초록 ▼

A travel cooler includes a base, a handle attached to the base at a first location, a plurality of wheels mounted to the base for rolling movement of the base by the handle, and an insulated container having sidewalls supported by the base and defining an interior, insulated space for receiving and

A travel cooler includes a base, a handle attached to the base at a first location, a plurality of wheels mounted to the base for rolling movement of the base by the handle, and an insulated container having sidewalls supported by the base and defining an interior, insulated space for receiving and preserving perishable food items. The handle is removably attached to the base such that the handle is detachable and removable from the base. The base is configured to receive and retain the handle at a second location when the handle is detached from the base at the first location. The handle generally extends upwardly from the base when attached to the base at the first location and generally extends horizontally relative to the base when attached at the second location.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A portable cooler assembly comprising: (a) a base; (b) a rigid handle attached to said base at a first location and generally extending upwardly from said base when attached to said base at said first location; and (c) a collapsible container subassembly including collapsible

What is claimed is: 1. A portable cooler assembly comprising: (a) a base; (b) a rigid handle attached to said base at a first location and generally extending upwardly from said base when attached to said base at said first location; and (c) a collapsible container subassembly including collapsible walls; (d) wherein said base defines a container receiving recess within which a bottom portion of said collapsible container subassembly is received for coupling said collapsible container subassembly to said base; (e) wherein said handle is removably attached to said base such that said handle is detachable and removable from said base; and (f) wherein said base is configured to receive and retain said handle at a second location when said handle is detached from said base at said first location, said handle generally extending horizontally relative to said base when attached at said second location; (g) wherein, (i) when the portable cooler assembly is in a first configuration, said collapsible walls extend outwardly from the container receiving recess; and (ii) when the portable cooler assembly is in a second configuration, said collapsible walls are completely received within the container receiving recess in a collapsed condition; and (h) wherein said base includes a peripheral wall that at least partially defines the container receiving recess, and wherein at least a portion of said peripheral wall extends above said collapsible container subassembly when the portable cooler assembly is in the second configuration. 2. The portable cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein said second location is located underneath said base for storage of said handle when the portable cooler assembly is not in use. 3. The portable cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein an underneath of said base defines a channel for receiving a length of said handle therein. 4. The portable cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein said handle is U-shaped and includes two legs connected by a handle portion, wherein said base defines two parallel cavities that extend generally horizontally therethrough, and wherein said legs of said handle are received within said cavities when said handle is attached to said base at the second location. 5. The portable cooler assembly of claim 4, wherein said handle portion extends adjacent a side of said base when said handle is attached to said base at said second location. 6. The portable cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein said handle further includes a catch and wherein said handle is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said base when said handle is attached to said base at said second location. 7. The portable cooler assembly of claim 6, wherein said handle further is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said base when said handle is attached to said base at said first location. 8. The portable cooler assembly of claim 1, wherein said base includes a first coupling component fixedly disposed on said base; wherein said collapsible container subassembly includes a second coupling component fixedly disposed on said collapsible container subassembly; and wherein, (i) said first and second coupling components are disengaged from one another when said collapsible container subassembly is uncoupled from said base, and (ii) said first and second coupling components are disposed in interlocking engagement when said collapsible container subassembly is coupled to said base, whereby said collapsible container subassembly is selectively coupled to said base in fixed disposition relative thereto for safe transportation on said base. 9. A cooler assembly comprising: (a) a rigid platform; (b) a rigid handle attached to said rigid platform at a first location and generally extending upwardly from said rigid platform when attached to said rigid platform at said first location; (c) a rigid top comprising a rim and a lid received on the rim; and (d) an inflatable wall having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end connected to the rigid platform and the upper end connected to the rim of the rigid top so as to define an insulated interior space therebetween for receiving food and ice; (e) wherein the cooler assembly is adapted to transition between a transport configuration, in which the wall is inflated, and a storage configuration, in which the wall is deflated; (f) wherein the lid is received within the rigid platform when the cooler assembly is in the storage configuration; (g) wherein said handle is removably attached to said rigid platform such that said handle is detachable and removable from said rigid platform; and (h) wherein said rigid platform is configured to receive and retain said handle at a second location when said handle is detached from said rigid platform at said first location, said handle generally extending horizontally relative to said rigid platform when attached at said second location. 