Patent Publication Number: US-2017369204-A1

Title: Gravity assisted portable fuel container

Description:
PRIORITY 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/090,118 filed Dec. 10, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention generally relates to fuel containers, and more particularly relates to portable fuel containers. 
     A challenge with portable fuel containers involves how to get fuel out of a portable fuel container without it having to be burdensome, ergonomically awkward and difficult. Current manufacturers have simply built a product to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations but have not taken into consideration the user, in particular ease of use, and do not provide a product that is built with an ergonomic design perspective. 
     There remains a need for an innovative portable fuel container that improves the process of displacing fluids from the container into a target appliance, and in particular, improves the user experience by lessening the physical interaction required to expel fluids from the container while retaining the fluid securely as required by today&#39;s governmental regulatory mandates. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with an embodiment, the invention provides a portable fuel container including a bottom side, a top side having a primary handle, and a spout located on a side wall of the container such that the fuel contents of the portable fuel container may be poured using gravity without requiring that the user exert rotational force to expel fuel from the container. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the invention provides a portable fuel container including a spout that is located on a first side of the portable fuel container, said portable fuel container further including a second side on which the portable fuel container may rest on the ground without obstruction by the spout, and a first handle on a third side of the portable fuel container, the third side being generally opposite the second side of the portable fuel container. 
     In accordance with a further embodiment, the invention provides a portable fuel container including a first bottom side on which the portable fuel container may rest on a ground without obstruction, a second side that is generally opposite the first side of the portable fuel container, and a spout that is positioned on a third side adjoining the first and second sides, the third side including a lower portion near the first side on which is located a spout. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following description may be further understood with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a fuel container of the prior art; 
         FIG. 2  shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of a fuel container in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the fuel container of  FIG. 2  positioned to pour liquid from the container; 
         FIG. 4  shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the fuel container of  FIG. 1  illustrating the movement required to pour liquid from the container; 
         FIG. 5  shows an illustrative diagrammatic view of the fuel container of  FIG. 2  illustrating the required movement to lift the container; 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  show illustrative diagrammatic views of a fuel container in a storage position accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  show illustrative diagrammatic side views of the fuel container of  FIGS. 6 and 7 ; 
         FIGS. 10 and 11  show an illustrative diagrammatic side views of the fuel container of  FIGS. 6 and 7  in a second position; 
         FIG. 12  shows an illustrative diagrammatic spout end view of the fuel container of  FIGS. 6 and 7 ; and 
         FIG. 13  shows an illustrative diagrammatic rear view of the fuel container of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In accordance with various embodiment, the invention involves moving the location of the egress of a portable fuel container. The current invention relocates the egress and spout location for displacing fluids from a portable fuel container from the top of a container to the bottom of the container (when engaging the current invention for displacing liquids from a container). The location has been moved and is significantly relevant for the initiation of fluid flow operations. 
     The egress and spout located at the bottom of the portable fuel container leverages gravity to power expelling fluids from the portable fuel container instead of having to apply vertical rotational force to the container to empty its&#39; contents. In this way the user is no longer pouring liquids but has instead created a gravity-reliant innovation that revolutionizes fluid displacements from a portable fuel container. 
     The invention involves changing the dynamics of expelling fluids from a portable fuel container from requiring both vertical and horizontal forces, to one which only requires horizontal lift and thus the operator simply displaces fluids from a container into the target appliance. This is a much simpler, ergonomic, and more effective solution. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , and to fully illustrate this significant innovation, it&#39;s worthwhile to illustrate and discuss the egress location of a current portable fuel container  2  that includes handles  4  and  6 , as well as a spout  8 . When viewing the portable fuel container  2  of  FIG. 1  from a profile or side view, the egress location is placed at the top of the container. In profile view, consider the container oriented against a circular axis. Conventional portable fuel containers place the spout location at approximately 45 degrees as shown at A in  FIG. 1 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the invention relocates the egress location to the bottom of the portable fuel container at flow sequence initiation. The spout is oriented on the bottom of the container during the entire act of displacing fuel, from flow initiation through fully expelling all fluids from the container into the target appliance. Expelling fluid from the portable fuel container of  FIG. 2  is powered through gravity as opposed to user-applied vertical rotation. The user supplied power of applying vertical force rotation to empty the contents of the container is eliminated. The fluid flow operation process is commenced and powered through gravity. 
