COOLER CART

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a transportable cooler that includes wheels and handles for transporting over a surface area.

2. Description of Related Art

Many individuals use portable coolers to keep food and beverages cool during outdoor events or while traveling. The typical portable cooler comes in various sizes and therefore a user may pick any size suitable for their particular needs. Many individuals use the larger rectangular cube-shaped coolers that generally include a lid and an open area to place ice, food and beverages or other items that need to be kept cool. One drawback to the larger rectangular cooler as ice and food are placed inside the cooler the weight of the cooler becomes heavier and therefore more difficult for individuals to transport during use. Many times the cooler is removed from a motor vehicle and then transported to an area where the user intends to access the items within the cooler, typically be a picnic area, beach or in some instances sporting events. Consequently it would be advantageous to have a means to maneuver the cooler over a particular area to provide assistance in transporting the cooler.

The present invention relate to a cooler cart comprising: a cooler, where the cooler includes a tub insert; a lid, where the lid provides access to the tub insert; a solar panel array, where the solar panel provides an energy source; a motor, where a rechargeable battery provides power for the motor; and at least two wheels, wherein the wheels are propelled by the motor. In one particular embodiment, the motor may be powered by a 12-volt rechargeable battery. The battery may also supply power to a portable adaptor, wherein the portable adaptor provides a means to recharge portable electronic devices. The tub insert comprises a main portion of the cooler.

The present invention relates to a cooler that includes wheels and an electric motor that provides power to transport and move the cooler over a surface area. The cooler according to present invention further includes a solar panel that provides a recharging bank for the battery associated with the motor of the cooler. The cooler further includes other features such as adaptors available for charging portable electronic devices. A Cooler 100 according to the present invention is depicted in FIG. 1. The Cooler 100 includes a set of wheels 40a, 40b. Although two wheels are shown on one side, on the opposite side of the cooler are two additional wheels to provide four wheels in total for movement of the cooler. The cooler includes a tub insert 42 that comprises the main portion of the Cooler 100. The tub insert 42 may be accessed through a lid 44. The lid 44 may be opened and items placed in the Cooler 100 as in any conventional cooler. On the top surface of the lid 44 is a solar panel array 45. The solar panel array 45 provides a means to gather solar energy for charging of a battery that provides the power to activate a motor that moves the wheels 40a, 40b. The motor in one particular embodiment is a 12-volt motor that receives power from a battery not shown within the cooler. The battery further supplies power to a portable adaptor 47 to provide portable power to recharge portable electronic devices.

The Cooler 100 further includes a handle 48 that extends from one side of the Cooler 100 to provide a means for a user to steer and guide the cooler over the surface. The wheels 40a, 40b in one particular embodiment may have a beach-style design in order to smoothly traverse over various surfaces. Overall the Cooler 100 provides a more convenient cooling device with effective portability of the device through the electric motor and wheels. The instant invention has been shown and described in what it considers to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made there from within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.