Soft-sided insulated container with inflatable wall structure

Abstract

A soft-sided insulated container assembly is made of a flexible wall structure that is movable between a collapsed position and a deployed position. In one variation of the deployed position it resembles a tote-bag; in another variation of folding the deployed position corresponds to a generally box-like shape. The container includes a self-inflating wall structure that has an inner layer or skin, an outer layer or skin, the two skins being welded together, and a resilient, open-cell insulating layer trapped between the two skins. A valve governs the ability to take in or to expel air. The outer layer may be thicker and more robust that the inner layer, the better to resist abrasion or punctures. The inner layer may be reflective. The assembly includes collapsible bottles that, when filled, are predominantly flat and are seated in predominantly flat pockets in the side walls to function as ice packs. When the bottles are empty, they and the container can be rolled up together into a single roll.

1 . A soft-sided insulated container assembly including:
 a soft-sided wall structure and at least one auxiliary container removably mounted therewithin;   said soft-sided wall structure including an outer layer, an inner layer, and a layer of insulation trapped between said inner and outer layers;   said inflatable wall structure being collapsible when empty;   said at least one auxiliary container, being collapsible when empty;   said at least one auxiliary container being water-tight and having a removable watertight closure governing access thereto; and   when both said soft-sided wall structure and said at least one auxiliary container are empty, said soft-sided insulated container assembly being movable to a collapsed storage configuration with said at least one auxiliary container in a corresponding collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein, in said collapsed storage configuration, said at least one auxiliary container is nested within said soft-sided insulated container assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein in said collapsed storage configuration said soft-sided insulated wall structure and said at least one auxiliary container are formed into a roll. 
     
     
         4 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said soft-sided insulated container assembly is a self-inflating soft-sided insulated container assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said insulation layer is resilient, and, when said container assembly is other than in said collapsed storage configuration, said resilient insulation layer is biased to cause said soft-sided wall structure to self-inflate. 
     
     
         6 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said soft-sided insulated wall structure has at least one accommodation formed therein in which to receive said at least one auxiliary container. 
     
     
         7 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said soft-sided wall structure includes a plurality of wall panels that, when deployed, define a chamber in which to receive objects; and at least one of said wall panels has an accommodation formed thereon in which to receive said at least one auxiliary container, said accommodation having a size commensurate to said at least one auxiliary container. 
     
     
         8 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 6  wherein said at least one auxiliary container has a closure through which to admit liquid; and, as mounted in said chamber, said closure is other than uppermost. 
     
     
         9 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one auxiliary container is a bottle having a flexible bladder and a rigid spout. 
     
     
         10 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said inner layer and said outer layer are welded together, and said soft-sided insulated wall structure has additional weldments formed between said inner layer and said outer layer other than at respective peripheries thereof, said additional welds defining preferential folding locations for at least first and second alternative deployed configurations. 
     
     
         11 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 10  wherein said soft-sided insulated container assembly has securements mounted thereto selectively operable to retain said soft-sided insulated container assembly in any of said alternative deployed configurations. 
     
     
         12 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said soft-sided wall structure includes welded load-spreading doublers and lifting members mounted to said load spreading doublers. 
     
     
         13 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said soft-sided insulated wall structure is inflatable, said inner layer and said outer layer are joined together at weldments, said soft-sided insulated container assembly has a valve operable to govern inflation of said soft-sided insulated wall structure, and said valve is embedded in a weldment formed along a seam of said inner layer to said outer layer. 
     
     
         14 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one auxiliary container comprises a bladder web and an inlet, said bladder web being made of a single sheet folded over and seamed to itself at water-tight seams; and said inlet includes a spot body fitting, said spout body fitting having a transition to mount in one of said seams. 
     
     
         15 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said container assembly stands taller than wide, and any face thereof is trapezoidal. 
     
     
         16 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said inner layer and said outer layer are waterproof. 
     
     
         17 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said container assembly has a water-proof zipper governing access thereto, whereby said container assembly is waterproof. 
     
     
         18 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said at least one auxiliary container is at least twice as wide as thick, and twice as tall as thick, whereby, when located within said soft-sided wall structure, said at least one auxiliary container is more flat than round. 
     
     
         19 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said soft-sided insulated wall structure has accommodations corresponding in number to said auxiliary containers, and said accommodations are substantially flat. 
     
     
         20 . The soft-sided insulated container assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a liner and wherein said liner is at least one of (a) removable; and (b) transparent.