     In particular, the portable fuel container  10  of  FIG. 2  includes a bottom side  12 , a top side  14  having a primary integrally formed handle  16 , and a spout  18  located on a side wall  20  of the container. The spout  18  is preferably located at a position near the bottom side  12 , and the top side may be non-parallel with the bottom side, angled downward toward the spout  18 . A secondary handle  22  is positioned on the side wall  20 , and may be angled with respect to the orientation of the container as shown. This may further facilitate a person pouring fluid from the container. 
     The portable fuel container  10  of  FIG. 2  may further include mating features  24  that facilitate securing multiple containers together, and the features  24  may include recesses on one side of each container, that mate with protrusions on the other side of each container. 
       FIG. 3  shows that nearly the entire contents of the portable fuel container may be expelled by the user supplying very little rotational force. As the container has been nearly completely emptied, it is significantly lightened and easier to manipulate and to apply the small vertical rotational force required to completely empty the container. This innovation requires no rotational force to initiate or continue fluid displacement operations until the container has been nearly completely emptied. 
     By comparison and with reference to  FIG. 4 , a conventional portable fuel container would require that the container be rotated to begin the liquid transfer process and then continuously rotated from fluid flow initiation possibly up to approximately 170 degrees to fully expel all liquids from the shows as shown at B. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , fuel containers of certain embodiments of the invention require only that the portable fuel container of an embodiment of the invention be lifted horizontally to begin the process of fluid displacement. This new design ensures that gravity is substituted for operator applied vertical force to initiate and continue the process of displacing liquids from the PFC into the target appliance. 
     Additionally, the spout  18  may include a spring-actuated seal device that may only permit fluid to leave the container when the spout is securely engaged with another container or tank. 
       FIG. 6  through  FIG. 13  show a portable fuel container  50  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The portable fuel container  50  includes a spout  52  that may swivel and may include a spring-actuated seal device as discussed above. The container  50  is shown in  FIGS. 6 through 9  in a storage position and includes an integrally formed primary handle  54  as well as a secondary handle  56  that may assist a user in pouring fluid from the container. The spout  52  is located on a first portion  60  of a side  58 , and the side  58  also includes a second portion  62  that includes the secondary handle  56 . As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9 , the container also includes mating recessed portions  64  and protrusion portions  66  that assist in either stacking or pressing together multiple such portable fuel containers. 
     Generally opposite the side  58  is a side  68  on which the container may be placed for storage as shown in  FIGS. 6 through 9 . The primary handle  54  is located on a side  70  that is generally opposite side  72 . While the first portion  60  of the side  58  is generally parallel with the side  68 , the side  70  is generally not parallel with the side  72 . 
     The portable fuel container  50  of  FIGS. 6 through 13  therefore, includes a bottom side (e.g.,  72 ), a top side (e.g.,  70 ) having a primary handle (e.g.,  54 ), and a spout (e.g.,  52 ) located on a side wall (e.g.,  58 ) of the container such that the fuel contents of the portable fuel container may be poured using gravity without requiring that the portable fuel container be rotated. The portable fuel container may also a second handle (e.g.,  56 ) that is positioned in the side wall (e.g.,  58 ) to facilitate stabilizing the portable fuel container during the pouring of fuel from the portable fuel container. 
     The invention also provides a portable fuel container that includes a spout (e.g.,  52 ) that is located on a first side (e.g.,  58 ) of the portable fuel container, where the portable fuel container further includes a second side (e.g.,  72 ) on which the portable fuel container may rest on the ground without obstruction by the spout. A first handle (e.g.,  54 ) may be provided on a third side (e.g.,  70 ) of the portable fuel container where the third side is generally opposite the second side (e.g.,  70 ) of the portable fuel container. 
     In accordance with a further embodiment, the portable fuel container may include a first bottom side (e.g.,  72 ) on which the portable fuel container may rest on a ground without obstruction, a second side (e.g.,  70 ) that is generally opposite the first side of the portable fuel container, and a spout (e.g.,  52 ) that is positioned on a third side (e.g.,  58 ) adjoining the first and second sides, the third side including a lower portion (e.g.,  60 ) near the first side on which is located a spout (e.g.,  52 ). 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous modifications and variations may be made to the above disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.