KR102189183B1 - Folding insulation device - Google Patents

Abstract

The portable warmer kit can be configured to fit into a smaller container for ease of delivery. In one example, the assembly may include a base, an upper wall having an opening, an inner liner and an outer wall configured to extend into an opening of the upper wall to form an inner cavity defining a volume storage capacity. The container may have a planar configuration defining a length, height and width. The base, top wall, inner liner, and outer wall can be configured to be assembled into a portable thermal insulation device. The volume of the container may be less than the volume storage capacity of the assembled portable warming device, and the base, inner liner, and outer wall are configured to be separated from each other and shipped to the container.

Description

Folding insulation device

Cross-reference to related applications

This application claims benefit of US Application No. 15/095,978, filed April 11, 2016. U.S. Patent Application No. 15/095,978 claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 62/267,803 filed December 15, 2015, and is a continuation in part of U.S. Application No. 14/535,137 filed November 6, 2014 , Which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/017,728 filed June 26, 2014 and No. 61/900,925 filed November 6, 2013. All of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference.

Exemplary embodiments generally relate to a modular ice barrel of a module that is shipped in component form and minimizes the delivered volume. Once the ice barrel is delivered to its final destination, the individual can conveniently assemble the components. As a result of volume reduction and assembly capability, shipping and transportation costs are minimized and larger quantities of ice barrels can be delivered in a single shipment.

Ice barrels can be shipped fully assembled from remote locations to the point of use. This allows the space of the cavity inside the barrel to be delivered with the fully assembled barrel. An example of a shipping container is approximately 24 inches by 24 inches by 24 inches, and the total volume capacity is about 13,824 cubic inches. Assembled ice barrels may exceed the volumetric capacity of a standard shipping container. As a result of wasted space and size limitations, the cost of shipping a fully assembled barrel can be greater than the cost of the barrel itself. Although injection molding can be used with the embodiments disclosed herein, injection molded components can be added to the weight of the barrel adding shipping cost. You can also injure yourself from the weight of the barrel when you flip the heavier weight barrel over to empty water and ice from the inner cavity.

Exemplary portable ice barrels may include one or more of an outer barrel wall, an inner barrel wall, and an insulating layer positioned between the outer and inner barrel walls. In one example, the inner barrel wall may comprise an inflatable bladder made of a flexible material, and the inflatable bladder may have an open end, a closed end, and adapted to expand from a folded position to an expanded position. Can be. In the folded position, the bladder can be folded into a compact position to reduce the internal volume of the bladder to minimize the transport volume. Other components of the exemplary portable ice barrel, such as the lid, upper rim, lower rim and base, may also include living hinges so that the components can be folded to further reduce shipping volume.

In another example, a portable ice barrel can include multiple sections that can be configured to form a cylindrical thermal insulation layer. The cylindrical thermal insulation layer may define an opening and the inner liner may extend into the opening of the cylindrical thermal insulation layer to form an inner barrel cavity for receiving ice and desired contents. In one example, the plurality of sections can be disassembled to minimize the shipping volume.

In yet another example, a portable ice barrel may include one or more of an outer barrel wall, an inner barrel wall, and a heat retention layer positioned between the outer and inner barrel walls. The inner barrel wall may comprise an inflatable bladder made of a flexible material, the inflatable bladder may have an open end, a closed end and may be adapted to expand from a folded position to an expanded position. In the folded position, the bladder can be folded into a compact position to reduce the internal space of the bladder to minimize the delivery volume. After assembly of the individual components, the insulating material can be injected into the gap between the outer wall inner surface and the bladder outer surface to form a warming layer therebetween.

The foregoing summary and the following detailed description will be better understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numbers in the drawings indicate the same or similar elements in all of the various drawings in which the reference numbers appear.
1 is a top, left perspective view of an aspect of an exemplary portable ice barrel.
2 is a top, left perspective exploded view of an aspect of an exemplary portable ice barrel.
3A is a side view of an aspect of an exemplary upper rim of a portable ice barrel.
3B is a plan view of an aspect of an exemplary upper rim of a portable ice barrel.
3C is a bottom, right perspective view of an aspect of an exemplary upper rim component of a portable ice barrel.
4A is a top, right perspective view of an aspect of an exemplary lid of a portable ice barrel.
4B is a plan view of an aspect of an exemplary lid of a portable ice barrel.
5A is a front view of an aspect of an exemplary outer barrel wall of a portable ice barrel.
5B is a bottom, right perspective view of an aspect of an exemplary outer barrel wall of a portable ice barrel.
6 is a top, right perspective view of an aspect of an exemplary sign holder bar of a portable ice barrel.
7 is a top, right perspective view of an aspect of an exemplary sign holder protrusion of a portable ice barrel.
8A is a top, front perspective view of an aspect of exemplary components used for assembly of a portable ice barrel.
8B is a partial cross-sectional side view of an aspect of exemplary components used for assembly of a portable ice barrel.
8C is a cross-sectional side view of an aspect of exemplary components used for assembly of a portable ice barrel.
8D is a cross-sectional side view of an aspect of exemplary components used for assembly of a portable ice barrel.
9 is a plan view of another exemplary portable ice barrel.
10 is a side view of the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9.
11 is an exploded perspective view of the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9.
12A is a perspective view of a sub-assembly of the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9 with a lid in a closed position.
12B is a perspective view of the sub-assembly of the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9 in the lid open position.
12C is another perspective view of the sub-assembly of the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9 in the lid open position.
12D is another perspective view of the subassembly of the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9 with a lid in a closed position.
12E is a perspective view of the interior of the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9.
12F is a bottom perspective view of the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9.
13A is a side view of a sub-assembly of the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9;
13B is a perspective view of an exemplary liner that may be used in connection with the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9.
13C-13I are perspective views of an exemplary bonding method that may be used when assembling the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9;
14A-14E are perspective views of another exemplary bonding method that may be used to assemble the exemplary portable ice barrel of FIG. 9;
15A-15F are views of another exemplary portable ice barrel.
16 shows an example of a shipping container.
17A-17O are diagrams of another exemplary thermal insulation device.

In the following description of various examples and components of the present disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form part of the present specification, and illustratively illustrate various exemplary structures and environments in which aspects of the present disclosure may be practiced. Shows. It should be understood that other structures and environments may be used and structural and functional modifications may be made from the specifically described structures and methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In addition, the terms "front", "back", "rear", "side", "froward", "reward", "back ( backward)", "height", "width", "length", "volume" and similar terms herein to describe various exemplary features and elements of the invention May be used, and these terms are used as a matter of convenience based on, for example, exemplary orientations shown in the figures and/or orientations of typical use. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three-dimensional or spatial orientation of structures falling within the scope of the present invention.

1 to 8, in one embodiment, a portable ice barrel 1 comprises an outer barrel wall 2, an inner barrel wall 3 and an outer barrel wall 2 and an inner barrel wall. (3) It may include an insulative material (4) disposed between. The inner barrel wall 3 may be an expandable bladder 3 made of a flexible material. Exemplary flexible materials include, but are not limited to, a flexible plastic including a flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film. In one embodiment, the inflatable bladder may be configured to expand from a collapsed position to an expanded position. For example, in the folded position, the bladder can be folded into a compact position to reduce the internal volume of the bladder. In an exemplary embodiment, in the folded position, the inflatable bladder may resemble a folded bag. Further, for example, in an inflated position, the bladder can be inflated to define an increased volume of cavities within the bladder. The inflatable bladder may comprise an open end 5 and a closed end 6 and a bladder body segment 15 that expands between the open and closed ends. The inflatable bladder may include a bladder inner surface 16 and a bladder outer surface 17. In one embodiment, the inflatable bladder may include an upper drape 18 extending from the periphery of the open end. The upper drape can be configured to be able to fold towards the outer surface 17 proximate the open end.

