Abstract:
The disclosure relates to a portable fuel container system which can facilitate extracting substantially all of the contents contained therein, without having to physically manipulate the container to do so, thereby minimizing spillage and waste. Embodiments of the fuel container system can include a fuel container enclosing a fluid cavity and a fluid dispenser. A collection channel may be recessed in the base section of the container and configured to gravitationally draw fluid to an end of the channel having an aperture, which forms a low point of the fluid cavity. A fluid dispenser can be coupled to the aperture and be in fluid communication with the cavity. The dispenser can include a valve and flexible conduit, allowing the user to position the dispenser to a desired location before activating the flow of fluid.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE 
       [0001]    This application is a non-provisional application claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/356,677 filed on Jun. 30, 2016, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to portable fuel container systems comprising fluid containers and flexible dispensers. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Portable fuel containers are generally used to transport fuel from a fuel station pump to a device when it would be impractical or impossible to directly access the fuel station pump with the device. For example, one may desire to fill a lawn mower with fuel, but it would be very impractical or burdensome to bring the lawnmower to a gas station every time it needed to be refilled. On the other hand, portable fuel containers may be filled up at a gas station pump and then brought to the desired fuel engine. Likewise, portable fuel containers are useful for the temporary storage of fuel, such as when gasoline is siphoned from an automobile during maintenance or repair. In those circumstances, the fuel is transferred into the portable fuel container and may be dispensed into other equipment or returned to the original equipment after the required work is complete. Typical portable fuel containers are made from plastic with a capped opening for easily filling the container and storing fuel therein. These portable containers may have a separate spout for dispensing the fuel into the desired equipment. However, portable fuel containers are often susceptible to spilling when dispensing fuel as the result of imprecise human operation and the difficulty in handling heavy containers (e.g. when users tilt the containers to drain them). Additionally, it is typically difficult to empty all the fuel in conventional portable fuel containers, which can result in wasted fuel. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Among other things, embodiments provide a novel fuel container system. Embodiments of the fuel container system can provide a number of features such as facilitating dispensing of substantially all of the fuel (e.g., gasoline) from a portable fuel container system, while minimizing the spilling of fuel during the dispensing process and avoiding the need to physically tip, tilt, or otherwise pour fuel from the container. For example, some embodiments are implemented as a fuel container system having features that dispense fuel out of a fuel container through a flexible dispenser, such as a flexible hose, that may be maneuvered to the desired location before a valve is activated. When the valve is activated, fuel is allowed to flow directly from a fluid cavity within the fuel container through the flexible dispenser and into the desired vessel in a controlled manner. In these embodiments, the flexible dispenser can drain fuel from a collection channel that is formed in the base of the fuel container and positioned vertically lower relative to the rest of the fluid cavity of the container to permit collection of substantially all of the fuel in the container. Enclosing the fluid cavity in some embodiments, the fuel container may comprise a sidewall region, a top section having a sealable opening configured to receive fuel, and a base section located opposite the top section. The base section may contain a collection channel recessed with respect to the inner portion of the base section. The collection channel can be configured to gravitationally draw fuel toward a low end of the collection channel when the fuel container is in an upright position. In some cases, the low end of the collection channel may include an aperture for draining the contents of the fluid cavity. 
         [0005]    According to one embodiment, a conduit passage extends from the aperture to the sidewall region. The conduit passage is recessed with respect to an outer portion of the base section, wherein the outer portion is facing away from the fluid cavity. A ground mount may support the base section when the fuel container is in the upright position, for example when placed on a substantially horizontal surface. In that configuration, the ground mount spaces the base section from the surface upon which the fuel container is placed. 
