Drink Stabilizing Insert for Portable Cooler

This invention relates generally to the field of thermal containers and in particular to portable coolers operable to cool and insulate beverages and perishables.

Portable coolers are thermal containers known to those of skill in the art, including ice chests, ice boxes, insulated containers, and the like, are used for a number of applications and in a variety of environments. In some applications, coolers may be used to carry food, perishables, but are more often used to carry and cool drinks, such as canned drinks or bottled water, and will often include ice or some other cooling agent to maintain the items at a desired temperature range.

Because the interior temperature of coolers is maintained typically by filling, or partially filling, the cooler with ice, problems arise when beverages inserted into the coolers which cannot be properly positioned within the ice. Because beverages are thrown into coolers in haphazard and unorganized fashion, optimal spacing within the cooler is not maintained.

In certain applications, a user may desire to have an implement which allows organization of beverages within the cooler which cannot be easily secured or stored while transporting the coolers. Most coolers do not comprise means for organizing beverages in any meaningful manner, and are lacking in organizational functionality.

There exists a need in the art for an implement compatible with typical coolers for curing these deficiencies in the art.

From the foregoing discussion, it should be apparent that a need exists for a drink stabilizing implement for portable coolers. Beneficially, such an apparatus would overcome many of the difficulties and concerns expressed above, by providing an apparatus which cured the above-provided deficiencies.

The present invention has been developed in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available apparati and methods. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a beverage stabilizing implement operable to insert into a portable cooler, the stabilizing insert comprising: a plurality of cylindrical receptacles joined together, each receptacle formed from an uninterrupted annular sidewall comprising polymeric material, each cylinder forming a hollow interior recess; and a plurality of protuberances jutting from inwardly from the sidewalls, each protuberance operable to collapse when pressed against by an outer surface of a beverage.

The protuberances may be formed with the sidewall as a single integrated piece. Four or more receptacles may join to define an intermediate recess adapted to receive ice, the triangular recess having an open top and open bottom end.

The protuberances may vary in size. The protuberances may be spaced at regular intervals across a surface of a sidewall.

In some embodiments, the sidewall may be between 0.3 inches and 2 inches in height.

These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

is an isometric perspective view of a drink stabilizing insert(i.e., implement) for portable coolers in accordance with the present invention.

The implementcomprises a plurality of cylindrical receptaclesformed from a rigid, flexible or semi-flexible polymeric material. The cylindrical receptacleshave an open bottom and open top ends, forming a hollow, cylindrical interior recessinto which a beveragepositions.

The height of the implementmay vary from 0.25 inches to six inches in height. The implementmay comprise a plurality of ranks and files, including having three or more receptaclesin a file and two or more in rank.

illustrate top perspective views of a drink stabilizing insert for portable coolersin accordance with the present invention.

In some embodiments, a plurality of intermediate recessesare defined between receptacles, which recesses may be triangular in shape or otherwise shaped.

is a top perspective view of a drink stabilizing insert for portable coolersin accordance with the present invention.

The receptaclesdefine hollow interior recessesin which beveragesare inserted. In various embodiments, the sidewallforming the cylindrical receptaclecomprises an arcuate interior surface. The sidewallmay form an uninterrupted, annular cylinder. This interior surfacemay be affixed to a plurality of interiorly-jutting protuberances forming of a flexible polymeric material, or foam. Alternatively, the sidewallmay be formed from silicone or silastic materials.

In various embodiments, these protuberances-,-vary in size and the inward distance they protrude into the interior recess. These protuberances,may have rounded distal ends or be otherwise shaped. These protuberances,are operable and adapted to form a friction fit with beveragesof in containers of differing diameters. The protuberances,press outwardly and/or downwardly when a beverageis inserted in the receptacle. The sidewallmay be between 0.3 inches and two inches in height.

The protuberances,may be spaced at even intervals across a surfaceor perimeter of the sidewall. In other embodiments, the protuberances,are irregularly-spaced. In still further embodiments, the protuberances,are spaced in alternative fashion with a larger protuberances between ever smaller protuberance as shown.

is a top perspective view of a drink stabilizing insert for portable coolersin accordance with the present invention.

As shown, the protuberancesvary length and have rounded tips. The protuberances,may be formed with the sidewall they affix to as a single integrated piece.

A plurality of implementsmay be joined together and positioned adjacently within a cooler.

is a side perspective view of a drink stabilizing insert for portable coolersin accordance with the present invention.

Bores or apertures-may traverse through the sidewallin various embodiments. These aperturesmay be spaced regularly or irregularly across the cylindrical receptacles. The apertures may be square, ovoid, circular, rectangular or irregularly spaced and sized. These aperturesexpose additional area of the surface area of the beverage containers to ice. As such, the apertures are more than 1 square inch in some embodiments to allow direct contact between ice and the beverage containers. The aperturesmay reduce the friction fit between the beverages and the implementand/or impart additional flexibility to the implement.

The cooler into which the implementdisposes may be portable cooler or a cooler integrated into an ATV, boat or moving vehicle. The implementmay help secure, and be operable to secure, drinks which have been opened in an upright position.

The attached drawing and description provide a vehicular workstation. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.