Portable cooler with disguised valuables compartment

Abstract

A portable cooler of the kind used to store food and beverages and used to keep ice has a hidden compartment for safekeeping valuables. A disguised or camouflaged access door is provided in the outer wall of the cooler which permits entry to the hidden compartment. Thermal conductivity is provided between the hidden compartment and main interior compartment to allow perishable items such as medications to be kept cooler than the usual ambient temperature outside the cooler. In a preferred embodiment, an internal drawer is provided within the hidden compartment for holding valuables such as keys, cell phones or medications. Optional locking means and an additional barrier or flap is provided to prevent unauthorized removal of items.

1 . A portable cooler comprising:
 A container housing
 having at least two separate compartments of which one is primary and larger in volume, and the other secondary and smaller in volume, 
 said compartments sharing a common partition, 
 a top lid member connected to the container housing by hinge means permitting the lid member to be opened or closed allowing selective access to the primary compartment, 
   And a door located in the wall, adjacent the primary compartment of the container housing, said door allowing selective access to the secondary compartment though not to the primary compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The portable cooler of  claim 1 . in which the common partition is thermally conductive. 
     
     
         3 . The portable cooler of  claim 2 . in which the door in closed position is substantially perpendicular to the top lid member. 
     
     
         4 . The portable cooler of  claim 1 . in which the outer surface of the container housing is visually patterned to disguise the presence of the door in closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The portable cooler of  claim 4 . in which the secondary compartment contains a slidable drawer capable of receiving objects such as cell phones, keys and medications. 
     
     
         6 . The portable cooler of  claim 5 . in which a lockable latch means is mounted on the front of the slidable drawer. 
     
     
         7 . The portable cooler of  claim 5 . in which a lockable latch means is mounted on the interior side of the wall of the container housing in a position to selectively inhibit access to the contents of a slidable drawer located within the secondary compartment. 
     
     
         8 . The portable cooler of  claim 5 . in which the container housing contains an aperture for accepting a latch means within said wall of the container housing in position to inhibit access to the contents of a slidable drawer located therein. 
     
     
         9 . The portable cooler of  claim 6 . in which the lockable latch means incorporates a combination type lock. 
     
     
         10 . The portable cooler of  claim 7 . in which the lockable latch means incorporates a combination type lock. 
     
     
         11 . The portable cooler of  claim 4  in which a lockable flap is located behind the access door to the secondary compartment capable of restricting access to the compartment when the access door is opened.