Fold-up insulated container

Abstract

A cooler having two compartments connected together along a common edge. The cooler is configurable between an open configuration and a closed configuration by rotating the compartments about the edge. The cooler may include a handle connected to each compartment near the edge, and the two compartments may be secured to one another by a zipper or other fastener. A cooler is also provided having a bag with a zipper with sets of teeth extending along portions of the top edge of the bag. The cooler may be closed by closing the zipper and folding the bag in a manner so as to create flaps that can be folded downwards and secured to the bag.

1 . An insulated container, comprising:
 an insulated bag having four substantially vertical sides comprising a front having a front upper edge, a back opposite the front and having a back upper edge, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the four substantially vertical sides are insulated and have water-impermeable interior surfaces; and   one or more fasteners configured to releasably edgewise connect the front upper edge to the back upper edge;   wherein the insulated bag is configured such that, when the front upper edge is connected to the back upper edge via the one or more fasteners, first adjacent portions of the front and back extend over and outside the first side, and second adjacent portions of the front and back extend over and outside the second side.   
   
   
       2 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more fasteners includes a zipper having a first set of teeth along the front upper edge and a corresponding second set of teeth along the back upper edge. 
   
   
       3 . The insulated container of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first mechanism on the first side configured to releasably connect an upper portion of the first side to a portion of the first side below the upper portion of the first side; and   a second mechanism on the second side configured to releasably connect an upper portion of the second side to a portion of the second side below the upper portion of the second side.   
   
   
       4 . The insulated container of  claim 3 , wherein the first mechanism and second mechanism each include a pair of snaps, each snap having a first component connected to the first or second side and a second component connected to at least one of the front and the back, the second component configured to releasably engage the first component. 
   
   
       5 . An insulated container, comprising:
 an insulated compartment having an interior and at least one substantially vertical outer surface;   a mechanism for selectively providing access to the interior; and   a drink holder, comprising:
 a flap hingedly attached to the substantially vertical outer surface and configurable between an open configuration, a closed configuration, by rotating the flap about an attachment edge; 
 a fastener configured to releasably connect the flap to the substantially vertical outer surface when the flap is in the closed configuration; and 
 a pocket having an opening providing access to an interior of the pocket, the pocket being positioned between the flap and the substantially vertical outer surface when the flap is in the closed configuration, and the pocket being configured to receive and support a beverage in an upright configuration. 
   
   
   
       6 . The insulated container of  claim 5 , wherein the fastener includes a zipper comprising:
 a first set of teeth extending around a periphery of the flap from a first end of the bottom edge to a second end of the bottom edge opposite the first edge; and   a second set of teeth configured to receive the first set of teeth and extending on the substantially outer surface in a pattern corresponding to the first set of teeth;   wherein the pocket comprises flexible material attached to the flap along the periphery of the flap inside the first set of teeth and attached to the substantially vertical outer surface along an interior side of the second set of teeth.   
   
   
       7 . The insulated container of  claim 5 , wherein the flap is above the attachment edge when the flap is in the open configuration and wherein the flap is below the attachment edge when the flap is in the closed configuration. 
   
   
       8 . The insulated container of  claim 7 , wherein the pocket comprises flexible material extending around a periphery of the flap and vertically along a portion of the substantially vertical outer surface such that the pocket has a height that is longer than the length of the flap when measured vertically. 
   
   
       9 . The insulated container of  claim 8 , wherein the opening is oriented upward when the flap is in the open configuration. 
   
   
       10 . The insulated container of  claim 5 , wherein the opening is oriented upward when the flap is in the closed configuration. 
   
   
       11 . An insulated container, comprising:
 a first insulated compartment having a first opening and at least one first insulated wall having a first water-impermeable inner surface;   a second insulated compartment having a second opening and at least one second insulated wall having a second water-impermeable inner surface;   a first lid for selectively sealing in a watertight seal and providing access to a first interior space of the first insulated compartment through the first opening;   a second lid for selectively sealing in a watertight seal and providing access to a second interior space of the second insulated container through the opening; and   wherein the first insulated compartment and second insulated compartment are hingedly connected to one another at a common edge such that the insulated container is configurable between an open configuration, wherein the first insulated compartment and second insulated compartment are in a side-by-side configuration with the first lid and the second lid exposed, substantially coplanar, and facing upward, and a storage configuration, wherein the first lid and second lid are parallel and face one another between the first and second interior spaces.   
   
   
       12 . The insulated container of  claim 11 , wherein the first lid and second lid are hingedly connected to the common edge. 
   
   
       13 . The insulated container of  claim 11 , wherein the first opening and second opening have substantially identical dimensions. 
   
   
       14 . The insulated container of  claim 11 , further comprising a flap hingedly connected to the common edge, and wherein the first lid, second lid, and flap are shaped substantially identically. 
   
   
       15 . The insulated container of  claim 11 , further comprising a handle, the handle having a first end attached to an exterior corner of the first container and a second end attached to an exterior corner of the second container. 
   
   
       16 . The insulated container of  claim 11 , wherein the first insulated compartment and second insulated compartment comprise flexible insulation surrounded by flexible material. 
   
   
       17 . The insulated container of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first handle extending from an exterior surface of the first container;   a second handle extending from an exterior surface of the second container; and   wherein the first handle and second handle are positioned and configured such that the first handle and second handle may be brought together and gripped by a single hand when the insulated container is in the closed configuration.   
   
   
       18 . The insulated container of  claim 11 , further comprising a fastener configured to releasably maintain the insulated container in the closed configuration. 
   
   
       19 . The insulated container of  claim 18 , wherein the fastener includes a zipper, comprising:
 a first set of teeth extending along a first peripheral edge of the first container from a first end of the common edge to a second end of the common edge; and   a second set of teeth corresponding to the first set of teeth and extending along a second peripheral edge of the second container from the first end of the common edge to the second end of the common edge.   
   
   
       20 . An insulated container, comprising:
 a first water-impermeable insulated compartment comprising a first back panel surrounded by a plurality of first sides approximately perpendicular to the first back panel so as to at least partially enclose a first interior space;   a second water-impermeable insulated compartment comprising a second back panel surrounded by a plurality of second sides approximately perpendicular to the second back panel so as to at least partially enclose a second interior space, the second insulated compartment and first insulated compartment hingedly connected to one another about a common edge such that the insulated container is configurable between an open configuration, wherein the first back panel and second back panel are substantially coplanar and the first interior space and second interior space are accessible, and a closed configuration wherein the first insulated compartment and second insulated compartment enclose a combined space comprising the first interior space and second interior space and wherein the first back panel and second back panel form opposing exterior faces of the insulated container; and   a handle attached to a first location on an exterior of the first insulated compartment and a second location on an exterior of the second insulated compartment, the first location located opposite the second location when the insulated container is in the closed configuration.   
   
   
       21 . The insulated container of  claim 20 , wherein the first insulated compartment and second insulated compartment are substantially identical in size. 
   
   
       22 . The insulated container of  claim 20 , wherein the first insulated compartment and second insulated compartment comprise flexible insulation surrounded by flexible material. 
   
   
       23 . The insulated container of  claim 20 , further comprising a fastener for releasably maintaining the insulated container in the closed configuration. 
   
   
       24 . The insulated container of  claim 23 , wherein the fastener comprises a zipper. 
   
   
       25 . The insulated container of  claim 20 , wherein the first insulated compartment comprises a first lid for selectively providing access to the first interior space; and
 wherein the second insulated compartment comprises a second lid for selectively providing access to the second interior space.