10. The cooler assembly of claim 9, wherein said second location is located underneath said rigid platform for storage of said handle when the cooler assembly is not in use. 11. The cooler assembly of claim 9, wherein an underneath of said rigid platform defines a channel for receiving a length of said handle therein. 12. The cooler assembly of claim 9, wherein said handle is U-shaped and includes two legs connected by a handle portion, wherein said rigid platform defines two parallel cavities that extend generally horizontally therethrough, and wherein said legs of said handle are received within said cavities when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at the second location. 13. The cooler assembly of claim 12, wherein said handle portion extends adjacent a side of said rigid platform when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at said second location. 14. The cooler assembly of claim 9, wherein said handle further includes a catch and wherein said handle is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said rigid platform when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at said second location. 15. The cooler assembly of claim 14, wherein said handle further is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said rigid platform when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at said first location. 16. A cooler assembly comprising: (a) a rigid platform; (b) a rigid handle attached to said rigid platform at a first location and generally extending upwardly from said rigid platform when attached to said rigid platform at said first location; (c) a rigid top comprising a rim and a lid received on the rim; (d) an inflatable wall having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end connected to the rigid platform and the upper end connected to the rim of the rigid top so as to define an insulated interior space therebetween for receiving food and ice; (e) wherein the cooler assembly is adapted to transition between a transport configuration, in which the wall is inflated, and a storage configuration, in which the wall is deflated; (f) wherein the rim is received within the rigid platform when the cooler assembly is in the storage configuration; (g) wherein said handle is removably attached to said rigid platform such that said handle is detachable and removable from said rigid platform; and (h) wherein said rigid platform is configured to receive and retain said handle at a second location when said handle is detached from said rigid platform at said first location, said handle generally extending horizontally relative to said rigid platform when attached at said second location. 17. The cooler assembly of claim 16, wherein said second location is located underneath said rigid platform for storage of said handle when the cooler assembly is not in use. 18. The cooler assembly of claim 16, wherein an underneath of said rigid platform defines a channel for receiving a length of said handle therein. 19. The cooler assembly of claim 16, wherein said handle is U-shaped and includes two legs connected by a handle portion, wherein said rigid platform defines two parallel cavities that extend generally horizontally therethrough, and wherein said legs of said handle are received within said cavities when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at the second location. 20. The cooler assembly of claim 19, wherein said handle portion extends adjacent a side of said rigid platform when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at said second location. 21. The cooler assembly of claim 16, wherein said handle further includes a catch and wherein said handle is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said rigid platform when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at said second location. 22. The cooler assembly of claim 21, wherein said handle further is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said rigid platform when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at said first location. 23. A cooler assembly comprising: (a) a rigid platform; (b) a rigid handle attached to said rigid platform at a first location and generally extending upwardly from said rigid platform when attached to said rigid platform at said first location; (c) a rigid top comprising a rim and a lid received on the rim; (d) an inflatable wall having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end connected to the rigid platform and the upper end connected to the rim of the rigid top so as to define an insulated interior space therebetween; and (e) a drain conduit defining a passageway in fluid communication with a lower portion of the insulated interior space for draining liquid from the insulated interior space to an exterior of the cooler assembly; (f) wherein said handle is removably attached to said rigid platform such that said handle is detachable and removable from said rigid platform; (g) wherein said rigid platform is configured to receive and retain said handle at a second location when said handle is detached from said rigid platform at said first location, said handle generally extending horizontally relative to said rigid platform when attached at said second location; and (h) wherein the rigid platform defines a recess within which the inflatable wall and an outermost peripheral edge portion of the rim are received when the inflatable wall is deflated, the recess having a sufficient depth to accommodate therein at least the inflatable wall and the outermost peripheral edge portion of the rim. 24. The cooler assembly of claim 23, wherein said second location is located underneath said rigid platform for storage of said handle when the cooler assembly is not in use. 25. The cooler assembly of claim 23, wherein an underneath of said rigid platform defines a channel for receiving a length of said handle therein. 