A soft and flexible portable cooler

Abstract

A container (100), such as a cooler, has a central portion (108), a bottom portion, and a cover or lid. The central portion has multiple outer walls (200) and multiple partial struts (210). Each outer wall has an inner surface (206), an outer surface (202), a top surface (218), a thickness, and a plane (204, 208) defined by the outer surface. Each partial strut has an inner surface (214), an outer surface (212), a top surface (220), and a thickness, and defines a corner angle (216), such as approximately 90 degrees. The partial struts alternate with the outer walls, and the outer surfaces of the partial struts extend beyond the plane of the adjacent outer wall. The central portion and bottom portion are a unitary structure formed of a flexible, insulating material, such as EVA foam.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 18 / 150,005, filed January 4, 2023, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 374,537, filed September 3, 2022, which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.

[0002] The present invention relates to an insulated cooler, and more particularly to a soft, flexible, portable cooler. [Background technology]

[0003] Many conventional coolers use insulating foam encased in plastic because many foams are not durable, can easily be damaged, and / or can absorb water. For example, inexpensive Styrofoam® coolers do not have a protective shell and are often discarded after only a few uses because they can be easily damaged. However, hard-sided coolers use foam between the interior and exterior walls, which requires the use of various types of materials. For example, hard-sided coolers have a plastic interior, extruded polystyrene (Styrofoam®) as insulation around the plastic interior, and then a plastic or metal exterior, which may be different from the plastic used in the interior. Some expensive coolers use a rotationally molded plastic interior, polyurethane foam insulation, and a rotationally molded plastic exterior. Soft-sided coolers may use a cloth outer and inner skin with polyethylene (PE) foam inside to provide structure and insulation. Therefore, these conventional designs have several undesirable characteristics, some of which are mentioned above and others below. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The container, such as a cooler, has a central portion and a bottom portion. The central portion has a plurality of outer walls and a plurality of partial struts. Each outer wall has an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface, a thickness, and a plane defined by the outer surface. Each partial strut has an inner surface, an outer surface, a top surface, a thickness, and defines a corner angle. The partial struts alternate with the outer walls, and the outer surfaces of the partial struts extend beyond the plane of adjacent ones of the outer walls. The central portion and bottom portion are a unitary structure formed from a flexible insulating material.

[0005] For a more complete understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference is now made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0006] Like reference numerals refer to like reference parts throughout the several views of the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a cooler. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the bottom of the cooler showing the risers. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the bottom of the cooler showing the risers. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the cooler. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side view of the cover of the cooler of the embodiment of FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a corner view of the cooler of FIGS. 1 and 7. [Figure 10] FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the cooler of FIGS. 1 and 7, showing optional slots. [Figure 11] FIG. 8 is a side view of the cooler of FIGS. 1 and 7, showing the riser and optional slots. [Figure 12]FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the cooler of FIGS. 1 and 7, showing the risers and optional slots. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 shows an optional handle, buckle, and slide release buckle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A flexible, soft, non-fabric insulated container, also commonly referred to as an ice chest or cooler, is disclosed. For ease of discussion, the term "cooler" will be used herein. Figure 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of cooler 100, showing cover or lid 102, center or body portion 108, and bottom portion 110. In one embodiment, center portion 108 and bottom portion 110 are integral, i.e., a single molded piece.

[0009] Also shown are optional handle or strap 106, buckles 104A, 104B, releasable buckles 114A, 114B, and one of two optional slots 112 into which optional handle 106 and buckle 104 are inserted. Handle or strap 106 can be used to carry cooler 100. Releasable buckles 114A, 114B can also be closed to conveniently secure cover 102 to body portion 108.

[0010] 2 is a top view of the central portion 108 of the cooler 100 showing a plurality of walls 200A-200D and a plurality of partial supports 210A-210D, where the walls 200 alternate with the partial supports 210. The outer surfaces 202 of the walls 200 define a plane 204. For example, the outer surface 202B of wall 200B defines a plane 204B, the outer surface 202C of wall 200C defines another plane 204C, and so on. The outer surfaces 212 of the partial supports 210 extend beyond the plane 204 of their associated walls 200. For example, the outer surface 212C of the partial support 210C extends beyond the planes 204B and 204C of the associated walls 200B and 200C.

