MXPA04001493A

MXPA04001493A - Ice chest.

Info

Publication number: MXPA04001493A
Application number: MXPA04001493A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Pham Ninh
Original assignee: Igloo Products Corp
Priority date: 2003-03-12
Filing date: 2004-02-17
Publication date: 2004-12-03
Also published as: US20040178208A1; CA2460597A1; US20050127081A1; KR20040080384A

Abstract

A generally cube shaped ice chest having a handle on each side to facilitate lifting and carrying and to be more ergonomic. The ice chest provides a lid compartment for accessory and/or snack storage and tray tabs are provided in the interior of the ice chest for holding a cooler tray in position.

Description

FRIDGE Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a portable container, more particularly, to a refrigerator or cooler for food and beverages. Conventional chillers or refrigerators are commonly in the form of an insulated container body, which is defined by four straight walls from a base which in turn define an upper opening, in which a removable cover is mounted. or rotated. Commonly, these conventional chillers are rectangular in shape with two elongated side walls and two end walls, with handles or rotating handles mounted on each end wall to transport the chiller. This type of refrigerators have a number of disadvantages. For example, with the elongated shape of a conventional length, for example, for chillers of 54 or 72 liters (36 or 48 quarts), it means that the consumer must extend his arms and wrists wide so that he can be capable to grasp both handles in order to lift and move the cooler. This inconvenient position makes it difficult to lift the cooler and often, the consumer will request help from another individual, so that a person carries or loads each end of the cooler. Second, REF. 153811 the elongated reception area of conventional coolers makes it difficult to store and transport them, particularly in compact cars, while other luggage or consumer belongings are accommodated. The product reception area is also important since it impacts the space required to present the product for sale.

Brief Description of the Invention An object of the invention to provide a cooler or refrigerator that is uniquely shaped to more ergonomic, so that the consumer does not have the need to extend his arms and wrists as wide to lift the refrigerator. It is also an object of the invention to provide a cooler having a smaller receiving area that facilitates efficient storage and presentation for retail sale. The foregoing objects are carried out in accordance with the invention by providing a refrigerator which is of a generally cubic shape with a generally square cross-section. Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator that can be lifted more conveniently and easily without considering the direction from which a person can approach and transport the refrigerator. The foregoing object is carried out by providing a handle on each side surface of the cooler, so that the handles can be located and taken easily without considering the orientation of the cooler with respect to consumer approaches. A further object of the invention is to provide a built-in storage to accommodate consumer goods or accessories that the consumer wants to transport or store, with the refrigerator, although it does not require cooling. The present objective is achieved by providing a cooler or refrigerator that has at least one covered storage compartment in its lid. Still a further objective of the invention is to provide a tray or cooler tray therein in one mode, so that the tray can be placed and retained in any of the different lateral positions within the interior of the refrigerator. This objective is achieved by providing a cooler tray having a cap defined peripherally thereof to effect the corresponding clutch with the tray ears that are provided inside the refrigerator, in order to support the tray and maintain the same in position, so that it does not slide once it is placed in the never.

Brief Description of the Figures These and other objects and advantages of this invention will be understood and appreciated in a more complete manner by careful study of the following more detailed description of the currently preferred example embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front and top right side of a refrigerator provided according to a currently preferred embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the two lateral handles rotated towards an example lifting position; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the cover lid of the storage compartment in an open arrangement; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the lid of the refrigerator in its open position; Figure 5 is a top plan view of the refrigerator of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the lid of the compartment cover; Figure 7 is a front view, partially broken away, along lines 7-7 of Figure 8 of a refrigerator including the invention; Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the refrigerator, partially separated, along line 8-8 of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of the refrigerator of Figure 1 in an exemplary embodiment of the invention, - Figure 10 is a perspective view of the refrigerator liner of the invention illustrating the tray ears that support the cooler tray; Figure 11 is a perspective view of a cooler tray provided according to the invention; and Figure 12 is an elevational view, partially in cross-section, of the cooler tray of Figure 11.

