COOLER ICE NET

Abstract

A cooler ice net adapted to reside inside a cooler is described. The cooler ice net typically contains cubed ice dispersed among or burying the cooler articles, and also enables the cubed ice to be readily separable from the cooler articles and removable from the cooler. A mesh barrier portion of the cooler ice net is typically supple, allowing the mesh barrier to drape about and conform to the cooler articles. Accordingly, ice cubes residing within a mesh barrier cavity, whose lower portion is surrounded by the mesh barrier, also conform to the cooler articles. Embodiments of the cooler ice net include handles that facilitate ready removal of the cooler ice net, along with cubed ice contained therein, from within the cooler.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 13/332,186, filed Dec. 20, 2011.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to ice nets for use in portable insulated coolers.

BACKGROUND

Portable coolers are typically used to keep beverages, perishable food items, and similar cooler articles chilled or otherwise stored below ambient temperature. Water ice is typically used as a cooling medium, with cubed ice often used because it facilitates having ice in contact with or in close proximity to the cooler articles in order to keep them chilled. Block ice is sometimes used because it tends to last longer in a cooler. However, one of the qualities that allows block ice to last longer is its lower surface area to volume ratio compared to cubed ice, which also makes it less effective at chilling cooler articles.

An ability of cubed ice to flow or settle around cooler articles makes the cubed ice relatively effective at chilling the cooler articles, but also creates problems with finding and identifying cooler articles disposed among the ice cubes, and with retrieving the cooler articles therefrom. A user must frequently rummage in a cooler, attempting to find cooler articles by sense of touch, where the cooler articles are fully or partially buried in the cubed ice. The user's hands can become uncomfortably chilled during such searching, and the search is prone to error, where searched for article is present in the cooler, but the user concludes otherwise because of the difficulty or discomfort of the search.

Dry ice is sometimes used to chill cooler articles. The dry ice can be even more problematic because merely touching the dry ice can cause tissue damage for a user. Accordingly, an ability to remove cooler articles without even touching the dry ice is desirable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric, perspective view of a cooler ice net according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric, perspective view of a cooler ice net according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side, cross section view of an ice cooler net according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an isometric, perspective view of a cooler ice net according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an isometric, perspective view of a cooler ice net according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a cooler ice net that resides inside a cooler and contains cubed ice. The cooler ice net enables the cubed ice to effectively chill cooler articles by allowing the cubed ice to disperse among or bury the cooler articles, and to also be readily separable from the cooler articles and removable from the cooler. A mesh barrier portion of the cooler ice net is typically supple, allowing the mesh barrier to drape about and conform to the cooler articles. Accordingly, ice cubes residing within a mesh barrier cavity, whose lower portion is surrounded by the mesh barrier, also conform to the cooler articles.

Embodiments of the cooler ice net include handles that facilitate ready removal of the cooler ice net, along with cubed ice contained therein, from within the cooler. In some embodiments, cooler articles can be placed in the cooler ice net to prevent the cooler articles from sitting in ice water that accumulates in a bottom of the cooler.

The cooler ice net is typically, but not necessarily, installed inside a portable cooler having a volume of 155 quarts or less.

Terminology

The terms and phrases as indicated in quotation marks (“ ”) in this section are intended to have the meaning ascribed to them in this Terminology section applied to them throughout this document, including in the claims, unless clearly indicated otherwise in context. Further, as applicable, the stated definitions are to apply, regardless of the word or phrase's case, to the singular and plural variations of the defined word or phrase.

The term “or” as used in this specification and the appended claims is not meant to be exclusive; rather the term is inclusive, meaning either or both.

References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “another embodiment”, “a preferred embodiment”, “an alternative embodiment”, “one variation”, “a variation” and similar phrases mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or variation, is included in at least an embodiment or variation of the invention. The phrase “in one embodiment”, “in one variation” or similar phrases, as used in various places in the specification, are not necessarily meant to refer to the same embodiment or the same variation.

The term “couple” or “coupled” as used in this specification and appended claims refers to an indirect or direct physical connection between the identified elements, components, or objects. Often the manner of the coupling will be related specifically to the manner in which the two coupled elements interact.

The term “directly coupled” or “coupled directly,” as used in this specification and appended claims, refers to a physical connection between identified elements, components, or objects, in which no other element, component, or object resides between those identified as being directly coupled.

The term “approximately,” as used in this specification and appended claims, refers to plus or minus 10% of the value given.

The term “about,” as used in this specification and appended claims, refers to plus or minus 20% of the value given.

The terms “generally” and “substantially,” as used in this specification and appended claims, mean mostly, or for the most part.

Directional or relational terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” “above,” “below,” “inside,” “outside,” “upper,” “lower,” and “horizontal,” as used in this specification and appended claims, refer to relative positions of identified elements, components or objects, when a cooler ice net or cooler is oriented sitting upright as normally used.

