Soft-sided cooler or lunch kit with quick access flap defining a decorative figure

Abstract

Quick access to the interior of a soft-sided cooler is provided by means of a quick access flap ( 26 ) hinged to the top panel ( 18 ) of a cooler body ( 10 ) and overlying an access opening ( 30 ). A decorative figure ( 25 ) is formed on the top panel ( 18 ), with a portion ( 32 ) of the decorative figure ( 25 ) being defined by the flap ( 26 ).

1 . A soft-sided lunch kit comprising: 
 a body including a pliable bottom wall, a pliable side wall joined to and extending in upstanding-fashion about the periphery of the bottom wall, the side wall including an upper loading/unloading access opening to the interior of the body;    a pliable top panel sized to close the loading/unloading access opening and hinged to said body to be movable between positions opening and closing said loading/unloading access opening, an exterior side of said top panel having a decorative figure formed thereon; and    a quick access structure including a quick access opening in the top panel, and a flap hinged to the top panel to be movable between positions opening and closing the quick access opening, the flap defining a portion of said decorative figure.    
   
   
       2 . The lunch kit of  claim 1  wherein the flap has a periphery shaped to resemble at least a part of said portion of said decorative figure.  
   
   
       3 . The lunch kit of  claim 1  wherein the flap comprises an opening tab extending from the flap to overlay a surface of said exterior of said top panel, the opening tab defining part of said portion of said decorative figure.  
   
   
       4 . The lunch kit of  claim 1  wherein said pliable bottom wall, pliable side wall, pliable top panel and flap are all thermally insulated.  
   
   
       5 . The lunch kit of  claim 1  further comprising a zipper-like closing device extending about the loading/unloading access opening and a periphery of the top panel for selectively securing the top panel in a position closing said loading/unloading access opening.  
   
   
       6 . The lunch kit of  claim 1  wherein said decorative figure is in the form of an animal or a car, and said portion of said decorative figure comprises a lower jaw of the animal or a hood of the car.  
   
   
       7 . The lunch kit of  claim 6  wherein the flap comprises an opening tab extending from the flap to overlay a surface of said exterior of said top panel, the opening tab defining part of said portion of said decorative figure, said part of said portion of said decorative figure comprises a tooth or a lip of said animal or a grill of said car.  
   
   
       8 . The lunch kit of  claim 1  wherein the quick access opening provides access to a storage compartment carried on an interior side of the top panel.  
   
   
       9 . A soft-sided lunch kit comprising: 
 a pliable body surrounding an storage compartment having a loading/unloading access opening;    a lid connected to said body and sized to close said loading/unloading access opening with the lid in a closed position, the lid including a quick access opening therein to allow access to the storage compartment with the lid in the closed position, an exterior of said lid having a decorative figure formed thereon;    a flap connected to said lid to be movable between positions opening and closing said quick access opening in said lid, said flap defining a portion of said decorative figure.    
   
   
       10 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  wherein said pliable body is thermally insulated.  
   
   
       11 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  wherein said pliable body and said lid are thermally insulated.  
   
   
       12 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  wherein said pliable body, said lid, and said flap are thermally insulated.  
   
   
       13 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  wherein said lid is pliable.  
   
   
       14 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  wherein said lid and said flap are pliable.  
   
   
       15 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  wherein the flap comprises an opening tab extending from the flap to overlay a surface of said exterior of said lid, the opening tab defining part of said portion of said decorative figure.  
   
   
       16 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  further comprising a zipper-like closing device extending about the loading/unloading access opening and a periphery of the lid for selectively securing the lid in a position closing said loading/unloading access opening.  
   
   
       17 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  wherein said decorative figure is in the form of an animal or a car, and said portion of said decorative figure comprises a lower jaw of the animal or a hood of the car.  
   
   
       18 . The lunch kit of  claim 17  wherein the flap comprises an opening tab extending from the flap to overlay a surface of said exterior of said lid, the opening tab defining part of said portion of said decorative figure, said part of said portion of said decorative figure comprising a tooth or lip of said animal or a grill of said car.  
   
   
       19 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  wherein the flap has a periphery shaped to resemble at least part of said portion of said decorative figure.  
   
   
       20 . The lunch kit of  claim 9  wherein the quick access opening provides access to a storage compartment carried on an interior side of the top panel.  
   
   
       21 . A soft-sided cooler comprising: 
 a body including an insulated, pliable bottom wall, an insulated pliable side wall joined to and extending in upstanding-fashion about the periphery of the bottom wall, the side wall including an upper loading/unloading access opening to the interior of the body;    an insulated pliable top panel sized to close the loading/unloading access opening and hinged to said body to be movable between positions opening and closing said loading/unloading access opening, an exterior side of said top panel having a decorative figure formed thereon; and    a quick access structure including a quick access opening in the top panel, and a flap hinged to the top panel to be movable between positions opening and closing the quick access opening, the flap defining a portion of said decorative figure.    
   
   
       22 . The cooler of  claim 21  wherein the flap has a periphery shaped to resemble at least a part of said portion of said decorative figure.  
   
   
       23 . The cooler of  claim 21  wherein the flap comprises an opening tab extending from the flap to overlay a surface of said exterior of said top panel, the opening tab defining part of said portion of said decorative figure.  
   
   
       24 . The lunch kit of  claim 21  wherein the quick access opening provides access to a storage compartment carried on an interior side of the top panel.