IP Library Granted Patent US 11,730,244
Granted Patent B2
US 11,730,244 · App. 17/388,817 · Granted Aug 22, 2023

Container with magnetic closure

Inventors: Derek G. Sullivan (Austin, TX); Kyle Edward Rogers (Austin, TX)
Assignee: YETI Coolers, LLC
A45C13/1069A45C11/20A45C13/008A45C13/103A45C13/1084B65D33/24B65D43/16B65D43/22A45C2200/10B65D2313/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,730,244
App. No.
17/388,817
Granted
Aug 22, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A container device that has an outer shell with an opening that is sealed by a closure mechanism. The closure mechanism can include magnetic strips that are configured to partially or wholly seal the opening.

Claims (51)

1. A container, comprising:

an outer shell formed from a water-resistant material, and having a front portion, a back portion, side portions, and a base portion, the outer shell further comprising:

an opening at a top of the container extending into a storage compartment, the opening having a substantially rectilinear geometry when fully open, and having a front, a back, a first side, and a second side;

a closure mechanism, further comprising:

a flap, extending from the back portion of the outer shell above the opening;

a hook fastener element, rotatably coupled to the flap, and configured to be removably coupled to a selected webbing loop, from a series of webbing loops on the front portion of the outer shell;

a folding magnetic collar configured to be folded between an open configuration and a closed configuration to seal the opening, the folding magnetic collar further comprising:

a front collar member extending between a first end and a second end of the front of the opening, the front collar member comprising:

a magnetic surface facing the back of the opening;

a back collar member extending between a first end and a second end of the back of the opening, the back collar member comprising:

a magnetic surface facing the front of the opening;

a first side collar member extending along the first side of the opening, and hingedly coupled to the first end of the front collar member and to the first end of the back collar member, the first side collar member further comprising a center hinge separating a first magnetic surface and a second magnetic surface; and

a second side collar member extending along the second side of the opening, and hingedly coupled to the second end of the front collar member and to the second end of the back collar member, the second side collar member further comprising a center hinge separating a first magnetic surface and a second magnetic surface,

wherein when the opening is fully open, the front collar member, the back collar member, the first side collar member, and the second side collar member are positioned in a substantially rectilinear configuration,

wherein when the opening is fully open, the magnetic surface of the front collar member extends above the first and second magnetic surfaces of the first side collar member and the second side collar member,

wherein when folded, the center hinge of the first side collar member hinges and the first and second magnetic surfaces of the first side collar member are brought into contact with one another,

wherein when folded, the center hinge of the second side collar member hinges and the first and second magnetic surfaces of the second side collar member are brought into contact with one another, and

wherein when the center hinge of the first side collar member and the center hinge of the second side collar member are folded, the magnetic surface of the front collar member extends above the first and second magnetic surfaces of the first side collar member and the second side collar member, and the magnetic surface of the front collar member is brought into contact with and magnetically coupled to the magnetic surface of the back collar member.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the flap includes a magnetic surface that is configured to magnetically couple to the magnetic surface of the front collar member when the container is in a closed configuration.

3. The container of claim 1 , further comprising a handle coupled to the back portion of the outer shell.

4. The container of claim 1 , wherein the storage compartment is an insulated container.

5. The container of claim 1 , further comprising an inner liner forming the storage compartment.

6. The container of claim 5 , further comprising an insulating layer positioned in between the outer shell and the inner liner, the insulating layer providing insulation for the storage compartment.

7. The container of claim 5 , further comprising a foam layer positioned in between the outer shell and the inner liner.

8. The container of claim 6 , wherein the insulating layer floats between the inner liner and the outer shell.

9. The container of claim 6 , wherein the insulating layer is attached to at least one of the inner liner or the outer shell.

10. The container of claim 1 , wherein the outer shell comprises two or more sub-panels that are welded together.

11. The container of claim 1 , wherein the closure mechanism is configured to be waterproof and airtight when in the closed configuration.

12. A container, comprising:

an outer shell formed from a water-resistant material, and having a front portion, a back portion, side portions, and a base portion, the outer shell further comprising:

an opening at a top of the container extending into a storage compartment, the opening having a substantially rectilinear geometry when fully open, and having a front, a back, a first side, and a second side;

a closure mechanism, further comprising:

a folding magnetic collar configured to be folded between an open configuration and a closed configuration, the folding magnetic collar further comprising:

a front collar member extending between a first end and a second end of the front of the opening, the front collar member comprising:

a magnetic surface facing the back of the opening;

a back collar member extending between a first end and a second end of the back of the opening, the back collar member comprising:

a magnetic surface facing the front of the opening;

a first side collar member extending along the first side of the opening, and hingedly coupled to the first end of the front collar member and to the first end of the back collar member, the first side collar member further comprising a center hinge separating a first magnetic surface from a second magnetic surface; and

a second side collar member extending along the second side of the opening, and hingedly coupled to the second end of the front collar member and to the second end of the back collar member, the second side collar member further comprising a center hinge separating a first magnetic surface from a second magnetic surface,

wherein when the opening is fully open, the magnetic surface of the front collar member extends above the first and second magnetic surfaces of the first side collar member and the second side collar member,

wherein when folded, the center hinge of the first side collar member hinges and the first and second magnetic surfaces of the first side collar member are brought into contact with one another,

wherein when folded, the center hinge of the second side collar member hinges and the first and second magnetic surfaces of the second side collar member are brought into contact with one another, and

wherein when folded, the magnetic surface of the front collar member extends above the first and second magnetic surfaces of the first side collar member and the second side collar member, and the magnetic surface of the front collar member is brought into contact with and magnetically coupled to the magnetic surface of the back collar member.

13. The container of claim 12 , wherein the center hinges of the first and second side collar members comprise polymeric flexure elements.

14. The container of claim 12 , further comprising a flap, extending from the back portion of the outer shell above the opening.

15. The container of claim 14 , wherein the flap is configured to be removably coupled to a webbing loop on the front portion of the outer shell when the opening is in the close configuration.

16. The container of claim 12 , further comprising an inner liner forming the storage compartment.

17. The container of claim 16 , further comprising a foam layer positioned in between the outer shell and the inner liner.

18. The container of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic surfaces of the front collar member, the back collar member, the first side collar member, and the second side collar member each comprise a single magnet element.

19. The container of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic surfaces of the front collar member, the back collar member, the first side collar member, and the second side collar member each comprise a series of multiple magnets embedded in a flexible substrate.

20. The container of claim 12 , wherein the outer shell comprises two or more sub-panels that are welded together.

Assignments (2)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 23, 2023
From: YETI COOLERS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 064074/0808 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 29, 2021
From: SULLIVAN, DEREK G.; ROGERS, KYLE EDWARD
To: YETI COOLERS, LLC
Reel/Frame 057025/0380 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16295682 · Mar 7, 2019
Continuation In Part 16096206
Provisional Application 62468673 · Mar 8, 2017
Related Publication 20210353023A1 · Nov 18, 2021
Cited By (3)
US 1,076,603 US 1,077,586 US 12,473,136