Transportable transparent cork-insulated cooler
AssigneeSovaro Coolers, LLC
InventorsTodd McLean Furneaux, Gary M. Fischer, Jr., Michael Thuma, William J. Phillips, Michael R. Vogler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cork-insulated cooler having a constant friction hinge assembly is described. The cooler is comprised of an outer basin having an open top, a plurality of cork panels lining the outer basin, a transparent inner basin having an open top which is constructed and arranged to hold and maintain the plurality of cork panels against the outer basin, a lid hingedly connected to the inner and outer basin, such that the lid can be positioned anywhere between a completely closed position to a completely open position and anywhere in between with the lid supporting itself in the chosen position.
Claims11
A constant friction hinge assembly comprising:
- a basin assembly having four side panels, a base panel and an open top;
- a lid, said lid including an outer panel said lid hingedly connected to said basin for movement between an open position and a closed position;
- a constant friction hinge assembly connecting said basin assembly and said lid, said constant friction hinge assembly being rotatably coupled together at a hinge barrel including a center barrel portion positioned between a first barrel portion and a second barrel portion, to form said hinge barrel, said center barrel portion, said first barrel portion and said second barrel portion aligned and coupled together by a friction bolt assembly, said friction bolt assembly includes a pair of opposing wedge tubes positioned in an overlapping manner with respect to each other within said hinge barrel, a friction bolt extending through a central portion of each said wedge tube, whereby said friction bolt is constructed and arranged to control the amount of overlap of said wedge tubes to increase or decrease friction provided by said constant friction hinge assembly, said constant friction hinge assembly being constructed and arranged to allow said lid to be rotated to any desired position between said open position and said closed position, whereby said hinge will maintain said positioning without application of an externally applied force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.