[0011] In one embodiment, a wall 200, such as wall 200B, has an upper surface 218, such as upper surface 218B, and a partial strut 210, such as partial strut 210A, has an upper surface 220, such as upper surface 220A.

[0012] In one embodiment, partial struts 210, such as partial strut 210B, define corner angles 216, such as approximately 90 degree corner angles 216B.

[0013] For clarity and convenience of illustration, not all planes or surfaces are shown or numbered.

[0014] The inner surface 206 of wall 200 also defines a plane 208. For example, inner surface 206D of wall 200D defines a plane 208D, inner surface 206C of wall 200C defines another plane 208C, etc. The inner surface 214 of a partial strut 210 preferably extends beyond the plane 208 of its associated wall 200. For example, inner surface 214D of partial strut 210D preferably extends beyond the planes 208C and 208D of associated walls 200C and 200D. Again, for clarity and convenience of illustration, not all planes or surfaces are shown or numbered.

[0015] This embodiment is advantageous in that it can be manufactured from a single material with insulating capabilities, discussed further below. Other advantages of this embodiment are that it is lighter than many conventional coolers, only one-sixth the weight of some coolers, making it convenient to use and ship; easier and cheaper to manufacture than, for example, hard-sided coolers; easier to recycle, since disassembly and / or sorting is quickly and easily accomplished because it is made from a single material, except for the straps and buckles; and easy to clean, e.g., "dishwasher safe."

[0016] The cooler 100 has the appearance of indented panels due to the alternating partial struts 210 and walls 200 .

[0017] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the cover 102 of the cooler 100 showing multiple walls 300A-300D, multiple partial supports 310A-310D, and overlapping edges 316, where the walls 300 alternate with the partial supports 310.

[0018] The outer surface 302 of wall 300 defines a plane 304. For example, outer surface 302B of wall 300B defines a plane 304B, outer surface 302C of wall 300C defines another plane 304C, and so on. The outer surface 312 of partial strut 310 extends beyond the plane 304 of its associated wall 300. For example, outer surface 312C of partial strut 310C extends beyond the planes 304B and 304C of associated walls 300B and 300C. In one embodiment, partial struts 310, such as partial strut 310B, define corner angles, such as corner angle 316B, of approximately 90 degrees. Again, for clarity and convenience of illustration, not all planes or surfaces are shown or numbered.

[0019] The inner surface 306 of wall 300 also defines a plane 308. For example, inner surface 306D of wall 300D defines a plane 308D, inner surface 306C of wall 300C defines another plane 308C, etc. The inner surface 314 of a partial strut 310 preferably extends beyond the plane 308 of its associated wall 300. For example, inner surface 314D of partial strut 310D preferably extends beyond the planes 308C and 308D of associated walls 300C and 300D. Again, for clarity and convenience of illustration, not all planes or surfaces are shown or numbered.

[0020] In one embodiment, a wall 300, such as wall 300B, has an upper surface 318, such as upper surface 318B, and a partial strut 310, such as partial strut 310A, has an upper surface 320, such as upper surface 320A.

[0021] In one embodiment, partial struts 310, such as partial strut 310B, define corner angles 316, such as corner angle 316B, of approximately 90 degrees.

[0022] Walls 300 and partial supports 310 fit within walls 200 and partial supports 210 when lid 102 is pressed onto body 108 to seal cooler 100. Overlapping edges 316 preferably extend to completely cover walls 200 and partial supports 210.

[0023] The cover 102 floats and can be used as a floating serving tray.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a side view of cover 102 of cooler 100 showing top 400, wall 300C, partial supports 310C and 310D, and overlapping edge 316.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the bottom 110 of the cooler 100 showing the risers 500.

[0026] 6 is a bottom view of the bottom 110 of the cooler 100 showing the riser 500. The riser 500 minimizes the direct contact area between the cooler 100 and the surface 502 on which the cooler rests and also traps the air enclosed by the riser 500, helping to minimize heat transfer from the surface 502 on which the cooler 100 rests to the cooler 100.