In one embodiment, the inflatable bladder may be formed in an expanded position within the outer barrel wall 2 to form the inner barrel cavity 10 so that the closed end of the bladder may contain ice within the barrel cavity and The open end allows access to the barrel cavity. For example, the open end of the inflatable bladder may be fixed near the top edge of the outer wall 2, and the body segment of the inflatable bladder may be located within the outer barrel wall 2 . In an exemplary embodiment, the body segment of the inflatable bladder may be cylindrical when the inflatable bladder is in the expanded position. In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the body segment may be between about 18 inches and about 24 inches. In another example, the diameter of the outer wall can be about 1 inch to about 5 inches greater than the diameter of the body segment of the inflatable bladder.

In one embodiment, the outer barrel wall 2 comprises an outer wall outer surface 11, an outer wall inner surface 12, an outer wall upper edge 13 and an outer wall lower edge 14. In one embodiment, the outer barrel wall 2 is made of a semi-rigid material. Examples of semi-rigid materials include, but are not limited to, styrene, polyethylene, and vinyl. In one example, the outer wall outer surface may be suitable for printing thereon. The outer barrel wall may provide structural support for the inner barrel wall and/or the insulating material. In one embodiment, the outer barrel wall may consist of a flexible sheet made of a semi-rigid material, for example. Examples of flexible sheets made of semi-rigid materials include styrene sheets, polyethylene sheets and vinyl sheets. The flexible sheet of rigid material can be bent into the desired shape of the outer barrel wall, so that the seat outer surface 11, the seat inner surface 12, the seat upper edge 13 and the seat lower edge 14 are Of the outer wall outer surface 11, outer wall inner surface 12, outer wall upper edge 13 and outer wall lower edge 14. For example, the seat right edge 29 may be folded on the seat left edge 30 or vice versa, and may be fixed at a seam 31 to form a cylinder. Examples of the shape of the outer barrel wall include cylindrical, rectangular and elliptical.

In one embodiment, the thermal insulation material may be a foam material including, for example, a rigidly expanded polystyrene foam material. In one embodiment, the insulating material may structurally support the outer barrel wall and/or the inner barrel wall. In an embodiment, the heat retention material may have an R-value of at least 5. In one embodiment, the warmth material may be injected into the gap 32 between the outer wall inner surface and the bladder outer surface to form the warmth layer 4 therebetween.

In one embodiment, the portable ice barrel may include an upper rim 19 secured to the upper edge of the outer wall. In one embodiment, the upper rim may include an upper rim channel 20 defined within the upper rim. In one embodiment, the upper rim may include rim cones 21 located in the rim channel. In an embodiment, the rim cones may be spaced the same distance from each other within the rim channel. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the upper drape 18 of the inflatable bladder is draped over a portion of the outer wall upper edge and the upper rim is positioned so that a portion of the upper drape and a portion of the outer wall upper edge are within the upper rim channel. And the upper rim channel creates a friction fit that holds the upper drape in a position opposite the outer wall upper edge.

In one embodiment, the portable ice barrel may include a lower rim 22 fixed to the lower edge 14 of the outer wall. In one embodiment, the lower rim may include a lower rim channel 23 defined within the lower rim. In one embodiment, the lower rim may include rim cones 21 located in the lower rim channel. In an embodiment, the rim cones may be spaced the same distance from each other within the lower rim channel. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the outer wall lower edge is positioned within the lower rim channel to create a friction fit between the lower rim and the outer wall lower edge to keep the lower rim in place against the outer barrel wall.

In one embodiment, the inflatable bladder comprises a drain pipe 7 fixed near the closed end of the bladder 3. The discharge pipe may comprise a proximal end 8 and a distal end 9. The discharging pipe proximal end can be secured to the closed end of the inflatable bladder. In one embodiment, the discharge pipe may be made of a plastic material, and the proximal end 8 may be fixed to the inflatable bladder by a suitable plastic welding technique. For example, the exhaust pipe may be constructed of rigid PVC and may be welded to the bladder via high frequency welding including radio frequency heat sealing. In one embodiment, the drain pipe is configured such that the drain pipe distal end extends through the outer barrel wall. In one embodiment, the discharge pipe valve may be fixed to the distal end of the discharge pipe. Examples of discharge pipe valves may include one-way check valves or ball valves.

In one embodiment, the portable ice barrel includes a lid 24 configured to removably cover the inner barrel cavity. In one embodiment, the lid may include a lid hinge 27 and a lid handle 28. In one embodiment, the lid handle is a hole defined in the lid 27. The lid can be made of clarified polypropylene or PEGT, for example. In one embodiment, the portable ice barrel may include a sign holder 25 and a sign holder extrusion 26 configured to hold the sign. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the sign holder protrusion 26 is in the form of a clamp. In one embodiment, the portable ice barrel includes a barrel base and casters (not shown). In one embodiment, the barrel base is in the form of a tray on which the bottom of the portable ice barrel can rest. The barrel base may be of the same shape as a portable ice barrel. In one embodiment, the casters are secured to the underside of the barrel base to facilitate movement of the portable ice barrel by pushing the barrel while positioned on the barrel base. In another embodiment, the casters are secured to the foldable barrel cooler lower rim having a living hinge by a plurality of support tubes.

The portable ice barrel of the present invention can be assembled according to a variety of methods including the steps and components disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the barrel form 31 is used to assemble a portable ice barrel of the current disclosure. In one embodiment, the barrel shape 31 is formed into the desired shape for the inner barrel cavity 10. In an embodiment, the inflatable bladder may take the shape of a barrel shape 31 when the bladder is inflated and disposed over the shape 31 to cover the shape 31 with the inner surface of the bladder. In one embodiment, the open end of the inflatable bladder is inflated and positioned above the barrel shape as shown in FIG. 8A. In one embodiment, the bladder is positioned such that the bladder open end is located proximate the form open end 33 and the bladder closed end is located proximate the form close end 34 as shown by the example of FIG. 8C. It is pulled over the shape.

In one embodiment, an upper rim is disposed over the barrel form 31 such that the upper rim surrounds the form 31. In another embodiment, a foldable upper rim having a living hinge is positioned over a foldable heat stake plate having a living hinge. In one embodiment, the bladder upper drape 18 is located within the upper rim channel 20 such that a portion of the upper drape is part of the inner surface of the upper rim channel 20, as shown by the example of FIG. 8C. Cover it. In one embodiment, the outer barrel wall 2 is positioned around the inflatable bladder 3 covering the barrel shape 31 so that there is a gap between the inner surface 12 of the outer barrel and the outer surface 17 of the bladder. 32) can be formed. In one embodiment, the outer barrel wall may be formed by bending and welding the flexible sheet as described above before being positioned around the inner barrel wall. Also, in one embodiment, logos and/or graphics may be printed on the outer surface of the sheet prior to forming the sheet on the outer barrel wall. In one embodiment, the outer wall upper edge 13 is located in the upper rim channel and is in contact with a portion of the upper drape of the inflatable bladder which is also disposed within the upper rim channel so that the upper drape 18 and the outer wall upper edge 13 ) To form a friction fit seal. In one embodiment, the adhesive may be used to adhere the upper drape of the bladder to the upper rim channel and/or to adhere the outer wall upper edge to the upper drape of the inflatable bladder. In one embodiment, the distal end of the discharge pipe may be positioned to extend through a hole defined in the outer wall. In one embodiment, as shown by the example of FIG. 8C, the lower rim may be located on the lower edge of the outer wall. In one embodiment, the dimensions of the outer barrel wall 2 and the inner barrel wall 3 are between about 1 inch and about 1 inch of the gap 32 defined between the outer wall inner surface 12 and the bladder outer surface 17. It can be configured to be 5 inches. In one embodiment, the insulating material is inserted into the gap through the lower portion of the barrel to form the insulating layer 4. In one embodiment, an insulating layer covers the bladder body segment. In one embodiment, the warming layer covers the outer surface of the bladder at the closed end of the bladder. In one embodiment, once the warming layer is in place or cured, the barrel shape can be removed to expose the inner barrel cavity. In one embodiment, the portable ice barrel is rotated from the inverted position shown in FIG. 8C to the upright position shown in FIG. 8D before the barrel shape is removed from the inner barrel cavity. In one embodiment, the lid, sign holder and sign protrusion may be fixed to the upper rim. In one embodiment, the casters can be fixed to the underside of the barrel base, and the portable ice barrel can be positioned on the barrel base. In another embodiment, the casters are fixed to the foldable barrel cooler lower rim with living hinges by a plurality of support tubes.

