Collapsible coolers

1. An expandable and collapsible cooler, comprising:

(a) a base defining a bottom portion of the cooler;

(b) an upper rim defining an upper portion of the cooler;

(c) a collapsible cooler wall, the cooler wall comprising a plurality of flexible elastomeric membranes, each including a plurality of hinge lines at which the membrane is configured to bend such that the membrane is transitional between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the cooler is transitional between an expanded configuration for use of the cooler, and a collapsed configuration during nonuse of the cooler, by bending along the hinge lines of the plurality of flexible elastomeric membranes, each of the configurations corresponding to a stable configuration of the cooler;

(d) an intermediate rigid portion located between the base and the rim, wherein at least one upper membrane extends between and is attached to said upper rim and said intermediate rigid portion, and wherein at least one lower membrane extends between and is attached to said base; and

(e) a handle for lifting of the cooler, wherein the handle is attached to the intermediate rigid portion and is configured for rotational movement relative to the intermediate rigid portion about a pivot axis.

2. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 1 , wherein the handle is configured to swivel over a top of the cooler from one side to another when the cooler is in the fully expanded configuration.

3. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 1 , wherein the handle is locatable laterally adjacent the flexible elastomeric membranes when fully collapsed.

4. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 1 , wherein the cooler wall consists of a single collapsible wall formed from the flexible elastomeric membranes.

5. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 1 , wherein the cooler wall tapers inwardly from the rim toward the rigid intermediate portion.

6. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 1 , wherein the cooler wall tapers inwardly from the base toward the rigid intermediate portion.

7. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 6 , wherein the cooler wall tapers inwardly from the rim toward the rigid intermediate portion.

8. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 1 , the upper member is expandable and collapsible independent of the expansion or contraction of the lower member.

9. An expandable and collapsible cooler, comprising:

(a) a base defining a bottom portion of the cooler;

(b) an upper rim defining an upper portion of the cooler;

(c) a collapsible cooler wall, the cooler wall comprising a plurality of flexible elastomeric membranes, each including a plurality of hinge lines at which the membrane is configured to bend such that the membrane is transitional between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the cooler is transitional between an expanded configuration for use of the cooler, and a collapsed configuration during nonuse of the cooler, by bending along the hinge lines of the plurality of flexible elastomeric membranes, each of the configurations corresponding to a stable configuration of the cooler;

(d) an intermediate rigid portion located between the base and the rim, wherein at least one upper membrane extends between and is attached to said upper rim and said intermediate rigid portion, and wherein at least one lower membrane extends between and is attached to said base; and

(e) a handle for lifting of the cooler, wherein the handle is attached to the intermediate rigid portion and is configured for rotational movement relative to the intermediate rigid portion about a pivot axis;

(f) wherein the cooler wall comprises an inner collapsible wall and an outer collapsible wall formed from the flexible elastomeric membranes.

10. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 9 , wherein the handle is configured to swivel over a top of the cooler from one side to another when the cooler is in the fully expanded configuration.

11. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 9 , wherein the handle is locatable laterally adjacent the flexible elastomeric membranes when fully collapsed.

12. An expandable and collapsible cooler, comprising:

(a) a cooler wall defining an interior storage space of the cooler, the cooler wall comprising an inner collapsible wall and an outer collapsible wall; and

(b) a bottom wall to which the collapsible inner and outer walls are joined and from which the collapsible inner and outer walls extend;

(c) wherein the inner and outer collapsible walls define an intermediate space therebetween for insulating the interior storage space from an exterior of the cooler;

(d) wherein the inner collapsible wall comprises a plurality of flexible elastomeric membranes joined together by a rigid portion to form the inner collapsible wall, each membrane including a plurality of hinge lines at which the membrane is configured to bend such that the collapsible wall is transitional between a respective collapsed configuration and a respective expanded configuration by bending along the hinge lines, each of the configurations corresponding to a stable configuration of the cooler; and

(e) wherein the outer collapsible wall comprises a plurality of flexible elastomeric membranes joined together by the rigid portion to form the outer collapsible wall, each membrane including a plurality of hinge lines at which the membrane is configured to bend such that the collapsible wall is transitional between a respective collapsed configuration and a respective expanded configuration by bending along the hinge lines, each of the configurations corresponding to a stable configuration of the cooler.

13. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 12 , wherein the rigid portion extends around a periphery of the inner collapsible wall and the outer collapsible wall.

14. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 12 , wherein the inner and outer collapsible walls each tapers inwardly in extending from the bottom wall.

15. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 12 , wherein the bottom wall defines a bottom surface of the interior storage space.

16. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 12 , wherein the bottom wall defines a bottom surface of a bottom surface of the intermediate space.

17. The expandable and collapsible cooler of claim 12 , wherein the bottom wall defines a bottom surface of the interior storage space and the intermediate space.