Portable ski cooler and method

1. A vehicle for containing and transporting items, the vehicle comprising:

a receptacle having a right-side and a left-side, the receptacle being further defined by a bottom, two sides, and an opening;

a door, the door being substantially rectangular, the door being able to selectively cover the opening of the receptacle and align with the four sides of the receptacle;

at least one door-hinge pivotably attaching the door to the receptacle, such that the door covers the opening of the receptacle in a closed-position and exposes the opening of the receptacle in an open-position;

a right-ski and a left-ski each movable between a deployed-position and an undeployed-position;

at least one right-hinge pivotably attaching the right-ski to the right-side of the receptacle;

at least one left-hinge pivotably attaching the left-ski to the left-side of the receptacle;

a first-lock configured to maintain the right-ski in the deployed-position when engaged;

a second-lock configured to maintain the left-ski in the deployed-position when engaged;

wherein the first-lock and the second lock each comprise

a hinge including

a cooler-leaf,

a lock-leaf having a tip, and

a pin having a lock-axis,

such that the pin pivotably fastens the cooler-leaf to the lock-leaf and acts as a fulcrum for rotation of the lock-leaf relative to the cooler-leaf; and

an abutment affixed to the right-ski and alternatively the left-ski, wherein the abutment is positioned such that when the right-ski and alternatively the left-ski is in the deployed-position, the lock-leaf may be turned down such that the tip of the lock-leaf rests against the abutment, and the impingement of the abutment against the tip of the lock-leaf prevents the right-ski and alternatively the left-ski from returning to the undeployed-position until the lock-leaf is removed from the abutment.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising at least two wheels pivotably attached to the receptacle.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising an axle affixed to the receptacle, the axle including

an axle-axis,

a left-end, and

a right-end distal to the left-end, and

wherein the at least two wheels are affixed to the axle, one to the left-end, and one to the right-end.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising at least one leaf-fastener, wherein the cooler-leaf has at least one fastening-aperture, and the at least one leaf-fastener passes through the at least one fastening-aperture and affixes the cooler-leaf to the receptacle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one right-hinge further comprises a right-axis, and the at least one left-hinge further comprises a left-axis, and the lock-axis is parallel but not coincidental with either the right-axis or the left-axis.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the right-ski and the left-ski each include an upturned-nose.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle further includes a right-spacer and a left-spacer each configured to distance the right-ski and the left-ski relative from each other, such that the at least one right-hinge is affixed to the right-spacer, and the at least one left-hinge is affixed to the left-spacer.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the right-spacer and the left-spacer each comprise rigid rectangular bodies.

9. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the undeployed-position as corresponds to the right-ski places the right-ski above the right-axis, and the undeployed-position as corresponds to the left-ski places the left-ski above the left-axis.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the in the deployed-position, and when the first-lock and the second-lock are engaged, the right-ski and the left-ski are coplanar to each other.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the in the undeployed-position, such that the first-lock and the second-lock are not engaged, the right-ski and the left-ski are parallel to each other.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one right-hinge and the at least one left-hinge are each mechanically restricted to ninety degrees of travel.

13. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the receptacle further comprises an insulating-liner, the insulating-liner lining the bottom and the four sides, and wherein the door further comprises an insulating-layer, such that the insulating-liner and the insulating-layer define an insulated internal-cavity when the door is closed to the receptacle.

14. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the right-ski and the left-ski are each constructed of polymer.

15. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the right-ski and the left-ski are each constructed of aluminum.

16. A portable ski cooler vehicle comprising:

a receptacle having a right-side and a left-side, the receptacle being further defined by a bottom, two sides, and an opening;

a door, the door being substantially rectangular, the door being able to selectively cover the opening of the receptacle and align with the four sides of the receptacle;

at least one door-hinge pivotably attaching the door to the receptacle, such that the door covers the opening of the receptacle in a closed-position and exposes the opening of the receptacle in an open-position;

a right-ski and a left-ski each movable between a deployed-position and an undeployed-position;

at least one right-hinge pivotably attaching the right-ski to the right-side of the receptacle; and

at least one left-hinge pivotably attaching the left-ski to the left-side of the receptacle;

at least two wheels pivotably attached to the receptacle;

an axle affixed to the receptacle, the axle including

an axle-axis,

a left-end, and

a right-end distal to the left-end,

a first-lock and a second-lock, the first-lock being configured to maintain the right-ski in the deployed-position when engaged, and the second-lock being configured to maintain the left-ski in the deployed-position when engaged, each of the first-lock and the second-lock comprising

