Patio Cooler
A patio cooler includes a cooler basin defining a liner receptacle. A flexible liner is disposed in the liner receptacle and defines a cooler receptacle.
A patio cooler is provided that includes a cooler basin that defines a liner receptacle. A flexible liner is disposed in the liner receptacle and defines a cooler receptacle. A slidable lid is slidably coupled with the cooler basin and is configured to be slidable between an opened and a closed position to facilitate selective covering of the cooler receptacle.
BACKGROUNDConventional patio coolers can include a pair of pivotal lids that selectively overlie a cooler tub. When the lids are closed, they can effectively serve as a table top for storing items thereon, such as food or decorations. However, when the lids are opened, these items must be removed in order to gain access to the cooler tub, which can be cumbersome and time consuming.
It is believed that certain embodiments will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
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The outer slide member 62 can comprise a base portion 74 and a head portion 76 that extends from the base portion 74. The base portion 74 can have a width W1 and the head portion 76 can have a width W2. Each of the widths W1, W2 can be measured in a direction that is orthogonal to the centerline C1 (
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The liner 28 can be formed of a thermally insulating material and configured to be water impervious such that any contents provided in the cooler receptacle 30 are thermally insulated from the outside environment, and any liquid introduced into the cooler receptacle 30 (e.g., melted ice) is stored in the cooler receptacle until it is drained out of the drain port 84 (e.g., by removing the cap 86). The liner 38 can be a flexible (e.g., soft-sided) liner that is selectively collapsible into a substantially flat shape by folding the walls 80 inwardly towards the floor 78 (in the direction of the arrows A1 shown in
The liner 28 can be collapsed to save space and cost during shipping of the patio cooler 10. For example, to facilitate cost effective shipping, the patio cooler 10 can be broken down into smaller components (e.g., disassembled) in order to reduce the overall shipping size of the package. The liner 30 can be collapsed to fit easily within the package without adding significant bulk or weight to the package. When the patio cooler 30 is subsequently being assembled (e.g., by a consumer), the liner 30 can be easily unfolded into the arrangement shown in
The foregoing description of embodiments and examples of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the forms described. Numerous modifications are possible in light of the above teachings. Some of those modifications have been discussed and others will be understood by those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the disclosure and various embodiments as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The scope of the disclosure is, of course, not limited to the examples or embodiments set forth herein, but can be employed in any number of applications and equivalent devices by those of ordinary skill in the art. Rather it is hereby intended the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto. Also, for any methods claimed and/or described, regardless of whether the method is described in conjunction with a flow diagram, it should be understood that unless otherwise specified or required by context, any explicit or implicit ordering of steps performed in the execution of a method does not imply that those steps must be performed in the order presented and may be performed in a different order or in parallel.
Claims
1. A patio cooler comprising:
- a cooler basin defining a liner receptacle;
- a subframe coupled with the cooler basin and surrounding the liner receptacle;
- a lid comprising: a cover panel that defines an interior receptacle; and a substructure disposed within interior receptacle and coupled to the cover panel; and
- a slide assembly comprising: an inner slide member coupled to the subframe; and an outer slide member coupled to the substructure, wherein the outer slide member and the inner slide member are slidably coupled together to facilitate sliding of the lid with respect to the cooler basin along a centerline between an opened position and a closed position.
2. The patio cooler of claim 1 wherein:
- the inner slide member is formed of aluminum; and
- the outer slide member is formed of a thermoplastic.
3. The patio cooler of claim 2 wherein:
- the inner slide member is formed of anodized aluminum; and
- the outer slide member is formed of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene.
4. The patio cooler of claim 1 wherein:
- the substructure is attached to the cover panel with a plurality of first fasteners; and
- the outer slide member is attached to the substructure with a plurality of second fasteners that do not extend into the cover panel.
5. The patio cooler of claim 1 wherein:
- the outer slide member comprises a base portion and a head portion that extends from the base portion;
- the base portion has a first width; and
- the head portion has a second width that is less than the first width.
6. The patio cooler of claim 5 wherein a ratio of the first width to the second width is about 5:4.
7. The patio cooler of claim 5 wherein:
- the inner slide member comprises a base portion and a pair of outer rail portions that extend from the base portion and are spaced from each other;
- each outer rail portion has a first height;
- at least one rib portion that extends from the base portion and is interposed between the outer rail portions; and
- the at least one rib portion has a second height that is shorter than the first height.
8. The patio cooler of claim 7 wherein the head portion is disposed between the outer rail portions and the outer rail portions are slidably coupled with the head portion.
9. The patio cooler of claim 1 further comprising a flexible liner that is at least partially disposed in the liner receptacle and is formed of a thermally insulating material.
10. The patio cooler of claim 9 wherein:
- the flexible liner comprises a floor and a plurality of walls that extend from the floor and cooperate with each other and the floor to define a cooler receptacle;
- the flexible liner comprises a plurality of tab portions;
- each tab portion of the plurality of tab portions extends from respective ones of the walls; and
- each of the tab portions extend over one of the walls and are releasably coupled thereto.
11. The patio cooler of claim 10 wherein the floor defines a drain port.
12. The patio cooler of claim 10 wherein:
- each wall is coupled with adjacent ones of the walls and the floor along a plurality of seams; and
- each seam of the plurality of seams comprises a thermally bonded seam.
13. A patio cooler comprising:
- a cooler basin comprising: a first floor; and a plurality of first walls that extend from the first floor and cooperate with the first floor to define a liner receptacle; and
- a flexible liner formed of a thermally insulating material and selectively installable in the liner receptacle, the flexible liner comprising: a second floor; a plurality of second walls that extend from the second floor and cooperate with each other and the second floor to define a cooler receptacle; and a plurality of tab portions, each tab portion of the plurality of tab portions extending from respective ones of the second walls, wherein: the flexible liner is selectively collapsible into a substantially flat shape by folding the walls inwardly towards the floor; and when the flexible liner is installed in the liner receptacle, each of the tab portions extends over one of the walls and is releasably coupled thereto.
14. The patio cooler of claim 13 wherein:
- the first floor comprises a plurality of slats that define a plurality of spaces therebetween;
- the second floor defines a drain port; and
- when the flexible liner is installed in the liner receptacle, the drain port extends into one of the spaces between the slats.
15. The patio cooler of claim 14 wherein the flexible liner is formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material.
16. The patio cooler of claim 15 wherein:
- each second wall is coupled with adjacent ones of the second walls and the second floor along a plurality of seams; and
- each seam of the plurality of seams comprises a thermally bonded seam.
17. A flexible liner for a patio cooler, the flexible liner formed of a thermally insulating material and consisting of:
- a floor;
- a plurality of walls that extend from the floor and cooperate with each other and the floor to define a cooler receptacle; and
- a plurality of tab portions, each tab portion of the plurality of tab portions extending from respective ones of the walls, wherein the flexible liner is selectively collapsible into a substantially flat shape by folding each wall of the plurality of walls inwardly towards the floor.
18. The flexible liner of claim 17 wherein the floor defines a drain port.
19. The flexible liner of claim 18 wherein the flexible liner is formed of a thermoplastic polyurethane material.
20. The flexible liner of claim 19 wherein:
- each wall is coupled with adjacent ones of the walls and the floor along a plurality of seams; and
- each seam of the plurality of seams comprises a thermally bonded seam.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 21, 2021
Publication Date: Jul 21, 2022
Inventors: Daniel R. Whyman (Lamar, MO), Randall L. Day (Lamar, MO), Patrick R. Hardy (Carl Junction, MO)
Application Number: 17/154,429