- 1 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: Yetimo International Pty Ltd Actual Inventors: Geney Melek and Stefan Constantoulas Address for Service is: SHELSTON IP 60 Margaret Street Telephone No: (02) 9777 1111 SYDNEY NSW 2000 Facsimile No. (02) 9241 4666 CCN: 3710000352 Attorney Code: SW Invention Title: MODIFIED ICEBOX Details of Original Application No. 2008100686 dated 24 Jul 2008 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: File: 67359AUP01 -2 MODIFIED ICEBOX Technical Field Disclosed is an icebox that has been modified to enable it to carry additional items 5 internally and/or externally, whereby it can display the items externally. In a particular, though certainly not exclusive application, the icebox has been modified to carry and display elongate items such as sporting equipment (eg. cricket stumps). Background Art 10 It is known to make use of an icebox as a kind of equipment or marker when playing recreational sport. For example, iceboxes have been used as wickets, bases, posts etc. in the playing of games such as cricket, baseball, football & rugby-related games, etc. Sometimes sporting items such as balls etc. are also loosely placed in iceboxes. 15 Any reference herein to the prior art is not intended as an admission that the prior art forms a part of the common general knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art in Australia or elsewhere. Summary of the Disclosure 20 According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an icebox including a storage holder arranged on a face thereof, the storage holder being adapted for releasably mounting at least one item of sporting equipment on the face of the icebox to store the item when not in use. In some preferred embodiments, the storage holder includes a plurality of snap 25 locking formations adapted releasably to retain the item of sporting equipment on, in or adjacent the face of the icebox. In some embodiments, the storage holder is adapted for releasably mounting the item on an external face of the icebox. In some embodiments, the at least one item of sporting equipment is elongate. 30 In certain preferred embodiments, the item of sporting equipment includes a set of cricket stumps and the storage holder is adapted to support the cricket stumps in a generally horizontal configuration with the icebox in a standard orientation.
-3 In some preferred embodiments, the storage holder is arranged on or in a lid of the icebox. In one embodiment, the storage holder is arranged on the outside of the lid. In another embodiment, the storage holder is arranged on the inside of the lid. The term "icebox" as used herein is not intended to refer to permanent 5 installations such as refrigerators. It is to be considered in relation to portable cooler boxes and thermally insulated boxes that may be carried by users. In another aspect, the invention provides an icebox comprising a first display holder arranged at an external face thereof, and a second storage holder arranged at either an external or an internal face thereof. 10 The display holder can allow an item (e.g. a sporting equipment item such as a set of cricket stumps) to be displayed for use on the icebox, and the storage holder can allow that item to be stored at the icebox when not in use. When, for example, the icebox has opposing side external faces and opposing end external faces (e.g. an icebox in the form of a rectangular prism) the first holder can be 15 arranged at an end external face of the icebox in use. This can display e.g. a sporting equipment item (such as cricket stumps) at what is typically a relatively narrower icebox end. Also, either or both ends of the icebox can carry the first display holder. In certain embodiments, the display holder can comprise a set of display clips that can be arranged on a given end external face, with the clips allowing for rapid and easy 20 attachment and detachment of the item. In an embodiment of the icebox the second storage holder can be arranged at either or both of a side external face or an internal underside face of a lid for of the icebox (eg. of an in-use upper lid that is hingedly mounted to the icebox). The second holder can be arranged at either or both of the side external faces, and/or at another 25 internal face of the icebox (i.e. other than the lid underside). The second storage holder can also comprise a set of storage clips for rapid and easy storage and removal of the item. When the icebox is in a standard orientation (e.g. sitting on its base on the ground), the display holder can be arranged so as to orientate an elongate item held 30 therein in a generally vertical configuration. This can correspond to the item being ready for use (e.g. cricket stumps being vertically orientated and correctly spaced, with bales being arrangable thereon to define a wicket for use in a cricket game).
-4 In this standard icebox orientation the storage holder can be arranged so as to orientate an elongate item held therein in a generally horizontal configuration (e.g. corresponding to the cricket stumps being stored away from use at a side of, or inside, the icebox). 5 In an embodiment of the icebox the first and second holders can each be adapted for retaining thereat one or more different elongate sporting equipment items, such as a set of cricket stumps, bat(s), racquet(s), as well as balls, bales, gloves and other sporting accessories, for use in the playing of games such as cricket, baseball, football & rugby related games, tennis, badminton etc. 10 In a further aspect, the invention provides an icebox comprising a first display holder arranged at an external face thereof, the first display holder being adapted for releasably securing and displaying an item at the icebox external face. The item displayed can be elongate, and can be held and displayed therein in a generally vertical configuration (e.g. the item can be sporting equipment as per the first 15 aspect). When the icebox of this aspect does not include a second holder for storage, the item can be simply (e.g. loosely) stored in the icebox when not being displayed at the icebox external face. In another aspect, the invention provides an icebox comprising a holder arranged 20 at a face thereof, the holder being adapted for releasably mounting an elongate item at the icebox face. In this aspect, the holder can comprise either a storage and/or a display holder located internally and/or externally. In the icebox of this aspect, the elongate item can be secured by the holder and 25 optionally displayed at the icebox face in a generally vertical or a generally horizontal configuration, or in a configuration between vertical and horizontal. The elongate item can comprise sporting equipment (as described above), or it may comprise elongate utensils or implements, especially for cooking and food and beverage preparation (e.g. BBQ utensils). 30 When the icebox of this aspect does not include a storage holder, the item can be simply (e.g. loosely) stored in the icebox when not being displayed at the icebox external face.
