Soft-sided insulated container with rim

Abstract

A soft sided insulated container assembly includes a first portion having an insulated, soft sided external wall structure, and a substantially rigid molded plastic frame that defines the opening of a receptacle of the soft-sided insulated main body of the container. The frame is removable from the main body. It has a rigid cover structure that includes a reinforcement member for engaging a land region of the molded frame, thereby tending to yield an interface tending to have a sealing relationship. There may be an intermediate third member, whether a rigid liner or a flexible liner having a rigid ring frame. The third member is capture between the lid and body of the container when closed. Where a ring frame is used, the container remains foldable, and has stiffening panels in the front and rear walls to facilitate folding.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An insulated container assembly comprising:
 a first portion, a second portion and a third portion;   said first portion having a soft-sided insulated wall structure defining a main body of said insulated container assembly;   said second portion defining a lid of said soft-sided insulated container; and   said third portion defining a liner of said container assembly;   said lid being co-operable with said body to define an insulated chamber therewithin in which to place objects, said chamber having an opening;   said lid being movable relative to said main body between a first position and a second position to govern access to said chamber;   said liner fitting within said chamber of said main body;   said first portion having a rigid cuff that extends about said opening of said chamber;   said soft-sided insulated wall structure of said main body being surmounted by said rigid cuff;   said lid including a second closure member;   said second closure member being movable to a first position relative to said cuff in which said lid obstructs access to said chamber, said first position being a closed position of said lid;   said second closure member being movable to a second position relative to said cuff, said second position defining an open position of said lid relative to chamber;   said second closure member defines a rigid land;   said liner has a rigid rim;   said rigid rim of said liner seats removably on said cuff;   in said closed position of said second closure member relative to said cuff said rigid land of said second closure member entraps said rim.   
     
     
         2 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said cuff defines a first peripherally extending indexing member, said rim defines a second peripherally extending indexing member, said first and second indexing members being mutually engageable in a male-female mating relationship. 
     
     
         3 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein in said closed position said rigid land of said second closure member of said lid bears against said rigid rim of said liner in an interference fit. 
     
     
         4 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein in said closed position said rigid rim is sandwiched between said rigid land of said lid and said rigid cuff of said main body portion. 
     
     
         5 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 2  wherein said cuff includes an upstanding ridge, and said rim has an over-folded flange, and said over-folded rim seats on said ridge. 
     
     
         6 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said liner includes a flexible membrane that depends from said rigid rim, and, on installation of said liner, said membrane locates within said chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said main body of said soft-sided insulated container assembly has a base and an upstanding soft-sided peripheral sidewall that stands upwardly of said base, said soft-sided peripheral sidewall having an uppermost margin distant from said base, and said cuff caps said uppermost margin of said soft-sided peripheral sidewall. 
     
     
         8 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 7  wherein said cuff has a first depending leg that extends downwardly inside said chamber, and a second leg that extends downwardly outside said uppermost margin of said upstanding soft-sided peripheral sidewall. 
     
     
         9 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 7  wherein said cuff has a leg that extends downwardly outside said uppermost margin of said upstanding soft-sided peripheral wall;
 said container assembly has an outermost fabric skin, said outermost fabric skin having an uppermost margin, said uppermost margin of said outermost fabric skin being mated to said downwardly extending leg of said cuff. 
 
     
     
         10 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid has a peripherally extending outermost flange that bottoms on said cuff when said lid is in said closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said lid has a downwardly extending shoulder that co-operates with said rim when said lid is in said closed position; and said lid has at least one seal member mounted thereto, said seal member being squeezed between said lid and said rim when said lid is in said closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said third portion is a rigid liner and said rim is part of said rigid liner. 
     
     
         13 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said container assembly is a folding container assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said cuff has the form of a Z-section, in which a first leg of the Z-section is an upstanding index upon which said rim seats, and a second leg of the Z-section is a depending leg, and said container assembly has an outermost skin that mates with said depending leg. 
     
     
         15 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said cuff has a first leg, a second leg and a third leg; said first leg extending upwardly to define an index upon which said rim seats; said second leg being a depending leg to which an outermost skin of said main body of said container assembly mates; and said third leg being a depending leg to which a flexible liner membrane is mated. 
     
     
         16 . The insulated container assembly of  claim 1  wherein said cuff has an inside leg, an outside leg, and a web extending between said inside leg and said outside leg, said inside leg, said outside leg and said web defining a relief, and soft-sided insulated wall structure having an upper margin of said main body seats in said relief.