10 which is on the opposite side of the side wall 22. The plug 36 is a piece of material configured to have the same shape as the interior drain hole 34 such that insertion of the plug 36 into the drain hole 34 prevents air and fluids from passing through the drain hole 34. In general, drain holes, plugs, handles and other features are well known to those in the art.

The rear wall 26 has a rectangular shape approximately equal to that of the front wall 24 and includes a rear channel 40. The rear channel 40 is a recess of the rear wall 26 extending substantially vertically and located approximately in the center of the rear wall 26. The rear channel 40 may also be a passage extending through at least a portion of the rear wall 26. Similarly the bottom 28 has a bottom channel 50. Like the rear channel 40, the bottom channel 50 is a recess of material extending parallel to the side walls 22, the width of the bottom 28 and is located approximately in the center of the bottom 28. The bottom channel 50 may also be a passage extending through at least a portion of the bottom 28. As shown in FIG. 4, the rear channel 40 and bottom channel 50 connect at their ends where the rear wall 26 meets the bottom 28.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cooler 10 includes an opening mechanism 60. The opening mechanism 60 includes a pedal 62, a shaft 66, a rod 68, and a plate 70. The pedal 62 is a wedge shaped piece of material having a stepping surface 72 and rotatable connections 74. The rotatable connections 74 connect the front portion of the pedal 62 to the front wall 24 of the cooler 10. The shaft 66 is a Z-shaped piece of material, such as steel, having a lever 76 and a cam 78 separated by an axle 80. The lever 76 is a portion of the shaft 66 extending approximately perpendicularly from the end of the axle 80 and connects to the pedal 62 at a location opposite the rotatable connection 74. The end of the lever 76 furthest from the axle 80 connects to the pedal 62 on the portion of the pedal 62 opposite the rotatable connections 74. Similarly the cam 78 is a portion of the shaft 66 extending perpendicularly from the end of the axle 80. As can be seen in FIG. 4, the lever 76 and cam 78 extend from opposite ends of the axle 80 and in opposite directions. The axle 80 may also be secured to the bottom 28 by one or more brackets 82 or other suitable connectors.

The rod 68 is an elongated piece of material, such as steel, rotatably connected to the end of the cam furthest from the axle 80, extending vertically through the rear channel 40, and terminating at a rotatable connection to the plate 70. The plate 70 is a piece of material such as an elongated steel disk and is rigidly mounted on the underside of the lid 12 of the cooler 10 slightly forward of the hinge 16.

To open the cooler 10 from the closed configuration shown in FIG. 3, downward pressure is applied to the pedal 62, as indicated by the down arrow in FIG. 1. This can be accomplished, for example, by stepping on the pedal 62. Downward pressure on the pedal 62 causes the pedal 62 to rotate about the rotatable connections 74, thereby forcing the lever 76 to rotate downwards about the shaft 66. Because the cam 78 extends in the opposite direction of the lever 76, and because the lever 76 and the cam 78 are rigidly connected to the axle 80, when the lever 76 rotates downwards about the shaft 66, the cam 78 simultaneously rotates upwards about the shaft 66. As the cam 78 rotates upwards, the cam 78 pushes the rod 68 in an upward direction applying pressure on the plate 70. Because the plate is mounted to the underside of the lid 12 just forward of the hinge 16, upward pressure on the plate causes the lid to rise as indicated by the upward arrow in FIG. 1 to an open position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As with many coolers, the cooler 10 may also be opened by grasping the lid 12 at any position forward of the hinge 16 and applying upward force.

To close the cooler 10, a user may simply remove pressure from the pedal 62 and gravitational forces will cause the lid to fall to the closed position shown in FIG. 3. However, the cooler 10 may be configured so that the lid 12 remains in the open position unless some amount of force is applied to the lid 12 in order to put the lid 12 in a closed position. As the lid 12 falls or is moved to the closed position, the plate 70 pushes against the rod 68, which pushes against the cam 78 causing the cam 78 to rotate downward about the shaft 66. As the cam 78 rotates downward about the shaft 66, the lever 76 rotates upward about the shaft 66 causing the pedal 62 to rotate upward about the rotatable connections 74.

