Picnic cooler
AssigneeBee Plastics Corporation
InventorBruce Norman Thornbloom, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improved combination lid and handle assembly for a picnic cooler having hinged, double-door lid sections, each of which cooperatingly engage a handle assembly in the raised position to support the inner surface of the lid sections in a horizontal position. This provides a table surface for the users. The handle sections have cooler side wall stops and recesses in the lid to retain the lid in the proper position preventing disengagement and spilling of objects placed on the inner table surfaces of the lid. The lid may also have recessed portions on the inner surface to receivingly retain glasses or other objects.
Claims12
An improved container having a lid and handle assembly comprising:
- a. a container body having walls and a bottom defining therebetween a useful volume;
- b. at least one lid having an inside and an outside surface, said lid being pivotally mounted on one of said walls;
- c. at least one handle pivotally mounted on one of said walls;
- d. said pivotal handle mounting being adapted to provide for motion of said handle through an arc from a first, lowered position to a second, raised position;
- e. said handle having a cross member and at least one depending arm;
- f. first means for limiting the rotational motion of said arm disposed in cooperating relation to said arm and said wall to space said crosspiece from said wall a distance sufficient to prevent discomfort of the hand of a person carrying said container by said handle;
- g. second means for cooperatingly engaging said handle crosspiece when in said raised position, said engaging means being disposed in association with the outside surface of said lid;
- h. third means for preventing outward and downward rotational motion of said handle and to retain said lid in a substantially horizontal position thereby providing a useful work space on said inner surface of said lid when said lid is in the open position, said third, handle motion preventing means being disposed adjacent and in cooperating relation with said second engaging means on said lid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.