Cooler ice net

Abstract

A cooler ice net adapted to reside inside a cooler is described. The cooler ice net typically contains cubed ice dispersed among or burying the cooler articles, and also enables the cubed ice to be readily separable from the cooler articles and removable from the cooler. A mesh barrier portion of the cooler ice net is typically supple, allowing the mesh barrier to drape about and conform to the cooler articles. Accordingly, ice cubes residing within a mesh barrier cavity, whose lower portion is surrounded by the mesh barrier, also conform to the cooler articles. Embodiments of the cooler ice net include handles that facilitate ready removal of the cooler ice net, along with cubed ice contained therein, from within the cooler.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A cooler ice net system comprising:
 a cooler having a cooler volume;   a cooler ice net residing inside the cooler, the cooler ice net including;
 an upper rim; 
 a mesh barrier disposed below and coupled to the upper rim, the supple mesh barrier and upper rim defining a cavity having a full volume greater than 50% of the cooler volume. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cooler ice net system of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh barrier is supple. 
     
     
         3 . The cooler ice net system of  claim 2 , wherein the cooler is a portable cooler and the cooler volume is 155 quarts or less. 
     
     
         4 . The cooler ice net system of  claim 3 , wherein the upper rim is resilient. 
     
     
         5 . The cooler ice net system of  claim 4 , wherein the cooler ice net further comprises a handle coupled to the upper rim. 
     
     
         6 . The cooler ice net system of  claim 5 , wherein the handle is coupled directly to the upper rim. 
     
     
         7 . A method of using the cooler ice net system of  claim 6  comprising:
 removing the cooler ice net from inside the cooler; 
 placing cooler articles inside the cooler; 
 replacing the cooler ice net inside the cooler; 
 placing ice cubes in the cavity. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the mesh barrier drapes about and conforms to the cooler articles. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 grasping the cooler ice net by the handle;   lifting the cooler ice net from inside the cooler with the ice cubes remaining in the cavity; and   removing a cooler article from inside the cooler.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising replacing the cooler ice net inside the cooler with the ice cubes remaining in the cavity. 
     
     
         11 . A cooler combination comprising:
 a portable cooler having a cooler volume;   a cooler ice net residing inside the cooler, the cooler ice net including;
 a resilient upper rim; 
 a handle coupled directly to the resilient upper rim; 
 a mesh barrier disposed below and coupled to the upper rim, the mesh barrier being supple and adapted to draping over and conforming to cooler articles residing inside the cooler; and 
 a cavity residing within the mesh barrier. 
   
     
     
         12 . The cooler combination of  claim 11 , wherein the cavity has a full volume greater than 70% of the cooler volume. 
     
     
         13 . The cooler combination of  claim 12 , wherein the cavity has a full volume greater than 85% of the cooler volume. 
     
     
         14 . A method of using the cooler combination of  claim 12  comprising:
 removing the cooler ice net from inside the cooler; 
 placing cooler articles inside the cooler; 
 replacing the cooler ice net inside the cooler; 
 placing ice cubes in the cavity. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the mesh barrier drapes about and conforms to the cooler articles. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 grasping the cooler ice net by the handle;   lifting the cooler ice net from inside the cooler with the ice cubes remaining in the cavity; and   removing a cooler article from inside the cooler.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising replacing the cooler ice net inside the cooler with the ice cubes remaining in the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the cooler comprises a narrow inside shelf molded into a cooler inside surface and adapted to support the upper rim. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising supporting the upper rim on the narrow inside shelf. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a cooler combination comprising:
 providing a cooler;   installing a cooler ice net inside the cooler; the cooler ice net including;
 a resilient upper rim; 
 a handle coupled to the resilient upper rim; 
 a supple mesh barrier disposed below and coupled to the upper rim, the supple mesh barrier and upper rim defining a cavity.