Other foot-operated mechanisms may be incorporated into the cooler 10 for use in opening the lid 12. For example, mechanisms used to open garbage cans or other containers can be incorporated into the cooler 10. Examples of such mechanisms can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,086,550, U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,323, U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,316, U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,744, U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,348, U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,201, U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,525, U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,537, U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,174, U.S. Pat. No. 2,351,597, U.S. Pat. No. 1,828,741, U.S. Pat. No. 1,251,984, and U.K. Pat. App. GB 2323019, as examples.

FIG. 5 shows a cooler 110 in accordance with an embodiment. Like the cooler 10, the cooler 110 may include a lid 112 attached to a body 114 by a hinge 116. As shown in FIG. 6, the lid 112 may include common features such as cup holders 118 and hand grips 130, and the body 114 may be formed similarly to the body 14 by having side walls 122, a front wall 124, a rear wall 126 and a bottom 128 all connected together to form a storage cavity 130, as shown in FIG. 5. In addition, the cooler 110 may also include other features such as handles 132, a drain hole 134 and a plug 136.

As shown in FIG. 5, the front wall 124 of the cooler 110 includes a recess 140 into which a dry erase board 142, is situated. A dry erase board is a panel of material, such as enamel coated steel or porcelain or melamine, having a glossy surface. Suitable materials for the dry erase board include Marsh UR-200-400-00K5/K8 Series sheet material manufactured by Marsh Industries, Inc. The recess 140 may be a rectangular depression of the front wall 124 whose area occupies a substantial portion of the area of the exterior of the front wall 124. The recess 140 may have another shape, such as a circle or oval, and may be located on other exterior faces of the cooler 110, such as the lid 112. The dry erase board is mounted inside the recess 140 with a glossy surface facing the exterior of the cooler. The dry erase board 142 may be mounted chemically with glue, or mounted mechanically with bolts, screws, or other fasteners. Alternatively, the front wall 124 may be configured to surround a portion of one or more edges of the dry erase board, perhaps by one or more ridges extending from the front wall 124 over the exterior surface of the dry erase board 142, so that the front wall 124 secures the dry erase board 142 in place. The dry erase board 142 may also be a smooth area of an exterior face of the cooler 110, such as the front wall 124.

As shown in FIG. 7, the recess 140 of the front wall 124 may have a depth approximately equal to the width of the dry erase board 142. This allows the exterior of the front wall 124 to transition smoothly to the exterior surface of the dry erase board. Of course, the dry erase board 142 may also be mounted deeper into the front wall 124 of the cooler 110, or it may have a surface that protrudes from the front wall 124. In the latter case, a recess 140 is not necessary as the dry erase board 142 may be mounted directly onto the exterior face of the front wall 124.

Because the dry erase board 142 has a glossy surface, it may be written on with a marker having removable ink, such as markers produced under the brand name EXPO, and writing may be erased by wiping the surface of the dry erase board 142 with a soft cloth. This allows users of the cooler 110 to use the cooler 110 both for insulating anything stored in the storage cavity 130 and for writing messages or drawing. For example, if two such coolers 110 are used in a party, one may be marked “BEER” and the other “SODAS.” In this manner, a user does not have to open the coolers 110 to know their contents.

Other configurations of the cooler 110 are possible. For instance, the cooler 110 may have soft sides by including components made from insulating material, such as high density polyurethane foam, enclosed in a flexible material such as vinyl. With this configuration, a flexible material for the dry erase board 142 may be used. For example, a flexible plastic sheet or other material, such as that produced under the brand name OPTI-RITE, may be attached to the side of the cooler 110. Also, other writable surfaces, such as chalk boards, may be used to provide a writeable surface of the cooler 110.

Other features may be included into the cooler 110 as well. For instance, the lid 112 or other part of the cooler 110 may incorporate a structure suitable for storing markers for easy access by users.

FIG. 8 shows a cooler 210 in accordance with an embodiment. Like the cooler 10, the cooler 210 may include a lid 212 attached to a body 214 by a hinge 216. As shown in FIG. 9, the lid 212 may include common features such as cup holders 218 and hand grips 230 and the body 214 may be formed similarly to the body 14 by having side walls 222, a front wall 224, a rear wall 226 and a bottom 228 all connected together to form a storage cavity 230, as shown in FIG. 8. In addition, the cooler 210 may also include other features such as handles 232, a drain hole 234 and a plug 236.