         [0006]    Further, the fuel container may have a fluid dispenser. The fluid dispenser may comprise a flexible conduit fluidly coupled to the aperture at the low end of the collection channel, and at least a portion of the flexible conduit may be positioned within the conduit passage. The fluid dispenser may also have a valve, for instance a one-way valve, to control the flow of fuel through the flexible conduit. For example, the fuel may flow from the collection channel through the aperture into the flexible conduit and then out an outlet opening of the flexible conduit when the one-way valve is open. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The accompanying figures illustrate one or more embodiments of the disclosed portable fuel container system, and together with the detailed description serve to explain the aspects and implementations of the system. Embodiments are described in conjunction with the appended figures: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a front top perspective view of a fuel container system with a fluid dispenser in a stored position; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a front top perspective view of the fuel container system of  FIG. 1  with a fluid dispenser in a dispensing configuration; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  shows a front top perspective view of the fuel container of the fuel container system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a front top perspective, cross-sectional view of the fuel container of  FIG. 3 , taken along plane A of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  shows a back top perspective, cross-sectional view of the fuel container of  FIG. 3 , taken along plane B of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  shows a front bottom perspective view of the fuel container of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  shows a front bottom perspective view of the fuel container of  FIG. 3  with a flexible conduit in a stored configuration; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the fluid dispenser of the fuel container system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  shows a back top perspective view of the fuel container system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  shows a back top perspective view of the fuel container of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  shows a front top perspective, cross-sectional view of the fuel container of  FIG. 3 , taken along plane B of  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. The following detailed description of the drawings, along with the preceding brief description of the drawings, utilizes a directional convention to promote clarity. Vertically descriptive terms, such as “top” and “bottom” or “up” and “down,” relate to directions, locations, or view orientations of the fuel container system with respect to a gravitational frame of reference when the fuel container is resting upright on a horizontal surface. In the embodiments shown in the drawings, “front” of the fuel container of the fuel container system is the region, side, or point where the fluid dispenser interfaces with the fuel container. The “back” of the fuel container is the region, side, or point generally opposite the front. The “sides” of the fuel container correspond to the regions, sides, or points which are neither the front, back, top, nor bottom of the fuel container. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of a fuel container system  100  comprising a fuel container  103  oriented in an upright position. The fuel container  103  may be made from any suitable material depending on the contents to be stored therein. For example, plastic may be used for gasoline containers. In certain embodiments, the fuel container  103  may instead or additionally be made from metal. The fuel container  103  encloses a fluid cavity (shown in  FIG. 4 ) which may be defined by a top section  101 , a base section (shown in  FIG. 4 ), and one or more sidewall regions  107 . The fuel container system  100  has a fluid dispenser  102  connected to the base section of the fuel container  103  and configured for fluid communication with the fluid cavity. The fluid dispenser  102  is shown in  FIG. 1  in a stored position, in which the fluid dispenser is secured in a fluid dispenser passage (shown in  FIG. 3 ) formed on the sidewall region, thereby decreasing the overall physical imprint of the fuel container system  100 . 
         [0021]    Connecting the fluid dispenser  102  to the base section at a low point of the fluid cavity permits contents contained therein to be gravitationally drawn to the fluid dispenser  102 , such that the fluid dispenser is able to drain substantially all of the fuel in the fuel container  103 , thereby allowing drainage without needing to tilt or tip the container. In this way, the potential for spilling fuel from imprecise human operation of the container is minimized, and users do not manipulate the container in order to extract fuel which may be physically difficult or cumbersome, especially when the fluid cavity is full of fuel and the fuel container is at its heaviest. The fuel container system  100  may also have a sealable opening (shown in  FIG. 3 ) on the top section  101  for introducing fuel into the fluid cavity, which opening is sealed with a removable cap  105  in one embodiment. The removable cap  105  may engage the sealable opening through various cap attachment and/or sealing mechanisms, such as complimentary screw threading on the sealable opening and removable cap  105 . 
         [0022]    At this point, it should be appreciated that the fuel container  103  may have different shapes in other embodiments, such as a substantially cylindrical form. In this configuration, the fuel container would have no specific front, back, or sides; the front, back, and sides could be any portion of the sidewall region of the fuel container. One skilled in the art would realize that the aspects of the fuel container system  100  described herein can be integrated using many different three-dimensional shapes, such as the cylindrical embodiment just disclosed. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the fuel container system  100  in an upright position with the fluid dispenser  102  in a dispensing/utility configuration. In the stored position, the fluid dispenser  102  may be held in place by a dispenser clip  201 . When a user desires to fill a piece of equipment (e.g, a car, lawnmower, and/or the like) with gasoline contained in the fluid cavity, the fluid dispenser  102  may be disengaged from the dispenser clip  201  and maneuvered to the desired location, thereby transitioning the fluid dispenser from its stored position to its dispensing configuration. