Cooler Assembly

Abstract

A cooler assembly for retaining a surface of a lid in a horizontal position when opening and closing the cooler assembly includes a container with a lid coupled to the container by a linkage. The lid is movable to cover and expose an opening to a compartment positioned within the container. The lid has a top surface which the linkage maintains in a horizontal alignment throughout its range of motion.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A cooler assembly comprising:
 a container having a base wall and a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the base wall, the perimeter wall having a front wall, a back wall, a first lateral wall, and a second lateral wall, the container having a compartment positioned therein, a top side of the container defining an opening extending downwardly into the compartment, the base wall and the perimeter wall each being thermally insulated;   a lid being complementary in shape to the opening, the lid having a top surface being planar, the lid being positionable in a closed position wherein the lid covers the opening and an open position wherein the lid exposes the opening, the top surface being horizontally aligned in each of the closed position and the open position, the lid being thermally insulated; and   a linkage being coupled to and extending between the container and the lid, the linkage facilitating movement of the lid upwardly and rearwardly from the container when the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position, wherein the movement of the lid between the open position and the closed position retains the top surface in a horizontal orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the container has a height between the base wall to the top side of between 12.0 inches and 24.0 inches, wherein the container has a width between the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall of between 24.0 inches and 45.0 inches, wherein the container has a depth between the front wall and the back wall of between 12.0 inches and 30.0 inches. 
     
     
         3 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage comprises a hinge assembly, the hinge assembly comprising a pair of arms having equal lengths to each other, the pair of arms being parallel to each other, each of the pair of arms being pivotably coupled to the container and the lid such that the lid is pivotable upwardly and rearwardly from the container when the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position, one of the pair of arms being positioned closer to the front wall than another of the pair of arms, wherein the pair of arms maintains the top surface in the horizontal orientation during the movement of the lid between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The cooler assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the linkage further comprises a damper spring being coupled to and extending between the pair of arms such that the damper spring damps motion of the lid toward the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage comprises a first hinge assembly and a second hinge assembly, each of the first hinge assembly and the second hinge assembly comprising a pair of arms having equal lengths to each other, the pair of arms being parallel to each other, each of the pair of arms being pivotably coupled to the container and the lid such that the lid is pivotable upwardly and rearwardly from the container when the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position, one of the pair of arms being positioned closer to the front wall than another of the pair of arms, wherein the pair of arms maintains the top surface in the horizontal orientation during the movement of the lid between the open position and the closed position. 
     
     
         6 . The cooler assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first hinge assembly and the second hinge assembly each further comprise a damper spring being coupled to and extending between the pair of arms such that the damper spring damps motion of the lid toward the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The cooler assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the first hinge assembly extends between an inner surface of the first lateral wall and a bottom surface of the lid, the second hinge assembly extending between an inner surface of the second lateral wall and the bottom surface of the lid. 
     
     
         8 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a latch engaging the lid and the container, the latch being configured for securing the lid in the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a top handle being coupled to the lid, the top handle being positioned on a front edge of the lid. 
     
     
         10 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first bottom handle being coupled to the first lateral wall; and   a second bottom handle being coupled to the second lateral wall.   
     
     
         11 . The cooler assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of wheels being coupled to the container, the plurality of wheels being positioned at least partially below the container. 
     
     
         12 . A cooler assembly comprising:
 a container having a base wall and a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the base wall, the perimeter wall having a front wall, a back wall, a first lateral wall, and a second lateral wall, the container having a compartment positioned therein, a top side of the container defining an opening extending downwardly into the compartment, the base wall and the perimeter wall each being thermally insulated;   the container having a height between the base wall to the top side of between 12.0 inches and 24.0 inches, the container having a width between the first lateral wall and the second lateral wall of between 24.0 inches and 45.0 inches, the container having a depth between the front wall and the back wall of between 12.0 inches and 30.0 inches;   a lid being complementary in shape to the opening, the lid having a top surface being planar, the lid being positionable in a closed position wherein the lid covers the opening and an open position wherein the lid exposes the opening, the top surface being horizontally aligned in each of the closed position and the open position, the lid being thermally insulated;   a linkage being coupled to and extending between the container and the lid, the linkage facilitating movement of the lid upwardly and rearwardly from the container when the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position, wherein the movement of the lid between the open position and the closed position retains the top surface in a horizontal orientation, the linkage comprising a first hinge assembly and a second hinge assembly, each of the first hinge assembly and the second hinge assembly comprising:
 a pair of arms having equal lengths to each other, the pair of arms being parallel to each other, each of the pair of arms being pivotably coupled to the container and the lid such that the lid is pivotable upwardly and rearwardly from the container when the lid is moved from the closed position to the open position, one of the pair of arms being positioned closer to the front wall than another of the pair of arms, wherein the pair of arms maintains the top surface in the horizontal orientation during the movement of the lid between the open position and the closed position; and 
 a damper spring being coupled to and extending between the pair of arms such that the damper spring damps motion of the lid toward the closed position; 
   the first hinge assembly extending between an inner surface of the first lateral wall and a bottom surface of the lid, the second hinge assembly extending between an inner surface of the second lateral wall and the bottom surface of the lid;   a latch engaging the lid and the container, the latch being configured for securing the lid in the closed position;   a top handle being coupled to the lid, the top handle being positioned on a front edge of the lid;   a first bottom handle being coupled to the first lateral wall;   a second bottom handle being coupled to the second lateral wall; and   a plurality of wheels being coupled to the container, the plurality of wheels being positioned at least partially below the container.