[0027] Figure 7 is an exploded view of another embodiment of cooler 100. Like the embodiment of Figure 1, this embodiment also has a cover or lid 102, a center or body portion 108, and a bottom portion 110, as well as an interior liner 700. Also shown are optional handle 106, buckles 104A, 104B, and one of two optional slots 112 into which optional handle 106 and buckle 104 are inserted. In one embodiment, center portion 108 and bottom portion 110 are integral, i.e., a single molded piece.

[0028] Inner liner 700 preferably conforms to walls 200 and partial supports 208 (FIG. 2), and preferably has walls 702 (e.g., 702C, 702D) and corners 704 (e.g., 704A-704D) that fit snugly against walls 200 and partial supports 208. In one embodiment, inner liner 700 is hard plastic and extends approximately ½ inch higher than walls 200 and partial supports 208.

[0029] 8 is a side view of the cover 102 of the cooler 100 of the embodiment of FIG. 7 , showing the open volume or void 800 into which the interior liner 700 extends when the cover 102 is placed on the body 108 to close the cooler 100. The volume 800 is preferably deep enough to allow the cover 102 to contact the upper surface of the wall 200 and the partial support posts 208.

[0030] FIG. 9 is a corner view of the cooler 100 of FIGS. 1 and 7, showing the optional handle 106 and optional slot 112.

[0031] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of the cooler 100 of FIGS. 1 and 7, showing the optional slot 112.

[0032] FIG. 11 is a side view of the cooler 100 of FIGS. 1 and 7 showing the riser 500 and optional slot 112.

[0033] FIG. 12 is a bottom perspective view of the cooler 100 of FIGS. 1 and 7, showing the riser 500 and optional slot 112.

[0034] 13 is a diagram of optional handle 106, buckles 104A, 104B, and releasable buckles 114A, 114B. Handle 106 is inserted through buckles 104A, 104B and releasable buckles 114A, 114B. Handle 106 is then folded and joined to secure buckles 104A, 104B and releasable buckles 114A, 114B.

[0035] In one embodiment, the handle 106 is a strap, such as a webbed strap.

[0036] In another embodiment, the handle 106 may be a hard plastic, such as ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic.

[0037] In one embodiment, the buckles 104A, 104B are Triguide utility buckles.

[0038] In one embodiment, the buckles 104A, 104B are a hard plastic, such as ABS plastic.

[0039] In one embodiment, the releasable buckles 114A, 114B are slide release buckles.

[0040] In one embodiment, the buckles 114A, 114B are a hard plastic, such as ABS plastic.

[0041] In one embodiment, one or more of the walls 200A-200D, the partial supports 210A-210D, the walls 300A-300D, the partial supports 310A-310D, and the top 400 have a thickness of approximately ½ inch.

[0042] In one embodiment, the base 110 has a thickness of approximately 1 inch.

[0043] In one embodiment, partial struts 210A-210D and partial struts 310A-310D each define an angle of approximately 90 degrees.

[0044] In one embodiment, the walls 200A-200D and partial supports 210A-210D have a height above the base 110 of approximately 9 inches.

[0045] The structure and some embodiments of the cooler 100 are discussed above, and some further embodiments, advantages, and features are discussed below.

[0046] In one embodiment, cooler 100 is made from a flexible foam with good insulating properties, such as ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam (a polymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate).

[0047] The R (thermal insulation) value of EVA foam is superior to conventional foam materials under both hot and cold temperatures, so items within the cooler 100 will remain at the same original temperature for a longer period of time compared to conventional coolers.

[0048] EVA foam has a cross-linked structure, thus providing flexibility, high durability, and sturdiness. EVA foam also has significantly higher tear strength than regular foam, and because EVA foam flexes, it reduces the likelihood of and / or prevents cracking and breakage under the conditions in which the cooler is typically used. EVA foam also has the ability to be compressed or deformed and return to its original shape. An example of this is that a person can sit on the cooler 100, thereby partially collapsing or deforming the cooler, and then when the person stands up, the cooler will recover to its original shape.