The cooler 210 includes a storage compartment 238 in accordance with an embodiment. The storage compartment 238 includes a door 239, a storage cavity 240, a door compartment 242, a bottom rail 244, and a top rail 246. The door 239 is a thin rectangular piece of material, such as plastic, and may include a knob 247, which is a piece of material protruding from a surface of the door 239. The door 239 also has a bottom 248 and a top 249, which are opposite edges of the door 239. The storage cavity 240 may be a rectangular recess in the front wall 224 of the cooler 210 and includes a bottom edge 250 and a top edge 252. To form the storage cavity 240, the front wall 224 is formed with an enclosure. For example, the front wall 224 may have a section where the front wall 224 is thinner, perhaps by having a thinner layer of insulation or a thinner outer shell. The door compartment 242 is a rectangular cavity inside the front wall 224 adjacent to and fluidly connected with the storage cavity 240. Like the storage cavity 240, the door compartment 242 has a bottom edge 260 and top edge 262.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-10, the bottom rail 244 is a channel extending along and connecting the bottom edge 250 of the storage cavity 240 and bottom edge 260 of the door compartment 242. Likewise, the top rail 246 is a channel extending along and connecting the top edge 252 of the storage cavity 240 and the top edge 262 of the door compartment 242. As can be seen in FIG. 10, the bottom rail 244 has a bottom 266 and the top rail 246 has a top 268, and both the bottom rail 244 and the top rail 246 have a width slightly larger than the width of the door 239. In accordance with an embodiment, the distance between the bottom 266 and top 268 is greater than or equal to the distance between the bottom 248 and top 249 of the door 239 plus the depth of the bottom rail 244.

In accordance with an embodiment, the bottom rail 244 surrounds the bottom 248 of the door 239 and the top rail 246 surrounds the top 249 of the door 239. In this manner, the door 239 is secured to the storage compartment 238 and may slide along the rails 244, 246 from a closed position, wherein the door 239 covers the storage cavity 240, to an open position wherein a substantial portion of the door 239 is located inside the door compartment 242 and the storage cavity 240 is exposed.

To insert the door 239 into the rails 244, 246, the top 249 of the door 239 is inserted fully into the top rail 246. The bottom 248 of the door 239 is then brought over and into the bottom rail 244. The storage compartment may then be used to store items, such as a fishing license, fishing tackle, writing utensils, playing cards, markers such as those described above, or any item that may fit inside the storage cavity 240.

The storage compartment 238 may also have other configurations. For example, the storage cavity may be covered by a door (not shown) that is attached by a hinge to the front wall 224 and is configurable from an open configuration wherein the storage cavity 240 is exposed to a closed configuration, wherein the door covers the storage cavity 240. In general, any configuration having an openable storage compartment that can be integrated into a wall or a lid of a cooler may be used.

FIG. 11 shows a cooler 310 in accordance with an embodiment. Like the cooler 10, the cooler 310 may include a lid 312 and a body 314. As shown in FIG. 11, the lid 312 may include common features such as cup holders 318. The body 314 may be formed similarly to the body 14 by having side walls 322, a front wall 324, a rear wall (not shown) and a bottom (not shown) all connected together to form a storage cavity 330. In an embodiment, the front wall 324 includes a rectangular hole 331.

The cooler 310 also includes an access bin 332. The access bin 332 includes a front panel 334, which may be a rectangular piece of insulating material enclosed by plastic and having a size and shape approximately equal to the size and shape of the hole 331 in the front wall 324. In an embodiment, the front panel 334 has a handle 335, which is recessed into the front panel 334 and provides a grip to pull open the access bin 332, as further described below. The access bin 332 may include side portions 336, which are panels of material, such as plastic, extending perpendicularly in the same direction from the ends of the front panel 336. In an embodiment, the side portions 336 are semicircularly shaped with a curved edge oriented upwards, although other suitable shapes may be used. The side portions may include one or more stops (not shown) which are tabs of a suitable material projecting outwardly on the end of the curved edge opposite the front panel 334. As shown in FIG. 11, a hinge 338 rotatably attaches a bottom edge of the front panel 334 to a bottom edge of the hole 331, with the side portions extending into the storage cavity 330.

