Insulated container assembly with thermal storage accommodation

A soft-sided insulated container assembly comprising:

• a soft-sided insulated wall structure having a top wall panel, a bottom wall panel and a peripheral side-wall extending between said top wall panel and said bottom wall panel, said top wall panel, said bottom wall panel and said peripheral side-wall cooperating to define an insulated chamber therewithin in which to place objects;
• said peripheral sidewall having a first margin attached to said bottom wall panel;
• said peripheral sidewall having a second margin distant from said first margin;
• said top wall panel being to said second margin of said peripheral sidewall;
• said top wall panel defining a lid that is movable between a closed position and an open position to govern access to said insulated chamber and having a releasable closure by which said top wall is secured in said closed position;
• each of said top wall panel, bottom wall panel and peripheral sidewall having a respective outer membrane, inner membrane and layer of insulation trapped between said inner and outer membranes;
• an internal partition located within said soft-sided insulated wall structure intermediate said top wall panel and said bottom wall panel, said internal partition dividing said chamber into a first chamber portion and a second chamber portion;
• said first chamber portion being located between said top wall panel and said internal partition, and said second chamber portion being located between said bottom wall panel and said partition;
• said top wall panel being hingedly mounted to said peripheral side-wall at a chamber closure, said top wall panel being movable when said chamber closure moves between a closed position and an open position to govern access to said insulated chamber;
• at least one of said top wall panel and said bottom wall panel of said container assembly having at least a first accommodation located therewithin between said respective inner membrane and layer of insulation, said first accommodation being segregated from said insulated chamber by said respective inner membrane;
• and said first accommodation having and at least an externally-accessible first gel pack slot through which to seat a removable first gel pack into said first accommodation in a position to exchange heat with a respective one of (a) said first chamber portion and (b) said second chamber portion of said insulated chamber, external access to said first gel pack slot being independent of access to said respective one of (a) said first chamber portion and (b) said second chamber portion of said insulated chamber.