Removable Lining System For Coolers

Abstract

A lining system for a cooler may include a waterproof container portion that defines an opening that has a generally cuboid shape and a volume of greater than 20 quarts. The bottom surface of the container portion as well as the walls of the container portion may be formed from a biodegradable polyester material. In addition, a drain tube may extend at least five inches from a wall of the container portion to allow a liquid collecting within the opening to drain from the waterproof container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A removable lining system for a cooler, comprising:
 a waterproof container at least partially defining an opening having a generally cuboid shape with a volume of greater than 20 quarts;   a bottom surface of the container;   a front wall of the container;   a back wall of the container;   a first side wall of the container;   a second side wall of the container;   a lifting handle;   a drain tube extending at least five inches from the first side wall and formed such that a liquid collecting within the opening can drain from the waterproof container through a hole in the first side wall and the drain tube; and   a biodegradable polyester material forming the waterproof container.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a top component of the container that includes a closing component that facilitates a sealing of the container, wherein the closing component includes at least one of a zipper, a hook and loop component, an adhesive material, and cooperating coupling structures that removably interlock when pressed together. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second lifting handle. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a platform structure component extending downward from an exterior side of the bottom surface that facilitates a maintaining of the waterproof container away from an interior bottom surface of a cooler within which the waterproof container is placed. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable polyester material is a semirigid plastic, and the waterproof container is molded to fit within the cooler. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable polyester material is a rigid plastic, and the waterproof container is molded to fit within the cooler. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the biodegradable polyester material is a flexible plastic, and the waterproof container is molded to fit within the cooler. 
     
     
         8 . A removable lining system for a cooler, comprising:
 a waterproof insert at least partially defining an opening with a volume of greater than 20 quarts;   a bottom surface of the insert;   a front wall of the insert;   a back wall of the insert;   a first side wall of the insert;   a second side wall of the insert;   a first lifting handle extending from at least one of the front wall and the first side wall;   a second lifting handle extending from at least one of the back wall and the second side wall; and   a polyester material forming the bottom surface, the front wall, the back wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, the first lifting handle, and the second lifting handle.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the polyester material has a thickness between two mils and eight mils. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the polyester material has a thickness that is greater than eight mils. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the waterproof insert has a geometry that facilitates a stacking of a first waterproof insert within a second waterproof insert. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the waterproof insert has a geometry that facilitates a fitting within the cooler that results in a gap between an interior surface of the cooler and an exterior surface of the waterproof insert that is less than one inch. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the gap does not exceed one inch at any point along the bottom surface, the front wall, the back wall, the first side wall, and the second side wall. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the polyester material is a biodegradable plastic that dissolves into nontoxic components in seawater, further wherein the polyester material has a density of greater than 1.05 g/cm{circumflex over ( )}3. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a sealable top component of the waterproof insert that includes a closing component including at least one of a zipper, a hook and loop component, an adhesive material, and cooperating coupling structures that removably interlock when pressed together. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the insert surfaces are not all of an identical thickness. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising the cooler. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the cooler is a roto-molded cooler with insulating foam in its walls, further wherein the cooler has an interior capacity selected from a group of a 22+/−10% quart capacity, a 28+/−10% quart capacity, a 37+/−10% quart capacity, a 46+/−10% quart capacity, a 52+/−10% quart capacity, a 79+/−10% quart capacity, an 84+/−10% quart capacity, and a 92+/−10% quart capacity. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the cooler is a soft-sided cooler. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the cooler is a hard-sided cooler.