The access bin 332 is configurable between a closed configuration, shown in FIG. 12, and an open configuration shown in FIG. 11. In the closed configuration, as shown in FIG. 12, the outer face of the front panel 334 is substantially flush with the outer face of the front wall 324, and the side portions 336 project into the storage cavity 330.

To put the access bin 332 into the open configuration, the handle 335 is gripped and the front panel 334 is rotated about the hinge 338 away from the storage cavity 330, in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 11. Because the side portions 336, have a curved edge, the side portions 336 do not engage the top of the hole 331 in the front wall 324. Stops on the side portions 336 may engage the inner side of the front wall 324, thereby preventing the access bin 332 from rotating further.

With the access bin 332 in the open configuration, contents inside the cooler 310 may be accessed without opening the lid 312. This configuration results in less heat transfer between the interior of the cooler 310 and ambient air. As shown in FIG. 12, this configuration also allows access to the storage cavity 330 of the cooler 310 even when items are stacked on top of the cooler 310, such as another cooler 310. For example, a cooler 310, may be used to store drinks while another cooler, such as the cooler 310, may be placed on top of the cooler 310 and used to store food.

Variations of the cooler 310 are possible. For instance, feet (not shown) or other structures may be included on the bottom of a cooler 310 to prevent an upper cooler 310 of a stacked cooler combination, as shown in FIG. 12, from sliding relative to the lower cooler 310, perhaps by engaging the drink holders 318. In addition, while the drawings show the access bin 332 on the front side of the cooler, a similar access bin may be incorporated into one or more of the other sides of the cooler 310, such as the sides 332, the back, or the lid 312.

FIG. 13 shows a cooler 410 in accordance with an embodiment. Like the cooler 10, the cooler 410 may include a lid 412 and a body 414. As shown in FIG. 10, the lid 412 may include common features such as cup holders 418. The body 414 may be formed similarly to the body 14 by having side walls 422, a front wall 424, a rear wall (not shown) and a bottom (not shown) all connected together to form a storage cavity (not shown, but similar to the storage cavity 330). In an embodiment, the front wall 424 includes a rectangular hole 431.

The cooler 410 also includes an access panel 434 which may be a rectangular piece of insulating material enclosed by plastic and having a size and shape approximately equal to the size and shape of the hole 431 of the front wall 424. In an embodiment, the front panel 434 has a handle 435, which may be recessed in the front panel 434, and which provides a grip to pull the access bin 432, as further described below. The handle 434 may be provided as shown, or may be one or more knobs, tabs, or other structures that may serve the function of the handle 434. As shown in FIG. 13, a hinge 438 rotatably connects the lower edge of the access panel 434 to the lower edge of the hole 431.

As shown in FIG. 13, the cooler 410 may have a membrane located on the interior side of the front panel 424 and covering the hole 431. The membrane 436 may be a sheet of a flexible material, such as rubber, and include a plurality of slits forming a star-shaped pattern.

The access panel 434 is configurable between an open configuration, shown in FIG. 13, and a closed configuration, shown in FIG. 14. In the closed configuration, the access panel 434 is located inside the hole 431, with the outer surface of the access panel 434 approximately flush with the outer surface of the front wall 424. The front wall 424 and the access panel 434 may include a structure for retaining the access panel 434 in the open configuration. For example, the access panel may have a ridge (not shown), on its upper edge configured to sit in a groove (not shown) of the upper edge of the hole 431. Other structures, fasteners, or other mechanisms may also be used.

To put the access panel 434 in the open configuration, the handle 435 is gripped and the access panel 434 is rotated outwardly about the hinge 438 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 11. Similarly, to put the access panel 434 in the closed configuration, the access panel 434 is rotated in the opposite direction about the hinge 438 until the outer surface of the access panel 434 is approximately flush with the outer surface of the front wall 424.

To access an item inside the cooler 410 when the cooler 410 is in the open configuration, a user simply reaches through the membrane 436, grasps a desired item, such as a drink, and pulls the item out through the membrane 436, through the hole 431. The slots in the membrane 438 allow portions of the membrane 438 to bend thereby allowing objects to pass through the membrane 438. When an object is not being passed through the membrane 438, the membrane 438 is substantially planar, as shown in FIG. 13, thereby preventing heat exchange between air inside the cooler 410 and ambient air.

