Inflatable container

a container and inflatable technology, applied in the field of inflatable containers, can solve the problems of not providing rigid, integral storage and/or transportation apparatus, and not revealing inflatable coolers,

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-01-17
HSU JUNIOR JULIAN
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent describes an inflatable and deflatable cooler that can hold items like ice and beverages. It consists of an inflatable portion with vertical sidewalls and a bottom that are all connected to a rigid frame. The cooler has air chambers between flexible panels with ribs to provide strength. The technical effect of this invention is a versatile and convenient cooler that can be easily inflated and deflated for easy storage and transportation."

Problems solved by technology

Many such coolers available today are made of solid materials, such as PVC, foam, or the like, and are bulky when stored or transported prior to and after use.
However, none of the coolers represented in the prior art provide a rigid, integral storage and / or transport apparatus that captures the deflated cooler in a cavity of a rigid enclosure.
Additionally, the prior art does not disclose inflatable coolers having air chambers formed by opposing panels of materials such as PVC or the like, with flexible ribs extending between the panels to add strength to the side and / or bottom walls of the cooler when inflated, thus preventing ballooning of the sidewall or bottom air chambers.
However, this patent does not suggest that the rigid elements could be configured to provide an integral transport and / or storage apparatus when the flexible portions are deflated.
Nor does this patent suggest the use of ribs in the air chamber of an inflated cooler to provide strength and integrity to the walls and bottom of the container.
Nor does this patent teach or suggest ribs in the air chambers to provide strength and integrity to the sidewalls and bottom of the box.
Nor does this reference disclose an air chamber forming a wall in an inflatable container, wherein rib elements in the chamber provide strength and integrity to the sidewalls and bottom of the container.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0015]FIGS. 1 and 2 show the inflatable cooler or container 10 of the present invention in its inflated configuration. Each of the sidewalls 12 of the cooler 10 comprise two spaced apart and adjacent panels 14, 16 (FIG. 2) made of flexible, durable material, such as PVC or like materials, forming an air chamber 20 between the panels 14, 16. The panels 14, 16 are fastened or welded at their top portions 18 to provide an air seal along the upper rim of each of the sidewalls 12. The vertically extending sides of each sidewall 12 are connected to an adjacent sidewall such that all of the air chambers 20 are pneumatically connected to form a single continuous air chamber between the panels 14, 16 forming each of the vertically extending sidewalls 12.

[0016]The bottom 22 (FIG. 2) of container 10 comprises a flat upper panel 24 and a lower panel 26. Panels 24 and 26 are spaced apart from each other a predetermined distance, forming air chamber 28 between panels 24 and 26. Both panels 24 and...

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Abstract

An inflatable and deflatable cooler for holding articles such as ice, beverages and food items comprises an inflatable portion having inflatable vertically extending sidewalls and an inflatable bottom portion, the sidewalls and bottom portion being in pneumatic communication. The inflatable vertically extending sidewalls have upper edges that are fixedly connected to a rigid upper frame, and the inflatable bottom portion is connected to a rigid lower frame. The rigid upper frame includes a top surface and side surfaces extending down from the top surface forming a first cavity in the rigid upper frame. The rigid lower frame includes a bottom surface and side surfaces extending up from the bottom surface forming a second cavity in the rigid lower frame. An opening in the top surface provides access to the inflatable cooler when inflated. The side surfaces of the rigid upper frame abut the side surfaces of the rigid lower frame when the inflatable container is deflated, and the deflated sidewalls and deflated bottom portion become nested in the larger cavity formed by the first and second cavities. The inflatable container comprises air chambers disposed between two flexible panels, with flexible ribs extending between the panels to provide strength and integrity to the air chambers.

Description

[0001]Generally, the present invention relates to inflatable and deflatable coolers or containers to enclose items such as beverages, food and coolants, such as ice. More particularly, the present invention relates to an inflatable and deflatable cooler that incorporates flexible and collapsible sidewalls attached to rigid upper and lower frames, the frames configured to provide a storage cavity for the flexible sidewalls when the cooler is deflated and the sidewalls collapse. The deflated cooler can then be readily transported or stored.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Inflatable and deflatable coolers and containers of various configurations are known in the art. These coolers are constructed to hold beverages and / or food items over a bed of ice so that the beverages are cool enough to drink when removed from the container, and the food in the container is kept fresh by the ice. Many such coolers available today are made of solid materials, such as PVC, foam, or the like, and are ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): B65D81/38
CPCB65D81/383
InventorHSU, JUNIOR JULIAN
OwnerHSU JUNIOR JULIAN