AU2005100097A4 - Floating esky - Google Patents

Description

560761P JOM:FKD

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

INNOVATION PATENT FOR AN INVENTION ENTITLED Invention Title: FLOATING REFRESHMENT CONTAINER FOR RECREATIONAL WATER DEVICES Name of Applicant: ANDREW ARBON Address for Service: COLLISON CO. 117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 The invention is described in the following statement: 2 This invention relates generally to a floating refreshment container adapted for use with water recreational devices. More particularly this invention provides for a floating refreshment container suitable for use in hot tubs, spas, jacuzzi's, swimming pools and the like whereby the users of such a water recreational device can access beverage and/or food stuff from the refreshment container without the troublesome task of having to leave the recreational device.

The use of swimming pools, jacuzzi's, hot tubs, spas and the like has become very popular. Bathing or sitting in these water type recreational devices is an exhilarating experience and has clearly become a very appropriate means of recreational relaxation.

In fact many may argue that bathing within a pool or the like is a perfect place to spend a nice sunny day. Nonetheless, it is often the case that as bathing is so pleasurable that one is hesitant to leave the recreational water device unless it is absolutely a requirement to do so.

To further enhance the lure of the spa or the like it would therefore be nice to enjoy particular types of refreshments including cold beverages and/or foodstuffs from within the pool, spa or the like.

Because as introduced above it is frustrating and cumbersome for a person who is relaxing and bathing in a spa or the like, after spending a significant portion of time therein, to then exit this device in order to obtain the desired refreshment.

In order to overcome this problem, some recreational type spas, pools and the like have established built-in bars attached to the apparatus, wherein one can access the drinks without leaving the pool. Nonetheless such bars are not always practical to install particularly on smaller more portable devices.

Additionally, by mounting the bar or the like to a particular part of the spa or pool means that in any event the bather is restricted from accessing the refreshments to one particular location. It would therefore be useful to be able to access the required refreshments from any location in which the bather sits within the recreational water device.

A further device in the market to overcome this problem is to provide an inflatable type chair which includes a side arm that is adapted to receive a beverage container. Nonetheless, while the chair does float on the water surface the additional requirement for the bather to sit on the chair itself subsides much of the beneficial characteristics of a user soaking up the bubbliness of the water, particularly in a spa or the like.

In order to overcome this particular problem of the floating chair, various floating containers and similar devices have been proposed for holding food or drinks but with the irregular movement of the surface of the water such products are highly unstable.

Following, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide for a refreshment container adapted for use with a recreational device including hot tubs, spas, jacuzzi's and swimming pools, that remain accessible to a user without the need to exit the device in order to get the required beverage or foodstuff, while at the same time provide for such a floating refreshment container which is stable even when susceptible to irregular movement of the surface of the movement of the water within the recreational device.

A further object of this present invention is to overcome, or at least substantially ameliorate some of the disadvantages and shortcomings of refreshment containers adapted to be used with water recreational devices referred to above, or alternatively, at least provide the public with an improved floating refreshment container for such water recreational devices.

Accordingly, in one form of the invention there is provided a floating refreshment container adapted for use with a water recreational device including hot tubs, spas, jacuzzi's and swimming pools, said container including: a main body having an external wall and an internal wall, said internal wall at least partly defining a storage chamber adapted for storing beverages and/or foodstuffs in said container to which those engaging in bathing activities within the recreational device may access said products without leaving the recreation device, float members laterally extending around a peripheral edge of said external wall of the main body, such that when the container is placed on the water surface the float members laterally extending from the peripheral of the external wall to provide for a low centre of gravity to maintain the container in an upright stable condition despite of irregular movement of the surface water.

An advantage of such an arrangement is that unlike traditional arrangements whereby the main body is essentially a cube type structure with an internal storage chamber to receive beverages and/or foodstuffs, in this invention stability float members are also included.

By laterally extending from the external wall of the main body greater buoyancy and stability is provided for the container. Through the lateral extension from the peripheral outer surface of the main body means weight can be shared or dissipated across a greater surface area so as to lower the centre of gravity of the container thereby establishing greater stability for the device even in conditions where the water surface becomes irregular, as would be expected when bathers disrupt water formation or bubbles and the like are introduced into a spa.

For example, if the main body was a simple car refrigerator, otherwise known as an esky, though the insulating material used in such a product provides for some buoyancy or floating characteristics, any irregular movement of the water on the surface would unstabalise the container leading to water flowing into the container and then potentially at least part sinking thereafter.