9-14E shows another embodiment of a portable ice barrel 101. The portable ice barrel 101 may include components similar to the example shown in FIGS. 1 to 8. These components are indicated by like reference numbers in the accompanying drawings, but use the 100 series reference numbers. In the example shown in FIGS. 9-14F, instead of using a heat-insulating material 4, a series of barrel sections or baffles 104 as shown in FIG. It is used to provide warmth to the contents. In another example, as shown in FIG. 15, the outer and inner layers form an air gap that provides warmth to the contents of the portable ice barrel 101. 9 is a top perspective view of an exemplary portable ice barrel 101, and FIG. 10 is a side perspective view. The exterior of the portable ice barrel 101 can generally be configured to receive a top wall 135, a lid 124, a discharge pipe 107, an outer barrel wall 103 and a series of wheels 137. Includes a lower rim 122. The outer barrel wall 103 may be formed of a graphic panel, and may include any name, logo or symbol depending on the content and desired advertisement. The top wall 135 may have a partial rim 119 and may be configured to receive a lid 124. The lid 124 provides an opening into the inner barrel cavity 110 formed in the portable ice barrel 101, and can be hingedly connected to the upper wall 135 by a hinge 127. . Lid 124 may also include a handle 128 that may be in the form of a protrusion for opening lid 124. Further, a notch 128a for receiving the handle 128 of the lid 124 may be formed in the upper wall 135. In one example, the lid 124 may be provided with a living hinge (not shown) that separates the lid 124 into two sections, making the lid 124 easy and compact for delivery. Can be folded into smaller configurations.

11 is an exploded perspective view of the portable ice barrel 101 showing both the external and internal components of the portable ice barrel 101. In addition to the external components described above, the exemplary portable ice barrel 101 may include an insulating layer 160 formed of barrel sections 104, a bladder or liner 102 and a base assembly 136. As in the example shown in FIGS. 1-8, the liner 102 defines an inner barrel cavity 110 for receiving contents such as ice and any desired product.

As shown in FIG. 11, the barrel sections 104 are configured to fit under the top wall 135 and between the outer barrel wall and the liner 102. Each of the barrel sections 104 may be formed identically. As described in more detail below, the barrel sections 104 form a cylindrical thermal insulation layer 160 by trapping air between the liner 102 and the outer barrel wall 103.

In this example, six barrel sections 104 may be provided. In one embodiment, each of the barrel sections 104 may include 30 degrees of the cylinder forming the portable ice barrel 101. However, any number of sections may be provided for the desired insulation and manufacturing. The barrel sections 104 may be provided with some curves to form a cylinder when assembled into the portable ice barrel 101. The curvature may be small enough to allow the barrel section 104 to be shipped in an almost flat configuration.

12A-12D are side and top perspective views of the portable ice barrel 101 before the outer barrier wall 103 is attached to the portable ice barrel 101. As shown in FIGS. 11-12D, the outermost surface of the barrel sections 104 may be formed of a series of fins 142. When the portable ice barrel 101 is assembled, the fins 142 extend from the outermost wall forming the barrel sections 104 to the outer barrier wall 103. The fins 142 are configured to trap air between the outer barrier wall 103 and the liner 102. Air is generally a good insulating material and helps to slow the outside or ambient temperature from melting the ice stored in the inner barrel cavity 110 or warming the contents. Alternatively, fins 142 prevent heat from leaving the inner barrel cavity 110 when attempting to trap air and store warm contents. In this way, the barrel sections 104 provide insulation to the liner 102 and the contents stored therein.

13A-13F show partially formed barrel sections 104 to illustrate an exemplary method of bonding for securing the barrel sections 104 together. 13A to 13F, the barrel sections 104 may be provided with tongue and groove type connections 148. In particular, a tongue 149 or groove 150 may be provided on each side of the barrel sections 104. The tongue 149 may be formed of two L-shaped legs 151 protruding outward. The L-shaped legs 151 of the tongue 149 may be formed of a thin plastic material so that the legs have some degree of elasticity. Additionally, the groove can be defined by two opposing L-shaped legs 152 and resilient V-shaped protrusions 153. When the legs 151 are elastically extended into the groove 150 so that the legs 151 of the tongue 149 are positioned in contact with the groove 150, the L-shaped legs 151 are L-shaped legs. In contact with the s 152, the L-shaped legs 151 are resiliently biased with respect to the L-shaped legs 152. As shown in FIG. 13D to secure barrel sections 140 together, tongue 149 is aligned with groove 150 so that legs 151 extend into groove 150. When the L-shaped legs 151 are arranged to contact the L-shaped legs 152, the barrel sections 140 are held rigidly in both the vertical and horizontal directions. It is contemplated that the barrel sections 104 may be secured together using any known bonding method, such as a removable fastener, adhesive, snap-fit, and the like.

13F-13I, when the barrel sections 104 are fixed together, the L-shaped legs 151, the L-shaped legs 152 and the V-shaped protrusion 153 are also A recess for receiving a push-in clip 146 located on the wall section is defined to secure the upper wall 135 to the top of the barrel sections 104. 13F, the press-fit clip 146 may be a Christmas tree-shaped clip. As shown in Fig. 13F, the clips 146 are installed through the holes 158 in the upper wall 135. The clips 146 may have elastic lids extending along the length of the shaft of the clips 146. When the press-fit clips 146 are engaged with the L-shaped legs 151, the L-shaped legs 152 and the recess formed by the V-shaped channel, a rib positioned on the shaft of the clips 146 The ribs hold the top wall 135 on the barrel sections 104. In this way, the clip 146 is designed as a one way, press fit application, so once installed, the clips 146 are removed to fix the top wall 135 to the insulating layer 160 It is extremely difficult to do. Clips 146 can be configured so as not to require rotation of a screw or fixture, reducing the labor of assembling a portable ice barrel.

14A-14E show partially formed lower sections of the barrel sections 104 to illustrate how to connect the lower rim 122 to the barrel sections 104. 14A-14E, the lower rim 122 will be provided with a resilient locking tab 154 for fixing the lower rim 122 to the barrel sections 104 without the use of a tool. I can. In particular, the lower rim 122 may be provided with an opening 156 that provides a cutout so that the locking tab 154 is bent. The barrel sections 104 may be provided with a corresponding opening 157 for receiving the locking tab 154. When the lower rim 122 comes into contact with the barrel sections 104, the locking tab 154 is bent within the opening 156 to the corresponding opening 157 to bring the lower rim 122 to the barrel sections 104. Fix it. 14A, the locking tab 154 may have a ramp 154A, which is a locking tab when the lower rim 122 is placed in contact with the barrel sections 144A-144F. Allow it to move outward. When the locking tab 154 is aligned with the opening 157, the restoring force of the tab moves the ramp 154A into the opening 157 to secure the lower rim 122 to the barrel sections 104.