-5 Brief Description of the Drawings Notwithstanding any other forms that may fall within the definition of the icebox as set forth in the Summary, specific embodiments of the icebox will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 5 Figure 1 shows a rear perspective (storage) view of a first icebox embodiment; Figure 2 shows a front side perspective view of the icebox embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an end (in-use) perspective view of the icebox embodiment of Figure 1; 10 Figure 4 shows a front side (storage) perspective view of a second icebox embodiment in an open configuration; Figure 5 shows a front side (in-use) perspective view of the second icebox embodiment of Figure 4 in a closed configuration; and Figure 6 shows an end (in-use) perspective view of the icebox embodiment of 15 Figure 4. Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments In the following description, whilst Figures 1 to 3 show a different icebox embodiment to Figures 4 to 6, like reference numerals will generally be used to denote 20 similar or like parts. In the drawings there is shown an icebox in the form of a portable cooler box 10 (Figures 1-3) and 10' having wheels 11 (Figures 4-6). The cooler box 10, 10' comprises a first display holder in the form of a series of three display clip pairs 12A, B & C externally mounted at an end face 14 of the box. 25 The cooler box 10, 10' may also or alternatively comprise a second storage holder. In Figures 1 to 3 the second storage holder takes the form of two rows each 16, 18 of storage clip pairs 20A, B & C and 22A, B & C that are externally mounted at a rear side face 24 of the box. In Figures 4 to 6 the second storage holder takes the form of two rows each 26, 28 of storage clip pairs 30A, B & C and 32A, B & C that are internally 30 mounted at an underside face 34 of a hingedly mounted lid 36 of the cooler box. In the cooler box 10 (Figures 1-3) the storage clip pairs 20A, B & C and 22A, B & C enable a sporting equipment item such as a set of three cricket stumps Sl, S2 and S3 -6 to be externally mounted (snap-locked in) and stored at, on, in, or otherwise closely adjacent to the rear side face 24 of the box when not in use. In the cooler box 10' (Figures 4-6) the storage clip pairs 30A, B & C and 32A, B & C enable a sporting equipment item such as a set of three cricket stumps SI, S2 and 5 S3 to be internally mounted and stored at, on, in, or otherwise closely adjacent to the underside face 34 of the box lid when not in use. However, as shown in Figures 3 and 6, when it is desired to display the sporting equipment item (e.g. to use the cricket stumps S1, S2 and S3 in a game of cricket) the item can be removed from storage and remounted for display at the relatively narrower 10 cooler box end face 14, with each stump S1, S2 and S3 snaplocking into a respective one of the three display clip pairs 12A, B & C. Thus, the cooler box can be placed in a standard orientation (i.e. sitting on its base on the ground as shown), and the item (e.g. the stumps) can be held in the display clip pairs 12A, B & C in a vertical configuration for use, and yet the cooler box lid can still 15 be opened (e.g. to allow for user access to and consumption of drinks, food etc. during a game). In this standard cooler box orientation the item (e.g. the stumps) can also be stored out of the way in a generally horizontal configuration (i.e. stumps stored at the rear side of the cooler box (Figure 1) or the stumps stored inside the cooler box (Figure 4, when 20 the lid is closed. In Figure 4 it will be seen that bales B 1 and B2 can be retained under the pointed ends of the stored stumps Si, S2 and S3. Also, in Figures 3, 5 and 6 it will be seen that bales BI and B2 have been arranged on the stumps Si, S2 and S3 to define a wicket W for use in a cricket game. In addition, in Figure 4, it will be seen that a ball B can be 25 stored within the cooler box (e.g. at the lid underside). The various clip pairs can allow for rapid and easy attachment and detachment of the sporting equipment item. As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the display clips can also be located so as not to interfere with an adjacent handle 40 of the cooler box. Different elongate sporting equipment items, such as bats, racquets, posts etc. can 30 be mounted to the various clip pairs. The cooler box can also be adapted to carry other sporting accessories such as balls, bales, gloves, etc. Whilst a number of specific icebox embodiments have been described it should be appreciated that the icebox may be embodied in many other forms.
-7 For example, the display clips can be arranged at either or both of the end external faces of the cooler box. This can allow posts to be displayed at both ends of the cooler box (eg. to allow a net to be erected). Also, the storage clips can be arranged at either or both of front and rear side external faces of the cooler box, and/or at another internal 5 face of the cooler box (i.e. other than the lid underside). The cooler box can also carry a second set of stumps (eg. for setting up remotely from the displayed stumps) in which case, two independent sets of storage clips can be arranged at the cooler box. The variously modified cooler box can be used for the playing of games such as 10 cricket (including beach cricket), baseball, football & rugby-related games, tennis, badminton etc. Also, whilst the cooler box will usually include at least one set of storage clips, if storage clips are not provided the item can be simply stored (e.g. loosely) inside the cooler box when removed from the display clips. 15 Whilst the item as described is sporting equipment, the item may alternatively comprise utensils or implements, especially for cooking and food and beverage preparation (e.g. elongate BBQ and cooking utensils, beverage and bottle openers etc). In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word 20 "comprise" and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the icebox.