[0049] The EVA foam also provides impact protection so that the contents of the cooler 100 are protected if the cooler 100 falls off a table or chair or is dropped. The EVA foam also provides vibration absorption. Furthermore, the EVA foam is resilient and resistant to abrasions and scratches, allowing the cooler 100 to have a long service life.

[0050] Because EVA foam can be made more rigid or less rigid (soft / flexible), the stiffness of the coolers discussed herein can be easily customized for different applications. For example, a cooler sized to fit inside a backpack can be made more flexible so that it does not feel stiff and uncomfortable for a hiker, while a cooler intended for use in a construction environment can be made stiffer so that it is easier to move around and support lightweight objects.

[0051] Preferably, the EVA foam used in the cooler of FIG. 1 is flexible so that it can easily accommodate external forces, such as a fall or a person sitting on it. However, the cooler should have some structural rigidity. The partial supports 210 provide that rigidity and also encourage the cooler 100 to return to its original shape after being deformed. Additionally, when a person sits on the cooler, the partial supports 210 help the cooler 100 remain upright and stable when compressed by partially collapsing on only one side, rather than the person's weight causing the cooler to tip over on its side.

[0052] EVA foam also has a high coefficient of friction, so objects placed inside the cooler 100 will not slip, slide around, or crash into each other when the cooler 100 is moved or pushed. The high coefficient of friction also means that the cooler 100 will not slip or slide when placed on or in a boat or car, thereby reducing the chance of it tipping over or falling off.

[0053] EVA foam remains flexible at temperatures as low as -94° F., thus maintaining toughness and usability at very low temperatures. Coolers made from traditional plastics tend to crack or become brittle at low temperatures.

[0054] EVA foam also has good resistance to weather, ozone, and UVA (ultraviolet-A) radiation, making the coolers discussed herein useful in a variety of environments, particularly outdoor environments where coolers are most commonly used. Coolers made from traditional fabric and / or plastic deteriorate in color and / or structural integrity from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.

[0055] EVA foam is also highly resistant to many common chemicals, such as dilute acids, dilute alkalis, oils, greases, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and alcohols. Fabric soft-sided coolers can absorb, discolor, and / or deteriorate from many common chemicals and other liquids. Mold growth is a problem with many coolers, but EVA foam is antibacterial, or at least does not support bacterial growth, so mold growth is not an issue.

[0056] EVA foam is sulfur-free, low-odor, and does not emit ammonia or other organic odors. EVA foam is non-toxic and does not contain bisphenol A (BPA). The manufacturing process for conventional plastic coolers is often highly toxic, and conventional plastic coolers often have a high residual odor over the product's lifetime.

[0057] A cooler 100 made from EVA foam is buoyant so it floats and has low water absorption so it will not absorb water, such as rain, that it sits on or is exposed to.

[0058] The cooler 100, made from EVA foam, is sound absorbing and does not produce excessive noise when ice or drinks are shaken, unlike conventional coolers.

[0059] As mentioned, EVA foam is flexible and can absorb shock, so if cooler 100 falls on your foot, it will not be as painful as if a hard plastic cooler were to fall on your foot. Flexible EVA foam will also not scratch other surfaces, such as the hood or trunk lid of a car, or the deck or floor of a boat.

[0060] It is very common for people to sit on coolers, and because EVA foam is soft and flexible and is sometimes used in seat cushions, the coolers 100 discussed herein are more comfortable than plastic or metal-sided coolers.

[0061] The cooler 100 discussed herein can provide a hybrid of a soft-sided (more flexible) cooler and a hard-sided (more rigid) cooler, as the EVA foam can be customized to be more flexible or more rigid.

[0062] The EVA foam can be produced in a variety of colors and a variety of patterns can be molded or pressed into it, the EVA foam can be produced with one or more undercuts, the EVA foam expands after molding, etc. This allows for unique, innovative, trendy, and / or interesting cooler 100 designs that would be impossible and / or prohibitively expensive with traditional thermoplastic or metal molding or forming.

[0063] EVA foam is non-flammable, so the cooler 100 discussed herein is flame retardant and fire resistant.

[0064] The cooler 100 discussed herein can be easily recycled, such as by grinding, because the EVA foam is free of solvents and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, chromium, cadmium, nickel, antimony, arsenic formaldehyde, phthalates, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, and chlorofluorocarbons.

