Insulated Container and Drain Plug with Valve Aspect

Abstract

A valve assembly is mounted on a cooler wall comprising a valve opening, the valve opening comprising a seat, the cooler comprising a plurality of walls, a top, and a base. The valve comprises a stem and a valve member, the valve member being adapted for sealing engagement with the seat. When comprising a cooler drain plug, the device comprises a cylindrical main body comprising a threaded post, the main body and threaded post sharing a central longitudinal axis. The threaded post is cylindrical and comprises a through opening concentrically arranged along the longitudinal axis. The threaded post is adapted to be threaded into a cooperatively threaded cooler plug opening of a cooler. The threaded post opening is in fluid communication with a main body opening. The main body opening is adapted to receive the valve assembly.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An insulated container comprising a valve;
 said insulated container comprising one or more walls, a top, and a base;   said insulated container further comprising an opening comprising a seat;   said valve comprising a stem and a valve member, said valve member being adapted for sealing engagement with said seat;   said valve further comprising a spring element for biasing said valve member against said seat;   said stem further comprising outer and inner valve plates; and   said spring element being positioned around the valve stem between said seat and said outer valve plate.   
     
     
         2 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , the insulated container comprising one or more cold items and a pressure differential between a pressure within the insulated container and a pressure outside the insulated container. 
     
     
         3 . A drain plug comprising a valve;
 said valve comprising a stem, a seat, and a valve member, said valve member being adapted for sealing engagement with said seat;   said drain plug adapted for removable coupling with a container.   
     
     
         4 . The drain plug of  claim 3 , said valve further comprising a spring element for biasing said valve member against said seat. 
     
     
         5 . The drain plug of  claim 4 , said container being an insulated container, said insulated container comprising a drain plug opening adapted to be sealingly coupled to said drain plug. 
     
     
         6 . The drain plug of  claim 5 , said drain plug and drain plug opening being cooperatively threaded. 
     
     
         7 . A method for bringing an interior pressure of an insulated container to a level approximating or nearing that of an atmospheric pressure external to the insulated container method comprising the steps of:
 providing an insulated container comprising a valve;   said valve comprising a stem, a seat, and a valve member;   said valve member being adapted for sealing engagement with said seat; and   moving said valve member away from said seat such that atmospheric air external to the cooler is in fluid communication with the air within said insulated container.   
     
     
         8 . The method for bringing an interior pressure of an insulated container to a level approximating or nearing that of an atmospheric pressure external to the insulated container of  claim 7 , said valve stem comprising a spring element for biasing said valve member against said seat. 
     
     
         9 . The method for bringing an interior pressure of an insulated container to a level approximating or nearing that of an atmospheric pressure external to the insulated container of  claim 8 , said stem further comprising outer and inner valve plates. 
     
     
         10 . The method for bringing an interior pressure of an insulated container to a level approximating or nearing that of an atmospheric pressure external to the insulated container of  claim 9 , said spring element being positioned around the valve stem between said seat and said outer valve plate, such that said spring element and said valve stem share a common longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         11 . The method for bringing an interior pressure of an insulated container to a level approximating or nearing that of an atmospheric pressure external to the insulated container of  claim 8 , said insulated container comprising a drain plug, said drain plug comprising said valve. 
     
     
         12 . The method for bringing an interior pressure of an insulated container to a level approximating or nearing that of an atmospheric pressure external to the insulated container of  claim 11 , said drain plug and insulated container comprising threading, said drain plug threading and said insulated container threading being adapted for cooperative coupling of said drain plug to said insulated container. 
     
     
         13 . The method for bringing an interior pressure of an insulated container to a level approximating or nearing that of an atmospheric pressure external to the insulated container of  claim 11 , said insulated container comprising one or more cold items.