WO2025163589A1

WO2025163589A1 - Insulating container

Info

Publication number: WO2025163589A1
Application number: PCT/IB2025/051087
Authority: WO
Inventors: Greg VEHLIES; Anton NORDENSON; JR. Vernon A. HARRISON; Kenji Okada; Jesus E. LINARES
Original assignee: Dometic Sweden AB
Current assignee: Dometic Sweden AB
Priority date: 2024-02-02
Filing date: 2025-01-31
Publication date: 2025-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-02
Also published as: US20250250068A1

Abstract

An insulating container includes a plurality of walls defining an outer body member, an outer body ring disposed about the outer body member, a base member that supports the outer body member, a liner disposed within and spaced apart from the plurality of walls, an internal cavity defined by the inner liner, a soft-shelled lid releasably and pivotably coupled to the outer body member to move between an open position in which the internal cavity of the insulating container is accessible and a closed position in which a seal is formed between the soft-shelled lid and the outer body member, a lid ring disposed about the soft-shelled lid, a latching member that secures the lid ring to the outer body ring, wherein the lid may be pivoted from either of two sides or released from the outer body ring.

Description

INSULATING CONTAINER

BY

GREG VEHLIES

ANTON NORDENSON

VERNON A. HARRISON

KENJI OKADA

AND

JESUS LINARES

Atorney Docket: DSR0125WO

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

[0001] Any and all applications to which a foreign and/or domestic priority is claimed are identified in the Application Data Sheet filed with the present application, are hereby incorporated by reference herein, and are made a part of the present disclosure.

TECHNIC L FIELD

[0002] The present specification generally relates to insulating containers and, more specifically, but without limitation, to latching assemblies for insulating containers.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Traditional insulating containers, such as coolers, typically include a lid that is hinged at one end, thereby allowing the lid to open only in a single direction. The basic latching mechanisms employed by these traditional containers may limit the accessibility and flexibility of the container, particularly in circumstances in which the container is utilized in a cramped space or placed against a surface. Furthermore, cleaning and maintenance of traditional insulating containers can be challenging based on the fixed nature of standard lids. Accordingly, a need exists for an insulating container that provides enhanced accessibility and convenience in terms of access and use. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application discloses one or more of the features recited in the appended claims and/or the following features which alone or in any combination, may comprise patentable subject matter.

[0005] In embodiments, an insulating container is disclosed. The insulating container includes a plurality of walls defining an outer body member, an outer body ring disposed about the outer body member, a base member that supports the outer body member, a liner disposed within and spaced apart from the plurality of walls, an internal cavity defined by the inner liner, a soft-shelled lid releasably and pivotably coupled to the outer body member to move between an open position in which the internal cavity of the insulating container is accessible and a closed position in which a seal is formed between the soft-shelled lid and the outer body member, a lid ring disposed about the soft-shelled lid, a latching member that secures the lid ring to the outer body ring, a knuckle fixedly attached to the outer body ring and extending between the outer body member and the liner, and a pin member that couples the latching member to the lid ring and a seat of the knuckle, with the latching member being pivotable relative the pin member.

[0006] In another embodiment, an insulating container is disclosed. The insulating container includes a plurality of walls defining an outer body member, an outer body ring disposed about the outer body member, a base member configured to support the outer body member, a liner disposed within and spaced apart from the plurality of walls, the liner defining an internal cavity of the insulating container, a soft-shelled lid configured to move between an open position in which the internal cavity of the insulating container is accessible and a closed position in which the soft-shelled lid forms a seal with the outer body member, a lid ring disposed about the lid, such that the lid ring is sealed to the outer body ring when the soft-shelled lid is in the closed position, a first latching member secured to a first side of the lid ring and a second latching member secured to a second side of the lid ring opposite the first side, the first latching mechanism and the second latching mechanism being configured to secure the lid ring to the outer body ring, the first latching member and the second latching member being pivotable between a pivoting position and a release position, a plurality of knuckles fixedly attached to the outer body ring and extending between the outer body member and the liner, each of the plurality of knuckles further including a seat, and a plurality of pin members that couple the first latching member and the second latching member to the lid ring and the seat of the plurality of knuckles, such that the first latching member and the second latching member are pivotable relative the plurality of pin members. When the first latching member is in the pivoting position and the second latching member is in the release position, the soft-shelled lid pivots relative the first latching member between the open position and the closed position.

[0007] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. All of the above outlined features are to be understood as exemplary only and many more features and objectives of the various embodiments may be gleaned from the disclosure herein. Therefore, no limiting interpretation of this summary is to be understood without further reading of the entire specification, claims and figures, included herewith. A more extensive presentation of features, details, utilities, and advantages of the present embodiments is provided in the following written description, illustrated in the accompanying figures, and defined in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0008] The embodiments set forth in the figures are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following figures, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:

[0009] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a front-side perspective view of an insulating container, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0010] FIG. 2 schematically depicts a side cross-sectional view of the insulating container of FIG. 1, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0011] FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of the insulating container depicted in FIG. 2, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; [0012] FIG. 4 depicts a partially exploded view of a lid of the insulating container of FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0013] FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of a latching member of the insulating container of FIG. 1, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0014] FIG. 6A depicts the insulating container of FIG. 1 in an open position with a lid of the insulating container pivoted in a first direction, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0015] FIG. 6B depicts the insulating container of FIG. 1 in an open position with the lid of the insulating container pivoted in a second direction, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0016] FIG. 6C depicts a perspective view of the lid of the insulating container of FIG. 1 in a released and removed position, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0017] FIG. 7 depicts a handle member of the insulating container of FIG. 1, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0018] FIG. 8A depicts a plurality of accessory openings of the insulating container of FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0019] FIG. 8B depicts an accessory loop of the insulating container of FIG. 1, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

[0020] FIG. 9 depicts a bottom-side view of a base member of the insulating container of FIG. 1 , according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; and

[0021] FIG. 10 depicts a further embodiment showing a backpack style soft bag cooler, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Embodiments described herein are generally directed to insulating containers and various accessories for insulating containers. The insulating container described herein may include a plurality of walls that define a soft-shelled outer body member, an outer body ring disposed about the outer body member, a base member configured to support the outer body member, a liner disposed within the outer body member and defining an internal cavity, and a lid releasably and pivotally coupled to the outer body member. The lid may be a soft-shelled lid and may be configured to move between an open position in which the internal cavity of the insulating container is accessible and a closed position in which a seal is formed between the soft-shelled lid and the outer body member. A lid ring is disposed about the soft-shelled lid, such that the lid ring is sealed to the outer body ring when the soft-shelled lid is in the closed position. A latching member is configured to secure the lid ring to the outer body ring, and is pivotable between a pivoting position and a release position. A knuckle is fixedly attached to the outer body ring and includes a seat, and a pin member couples the latching member to the lid ring and the seat of the knuckle, such that the latching member is pivotable relative the pin member. The latching member described herein may allow the lid to move to the open position by pivoting in either the first direction or the second direction, and may further allow for the lid to be fully detached from the outer body ring.