26. The cooler assembly of claim 23, wherein said handle is U-shaped and includes two legs connected by a handle portion, wherein said rigid platform defines two parallel cavities that extend generally horizontally therethrough, and wherein said legs of said handle are received within said cavities when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at the second location. 27. The cooler assembly of claim 26, wherein said handle portion extends adjacent a side of said rigid platform when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at said second location. 28. The cooler assembly of claim 23, wherein said handle further includes a catch and wherein said handle is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said rigid platform when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at said second location. 29. The cooler assembly of claim 28, wherein said handle further is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said rigid platform when said handle is attached to said rigid platform at said first location. 30. A portable cooler assembly, comprising: (a) a base; and (b) a rigid handle attached to said base at a first location and generally extending upwardly from said base when attached to said base at said first location; (c) a collapsible container subassembly including, (i) collapsible sidewalls, and (ii) a rim attached to a top of said collapsible sidewalls; (d) wherein said handle is removably attached to said base such that said handle is detachable and removable from said base; (e) wherein said base is configured to receive and retain said handle at a second location when said handle is detached from said base at said first location, said handle generally extending horizontally relative to said base when attached at said second location; (g) wherein said base defines a container receiving recess within which a bottom portion of said collapsible container subassembly is received for coupling of said collapsible container subassembly to said base; (g) wherein, when the portable cooler assembly is in a first configuration, (i) said collapsible sidewalls extend outwardly from the container receiving recess, and (ii) said rim is not received within the container receiving recess; (h) wherein, when the portable cooler assembly is in a second configuration, (i) said collapsible sidewalls are received within the container receiving recess in a collapsed condition, and (ii) at least a portion of said rim is received within said container receiving recess; and (i) wherein said base includes a peripheral wall that at least partially defines the container receiving recess, and wherein at least a portion of said peripheral wall extends above said collapsible container subassembly when the portable cooler assembly is in the second configuration. 31. The portable cooler assembly of claim 30, wherein said second location is located underneath said base for storage of said handle when the portable cooler assembly is not in use. 32. The portable cooler assembly of claim 30, wherein an underneath of said base defines a channel for receiving a length of said handle therein. 33. The portable cooler assembly of claim 30, wherein said handle is U-shaped and includes two legs connected by a handle portion, wherein said base defines two parallel cavities that extend generally horizontally therethrough, and wherein said legs of said handle are received within said cavities when said handle is attached to said base at the second location. 34. The portable cooler assembly of claim 33, wherein said handle portion extends adjacent a side of said base when said handle is attached to said base at said second location. 35. The portable cooler assembly of claim 30, wherein said handle further includes a catch and wherein said handle is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said base when said handle is attached to said base at said second location. 36. The portable cooler assembly of claim 35, wherein said handle further is disposed by said catch in locked disposition relative to said base when said handle is attached to said base at said first location. 37. The portable cooler assembly of claim 30, wherein said base includes a first coupling component fixedly disposed on said base; wherein said collapsible container subassembly includes a second coupling component fixedly disposed on said collapsible container subassembly; and wherein, (i) said first and second coupling components are disengaged from one another when said collapsible container subassembly is uncoupled from said base, and (ii) said first and second coupling components are disposed in interlocking engagement when said collapsible container subassembly is coupled to said base, whereby said collapsible container subassembly is selectively coupled to said base in fixed disposition relative thereto for safe transportation on said base.