Inflatable cooler

Abstract

An inflatable cooler is provided having a rigid base, an upper frame, and an inflatable body having at least one fluid chamber connected to the base and to the upper frame. The inflatable body and the at least fluid chamber is comprised of a flexible material. The cooler has an inflated state in which the at least one fluid chamber is filled with a fluid such as air, thereby increasing the height of the cooler and forming a semi-rigid body structure useful for transporting food and beverages. The cooler has a deflated state in which the at least one fluid chamber is not filled, thereby providing a compact structure conducive for efficient storage and relatively inexpensive shipping.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This non-provisional application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 702,538 entitled “Inflatable Cooler” filed on Jul. 26, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to an insulated container such as a cooler or ice chest, and more specifically, to a cooler that can be inflated for use and deflated for shipment and / or storage. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cooler having a rigid base, a rigid top, and an inflatable body that can hold items while inflated, but wherein the inflatable body can be deflated when not in use to require less storage space. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Insulated containers such as coolers, sometimes referred to as ice chests, have been used for many years to transport food and beverages between locations while keeping the contents at a desired temperature. Typically, the insulated coole...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] An inflatable insulated container such as a cooler/ice chest is provided having a rigid base, an upper frame, and an inflatable body having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end sealingly engaged to the rigid base and the upper end sealingly engaged to the upper frame. The cooler also may include either a hinged lid or a removable lid connected to the upper frame.

Problems solved by technology

The relatively large size of these coolers has resulted in the need for excessive storage space, as the coolers occupy their full volume even when not in use.

Another problem associated with the uncollapsible hard-sided cooler is that when manufactured in a foreign locale (e.g. Asia), shipping costs

Images