Cooler including a protective barrier insert

1 . A cooler for storing items in a compartment thereof, the cooler comprising:

a body that includes a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, a pair of side walls extending between and secured to end portions of the front wall and the rear wall, a bottom wall extending between and secured to bottom portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, and a top wall extending between top portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and secured to the top portion of at least one of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, wherein interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, the pair of side walls, the bottom wall, and the top wall define the compartment therebetween, wherein the top wall is configured to function as a lid to selectively transition between an open configuration that provides access to the compartment and a closed configuration that entirely encloses the compartment;

a first insert configured to be received within the compartment and releasably secured in a first fixed position within the compartment such that the first insert extends between the interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and thereby separates the compartment into at least first and second subcompartments; and

a track system within the compartment that is configured to interface at least with the first insert to selectively secure the first insert in at least the first fixed position,

wherein the track system comprises at least first and second rails embedded within or fixed to opposing positions in the pair of side walls, the first and second rails each including a plurality of locking positions each associated with a pair of oppositely disposed recesses in the first and second rails, the first insert comprising locking members configured to extend from ends of the first insert and engage with the recesses to be secured in one of a plurality of fixed positions corresponding to the plurality of locking positions, and a release mechanism configured to retract the locking members to disengage the recesses and thereby release the first insert from the one of the plurality of fixed positions.

2 . The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the first insert extends between the interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls when secured in each of the multiple fixed positions and thereby separates the compartment into at least a pair of multiple subcompartments corresponding to the respective one of the multiple fixed positions.

3 . The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the first insert comprises a handle protruding from a face thereof, and wherein the release mechanism is a component of the handle.

4 . The cooler of claim 1 , further comprising a second insert configured to be received within the compartment while the first insert is secured in the first fixed position therein and secured in a second fixed position within the compartment such that the second insert extends between the interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and thereby separates at least the second subcompartment into at least third and fourth subcompartments.

5 . The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the first insert is configured to releasably engage the interior surfaces of the top wall to be secured thereto.

6 . The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the interior surfaces of the top wall comprise a lower recess configured to receive and secure the first insert therein such that exposed surfaces of the first insert are flush with exposed surfaces of the top wall adjacent to the lower recess thereof.

7 . The cooler of claim 1 , wherein the first insert is configured to releasably engage exterior surfaces of the top wall to be secured thereto, the first insert comprising a working surface configured for use as a preparation station, the working surface being exposed when the first insert is engaged with the exterior surfaces of the top wall.

8 . The cooler of claim 7 , wherein the exterior surfaces of the top wall comprise an upper recess configured to receive therein at least a portion of the first insert such that the first insert is restricted from lateral movement relative to the top wall, and wherein the upper recess of the top wall is configured to receive a handle of the first insert therein.

9 . The cooler of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more pouches to store fluids, the one or more pouches being disposed inside the body;

a drain plug attached to the cooler, a first portion of the drain plug protruding inside the cooler and a second portion of the drain plug protruding out of the cooler, the one or more pouches attached to the first portion of the drain plug;

one or more dispensing ports attached to the second portion of the drain plug; and

a dispensing element configured to be removably attached to one of the one or more dispensing ports.

10 . The cooler of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of feet removably attached to an exterior surface of the bottom wall.

11 . The cooler of claim 1 , further comprising a wheel system removably attached to an exterior surface of the bottom wall.

12 . A method for storing items, comprising:

providing a cooler comprising a body that includes a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, a pair of side walls extending between and secured to end portions of the front wall and the rear wall, a bottom wall extending between and secured to bottom portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, and a top wall extending between top portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and secured to the top portion of at least one of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, wherein interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, the pair of side walls, the bottom wall, and the top wall define a compartment therebetween, the cooler further comprising one or more pouches to store fluids, the one or more pouches being disposed inside the body, a drain plug attached to the cooler, a first portion of the drain plug protruding inside the cooler and a second portion of the drain plug protruding out of the cooler, the one or more pouches attached to the first portion of the drain plug, one or more dispensing ports attached to the second portion of the drain plug; and a dispensing element configured to be removably attached to one of the one or more dispensing ports;

transitioning the top wall from a closed configuration that entirely encloses the compartment to an open configuration that provides access to the compartment;

locating at least a first item within the compartment;

inserting a first insert within the compartment over the first item; and

securing the first insert in a first fixed position within the compartment such that the first insert extends between the interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and thereby separates the compartment into at least first and second subcompartments, wherein at least the first item is within the first subcompartment.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising securing the first insert in the first fixed position by interfacing the first insert with a track system within the compartment.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising securing a second insert in a second fixed position, while the first insert is secured in the first fixed position within the compartment, by interfacing the second insert with the track system such that the second insert extends between the interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and thereby separates at least the second subcompartment into at least third and fourth subcompartments.

15 . A cooler for storing items in a compartment thereof, the cooler comprising:

a body that includes a front wall, a rear wall opposite the front wall, a pair of side walls extending between and secured to end portions of the front wall and the rear wall, a bottom wall extending between and secured to bottom portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, and a top wall extending between top portions of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and secured to the top portion of at least one of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls, wherein interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, the pair of side walls, the bottom wall, and the top wall define the compartment therebetween, wherein the top wall is configured to function as a lid to selectively transition between an open configuration that provides access to the compartment and a closed configuration that entirely encloses the compartment;

a first insert configured to be received within the compartment and releasably secured in one of a plurality of fixed positions within the compartment such that the first insert extends between the interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and thereby separates the compartment into at least first and second subcompartments; and

a track system, located within the compartment, and comprising at least first and second rails embedded within or fixed to opposing positions in the pair of side walls, the first and second rails each comprising a plurality of locking positions each associated with a pair of oppositely disposed recesses in the first and second rails, the first insert comprising locking members configured to extend from ends of the first insert and engage with the recesses to be secured in the one of the plurality of fixed positions corresponding to the plurality of locking positions, and a release mechanism configured to retract the locking members to disengage the recesses and thereby release the first insert from the one of the plurality of fixed positions.

16 . The cooler of claim 15 , wherein the first insert is configured to releasably engage the interior surfaces of the top wall to be secured thereto.

17 . The cooler of claim 15 , further comprising a second insert configured to be received within the compartment, while the first insert is secured in a first fixed position therein, and secured in a second fixed position within the compartment such that the second insert extends between the interior surfaces of the front wall, the rear wall, and the pair of side walls and thereby separates at least the second subcompartment into at least third and fourth subcompartments.