Portable Container for Dispensing Fuel

Abstract

A portable container for carrying and dispensing liquid fuels is disclosed including a container body having a bottom, one or more sides and a top defining an interior volume, said top including an integral carrying handle for carrying the container in an upright posture and a spout for receiving and dispensing liquid fuel. A hollow passage extends through the container intermediate the top and the bottom and contains an auxiliary handle located such that when it is grasped and used to lift the container, the distributed weight of the container is balanced with respect to the auxiliary handle and the container assumes a generally horizontal position for dispensing fuel.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to portable containers for storing, carrying and dispensing liquid fuels and, more particularly, to portable containers for carrying and dispensing gasoline into the fuel tanks of a variety of vehicles and other gasoline-powered machines which require the container to be held and tipped from a normal carrying position to address the inlet opening of a fuel tank.

II. Related Art

A variety of containers are known and available for storing, carrying and dispensing liquid fuels. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes, some having removable dispensing spouts, and are made of a variety of materials, including steel and various fuel-resistant plastic materials. An important use of such containers is to provide a supply of fuel for recreational vehicle of various types such as snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles (ATV's).

Containers of this type used for refueling vehicles typically are of a size having a capacity to contain from about 5 to as much 8 or even 10 gallons of fuel and therefore weigh from about forty (40) pounds (18.1 kg) to as much as eighty (80) pounds (36.3 kg) when filled with fuel. These containers are provided with carrying handles which balance the weight of the container in an upright or carrying posture. However, as is well known, the inlet passage of a fuel tank of a vehicle or machine is relatively small and extends generally downward so that in order to pour fuel into the fuel tank, the container must be tilted or tipped and thereafter turned through a rather large elevational arc during the fueling operation. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that lifting and tilting a rather heavy container to access and pour fuel into a rather small opening can be a difficult, challenging and stressful endeavor.

It would present a distinct step in the art to provide a fuel container which is not only easy to carry, but also facilitates the transfer of fuel from the container to a fuel tank of interest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

By means of the present invention, there is provided a portable container for carrying and dispensing liquid fuels that facilitates both the carrying and dispensing phases of use. This is accomplished by the provision of a container that includes a bottom, sides and a top defining an interior volume in which the top includes an integral carrying handle for carrying the container in an upright position and a spout for receiving and dispensing liquid fuel. The container is provided with a hollow passage extending through and surrounded by the container volume intermediate the top and bottom. The hollow passage contains an auxiliary handle located and disposed so as to rotate and balance the weight distribution of the container about the handle in a pouring or dispensing position when the user grasps the auxiliary handle and lifts the container regardless of the amount of fuel in the container. The handle is preferably recessed in the hollow passage so that the arm of a user may be fully extended when the container is lifted for pouring, thus providing the user with an ergonomic advantage. The hollow passage may be tapered and angled as necessary through the container but needs to be large enough to accommodate a hand and forearm to use the auxiliary handle.

Because the weight becomes balanced for pouring, it takes very little force to tip the container as necessary during the fueling process, thereby greatly facilitating the transfer of the fuel from the container to a fuel tank of interest.

During the storage and carrying phases, the container is designed to stand upright and the top-mounted carrying handle used to grasp and lift the container in a traditional fashion.

The fuel container of the present invention may be generally rectangular in shape, but any convenient shape that enables the desired attributes can be used.

The fuel container can be made from any suitable material and moldable plastic materials that are inert to gasoline and other liquid fuels which are rather inexpensive to produce may be preferred materials. These include high density polyethylene or polypropylene and other readily moldable materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings wherein like numerals depict like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the fuel container of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view partly in section with parts removed to show an auxiliary handle in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view partly in section to show the position of the auxiliary handle of the fuel container of the invention; and

FIGS. 6a-6d depict the use of a portable container in accordance with the invention (shown with parts removed for clarity).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description details are representative embodiment of the present invention and is meant by way of example rather than establishing limitations to the scope of the invention. Thus, based on the illustrative embodiment, other embodiments and modifications may occur to those skilled in the art which are well within the scope of the inventive concepts.

In FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of the fuel container of the present invention depicted generally by the reference character 10. Front and side views are also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The container includes a front side 12, back side 14 spaced from the front side connected thereto by opposed spaced, generally parallel sidewalls 16 and 18. The container, as illustrated, then, is generally rectangular in shape with the upper portion of the front wall 12 shown angled or beveled at 20 and containing a fuel receiving and dispensing spout 22 which may be provided with any desired extension as at 23. The rear wall 14 may also be angled or beveled toward the front wall as at 24. It should be noted that, while the container of the illustrated embodiment is basically rectangular in shape, a cylindrical or other convenient shape can readily be substituted for that. The container includes an upper carrying handle illustrated at 26 and a hollow passage extends through the center of the container intermediate the top and bottom at 28. An auxiliary handle 30 is fixed inside the hollow passage 28.

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the hollow passage 28 proceeds through the container at an angle and also is longer at the back than at the front of the container. The auxiliary handle 30 is also inclined with respect to the vertical and is located closer to the front of the container. In one embodiment, the auxiliary handle 30 was located about two thirds of the way from rear to front of the container, as pictured in the figures. Thus, when a user sticks his arm through the larger rear section of the passage and grasps the handle 30, when the container 10 is then lifted using the handle 30, it will rotate and balance the weight of the container and any fuel contained therein with the handle 30 in a generally horizontal disposition. The container 10 is designed and configured such that whatever the amount of fuel remaining in the container, the weight on either side of the handle 30 should be generally equal. Thus, while grasping the handle 30 with one hand, it is relatively easy to tip the container 10 accurately to dispense fuel into a receiving fuel tank using the free hand.

It will be appreciated that the angle of the hollow passage 28 and the integral handle 30 is specifically designed with respect to the container volume design so that the weight on either side of the handle 30 remains substantially equal. This may vary with design and changes in the shape of the container itself.

FIGS. 6a-6d show the use of a portable container 10 containing fuel in accordance with the invention by a user 40 to add fuel to a lawn mower 42 using a funnel 44 to add fuel to a tank 46. Part of the portable container and the central portion of fuel have been removed for clarity to show how the container is manipulated. The user is shown shifting the grip to the auxiliary handle 30 with one hand 48 which tips the container to a pour angle closer to the horizontal and by gripping the top handle 26 with the other hand 50, the container can be readily rotated for adjustment of the spout extension 23 and pouring.

This invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use embodiments of the example as required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different devices and that various modifications can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself.

Claims

1. A portable container for carrying and dispensing liquid fuels comprising:

(a) a container body having a bottom, one or more sides and a top defining an interior volume, said top including an integral carrying handle for carrying the container in an upright posture and a spout for receiving and dispensing liquid fuel;

(b) a hollow passage extending through said container intermediate said top and said bottom, said hollow passage containing an auxiliary handle disposed therein; and

(c) wherein said auxiliary handle is designed such that when it is grasped and used to lift the container, the weight of the container distribution is balanced with respect to the auxiliary handle of the container and the container rotates to a generally horizontal position for dispensing fuel.

2. A portable container as in claim 1 wherein said container is generally rectangular in shape.

3. A portable container as in claim 1 wherein said passage extending through the container is at an angle with the horizontal when the container is in an upright position.

4. A portable container as in claim 1 wherein said auxiliary handle is located approximately two thirds of the way from back to front of the container in said hollow passage.

5. A portable container as in claim 1 wherein said container is fabricated from a molded plastic material.

6. A portable container as in claim 1 having a capacity of from about 5 to about 8 gallons.

7. A portable container as in claim 1 wherein said internal passage is larger towards the rear opening.

8. A portable container as in claim 1 wherein said hollow internal passage is sized to accommodate a hand and arm.