Cooler 1767371 224958948 2008-07-11T05:05:20Z PortableIceChest 7458163 {{otheruses}} [[Image:PortableIceChestPatent1955.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Portable Ice Chest, U.S. Patent # 2,663,167 (1953).]] A '''cooler''' ('''portable ice chest''') most commonly is an [[Thermal insulation|insulate]]d box, used to keep [[food]] or [[drink]] cool. [[Ice]] cubes which are very cold are most commonly placed in it to make the things inside stay cool. [[Ice pack]]s are sometimes used, as they either contain the melting [[water]] inside, or have a [[gel]] sealed inside that also stays cold longer than plain water. The portable ice chest was invented by Richard C. Laramy of Joliet, Illinois. On February 24, 1951, Laramy filed an application with the United States Patent Office for a portable ice chest (Serial No. 212,573). The patent (#2,663,167) was issued December 22, 1953. Coolers are often taken on [[picnic]]s, and on [[vacation]] or holiday. Where [[summer]]s are hot, they may also be used just for getting cold [[groceries]] home from the store, such as keeping [[ice cream]] from melting in a hot [[automobile|car]]. Even without adding ice, this can be a big help, particularly if having to make another brief stop on the way home. They are usually made from interior and exterior shells of [[plastic]], with a hard [[foam]] in between. They also come in sizes from small personal ones to large family ones with [[wheel]]s. [[Disposable]] ones are made only from [[styrofoam|styrene foam]] (like a [[coffee]] cup) about 2 cm or one inch thick. Most have molded-in [[handle]]s, a few have [[shoulder]] [[strap]]s. The cooler was invented in [[New Zealand]]{{Fact|date=January 2008}}, where it is generally called a [[chilly bin]], a [[genericized trademark]]. In the [[United Kingdom]] the common name is a "cool-box", in the [[United States]] they are usually called a "[[cooler]]" and in [[Australia]] an "[[Esky]]". ==See also== *[[insulated shipping container]] *[[thermal insulation]] [[Category:Containers]] [[Category:Food preservation]] [[de:Kühlbox]] [[fr:Glacière]] [[ja:クーラーボックス]] [[nl:Koelbox]]