[0023] As described herein, conventional insulating containers, such as coolers, feature an outer structure (e.g. box-like or otherwise) including an insulated body and a lid. In these conventional containers, the lid may be hingedly coupled to the outer structure, such that the lid may open in a single direction. Despite their widespread use, these traditional containers restrict access to the insulated body, and can be difficult to clean and/or maintain. The insulating container described herein addresses these shortcomings by utilizing a latching member that allows for the lid to be pivoted in a first direction and/or a second direction relative the outer body member and/or fully removed from the outer body member, thereby providing enhanced adaptability and accessibility.

[0024] It is to be further understood that a “container,” as described herein, is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the figures. The described embodiments are capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. [0025] The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” “supported,” “coupled,” and “mounted,” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections, couplings, and mountings. In addition, the terms “connected” and “coupled” and variations thereof are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

[0026] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present teaching. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in some embodiments” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.

[0027] Relative terminology, such as, for example, “about,” “approximately,” “substantially,” etc., used in connection with a quantity or condition would be understood by those of ordinary skill to be inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context, for example, the term includes at least the degree of error associated with the measurement accuracy, tolerances (for example, manufacturing, assembly, use, etc. associated with the particular value. Such terminology should also be considered as disclosing the range defined by the absolute values of the two endpoints. For example, the expression “from about 2 to about 4” also discloses the range “from 2 to 4”. The relative terminology may refer to plus or minus a percentage (for example, 1%, 5%, 10%) or more, of an indicated value.

[0028] Various embodiments of insulating containers and accessories for insulating containers will now be described herein. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the figures to refer to the same or like parts.

[0029] Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, an insulating container 10 is depicted. The container 10 may be a soft cooler for example or may be a rigid cooler in other examples. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the insulating container 10 may include a plurality of walls 12 that define an outer body member 14 and a base member 16 configured to support the outer body member 14. In the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plurality of walls 12 may extend vertically from the base member 16 (e.g., in the + y-direction as depicted in the coordinate axes of FIGS. 1 and 2).

[0030] In the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 -4, the plurality of walls 12 may include a first wall 12a, such as a front wall, a second wall 12b, such as a rear wall, and a pair of sidewalls 12c, 12d extending between the first wall 12a and the second wall 12b, such that the outer body member 14 has a generally square or rectangular shape. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the outer body member 14 may have a rectangular shape when the first and second wall 12a, 12b have a length that is longer than a length of the pair of sidewalls 12c, 12d, or vice versa. Similarly, the outer body member 14 may have a square shape when each of the first wall 12a, second wall 12b, and the pair of sidewalls 12c, 12d have an equal length. Although the insulating container 10 is depicted as including four walls, it should be further appreciated that the insulating container 10 may include any number of walls and various geometric shapes without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0031] Furthermore, in the embodiments described herein, the plurality of walls 12 may be manufactured from a number of soft materials, such as neoprene, polyester, nylon, EVA foam, PVC, polyurethane foam, vinyl, thermoplastic polyurethane (“TPU”), cloth, canvas, or any other similar material, such that the outer body member 14 defined by the plurality of walls 12 is a soft, or soft-shelled, outer body member 14. It should be further understood that, in some embodiments, the plurality of walls 12 may be formed as a single, monolithic structure or may be formed as separate components that are fixedly attached during manufacturing of the insulating container 10.

[0032] Referring still to FIGS. 1-4, the insulating container 10 may further include a liner 18 disposed within the plurality of walls 12 that defines an internal cavity 20 within the insulating container 10. In these embodiments, food, drink contents and/or other materials may be stored within the internal cavity 20 of the insulating container 10, and the internal cavity 20 may be configured to maintain the materials stored within the internal cavity 20 at a desired temperature. [0033] In the embodiments described herein, the liner 18 may be spaced apart from the plurality of walls 12, such that a void 22 is formed between the outer body member 14 defined by the plurality of walls 12 and the liner 18, as illustrated most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. In these embodiments, the void 22 formed between the outer body member 14 and the liner 18 may be filled with an insulation material 24, which may be configured to insulate the internal cavity 20 of the insulating container 10 from an external environment in order to aid in maintaining the desired temperature of the materials stored within the internal cavity 20. For example, the insulation material 24 may include an insulation foam (e.g., polyurethane, polystyrene, EVA, EPE, etc.), fiberglass, aerogel, natural insulation material (e.g., wool, cotton, etc.), or any other similar material. It should be appreciated that, in the embodiments described herein, the insulation material 24 deposited in the void 22 may be determined based on the requirements of the insulating container 10, such as desired temperature maintenance, expected environmental conditions, weight, durability, cost, and other similar factors.

[0034] In these embodiments, it should be appreciated that the liner 18 and the outer body member 14 may be formed separately or as a single, monolithic structure. For example, in embodiments in which the liner 18 and the outer body member 14 are formed separately, the insulation material 24 may be disposed on and/or secured to an inner surface of the outer body member 14. With the insulation material 24 disposed on the outer body member 14, the liner 18 may be installed. However, in embodiments in which the liner 18 and the outer body member 14 are formed as a single, monolithic structure, the void 22 formed between the liner 18 and the outer body member 14 may include an opening through which the insulation material 24 may be provided.

[0035] Referring still to FIGS. 1-4, the insulating container 10 may also include a lid 30. In these embodiments, the lid 30 may be releasably and/or pivotally coupled to the outer body member 14, such that the lid 30 may be translated from a closed position to an open position and/or detached from the outer body member 14. Furthermore, in the embodiments described herein, the lid 30 may be moved from the closed position to the open position by pivoting the lid in a first direction or a second direction opposite the first direction. Translation and release of the lid 30 will be described in additional detail herein with reference to FIGS. 6A-6C. [0036] As further depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lid 30 may be a soft-shelled structure formed of the same and/or similar material to the outer body member 14. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the lid 30 may be formed of a single, monolithic structure, or be formed of multiple structures similar to the outer body member 14. For example, as depicted in FIG. 3, the lid 30 may include a lid shell 32, a lid liner 34, and a lid void 36 formed between the lid shell 32 and the lid liner 34.

[0037] In these embodiments, the lid shell 32 may define an exterior surface of the lid 30, while the lid liner 34 may define an interior surface of the lid 30. Furthermore, lid insulation material 38 may be disposed in the lid void 36 formed between the lid shell 32 and the lid liner 34, and may be further configured to aid in insulating the internal cavity 20 of the insulating container 10. It should be appreciated that the lid insulation material 38 disposed within the lid void 36 may include the same and/or different material from the insulation materials 24 disposed in the void 22 formed between the outer body member 14 and the liner 18.

[0038] With reference to FIG. 4, the lid 30 is shown exploded. The lid 30 comprises a lid shell 32 which may be a fabric material and which may for example have a TPU coating, in some non-limiting examples. The lid shell 32 may comprise a top wall which may in some exapmles be formed of EVA and downward extending side wall portions. In some embodiments, a fabric may be disposed over the shell 32 and the top wall. Beneath the lid shell 32 is a lid ring 57 which is overmolded to the retaining ring 54. The retaining ring 54 allows for pivotal connection to the latch members 70. In some examples, the lid ring 57 may be a rubber material with TPU coating that is overmolded to the plastic retaining ring 54. A gasket ring 55 is shown below the retaining ring 54. The gasket ring 55 may further comprise a gasket ring overmold 55a which is shown above the gasket ring 55. The gasket ring 55 may further comprise a plurality of mechanical fasteners to assist in engagement with the retaining ring 54. The some embodiments, the retaining ring 54 and gasket ring 55 may comprise male and female arrangements of pins and apertures, without limitation. Various types of mechanical fasteners may be utilized.

