Combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler

Abstract

The technology described herein provides a combination beverage cooler and car seat cooler for simultaneously cooling food, beverages, and the like and cooling an unoccupied car seat. The combined cooler includes an insulated container having a back panel and a front panel opposite one another, a left side panel and a right side panel opposite one another and extended between the back and front panels, the back, front, left, and right panels integrally formed with a bottom panel, thereby defining an interior cavity for receipt of an at least one item to cool, and a sealable lid being sealable with the back, front, left, and right panels and hingedly connected to the rear panel and an insulated cover for thermally protecting an unoccupied car seat, the cover having a flexible thermal barrier and being foldably attached to the insulated container to provide a combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler.

1 . A combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler, comprising:
 an insulated container having a back panel and a front panel opposite one another, a left side panel and a right side panel opposite one another and extended between the back and front panels, the back, front, left, and right panels integrally formed with a bottom panel, thereby defining an interior cavity for receipt of an at least one item to cool, and a sealable lid being sealable with the back, front, left, and right panels and hingedly connected to a top of the rear panel; and   an insulated cover for thermally protecting an unoccupied car seat, the cover having a flexible thermal barrier and being foldably attached to the insulated container to provide a combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler.   
   
   
       2 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pocket disposed within the lid, back, front, left, or right panels of the insulated container to receive a cooler ice pack with which to cool the beverage cooler; and   a pocket disposed with an underside of the unfolded insulated cover to receive a cover ice pack with which to cool the car seat cooler.   
   
   
       3 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the insulated cover for thermally protecting an unoccupied car seat further comprises a lower seat cover and an upper seat cover, each foldably disposed upon a side of the insulated container. 
   
   
       4 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 3 , wherein the lower seat cover and an upper seat cover are each foldably attached to the insulated container and held in position with a hook-and-loop fastener. 
   
   
       5 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 3 , wherein the lower seat cover and an upper seat cover are foldably attached to the insulated container and held in position with a zipper. 
   
   
       6 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 3 , wherein the lower seat cover and an upper seat cover are detachable from the insulated container. 
   
   
       7 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fastener configured to hold the insulated cover to the car seat.   
   
   
       8 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the insulated cover is water-resistant. 
   
   
       9 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the lower seat cover and the upper seat cover each further comprise a plurality of pockets disposed with an underside of the unfolded insulated cover to receive a plurality of cover ice packs with which to cool the car seat cooler. 
   
   
       10 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the lower seat cover and the upper seat cover are attached to the insulated container with hook-and-loop fasteners and are detachable from the insulated container. 
   
   
       11 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the lower seat cover and the upper seat cover are attached to the insulated container with zipper fasteners and are detachable from the insulated container. 
   
   
       12 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 1 , wherein the insulated cover for thermally protecting an unoccupied car seat comprises a plurality of layers. 
   
   
       13 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 12 , wherein one of the plurality of layers is a reflective layer to provide additional insulation and reflect heat. 
   
   
       14 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 3 , wherein the lower seat cover and the upper seat cover are configured to be unfolded and operatively be placed over a car seat base, back, head rest, and arm rests to provide thermal protection to the unoccupied car seat. 
   
   
       15 . The combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a carrying strap disposed upon the insulated container to facilitate transportability of the combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler, the carrying strap being operatively adjustable.   
   
   
       16 . A method for cooling an unoccupied car seat, the method comprising:
 utilizing an insulated container having a back panel and a front panel opposite one another, a left side panel and a right side panel opposite one another and extended between the back and front panels, the back, front, left, and right panels integrally formed with a bottom panel, thereby defining an interior cavity for receipt of an at least one item to cool, and a sealable lid hingedly connected to a top of the rear panel and an insulated cover for thermally protecting an unoccupied car seat, the cover having a flexible thermal barrier and being foldably attached to the insulated container to provide a combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler;   placing the insulated container in the unoccupied car seat; and   unfolding the insulated cover from the insulated container and covering the unoccupied car seat to thermally protect the car seat;   wherein the insulated container and the insulated cover together form a combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler.   
   
   
       17 . The method for cooling an unoccupied car seat of  claim 16 , wherein the lower seat cover and the upper seat cover each further comprise a plurality of pockets disposed with an underside of the unfolded insulated cover to receive a plurality of cover ice packs with which to cool the car seat cooler, the method further comprising:
 inserting a plurality of cover ice packs into each of the lower seat cover and the upper seat cover.   
   
   
       18 . The method for cooling an unoccupied car seat of  claim 16 , wherein the insulated cover for thermally protecting an unoccupied car seat further comprises a lower seat cover and an upper seat cover, each foldably disposed upon a side of the insulated container; and wherein the lower seat cover and the upper seat cover are configured to be unfolded and operatively placed over a car seat base, back, head rest, and arm rests to provide thermal protection to the unoccupied car seat; the method further comprising:
 unfolding the lower seat cover from the combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler;   covering the car seat base;   unfolding the upper seat cover from the combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler;   covering the seat back, head rest, and arm rests of the car seat; and   unfolding both the lower seat cover and the upper seat cover such that the insulated container remains in the car seat to provide additional cooling.   
   
   
       19 . The method for cooling an unoccupied car seat of  claim 16 , wherein the lower seat cover and the upper seat cover are detachable from the insulated container; the method further comprising:
 detaching the lower seat cover from the insulated container; and   detaching the upper seat cover from the insulated container;   wherein the insulated container is utilized as a portable beverage cooler.   
   
   
       20 . The method for cooling an unoccupied car seat of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 folding, upon completion of use of the combined beverage cooler and car seat cooler, over the car seat the insulated cover up to the insulated container; and   attaching the folded insulated cover to the insulated container.