초록 ▼

A portable cooler is provided including a plastic bag or container with inflatable sidewalls into which are placed items for cooling, such as infant feeding bottles, food, soft drinks, etc. Prior to using these items, the sidewalls of the bag are inflated with CO.sub.2 gas, which upon expansion, suf

A portable cooler is provided including a plastic bag or container with inflatable sidewalls into which are placed items for cooling, such as infant feeding bottles, food, soft drinks, etc. Prior to using these items, the sidewalls of the bag are inflated with CO.sub.2 gas, which upon expansion, sufficiently cools the interior of the bag, and chills the food. The plastic bag may also contain a frozen gel package to provide temporary cooling prior to use, and augment cooling by the CO.sub.2. In a similar manner, cooling may be provided using a relatively stiff container having hollow sidewalls and/or a bottom into which may be expanded CO.sub.2 gas to provide cooling prior to use. A frozen gel package may be placed inside the container or in the top portion of the container to augment CO.sub.2 gas cooling. The same technique of cooling may also be accomplished using the expansion of CO.sub.2 gas into the sidewalls of a thermos container.

대표청구항 ▼

[ I claim:] [1.] An insulated food container comprising, rigid sidewalls and bottom, an insulated cover element for mounting onto the container, a hollow, flexible plastic film being configured for positioning within the container and adjacent the sidewalls and bottom of the container, and a valve e

[ I claim:] [1.] An insulated food container comprising, rigid sidewalls and bottom, an insulated cover element for mounting onto the container, a hollow, flexible plastic film being configured for positioning within the container and adjacent the sidewalls and bottom of the container, and a valve element mounted within and extending through a sidewall and into the plastic film for receiving an expanding and cooling gas, the sidewalls and bottom being arranged and constructed to contain the expanding gas in the plastic film, and to transmit cooling effects from the expanding gas through a sidewall and into the plastic film to cool food contained within the container.