[0039] Beneath the gasket ring 55 is a gasket 52, which sealingly engages a sealing surface 42 of the outer body ring 40. In the arrangement provided, various plastic structures may be utilized to provide structurally rigidity and the overmolding may provide a more aesthetically please appearance and feel to the lid 30 while also providing a material which allows for adhesion or connection, for example by welding.

[0040] Beneath the lid 30, the outer body ring 40 is also shown in exploded view with the remainder of the body member 14. The outer body ring 40 provides a seat for the sealing surface 42. The sealing surface 42 functions as a seal ring similar to the gasket ring 55 of the lid 30. Further, the sealing surface 42 may comprise a rigid protrusion which engages the gasket 52 of the lid 30 to define the seal 60 between the lid 30 and the body member 14. In other embodiments, the protrusion could be on the lid 30 and the gasket located on the body member 14. Above the outer body ring 40, the sealing surface 42 is shown and may be seated in the outer body ring 40. A sealing surface overmolding ring 43 is also shown between the sealing surface 42 and the outer body ring 40.

[0041] Beneath the outer body ring 40 is a body overmolding 45. The fabric of the body member 14 may be welded to the body overmolding 45. An inner liner 18 is located below outer body ring 40 and the body overmolding 45. The inner liner 18 may be connected to the overmolding ring 43 and extends through a central opening of the outer body ring 40. An insulating material may be disposed between the inner liner 18 and the fabric 19 defining the outer body member 14. Beneath the fabric 19 is the base member 16 and an EVA portion that forms a bottom surface of the outer body member 14.

[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, the insulating container 10 may further include an outer body ring 40, which may be disposed about a perimeter of the outer body member 14 (e.g. about an upper portion of each of the plurality of walls 12a-12d), and a lid ring 50, which may be disposed about and/or coupled to a perimeter of the lid 30. In these embodiments, the lid ring 50 and the outer body ring 40 may form a seal when the lid 30 is in the closed position in order to more effectively insulate the materials stored within the internal cavity 20. The coupling of the lid ring 50 and the outer body ring 40 may further act to secure the lid 30 to the outer body member 14, as will be described in additional detail herein. [0043] In these embodiments, the outer body ring 40 may be a rigid outer body ring 40, such that the outer body ring 40 may provide structural reinforcement for the soft- shelled outer body member 14. It should be appreciated that the outer body ring 40 may be sized and/or shaped to match the size and/or shape of the internal cavity 20 of the insulating container 10, and may include various thicknesses and/or widths based on the size of the internal cavity 20 and a desired reinforcement strength of the outer body ring 40. Furthermore, the outer body ring 40 may be formed of plastic, metal, composite materials (e.g., fiberglass or carbon fiber), rubber, or any other similarly rigid material or combination of materials capable of providing structural reinforcement to the outer body member 14. As described herein, the outer body ring 40 may be fixedly secured to the outer body member 14 via sewing and/or stitching, adhesives, welding, riveting and/or fastening, heat sealing, injection molding, or any other similar process.

[0044] Referring still to FIGS. 1-5, the lid ring 50 may be a rigid lid ring 50, such that the lid ring 50 may provide structural reinforcement to the soft-shelled lid 30. It should be appreciated that the lid ring 50 may be formed of similar materials or combination of materials to the outer body ring 40, and may be similarly secured to the lid 30 via similar means as those used to secure the outer body ring 40 to the outer body member 14.

[0045] In the embodiments described herein, the lid ring 50 may further include a gasket 52 that is configured to engage a sealing surface 42 formed on an upper portion of the outer body ring 40. In these embodiments, when the lid 30 is moved to the closed position, the gasket 52 formed on the lid ring 50 may contact the sealing surface 42 of the outer body ring 40. As the gasket 52 is compressed between the lid 30 and the outer body ring 40, the gasket 52 may deform such that a seal 60 is formed between the gasket 52 and the sealing surface 42 of the outer body ring 40. In these embodiments, the seal 60 formed between the gasket 52 and the sealing surface 42 of the outer body ring 40 may be an air-tight or water-tight seal that prevents an exchange of air or liquid between the internal cavity 20 of the insulating container 10 and an outside environment, which may aid in regulating temperature within the internal cavity 20. Furthermore, the gasket 52 may act as a thermal barrier, which further insulates the contents of the internal cavity from temperature changes attributable to the outside environment. In the embodiments described herein, the gasket 52 may be formed of rubber, silicone, foam, TPE, TPR, or any other similarly flexible and/or resilient material capable of forming the seal 60 with the sealing surface 42 of the outer body ring 40.

[0046] Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, the insulating container 10 may further include a latching member 70, which may be configured to releasably secure the lid ring 50 to the outer body ring 40, and in turn, the lid 30 to the outer body member 14. In these embodiments, the latching member 70 may include an upper latching surface 72, a lower latching surface 74, and a pin member 78 that couples the upper latching surface 72 to the lid ring 50 and the latching member 70 to the outer body ring 40, as will be described in additional detail herein.

[0047] For example, in the embodiments described herein, the lid ring 50 may further include a latch member retaining ring 54 including a plurality of pin holes 56 that may be configured to receive the pin member 78 of the latching member 70. In these embodiments, the lid ring 50 may further include a gasket ring 55 and a lid ring 57, which may be used to couple the gasket 52 and the lid 30, respectively, to the latch member retaining ring 54, as is most clearly depicted in FIG. 4.

[0048] Referring still to FIGS. 1-5, the upper latching surface 72 of the latching member 70 may include a plurality of pivot holes 73, which may be configured to receive pin member 78. Accordingly, the pin member 78 may extend through the plurality of pin holes 56 of the of the latch member retaining ring 54 of the lid ring 50 and the plurality of pivot holes 73 of the latching member 70 to secure the latching member 70 to the lid ring 50. In these embodiments, the latching member 70 may be pivotable about the pin member 78 between a pivoting position (e.g., in which the lid 30 may be moved from the open position to the closed position) and a release position (e.g., in which the lid 30 may be removed from the outer body member 14), as will be described in additional detail herein.

[0049] As further depicted in FIGS. 1-5, the latching member 70 may be pivotable between the pivoting position and the release position by rotating the lower latching surface 74. For example, in the pivoting position, the lower latching surface 74 may secure at least a portion of the lid ring 50 to the outer body ring 40 while a separate portion of the lid ring 50 is free to pivot between the open position and the closed position. In the release position, the lower latching surface 74 may be fully disengaged from the outer body ring 40, such that the lid ring 50 (e.g., and lid 30) may be removed from the outer body ring 40.

[0050] Referring still to FIGS. 1-5, the insulating container 10 may further include a knuckle 80 that is configured to receive the pin member 78 of the latching member 70. In these embodiments, the knuckle 80 may be fixedly attached to the outer body ring 40, such that it may be possible to secure the lid 30 to the outer body member 14 of the insulating container 10 by securing the pin member 78 of the latching member 70 to the knuckle 80. As most clearly depicted in FIGS. 2-4, the knuckle 80 may be integrally formed with the outer body ring 40, or may be fixedly attached to the outer body ring 40 via mechanical coupling, welding, and/or adhesive, or any other similarly fixed coupling.

