Disposable cooler

A disposable self-locking insulated cooler for beverages and food related perishable items, comprising corrugated cardboard for folding between a relatively flat configuration for storage thereof and a set-up configuration for receiving articles therein, said cooler including a moisture barrier coating on all interior facing surfaces of its set-up configuration, a bottom wall, a pair of opposing side walls foldably attached along respective proximal edges thereof to said bottom wall and having at least one first wall locking member, received on each respective distal edge of said side walls, a pair of opposing end walls foldably attached along respective proximal edges thereof so said bottom wall and respectively interposed between said side walls about the periphery of said bottom wall, four pairs of gusset pleats interconnecting adjacent edges of adjacent side and end walls so as to form a seamless cooler interior portion whenever said end and side walls are raised into set-up configuration respectively perpendicular to said bottom wall with planar slots formed between said side walls and adjacent gusset pleats with longitudinal slotted openings thereto, first and second top walls foldably attached along respective proximal edges thereof to respective distal edges of said end walls, handle means associated with said first and second top walls for carrying of said disposable cooler, at least one second wall locking member respectively operatively and removably associated with each said first wall locking member in linear surface contact therewith for reversibly holdings said cooler in said set-up configuration thereof, a closure locking panel attached to a distal edge of one of said top walls so as to extend down at least a part of the exterior of an opposite end wall whenever said cooler is in said set-up configuration thereof and said top walls are folded inwardly across the top of said cooler interior so as to close same, and a pair of closure locking tabs carried respectively on opposite lateral edges of said closure locking panel so as to be removably received in respective of said planar slots passed through said slotted openings thereto, such that said closure locking panel becomes positively locked with said one top wall across said top of said cooler interior so as to foldably and reversibly form a closable disposable cooler from said relatively flat configuration thereof;

• wherein
• said cooler folded into said set-up configuration thereof has an exterior length generally within a range of from about 8 to about 14 inches, an exterior width generally within a range of from about 6 to about 12 inches, and an exterior height generally within a range of from about 6 to 12 inches;
• said closure locking panel extends down at least 25 percent of said opposite end wall exterior;
• said first wall locking member comprises a foldable main rectangular member with a folded extension therefrom having opposing foldable lateral edge tables which project therefrom in opposite directions;
• and
• said second wall locking member comprises plural edge notches formed in distal edges of said gusset pleats and aligned therein so as to form overlapping pairs of notches situated on respective opposite lateral sides of said first wall locking member folded extension whenever said cooler is in said set-up configuration thereof, so that said opposing foldable lateral edge tabs may be received and seated in said pair of notches for locking said cooler into its set-up configuration.

A disposable insulated cooler, comprising corrugated containerboard reversibly foldable between a relatively flat configuration for storage thereof and a self-locking set-up configuration thereof with a moisture barrier coated interior for receiving perishables and ice therein, said cooler including:

• a generally rectangular bottom wall having four side edges about the periphery thereof;
• first and second pairs of opposing generally rectangular side walls foldably attached along respective proximal edges thereof to said four side edges of said bottom wall;
• four pleated walls foldably attached to adjacent edges between adjacent side walls, each having inwardly folding, diagonal central fold lines so as to form a seamless cooler interior portion with said bottom and side walls whenever said side walls are raised into set-up configuration respectively perpendicular to said bottom wall, and with planar slots being formed between said side walls and folded adjacent pleated walls with longitudinal slotted openings thereto formed along the intersection of adjacent side wall lateral edges;
• first and second top walls foldably attached along respective proximal edges thereof to respective distal edges of said first pair of side walls;
• handle means associated with said first and second top walls for carrying of said disposable cooler;
• a first wall locking element foldably associated with the distal end of each one of said side walls of said second pair of side walls;
• generally rectangular wall locking notches formed in each distal edge of said pleated walls which intersects a diagonal central fold line thereof, said notches being positioned for alignment with and receipt of an associated first wall locking element in linear surface contact therewith whenever said cooler is in said set-up configuration thereof for locking said side walls in said set-up configuration;
• closure locking panel foldably attached to a distal edge of one of said top walls so as to extend down at least a part of the exterior of an opposite side wall whenever said cooler is in said set-up configuration thereof and said top walls are folded inwardly across the top of said cooler interior so as to close same;
• and
• a pair of closure locking tabs carried respectively on opposite lateral edges of said closure locking panel so as to be inserted into respective of said planar slots passed through said slotted openings thereto, such that said one top wall becomes positively locked across said top of said cooler interior by said closure locking panel so as to close said cooler.