Cooler assembly
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooler assemblies are cumbersome due to fixed wheels and accessories, lacking flexibility for easy removal and reattachment, and often require complex attachment mechanisms, limiting their usability and adaptability.
Innovation Solution
A container assembly with adjustable wheel assemblies and accessory fastener devices that allow for easy attachment and detachment of wheels and accessories, enabling their use on various platforms and coolers, and accommodating different dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If wheels and accessories are fixed on the cooler, then the cooler is stable and functional, but it becomes cumbersome and less flexible for removal and reattachment
Solution Approach 1:
The cooler system is divided into separate modular components: the cooler body, wheel assemblies, and accessories. Each component can be independently attached or detached through simple fastening mechanisms, enabling flexible reconfiguration without complex integrated attachment systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel assemblies and accessories are designed with universal mounting capabilities that can be attached to various cooler models. The fastening mechanisms allow the same wheel assembly to serve multiple functions across different platforms, reducing the need for model-specific complex attachment systems.
2Ease of operation
If screws or nuts and bolts are used to attach accessories, then the attachment is secure, but it becomes difficult to quickly attach and detach accessories
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening mechanism extracts the time-consuming steps of traditional screw or nut-and-bolt attachment. By using simple snap-fit or clip-based fasteners, the complex multi-step process of threading and tightening is replaced with a single-action attachment and detachment mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The accessory fastening system is designed to be self-aligning and self-securing. The accessories automatically engage with the mounting points through their own structural features, eliminating the need for separate fastening tools or complex manual assembly procedures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the cooler is modified with accessory fastener devices and wheel assembly fastener devices, then the cooler becomes more flexible and adaptable, but the cooler structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory fastener devices and wheel assembly fastener devices are merged into a unified mounting system integrated into the cooler's existing structure. By combining multiple fastening functions into single integrated mounting points, the system achieves high adaptability without proportionally increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooler is designed with universal mounting interfaces that can accommodate both accessory fasteners and wheel assembly fasteners. These multi-functional mounting points allow the same structural feature to serve multiple attachment purposes, reducing the need for separate dedicated mounting structures for each type of attachment.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a cooler assembly that may be used to attach accessories and/or one or more wheel assemblies to an insulated body of a cooler. The insulated body of the cooler being a container body of a container (i.e., the cooler). The cooler assembly may include any one of or a combination of the following components: the container body (i.e., the insulated body of the cooler); the one or more wheel assemblies with or without adjustable axles for mobility; accessories such as an accessory table and an accessory chair; accessory fastener devices for attaching the accessories to the cooler; and wheel assembly fastener devices for attaching the wheel assemblies to the cooler. The accessory fastener devices and the wheel assembly fastener devices are reusable and may be easily inserted and removed from the cooler or the container for mounting on a second cooler or platform.