Abstract:
A fluid container having relatively flat rectangular side walls and a flat circumferential end wall joining the side walls to provide a hollow interior for containing a fluid material with recessed fill/pour spout and handle holes. Tie-down holes are provided to facilitate the stacking and holding down of the containers during storage or transit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a fluid container; and more particularly to a container for transporting and storing liquid fuels, for example.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     The prior art containers for transporting and storing liquid fuels include sheet metal containers used in military operations to refuel vehicles, aircraft, tanks, and motorcycles. Such containers are typically constructed to occupy a minimum of space, and are readily adaptable to storage and transportation.  
         [0005]     Containers of the type referred to above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,387,220 and include structural details enabling containers to be stacked upon one another. The stacking is typically contemplated in a manner wherein the bottom of one container is stacked upon the top of a base container.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,314 describes a fluid container wherein the construction assumes a rather box-like housing having diagonal ridges formed in the side walls to increase the structural rigidity of the sides.  
         [0007]     The U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,200 to Flider discloses a plastic jerry can having a single filler/pourer opening and a handle to facilitate the carrying thereof. The container is configured to be easily stacked in its upright position.  
         [0008]     A modified fluid container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,098 to Schoonover et al includes a box-like housing which can stand on either end of its two bottoms and can be filled from whichever opening is opposite the bottom on which it stands. The side walls include diagonal ridges to improve structural rigidity of the sides.  
         [0009]     While the containers of the prior art are functionally acceptable, it would be desirable to stack the side wall of the container against the side wall of the adjacent without a tendency to collapse the containers, and to include means for tying or entrapping the containers in stacked relation on an associated rack of an all terrain vehicle (ATV), trailer, snowmobile, boat, or backpack, for example, using suitably disposed tie-down holes and handle holes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     It is an object of the present invention to produce a fluid container which can be stacked in vertical array side upon side.  
         [0011]     Another object of the present invention is to produce a container for fluids provided with spaced apertures to facilitate the use of tie down ropes for securing the array to a supporting rack.  
         [0012]     Another object of the present invention is to produce a container for fluids having relatively planar side walls and associated means for preventing the collapse of the side walls when exposed to ancillary forces, at least one pouring/filling aperture in the wall providing communication with the interior of the container.  
         [0013]     The above as well objects and advantages of the invention may be achieved by a fluid container comprising a first planar side wall having a circumference defining the shape of the side wall and spaced apart indentations; a second planar side wall having a circumference defining the shape of the wall and spaced apart indentations; and a wall extending circumferentially around and forming the first and second side walls and causing respective ones of the indentations to contact one another to maintain spaced relation across the first and second walls, and to militate against collapse of the walls. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The above objects and advantages will be readily apparent and understood by those skilled in the art from reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a container embodying the features of the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view thereof;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevational view thereof;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a left side view thereof;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a right side view thereof;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view thereof;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view thereof;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the container illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 , with the fill/pour spout removed preparatory to stacking;  
         [0024]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of containers of the type illustrated in  FIG. 9  in stacked array;  
         [0025]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an embodiment of invention shown in  FIGS. 1-10  inclusive;  
         [0026]      FIG. 12  is a front elevational view thereof;  
         [0027]      FIG. 13  is a rear elevational view thereof;  
         [0028]      FIG. 14  is a left side view thereof;  
         [0029]      FIG. 15  is a right side view thereof; and  
         [0030]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of containers of the type illustrated in  FIGS. 12 through 15  in stacked array. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 10  inclusive of the drawings, there is illustrated a container for fluids incorporating the features of the present invention. The container is generally designated by reference numeral  10  and is comprised of a pair of spaced apart side walls  12  and  14 . The side walls  12  and  14  are similar in configuration; however, side wall  12  is provided with a slightly outwardly projecting panel  16 , and the side wall  14  is provided with a slightly inwardly projecting panel  18 . The outwardly projecting panel  16  is bounded by an outwardly beveled border  20 , while the inwardly projected panel  18  is bounded by an inwardly beveled border  22 . The panels  16 ,  18  and the respective beveled borders  20 ,  22  are utilized to facilitate the stacking of the containers  10 , one on top of another as will be explained thereinafter and as illustrated in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0032]     The side wall  12  is provided with a plurality of inwardly projecting indentations  24  which may be frusto-conical in shape, for example. The side wall  14  is provided with a plurality of inwardly projecting indentations  26  which are shaped similarly to the indentations  24  of the side panel  12 . The indentations  24  and  26  are spaced apart and arranged so that the innermost end of each of the indentations of one of the side walls  12 ,  14  contacts the innermost end of a corresponding aligned indentations of the other one of the side walls  12 ,  14 . The reason for the indentations  24  and  26  is to provide for structural strength and stability and to militate against the collapse of the side walls  12  and  14  towards each other when the containers  10  are filled and arranged in stacked relation as illustrated in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0033]     The container  10  is provided with a circumferentially-extending wall  30  which effectively joins the two side walls  12  and  14  to form a generally hollow container  10 .  