[0051] In these embodiments, the knuckle 80 may further include a seat 82, which may be configured to receive the pin member 78 of the latching member 70. For example, in the embodiments described herein, the pin member 78 may form a snap-fit, or any other similar interference fit, or slight clearance fit with the seat 82 of the knuckle 80, such that the pin member 78 may be releasably secured to the seat 82 of the knuckle 80.

[0052] It should be appreciated that, in the embodiments described herein, releasably securing the pin member 78 to the knuckle 80 formed in the outer body ring 40 may similarly act to couple the lid ring 50 to the outer body ring 40, and in turn, the lid 30 to the outer body member 14. For example, as described herein, the pin member 78 may be configured to secure the upper latching surface 72 of the latching member 70 to the lid ring 50 by extending the pin member 78 between the plurality of pin holes 56 formed on the latch member retaining ring 54 of the lid ring 50 and the plurality of pivot holes 73 formed in the upper latching surface 72 of the latching member 70. In these embodiments, the pin member 78 may further engage the seat 82 of the knuckle 80 formed on the outer body ring 40 to releasably secure the latching member 70 to the outer body ring 40, which may similarly allow for a releasable coupling between the lid ring 50 and the outer body ring 40, as will be described in additional detail herein.

[0053] Referring still to FIGS. 1-5, the pin member 78 may be engaged and/or disengaged from the seat 82 of the knuckle 80 by pivoting the lower latching surface 74, such that the latching member 70 moves between the pivoting position and the release position. For example, when the latching member 70 is in the pivoting position, the pin member 78 may be secured within the seat 82 of the knuckle 80, such that the latching member 70 secures the lid ring 50 to the outer body ring 40. However, when the latching member 70 is moved to the release position, rotation of the lower latching surface 74 may cause the pin member 78 to become decoupled from the seat 82 of the knuckle 80. Accordingly, when the lower latching surface 74 is translated to move the latching member 70 to the release position, the latching member 70 may be decoupled from the outer body ring 40, such that the lid ring 50 (e.g., and lid 30) may be fully removed from the outer body ring 40. Various operations of the latching member will be described in additional detail herein with reference to FIGS. 6 A - 6C.

[0054] As further depicted in FIGS. 1-5 the upper latching surface 72 and/or the lower latching surface 74 may be non-planar with the lid 30, the lid ring 50, the outer body member 14, and/or the outer body ring 40, respectively. For example, as most clearly depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower latching surface 74 may be non-planar with the outer body member 14 and outer body ring 40 of the insulating container 10. For example, in the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1-3, the lower latching surface 74 may include a chamfer 76, or other similarly sloped surface, that protrudes in at least one direction (e.g., in the +/- x-direction as depicted in the coordinate axes of FIGS. 1-4) relative to the outer body member 14 and/or outer body ring 40. In these embodiments, the non-planar alignment of the lower latching surface 74, the outer body member 14, and the outer body ring 40 may improve leverage on the lower latching surface 74, which may allow for easier pivoting of the lower latching surface 74 between the pivoting position and the release position.

[0055] In some embodiments, the latching member 70 may further include a latch cord or strap (not shown), which may further aid in moving the latching member 70 from the pivoting positing to the release position. In these embodiments, the latch cord may be secured to the lower latching surface 74, such that the latch cord may be utilized to cause rotation of the lower latching surface 74. As has been described herein, rotation of the lower latching surface 74 may cause the latching member 70 to translate from the pivoting position to the release position (or vice versa), and the latch cord may provide additional leverage to aid a user in rotating the lower latching surface 74. In such embodiments, the latch cord may be formed of rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, vinyl, soft polyvinvl chloride (“PVC”), elastomers, foamed materials, gel materials, woven materials, polyester fabric, or any other similar material capable of being grasped by a user and used to aid in translating the latching member 70 from the pivoting position to the released position, or vice versa.

[0056] Referring now to FIGS. 1-6C, it should be appreciated that, in the embodiments described herein, the insulating container 10 may include a plurality of latching members 70 used to pivotally and/or releasably couple the lid ring 50 to the outer body ring 40. For example, in the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1-6C, the insulating container 10 may include a first latching member 70a and a second latching member 70b. In these embodiments, each of the plurality of latching members may each include an upper latching surface 72a, 72b fixedly coupled to the lid ring 50, a lower latching surface 74a, 74b that is rotatable to allow the plurality of latching members 70 to translate between a pivoting position and a release position, and a pin member 78a, 78b that couples the upper latching surface 72a, 72b to the lid ring 50 and each of the latching members 70a, 70b to their respective knuckle 80a, 80b formed in the outer body ring 40.

[0057] As further depicted in FIGS. 1-6C, the plurality of latching members 70 may be disposed on various portions of the insulating container 10. For example, the first latching member 70a may be disposed on the first wall 12a while the second latching member 70b may be disposed on the second wall 12b opposite the first wall 12a. Although the insulating container 10 depicted in FIGS. 1-5 is shown as having two latching members, it should be appreciated that the insulating container 10 may include any number of latching members without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the latching members may be disposed on and/or about any surface of the outer body ring 40 and/or lid ring 50, as will be described in additional detail herein with reference to FIGS. 6-6C.

[0058] Referring now to FIGS. 6A - 6C, the plurality of latching members 70 may be manipulated in order to allow the lid 30 to move from the closed position to the open position in a first direction (FIG. 6A), a second direction opposite the first direction (FIG. 6B), or be fully removed from the outer body member 14 and outer body ring 40 (FIG. 6C). [0059] For example, as depicted in FIG. 6 A, the lid 30 may be configured to move from the closed position to the open position by pivoting the lid 30 in a first direction (e.g., clockwise direction), such that a user may access the contents of the internal cavity 20 of the insulating container 10. In these embodiments, the lower latching surface 74a of the first latching member 70a may be rotated to move the latching member 70 to the release position, such that the pin member 78a of the first latching member 70a may be disengaged from the first knuckle 80a formed on the outer body ring 40.

[0060] While the lower latching surface 74a of the first latching member 70a may be moved such that the first latching member 70a is in the release position, the lower latching surface 74b of the second latching member 70b may be secured in the pivoting position. Accordingly, as the lid 30 is moved in the first direction, the upper latching surface 72b of the second latching member 70b may pivot about the pin member 78b of the second latching member 70b, which may in turn allow for the lid 30 to translate from the closed position to the open position.

[0061] Referring now to FIG. 6B, the lid 30 may also be moved from the closed position to the open position by pivoting the lid 30 in the second direction (e.g., counterclockwise) opposite the first direction. In these embodiments, adjusting the plurality of latching members 70 may allow for the lid 30 to pivot relative the first latching member 70a (e.g., in the second direction), as will be described in additional detail herein.

[0062] For example, as shown in FIG. 6B, the lower latching surface 74a of the first latching member 70a may be rotated such that the second latching member 70b is moved to the pivoting position, and the pin member 78a of the first latching member 70a is secured within the first knuckle 80a formed in the outer body ring 40.

