FLUID CONTAINER

Disclosed herein is a fluid container for a vehicle, the fluid container having at least one passageway which extends therethrough between opposing faces of the fluid container, the at least one passageway being configured to be attachably mounted on the vehicle and wherein the or each passageway internal to the fluid container is configured to inhibit movement of the fluid contained therein.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Australian provisional application no. 2019903458 filed 17 Sep. 2019, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a fluid container for mounting on a vehicle. In particular, the fluid container is for containing auxiliary water or even fuel mountable to off-road vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

To travel from one destination to another in vast areas which are sparsely populated, such as outback Australia, it may be necessary to use an off-road vehicle such as a four-wheel drive vehicle. In particular, off-road vehicles are commonly used in extended trips in remote and rough terrain for touring and recreation purposes or for expedition purposes in exploring unknown or off-road areas. It can be necessary for the passengers in the vehicle to be self-supported for extended periods requiring considerable quantities of supplies and equipment.

These trips may also require that large amounts of fluids are carried such as water if none is easily or locally available. In addition, large amounts of fuel may be required for a trip where large distances must be covered or it is not possible to re-fuel from external sources. In such cases, a backup reserve quantity of fuel and/or water must also be anticipated to avoid being stranded.

It is also generally undesirable to transport fluid fuels, such as diesel, kerosene and petrol, in the cabin of a vehicle which can limit the amount and location of the fuel to be carried. Fumes may vent from a container which can affect the occupants and further produce an explosive fuel and air mixture which may explode when exposed to an ignition source, injuring or even killing the occupants.

Jerrycans are common containers used for transporting fuel or water which are often made of steel but can also be made of polyethylene. Jerrycans can be carried in dedicated jerrycan holders such as at the rear of a vehicle however this limits the amount of fuel that can be carried. These jerrycans can also be carried on the rooftops of four-wheel drive vehicles. However as fully laden jerrycans can weigh up to 20 kg and are typically manually handled moving these containers to and from the rooftop can be potentially awkward, difficult and even injurious. There are similar disadvantages with large water containers which must be manually handled to arid from a roof top.

Furthermore, jerrycans or water containers are generally kept upright to avoid spillage and therefore this can raise the centre of gravity which adversely affects vehicle handling and stability. Also increasing the profile of the vehicle overall can lead to increased drag and therefore increase fuel consumption when travelling, especially at high speeds.

Another downside to jerrycans or large water containers is the difficulties in fluid transfer which due to the weight of the jerrycan or water container is messy or dangerous. In particular, manual fuel transfer can lead to fuel contamination in dusty or wet conditions. Manual handling of the jerrycans or water containers also means that they can be vulnerable to damage from dropping or knocks which can lead to unnoticed fuel or water leakage which may leave the passengers stranded without sufficient fuel or water. Constant examination of the jerrycans or water containers over the duration of the trip may be required to avoid being stranded. Water containers in particular are generally made of thin-walled polyethylene and therefore may be more vulnerable to damage.

Another method for carrying additional fuel is to install auxiliary long-range fuel tanks however this can be expensive as the tanks often have to be customised to a vehicle and require complex fittings and internal baffles to avoid the fuel sloshing around. Other disadvantages include that as the most convenient place for auxiliary tanks may be under the vehicle, this may affect the vehicle's ground clearance and require the use of a pump to get the fuel from the auxiliary tank to the main tank adding to costs. Furthermore installation of auxiliary tanks may assist in carrying fuel or water, such as tanks which are mounted underneath the vehicle, but does not assist in carrying substantial amounts of other or additional fluids which may be needed.

Examples of the invention seek to solve or at least ameliorate one or more disadvantages of previous methods and devices for carrying quantities of fluids such as water or fuel on a four-wheel drive vehicle.

The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluid container for a vehicle, the fluid container having at least one passageway which extends therethrough between opposing faces of the fluid container, the at least one passageway being configured to be attachably mounted on the vehicle and wherein the or each passageway internal to the fluid container is configured to inhibit movement of the fluid contained therein.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a fluid container for a vehicle, the fluid container having at least one passageway which extends therethrough between opposing faces of the fluid container, the at least one passageway being configured to receive mounting means for attachably mounting the fluid container on the vehicle and wherein the or each passageway internal to the fluid container is configured to inhibit movement of the fluid contained therein.

