Divided cooler and cooler conversion kit

Abstract

A divided cooler system and a kit converting a cooler to a divided cooler system with a temperature control area configured to hold a temperature controlling medium, a vent opening, a vent within the vent opening, and a storage area separated from the temperature control area configured to receive oxygenated and temperature controlled air from the temperature control area is disclosed. The divided cooler system and kit to convert a cooler to a divided cooler system can further comprise a drain outlet, a drain mechanism that uses gravity to direct liquid out of the temperature control area, a water directing mechanism that uses gravity to direct water from the temperature control area to the drain outlet, a leveling shim which facilitates liquid drainage by adjusting the system's inclination angle relative to gravity, and a gauge designed to sense at least temperature or humidity with a face and a sensor component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A divided cooler system comprising:
 a cooler having:
 a temperature-insulated enclosure having a divided internal space; 
 a cover for selectively opening and closing the temperature insulated enclosure; 
 a temperature control area disposed in the internal space and configured to hold a temperature controlling medium configured to control the temperature of an oxygenated airflow into the enclosure; and 
 an oxygenated storage area disposed in the internal space and separated from the temperature control area, the storage area configured to provide the temperature controlled and oxygenated airflow to the storage space; 
   a vent opening defined in a surface of the temperature insulated enclosure; and   a vent disposed in the vent opening.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a drain outlet opening defined in the enclosure that is configured to direct liquid out of the storage area; and 
 a drain mechanism for directing liquid out of the temperature control area. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising at least one water directing mechanism configured to receive liquid from the drain mechanism and to, using only gravity, carry liquid from the drain mechanism to the drain outlet opening. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  further comprising at least one leveling shim disposed on a bottom surface of the cooler for adjusting an inclination angle of the enclosure relative to gravity to facilitate liquid drainage via the drain mechanism, the water directing mechanism, and the drain outlet opening. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a gauge provided in a surface of the temperature insulated enclosure and positioned and configured to sense at least one of temperature and humidity of the storage area, the gauge including a face component that is visible from outside the cooler and that displays the at least one temperature and humidity of the storage area. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the gauge comprises:
 an inner part having sensing means for sensing the at least one temperature and humidity of the storage area, the inner part inserted into the vent opening from inside the enclosure; and 
 an outer part including the face component inserted into the vent opening from outside the enclosure and configured to be removably joined together with the inner part. 
 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vent is insulated, watertight, and variably openable to provide a user-selected volume of oxygenated airflow into the enclosure. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature control area comprises a container configured to hold the temperature control medium. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the container comprises condensation fins. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an air directing mechanism operatively connected to the drain outlet opening. 
     
     
         11 . A method of converting a cooler into a divided cooler system comprising:
 installing a temperature control area into a cooler having a temperature insulated enclosure such that the cooler has:
 a divided internal space and a temperature control area disposed in the internal space, configured to hold a temperature control medium configured to control the temperature of an oxygenated airflow into the enclosure; and 
 a temperature controlled and oxygenated storage area disposed in the internal space and separated from the temperature controlled area, the storage area configured to provide the temperature controlled and oxygenated airflow to the storage space; 
   creating a vent opening defined in a surface of the temperature insulated enclosure; and   installing a vent in the vent opening.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 creating a drain opening defined in the enclosure that is configured to direct liquid out of the storage area; and 
 a drain mechanism for directing liquid out of the temperature control area. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising installing at least one water directing mechanism configured to receive liquid from the drain mechanism and to, using only gravity, carry liquid from the drain mechanism to the drain outlet opening. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising installing at least one leveling shim disposed on a bottom surface of the cooler for adjusting an inclination angle of the enclosure relative to gravity to facilitate liquid drainage via the drain mechanism, the water directing mechanism, and the drain outlet opening. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising installing a gauge in a surface of the temperature insulated enclosure and positioned and configured to sense at least one of temperature and humidity of the storage area, the gauge including a face component that is visible from outside the cooler and that displays the at least one temperature and humidity of the storage area. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the gauge comprises:
 an inner part having sensing means for sensing the at least one temperature and humidity of the storage area, the inner part inserted into the vent opening from inside the enclosure; and 
 an outer part including the face component inserted into the vent opening from outside the enclosure and configured to be removably joined together with the inner part. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the vent is insulated, watertight, and variably openable to provide a user selected volume of oxygenated airflow into the enclosure. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the temperature control area comprises a container configured to hold the temperature control medium. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the container comprises condensation fins. 
     
     
         20 . A kit for converting a cooler into a divided cooler system comprising:
 a temperature control area configured to be installed in the internal space of a cooler with a temperature insulated enclosure; and
 a vent such that when the temperature control area and the vent are installed the cooler with a temperature insulated enclosure has:
 a temperature control area configured to hold a temperature control medium configured to control the temperature of an oxygenated airflow into the enclosure; and 
 
 a temperature controlled and oxygenated storage area disposed in the internal space and separated from the temperature control area, the storage area configured to provide the temperature controlled and oxygenated airflow to the storage space.