[0065] The drawings and descriptions provided herein are simplified to illustrate aspects relevant to a clear understanding of the devices, systems, and methods described herein, while for clarity, may omit other aspects that may be found in typical devices, systems, and methods. Those skilled in the art may recognize that other elements and / or operations are desirable and / or necessary to implement the devices, systems, and methods described herein. Because such elements and operations may be well known in the art and do not facilitate a better understanding of the present disclosure, descriptions of such elements and operations are not provided herein. The present disclosure is deemed to inherently include all such elements, variations, and modifications to the above-described aspects that would be known to one of skill in the art, particularly in light of reading this disclosure. Any headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not intended to be used to limit the scope of the specification or claims.

[0066] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments or examples only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0067] The terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," and "having," and variations thereof, are intended to be inclusive, in the same way that the term "comprises" is interpreted as inclusive when used as a transitional term in the claims, and thus specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof, unless expressly stated otherwise or unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

[0068] The steps, processes, and actions of the methods described herein should not be construed as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the particular order described or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of execution, and it should be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0069] When an element or layer is referred to as "on," "engaged with," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, the element or layer may be directly on, engaged with, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intervening elements or layers. In contrast, when an element is described as "directly on," "directly engaged with," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers. Other words used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted similarly (e.g., "between" vs. "directly between," "adjacent" vs. "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0070] Terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections; however, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections are not limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another element, component, region, layer, or section. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms, when used herein, do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly dictated by context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer, or section described below could be referred to as a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of exemplary embodiments and examples of the present invention.

[0071] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present subject matter belongs. It is further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, are to be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the present specification and the relevant art, and are not to be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined herein. For the sake of brevity and / or clarity, well-known functions or structures may not be described in detail herein.

[0072] The terms "for example" and "such as" mean "by way of example, and not by way of limitation." The inventions described herein are offered by way of example for purposes of teaching, suggestion, and illustration, and not by way of limitation or restriction. Combinations and alternatives of the illustrated embodiments and examples are contemplated, described herein, and claimed.

[0073] The word "exemplary," as used herein, means serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Likewise, examples are provided herein only for purposes of clarity and understanding and are not intended to limit in any way the inventive step or portions thereof.

[0074] For convenience of discussion herein, when there is more than one element, the elements may be referred to collectively or singularly by a single reference numeral herein unless expressly stated otherwise or the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, unless a particular element is intended, element N (plural) or element N (singular) may be used. Also, unless expressly stated otherwise or the context clearly dictates otherwise, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well.

[0075] The terms "including," "having," "having," or "indicating," or variations thereof, are intended to be inclusive in the same manner as the term "comprising" is interpreted as inclusive when used as a transitional term in the claims.

[0076] When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "coupled" to another component, unless expressly stated otherwise or unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, it will be understood that the components may be directly connected or coupled, or may be coupled by one or more intervening components.

[0077] The term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0078] As used herein, phrases such as "between X and Y" and "between about X and Y" should be construed to include X and Y unless expressly stated otherwise or the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0079] Terms such as "about," "approximately," "per," and "substantially" are relative terms, and two values ​​need not be identical, but the difference is such that the device or method will still provide the indicated or desired result, or the operation of the device or method is not adversely affected such that it cannot perform its intended purpose. By way of example and not limitation, if a height is stated as "approximately X inches," a lower or higher height would still be "approximately X inches" if the desired function could still be performed or the desired result could still be achieved.

[0080] Although terms such as vertical, horizontal, upper, lower, bottom, and peak may be used herein, it should be understood that these terms are used to facilitate reference to the drawings and do not imply any required orientation unless otherwise indicated or required by context.

[0081] The various advantages and benefits disclosed and / or provided by the embodiment(s) disclosed herein may be used individually or in combination with one, some, or possibly all of the other advantages. Furthermore, not every embodiment, or every component of an embodiment, is necessarily required to obtain or provide one or more of the advantages and benefits of that embodiment.