[0063] While the lower latching surface 74a of the first latching member 70a is rotated to move the first latching member to the pivoting position, the lower latching surface 74b of the second latching member 70b may be rotated to move the second latching member 70b to the release position, such that the pin member 78b of the second latching member is disengaged from the second knuckle 80b formed in the outer body ring 40. Accordingly, as the lid 30 is moved in the second direction, the upper latching surface 72a of the first latching member 70a may pivot about the pin member 78a of the first latching member 70a which may in turn allow for the lid 30 to translate from the closed position to the open position.

[0064] Referring now to FIG. 6C, and as described in detail herein, the plurality of latching members 70 may further allow for the lid 30 to be fully removed from the outer body member 14 and outer body ring 40 of the insulating container 10. In these embodiments, the lower latching surface 74a, 74b of each of the plurality of latching members 70a, 70b may be rotated to move each of the plurality of latching members 70a, 70b from the pivoting position to the release position, such that the pin member 78a, 78b of each of the plurality of latching members 70a, 70b is disengaged from its respective knuckle 80a, 80b. With the pin member 78a, 78b of each of the plurality of latching members 70a, 70b decoupled from their respective knuckles 80a, 80b, the lid 30 may be removed from the outer body member 14 and outer body ring 40 of the insulating container 10, as has been described in detail herein.

[0065] It should be appreciated that the insulating containers 10 depicted in FIGS. 1- 6C are presented for illustrative purposes only, and the configurations contemplated herein are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the insulating container 10 may include any number of latching members 70, with the latching members 70 being disposed on any surface of the outer body ring 40 and/or the lid ring 50. In these embodiments, an insulating container 10 may include a lid 30 that is pivotable in a first direction and a second direction opposite the first direction to move the lid 30 from the closed position to the open position by utilizing at least two latching members positioned opposite one another and rotating the lower latching surface of at least one of the latching members to place at least one of the latching members in the pivoting position and the at least one other latching member in the release position. Furthermore, in the embodiments described herein, the lid 30 of an insulating container 10 having any number of latching mechanisms may be releasable from the outer body member 14 and/or outer body ring 40 by placing rotating the lower latching member of each of the latching members such that each latching member is in the release position, as has been described in detail herein.

[0066] Referring now to FIG. 7, in some embodiments, the insulating container 10 may further include a handle 90 that may be used to transport the insulating container 10. In these embodiments, the handle 90 may include a first handle component 92 and a second handle component 94, with the first handle component 92 being releasably couplable to the second handle component 94 to form the handle 90, as will be described in additional detail herein.

[0067] In the embodiments depicted in FIG. 7, the outer body ring 40 may further include a plurality of bars 44 that may be configured for receiving and/or fixedly coupling the handle 90 to the insulating container 10. For example, as depicted in FIG. 7, the outer body ring 40 may comprise a first bar 44a and a second bar 44b that are configured to receive a first end 92a of the first handle component 92 and a second end 92b of the first handle component 92, respectively. In these embodiments, the first end 92a and the second end 92b of the first handle component 92 may be fixedly attached to the first bar 44a and the second bar 44b, respectively, to secure the first handle component 92 to the outer body ring 40. For example, the first end 92a and the second end 92b of the first handle component 92 may be wrapped around the first bar 44a and second bar 44b, respectively, to fixedly secure the first handle component 92 to the outer body ring 40. According to some embodiments, the handle components 92, 94 may comprise strap material and may in some embodiments comprise hook and loop material, which wraps around the respective bars 44. The hook and loop material may function well in shear and therefore the handle component ends 95 may be fastened by the hook and loop material. Additionally, the components may comprise a cross-strap 97 forming a retaining pathway through which the ends 95 of the components 92, 94 pass.

[0068] Similarly, although not depicted in FIG. 7, the outer body ring 40 may further include a third bar and a fourth bar configured to receive a first end 94a and a second end 94b of the second handle component 94, respectively, as has been described herein. In the embodiments described herein, it should be appreciated that the first handle component 92 and the second handle component 94 should be secured to the plurality of bars 44 via a coupling having sufficient strength to support a weight of the insulating container 10 and any additional materials that may be stored in the internal cavity 20. Furthermore, it should be noted that the first handle component 92 and the second handle component 94 may be formed of silicone rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, soft PVC, elastomers, foamed materials, gel materials, fabric, webbing, or any other similar material capable of being grasped by a user and having a strength sufficient to support the weight of the insulating container 10.

[0069] Furthermore, although the insulating container depicted in FIG. 7 illustrates the first handle component 92 and the second handle component 94 as being disposed on the first wall 12a and the second wall 12b, respectively, it should be appreciated that the handle components 92, 94 may be disposed on any pair of opposite walls without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, the first handle component 92 and the second handle component 94 may be disposed on opposite walls of the pair of sidewalls 12c, 12d. In these embodiments, the size, shape, and/or strength requirements of the insulating container 10 may determine the positioning of the handle components. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the positioning of the plurality of latching members may further impact the positioning of the handle components.

[0070] Referring still to FIG. 7 the first handle component 92 and the second handle component 94 may each include a coupling mechanism 96 (e.g., first coupling mechanism 96a disposed on the first handle component 92 and second coupling mechanism 96b disposed on the second handle component 94) configured to releasably couple the first handle component 92 to the second handle component 94 to form the handle 90. For example, as depicted in FIG. 7 the coupling mechanism 96 may be a magnet. Accordingly, when the first handle component 92 and the second handle component 94 are in placed in physical contact with one another, the magnet disposed in each of the first handle component 92 and the second handle component 94 may act to releasably secure the first handle component 92 to the second handle component 94 to form the handle 90.

[0071] Although FIG. 7 depicts the coupling mechanism 96 as being a magnet, it should be appreciated that the coupling mechanism 96 may include any releasable coupling means without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the coupling mechanism 96 may further include an adhesive (e.g., Velcro, etc.), a clipping mechanism or pin, a snap-fit joint, interference fit, or any other similar releasable coupling. Additionally, the components 92, 94 may have corresponding shapes such as channels and grooves to guide the components 92, 94 into engagement with one another. [0072] Referring now to FIGS. 8A and 8B, in some embodiments, the insulating container 10 may further include a plurality of attachment openings 100. As depicted most clearly in FIG. 8A, the plurality of attachment openings 100 may be formed in at least one of the plurality of walls 12 forming the outer body member 14, such as in the pair of sidewalls 12c, 12d. In these embodiments, the plurality of attachment openings 100 may be formed within an outer surface 13 of at least one of the plurality of walls 12, such that the plurality of attachment openings 100 do not extend into the void 22 formed between the outer body member 14 and the liner 18 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0073] In these embodiments, the plurality of attachment openings 100 may be configured to secure various accessories to the insulating container 10. For example, in some embodiments, the insulating container 10 may further include a beverage container, a bottle opener, an external pocket and/or compartment, an ice pack, a thermometer, or any other similar accessory, which may be releasably secured to the insulating container 10 by tying, or otherwise fastening, the accessory through the plurality of attachment openings 100.