Liner 102 may be formed of a liner material similar to the example shown in FIGS. 1-8. Also, as shown in FIGS. 11, 15 and 13A, a series of clips 140 may be used to support the liner 102 inside the portable ice barrel 101. In particular, the liner 102 may be held on the insulating layer 160 by a series of clips 140. The clips 140 are formed in a U-shape, so that the clips 140 extend over the protective layer 160 and the rim of the liner 102 to secure the liner 102 in place of the portable ice barrel 101. I can keep it.

In one example, the top wall 135 may be formed of sections. 13G and 13E, the sections may constitute a hinge 127 for receiving a lid 124. Although not shown, the sections may also form a partial rim 119 and may be secured to the sections forming the hinge 127 using any known method. As mentioned above, the top wall 135 can be secured to the barrel sections 104 using press-fit clips 146.

The base assembly 136 may be formed of a grid 139, a support disk 138 for forming the lower rim 122 and the wheels 137, and a series of supports 139A-139D. As shown in FIG. 14C, the lower rim 122 may be formed as a wheel mount or protrusion 162 for accommodating the wheels 137. The supports 139A-D and the grid 139 form an inexpensive, transportable and solid foundation structure. As shown in Fig. 11, each of the supports 139A-139D has a series of slits 143 for receiving each slit 143 on a corresponding support grid 139. Can be provided. Thus, the grid 139 can be quickly assembled by aligning the slits 143 on the supports 139A-D. Although four supports are provided in this example, the grid 139 may have two or more supports depending on the size and desired strength of the base assembly. The supports 139A-139D may be formed of any known suitable material and may be formed of plastic material, cardboard, or other similar material, for example. In another embodiment, the base assembly may be formed by a single foldable lower rim that includes a living hinge. The casters are fixed to the foldable barrel lower rim by a plurality of support tubes.

The discharge pipe 107 is formed similar to the discharge pipe 7 and extends from the inside to the outside of the portable ice barrel 101 to provide an outlet for ice water. In one embodiment, the discharge pipe 107 may be embedded in the liner 102. In addition, one of the barrel sections 104 may be provided with a die cut hole for receiving the discharge pipe 107.

To assemble a portable ice barrel, the barrel sections 104 can be joined together using the tongue and groove connection described above. Then, the base 136 can be assembled by forming the support portions 139A-139D into a grid 139. The disk 138 and the support grid 139 can then be placed inside the insulating layer 160 formed by the barrel sections 140. The disk 138 and support grid 139 may be held in the barrel sections 140 by securing the base rim 122 to the barrel sections 104. The wheels 137 may be disposed on the base rim 122 and may be held in a position on the base rim 122 through a snap fit. Base rim 122 may be secured to barrel sections 104 by aligning tabs 154 with holes 157. As shown in FIG. 13A, the liner 102 can be pulled or stretched over the thermal insulation layer and held in place by clips 140. The upper wall 135 and the partial upper rim 119 can be assembled and the lid 124 can be fixed to the upper wall 135. Once the top wall 135 is formed, the top wall 135 can be secured to the top of the barrel sections 104 by means of clips 146. The upper wall 135 and upper rim 119 also secure the liner 102 by press fit between the upper rim 119 and the barrel sections 104. Finally the outer barrel wall 103 can be printed and placed around the barrel sections 104 and secured to the barrel sections 104.

15A-15F illustrate another exemplary portable ice barrel 201, wherein the same reference numerals represent the same or similar elements in all of the various figures, but include the 200 series reference numerals. The example shown in FIGS. 15A-15F is similar to the example shown in FIGS. 9-14E, but this example implements an optional outer liner 204 instead of barrel sections. The example shown in FIGS. 15A-15F also has a different base assembly 236, but the base disclosed in connection with the example discussed in connection with FIGS. 9-14E may optionally be used in connection with this example.

15A is an exploded view of an exemplary portable ice barrel 201. The exemplary portable ice barrel 201 may include a lid 224, which incorporates living hinges 215A to allow the lid to be folded for compact shipping or storage. Similar to the example shown in FIGS. 9-14E, a thermal insulation layer can be formed by trapping air between the inner liner 202 and the outer barrel wall 203. As in the examples shown in FIGS. 1-8 and 9-14, the liner 202 defines an inner barrel cavity 210 for receiving contents such as ice and any desired product. The inner liner 202 can be configured to be foldable so that it can be efficiently packed during shipping. Fasteners, hole plugs or clips 240 may be included to secure the upper rim 235 to the inner liner 202 and the optional collapsible heat stake plate 206. Upper rim 235 may include living hinges 215A to provide a folding function, and an optional heat stake plate 206, an inner bladder or liner 202, an optional outer liner 204 and It can be fitted over the outer wall 203. The optional outer liner 204 may be formed from a single sheet of material that can be rolled into smaller shapes for efficient packing. The outer wall 203 may be formed from a 0.09 inch thick styrene sheet that may be formed into a cylinder. The styrene sheet can be formed with a channel extending along one of the edges, so that the other edge can be placed in the channel to form an outer wall within the cylinder. The outer wall 203 can also be rolled into a smaller shape for efficient packaging. The graphic label may be included on the outer wall 203 of the portable barrel 201.

In this example, the base 236 may be formed of a lower rim 222, casters 237 and support tubes 208. The lower rim 222 may include living hinges 215B that allow the lower rim 222 to be folded into a folded position. Casters 237 are configured to be attached to the lower rim 222 via an interface or snap fit connection to allow easy assembly. The support tubes 208 are configured to fit on a series of protrusions 219 located on the lower rim 222. However, the base described above with respect to the example of FIGS. 9 to 14E may be used in connection with the example shown in FIGS. 15A to 15F, and vice versa.

15B is a plan view of the foldable upper rim 235, and FIG. 15B is a side view of the foldable upper rim 235. The upper rim 235 may include a living hinge 215A and a plurality of slots or holes 241. Slots or holes 241 facilitate fixing the upper rim 235 to the heat shake plate 206, the top of the inner liner 202, the top of the outer liner 204 and the outer wall 203 . 15C is a top view of the heat stake plate 206. The heat stake plate 206 is comprised of a number of heat stake plate sections 216 as shown in FIG. 15D. The row stake plate sections 216 include slots or holes 217 for receiving various types of fasteners. The tops and bottoms of the inner liner 202, outer liner 204 and outer wall 203 all have various slots or holes 241 to facilitate securing the structure to each other by various types of fasteners. Includes. In another example of a portable ice barrel 201, the lower rim 222 and lower rim 122 mentioned above may include a tongue or grooved joint secured to the lower rim 122 or the optional lower lip 222. It may comprise a lower rim channel defined at the bottom of the rim that is attached by tongues and grooves to the lower edge of the outer wall 203. The lower rim 122 and lower rim 222 may include a living hinge 215B that allows the structure to be folded to reduce delivery volume. 15E is a plan view of the lower rim 222. The foldable lower rim 222 includes a living hinge 215B and slots or holes 241 for receiving a series of suitable fasteners. In one example, the lower rim 222 is secured to the bottom of the inner liner 202, outer liner 204 and outer wall 203 through various slots or holes 241 through fasteners. 15F shows the lower rim 222. As shown in FIG. 15F, the lower rim 122 may be provided with support tube protrusions 218. During assembly of the portable cooler 201, the support tubes 208 may be disposed over the support tube protrusions 218.