The or each passageway may be elongated to form a slotted passageway which has a wall internal to the container thereby forming at least one baffle to inhibit movement of the fluid from one side of the baffle to the other. When the fluid container is so mounted, at least one baffle may be arranged to inhibit movement of the fluid substantially parallel to the direction of travel. More preferably, or alternatively, the at least one baffle may be arranged to inhibit movement of the fluid substantially transverse to the direction of travel.

In a preferred embodiment, the fluid container may have at least two spaced-apart baffles, adjacent ones of which are oriented in transverse directions to inhibit movement of the fluid both transverse and parallel to the direction of travel.

Preferably, when the container is mounted on a roof of the vehicle, the or each passageway is vertically oriented for receiving fastening means for engageable mounting on the vehicle.

The fastening means may comprise male components threadably receivable in female components of a rack or platform mounted on the roof or vice versa. In an alternate embodiment the fastening means may be a U-bolt which is configured to attach the container to a roof bar or a portion of the rack or platform.

Preferably, the or each passageway is configured to hold a washer member configured to allow the fastening means to securely mount the fluid container via the or each passageway to the vehicle. The washer member can have a slot for adjustable positioning of the fastening means. An upwardly directed opening of the or each passageway can be recessed for seating the washer member.

The container may have an outlet for dispensing said fluid therefrom and an inlet for allowing fluid to be received therein. The outlet may be adapted to connect to a hose. The outlet can include a valve for on-demand dispensing of the fluid. The inlet may be arranged to receive a cap.

The fluid container is preferably configured to contain potable water. Alternatively, the fluid container may be configured to contain fuel. The fluid container can contain fluids other than water or fuel.

The container can have attachment points for attachably mounting equipment. Preferably, the equipment includes recovery boards as an example but can include camping equipment, supplies, jacks or other items.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is a fluid container for a vehicle, the fluid container having at least one passageway which extends therethrough between opposing faces of the fluid container, wherein the or each passageway internal to the fluid container is configured to inhibit movement of the fluid contained therein and wherein the body of the container has at least one attachment point for attachably mounting equipment thereto.

The fluid container can have an outer surface configured to reduce drag.

The surface of the fluid container can be adapted so as to form a recess for receiving equipment. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the surface is adapted to form a recess for fittably receiving recovery boards. The fluid container and the equipment when so received in the recess can form a profile configured to reduce drag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred features of the present invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it is to be understood that the features illustrated in and described with reference to the drawings are not to be construed as limiting on the scope of the invention.

InFIGS. 1 to 15are various views of a fluid container2for a vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Although the fluid container2is described below as being mounted on a four wheel drive vehicle, it will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention could be mounted on a variety of vehicles, such as utility vehicles, caravans or even boats.

The fluid container2has a number of passageways4,6(in particular seven passageways) which extend through the fluid container2between opposing faces. In the embodiment illustrated the passageways4,6extend between the upper and lower surfaces however it can be understood that the passageways4,6could extend between other faces, such as the side faces. The wall defining each passageway4,6internal to the fluid container2is configured to inhibit movement of the fluid. Specifically the internal passageway wall or walls define a baffle8,10which inhibits movement of the fluid and suppresses sloshing effects. Sloshing generates dynamic forces which can influence the behaviour of the vehicle and affects its stability and control, especially during braking and turning, and as well as potentially increasing fuel consumption. Thus the baffle8,10reduces the fluid movement and therefore promotes greater control and stability of the vehicle, and also decreases fuel consumption.

It is preferred, as illustrated particularly inFIG. 9, that the passageways4,6are elongated in one dimension so as to form slotted passageways4,6. The baffles8,10defined by the slotted passageway walls extend intermediate to opposing internal walls of the container thereby preventing fluid movement from one side of the baffle8,10to the other except via two openings12which are defined by the end portions of the baffles8,10and the opposing container walls. It can be appreciated that greater the relative size of the baffles8,10the smaller the openings12which further inhibits fluid movement. In an exemplary embodiment illustrated inFIG. 9, the baffles8,10block about 75% of the cross-sectional area of the fluid container2however the baffles8,10can be configured so as to block up to 90% of the cross-sectional area. In a more preferred embodiment the baffles8,10are configured to block up to 95% of the cross-sectional area.