[0074] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the plurality of attachment openings 100 may be used to secure the insulating container 10 to a desired surface and/or location. For example, in the embodiments described herein, the insulating container 10 may be secured to a physical object (e.g., tree, chair, table, etc.) by providing a tie, or other similar fastener, around the physical object and through at least one of the plurality of attachment openings 100 formed in the outer body member 14 of the insulating container 10.

[0075] Referring still to FIGS. 8A and 8B, in some embodiments, the insulating container 10 may further include an accessory loop 102. In these embodiments, the accessory loop 102 may be similarly formed at least one of the plurality of walls 12 forming the outer body member 14, such as in the pair of sidewalls 12c, 12d. Furthermore, the accessory loop 102 may be formed within an outer surface 13 of at least one of the plurality of walls 12, such that the accessory loop 102 does not extend into the void 22 formed between the outer body member 14 and the liner 18.

[0076] In these embodiments, the accessory loop 102 may be configured to secure additional accessories and/or components to the insulating container. For example, in some embodiments, a strap (not depicted), such as a shoulder strap, may be releasably and/or fixedly secured to the accessory loop 102 to aid in transporting the insulating container 10. It should be appreciated that, in the embodiments described herein, the accessory loop 102 may include a plurality of accessory loops disposed on opposite walls of the plurality of walls 12, such that an accessory, such as a strap, may be anchored to the insulating container 10 at multiple positions.

[0077] Referring still to FIGS. 8A and 8B, although the plurality of attachment openings 100 and the accessory loop 102 are depicted as being disposed on the pair of sidewalls 12c, 12d of the insulating container 10, it should be appreciated that the plurality of attachment openings 100 and the accessory loop 102 (or plurality of accessory loops) may be disposed on any surface of the outer body member 14 and/or lid 30 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0078] Turning now to FIG. 9, the base member 16 of the insulating container 10 is depicted in additional detail. In these embodiments, the base member 16 may be a reinforced base member 16, such that the base member 16 reinforces the structure of the outer body member 14 of the insulating container 10. As depicted in FIG. 9, the base member 16 may act as a foundation for the plurality of walls 12, which may aid in ensuring that the outer body member 14 does not buckle and/or deform under weight. Furthermore, in the embodiments described herein, the base member 16 may act to provide a stable platform on which the insulating container 10 may rest, such that the insulating container 10 may be placed on a surface and remain upright without tipping. In these embodiments, the base member 16 may further act to protect a bottom surface of the insulating container 10 from wear, tear, and potential damage from rough surfaces.

[0079] It should be appreciated that, in these embodiments, the base member 16 may be formed of any reinforced material, such as plastic, metal, composites (e.g., fiberglass), or any other similar material capable of supporting the outer body member 14 of the insulating container 10. In these embodiments, it should be further understood that materials having a greater hardness and/or rigidity may provide a greater amount of support and/or reinforcement to the plurality of walls 12, such that the material used to form the base member 16 may be determined based on the structure of the plurality of walls 12. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the base member 16 may be coated with wear and/or scuff resistant materials that may further aid in protecting the bottom surface of the insulating container 10 from wear and tear. It should be further noted that, in some embodiments, the base member 16 may include a plurality of shapes, such as embossed shapes, that may be configured to provide additional reinforcement and strength to the insulating container 10. By incorporating the reinforced base member 16 into the insulating container 10 described herein, the insulating container 10 may achieve a balance of flexibility (e.g., via the soft-shelled outer body member 14) and stability (e.g., via the base member 16).

[0080] Referring still to FIG. 9, in some embodiments, the base member 16 may further include a base foam material disposed within the base member 16 and/or between the base member 16 and the outer body member 14 of the insulating container 10, such that the base member 16 provides an additional layer of insulation for the internal cavity 20 of the insulating container 10. In these embodiments, the base foam material disposed within the base member 16 and/or between the base member 16 and the outer body member 14 may include insulation foam (e.g., polyurethane, polystyrene, EVA, EPE, etc.), fiberglass, aerogel, natural insulation material (e.g., wool, cotton, etc.), or any other similar material. It should be appreciated that, in these embodiments, the base foam material may be a separate and/or additional foam material to the insulation material 24 disposed between the outer body member 14 and the liner 18. Furthermore, in some embodiments, a rigid material may also be positioned in between the base member 16 and the outer body member 14 to provide additional support and/or reinforcement to the outer body member 14.

[0081] Referring now to FIG. 10, a schematic rear perspective view of a further embodiment is depicted in the form of an insulated container 110. In the depicted embodiment, the container comprises a backpack style insulated container 110 for carrying using one or both shoulders. The instant insulated container is styled as in previous embodiments comprising an outer body 14 having a base member 16 and a plurality of walls 12 extending from the base wall.

[0082] As shown in the previous embodiments, the one or more walls may comprise various shapes, and in some embodiments may have a square or rectangular cross- section. The outer body may further comprise a liner or inner shell located within the outer body.

[0083] Additionally, the insulating container may comprise a lid 30. The lid 30 is both pivotable and fully releasable from the outer body. The lid 30, as previously described and shown may pivot in either of first or second directions, as shown in FIGS. 6 A and 6B. Further, the pivot positions and directions may be defined oppositely on upper ends of the outer body by the latching members 70. And the lid 30 may be released from the outer body 14 by unlatching both of the opposed latching members at the same time.

[0084] The materials may also be of similar materials to those previously described and discussion is being incorporated by reference.

[0085] Further, according to some embodiments, the insulating container 110 may comprise shoulder straps 192, 194 for backpack functionality. The shoulder straps 192, 194 may allow carrying of the insulated container through one or both shoulders.

[0086] In some embodiments, a back pad 180 is connected to an exterior surface of one of the plurality of walls 12. For example, this may be considered a rear wall, for ease of description. The back pad 180 may be a single material or an assembly which is welded, sewn, attached, adhered or otherwise connected to the outer body of the insulating container 110. For example, in some embodiments, the back pad 180 may be a nylon or other polymer material that is connected to the outer body 14 about the perimeter of the back pad 180. In other embodiments, the back pad may comprise an assembly of materials. For example, the back pad 180 may comprise a material as well as a pad between the exterior surface of the outer body and the material of the back pad. The pad material may be made of a foam such as low density polyethylene, EVA, rubber-based material such as nitrile rubber, polyurethane, polypropylene, combinations thereof, or other materials. This list is not exhaustive as other materials and combinations may be utilized. Still further, the in some embodiments, the back pad 180 may extend under the entirety of the material, or may be at specific locations, such as the small of the back, or peripherally at or near the edges of the material. In still further embodiments, the material may comprise a mesh which overlays the pad, instead of being a solid material. Or, the mesh may overlay a solid material, which overlays a pad. [0087] The back pad 180 may comprise a rectangular shape, or may comprise other shapes which either fully or partially cover one of the sides of the insulating container.

[0088] Extending from the back pad 180 or a connection between the back pad 180 and the exterior surface may be the shoulder straps 192, 194. The shoulder straps 192, 194 may comprise a material exterior wrapped over a pad material and extend linearly or have some curvature between a first end and a second end. The straps may comprise a first upper portion 192a, 194a and a second lower portion 192b, 194b. A first end of the first upper portion 192a, 194a may be connected to the back pad at the upper end of the back pad. The second end of the second lower portion 192b, 194b may be connected a side edge or lower edge of the back pad 180. The intermediate portions of the strap portions may be connected to provide adjustability for each shoulder strap in combination with buckles or the like.