16 shows an example of a container that can be used to ship or store the portable cooler examples described herein. Examples of portable coolers described here can be configured to easily fold into containers of much smaller size than conventional ice barrels. Containers can be defined in length, height and width. The width of the container may be smaller than the diameter of the assembled portable ice barrel. In one example, the ratio of the width of the container to the diameter of the assembled portable ice barrel may range from 1:5 to 1:3. In another example, the ratio of the width of the container to the diameter of the assembled portable ice barrel may range from 1:10 to 1:2. In the exemplary container, the height is greater than the length and the length is greater than the width. The components of the portable ice barrel can be shipped in a container with a predominantly flat structure so that the portable ice barrel can be shipped and assembled at the receiving point. In one example, a portable ice barrel may be packaged in a 34"Х24"Х12" box with a volume capacity of 9792 cubic inches. In one example, a portable ice barrel is a 32"Х24"Х8" with a volume capacity of 6144 cubic inches Can be packed in boxes. In one example, a portable ice barrel may be packaged in a 34"Х14"Х8" box with a volume capacity of 3808 cubic inches.

In one embodiment, the volumetric capacity of the inner liner of the cooler may be 6295 cubic inches to store the desired contents. In one example, the ratio of the volume storage capacity of the inner liner of the portable cooler to the volume of the container may be 1.5:1 to 4:1.

In another example, individual components may be shipped individually in individualized containers. The individual components can then be reassembled at their final destination or combined with other devices to create complete kits and sell in retail stores.

17A-17O illustrate another exemplary warming device or container 301, wherein the same reference numbers represent the same or similar elements in all of the various drawings, but include the 300 series reference numbers. The example shown in FIGS. 17A-17F is similar to the example shown in FIGS. 15A-15F; However, this example implements a series of structural wires or rods 305 for structural support of the thermal insulation device 301 in addition to other variations to be discussed below. The exemplary warming device 301 may be configured with a portable and foldable cooler similar to the above examples. In one example, the warming device 301 may be fitted to a 20 inch by 6 inch by 40 inch box for shipping, and the warming device 301 may be similar to the volume discussed in connection with other examples discussed herein. Exemplary warming devices 301 include a base 336, an outer wall 303, an inner bladder or liner 302, a liner rim 306 for holding and holding the liner 302, a lid 324, an outer It may include a liner 304 and an upper rim 335.

In this example, the base 336 may be formed of a lower plate 322, casters 337 with wheels and supports 308. 17B-17D are further detailed views of the lower plate 322, wherein FIG. 17B is a top perspective view, FIG. 17C is a side view, and FIG. 17D is a bottom perspective view. As shown in FIG. 17B, the lower plate 322 may include a series of openings 319 for receiving supports 308, which may be in the form of tubes or cylinders. The supports 308 are configured to support the bottom of the inner liner 302 when the inner liner 302 is filled with, for example, ice, beverage or other content. Thus, the supports 308 can transfer all the weight of the contents of the inner liner 302 to the lower plate 322 of the warming device 301. In an alternative embodiment, a single support may be provided or the support may be in the form of a frame configured to support the weight of ice and other contents to be stored in the warming device 301. The supports may be telescopically disposed on the base so that the supports extend outward during assembly of the warming device 301.

The lower plate 322 may also include one or more indicators 321 to indicate to the user the direction of the inner liner 302, outer liner 304 and rods 305. For example, as shown in FIG. 17B, the arrow points the user to the rear of the notches or inserts 366 located in the warming device 301 and the lower plate 322 to assemble the warming device 301. can do. A series of inserts or notches 366 on the lower plate 322 are configured to receive rods 305. In particular, the inserts 366 are configured to receive the ends 380a and 380b of the wire rods 305. Inserts 366 may also include a ramp surface configured to engage the end of wire rod 305. The ramp surface is provided with a sloped surface such that when the end of the wire rod 305 engages the notch, the rod 305 can be pressed along the sloped surface and held in place by the ramp surface. The rods 305 can also be secured in place on the lower plate 322 with slots. Other connections between rods 305 and lower plate 322 are also contemplated. For example, one or more threaded, ball and socket, or bayonet connections may also be considered.

In addition, FIG. 17C is a side view of the lower plate 322. Because the outer wall 303 is finally placed on the warmer, the outer liner 304 may interfere with placing the outer wall 303 over the rim 335. Specifically, the outer liner 304 prevents the user from positioning the outer wall 303 at a sufficient angle relative to the rim 335 to allow the outer wall 303 to be positioned within the rim. Accordingly, the lower plate 322 may have an inclined or oblique rim 355 to aid in the assembly of the outer wall 303. In particular, the sloped rim 355 provides a higher point where the outer wall 303 can be placed above the lower plate 322 first and then bend around the lower point of the sloped portion of the rim 355. . When the outer wall 303 is installed over the outer liner 304, the lower portion of the outer wall 303 may be located in the lower plate 322 over the inclined rim 355. Once the outer wall 303 is installed, an inclined rim 355 holds the outer wall 303 in place.

Casters 337 are configured to be attached to the lower plate 322 through an interface fit or snap fit connection for easy assembly. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17D, which is a bottom view of the base plate 322, holes 359 for accommodating the casters 337 may be provided in the lower plate 322. The holes 359 may be dimensioned such that the casters 337 fit within the holes 359 by an interface fit. However, other types of connection methods are contemplated for fixing the casters 337 to the lower plate 322. For example, the casters can be connected to the lower plate 322 by a threaded connection, a ball and socket connection, or a bayonet connection, as well as other types of known connections in the art.

The outer wall 303 is shown in Fig. 17E. The outer wall 303 can be formed as a rectangular sheet of material constructed by winding it into a cylindrical shape by fixing the region 365 and the manner of a mechanical fastener to the opposite end. In this way, the outer wall 303 can be formed of a flexible material, so that the outer wall 303 can be easily rolled into a cylinder shape and bent and folded into a smaller volume container for shipping. The outer wall 303 may include apertures 361 to receive the discharge pipe or tube 307 when aligned. Additionally, the outer wall 303 may include one or more notches 363 for aligning the outer barrel wall with the lower plate 322. In particular, the notches 363 may be aligned with the protrusions 366 on the lower plate 322. Wall 303 may also include a graphic area 364 for printing any desired graphics, such as brand labels, advertisements, prices, logos, announcements, and the like. Further, the outer wall 303 can be considered to be extruded from a flexible material so that the outer wall is folded for delivery purposes.

17F is an exploded view of the inner liner 302 and liner rim 306. 17F and 17G, the inner liner 302 may be formed in a cylindrical shape. The inner liner 302 may be formed from a flexible plastic material that is substantially waterproof, so that water from the ice does not leak out of the inner liner 302 when the ice is placed in the inner liner 302. An insulating material layer 367 may be disposed on an outer surface of the inner liner 302 or a lower area of the inner liner 302 on the inner surface to help maintain the temperature inside the inner liner 302. In addition, insulators may be placed in different areas along the inner liner 302 to help maintain the temperature of the contents within the inner liner 302. The inner liner 302 may include a drain or opening at the bottom of the inner liner 302 that may be connected to the discharge pipe 307. A drain plug 384 as shown in FIG. 17FF may be disposed in the discharge pipe 307 to selectively open the discharge pipe 307 to selectively control water from the molten ice exiting the warming device 301. have. The drain plug 384 may include a series of concentric rings 385 385 disposed axially along the axis of the drain plug 384. Drain plug 384 may also include a domed head 386, which includes a handle 386a and a series of axially extending ridges 387, which include an outer liner 304 and an outer wall. It is configured to engage 303 to hold the drain plug 384 in place outside of the thermal insulation device 301.