The fluid container2is preferably formed so as to be elongated, preferably elongated to be substantially the length of the roof of the vehicle on which it is mounted, and further can be mounted such that a longitudinal axis of the fluid container2is roughly parallel to the direction of travel as illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12. The width of the fluid container2can be roughly a third to a half of the width of the vehicle roof which allows for other items, such as camping supplies, to be carried on the rooftop on a platform such as those exemplified inFIGS. 11 and 12. In the illustrated embodiments, the fluid container2is 154 cm in length, 30 cm wide and 15.5 cm in height, and carries 45 L of fluid. However it can be appreciated that the fluid container2can be mounted in various orientations on the vehicle, for example, such as being oriented such that the longitudinal axis of the fluid container2is transverse to the direction of travel or at an angle to the direction of travel. Further, the dimensions of the fluid container2can also vary to suit the user's desires, to accommodate lesser or greater volumes of fluid, to accommodate the varying vehicle dimensions or for aerodynamic purposes.

The overall profile of the fluid container2is configured for reducing drag when the vehicle is travelling and preferably is aerodynamically shaped. For example, as particularly illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3, the upper and side surfaces of the fluid container2taper towards the ends. Therefore the fluid container2is configured to be mounted in any orientation or position, for example, with the inlet and outlets at the rear so as to present a more aerodynamic profile, although the inlet/outlet can be mounted at the front if so desired or on either side of the rooftop without increasing drag. Furthermore the fluid container2is configured so that it does not substantially increase the height of the vehicle when so mounted, for example the fluid container2may only be 15 to 20 cm in height, which advantageously keeps the centre of gravity of the vehicle low to promote handling stability and control.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 1 to 12, there are four spaced-apart slotted passageways4which are oriented such that they are elongated along the longitudinal axis of the fluid container2. If the fluid container2is located such that it is parallel to a side of the vehicle with the inlet/outlet at a front of the roof, the slotted passageways4form baffles8for inhibiting movement of the fluid transverse to the longitudinal axis of the fluid container2, and subsequently, inhibition of fluid movement transverse to the direction of travel. Three transversely oriented slotted passageways6intermediate to each pair of adjacent longitudinal passageways4therefore inhibits the fluid movement parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fluid container2, and subsequently, parallel to the direction of travel. This arrangement of internal baffling being in alternating orientations advantageously provides effective minimisation of the fluid movement which promotes optimal control and stability of the vehicle and minimises fuel consumption especially during turning and braking. The baffle arrangement as shown most particularly inFIG. 9will be appreciated as being only one of various arrangements of baffles, and the fluid container2may have one or any number of baffles which are oriented in different directions for inhibiting fluid movement.

The slotted passageways4,6are also able to receive mounting means which allows the fluid container2to be mounted to the vehicle, preferably the of the vehicle although it can be appreciated that the fluid container2could be mounted in other locations such as a tray of a utility vehicle or by other mounting means which would be known by a person skilled in the art. In a preferred arrangement illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12, the roof has a platform32which has channel or gutter arrangements34configured for attachment of rooftop items. It is also preferred that the mounting means allows the fluid container2to be easily attached or detached if required but when so attached ensures that the fluid container2is securely mounted. It is also anticipated that the mounting means may include locking arrangements such as a padlock or the like which prevents unauthorised removal of the fluid container.

In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting means is in the form of a washer member and a fastening arrangement which is receivable through the washer member14and slotted passageway4,6to attach the fluid container2to the platform32. In preferred examples, the fastening arrangements comprise male and female components such as a bolt16engageable to a threaded hole member (not shown) which is held in the channel or gutter arrangement34or a rod held upright in the channel or gutter34and on which the fluid container2can be mounted by the slotted passageway4,6and secured by a nut or bolt.

The washer member14is configured to be seated in a recess18at an upper portion of each slotted passageway4,6, and having a slot20configured to allow penetrable engagement of the shaft of the bolt16or rod. The slot20allows adjustment of positioning of the fluid container2as the bolt16or rod can be positioned anywhere along the slot20yet is also able to hold the fluid container2firmly when the fastening means is locked. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the washer member14can have three slots20as illustrated inFIG. 8instead of the single slot20. To preserve the aerodynamic profile of the fluid container2the washer member14and fluid container2are configured to receive the washer member14and bolt16in recessed engagement such that they do not protrude above the contoured surface. The washer member14, as illustrated inFIG. 8, can comprise a polymer material.

