COOLER APPARATUS
A cooler apparatus is disclosed having an onboard air conditioning assembly. The apparatus may be used to retain and chill food and beverages while simultaneously functioning to cool the surrounding environment. The air conditioner assembly may include a radiator positioned on or in a wall of a housing and an exhaust fan positioned to circulate air through the radiator. A source of air may be provided to the exhaust fan by an air intake fan. Additionally, a fluid reservoir containing a coolant for the radiator may be provided that includes at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing. The coolant may thus be chilled by adding a predetermined quantity of ice to the interior of the housing and the chilled coolant may then be circulated between the reservoir and the radiator by a pump.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/231,227, filed Aug. 4, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONA cooler apparatus is disclosed having an onboard air conditioning assembly. The apparatus may be used to retain and chill food and beverages while simultaneously functioning to cool the surrounding environment.
REFERENCE TO RELATED ARTCooler apparatus are known in the art that can emit chilled air from an interior of the cooler into the environment. One such apparatus was the multifunction cooler disclosed by McCarrell in U.S. Pat. No. 7,475,563. Such devices, however, suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, restrictions to air flow in the interior of the cooler may result when the cooler is completely filled with ice, food and beverages, or both.
Another apparatus was the portable air conditioner disclosed by Martello in U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,489. In Martello, a pump was positioned on a base of an ice water filled reservoir/cooler housing. The pump then functioned to intake chilled water directly from the reservoir and conducts it to an evaporator coil positioned in the lid of the air housing. Return lines are also provided to conduct water from the coil back into the reservoir. Martello thus described an open system for a portable air conditioner unit. A disadvantage of this open system is that debris normally found in a cooler can be drawn into the pump and cause damage. It would not have been appropriate, therefore, for Martello to function simultaneously as a cooler for ice, food and beverages, and an air conditioner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA completely green, multifunction cooler apparatus is disclosed that may be used to retain and chill food and beverages while simultaneously functioning to cool the surrounding environment. The apparatus may include a housing having a base, with a pair of sidewalls and a pair of end walls that extend from the base. The base and walls define an interior and an open top for the housing. A cover may also be provided to close off the open top and enclose the interior.
In addition, an air conditioner assembly may be included for use in cooling the surrounding environment. This assembly may comprise a radiator positioned in a wall of the housing and an exhaust fan that is proximate to, in line with, and interior to the radiator so that it may function to circulate air across the radiator. An air intake fan and an air flaw conduit extending between the air intake fan and the exhaust fan may also be provided to ensure that the exhaust fan has an adequate supply of air. A fluid reservoir containing a coolant may be positioned in the housing with at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing.
In operation a predetermined quantity of ice positioned in the interior of the housing operates to chill the coolant in the fluid reservoir. A pump may then operate to circulate the coolant between the reservoir and the radiator.
Reference will be made herein to the attached figures wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout and wherein:
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The cover 16 may be dimensioned to fit the open top of the housing 12 to enclose the interior space 30. The cover 16 may also be removably or pivotably attached to the housing 12 and insulated.
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As mention supra, an insulated insert 14 may used as an alternative to, or in addition to, using insulated walls 22-28 and base 20 for the housing 12 (or even where the housing 12 is uninsulated). The insert 14, for example, may include a grate configured to rest within the housing interior and dimensioned so that it is spaced a distance from the base 20 of the outer shell 32. Additionally, or alternatively, the insert 14 may be a wire or mesh cage dimensioned to fit inside the housing 12 and spaced a predetermined distance from interior surfaces of the outer shell 32 to allow for placement of the components of the air conditioner assembly 18. Further, as mentioned above, the insert 14 may include a molded insulating foam structure having a base and walls that define a recess suitable for holding a quantity of ice, food and/or beverages. One or more access panels (not shown) may also be provided to permit access to the components of the air conditioner assembly 18. It will, of course, also be appreciated that insert 14 could be dispensed with, and/or the ice 100 could be otherwise arranged to directly contact the reservoir 52 and the air conditioner assembly 18 otherwise remaining a closed system.
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Having thus described my invention, various other embodiments will become apparent to those of skill in the art that do not depart from the scope of the claims.
I claim:
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining an interior and having an open top and including a cover positionable on the top and operating to enclose the interior of the housing, the housing further defining a first and a second opening and also being dimensioned to define an air flow pathway extending between the first and the second opening;
- an air conditioner assembly including a radiator, an exhaust fan, an air intake fan, a fluid reservoir and a pump, the radiator being positioned in the second opening of the housing, with the exhaust fan being positioned proximate the radiator and operating to blow air through the radiator and into the environment through the second opening, the air intake fan being positioned in the first opening, the fluid reservoir containing a coolant and having at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing, and the pump operating to circulate the coolant in a closed system between the reservoir and the radiator; and
- a predetermined quantity of ice positioned in the interior of the housing, the ice operating to chill the coolant in the fluid reservoir.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a power supply positioned on the housing.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the power supply comprises a battery.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power supply operating to drive the exhaust fan, the air intake fan and the pump.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the power supply comprises a DC power supply.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the power supply comprises an AC power supply.
7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the power supply comprises a solar panel.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pump comprises a compact form factor pump.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a base, side walls and end walls.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the walls and base are insulated.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises an outer shell, an inner shell and foam insulating material positioned between an inner shell and the outer shell.
12. An apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a base, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of end walls and a cover, with the walls extending from the base to define a interior space having an open top closable by the cover, at least one wall of the housing defining a first and a second opening, and the housing being further dimensioned to define an air flow pathway extending between the first and the second opening; and
- an air conditioner assembly including a radiator, an exhaust fan, an air intake fan, a fluid reservoir and a pump, the radiator being positioned in the second opening, with the exhaust fan being positioned proximate the radiator and operating to blow air across through the radiator, the air intake fan being positioned in the first opening, the fluid reservoir containing a coolant and having at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing, and the pump operating to circulate the coolant in a closed system between the reservoir and the radiator.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a predetermined quantity of ice positioned in the interior of the housing, the ice operating to chill the coolant in the fluid reservoir.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the coolant comprises distilled water.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, comprising a power supply operating to drive the exhaust fan, the air intake fan and the pump.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the power supply comprises a battery.
17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the walls and base are insulated.
18. An apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining an interior and having an open top and including a cover that is one of removably or pivotably attached proximate the open top and that operates to enclose the interior of the housing, the housing also including an outer shell, an inner shell and foam insulating material between an inner shell and the outer shell, with the outer shell defining a first and a second opening, and the housing being dimensioned to further define an air flow pathway extending between the first and the second opening; and
- an air conditioner assembly including a radiator, an exhaust fan, an air intake fan, a fluid reservoir, a pump and a power supply, the radiator being positioned in the second opening of the housing, with the exhaust fan being positioned interior to the radiator and operating to blow air through the radiator and into the environment, the air intake fan being positioned in the first opening, the fluid reservoir containing a coolant and having at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing, and the pump operating to circulate the coolant in a closed system between the reservoir and the radiator, and the power supply operating to drive the exhaust fan, the air intake fan and the pump.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a predetermined quantity of ice positioned in the interior of the housing, the ice operating to chill the coolant in the fluid reservoir.
20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the coolant comprises double distilled deionized water.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 4, 2010
Publication Date: Feb 10, 2011
Inventor: Virgil O. Heil (Birmingham, MI)
Application Number: 12/850,359
International Classification: F25D 17/04 (20060101); F25B 41/00 (20060101);