Lunchbox system and method

Abstract

A lunchbox system is disclosed. The lunchbox system includes a lunchbox comprising three stacked compartments and, a carrying case for the lunchbox. The three stacked compartments of the lunchbox include an upper compartment, a middle compartment and a lower compartment. The middle compartment is in thermal communication with the upper and lower compartments. In a preferred embodiment, the middle compartment is configured to retain an ice pack to keep the contents of upper and lower compartments at a low temperature. The lunchbox system further features a compartment dividers configured to partition the upper compartment and the lower compartment. Finally, the lunchbox system includes a lunchbox carrying case that is configured to retain the lunchbox.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lunchbox system comprising:
 a lunchbox having
 an upper compartment defined by a right wall upper, left wall upper, back upper, and front upper 
 a lower compartment defined by right wall lower, left wall lower, back wall lower, and front wall lower 
 a bottom, 
 and 
 a top 
 wherein
 the upper compartment includes guide slots upper and dividers upper that fit the guide slots upper 
 or 
 the lower compartment includes guide slots lower and dividers lower that fit the guide slots lower 
 
   a lunchbox carrying case having
 a rigid base; 
 a storage compartment to receive the lunchbox; 
 and 
 pockets disposed on an outside of the case. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the dividers upper fit the guide slots upper   or   the dividers lower fit the guide slots lower.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the top is hingedly connected to the right wall upper, the left wall upper, the back upper, or the front upper. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the guide slots upper sit on the right wall upper and the left wall upper. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein two guide slots upper sit on the right wall upper and the left wall upper. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the bottom is hingedly connected to the right wall lower, the left wall lower, the back wall lower, or the front wall lower. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the guide slots lower sit on the right wall lower and the left wall lower. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein two guide slots lower sit on the right wall lower and the left wall lower. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the upper compartment includes tracks having a track bottom and a track top. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the lunchbox further comprises a handle connected to the tracks. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the upper compartment includes an upper lock forming an upper fluid proof seal between the top and upper edges of the right wall upper, left wall upper, back upper, and front upper. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the lower compartment includes a lower lock component that engages a component from the upper compartment and forms a lower fluid proof seal between the bottom and lower edges of the right wall lower, left wall lower, back wall lower, and front wall lower. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein
 some of the dividers upper have a first divider upper configured to extend between the right wall upper and the left wall upper   or   the right wall lower and left wall lower.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein
 some of the dividers upper have a second divider upper configured to extend a partial distance between the right wall upper and the left wall upper   or   some of the dividers lower have a second divider lower configured to extend a partial distance between the right wall lower and left wall lower.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the dividers include divider guide slots. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the rigid base comprises a textured rubber configured to absorb impact. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the storage compartment includes an insulative layer of material. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the storage compartment has a lid including a closure mechanism. 
     
     
         19 . A method of using a lunchbox system comprising the steps of:
 providing a lunchbox having
 an upper compartment defined by a right wall upper, left wall upper, back upper, and front upper 
 a lower compartment defined by right wall lower, left wall lower, back wall lower, and front wall lower 
 a bottom, 
 and 
 a top 
 wherein
 the upper compartment includes guide slots upper and dividers upper that fit the guide slots upper 
 or 
 the lower compartment includes guide slots lower and dividers lower that fit the guide slots lower 
 
 a lunchbox carrying case having
 a rigid base; 
 a storage compartment to receive the lunchbox; 
 and 
 pockets disposed on an outside of the case. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the steps of
 partitioning the upper compartment with the dividers upper;   partitioning the lower compartment with the dividers lower;   removing the lunchbox from the lunchbox carrying case;   and   inserting the lunchbox into the lunchbox carrying case.