The term “chill,” “chilled,” “cooling,” “cooled,” and similar terms, as used in this specification and appended claims, refers to reducing the temperature of a cooler article in a cooler, or preventing or impeding warming of the cooler article in the cooler. Cooling is typically achieved by placing ice in the cooler along with the cooler articles.

The terms “ice cube,” “ice cubes,” “cubed ice,” and similar terms, as used in this specification and appended claims, refers to ice formed into relatively small cubes or other shapes familiar to persons skilled in the art. Crushed ice and shaved ice are included within this definition for the purposes of this specification and appended claims. Ice cubes are distinguished from “block ice” by comprising multiple discreet pieces of ice that are substantially smaller than a block of ice. Block ice typically has a volume of greater than 700 cubic centimeters per block.

The term “ice,” as used in this specification and appended claims, refers to water ice, except where used with the terms “dry ice” or “carbon dioxide ice,” which refer to frozen, solid carbon dioxide familiar to persons skilled in the art.

The terms “supple,” “substantially supple,” “supple material,” and similar terms, as used in this specification and appended claims, refer to pliant or flexible material that yields, folds, or bends with little resistance and without breaking Supple material typically yields, folds, or bends without deforming permanently.

The term “portable cooler,” as used in this specification and appended claims, refers to coolers designed and adapted to be carried by one or two persons. Portable coolers are not designed and adapted to be permanently installed in a building, structure, or vehicle. Portable coolers are 155 quarts or less in volume. A 155 quart cooler is an exceptionally large for a portable cooler. A medium size portable cooler having a volume of about 36 quarts is typical, and small portable coolers with a volume of 5 quarts are common. Portable coolers can be substantially rigid or soft-sided.

The terms “removable,” “removably coupled,” “readily removable,” “readily detachable,” and similar terms, as used in this specification and appended claims, refer to structures that can be uncoupled from an adjoining structure or otherwise uninstalled with relative ease (i.e., non-destructively and without a complicated or time-consuming process) and that can also be readily reattached to or reinstalled in the previously adjoining structure.

The term “full volume,” as used in this specification and appended claims, refers to the volume of a mesh barrier cavity obtained when the cooler ice net resides outside a cooler and is full of cubed ice. So configured, the mesh barrier is not draped about or conforming to cooler articles, and the mesh barrier cavity thus attains about its maximum possible volume.

The term “resilient,” as used in this specification and appended claims, refers to a structure or material that has a definite shape and a tendency to resist deformation and to return to its original shape when slightly deformed. Accordingly, a supple mesh barrier is generally not resilient and an aluminum upper rim typically is resilient. A resilient aluminum rim can be deformed to an extent beyond which it will not return to its original shape or dimension.

A First Embodiment Cooler Ice Net

A first embodiment cooler ice net 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, along with a cooler 180 and cooler articles 185 residing within the cooler. The first embodiment cooler ice net comprises an upper rim 105, a mesh barrier 110 residing below the upper rim and partially surrounding a cavity, and handles 115, the mesh barrier and the handles being coupled directly to the upper rim. The upper rim of the first embodiment is resilient and typically comprises aluminum. Other embodiments include polymers, epoxides, fiber-glass, wood, metals and metal alloys, and composites including carbon fiber/resin composites.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first embodiment mesh barrier 110 is supple, enabling the barrier to drape over and conform about cooler articles 185. By conforming about the cooler articles, the supple mesh allows ice cubes 120 contained in the cooler ice net to also conform about the cooler articles. The ice cubes can therefore cool the articles effectively because the cubes reside in contact with or close proximity to the cooler articles.

As best shown in FIG. 1, the cooler articles 185 are typically placed in the cooler 180 with the cooler ice net 100 absent from within the cooler. As best shown in FIG. 2, the cooler ice net is then placed in the cooler, allowing the mesh barrier 110 to drape over and conform to shapes of cooler articles. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, cubed ice 120 is then added to the cooler ice net. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the supple mesh barrier conforming to shapes of cooler articles, and FIG. 3 best illustrates how this feature enables cubed ice contained in the cooler ice net to also conform to the cooler articles.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the cooler ice net 100 facilitates ready access to, identification of, and retrieval of, cooler articles 185 that are buried in the cubed ice 120, by enabling facile removal of the cooler ice from within the cooler 180; the cooler ice net is removed from within the cooler with the ice cubes contained within the cavity 112 formed by the mesh barrier 110. The mesh barrier cavity has a full volume that is preferably >50% of the cooler volume, more preferably >70% of the cooler volume, still more preferably >85% of the cooler volume. In some embodiments, the mesh barrier cavity has a full volume that is equal to or greater than 100% of the cooler volume. Cooler volume refers to a volume of space residing inside the cooler.