FIGS. 6 and 7show two preferred ways of mounting. InFIG. 6, the fluid container2is secured by mounting means in engagement by the longitudinally oriented slotted passageways4whileFIG. 7shows the securement by the transversely oriented slotted passageways6. This allows the positioning of the fluid container2to be varied in the longitudinal or transverse directions as selectable by the user before locking of the mounting means. It can be appreciated that the attachment of fluid container2to the vehicle can be via use of the slotted passageways4,6regardless of orientation.

In another preferred embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 14 and 15, there is shown an alternative mounting arrangement having a washer member15which is also configured to be seated in a recess18of each slotted passageway4,6. This washer member15acts to perform the same or similar function as the washer member14however this washer member is comprised of metal and therefore less material is required while providing more strength and resilience against the external environment.

The above paragraphs describe a preferred method of mounting the fluid container via the use of washer members14however it can be appreciated that this fluid container2is also configurable to easily allow mounting to the vehicle via a variety of methods and mounting means. In particular, it would be understood that a person skilled in the art would be able to mount the fluid container2via a variety of methods and mounting means via any commercially available platforms or trays via mounting means that are already in common use. For example, mounting methods which do not require attachment points are also envisaged by the applicant. In one example, the fluid container can be mounted to a roof-bar or a portion of a platform or rack on the vehicle roof by one or more fastening means such as a U-bolt.

The fluid container2has an inlet22and outlet24for allowing the fluid, such as fuel or water, to fill the fluid container2and be dispensed therefrom. The inlet22is located on the upper surface of the fluid container2and preferably has a threaded outer portion on its periphery for receiving a screwable cap26although it will be appreciated that other closures may be used. The inlet22is recessed such that the cap26does not protrude above the surface profile of the fluid container2thereby reducing drag. The outlet24can be located at an end portion of the fluid container2and preferably, as illustrated inFIG. 9, at a recessed lower portion of the fluid container2for promoting dispensing of the fluid. The outlet24, as illustrated inFIG. 9, preferably has a fitting which allows connection to a hose, such as those commonly used as garden hoses, which can then be directed to the opening of the vehicle's fuel tank for re-fuelling or for convenient dispensing of water. The outlet24can also preferably include a valve, for example a ball valve to allow dispensing of the fluid on demand.

The fluid container2also has a plurality of attachment points28for easy and convenient mounting of other accessories which may be useful to the vehicle's owner. In the embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 10 and 11, a pair of mounting plates29can be attached to the attachment points28which are in the form of threaded holes which can receive fastening means (not shown) such as bolts or screws. Fastening means30, in the example shown in the form of upright rods, pins or bolts on which a pair of recovery boards32can be mounted to the mounting plates29. It can be appreciated that the attachment points28could be in the form of other fastening means, such as clips or clamps, which would allow releasable attachment of the recovery boards32and that other accessories or even a second fluid container could be substituted for the recovery boards.

In a preferred embodiment illustrated inFIG. 13, there is shown a fluid container3which has been adapted so as to mount other equipment or accessories such as recovery boards32. In particular, the upper surface of fluid container3is shaped so as to form a recess which is configured to fittably receive the recovery boards32. This fluid container3therefore can easily carry a pair of recovery boards and also the overall shape formed by the fluid container3and the recovery boards when so received advantageously forms a surface profile which is aerodynamic. Therefore both equipment and the fluid container3can be mounted on the vehicle roof easily and which also reduces drag.

The fluid container2is preferably formed of material such as steel, aluminium or polymer material and which is also suitable for the fluid type which it may carry. It will be understood by the person skilled in the art that any type of fluid could be carried by the fluid container2including water and fuel. In particular, if the fluid is water, the fluid container2and/or lining is preferably formed of a food-grade safe and robust material such as a polymer material, for example, a UV resistant food grade polyethylene which is suitable for potable water. Similarly if the fluid container2is for containing fuel, the container may be formed of steel, aluminium or polymer material which is suitable for containing and storing fluid fuels, such as petrol, diesel or kerosene.

Through-out the specification and claims the word “comprise” and its derivatives is intended to have an inclusive rather than exclusive meaning unless the context requires otherwise.

Orientational terms used in the specification and claims such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper and lower are to be interpreted as relational and are based on the premise that the component, item, article, apparatus, device or instrument will usually be considered in a particular orientation, typically with the assembly uppermost.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made to the methods of the invention described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.