Chest Cooler

Abstract

The present application provides a chest cooler for dispensing products. The chest cooler may include a first product compartment with a first transparent panel and a second product compartment with a second transparent panel. The second product compartment may include a slanted floor leading to the second transparent panel such that a first number of the number of products may be positioned on the slanted floor and may be visible through the second transparent panel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to refrigeration systems and more particularly relates to a low cost, low energy chest-type cooler with a number of transparent panels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Although modern vending machines and coolers offering beverages and other types of products may seem ubiquitous, many retail establishments throughout the world still rely on ice chests and the like to keep products refrigerated and cooled. Such retail establishments may lack sufficient space for conventional electrical coolers or the sales volume may not justify the cost of such coolers. Likewise, the energy required to run such coolers also may be of concern.

The use of conventional ice chests, however, often results in inconsistent product quality. Specifically, the retailer must fill the chest with ice in order to keep the products therein cold. Likewise, loss or pilferage from the ice chests may be high given the usual lack of a locking mechanism. Moreover, ice chests generally do not drive impulse purchases because the consumer cannot see the products therein. Even when the ice chest is opened, a customer may only see the top several products therein while additional and/or different types of products may be beneath the top layer or within the ice.

There is thus a desire therefore for improved chest cooler. Such a chest cooler preferably would be low cost, with low energy consumption, remain relatively compact, but provide the visual appeal more often associated with glass door coolers and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present application thus provides a chest cooler for dispensing products. The chest cooler may include a first product compartment with a first transparent panel and a second product compartment with a second transparent panel. The second product compartment may include a slanted floor leading to the second transparent panel such that a first number of the number of products may be positioned on the slanted floor and may be visible through the second transparent panel.

The first product compartment may include an upper door and a front panel. The front panel may include first transparent panel. The upper door may include a gasket layer. A second number of products may have a substantially horizontal position in the first product compartment. The first product compartment may include a compartment divider.

A front door may include the second transparent panel thereon. The front door may include a gasket layer. The first number of products may have a substantially vertical position in the second product compartment.

The chest cooler further may include an outer frame positioned about the first product compartment and the second product compartment. The outer frame may include messaging thereon and a contoured shape. The chest cooler further may include a refrigeration device therein. The chest cooler may include a number of access points thereon.

The present application further provides a chest cooler for dispensing products. The chest cooler may include a first product compartment with an upper door and a first transparent panel and a second product compartment with a front door and a second transparent panel. The second product compartment further may include a slanted floor leading to the front door such that a first number of the number of products may be positioned on the slanted floor and may be visible through the front door.

The upper door may include a gasket layer. A second number of products may have a substantially horizontal position in the first product compartment. The front door may include a gasket layer. The first number of products may have a substantially vertical position in the second product compartment. The chest cooler may include a refrigeration device therein.

These and other features and improvements of the present application will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a chest cooler as is described herein.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a further embodiment of the chest cooler.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the embodiment of the chest cooler of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application concerns the offering for sale of any number of products 10. Although the products 10 are shown, by way of example only, in the form of bottles, it is understood that the products 10 may include any type or size of item or package including, but not limited to, bottles, cans, pouches, boxes, wrapped items, produce, and/or any type of rigid or flexible packing. The products 10 may include beverages, food items, non-food items, consumer products, and/or any type of product. The scope of the application is in no way limited by the nature of the products 10 intended to be offered herein or otherwise.

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows a chest cooler 100 as may be described herein. The chest cooler 100 may include an outer frame 110. The outer frame 110 may be insulated. The outer frame 110 and the chest cooler 100 as a whole may have any desired size or shape.

A refrigeration device 120 may be positioned within or about the outer frame 110. The refrigeration device 120 may be of conventional design and may include a fan 130, a compressor 140, and other types of refrigeration components. Alternatively, a freezing device and/or a heating device also may be used herein with or without the refrigeration device 120. The refrigeration device 120 may be modular or original equipment.

The chest cooler 100 may include a number of product compartments. In this example, a first product compartment 150 and a second product compartment 160 may be used. Any number of product compartments may be used herein. The first product compartment 150 may be bounded by an upper door 170 and a front panel 180. The upper door 170 may pivot upward via an upper door hinge 190 and the like. The upper door hinge 190 may be positioned on any side of the upper door 170. The upper door 170 also may have an upper door hand grip 200. The upper door 170 may be transparent or opaque. If transparent, a transparent panel 175 may be used. Various types of messaging 210 may be positioned on the upper door 170. Any type of messaging 210 may be used herein. Examples include brand advertising, pricing, instructions for use, etc. The first product compartment 150 and the upper door 170 may have any shape or size. A gasket layer 220 may be positioned about the upper door 170 so as to ensure an airtight seal when closed. Other types of insulation also may be used herein.

The front panel 180 may be fixed in place. The front panel 180 may be transparent or opaque. If transparent, the transparent panel 175 may be used. The front panel 180 preferably may be transparent such that a consumer can see the products 10 within the first compartment 150. The front panel 180 also may be opaque with the messaging 210 thereon. The front panel 180 may have any shape or size.

In this example, the products 10 may have a horizontal position 230 within the first product compartment 150. A compartment divider 240 may divide the first product compartment 150 into a number of sections 250. Any number of compartment dividers 240 and sections 250 may be used herein. A vertical position or any orientation of the products 10 also may be used herein. Any number of products 10 may be positioned therein. The first section 250 may include one type of product 10 and the second section 250 may include a different type of product 10.

