Drag minimizing cooler

Abstract

A portable cooler includes a generally horizontal bottom surface and a generally vertical rear surface, a handle coupled to the cooler body, and a sliding surface that is neither horizontal nor vertical coupled between the bottom surface and to the rear surface. In some embodiments the sliding surface may be an angled planer surface, or may be curved. A foot platform provides leverage for tilting the portable cooler rearward when a foot of a user is placed on the foot platform and rearward pressure is applied to the handle. The portable cooler may include wheels that each have a width of approximately 10% of a width of the cooler body. At least one of the wheels may include a groove and a material within the groove that is softer that the durable material of the at least one wheel.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims benefit from and is a non-provisional of U.S. Provisional Application 61 / 898,344, filed Oct. 31, 2013, entitled ICE CHEST WITH INTEGRATED BLENDER, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.[0002]This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, titled “COOLER HAVING INTEGRATED BLENDER AND ACCESSORIES” (Atty. Docket No. 2918-0005) and filed on Oct. 31, 2014, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, titled “LID STRUCTURE FOR COOLER” (Atty. Docket No. 2918-0023) and filed on Oct. 31, 2014, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, titled “COOLER HAVING INTEGRATED ACCESSORY STORAGE” (Atty. Docket No. 2918-0024) and filed on Oct. 31, 2014, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, titled “IMPROVED COOLER DRAIN” (Atty. Docket No. 2918-0025) and filed on Oct. 31, 2014, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, titled “COOLER WITH INTEGRATED PLATE STORAGE” (At...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is about a portable cooler with a unique design. The cooler has a horizontal bottom surface and a vertical rear surface. It also has a handle and a sliding surface that connects the bottom and rear surfaces. The sliding surface can be angled or curved. The cooler can also have wheels and a foot platform for tilting it. Additionally, the cooler body can be formed of an insulating shell with wheels that have a softer material in the groove for better traction. These design features make the cooler easier to handle and move around.

Problems solved by technology

A problem exists in that, once loaded, present coolers are very hard to move.

Coolers without wheels must be carried, and items stored within the storage section add to the weight of the cooler itself to become a large, heavy, bulky apparatus.

Some destinations, however, like a beach, park, remote campsite or boat, do not typically provide an easy way to transport a cooler in a vehicle to the final destination, so the cooler must be carried or dragged.

Coolers with wheels often suffer from poor design, construction, or material choice and are a constant source of frustration.

Wheels that may properly operate on the flat, level floor of a store tend to sink in soft ground, such as sand or a forest trail.

Loading a cooler with heavy items exacerbates the problem.

Further, a cooler may only be one of a number of items desired at the destination.

Transporting such items may be difficult, especially when traveling with small children who cannot carry heavy, bulky, or a multitude of items.

Another limitation of present coolers is that they only store pre-made drinks, and therefore limit the types of drinks that may be enjoyed at the destination.

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