Soft-sided insulated lunch box
AssigneeCalifornia Innovations Inc.
InventorRick Stephens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A soft-sided insulated container assembly has a generally box-shaped form like a school lunch box, having a main body and a lid. The lid is formed of one of the largest panels of the box-structure, and is joined to the main body of the box by a hinge that lets the lid lie flat next to the main body when the box is open. The inside face of the lid then defines a work surface on which to place objects such as foodstuffs and beverages. The work surface may be formed in a substantially rigid molded stiffener member, and may be divided into sub-regions with raised retainers to discourage sliding of objects where not precisely level. The container assembly may include a rigid internal liner with which the lid may mate zipperlessly. The mating portion of the lid may be formed in the same rigid member as the work surface.
Claims19
A soft-sided insulated lunch box, having:
- a main body and an attached lid;
- said lunch box being rectangular in plan view when closed;
- said main body being deeper in through-thickness than is said lid;
- said main body of said container has a length, a width, and a through thickness, said through thickness being less than each of said length and said width;
- said main body has a base and an upstanding peripheral side wall;
- said peripheral side wall of said main body has a peripheral margin to which said lid mates in a closed position;
- said lid is joined to said body by a flexible hinge;
- said flexible hinge has a first edge connected to a margin of said lid;
- said flexible hinge has a second edge mated to said main body;
- said flexible hinge has a reach from said first edge to said second edge;
- said flexible hinge has a length measured along said first edge and corresponding to said length of said main body;
- said length of said flexible hinge being greater than said reach;
- said lid being movable to lie flat on the ground beside said main body when said lunch box is opened;
- said lid includes a stiffened member;
- said stiffened member defines a work surface, and, when said lid is open and lying flat beside said main body, said work surface of said lid faces upwardly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.