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  further depicts the fuel container  103  of the fuel container system of  FIG. 1  having a handle  303  located on the top section  101 . The handle  303  permits a user to position the fuel container system on a desired surface before filling and/or emptying the fluid cavity (shown in  FIG. 4 ). In some embodiments, the handle  303  is formed or molded on the top section  101 . In other embodiments, the handle is a separate and distinct component attached to the fuel container  103 . Instead, the handle can also be located on the sidewall region  107 , or located on and span both the sidewall region  107  and top section  101 . Moreover, the handle may comprise more than one structure, as in embodiments where a user grips handle elements on one or more sides of the fuel container using both hands, for example. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, the fuel container  103  further includes a fluid dispenser passage  301  in the sidewall region  107  to retain the fluid dispenser  102  in the stored position. For example, the conduit passage  601  of the base section (shown in  FIG. 6 ) may continue around the bottom edge of the fuel container to form a continuous passageway with the fluid dispenser passage  301  for the fluid dispenser to pass therein. The fluid dispenser passage  301  may be formed or molded into the fuel container  103 . In another embodiment, the fluid dispenser passage  301  can be a separate structure attached to fuel container  103 . For example, a separate piece forming a fluid dispenser passage  301  can be adhered to the fuel container  103  through the use of adhesive, fastener, welding, friction fit or snap fit connections, or other methods. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a cut-away view of the fuel container  103 , revealing a fluid cavity  400 , taken along plane A-A of  FIG. 3 . In one embodiment, the fuel container  103  has a base section  401  with a collection channel  402 . The collection channel  402  may be recessed with respect the base section  401 , thereby creating a lower portion for fluid within the fluid cavity  400  to collect. The base section  401  may have an aperture  403  located at one end of the collection channel  402 . The collection channel  402  may have a low end on its terminus where the aperture  403  is located, therein being vertically lower relative to the rest of the fluid cavity  400  such that substantially all the fuel within the fluid cavity  400  is gravitationally drawn toward the aperture  403 . The collection channel  402  and the aperture  403  may be located approximately in the center of the base section  401 . In other embodiments, the collection channel  402  and the aperture  403  may be located in other locations on the base section  401  and with respect to each other. For example, the collection channel  402  and the aperture may be positioned closer to one side of the sidewall region  107  as compared to an opposite side. 
         [0027]    As further depicted in  FIG. 4 , the collection channel  402  may comprise a semicircular trough formed in the base section  401 . Moreover, the collection channel  402  can comprise a semi-spherical depression in the base section  401 . In yet other embodiments, the collection channel  402  can comprise other configurations recessed in the base section  401  for fluid inside the fluid cavity  400  to collect and drain toward the aperture  403 . Therefore, no limitations are intended by the illustrated embodiment and should not be inferred. 
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of the fuel container  103  taken along plane B-B of  FIG. 3 . Certain embodiments of the fuel container system  100  include one or more ground mounts  501 . The ground mounts  501  may be formed in the base section  401  of the fuel container  103 . For instance, the mounts may be integrally molded thereon. In other embodiments, one or more ground mounts  501  comprise independent structures and be attached to, coupled to, or otherwise configured to support the base section  401  of the fuel container  103 . For example, the ground mounts  501  may be formed from plastic, rubber, metal, or other materials and attached to the base section  401  by adhesives, mechanical fasteners, welding, molding, compression or friction connections, or any other suitable connection means. Moreover, a ground mount can be comprised of an independent structure, such as a rack, on which the base section  401  of the fuel container  103  can be placed. The rack can be designed to accommodate the collection channel  402  on an otherwise substantially flat base section  401  lacking ground mounts  501  formed thereon. Accordingly, the fuel container  103  can be freely movable in relation to an independent ground mount  501  structure in certain embodiments. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  shows a front bottom perspective view of the fuel container  103 . As depicted here, some embodiments of the fuel container system  100  include a conduit passage  601  located on the base section  401 . The conduit passage  601  may extend from the aperture  403  to the sidewall region  107 . Moreover, the conduit passage  601  may form a recess with respect to the outer portion of the base section  401 . In such an embodiment, the conduit passage  601  contains the fluid dispenser  102 , as further illustrated by  FIG. 7 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  shows a front bottom perspective view of the fuel container  103  with the fluid dispenser  102  attached to the aperture  403  and routed through the conduit passage  601 . The conduit passage  601  may be configured such that the collection channel  402  and aperture  403  are positioned vertically below the remaining portions of the base section  401 . Where ground mounts  501  or analogous structures are present, the base section  401  and the fluid dispenser  102  may remain suspended above the ground in the upright position. For example, when the portable fuel container  103  is resting on a horizontal surface, the ground mounts  501  suspend the base section  401  off the surface. In this configuration, the collection channel  402  and at least a portion of the aperture  403  may be located below the remainder of the base section  401 , yet still elevated from the surface. Further, the conduit passage  601  may extend to the sidewall region  107  and connect with the fluid dispenser passage  301 . In this embodiment, the fluid dispenser  102  is routed through the conduit passage  601  and secured in the fluid dispenser passage  301  in the stored position. 