[0089] Additionally, in some embodiments the shoulder straps 196 may comprise sternum or chest straps that extend from each strap and connect. The sternum straps 196 may comprise buckle clasps 196a to connect and disconnect, to retain the backpack on the shoulders, or allow dismount of the shoulder straps from the user’s shoulders. Alternatively, or additionally, the insulating container 110 may also comprise a waist strap extending from the rear side of the insulating container, and comprising buckles that allow connection or disconnection of the waist strap in addition to the shoulder straps.

[0090] In some further embodiments, the backpack insulated container 110 may have one or more additional pockets on the exterior of the outer body 14. For example, the pockets may be located on sides so that when the insulating container is being worn on the wearer’s shoulders, the user can reach the pockets.

[0091] From the above, it is to be appreciated that defined herein are insulating containers and various features and components for insulating containers. The insulating container described herein may include a plurality of walls that define a soft-shelled outer body member, a base member configured to support the outer body member, a liner disposed within the outer body member and defining an internal cavity, and a lid releasably and pivotally coupled to the outer body member. The lid may be a soft-shelled lid and may be configured to move between an open position in which the internal cavity of the insulating container is accessible and a closed position in which a seal is formed between the soft-shelled lid and the outer body member. A lid ring is disposed about the soft-shelled lid, such that the lid ring is sealed to the outer body ring when the soft- shelled lid is in the closed position. A latching member is configured to secure the lid ring to the outer body ring, and is pivotable between a pivoting position and a release position. A knuckle is fixedly attached to the outer body ring and includes a seat, and a pin member couples the latching member to the lid ring and the seat of the knuckle, such that the latching member is pivotable relative the pin member. The latching member described herein may allow the lid to move to the open position by pivoting in either the first direction or the second direction, and may further allow for the lid to be fully detached from the outer body ring.

[0092] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be further described with reference to the following clauses:

[0093] Clause 1. An insulating container comprising: a plurality of walls defining an outer body member, the outer body member being a soft-shelled member; an outer body ring disposed about the outer body member; a base member configured to support the outer body member; a liner disposed within and spaced apart from the plurality of walls, the liner defining an internal cavity of the insulating container; a soft-shelled lid releasably and pivotably coupled to the outer body member, the soft-shelled lid being configured to move between an open position in which the internal cavity of the insulating container is accessible and a closed position in which a seal is formed between the soft-shelled lid and the outer body member; a lid ring disposed about the soft-shelled lid, such that the lid ring is sealed to the outer body ring when the soft-shelled lid is in the closed position; a latching member configured to secure the lid ring to the outer body ring, the latching member being pivotable between a pivoting position and a release position; a knuckle fixedly attached to the outer body ring and extending between the outer body member and the liner, the knuckle further including a seat; and a pin member that couples the latching member to the lid ring and the seat of the knuckle, such that the latching member is pivotable relative the pin member.

[0094] Clause 2. The insulating container of clause 1, wherein the latching member is non-planar with the outer body ring. [0095] Clause 3. The insulating container of clause 1 or 2, wherein the latching member is non-planar with the lid ring.

[0096] Clause 4. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-3, wherein the outer body ring and the lid ring are both rigid.

[0097] Clause 5. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-4, wherein the soft- shelled lid is translatable from the closed position to the open position when the latching member is in the pivoting position.

[0098] Clause 6. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-5, wherein the soft- shelled lid is fully removable from the outer body member when the latching member is in the release position.

[0099] Clause 7. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-6, wherein the lid ring further includes a gasket for forming the seal with the outer body ring when the soft-shelled lid is in the closed position.

[0100] Clause 8. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-7, wherein the latching member further includes a latch cord for moving the latching member from the pivoting position to the release position.

[0101] Clause 9. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-8, wherein the outer body ring further includes a plurality of bars configured to receive a handle member.

[0102] Clause 10. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-9, wherein the latching member includes a plurality of latching members, and the plurality of latching members are disposed on opposing sides of the lid ring.

[0103] Clause 11. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-10, further comprising an insulation material disposed between the outer body member and the liner.

[0104] Clause 12. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-11, wherein the latching member includes at least a first latching member secured to a first side of the lid ring and a second latching member secured to a second side of the lid ring opposite the first side. [0105] Clause 13. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-12, wherein, when the first latching member is in the pivoting position and the second latching member is in the release position, the soft-shelled lid pivots relative the first latching member between the open position and the closed position, wherein, when the second latching member is in the pivoting position and the first latching member is in the release position, the soft-shelled lid pivots relative the second latching member between the open position and the closed position, and, wherein, when the first latching member is in the release position and the second latching member is in the release position, the soft- shelled lid is removable from the outer body ring.

[0106] Clause 14. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-13, further comprising a back pad disposed on one wall of the plurality of walls..

[0107] Clause 15. The insulating container of any of clauses 1-14, further comprising a back pad disposed on one wall of the plurality of walls. .

[0108] Clause 16. An insulating container comprising: a plurality of walls defining an outer body member; an outer body ring disposed about the outer body member; a base member configured to support the outer body member; a liner disposed within and spaced apart from the plurality of walls, the liner defining an internal cavity of the insulating container; a soft-shelled lid configured to move between an open position in which the internal cavity of the insulating container is accessible and a closed position in which the soft-shelled lid forms a seal with the outer body member; a lid ring disposed about the lid, such that the lid ring is sealed to the outer body ring when the soft-shelled lid is in the closed position; a first latching member secured to a first side of the lid ring and a second latching member secured to a second side of the lid ring opposite the first side, the first latching mechanism and the second latching mechanism being configured to secure the lid ring to the outer body ring, the first latching member and the second latching member being pivotable between a pivoting position and a release position; a plurality of knuckles fixedly attached to the outer body ring and extending between the outer body member and the liner, each of the plurality of knuckles further including a seat; and a plurality of pin members that couple the first latching member and the second latching member to the lid ring and the seat of the plurality of knuckles, such that the first latching member and the second latching member are pivotable relative the plurality of pin members; wherein, when the first latching member is in the pivoting position and the second latching member is in the release position, the soft-shelled lid pivots relative the first latching member between the open position and the closed position.

[0109] Clause 17. The insulating container of clause 16, wherein, when the second latching member is in the pivoting position and the first latching member is in the release position, the soft-shelled lid pivots relative the second latching member between the open position and the closed position.

[0110] Clause 18. The insulating container of clause 16 or 17, wherein the plurality of walls of the outer body member are collapsible between the base member and the outer body ring.

[oni] Clause 19. The insulating container of any of clauses 16-18, wherein the first latching member and the second latching member each may or may not include a latch cord for moving the first latching member and the second latching member from the pivoting position to the release position.

[0112] Clause 20. The insulating container of any of clauses 16-19 wherein the outer body ring further includes a plurality of bars configured to receive a handle member.

[0113] While several inventive embodiments have been described and illustrated herein, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily envision a variety of other means and/or structures for performing the function and/or obtaining the results and/or one or more of the advantages described herein, and each of such variations and/or modifications is deemed to be within the scope of the invent of embodiments described herein. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are meant to be exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and/or configurations will depend upon the specific application or applications for which the inventive teachings is/are used.

