Backpack with removable insulated container

Claim 1

A combination backpack and removable insulated container, comprising: a separate and complete backpack component and a separate and complete insulated container component; said insulated container component including a plurality of panels that are joined together at their respective edges into a compartment having a body and a rectangular mouth opening, said mouth opening being defined by an upstanding rectangular peripheral lip of a defined height, each of said panels having thermal insulation means, said insulated container component further including a rectangular cover member and a closure assembly for selectively opening and closing said open mouth, said cover member having an outside end that closely overlies and closes said mouth when said cover member is thus selectively closed; said rectangular cover member of the insulated container component has a sidewall extending the full rectangular periphery of the cover member, said sidewall being defined betwen an outside end of the cover member and a closure assembly that selectively joins less than said full rectangular periphery of the sidewall of the cover member to the body of the insulated container component, the remainder of said full periphey of the sidewall of the cover member being hingedly attached to said body of the insulated container, said sidewall of the insulated container cover member having a height approximating said defined height of said peripheral lip, said peripheral upstanding lip extending beyond said cover member closure assembly, and said sidewall of the cover member generally overlies said peripheral upstanding lip when said cover member is in a closed orientation, whereby said cover member, once open, will be engaged to interact with said closure assembly in order to allow the cover member to remain open and clear of the mouth opening; said backpack component including a plurality of fabric panels that are joined together to form a soft-walled and uninsulated backpack body defining a backpack interior compartment that is sized and shaped to be suitable for storing and carrying goods and gear, said backpack body having a backstrap, an interior surface and an exterior surface, closure means for selectively gaining access to said interior compartment of the backpack body; and a sleeve component secured to at least one of said fabric panels of the backpack component, said sleeve component having a mouth, said sleeve component and its mouth are sized and structured to closely receive, to hold and support said insulated container component, and to permit quick and easy removal of the insulated container as a unit from said sleeve, and said sleeve component is sized and is located on said backpack component for avoiding substantial reduction of said size of the backpack interior compartment.