         [0034]     The wall  30  is provided with pairs of opposing recessed handle holes  32 ,  34 , and  36 ,  38 . The handle holes  32 ,  34 ,  36 , and  38  are positioned generally midway of the longitudinal dimension of the respective portion of the wall  30 . Thereby, the lifting of the container by any one of the handle holes will result in a somewhat balanced load to the operator. It will be appreciated that in addition to the handle holes being used for the carrying of the container  10 , they are also functional for securing the container to a support with strapping and/or rope. And further, they serve as strengthening elements.  
         [0035]     A plurality of spaced apart tie-down holes  40  are formed to extend from the one side wall  12  through the hollow interior of the container  10  to the opposite side wall  14 . The holes  40  are defined by hollow cylindrical walls that extend in fluid-tight relation across the hollow interior of the container  10  from side wall  12  to side wall  14 . The tie-down holes  40  function as strengthening supports as well as for securing the container  10  with ancillary strapping or ropes.  
         [0036]     The container  10  is provided with an integral fill/pour spout  42  having male threads molded therein in the event the container is formed of a plastic material, for receiving the spout. It will be noted that the fill/pour spout  42  is received within a recessed zone protected by a fill/pour spout protection  44 . The protection  44  extends a sufficient amount to assist in protecting and militating against any impact to the fill/pour spout  42  from an accidental drop or impact from another object.  
         [0037]     A vent  46  and an associated bushing are encapsulated into the material employed to form the circumferentially extending wall  30 . The vent  46  and the associated bushing may be formed of a brass material, for example. In order to protect the vent  46 , there is provided a projection  48  to protect the zone in which the vent  46  resides. The projection  48  will function to protect the vent  46  from impact which might occur from an accidental drop of the container  10 .  
         [0038]     It will be noted that the outwardly extending panel  16  and the inwardly extending panel  18  are provided with differing sized engraving faces to allow the use of different interchangeable engraving inserts carrying trademark, capacity, and manufacturer&#39;s information, for example. When the containers  10  are employed in stacked array, as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the outwardly extending panels  16  are received within the next adjacent and superposed inwardly extending panels  18  of adjacent containers  10 . The structural design is such that the associated respective beveled borders  20  and  22  cooperate with one another to facilitate the above referred to stacking of the individual containers  10 . Such structure also militates against any relative lateral movement of the stacked container array. Also, it will be understood that suitable tie-down straps or ropes caused to extend through aligned tie-down holes  40  and secured to a supporting rack or the like on a vehicle such as an ATV, for example, are effective to further secure the array of containers  10  until it becomes necessary to empty/fill the containers.  
         [0039]     The recessed handle holes  32 ,  34 ,  36 , and  38  may also be collectively or selectively employed to receive tie-down straps or ropes.  
         [0040]     While the container  10  may be fabricated from a number of different materials, it is believed that the use of a high density polyethylene is deemed to have many advantages. The containers  10  may be fabricated by a well-known blow molding process. The typical capacity of the containers  10  is approximately four (4) gallons.  
         [0041]     The resultant container product results in one which is easy to carry; may be supported on the side panels as illustrated in  FIG. 10 , as well as on the edge wall portions since the handle holes  32 ,  34 ,  36 , and  38  are recessed, and may be readily caused to assume a pouring or filling position.  
         [0042]     Now referring to  FIGS. 11 through 16  inclusive of the drawings, there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the invention. Most of the features of the container illustrated in  FIGS. 11 through 16  are the same as the features illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 10 . In order to simplify the description, similar features are indicated with prime reference numerals. The features indicated with prime reference numerals correspond with those similar features previously described and will not be described further hereafter.  
         [0043]     The alternative embodiment has eliminated the side venting feature and has incorporated the pour/fill spout  50  with a recessed section  52  in the left side of the container  10 ′. A recessed section  54  is formed in a diametrically opposed position from the recessed section  52  in the right side of the container  10 ′. The recessed section  54  is adapted to receive the pour/fill spout  50  of the next adjacent container  10 ′, when the containers  10 ′ are in stacked array as illustrated in  FIG. 16 .  
         [0044]     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be understood that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.