[0082] In particular, conditional language such as "can," "could," "might," or "may," unless specifically stated otherwise or understood otherwise within the context in which it is used, is intended to generally convey that certain embodiments and examples preferably or optionally include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments and some examples optionally do not include those features, elements, and / or steps. Thus, such conditional language generally indicates that those features, elements, and / or steps are used in an optional rather than a required sense, and may not be required for all examples or embodiments.

[0083] The inventions described herein are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the nature and scope of the claims herein. While various embodiments and examples have been provided above, it is not possible to describe every conceivable combination of elements or methods for implementing the disclosed inventions, and those skilled in the art will recognize that further combinations and variations are possible. Furthermore, the nature and scope of the claims are not necessarily limited to examples that solve some or all of the drawbacks that may be noted in any part of the present disclosure. Various modifications and variations may be made to the inventions described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments, examples, and applications shown and described herein.

[0084] Although the subject matter presented herein is described in language specific to the elements used in the invention, it is understood that the claims are not necessarily limited to the particular elements or features of the invention described herein, but rather that the particular elements and features of the invention are disclosed as example modes of implementing the disclosed subject matter. Accordingly, the disclosed invention is intended to embrace all alterations, modifications, and variations that may fall within the scope and spirit of or be described in any claim contained herein.

[0085] The above detailed description is intended only to convey basic aspects of the disclosed subject matter to those skilled in the art and is not intended to, and should not be interpreted as, limiting the scope of any claims. Moreover, in the above detailed description, various features may be grouped together in a single embodiment or example for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that a claimed embodiment, example, or application requires more features than are expressly recited in the claims. Rather, the claims reflect patentable inventions, whose features may be less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment, example, or application. Accordingly, all claims that may appear herein are incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment, example, or application.

[0086] Industrial Applicability The manner in which the present invention can be utilized and the manner in which it can be made and used will be apparent from the foregoing, particularly with respect to being manufactured from a single material having thermal insulating capabilities.

Claims

1. A container comprising: A central portion (108), a plurality of outer walls (200A-D), each having an inner surface (206), an outer surface (202), a top surface (218), a thickness, and a plane (204, 208) defined by said outer surfaces; a plurality of partial struts (210A-D), each partial strut having an inner surface (214), an outer surface (212), an upper surface (220), a thickness, and defining an angle (216); a central portion (108) comprising a plurality of partial struts (210A-D), the partial struts alternating with the outer walls, the outer surface of one partial strut of the plurality of partial struts extending beyond the plane of an adjacent outer wall of the plurality of outer walls; a bottom portion; and A container wherein the center and bottom are a unitary structure formed from a flexible insulating material.

2. 10. The container of claim 1, wherein the angle is approximately 90 degrees.

3. 10. The container of claim 1, wherein the flexible insulating material is a flexible foam.

4. 10. The container of claim 1, wherein the flexible insulating material is ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam.

5. The container of claim 1 , wherein the upper surfaces of the plurality of partial struts and the plurality of outer walls define an upper plane.

6. The plurality of outer walls and the plurality of partial struts define a storage volume, and further comprising a cover, the cover comprising: a plurality of cover walls, each cover wall having an inner cover surface, an outer cover surface, a top cover surface, a cover thickness, and a cover plane defined by the outer cover surface; a plurality of partial cover struts, each partial cover strut having an inner cover surface, an outer cover surface, an upper cover surface, a cover thickness, and defining an angle; a plurality of partial cover struts, the partial cover struts alternating with the cover walls, the outer cover surface of one partial cover strut of the plurality of partial cover struts extending beyond the cover plane of an adjacent cover wall of the plurality of cover walls; an upper cover portion; the cover wall, the partial cover support, and the upper cover portion are an integral structure formed of a flexible material; The container of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cover walls and the plurality of partial cover struts fit within the plurality of outer walls and the plurality of partial struts to seal the storage volume.

7. 2. The container of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of outer walls has a first slot therein and an opposing one of the plurality of outer walls has a second slot therein, the first slot and the second slot being closer to the top plane than to the bottom.

8. 8. The container of claim 7, further comprising a strap having a first buckle attached to a first end and a second buckle attached to a second end, the first buckle passing through the first slot when oriented in a first direction but not passing through the first slot when oriented in a second direction.