Detailed Description of the Invention A refrigerator, which is provided in accordance with the present invention, has a generally cubic shape, so that the refrigerator has a smaller reception area than a conventional refrigerator and is easier to hold and lift. In the embodiment illustrated, the refrigerator 10 is of the shape of an insulated container body 12, which has the straight walls 14, 16, 18, 20 from the base 22, so as to define an upper opening 24 To facilitate description and reference, the refrigerator can be characterized in that it has the front and rear side walls 14, 16 and the right and left side walls 18, 20. The right and left side walls are mirror images of one with respect to the other and the front and rear side walls, as defined by the cooler liner, are mirror images of one another, although the upper edges of the front and rear side walls, as defined by the facing 28 , differ to accommodate the lid open to the cooler, as described in more detail below. The container body 12, as best seen in Figures 7 and 8, is comprised of an outer liner 26 and an inner liner 28 with a suitable insulation material 30, which is provided therebetween. To define the generally cubic shape of the refrigerator, the refrigerator lid 32 and the base 22 are generally square and likewise, each of the straight walls is generally square with a width that is generally equal to its height. In the modality illustrated, the refrigerator has a generally cube shape, although not necessarily a perfect cube, while the height of the refrigerator in this mode is slightly larger than the dimensions of each of the sides. In this way, by way of example, for a 72-liter (48 quart) refrigerator, the dimensions of the refrigerator could be "43.81 x 43.81 x 43.97 cm (17 1/4 x 17 1/4 x 17 5 / 16 inches.) The corners and peripheral edges of the refrigerator are generally curved or rounded in order to facilitate the molding process, so that they provide the product with an aesthetically pleasing modern appearance and also provide comfort to the user. conventional refrigerators, in the currently preferred embodiment, the refrigerator includes four handles 34, 36, 38, 40, a handle is defined on or mounted on each side wall of the refrigerator.This allows the consumer to lift and transport more conveniently and easy the refrigerator from any direction in which the consumer approaches.The cubic shape in conjunction with the handles makes this possible.In the mode illustrated, the handles 34, 36 that are provided in the p. The front and rear sides are molded in the other liner 26 of the fridge. On the other hand, the handles 38, 40, which are provided on the right and left side walls 18, 20, are mounted rotatably in a suitable receptacle 42, 44 which is defined in the cladding 28 to be rotated from a storage position, as shown in Figure 1, to an elevation and transport position, as shown in Figure 2. In the embodiment illustrated, the liner and liner of the refrigerator are molded in order to define a raised perimeter 46, 48 for the right and left side handles 38, 40, for example, to protect the handles from possibly harmful contact with other objects when they are stored. As also illustrated, for example, in Figures 1-4, the cross bars of the rotary handles 38, 40, include the finger recesses 50, 52 that facilitate grip of the handle and provide comfort to the user. In the embodiment illustrated, an integrally formed handle 34, 36 is provided in the front and rear side walls 14, 16, for example, so as not to interfere with the opening of the lid and / or with the hinge assembly of the refrigerator lid. It is understood that if the lid were mounted with an articulation structure or that it was hinged on one of the side walls, then the front and rear handles could be configured as rotating handles, as shown for the right and left sides and / or could be of another rotary or non-rotating handle configuration, if it is considered necessary or desirable. In the same way, while the rotating handles, which project upwards above the lid of the refrigerator, are provided on the right and left sides in order to facilitate the grip and elevation of the ice cooler and / or to drag the refrigerator, for example, in the sand, the handles provided on the left and right sides of the refrigerator do not need to be provided as rotating handles, although they could be sliding handles in vertical direction or they can be integrally formed handles, if it was considered necessary or desirable . An insulation cover or cap 32 is provided in order to close the upper opening 24 of the refrigerator. In the embodiment illustrated, the lid is hingedly connected with the liner 28 of the refrigerator main body 12, as in 54, so that it rotates from a closed position, shown in Figure 1, to a position open, shown in Figure 4, in order to provide easy access to the interior of the refrigerator. However, it is appreciated that, as an alternative for the rotating connection shown, a lid capable of being completely removed could be provided. Also, the lid could be joined in an articulated manner with one of the other sides of the refrigerator without departing from this invention. To secure the lid in its closed position, as shown in Figure 1, in the embodiment illustrated, the fastening lugs 56 are defined adjacent the upper peripheral edge of the liner of the main body of the container so as to clutch with the corresponding ones. recesses 58 defined on each side of the cooler cover 32. This friction type fastener is not required, however, it can be omitted. In addition, or alternatively, other more direct attachment structures could be provided for the purpose of securing and retaining the lid in its closed position, such as transport handles or clamping load rotatably mounted to selectively engage and hold the lid. on the