Still further, while such floating eskies may remain above the surface, their unsteadiness is not conducive to the storage and provisions of beverages and foodstuffs. As the person skilled in the art would appreciate any rocking or displacement of the main storage container could lead to spillage and contamination of the contents contained therein.

Advantageously in this invention through the introduction of the side float members that laterally extend from the main body almost like planar wings, the main body remains stable even in the event of irregular surface water flow.

In preference the lateral stability float members have an appearance to the general shape of a boogie board or similar type apparatus.

An advantage of such an arrangement is that such products are well recognized in the community and provides for an unexpected or additional use for such a product. Further, the familiarality of shape suggests a recognition and reenforcement that the floating refreshment container will be maintained in an upright stable condition despite irregular movement of the surface of the water.

In preference the main body is rectangular or cubed in appearance, preferably generally a structure of conventional car fridges and eskies.

An advantage of such an arrangement is that once again the community being aware of such products feels more assured that this innovative product provides for the necessary means in which their refreshments can be secured and stored.

The combination of the boogie board appearance of the main lateral stability float members in connection with the car refrigerator conjures up a unique innovative way in which a floating refreshment container can be provided for to the relevant purchasing public.

Hence two unrelated products are bought together to create an unexpected and innovative product which will be beneficial to the users of water recreation devices because in combination with the storage device for beverages and/or foodstuffs it is enabled in an environment that is normally not conducive of such a feature because of the highly unstable nature of the irregular movement of the surface of the water which is experienced in most water recreational devices such as a hot tub, spa or a whirlpool.

In preference the boogie board float member defines an aperture to which the main body extends there through such that a required portion of the main body remains at sub-surface below the float members in order to establish the required centre of gravity to maintain the container in an upright stable condition even in conditions of irregular movement of the surface water within the water recreational device.

Advantageously as part of the main body extends beyond the level of the float member, such a feature can act much like a keel of a yacht or the like.

In preference, the floating refreshment container is one single mould with the exterior made of one particular consistent material. Preferably the actual storage container includes an additional insulating material.

In a further form of the invention the main body is not a single mould with the stability floating member independent of the storage container.

In this form of the invention the main body of the traditional esky or the light car refrigerator and the stability floating member, i.e. the boogie board are independent and then brought together. The boogie board has a portion cut out in order to allow a section of the esky to be nestled there through for a required section to sit subsurface of the boogie board in order to create the required stability for the refreshment container when placed in the water.

An advantage of such an arrangement is that the traditional boogie board and the esky can be retrofitted together in order to establish the floating refreshment container of this invention.

In a further form of the invention the main body is divided into sections so that it can be telescopically retracted within the depth of the stability lateral float member.

An advantage of such an arrangement is that by having the actual storage compartment of the main body retractable within the main body or stability float member provides for convenient transporting and storage of the floating refreshment container.

When not in use the main body can be collapsed and packed away neatly. In the collapsed position as it would be planar, any additional article and the like can be stored there on top if required as for an extra space saving feature.

For a better understanding of this invention, it will now be described in relation to preferred embodiments which shall be detailed with the assistance of drawings wherein.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of this invention whereby the main body takes on the form of a car refrigerator or esky and the stability lateral float members are of the form of a "boogie board", and the two features are molded to provide a floating refreshment container; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows the use of the floating refreshment container in a spa; Figures 4a and 4b are perspective views of a further form of the invention whereby the stability float members are of the appearance of a boogie board that include an inlet to receive the car refrigerator or esky, whereby when retrofitting these two features together the floating refreshment container is provided for.

Figures 5a and 5b show a further form of this invention whereby the main body is divided into sections for telescopic form so as to be extended and retracted into usable and storage positions.

Referring to the drawings now in more detail there is provided a floating refreshment container 10. Container 10 includes a main body 12 having a rectangle or cubic appearance which is nestled into laterally extending stability float member 14 which have an appearance of a boogie board.

Main body 12 has a portion 16 that sits above the top surface 18 of the float member 14 and a base portion 19 sitting below the lowest surface 20 of the float member 14.

In this form of the invention the upper surface 18, lower surface 20, main body portions 16 and 19 are all intricately moulded to the one unit As can be seen best from Figures 1 and 2, main body portion 12 is positioned fairly centrally to the floating member 14 with the portion 19 of the main body 12 allowed to sit or nestle below the lower surface 20 of the floating member 14.