a hinge including

a cooler-leaf,

a lock-leaf having a tip, and

a pin having a lock-axis,

such that the pin pivotably fastens the cooler-leaf to the lock-leaf and acts as a fulcrum for rotation of the lock-leaf relative to the cooler-leaf;

and

an abutment, the abutment being affixed to the right-ski and alternatively the left-ski, wherein the abutment is positioned such that when the right-ski and alternatively the left-ski is in the deployed-position, the lock-leaf may be turned down such that the tip of the lock-leaf rests against the abutment, and the impingement of the abutment against the tip of the lock-leaf prevents the right-ski and alternatively the left-ski from returning to the undeployed-position until the lock-leaf is removed from the abutment;

at least one leaf-fastener, wherein the cooler-leaf has at least one fastening-aperture, and the at least one leaf-fastener passes through the at least one fastening-aperture and affixes the cooler-leaf to the receptacle;

wherein the at least one right-hinge further comprises a right-axis, and the at least one left-hinge further comprises a left-axis, and the lock-axis is parallel but not coincidental with either the right-axis or the left-axis;

wherein the right-ski and the left-ski each include an upturned-nose;

wherein the receptacle further includes a right-spacer and a left-spacer each configured to distance the right-ski and the left-ski relative from each other, such that the at least one right-hinge is affixed to the right-spacer, and the at least one left-hinge is affixed to the left-spacer;

wherein the right-spacer and the left-spacer each comprise rigid rectangular bodies;

wherein the undeployed-position as corresponds to the right-ski places the right-ski above the right-axis, and the undeployed-position as corresponds to the left-ski places the left-ski above the left-axis;

wherein the in the deployed-position, and when the first-lock and the second-lock are engaged, the right-ski and the left-ski are coplanar to each other;

wherein the in the undeployed-position, such that the first-lock and the second-lock are not engaged, the right-ski and the left-ski are parallel to each other;

wherein the at least one right-hinge and the at least one left-hinge are each mechanically restricted to ninety degrees of travel;

wherein the at least two wheels are affixed to the axle, one to the left-end, and one to the right-end;

and

wherein the receptacle further comprises an insulating-liner, the insulating-liner lining the bottom and the four sides, and wherein the door further comprises an insulating-layer, such that the insulating-liner and the insulating-layer define an insulated internal-cavity when the door is closed to the receptacle.

17. A method of transporting items comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle comprising:

a receptacle having a right-side and a left-side, the receptacle being further defined by a bottom, two sides, and an opening;

a door, the door being substantially rectangular, the door being able to selectively cover the opening of the receptacle and align with the four sides of the receptacle;

at least one door-hinge pivotably attaching the door to the receptacle, such that the door covers the opening of the receptacle in a closed-position and exposes the opening of the receptacle in an open-position;

a right-ski and a left-ski each movable between a deployed-position and an undeployed-position;

at least one right-hinge pivotably attaching the right-ski to the right-side of the receptacle;

at least one left-hinge pivotably attaching the left-ski to the left-side of the receptacle;

a first-lock configured to maintain the right-ski in the deployed-position when engaged;

a second-lock configured to maintain the left-ski in the deployed-position when engaged;

wherein the first-lock and the second lock each comprise

a hinge including

a cooler-leaf,

a lock-leaf having a tip, and

a pin having a lock-axis,

such that the pin pivotably fastens the cooler-leaf to the lock-leaf and acts as a fulcrum for rotation of the lock-leaf relative to the cooler-leaf; and

an abutment affixed to the right-ski and alternatively the left-ski, wherein the abutment is positioned such that when the right-ski and alternatively the left-ski is in the deployed-position, the lock-leaf may be turned down such that the tip of the lock-leaf rests against the abutment, and the impingement of the abutment against the tip of the lock-leaf prevents the right-ski and alternatively the left-ski from returning to the undeployed-position until the lock-leaf is removed from the abutments;

deploying the right-ski and the left-ski by rotating the right-ski and the left-ski outwardly from the receptacle;

depositing items within the receptacle; and

pulling the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising the steps of stowing the right-ski and the left-ski by rotating them upwardly against the receptacle; and

pulling the vehicle with the items therein without the assistance of the right-ski and the left-ski.