As shown in FIG. 14, as with the cooler 310, items stored in the cooler 410 are accessible even when an item is stacked on the lid 412. Moreover, variations possible with the cooler 310, such as the location of the access panel 434, are also possible with the cooler 410.

All of the coolers 10, 110, 210, 310, 410 may have additional features, many of which may be common to coolers. For example, any of the coolers 10, 110, 210 may include additional features, such as fasteners to secure the lids 12, 112, 212 to the bodies 14, 114, 214, respectively. As another example, while much of the above description refers to hard-sided coolers, the above coolers 10, 110, 210 may be made to have soft sides. Also, features of one of the coolers 10, 110, 210 may be used with the others.

Other variations are within the spirit of the present invention. Thus, while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The term “connected” is to be construed as partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together, even if there is something intervening. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. A cooler, comprising:

a body;

a lid attached to the body; and

a mechanism for opening the lid relative to the body, the mechanism having a pedal, the application of force to which causes the lid to move relative to the body.

2. The cooler of claim 1, wherein the lid is hinged to the body at a hinge, and wherein application of the force causes the lid to rotate about the hinge.

3. The cooler of claim 2, further comprising a linkage between the pedal and the lid, the linkage being configured to translate downward movement of the pedal to upward, rotational movement of the lid about the hinge.

4. The cooler of claim 3, wherein the body comprises an insulated container with an inner wall, an outer wall, and insulation sandwiched between the inner and outer walls, and wherein the pedal is mounted on a front of the body, and the insulation comprises a channel along a bottom side of body and extending up a back of the body, with the linkage mounted in the channel.

5. The cooler of claim 1, further comprising a linkage between the pedal and the lid, the linkage being configured to translate downward movement of the pedal to upward, opening movement of the lid.

6. The cooler of claim 5, wherein the body comprises an insulated container with an inner wall, an outer wall, and insulation sandwiched between the inner and outer walls, and wherein the pedal is mounted on a front of the body, and the insulation comprises a channel along a bottom side of body and extending up a back of the body, with the linkage mounted in the channel.

7. A cooler, comprising:

an insulated body defining an exterior surface and an interior;

a lid for providing selective access to the interior; and

a dry erase board mounted to at least one of the exterior surface and the lid.

8. The cooler of claim 7, wherein the exterior surface comprises a recess, and wherein the dry erase board is mounted in the recess.

9. The cooler of claim 8, wherein the recess comprises a depth approximately equal to the thickness of the dry erase board, permitting the exterior surface to transition smoothly to an outer surface of the dry erase board.

10. The cooler of claim 7, wherein the dry erase board is mounted on a front of the body.

11. A cooler, comprising:

a body having a plurality of sides and defining an interior with an opening;

a lid for selectively fitting over the opening;

a compartment inside at least one of the sides; and

a door configurable from an open configuration, wherein the compartment is accessible from an outside of the body, to a closed configuration, wherein the compartment is closed.

12. The cooler of claim 11, wherein at least on of the sides includes slots, and wherein the door is slidingly mounted in the slots.

13. The cooler of claim 11, wherein the opening is at the top of the body.

14. A cooler, comprising:

a body having a plurality of sides and a first opening at a top;

a lid for selectively fitting over the first opening;

a second opening in at least one of the plurality of sides; and

a panel configured to selectively cover the second opening.

15. The cooler of claim 14, wherein the panel is rotatably connected to an edge of the second opening.

16. The cooler of claim 15, wherein the panel is rotatably connected to a bottom edge of the second opening, and further comprising a pair of side portions extending substantially perpendicularly rearward into the body from the ends of the front panel.

17. The cooler of claim 16, wherein the side portions are semicircularly shaped with a curved edge oriented upwards.

18. The cooler of claim 15, further comprising a membrane located on the interior side of the panel and covering the second opening, the membrane comprising slits for allowing an object to pass through the membrane.

19. The cooler of claim 14, further comprising a membrane located on the interior side of the panel and covering the second opening, the membrane comprising slits for allowing an object to pass through the membrane.