         [0031]      FIG. 8  shows one embodiment of the fluid dispenser  102  of the fuel container system  100 . The depicted fluid dispenser  102  comprises a flexible conduit  801 , a valve  802 , and an outlet opening  804 . The flexible conduit  801  is fluidly coupled to the aperture  403 . In some embodiments, the flexible conduit  801  is arranged in the conduit passage  601  of the base section  401 , and further capable of arrangement in the fluid dispenser passage  301  of the sidewall region  107 , such as in the stored position. In the dispensing configuration, the flexible conduit  801  may be disengaged from the dispenser clip  201  and maneuvered out of the fluid dispenser passage  301  and/or the conduit passage  601 . Moreover, the valve  802  can be of any suitable type. For example, the valve  802  may be a one-way valve that only permits fluid to flow through the flexible conduit  801  toward the outlet opening  804 , and comprise a valve lever  803  to control the flow of fuel. Instead of a lever  803 , the valve  802  can alternatively be activated by a button or other suitable means. Due to the maneuverability of the flexible conduit  801 , a user can position the outlet opening  804  within the opening of a gas tank for a desired piece of equipment, and then activate the valve lever  803  to open the valve  802  and begin dispensing fuel from the fuel container system  100  to the receiving device. 
         [0032]    It should be appreciated that the flexible conduit  801  may be made from plastic or rubber tubing, or any other suitable material which permits the flow of fluid and allows for maneuverability in positioning. In some embodiments, the material of the flexible conduit can be specifically selected to be chemically compatible (i.e., resistant to dissolution or degradation) with certain fluids. Likewise, the valve  802  can also be formed of different materials (e.g., plastics, metals, or other various material combinations), which materials can be selected for chemical compatibility with certain fluids, such as gasoline. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show a back view of the fuel container  103  and fuel container system  100 . The depicted embodiment includes an extension conduit  901  capable of storage in an extender channel  1001  formed into the sidewall region  107  of the fuel container  103 . Here, the extension conduit  901  is secured in the extender channel  1001  by an extender clip  902 . One skilled in the art will recognize that the extension conduit  901  can be attached through other means, such as by a friction fit. Other embodiments can have different configurations for storing and/or attaching the extension conduit  901  on the fuel container  103 . For example, the fuel container can include multiple extender channels and extension conduits. In another embodiment, the extender channel can be a circular cavity, wherein the extension conduit would be coiled or otherwise positioned within the circular cavity. Alternatively, a structure may be formed on or coupled to the exterior of the fuel container, such that the extension conduit can be wrapped around that structure for storage. Additionally, the extender channel can be integrated with the fluid dispenser passage, such that the extension conduit can remain coupled to the fluid dispenser in the stored position. It should be appreciated that the extension conduit can be longer than the illustrated embodiment and, notwithstanding the foregoing, the extension conduit is not necessarily required to attach to the fuel container system at all. 
         [0034]    In some embodiments, the extension conduit  901  is flexible and may be made from the same material as the flexible conduit  801 , or any other suitable material. The extension conduit  901  is configured to fluidly couple to the fluid dispenser  102  at the outlet opening  804 . In another embodiment, the extension conduit  901  is inserted between the flexible conduit  801  and the valve  802 . For example, a user can remove the valve  802  from the flexible conduit  801 , attach one end of the extension conduit  901  to the flexible conduit  801 , and then attach the valve  802  to the other end of the extension conduit  901 . By increasing the overall length of the fluid dispenser  102  when integrated thereon, the extension conduit  901  provides an expanded operational zone between the fuel container  103  and the outlet opening  804  for the transfer of fluids in the fuel container system  100 . 
         [0035]    Embodiments of the fuel container system are generally depicted and described herein in relation to portable containers designed to carry fuel, and specifically gasoline. However, one of skill in the art will appreciate that the concepts of the present disclosure can be applied to containers for other types of fluids as well. Moreover, the disclosed concepts are not limited with respect to either fuel or portability. Accordingly, no limitations regarding the material composition of the fuel container system or the contents stored therein are intended, and should not be inferred. 
         [0036]    While a number of aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, persons having ordinary skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions, and equivalents may alternatively be used or introduced. It is intended that the scope of the following claims are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions, and equivalents. The terms and expressions used herein are for description, not limitation, and there is no intention to exclude any equivalents of the aspects shown and described.