Cooler with automatic product height adjustment mechanism

Abstract

A cooler has a housing defining a product compartment having a floor panel. A product platform is disposed in the product compartment and is movable vertically relative to the floor panel. A plurality of product containers are disposed on the product platform within the product compartment. A constant force spring disposed between the floor panel and the product platform exerts an upward force on the product platform to maintain product containers at a constant height as product containers are removed and as ice melts.

1 . A cooler, comprising:
 an upright housing;   a product compartment mounted within said housing and having a floor;   a product platform disposed in said housing and movable vertically relative to said floor, said product platform adapted to hold a plurality of product containers disposed within said product compartment; and   a constant force spring disposed between said floor panel and said product platform exerting an upward force on said product platform to maintain said product platform at a constant height as product containers are removed.   
   
   
       2 . A cooler, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said product platform has a plurality of openings. 
   
   
       3 . A cooler, as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said product compartment has a sidewall attached to said floor forming water tight compartment 
   
   
       4 . A cooler, as set forth in  claim 1 , including a pole attached to said floor. 
   
   
       5 . A cooler, as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said spring is a coil spring and said spring is coiled about said pole. 
   
   
       6 . A cooler, as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said product platform has a central opening and said pole protrudes through said opening. 
   
   
       7 . A cooler, as set forth in  claim 1 , including a floor platform disposed on said floor. 
   
   
       8 . A cooler, as set forth in  claim 7 , including a pole attached to said floor platform. 
   
   
       9 . A cooler, as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said spring is a coil spring and said spring is coiled about said pole. 
   
   
       10 . A cooler, as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein said product platform has a central opening and said pole protrudes through said opening.