9. 9. The container of claim 8, wherein a male portion of a utility buckle is attached to the strap at a first point and a corresponding female portion of the utility buckle is attached to the strap at a second point.

10. A container comprising: A central portion (108), a plurality of outer walls (200A-D), each having an inner surface (206), an outer surface (202), a top surface (218), a thickness, and a plane (204, 208) defined by said outer surfaces; a plurality of partial struts (210A-D), each partial strut having an inner surface (214), an outer surface (212), an upper surface (220), a thickness, and defining an angle (216); the partial struts alternate with the exterior walls, and the outer surface of one partial strut of the plurality of partial struts extends beyond the plane of an adjacent exterior wall of the plurality of exterior walls; a central portion (108) comprising a plurality of partial struts (210A-D), the plurality of outer walls and the plurality of partial struts defining a volume; a liner (700) having a plurality of walls (702), said liner fitting within said volume and contacting said inner surface of said outer wall; a bottom (110); A container wherein the center and bottom are a unitary structure formed from a flexible insulating material.

11. The vessel of claim 10 , wherein the liner extends beyond the outer wall and the upper surface of the partial struts.

12. 11. The container of claim 10, wherein the angle is approximately 90 degrees.

13. 11. The container of claim 10, wherein the flexible insulating material is a flexible foam.

14. 11. The container of claim 10, wherein the flexible insulating material is ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam.

15. The container of claim 10 , wherein the upper surfaces of the plurality of partial struts and the plurality of outer walls define an upper plane.

16. The device further includes a cover, the cover comprising: a plurality of outer cover walls, each outer cover wall having an inner cover surface, an outer cover surface, a top cover surface, a cover thickness, and a cover plane defined by the outer cover surfaces; a plurality of partial cover struts, each partial cover strut having an inner cover surface, an outer cover surface, an upper cover surface, a cover thickness, and defining an angle; a plurality of partial cover struts, the partial cover struts alternating with the cover walls, the outer cover surface of one partial cover strut of the plurality of partial cover struts extending beyond the cover plane of an adjacent cover wall of the plurality of cover walls; an upper cover portion; 11. The container of claim 10, wherein the outer cover wall, the partial cover posts, and the top cover section are a unitary structure formed of a flexible insulating material.

17. 11. The container of claim 10, wherein one of the plurality of outer walls has a first slot therein and an opposing one of the plurality of outer walls has a second slot therein, the first slot and the second slot being closer to the top plane than to the bottom.

18. 18. The container of claim 17, further comprising a strap having a first buckle attached to a first end and a second buckle attached to a second end, the first buckle passing through the first slot when oriented in a first direction but not passing through the first slot when oriented in a second direction.

19. 20. The container of claim 18, wherein a male portion of a utility buckle is attached to the strap at a first point and a corresponding female portion of the utility buckle is attached to the strap at a second point.

20. A container comprising: A central portion (108), a plurality of outer walls (200), each having an inner surface (206), an outer surface (202), a top surface (218), a thickness, and a plane (204, 208) defined by said outer surfaces, one outer wall of said plurality of outer walls having a first slot (112) therein and an opposing outer wall of said plurality of outer walls having a second slot (112) therein, said first slot and said second slot being closer to said top plane than to a bottom; a plurality of partial struts (210), each partial strut having an inner surface (214), an outer surface (212), an upper surface (220), a thickness, and defining an angle (216), said angle being approximately 90 degrees; the partial struts alternate with the exterior walls, and the outer surface of one partial strut of the plurality of partial struts extends beyond the plane of an adjacent exterior wall of the plurality of exterior walls; a central portion (108) comprising a plurality of partial struts (210), the plurality of partial struts and the upper surfaces of the plurality of outer walls defining an upper plane; the bottom (110); a strap (106) having a first buckle attached to a first end and a second buckle attached to a second end, the first buckle passing through the first slot when oriented in a first direction, but not passing through the first slot when oriented in a second direction; a utility buckle (104), wherein a male portion of the utility buckle is attached to the strap at a first point and a corresponding female portion of the utility buckle is attached to the strap at a second point; The container wherein the center and bottom are a unitary structure formed from ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam.

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