container, during lifting and transport, or for rotating or rotating the fasteners provided in specific manner so as to retain the lid in its closed position. In the embodiment illustrated, because the lid is secured in its closed position by the clamping lugs 56 and the corresponding recesses 58, no clamping interference is provided between the rotating handles and the lid. Rather, a biased cut 60, 62 is defined on the right and left side edges of the lid, which facilitates the rotation of the handle toward a vertical arrangement as shown in Figure 2. For the purpose of facilitating lifting and opening of the lid, in particular to overcome the frictional clamping force of the clamping lugs and the corresponding recesses, a lid lifting recess 64 is defined in the front lid edge. In the embodiment illustrated, a corresponding recess 66 is defined in the upper edge of the liner 28 of the main body 12 in order to facilitate the opening of the lid and to provide an aesthetic appearance. The ice cooler cap 32 in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention also defines compartments for product storage. In the embodiment illustrated, the first and second compartments 68, 70 are provided as receptacles for a can, glass or beverage bottle. further, a rotating cover 72 is mounted on the cover 32, which can be selectively rotated from a closed position, as shown in Figure 1 to an open position, as shown in Figure 3 in order to show the compartments interiors on the cooler cover. In the embodiment illustrated, the first and second compartments 74, 76 are defined on the lid, which can receive cell phones, car keys, loose coins and the like. The compartments can be defined in a tray insert capable of being moved or they can be integrally formed in the lid of the refrigerator. In the embodiment illustrated, the cover or cover for the compartment rotates slly beyond 90 °, such as 100 or 110 °, so that the cover will remain open while the compartment (s) can be accessed without preventing the placement of a bottle, can or glass in the beverage receptacles 68, 70. In the embodiment illustrated, the compartment cover is pressurized by clipping the cover ears 78 and the corresponding receptacles (not shown). show). A recess 80 is defined in the lid 72 and a protruding tongue 82 in the cover 72 facilitates gripping and lifting the lid so as to overcome the frictional closure of the snap closure provided by the container cover ears 78. A recess 84 it is also defined peripherally from the compartments 74, 76, so that when the compartment cover 72 is in its closed position, the peripheral surface 86 of the compartment tray engages or is closely adjacent to the inner surface. of the compartment cover 72 so as to close and isolate each of the compartments 74, 76. Because the cover snaps shut, it will keep the contents in the respective compartments, even when the refrigerator lid is placed in its orientation open as shown in Figure 4. As illustrated in Figure 4, a recess or receptacle 90 is defined on the interior surface of the cover of the n evera 32, which provides an additional he to the storage compartment of the refrigerator. As will be appreciated, this receptacle or recess is not provided in the front section of the lid due to the presence of the accessory compartments 74, 76. As illustrated in particular in Figures 3, 7, 8 and 9, the lower part 22 of the refrigerator 10 has a widened support leg 92, 94, 96, 98 in each of its four corners. The widened support legs provide greater stability and greater cold holding capacity for the refrigerator. In this regard, the widened legs effectively define a recess in the lower wall of the refrigerator as they separate the lower surface of the main body of refrigerator 12 from the supporting surface on which the refrigerator is located. | In addition to the ergonomic benefits, facilitated by the new handle configuration, the cube shape of the refrigerator also reduces the area of reception of the product which facilitates its storage and placement in compact vehicles, for example, in portaequipa it is smaller than Compact vehicle to a greater depth. The reduced product reception area is also important for retail sellers. In this regard, for example, for a 72 liter (48 quart) cooler, a cubic cooler as provided in accordance with the invention, has a reception area which is then, 25% smaller on a counter retail than the one with a 72-liter (48 quart) refrigerator of standard rectangular configuration. The reduced reception area is a desirable feature for retail sellers who can present more products for resale. According to a further feature of the invention, a single cooler tray 100 is accommodated and maintained within the liner 28 of the refrigerator main body 12., so that it will not slide back and forth inside the refrigerator. More specifically, with reference to Figure 10, the liner 28 of the refrigerator illustrated, is formed to include the raised panels 102, 104 on the interior surface of the four side walls. The coating is correspondingly lowered as in 106, 108 on the outer surface of the coating structure. The panel projections 102, 104 define a flange that faces upwards 110, 112 to seat the tray. In the embodiment illustrated, the tray lugs 114, 116 are defined to project upwards from the innermost surface of the panels protruding beyond the respective ridge 110, 112. These ears hold the chiller tray 100 in position as described in more detail below. An ice cooler tray 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figures 4, 11 and 12. As illustrated, the tray is of a generally rectangular shape having curved corners. The lower part 118 of the tray is perforated as in 120, so that any type of fluids, such as melted ice, will not be retained in the tray and the contents of the tray may remain relatively