The main body 12 with portion 19 allows for a keel type arrangement as one would expect in a yacht or the like.

The main body 12 defines the storage compartment area 22 to which refreshments, shown in this example as beverage cans 24, can be placed therein for convenient access for a bather 28,30 without leaving the spa 26.

As shown in Figure 3 the container 10 is placed in a spa 26 whereby uses 28 and can remain within the confines of the spa 26 when access to the refreshments 24 is required.

Advantageously, uses 28 and 30 when enjoying the relaxation of the spa 26 do not need to exit the device in order to get access to the refreshments 24.

By nature, the spa 26 is characterized by a choppy or particularly irregular movement of the surface of the water brought about by the bubbles 32 injected into the water to create an invigorating sensation.

Under normal conditions these invigorating bubbles 32 would create such irregular movement at the surface of the water that most containers would become unstable and rock in such a way that spillage or contamination of their contents will result.

Nonetheless in this invention the introduction of the lateral float members 14 disperses the weight of the main body 12 thereby providing stability even in conditions of irregular movement of the surface of the water created by bubbles 32 and/or the occupants 28 and 30 movement.

Referring to Figure 4, in this form of the invention though the floating refreshment container remains functionally identical to the first embodiment, the main body 34 is not integrally connected to the float member 36.

In this form of the invention the main body takes on the traditional form of an esky, car fridge or the like and the float member 36 takes on the form of the traditional boogie board.

The boogie board includes aperture 38 which defines an access opening for the esky 34 to be nestled therein to and extend slightly beyond the lower surface of the float member 36 to establish the required balancing of the container.

As it is to be expected by the person skilled in the art, in this form of the invention the construction of the container is provided for simply by the retrofitting together of two well known and recognizable features to the purchasing public. Nonetheless traditionally the car fridge and the boogie board are unrelated products and the bringing together of these items and allowing for their integration to establish a highly stable floating device in water recreational devices gives benefit to the public otherwise unexpected.

Those who are in a spa, pool or the like enjoying an exhilarating experience do need thereafter to exit this environment simply to access refreshments that now can be provided by the floating refreshment container from within the recreational device.

Referring to Figure 5 in this form of the invention, float member 44 again takes on the formal shape of a conventional boogie board but the main body member 46, though of the appearance as characterized in the proceeding forms of the invention is divided into Sections 48, 50 and 52 which are telescopically extendable and retracted into both the storage and useable position.

In Figure 5a the container shows the main body 46 in this extended position whereby the base portion 52 extends beyond the lower surface 54 of the floating member 44. In Figure 5b segments 48, 50 and 52 of the main body 46 are retracted and remained housed within the depth of the floating member 44.

It is to be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in these preferred embodiments described above without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as described. Therefore the present embodiments described above are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive of the innovative concept of this invention.

What is innovative of this invention is that float members are added to the main body to which storage of the refreshment takes place. These float members are characterized by extending around the periphery along a portion of the exterior surface of the main body. The lateral extension of the floating members disperses the weight of the main body thereby providing for greater stability of the container even in situations where there is substantial irregular movement of the surface of the water brought about by waves, bubbles or the like.

Claims (5)

1. A floating refreshment container adapted for use with a water recreational device including hot tubs, spas, jacuzzi's and swimming pools, said container including: a main body having an external wall and an internal wall, said internal wall at least partly defining a storage chamber adapted for storing beverages and/or foodstuffs in said container to which those engaging in bathing activities within the recreational device may access said products without leaving the recreation device, float members laterally extending around a peripheral edge of said external wall of the main body, such that when the container is placed on the water surface the float members laterally extending from the peripheral of the external wall to provide for a low centre of gravity to maintain the container in an upright stable condition despite of irregular movement of the surface water.

2. The floating refreshment container of claim 1 wherein the lateral stability float member have an appearance to the general shape of a boogie board or similar type apparatus.

3. The floating refreshment container of claim 1 or 2 wherein the main body is rectangular or cubed in appearance, with a general form of a conventional car fridge or esky.

4. The floating refreshment container as in anyone of the preceding claims wherein the boogie board and car fridge are integrally molded or independent components adapted to be retrofitted together.

5. The floating refreshment container as in anyone of the preceding claims wherein the main body portion is dividable into sections so that it can be telescopically retracted within the depth of the stability lateral float member.