17F also shows how the inner liner 302 can be connected to the liner rim 306. In one example, the inner liner 302 may be connected to the liner rim 306 by heat staking. Specifically, several flanges 370 of the inner liner 302 protruding outward from the top of the inner liner 302 may be sandwiched between the liner rim 306 and a series of strips 371 , Which forms a circle around the inner liner 302. The flanges 370 may also include openings 372 to receive corresponding protrusions 373 in the strips 371. The protrusions 373 of the strips 371 are received in the corresponding openings 374 of the liner rim 306. Each of the protrusions 373 may be heated to deform to connect the inner liner 302 to the liner rim 306. Other techniques are contemplated for securing the inner liner 302 to the liner rim 306. For example, fasteners may be used instead of the protrusions 373 and the heat staking method. In other examples, one or more of clips, ties or straps, as well as other examples discussed herein, may be used to secure the inner liner 302 to the liner rim 306.

17G is a top view of the liner rim 306. Liner rim 306 also includes notches 375 for receiving and securing ends of wires or rods 305. The liner rim 306 also includes a series of slots 376 for receiving the locking tabs 369 of the upper rim 335. The slots 376 may also include a mating pin or engagement member for retaining the locking tabs within the slots 376. The liner rim 306 may also include a pair of knuckles 377 that receive integral pins 378 on the lid 324 to form part of a hinge on the lid 324.

An upper rim 335, also referred to as a bezel, is shown in FIGS. 17H and 17I. 17H is a plan view of the upper rim 335, and FIG. 17I is a partial cross-sectional view of the upper rim 335. The upper rim 335 is secured around the upper periphery of the warming device 301 and generally provides a cover over the liner rim 306 of the inner liner 302. As shown in FIG. 17I, the upper rim 335 may be provided with a series of locking tabs 369. The locking tabs 369 may be located around the inner circumference of the upper rim 335, and the locking tabs 369 may be formed to engage with the slots 376 of the upper rim 335. 17J, the locking tabs 369 may include an inclined portion 369a, which is a combination of the slots 376 to help secure the upper rim 335 to the warming device 301. It may be configured to engage an engagement member located in the bottom or slot 376. In other examples, the upper rim 335 may be provided with one or more threads, pin and slot connections, ball and socket, or bayonet connections to secure the upper rim 335 to the warming device 301.

A top view of lid 324 is shown in FIG. 17K. Lid 324 may include two pins 378 that may be received on knuckles 377 located on liner rim 306. In addition, the lid 324 can include an opening 379 for receiving the handle 388 so that the lid 324 can be easily lifted and rotated to retrieve the contents of the thermostat 301.

17L is a partial view of an exemplary wire rod 305. The exemplary wire rod 305 may be secured between the liner rim 306 and the lower plate 322 and may be configured to prevent expansion of the outer liner 304. The exemplary wire rod 305 may include a first coin shaped end 380a and a second coin shaped end 380b. The first coin-shaped end 380a is configured to fit into the notches 375 of the liner rim 306, and the second coin-shaped end 380b is configured to fit into the notches 366 of the lower plate 322 Can be. Therefore, since the size of the first coin-shaped end 380a is slightly larger than the notches 375 of the liner rim and the second coin-shaped end 380b is slightly larger than the notches of the lower plate 322, wire rods The 305 may be held in place on the warming device 301.

The outer liner 304 is further shown in FIGS. 17N and 17O. The outer liner 304 may be formed of a rectangular sheet of material, and in one example may be formed of a flexible and corrugated plastic material. Each end of the rectangular sheet may be secured together to form the outer liner 304, for example by means of an adhesive or one or more mechanical fasteners. Once assembled, the material forming the outer liner 304 can be configured to withstand axial compressive forces. The outer liner 304 may include an insulating material 381, which may be secured to the inner surface of the outer liner 304 to provide warmth to the contents of the inner liner 302. Location notches 383 may be provided around the top and bottom of the outer liner 304. The outer liner 304 may also include a series of openings 389 therein to receive a discharge pipe 307 and a plug 384. It is also contemplated that the outer liner 304 may be formed from an extruded portion of a flexible material.

To assemble the warming device 301, the casters 337 can be fixed to the base plate 322 by placing the casters 337 in the holes 359 of the base plate 322. With the wheels of casters 337 on the floor, the outer liner 304 can be located on the base plate 322. In one embodiment, the outer liner 304 may include, for example, numbers or letters, and the base plate 322 corresponds to the user to properly align the outer liner 304 with the base plate 322 Indicators 321 may be included. Thereafter, the supports 308 may be disposed within the openings 319 of the base plate 322 to support the weight of the inner liner. The inner liner 302 may then be placed on the outer liner 304 by aligning the discharge pipe 307 with the opening 382 of the outer liner 304. The wires or rods 305 can then be placed in the notches 375 of the liner rim 306 and then aligned with the inserts 366 of the base. Then, the wires or rods 305 can be fixed in place by sliding the wires or rods 305 along each of the ramps formed on the inserts 366. The plug 384 may be disposed in the discharge pipe 307 to prevent water from ice from leaking out of the warming device 301. The outer wall 303 is then placed over the outer liner 304 and then pushed into place along the bottom of the thermal insulation device 301, which is the highest of the sloped rim 355 of the base plate 322. It is pushed over the point and guided to a position above the lower point of the inclined rim 355. Once the outer wall 303 is in place, the upper rim or bezel 335 can be secured in place to engage the slots 376 of the liner rim 306 using the locking tabs 369. Thereafter, the two pins 378 of the lid 324 may be placed within knuckles 377 located on the liner rim 306. The drain plug 384 can be fixed in place on the outer liner 304 and the outer wall 303. The warming device 301 is also configured to be disassembled by reversing these assembly steps. For example, if you want to replace the graphics on an exterior wall, you can replace the exterior wall with an exterior wall with the new graphics.

The portable ice barrel may include an outer barrel wall, an inner barrel wall, and an insulating layer positioned between the outer and inner barrel walls. The inner barrel wall may comprise an inflatable bladder made of a flexible material, the inflatable bladder may have an open end, a closed end and may be adapted to expand from a folded position to an expanded position. In the expanded position, the inflatable bladder may be configured to form an inner barrel cavity, the closed end may be configured to contain ice within the barrel cavity, and the open end may allow access to the barrel cavity. The outer barrel wall may comprise a flexible sheet made of a semi-rigid material and the heat retention material may comprise a rigid expanded polystyrene foam material. The insulating material can be configured to provide structural support to the inner barrel wall. The inflatable bladder may comprise a discharge pipe having a discharge pipe proximal end and a discharge pipe end. The discharging pipe proximal end can be secured to the closed end of the inflatable bladder. The discharge pipe may be configured such that the discharge pipe end extends through the outer barrel wall.

The upper rim is positioned over the barrel shape so that the upper rim surrounds the shape open end, and the upper rim may include an upper rim channel defined within the upper rim. The inflatable bladder may include an upper drape extending from the perimeter of the open end of the inflatable bladder. An upper drape extending from around the open end of the inflatable bladder may be positioned within the upper rim channel such that the upper drape covers the inner surface of the channel. The upper edge of the outer barrel wall can be located in the upper rim channel and on top of the upper drape. The upper drape of the inflatable bladder may be secured proximate the upper sheet edge of the outer wall, and at least a portion of the upper drape of the inflatable bladder may be draped over the upper sheet edge of the outer wall. The upper rim is fixed to the upper seat edge of the outer wall so that the upper drape portion of the inflatable bladder and the upper edge portion of the outer wall are located in the upper rim channel.