dry, suspended above the portion. bottom of the inside of the fridge. The curvature of the corners of the tray and its length are so that the curved corners can be accommodated in the curved inner corners of the refrigerator, as shown in Figure 4. The rectangular tray is constructed and placed, so that it is it will be placed inside the liner 28 either from the front to the back or from side to side (as shown in Figure 4). This is possible due to the square shape of the inside of the refrigerator. Meanwhile, as illustrated in Figure 12, the upper peripheral edge of the tray defines a peripheral surface 122 and a lip or flap that hangs or hangs down 124, 126. The flap or lip 124, 126 is designed with a dimension such that it is received between the tray lugs 114, 116 of the refrigerator liner and the respective side wall of the liner. In this way, for example, when the tray is seated within the main body 12 of the refrigerator, as shown in Figure 4, the lip 126 on the long side of the tray 100 will be seated on the rim 112 of the liner and the ears. of tray 116 will be limiting the amount by which the tray can be moved to the front side 14 of the refrigerator. Similarly, the fin or lip 124 provided along the short side of the tray will engage with one of the two tray lugs 114 defined on the right and left side surfaces of the liner in order to support and hold the tray in position in a similar way. In this way, the tray can be mounted so that it extends from front to back along any of the right or left sides 18, 20 of the refrigerator. Further, in the embodiment illustrated, the tray lugs 114 provided on the right and left side walls are supplied and are spaced apart, so that both can be received below the peripheral lip 124 of the tray, so that the tray can be placed on both sides of the side walls from right to left. The ears 116 are similarly separated, so that the tray can be placed on both sides of the front to the rear of the refrigerator, so that finally the tray has four possible positions inside the cooler; two positions from the front to the back and two positions from right to left or from left to right. In this way, the advantage of providing a tray of cooler and tray ears, as illustrated and described herein before, is that a variety of tray positions can be accommodated while unintentional lateral displacement of the tray will not occur. tray. While the invention has been described in connection with what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the described modality, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover different modifications and arrangements. equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. A container, characterized in that it comprises: a main body having a base wall and four side walls extending from the wall of the wall; base to define a product receiving compartment, each of the walls is constituted by an insulating material, each of the side walls has an outer surface and an interior surface with respect to the compartment and each of the side walls has a upper edge, the upper edges together define an upper opening of the main body; a lid that selectively closes the upper opening of the main body; and at least one handle capable of being manually engaged, which is defined and mounted on each side wall, by means of which the main body can be lifted by holding the handles of the opposite side walls thereof. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body is defined by an outer shell having a base wall and four integrally formed side walls and a covering comprised of a respective base wall and integrally formed side walls, the liner is received within the liner and wherein the insulation material substantially fills a space between the liner and the liner. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body has a generally square cross section, so that each of the side walls is of generally equal width. . The container according to claim 3, characterized in that a height defined by the main body with the cover mounted thereon generally corresponds to a width of each side wall. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid is hingedly connected to one of the side walls. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the handles of an opposite pair of side walls are mounted rotatably on the respective sides. The container according to claim 6, characterized in that each handle that can be rotated has a U-shape including a cross-bar and a first and second legs, and wherein the cross-bar includes a plurality of reception recesses. finger that facilitate the grip of the handle. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that the handles of an opposite pair of the side walls are formed and positioned so as to be fixed with respect to the side walls. The container according to claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises a storage compartment defined within the lid and a cover capable of being rotated, which is rotatably connected with the lid so as to selectively close the compartment of the container. storage. The container according to claim 9, further characterized in that it comprises fastening lugs provided in one of the cover and the cover for effecting the clutch with the recesses provided in the other of the cover and the cover for maintaining the cover in a closed position that closes the storage compartment. The container according to claim 1, characterized in that each base wall of the main body comprises four flared legs, each of which is provided in each corner of the main body. The container according to claim 11, further characterized in that it comprises a recess in the base wall of the main body, whereby the widened legs separate the recessed lower surface from a supporting surface of the container. 