Ice chest

Abstract

A generally cube shaped ice chest having a handle on each side to facilitate lifting and carrying and to be more ergonomic. The ice chest provides a lid compartment for accessory and/or snack storage and tray tabs are provided in the interior of the ice chest for holding a cooler tray in position.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A container comprising: 
 a main body having a base wall and four side walls extending from said base wall so as to define a product receiving compartment, each of said walls comprising an insulating material, each of said side walls having an outer surface and an inner surface with respect to said compartment and each of said side walls having an upper edge, said upper edges together defining a top opening of said main body;    a lid for selectively closing said top opening of said main body; and    a manually engageable handle at least one of defined in and mounted to each said side wall whereby the main body may be lifted by grasping the handles of opposed side walls thereof.    
     
     
         2 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein said main body is defined by an outer shell having a base wall and four side walls integrally formed and a liner comprised of a respective base wall and side walls integrally formed, said liner being received within said shell and wherein said insulating material substantially fills a space between said liner and said shell.  
     
     
         3 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein said main body is generally square in cross-section such that each of said side walls is of generally equal width.  
     
     
         4 . A container as in  claim 3 , wherein a height defined by said main body with the lid mounted thereto generally corresponds to a width of each said side wall.  
     
     
         5 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein said lid is hingedly attached to one of said side walls.  
     
     
         6 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein said handles of one opposed pair of said side walls are pivotally mounted to said respective sides.  
     
     
         7 . A container as in  claim 6 , wherein each said pivotable handle is U-shaped including a cross bar and first and second legs, and wherein said cross bar includes a plurality of finger receiving recesses to facilitate grasping of said handle.  
     
     
         8 . A container as in  claim 1 , wherein said handles of one opposed pair of said side walls are formed and disposed so as to be fixed with respect to said side walls.  
     
     
         9 . A container as in  claim 1 , further comprising a storage compartment defined within said lid and a pivotable cover pivotally attached to the lid so as to selectively close said storage compartment.  
     
     
         10 . A container as in  claim 9 , further comprising locking tabs provided on one of said cover and said lid for engaging recesses provided on the other of said cover and said lid for holding said cover in a closed position closing said storage compartment.  
     
     
         11 . A container as in  claim 1 , each wherein said base wall of said main body comprises four flared feet, one provided at each corner of said main body.  
     
     
         12 . A container as in  claim 11 , further comprising a recess in said base wall of said main body, whereby said flared feet space the recessed bottom surface from a support surface of said container.  
     
     
         13 . A container as in  claim 1 , further comprising a tray removably seated within said ice chest.  
     
     
         14 . A container as in  claim 13 , wherein said tray comprises a base and a peripheral wall, a top peripheral edge of said peripheral wall defining a downwardly depending lip.  
     
     
         15 . A container as in  claim 14 , further comprising a ledge defined in the interior surface of at least two of the side walls of the cooler for receiving and supporting said peripheral lip of said tray.  
     
     
         16 . A container as in  claim 15 , further comprising a tray tab projecting upwardly from each said ledge for engaging a recess defined between said downwardly depending lip and said peripheral wall of the tray.  
     
     
         17 . A container as in  claim 16 , wherein first and second tray tabs project upwardly adjacent each said ledge.  
     
     
         18 . A container as in  claim 15 , wherein a ledge is defined along a portion of each side wall of the ice chest so that the tray can be supported adjacent and along each of the four side walls of the ice chest.  
     
     
         19 . A container as in  claim 18 , further comprising first and second tray tabs projecting upwardly from each said ledge for engaging a recess defined between said downwardly depending lip and said peripheral wall of the tray.  
     
     
         20 . A container comprising: 
 a main body having a base wall and four side walls extending from said base wall so as to define a product receiving compartment, each of said walls comprising an insulating material, each of said side walls having an outer surface and an inner surface with respect to said compartment and each of said side walls having an upper edge, said upper edges together defining a top opening of said main body; and    a lid for selectively closing said top opening of said main body;    wherein said main body is defined by an outer shell having a base wall and four side walls integrally formed and a liner comprised of a respective base wall and side walls integrally formed, said liner being received within said shell and wherein said insulating material substantially fills a space between said liner and said shell, and    wherein said main body is generally square in cross-section such that each of said side walls is of generally equal width.    
     
     
         21 . A container as in  claim 20 , further comprising a manually engageable handle at least one of defined in and mounted to each said side walls whereby the main body may be lifted by grasping the handles of opposed side walls thereof.  
     
     
         22 . A container as in  claim 20 , wherein said lid is hingedly attached to one of said side walls.  
     
     
         23 . A container as in  claim 21 , wherein said handles of a one opposed pair of said side walls are pivotally mounted to said respective sides.  
     
     
         24 . A container as in  claim 23 , wherein each said pivotable handle is U-shaped including a cross bar and first and second legs, and wherein said cross bar includes a plurality of finger receiving recesses to facilitate grasping of said handle.  
     
     
         25 . A container comprising: 
 a main body having a base wall and four side walls extending from said base wall so as to define a product receiving compartment, each of said walls comprising an insulating material, each of said side walls having an outer surface and an inner surface with respect to said compartment and each of said side walls having an upper edge, said upper edges together defining a top opening of said main body;    a lid for selectively closing said top opening of said main body; and    a storage compartment defined within said lid and a pivotable cover pivotally attached to the lid so as to selectively close said storage compartment.    
     
     
         26 . A container as in  claim 26 , further comprising locking tabs provided on one of said cover and said lid for engaging recesses provided on the other of said cover and said lid for holding said cover in a closed position closing said storage compartment.  
     
     
         27 . A container comprising: 
 a main body having a base wall and four side walls extending from said base wall so as to define a product receiving compartment, each of said walls comprising an insulating material, each of said side walls having an outer surface and an inner surface with respect to said compartment and each of said side walls having an upper edge, said upper edges together defining a top opening of said main body;    a lid for selectively closing said top opening of said main body;    a tray removably seated within said ice chest, wherein said tray comprises a base and a peripheral wall, a top peripheral edge of said peripheral wall defining a downwardly depending lip;    a ledge defined in the interior surface of at least two of the side walls of the cooler for receiving and supporting said peripheral lip of said tray; and    a tray tab projecting upwardly from each said ledge for engaging a recess defined between said downwardly depending lip and said peripheral wall of the tray.    
     
     
         28 . A container as in  claim 27 , wherein first and second tray tabs project upwardly adjacent each said ledge.  
     
     
         29 . A container as in  claim 27 , wherein a ledge is defined along a portion of each side wall of the ice chest so that the tray can be supported adjacent and along each of the four side walls of the ice chest.  
     
     
         30 . A container as in  claim 29 , further comprising first and second tray tabs projecting upwardly from each said ledge for engaging a recess defined between said downwardly depending lip and said peripheral wall of the tray.