In one embodiment, the outer barrel wall may be cylindrical and may include an outer wall outer surface, an outer wall inner surface, an outer wall upper edge, and an outer wall lower edge. The inflatable bladder includes a body segment extending between an open end and a closed end. The body segment of the inflatable bladder may be cylindrical. The inflatable bladder may also include a bladder inner surface and a bladder outer surface. The inner diameter of the body segment may be from about 18 inches to about 24 inches when the inflatable bladder is in the expanded position, and the diameter of the outer barrel wall may be from about 1 inch to about 5 inches greater than the diameter of the body segment.

A kit for the components of a portable ice barrel may include an inner barrel wall made of an inflatable bladder comprising a flexible material. The inflatable bladder can have an open end and a closed end. The inflatable bladder may be adapted to expand from a folded position to an expanded position. In the expanded position, the inflatable bladder is configured to define a barrel cavity with a closed end configured to receive ice within the barrel cavity and an open end configured to allow access to the barrel cavity. The kit also includes an upper rim having an upper rim channel defined therein; A lower rim having a lower rim channel defined therein; A barrel lid formed to cover the open end; And a barrel base and at least one casters configured to be fixed to the barrel base. The kit may include an inflatable bladder with a discharge pipe.

In one embodiment, a method of assembling a portable ice barrel may include placing an inflatable bladder over the barrel shape such that the inner surface of the bladder covers the outer surface of the shape. The bladder open end may be located proximate the form open end and the bladder closed end may be located proximate the form closed end. The inflatable bladder may be constructed of a flexible material adapted to inflate the inflatable bladder from a folded position to an expanded position. The outer barrel wall may be positioned around the inflatable bladder and may cover the barrel shape to form a gap between the inner surface of the outer barrel wall and the outer surface of the bladder. The insulating material may be inserted in the gap between the inner surface of the outer barrel wall and the outer surface of the bladder. The inflatable bladder may be configured to separate from the barrel form such that the inflatable bladder forms an inner barrel cavity, the closed end configured to contain ice within the barrel cavity and the open end configured to allow access to the barrel cavity. Inserting the insulating material may include injecting the expandable polystyrene foam material into the gap so that the expanded polystyrene foam material is configured to provide structural support to the inner barrel wall.

In one example, an upper rim is disposed over the barrel shape such that the upper rim surrounds the shape open end, and the upper rim may include an upper rim channel defined within the upper rim. An upper drape extending from the perimeter of the open end of the inflatable bladder may be positioned within the upper rim channel such that the upper drape covers the inner surface of the channel. The upper edge of the outer barrel wall can be located in the upper rim channel and on top of the upper drape.

In another example, a portable ice barrel can include multiple sections that can be configured to form a cylindrical thermal insulation layer. The cylindrical thermal insulation layer may define an opening and the inner liner may extend into the opening of the cylindrical thermal insulation layer to form an inner barrel cavity. The base of the portable ice barrel may comprise a grid formed by a series of supports, a disk, a rim and a series of wheels. The upper wall of the portable ice barrel may have an opening and a lid configured to cover the opening. In addition, the lid may include a handle and an outer barrel wall. The plurality of sections, base, top wall, inner liner, and outer barrel wall can be configured to be assembled into a portable ice barrel. The plurality of sections, the base, the upper wall, the inner liner, and the outer barrel wall may be configured to be separated from each other and transported in a container having a flat shape.

A plurality of clips can hold the inner liner on the cylindrical insulating layer, and the top wall can be secured to the cylindrical insulating layer by a series of clips. The plurality of sections can include a series of fins that can be configured to trap air to provide insulation.

In another example, a portable ice barrel kit may be provided. The kit may include a plurality of sections configured to form a cylindrical thermal insulation layer. The cylindrical thermal insulation layer can form an opening. The kit may have a base that may include a plurality of flat sections configured to form a grid. The plurality of flat sections may include cutouts that may be aligned to form a grid. The base can include a disk, a rim and a series of wheels and the series of wheels can be connected to the rim. The kit may also include a top wall formed with the opening and a lid configured to cover the opening. The kit may also include a container having a flat shape. Containers can be defined in length, height and width. The base, upper wall, inner liner and outer barrel wall can be configured to be assembled into a portable ice barrel defining a diameter. The width of the container may be smaller than the diameter of the assembled portable ice barrel. The sections, base, top wall, inner liner, and barrel wall can be configured to be shipped in a container separated from each other. The ratio of the container height to the diameter of the assembled portable ice barrel is between 1:5 and 1:3.

The lid may also include a handle, and an inner liner, which is configured to extend into the opening of the cylindrical thermal insulation layer to form an inner barrel cavity and an outer barrel wall. A plurality of clips may be configured to hold the inner liner on the cylindrical insulating layer, and the series of clips may be configured to secure the top wall to the cylindrical insulating layer. The multiple sections may include a series of fins configured to trap air to provide insulation.

In another example, a method of assembling a portable ice barrel includes connecting a plurality of barrel sections to form an insulating layer using tongue and groove connections, forming a series of supports into a grid, and forming a disk and a support grid into an insulating layer. Positioning within, retaining the disk and support grid in the barrel sections by securing the base rim to the barrel sections, securing the base rim to the barrel sections by aligning a series of tabs with the holes, clip the liner Pulling and elongating the liner over the thermal insulation layer that is held in place on the thermal insulation layer by means of a thread, assembling the top wall and the partially upper rim, securing the lid to the top wall, securing the top wall by a series of clips. Securing on top of the barrel sections, and disposing an outer barrel wall around the barrel sections.

In another example, a portable ice barrel can include multiple sections that can be configured to form a cylindrical thermal insulation layer. The cylindrical thermal insulation layer may define an opening and the inner liner may extend into the opening of the cylindrical thermal insulation layer to form an inner barrel cavity. The base of the portable ice barrel may comprise a series of supports, a disk, a rim, and a grid formed by a series of wheels. The upper wall of the portable ice barrel may have an opening and a lid configured to cover the opening. In addition, the lid may include a handle and an outer barrel wall. The plurality of sections, base, top wall, inner liner, and outer barrel wall can be configured to be assembled into a portable ice barrel. The plurality of sections, the base, the upper wall, the inner liner and the outer barrel wall may be configured to be separated from each other and shipped in a container having a flat shape.

In another example, a portable ice barrel can include a section that can be configured to form a cylindrical thermal insulation layer. The cylindrical thermal insulation layer may define an opening and the inner liner may extend into the opening of the cylindrical thermal insulation layer to form an inner barrel cavity. The foldable base of the portable ice barrel may comprise a grid formed by a series of supports, a disk, a lower rim, and a series of wheels, and optionally the foldable base may comprise support tubes instead of the grid. The foldable upper rim may have an opening and a lid configured to cover the opening. The foldable lid may also include a handle and an outer barrel wall. The base, upper wall, inner liner, and outer barrel wall can be configured to be assembled into a portable ice barrel. An optional outer liner can be configured to fit between the inner liner and the outer barrel wall. The optional outer liner, upper wall, inner liner, and outer barrel wall may be configured to be separated from each other, folded, and shipped in a container having a flat shape. The outer wall and optional outer liner resemble a sheet of flexible rigid material when separated from other components. The seat can then be rolled into a cylinder or other shape when constructing the components of the portable ice barrel.

