Thermal container with pedal operated lid

Abstract

The thermal container in accordance with the present invention is a portable thermal chest such as a cooler having a pedal-operated hinged lid. An articulated linkage is provided between a foot-operated pedal and the hinged top of the chest to allow the chest to be conveniently opened without use of the user's hands.

1 . A portable thermal chest comprising: 
 a chest body having a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of opposing side walls, and a bottom wall, said front wall and said rear wall and said bottom wall and said pair of opposing side walls being joined to form an open compartment having an upper rim, the length of said front and said rear walls being greater than their height;    a lid hingedly joined to said rear wall to selectively close said lid against said rim, closing said compartment;    an articulated linkage system operably attached between said lid and at least one of said side walls; and    a foot pedal operably attached to said articulated linkage system for selectively opening said lid;    whereby, upon a user stepping downward on said foot pedal, said articulated linkage system operates to open said lid; and    whereby, upon a user lifting their foot from said foot pedal, said lid closes against said rim under its own weight.    
   
   
       2 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 1 , said articulated linkage system comprising: 
 a U-shaped bar having a front portion and side portions, said side portions having corresponding end portions, said U-shaped bar being pivotally joined to each of said chest side walls, said foot pedal being joined to said front portion of said U-shaped bar, a pair of lift arms, each of said lift arms having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, said lift arm lower end portions being pivotally joined to different ones of said end portions of said U-shape bar, said lift arms being pivotally joined at their upper ends to said lid;    whereby depressing said pedal will cause said U-shaped bar to pivot, lifting said lift arms and consequently said lid to an open position.    
   
   
       3 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 2 , wherein each of said lift arms is pivotally joined to said lid at a point spaced from said chest rear wall, said spacing being less than the remaining spacing along said lid from said chest front wall.  
   
   
       4 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 1 , wherein said heights of said chest rear wall, said chest front wall, and said chest sidewalls are equally spaced from said bottom wall, said chest rear wall, said chest front wall, and said chest sidewalls forming a flat said rim sealingly supporting said lid.  
   
   
       5 . The thermal chest of  claim 3 , wherein said pair of lift arms are inclined upwardly from said chest rear wall to points spaced from said chest front wall.  
   
   
       6 . The thermal chest of  claim 5 , wherein each of said lift arms is positioned along the exterior of said chest sidewalls.  
   
   
       7 . The thermal chest of  claim 6 , wherein said front portion of said U-shaped bar is positioned along the exterior of said chest front wall and said side portions are positioned along the exterior of each of corresponding said chest sidewalls.  
   
   
       8 . The thermal chest of  claim 1 , wherein said thermal chest is rectangular in shape.  
   
   
       9 . The thermal chest of  claim 1 , wherein said chest front wall, said chest back wall, said chest sidewalls, said chest bottom wall, and said lid are each made of lightweight material.  
   
   
       10 . The thermal chest of  claim 9 , wherein said lightweight material insulation-cored plastic or aluminum.  
   
   
       11 . The thermal chest of  claim 10 , wherein said insulation is polymeric foam.  
   
   
       12 . A portable thermal chest comprising; 
 a container body having a bottom wall a front wall, a rear wall, and opposed sidewalls forming an upper rim, and a hinged lid pivotally attached to said container body for selectively closing said chest, said front wall and said rear wall being smaller in height than in width;    a manipulating mechanism comprising: 
 a U-shaped bar, said U-shaped bar being pivotally joined to each of said body side walls;  
 a pair of lift arms having upper end portions and lower portions, each said lift arm being pivotally joined at a lower said end portion to different ones of the end portions of said U-shaped bar, and at an upper said end portion to said hinged lid; and  
 a pedal;  
 said pedal being attached to said U-shaped bar;  
   whereby depressing said pedal causes said hinged lid to open.    
   
   
       13 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 12 , wherein said U-shaped bar is positioned along the exterior of said body front wall and each of said body sidewalls, whereby the ends of said U-shaped bar are positioned along the exterior of said body sidewalls and the center of said U-shaped bar is positioned along the exterior of said body front wall.  
   
   
       14 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 12 , wherein said pair of lift arms are inclined upwardly from said body rear wall to said body front wall.  
   
   
       15 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 12 , wherein said pair of lift arms are pivotally joined at their respective said upper ends to said hinged lid at points spaced from said body rear wall, the spacing defined thereby defined between said lift arms and said body front wall being greater than said spacing from said body rear wall.  
   
   
       16 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 12 , wherein said pedal is joined to the center portion of said U-shaped bar.  
   
   
       17 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 12 , further comprising a first pair of axles, said first pair of axles each opposingly joined at one end to said U-shaped bar and opposingly joined at the opposite end to different ones of said body side walls, whereby said U-shaped bar is pivotable in relation to said body side walls.  
   
   
       18 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 17 , further comprising a second pair of axles, said second pair of axles each opposingly joined at one end to different said lift arms and opposingly joined to said hinged lid, whereby said lift arms are pivotable in relation to said hinged lid.  
   
   
       19 . A portable thermal chest comprising: 
 a chest body having a front wall, a rear wall, a pair of opposing side walls, and a bottom wall, said front wall and said rear wall and said bottom wall and said pair of opposing sidewalls being joined to form an open compartment having an upper rim, the length of said front and said rear walls being greater than their height;    a lid hingedly joined to said rear wall to selectively close said lid against said rim, closing said compartment;    an articulated linkage system operably attached between said lid and at least one of said side walls; and    a foot pedal operably attached to said articulated linkage system for selectively opening said lid;    said a U-shaped bar having a front portion and side portions, said side portion having corresponding end portions, said U-shaped bar being pivotally joined to each of said chest side walls, said foot pedal being joined to said front portion of said U-shaped bar, a pair of lift arms, each of said lift arms having an upper end portion and a lower end portion, said lift arm lower end portions being pivotally joined to different ones of said end portions of said U-shape bar, said lift arms being pivotally joined at their upper ends to said lid;    whereby depressing said pedal will cause said U-shaped bar to pivot, lifting said lift arms and consequently said lid to an open position.    
   
   
       20 . The portable thermal chest of  claim 19 , wherein each of said lift arms is pivotally joined to said lid a at a point spaced from said chest rear wall, said spacing being less than the remaining spacing along said lid from said chest front wall, said thermal chest being rectangular in shape, said chest front wall, said chest back wall, said chest sidewalls, said chest bottom wall, and said lid each being made of lightweight material, said lightweight material being insulation-cored plastic or aluminum.