Cooler apparatus
OwnerVirgil O. Heilinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cooler apparatus is disclosed having an onboard air conditioning assembly. The apparatus may be used to retain and chill food and beverages while simultaneously functioning to cool the surrounding environment. The air conditioner assembly may include a radiator positioned on or in a wall of a housing and an exhaust fan positioned to circulate air through the radiator. A source of air may be provided to the exhaust fan by an air intake fan. Additionally, a fluid reservoir containing a coolant for the radiator may be provided that includes at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing. The coolant may thus be chilled by adding a predetermined quantity of ice to the interior of the housing and the chilled coolant may then be circulated between the reservoir and the radiator by a pump.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining an interior and having an open top and including a cover positionable on the top and operating to enclose the interior of the housing, the housing further defining a first and a second opening and also being dimensioned to define an air flow pathway extending between the first and the second opening;
- an air conditioner assembly including a radiator, an exhaust fan, an air intake fan, a fluid reservoir and a pump, the radiator being positioned in the second opening of the housing, with the exhaust fan being positioned proximate the radiator and operating to blow air through the radiator and into the environment through the second opening, the air intake fan being positioned in the first opening, the fluid reservoir containing a coolant and having at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing, and the pump operating to circulate the coolant in a closed system between the reservoir and the radiator;
- and
- a predetermined quantity of ice positioned in the interior of the housing, the ice operating to chill the coolant in the fluid reservoir.
An apparatus comprising:
- a housing having a base, a pair of sidewalls, a pair of end walls and a cover, with the walls extending from the base to define a interior space having an open top closable by the cover, at least one wall of the housing defining a first and a second opening, and the housing being further dimensioned to define an air flow pathway extending between the first and the second opening;
- and
- an air conditioner assembly including a radiator, an exhaust fan, an air intake fan, a fluid reservoir and a pump, the radiator being positioned in the second opening, with the exhaust fan being positioned proximate the radiator and operating to blow air across through the radiator, the air intake fan being positioned in the first opening, the fluid reservoir containing a coolant and having at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing, and the pump operating to circulate the coolant in a closed system between the reservoir and the radiator.
An apparatus comprising:
- a housing defining an interior and having an open top and including a cover that is one of removably or pivotably attached proximate the open top and that operates to enclose the interior of the housing, the housing also including an outer shell, an inner shell and foam insulating material between an inner shell and the outer shell, with the outer shell defining a first and a second opening, and the housing being dimensioned to further define an air flow pathway extending between the first and the second opening;
- and
- an air conditioner assembly including a radiator, an exhaust fan, an air intake fan, a fluid reservoir, a pump and a power supply, the radiator being positioned in the second opening of the housing, with the exhaust fan being positioned interior to the radiator and operating to blow air through the radiator and into the environment, the air intake fan being positioned in the first opening, the fluid reservoir containing a coolant and having at least one surface positioned proximate the interior of the housing, and the pump operating to circulate the coolant in a closed system between the reservoir and the radiator, and the power supply operating to drive the exhaust fan, the air intake fan and the pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.