In another example, a foldable thermal insulation device may include a base, an inner liner defining an inner cavity, an opening extending into the inner liner, and a layer covering the inner liner. The base, inner liner and layer can be configured to be assembled with a warming device. The base, inner liner and layer may be configured to be separated from each other and disposed within the container. The inner cavity may define a volumetric capacity in the assembled warming device, and the volumetric capacity of the warming device may be larger than the volume of the container. The ratio of the volumetric capacity of the volume of the inner cavity and the container may be from 2:1 to 4:1. The container can be defined in length, height and width, and the width of the container is smaller than the diameter of the assembled thermal insulation device. The ratio of the width of the container to the diameter of the assembled warming device is 1:5 to 1:3. The layer may be an insulating layer, and the layer may be formed of a flexible corrugated plastic. The base may include a plate, at least one tube for supporting the weight of the inner liner, and a series of wheels. The warming device may include an upper wall, and the upper wall may include a lid formed to cover the opening. The lid may also include a handle. The warming device may also include an exterior wall, and the base may include an angled portion to allow the exterior wall to be assembled to the warming device. The warming device may also comprise at least one rod and discharge pipe extending from the base to the upper wall. The base may also include indicators that allow the user to properly align the base and the layer. The inner liner defines a lower surface, and the lower surface may include an insulating layer.

In another example, a foldable thermostat kit defines a base, an inner liner defining an inner cavity defining a volume storage capacity, an opening extending into the inner liner, a layer covering the inner liner, an outer wall, and a length, height, width and volume. It may include a container. The base, inner liner, layer, and outer wall can be configured to be assembled into a thermal insulation device. The volume of the container may be less than the volume storage capacity. The base, inner liner, layer, and outer wall may be configured to be separated from each other and disposed within the container. The container can define a height, length and width, and the height can be greater than the length. The length may be greater than the width, and the diameter of the assembled thermal insulation device may be greater than the width. The ratio of the width of the container to the diameter of the assembled warming device may range from 1:5 to 1:3. The ratio of the volume storage capacity of the inner liner and the volume of the container may be comprised of 2:1 to 4:1. The base may include a plurality of supports extending toward the inner liner to support the inner liner. The warming device can also include a top wall with a lid that can be configured to cover the opening, and the lid can include a handle. The at least one rod may be configured to interconnect the upper wall and the base. The layer may be an insulating layer. The inner liner defines a lower surface and the lower surface may include a thermal insulation layer. The base may include an inclined portion to allow assembly of the outer wall to the thermal insulation device.

Exemplary foldable containers of the present disclosure may provide for optimized delivery, use and assembly of a portable ice barrel according to the methods disclosed herein. For example, in one embodiment, the components of a portable ice barrel are shipped to an assembly location located near the point of use. In one embodiment, a kit comprising an inflatable bladder in a folded position is shipped to an assembly position. In one embodiment, the kit includes an inflatable bladder in a folded position, an upper rim, a lower rim, a lid, a barrel base, and casters. In one embodiment, the assembly location includes a flexible sheet for forming an outer barrel wall as described above. In one embodiment, the assembly location includes facilities for printing graphics on the outer surface of the sheet as described above. In one embodiment, the assembly location may include a heat retention material. In one embodiment, the assembly location includes a machine and material for injecting polystyrene foam during assembly of the portable ice barrel as described above. In one embodiment, a machine for injecting a barrel shape, a flexible sheet, an insulating material and/or an insulating material may be shipped to an assembly location.

The delivery, use, and assembly methods disclosed herein provide several advantages over conventional methods used in conventional ice barrels. For example, conventional ice barrels are often shipped fully assembled from a remote location to the point of use. This results in wasted resources to transport air in the inner cavity of the barrel. For example, the cost of shipping a regular assembled barrel often outweighs the cost of the barrel itself. In addition, conventional ice barrels include injection molded inner walls that increase the weight of the barrel compared to the portable barrel with an inflatable bladder disclosed herein. The weight reduction of the portable ice barrels disclosed herein provides efficiencies in shipping cost and ease of use, for example. Users of conventional barrels often turn the barrel over to drain water from the inner cavity, which can cause injury due to the weight of the barrel. The reduced weight of the portable barrel of the present disclosure can reduce the likelihood of injury resulting from turning the barrel over, for example.

The examples disclosed herein demonstrate a low cost unit that is easily shipped and can be easily assembled and disassembled in its final position. This can help companies buying coolers where the cost of transporting a huge amount depending on the delivery destination exceeds the cost of the entire unit itself. Printing outfits across the country in major metropolitan areas can greatly enclose the graphics of a specific area. A printer in Los Angeles, for example, prints graphics labs for Dodgers, Angels and Kings along with other localized needs. The printer then assembles the coolers with packaging and ships them locally at low cost.

The present disclosure and the accompanying drawings refer to various examples. However, it is an object provided by the disclosure to provide examples of various features and concepts related to the portable ice barrel of the present invention without limiting the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations and modifications can be made to the above-described examples without departing from the scope of the subject matter disclosed herein.

Claims (23)

As a folding thermostat kit (301),
Base 336;
An inner liner 302 defining an inner cavity 110 defining a volume storage capacity;
An opening 124 at the top of the inner liner 302;
A layer 304 covering the inner liner 302;
An upper wall 135 having a lid 324 configured to cover the opening 124;
Outer wall 303;
Each rod 305 includes a first end 380a and a second end 380b, and each rod 305 is configured to interconnect the top wall 135 and the base 336. Rods 305; And
Contains a container defining a length, height, width and volume,
The base 336, the inner liner 302, the layer 304, and the outer wall 303 are configured to be assembled with a thermal insulation device;
The volume of the container is less than the volume storage capacity;
In the foldable thermostat kit 301, wherein the base 336, the inner liner 302, the layer 304, and the outer wall 303 are separated from each other and configured to be disposed into the container,
The top wall 135 includes a series of notches 375, each notch 375 is configured to receive one rod 305 of the series of rods 305,
The base 336 includes a series of inserts or notches 366, each insert or notch 366 is configured to receive one rod 305 of the series of rods 305,
The first end 380a and the second end 380b of each rod 305 are more than the notches 375 of the upper wall 135 and the inserts or notches 366 of the base 336. Contains a large shape; Thereby, the first end 380a is coupled with the notch 375 of the upper wall 135 and the second end 380b is coupled with the insertion portion or notch 366 of the base 336, When fitted with the notch 375 of the upper wall 135 and the insert or notch 336 of the base 336, the rod 305 is fixed in place,
Foldable thermostat kit. The method according to claim 1,
The container defines a height, a length, and a width, the height is longer than the length and the length is longer than the width, and the diameter of the assembled thermal insulation device is longer than the width,
Foldable thermostat kit. The method according to claim 2,
The ratio of the width of the container and the diameter of the assembled warming device is in the range of 1:5 to 1:3,
Foldable thermostat kit. The method according to claim 1,
The ratio of the volume storage capacity of the inner liner 302 and the volume of the container is comprised between 2:1 and 4:1,
Foldable thermostat kit. The method according to claim 1,
The base 336 includes a plurality of support portions 308 extending toward the inner liner 302 to support the inner liner 302,
Foldable thermostat kit. The method according to claim 1,
The lid 324 further comprises a handle 388,
Foldable thermostat kit. The method according to claim 1,
The layer 304 is an insulating layer,
Foldable thermostat kit. The method according to claim 1,
The inner liner 302 defines a lower surface and the lower surface comprises a thermal insulation layer 367,
Foldable thermostat kit. The method according to claim 1,
The base 336 comprises an inclined portion 355 allowing assembly of the outer wall 303 to the thermal insulation device,
Foldable thermostat kit. The method according to claim 1,
The first end 380a and the second end 380b of each rod 305 are coin-shaped,
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