The second product compartment 160 may be bounded by a front door 260 and a slanted floor 270. The front door 260 may pivot open via a front door hinge 280 and the like. The door hinge 280 may be positioned on any side of the front door 260. The front door 260 also may include a front door hand grip 290 and a front door gasket layer 300. The front door 260 may be transparent with the transparent panel 175 such that a consumer may see the products 10 therein. Alternatively, the front door 260 may be opaque. The front door 260 also may include the messaging 210 thereon. The slanted floor 270 may have any desired angle but is preferably slanted upward such that a consumer has a good view of the products 10 therein. The products 10 may have a substantially vertical position 310 therein. A horizontal position or any orientation of the products 10 also may be used herein. Any number of products 10 may be positioned therein. The second product compartment 160 and the front door 260 may have any shape or size.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a further embodiment of a chest cooler 320. In this embodiment, the upper door 170 is opaque while the front panel 180 and the front door 260 are transparent and use the transparent panels 175. The outer frame 110 may have the messaging 210 thereon. Moreover, the outer frame 110 has a contour 330 that resembles the Dynamic Ribbon Device of The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Ga. In this example, the outer frame 110 also includes a hand indent 340 positioned beneath the front door 260. The hand indent 340 also may be positioned at the side of the front door depending upon where the door hinge 280 is located. The hand grip 200 or a handle also may be used.

In use, the products 10 are loaded into the first product compartment 150 and the second product compartment 160 of the chest cooler 100. The products 10 in the first product compartment 150 may have the horizontal position 230 while the products 10 in the second product compartment 160 may have the vertical position 310. Alternatively, all of the products 10 may have the horizontal position 230, the vertical position 310, or combinations thereof.

The use of the transparent panels 175 on the front panel 180, the front door 260, and elsewhere allows consumers to see the products 10 therein. Moreover, the transparent panels 175 allow the consumers to see the entire front column of the products 10 in the first product compartment and the first row of the products 10 in the second product compartment 160. This visibility is further improved by the slanted floor 270 that angles the products 10 toward the consumer. Such visibility may spur consumer interest in the products 10 therein and/or promote impulse purchases. The improved visibility also may provide brand differentiation with the products 10 therein. This consumer interest may be further spurred by the use of the messaging 210 as well as the contoured shape 330.

A consumer thus may open the upper door 170 on the first product compartment 150 and/or open the front door 260 of the second product compartment 160 and remove a product 10 therefrom. Other compartments and other types of access point may be used herein. The chest cooler 100 thus provides easy access to the products 10 therein while providing improved visibility.

The upper door 170 and the front door 260 may have a locking device thereon. One or more chest coolers 100 may be stacked together and/or multiple chest coolers 100 may be used. The products 10 may be positioned in a basket. The basket may be removable from the first product compartment 150 and/or the second product compartment 260 so as to permit first in first out loading. Other types of loading techniques also may be used herein.

The relatively small size of the chest cooler 100 as a whole along with the use of the gasket layers 220, 300 about the upper door 170, the front door 260, and elsewhere also should make the overall chest cooler 100 reasonably energy efficient. The size of the transparent panels 175 may be minimized so as to reduce overall energy consumption. The refrigeration device 120 also avoids the need to refill the chest cooler 100 with ice.

It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A chest cooler for dispensing products, comprising:

a first product compartment comprising a first transparent panel; and

a second product compartment comprising a second transparent panel;

wherein the second product compartment comprises a slanted floor leading to the second transparent panel such that a first number of the number of products may be positioned on the slanted floor and be visible through the second transparent panel.

2. The chest cooler of claim 1, wherein the first product compartment comprises an upper door and a front panel.

3. The chest cooler of claim 2, wherein the front panel comprises the first transparent panel.

4. The chest cooler of claim 2, wherein the upper door comprises a gasket layer.

5. The chest cooler of claim 1, wherein a second number of products comprise a substantially horizontal position in the first product compartment.

6. The chest cooler of claim 1, wherein the first product compartment comprises a compartment divider.

7. The chest cooler of claim 1, wherein a front door comprises the second transparent panel.

8. The chest cooler of claim 7, wherein the front door comprises a gasket layer.

9. The chest cooler of claim 1, wherein the first number of products comprise a substantially vertical position in the second product compartment.

10. The chest cooler of claim 1, further comprising an outer frame positioned about the first product compartment and the second product compartment.

11. The chest cooler of claim 10, wherein the outer frame comprises messaging thereon.

12. The chest cooler of claim 10, wherein the outer frame comprises a contoured shape.

13. The chest cooler of claim 1, further comprising a refrigeration device therein.

14. The chest cooler of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of access points thereon.

15. A chest cooler for dispensing products, comprising:

a first product compartment comprising an upper door and a first transparent panel; and

a second product compartment comprising a front door and a second transparent panel;

wherein the second product compartment further comprises a slanted floor leading to the front door such that a first number of the number of products may be positioned on the slanted floor and be visible through the front door.

16. The chest cooler of claim 15, wherein the upper door comprises a gasket layer.

17. The chest cooler of claim 15, wherein a second number of products comprise a substantially horizontal position in the first product compartment.

18. The chest cooler of claim 15, wherein the front door comprises a gasket layer.

19. The chest cooler of claim 15, wherein the first number of products comprise a substantially vertical position in the second product compartment.

20. The chest cooler of claim 15, further comprising a refrigeration device therein.