By enabling facile removal of cooler ice from within the cooler and thus ready access to cooler articles, the cooler ice net allows a user to spend less time searching for and retrieving the cooler articles. The cooler lid is therefore open for less time, which helps maintain the internal temperature of the cooler, and thus slows melting of ice in the cooler. Accordingly, ice tends to last longer in a cooler system that includes a cooler ice net. In addition, the cooler ice net helps keep ice clean because ice retained in the cooler ice net cavity is not free to mix with debris and dirty water that tends to collect in the bottom of a cooler, and a user's dirty hands are not rummaging in the ice to locate or remove cooler articles. The cooler ice net therefore helps maintain clean ice that can be used in a beverage glass or similar vessel in order for a user to enjoy an iced beverage.

The mesh barrier 110 of the first embodiment cooler ice net 100 comprises square pores or openings about 4 mm per side. In some embodiments, the mesh barrier comprises other pore sizes or pore shapes, and variations include a fabric having effective pore size of less than 0.0625 square millimeters. Embodiments include woven fabric comprising hydrophobic natural or synthetic polymers. Natural polymers include, but are not limited to, silk. Synthetic polymers include, but are not limited to, nylon, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyimide, polycarbonate, polyaniline, acrylate or methacrylate polymers, fluorinated polymers such as polytetrafluoroethylene or polyfluoroethylenepropylene, and polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or polybutylene (PB). Mesh pore size is preferably less than 64 cm², more preferably less than 16 cm², still more preferably less than 64 mm², and most preferably between 0.0625 mm² and 36 mm². Embodiments include mesh barriers comprising food grade materials.

As best shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5, the cooler 180 of the first embodiment includes a narrow inside shelf 182 molded into the cooler interior surface. The narrow shelf 182 is about 6.5 mm deep. FIG. 3 shows the upper rim 105 of the cooler ice net 100 residing on and being supported by the narrow shelf. The upper rim 105 is thus impeded or prevented from dropping into the cooler interior. The cooler opening, through which cooler contents, including but not limited to cooler articles and the cooler ice net, is approximately rectangular, having dimensions of about 30 cm×56 cm. The upper rim of the cooler ice net is about the same shape, and is slightly smaller, having dimensions of about 29.2 cm×55.2 cm. The area circumscribed by the upper rim is therefore about 96% of the cooler opening area. The upper rim 105 therefore fits within the cooler opening, but does not readily drop below the narrow shelf, which is about 28.7 cm'54.7 cm. In some embodiments, the cooler rim is substantially smaller than the cooler opening.

Alternative Embodiments and Variations

The various embodiments and variations thereof, illustrated in the accompanying Figures and/or described above, are merely exemplary and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention. It is to be appreciated that numerous other variations of the invention have been contemplated, as would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, given the benefit of this disclosure. All variations of the invention that read upon appended claims are intended and contemplated to be within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of using a cooler ice net system comprising:

providing the cooler ice net system, the cooler ice net system comprising: a portable cooler having a cooler volume that is 155 quarts or less; a cooler ice net residing inside the cooler, the cooler ice net including; a resilient upper rim; a supple mesh barrier disposed below and coupled to the resilient upper rim, the supple mesh barrier and resilient upper rim defining a cavity having a full volume greater than 50% of the cooler volume; and a handle coupled directly to the resilient upper rim removing the cooler ice net from inside the cooler;

placing cooler articles inside the cooler;

replacing the cooler ice net inside the cooler; and

placing ice cubes in the cavity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the supple mesh barrier drapes about and conforms to the cooler articles.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

grasping the cooler ice net by the handle;

lifting the cooler ice net from inside the cooler with the ice cubes remaining in the cavity; and

removing a cooler article from inside the cooler.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising replacing the cooler ice net inside the cooler with the ice cubes remaining in the cavity.

5. A method of using a cooler combination comprising:

providing a cooler combination, the cooler combination comprising: a portable cooler having a cooler volume; a cooler ice net residing inside the cooler, the cooler ice net including; a resilient upper rim; a handle coupled directly to the resilient upper rim; a mesh barrier disposed below and coupled to the upper rim, the mesh barrier being supple and adapted to draping over and conforming to cooler articles residing inside the cooler; and a cavity residing within the mesh barrier, the cavity having a full volume greater than 85% of the cooler volume.

removing the cooler ice net from inside the cooler;

placing cooler articles inside the cooler;

replacing the cooler ice net inside the cooler; and

placing ice cubes in the cavity.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mesh barrier drapes about and conforms to the cooler articles.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

grasping the cooler ice net by the handle;

lifting the cooler ice net from inside the cooler with the ice cubes remaining in the cavity; and

removing a cooler article from inside the cooler.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising replacing the cooler ice net inside the cooler with the ice cubes remaining in the cavity.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cooler comprises a narrow inside shelf molded into a cooler inside surface and adapted to support the upper rim.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising supporting the upper rim on the narrow inside shelf.