[0114] Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. It is, therefore, to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only and that, within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereto, inventive embodiments may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described and claimed. Inventive embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual feature, system, article, material, kit, and/or method described herein. In addition, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods, if such features, systems, articles, materials, kits, and/or methods are not mutually inconsistent, is included within the inventive scope of the present disclosure.

[0115] All definitions, as defined and used herein, should be understood to control over dictionary definitions, definitions in documents incorporated by reference, and/or ordinary meanings of the defined terms. The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should be understood to mean “at least one.” The phrase “and/or,” as used herein in the specification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that are conjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in other cases.

[0116] Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in the same fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Other elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only (optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to B only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

[0117] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall be interpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, but also including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and, optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated to the contrary, such as “only one of’ or “exactly one of,” or, when used in the claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly one element of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” as used herein shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives (i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms of exclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have its ordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

[0118] Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, properties such as reaction conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about”. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in this specification and claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the presently-disclosed subject matter.

[0119] As used herein, the term “about,” when referring to a value or to an amount of mass, weight, time, volume, concentration or percentage is meant to encompass variations of in some embodiments ±20%, in some embodiments ±10%, in some embodiments ±5%, in some embodiments ±1%, in some embodiments ±0.5%, and in some embodiments ±0.1% from the specified amount, as such variations are appropriate to perform the disclosed method.

[0120] As used herein, ranges can be expressed as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. It is also understood that there are a number of values disclosed herein, and that each value is also herein disclosed as “about” that particular value in addition to the value itself. For example, if the value “10” is disclosed, then “about 10” is also disclosed. It is also understood that each unit between two particular units are also disclosed. For example, if 10 and 15 are disclosed, then 11, 12, 13, and 14 are also disclosed.

[0121] As used herein in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at least one,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more of the elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and every element specifically listed within the list of elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally be present other than the elements specifically identified within the list of elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether related or unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “at least one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) can refer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionally including more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including more than one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

[0122] It should also be understood that, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, in any methods claimed herein that include more than one step or act, the order of the steps or acts of the method is not necessarily limited to the order in which the steps or acts of the method are recited.

[0123] In the claims, as well as in the specification above, all transitional phrases such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” “holding,” “composed of,” and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of’ and “consisting essentially of’ shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as set forth in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures.

[0124] Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “right,” “left, ” “top, ” and “bottom” designate directions in the figures to which reference is made. The words “a” and “one” are defined as including one or more of the referenced item unless specifically stated otherwise. This terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import. The phrase “at least one” followed by a list of two or more items, such as A, B, or C, means any individual one of A, B or C as well as any combination thereof.

[0125] The foregoing description of methods and embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the teaching to the precise steps and/or forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the teaching and all equivalents be defined by the claims appended hereto.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An insulating container comprising: a plurality of walls defining an outer body member, the outer body member being a soft-shelled member; an outer body ring disposed about the outer body member; a base member configured to support the outer body member; a liner disposed within and spaced apart from the plurality of walls, the liner defining an internal cavity of the insulating container; a soft-shelled lid releasably and pivotably coupled to the outer body member, the soft-shelled lid being configured to move between an open position in which the internal cavity of the insulating container is accessible and a closed position in which a seal is formed between the soft-shelled lid and the outer body member; a lid ring disposed about the soft-shelled lid, such that the lid ring is sealed to the outer body ring when the soft-shelled lid is in the closed position; a latching member configured to secure the lid ring to the outer body ring, the latching member being pivotable between a pivoting position and a release position; a knuckle fixedly attached to the outer body ring and extending between the outer body member and the liner, the knuckle further including a seat; and a pin member that couples the latching member to the lid ring and the seat of the knuckle, such that the latching member is pivotable relative the pin member.

2. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the latching member is non- planar with the outer body ring.

3. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the latching member is non- planar with the lid ring.

4. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the outer body ring and the lid ring are both rigid.

5. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the soft-shelled lid is translatable from the closed position to the open position when the latching member is in the pivoting position.

6. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the soft-shelled lid is fully removable from the outer body member when the latching member is in the release position.

7. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the lid ring further includes a gasket for forming the seal with the outer body ring when the soft-shelled lid is in the closed position.

8. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the latching member further includes a latch cord for moving the latching member from the pivoting position to the release position.

9. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the outer body ring further includes a plurality of bars configured to receive a handle member.

10. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the latching member includes a plurality of latching members, and the plurality of latching members are disposed on opposing sides of the lid ring.

11. The insulating container of claim 1 , further comprising an insulation material disposed between the outer body member and the liner.

12. The insulating container of claim 1, wherein the latching member includes at least a first latching member secured to a first side of the lid ring and a second latching member secured to a second side of the lid ring opposite the first side.

13. The insulating container of claim 12, wherein, when the first latching member is in the pivoting position and the second latching member is in the release position, the soft- shelled lid pivots relative the first latching member between the open position and the closed position, wherein, when the second latching member is in the pivoting position and the first latching member is in the release position, the soft-shelled lid pivots relative the second latching member between the open position and the closed position, and, wherein, when the first latching member is in the release position and the second latching member is in the release position, the soft-shelled lid is removable from the outer body ring.

14. The insulating container of claim 12, further comprising a back pad disposed on one wall of the plurality of walls.

15. The insulating container of claim 12, further comprising shoulder straps extending from said one wall having said back pad.

16. An insulating container comprising: a plurality of walls defining an outer body member; an outer body ring disposed about the outer body member; a base member configured to support the outer body member; a liner disposed within and spaced apart from the plurality of walls, the liner defining an internal cavity of the insulating container; a soft-shelled lid configured to move between an open position in which the internal cavity of the insulating container is accessible and a closed position in which the soft-shelled lid forms a seal with the outer body member; a lid ring disposed about the lid, such that the lid ring is sealed to the outer body ring when the soft-shelled lid is in the closed position; a first latching member secured to a first side of the lid ring and a second latching member secured to a second side of the lid ring opposite the first side, the first latching member and the second latching member being configured to secure the lid ring to the outer body ring, the first latching member and the second latching member being pivotable between a pivoting position and a release position; a plurality of knuckles fixedly attached to the outer body ring and extending between the outer body member and the liner, each of the plurality of knuckles further including a seat; and a plurality of pin members that couple the first latching member and the second latching member to the lid ring and the seat of the plurality of knuckles, such that the first latching member and the second latching member are pivotable relative the plurality of pin members; wherein, when the first latching member is in the pivoting position and the second latching member is in the release position, the soft-shelled lid pivots relative the first latching member between the open position and the closed position.

17. The insulating container of claim 16, wherein, when the second latching member is in the pivoting position and the first latching member is in the release position, the soft-shelled lid pivots relative the second latching member between the open position and the closed position.

18. The insulating container of claim 16, wherein the plurality of walls of the outer body member are collapsible between the base member and the outer body ring.

19. The insulating container of claim 16, wherein the first latching member and the second latching member each may or may not include a latch cord for moving the first latching member and the second latching member from the pivoting position to the release position.

20. The insulating container of claim 16, wherein the outer body ring further includes a plurality of bars configured to receive a handle member.