Insulating container

Abstract

An insulating container having a base and a lid is provided. The lid may be rotatable about a hinge from a closed configuration to an open configuration and may be secured, via one or more latching devices, in the closed configuration. In some examples, the insulating container further includes a drain plug assembly with a main tube, an outer tube, and a gasket that is located and installed within a pass through of the wall of the insulating container. The drain plug assembly may include ratchet features so the main tube cannot rotate/open when the main tube is screwed into the outer tube. In other examples, the insulating container further includes a pull handle assembly with a telescopic three-stage arm and/or a wheel assembly with a pair of wheels mounted with one or two axles, and further including a wheel grommet for absorbing shock and cushioning the axle.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An insulating container comprising:
 a base;   a lid hingedly attached to the base;   the base including:
 a sidewall structure having a front sidewall, a rear sidewall opposite the front sidewall, and two lateral sidewalls between the front sidewall and the rear sidewall; 
 a bottom portion connected to a first end of each sidewall of the sidewall structure, the bottom portion being configured to support the insulating container on a surface; 
 an opening formed at a second end of each sidewall of the sidewall structure, opposite the first end of each sidewall of the sidewall structure, the opening being configured to allow access to an interior void of the insulating container formed by the sidewall structure and the bottom portion, wherein a gasket is configured to provide a watertight seal when the lid is in a closed and secured position; and 
 at least one latch device configured to secure the lid when the lid is in a closed position; and 
   a drain plug assembly on the rear sidewall adjacent to the bottom portion of the base, the drain plug assembly comprising a main tube that cooperatively engages with an outer tube that extends through the rear sidewall, wherein the main tube includes one or more ratchet keys on an external threaded connection and the outer tube includes an internal threaded connection that threadedly engages the external threaded connection of the main tube and a plurality of ratchet teeth that engage the one or more ratchet keys on the main tube, wherein when the main tube is screwed into the outer tube, the ratchet keys of the main tube engage with the ratchet teeth on the outer tube.   
     
     
         2 . The insulating container of  claim 1 , wherein the outer tube further includes a gasket located on a rim of the main tube between the main tube and the rear sidewall of the base. 
     
     
         3 . The insulating container of  claim 2 , wherein the gasket includes one or more radial features that seat and hold the gasket against the rim of the main tube and the rear sidewall of the base. 
     
     
         4 . The insulating container of  claim 1 , wherein the ratchet teeth are uniform and asymmetrical. 
     
     
         5 . The insulating container of  claim 1 , wherein each tooth of the ratchet teeth include a moderate slope on a first edge and a steeper slope on a second edge. 
     
     
         6 . The insulating container of  claim 5 , wherein when the ratchet teeth are moving in an unrestricted direction, the ratchet keys slide up and over the moderate slope on the first edge of the ratchet teeth and when the ratchet teeth are moving in a restricted and opposite direction, the ratchet keys will catch against the steeper slope on the second edge of the ratchet teeth, thereby locking the ratchet key against the ratchet tooth and preventing further motion in that direction. 
     
     
         7 . The insulating container of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a pull handle assembly attached to the rear sidewall adjacent to the bottom portion, the pull handle assembly with a telescopic three-stage arm configuration defined by a first stage with the pull handle assembly in a stowed configuration, a second stage with the pull handle assembly in a partially extended configuration, and a third stage with the pull handle assembly in a fully extended configuration. 
 
     
     
         8 . The insulating container of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a wheel assembly located adjacent the rear sidewall, the wheel assembly including a pair of wheels on opposite sides of the rear sidewall, with each wheel mounted in a wheel housing on the lateral sidewalls of the base. 
 
     
     
         9 . The insulating container of  claim 8 , wherein each wheel is secured within the wheel housing using a spring retention ring connected to an axle. 
     
     
         10 . The insulating container of  claim 9 , wherein the wheel assembly includes one or more ball bearings and a spacer that sets a distance between the one or more ball bearings and a location of each wheel. 
     
     
         11 . The insulating container of  claim 10 , wherein the wheel is secured within the wheel housing and the wheel, the spacer, and a wheel grommet are retained along an axis of the axle by the spring retention ring along an end of the axle. 
     
     
         12 . The insulating container of  claim 11 , wherein the wheel grommet is located between the wheel housing and the spacer and located around the axle to provide a seal at the wheel housing configured to prevent water from entering inside the base. 
     
     
         13 . The insulating container of  claim 11 , wherein the wheel grommet is configured to absorb shock and forces impacted on the wheels and absorb shock and cushion the axle. 
     
     
         14 . A drain plug assembly for use with an insulating container with a base and a lid hingedly attached to the base, the drain plug assembly comprising:
 a main tube comprising:
 a drain pass-through portion having one or more ratchet keys located on a first end of the main tube; 
 a main tube rim on the second end opposite the first end; and 
 an external threaded connection located between the main tube rim and the one or more ratchet keys; and 
   an outer tube that cooperatively engages with the main tube, the outer tube configured to extend through a sidewall of the insulating container,   wherein the outer tube includes an internal threaded connection that threadedly engages the external threaded connection of the main tube and a plurality of ratchet teeth that engage the one or more ratchet keys on the main tube,   wherein when the main tube is screwed into the outer tube, the ratchet keys of the main tube engage with the ratchet teeth on the outer tube,   wherein the engagement of the ratchet keys and the ratchet teeth allow continuous rotary motion of the main tube in only one direction, while preventing motion in the opposite direction.   
     
     
         15 . The drain plug assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the outer tube further includes a gasket located on a rim of the main tube between the main tube and the sidewall of the base. 
     
     
         16 . The drain plug assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the gasket includes one or more radial features that seat and hold the gasket against the rim of the main tube and the sidewall of the base. 
     
     
         17 . The drain plug assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the ratchet teeth are uniform and asymmetrical. 
     
     
         18 . The drain plug assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each tooth of the ratchet teeth having a moderate slope on a first edge and a steeper slope on a second edge. 
     
     
         19 . The drain plug assembly of  claim 18 , wherein when the ratchet teeth are moving in an unrestricted direction, the ratchet keys slide up and over the moderate slope on the first edge of the ratchet teeth. 
     
     
         20 . The drain plug assembly of  claim 19 , wherein when the ratchet teeth are moving in a restricted and opposite direction, the ratchet keys will catch against the steeper slope on the second edge of the ratchet teeth, thereby locking the ratchet key against the ratchet tooth and preventing further motion in that direction.