13. The container according to claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises a tray placed in a removable form inside the refrigerator. The container according to claim 13, characterized in that the tray comprises a base and a peripheral wall, an upper peripheral edge of the "peripheral wall defines a lip that hangs down 15. The container according to claim 14 , characterized in that it comprises a flange defined on the inner surface of at least two of the side walls of the cooler that receive and support the peripheral lip of the tray 16. The container according to claim 15, further characterized in that comprises a tray ear projecting upwards from each flange to effect the clutch with a recess defined between the lip hanging downwards and the peripheral wall of the tray 17. The container according to claim 16, characterized in that the first and second tray ears protrude upwards adjacent to each flange 18 The compliance container c in claim 15, characterized in that a rim is defined along a portion of each side wall of the refrigerator, so that the tray can be supported adjacent and along each of the four side walls of the refrigerator. The container according to claim 18, further characterized in that it comprises first and second tray lugs projecting upwards from each flange to effect the clutch with a defined recess between the lip hanging downwards and the peripheral wall of the tray. 20. A container, characterized in that it comprises: a main body having a base wall and four side walls extending from the base wall to define a product receiving compartment, each of the walls is constituted by a insulating material, each of the side walls has an outer surface and an inner surface with respect to the compartment and each of the side walls has an upper edge, the upper edges together define an upper opening of the main body; and a lip that selectively closes the upper opening of the main body; wherein the main body is defined by an outer liner having a base wall and four integrally formed side walls and a lining comprised of a respective base wall and integrally formed side walls, the liner is received within the liner and where the The insulating material substantially fills a space between the liner and the liner, and wherein the main body is of a generally square cross section, so that each of the side walls is of generally equal width. The container according to claim 20, further characterized in that it comprises at least one handle capable of being manually engaged, which is defined and mounted on each of the side walls, by means of which, the main body can be lifted by grasping the handles of the opposite side walls thereof. 22. The container according to claim 20, characterized in that the lid is hingedly connected to one of the side walls. The container according to claim 21, characterized in that the handles of an opposite pair of the side walls are mounted rotatably with the respective sides. 24. The container according to claim 23, characterized by each handle capable of being rotated has a U-shape including a cross-bar and a first and second legs, and wherein the cross-bar includes a plurality of finger-receiving recesses with the object to facilitate the grip of the handle. 25. A container, characterized in that it comprises: a main body having a base wall and four side walls that extend from the base wall to define a product receiving compartment, each of the walls is constituted by a insulating material, each of the side walls has an outer surface and an inner surface with respect to the compartment and each of the side walls has an upper edge, the upper edges together define an upper opening of the main body; a lid that selectively closes the upper opening of the main body; and a storage compartment defined within the lid and a cover capable of being rotated, which is rotatably joined with the lid to selectively close the storage compartment. 26. The container according to claim 25, further characterized in that it comprises fastening lugs provided in one of the cover and the cover for effecting the clutch with the recesses provided in the other of the cover and the cover for maintaining the cover in a closed position that covers or covers the storage compartment. 27. A container, characterized in that it comprises: a main body having a base wall and four side walls extending from the base wall to define a product receiving compartment, each of the walls is constituted by a insulating material, each of the side walls has an outer surface and an inner surface with respect to the compartment and each of the side walls has an upper edge, the upper edges together define an upper opening of the main body; a lid that selectively closes the upper opening of the main body; a tray seated removably inside the refrigerator, wherein the tray comprises a base and a peripheral wall, an upper peripheral edge of the peripheral wall defines a lip that hangs down; a flange defined on the interior surface of at least two of the side walls of the cooler for receiving and supporting the peripheral lip of the tray, and a tray ear projecting upwards from each flange to effect the clutch with a defined recess between the lip that hangs down and the peripheral wall of the tray. 28. The container according to claim 27, characterized in that the first and second tray ears protrude upwards adjacent to each flange. The container according to claim 27, characterized in that a rim is defined along a portion of each side wall of the refrigerator, so that the tray can be supported adjacent and along each of the four walls side of the refrigerator. The container according to claim 29, further characterized in that it comprises a first and second tray lugs projecting upwards from each flange to effect the clutch with a defined recess between the lip hanging downwards and the peripheral wall. of the tray.