Patent Publication Number: US-2011076168-A1

Title: Portable inline pump kit

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit to provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/162,859, filed 24 Mar. 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a pump kit. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a portable inline pump kit, consisting of an inline pump capable of producing up to 280 gallons per hour. Wire leads on the end of an electric pump will have a quick disconnect plug which will allow a consumer to interchange between a pair of alligator style battery clips, a cigarette lighter power adaptor or to plug directly into a battery concealed in the hard plastic carry case. The kit will also contain a 8′ length of collapsible hose, a spray nozzle and a battery charger to recharge the battery. 
     According to some embodiments, the present invention may take the form of a portable inline pump kit comprising: 
     a pump having a fluid output port configured to pump fluid, and having a quick disconnect power input connection configured to couple the pump to a source of power; 
     a portable battery or battery pack having a quick disconnect power connection configured to be coupled by associated wiring to the quick disconnect power input connection of the pump; 
     a connector having the associated wiring with one corresponding quick disconnect plug or connection, e.g. a bullet connector, configured to couple to the quick connect power input connection of the pump, and with another corresponding quick disconnect plug configured to couple to the quick disconnect power connection of the portable battery or battery pack; 
     an alligator style battery connector having one corresponding quick disconnect plug or connection configured to couple to the quick disconnect power input connection of the pump, and having a pair of alligator style battery clips configured to be coupled to terminals of a battery, including a car or boat battery; 
     a cigarette lighter connector having one corresponding quick disconnect plug or connection configured to couple to the quick disconnect power input connection of the pump, and having a cigarette lighter power adapter configured to be coupled to a remote cigarette lighter in, e.g. a boat, a car, or some other equipment or device; and 
     a carrying case having a top case portion hingeably coupled to a bottom case portion, wherein one case portion is configured to receive, frictionally engage and store one or more of the pump, the portable battery or battery pack, the connector, the alligator style battery connector or the cigarette lighter connector, and wherein the other case portion is configured to receive, frictionally engage and store the one or more of the pump, the portable battery or battery pack, the connector, the alligator style battery connector or the cigarette lighter connector not being stored in the one case portion. 
     The portable inline pump kit may also comprise a spray nozzle configured to be adapted onto the fluid output port of the pump for spraying the fluid; and one of the case portions is configured to receive, frictionally engage and store the spray nozzle. 
     The portable inline pump kit may also comprise a hose configured to be adapted to the fluid output port of the pump and also configured as a conduit for extending the reach for providing the fluid from the pump; and one of the case portions is configured to receive, frictionally engage and store the hose. 
     The portable inline pump kit may also comprise a battery recharger configured for recharging the portable battery or battery pack, and one of the case portions is configured to receive, frictionally engage and store the battery recharger. 
     The top case portion includes a top tray configured to receive, frictionally engage and store one or more of the pump, the portable battery or battery pack, the connector, the alligator style battery connector or the cigarette lighter connector. The top case portion is configured to receive, frictionally engage and hold the top tray therein. 
     The bottom case portion includes a bottom tray configured to receive, frictionally engage and store one or more of the pump, the portable battery or battery pack, the connector, the alligator style battery connector or the cigarette lighter connector. The bottom case portion is configured to receive, frictionally engage and hold the bottom tray therein. 
     The portable inline pump kit may also comprise a waterproof fuse assembly configured electrically in relation to the pump and the battery pack so as to provide fusing functionality to protect the pump from electrical shorts. 
     One case portion may include a latch, and the other case portion includes a mechanism configured to receive and engage the latch for securely closing the two case portions together. 
     One case portion may include a handle for carrying the portable inline pump kit. 
     The portable inline pump kit may also comprise a hose clamp configured to clamp one end of the hose, e.g., to the fluid output port of the pump, or to some other hose connection. 
     By way of example, the battery or battery pack may be DC battery, including a 9.6 volt battery, and the battery charger may be a 110 or 220 volt battery charger with a plug for connecting to a 110 or 220 volt electrical outlet. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The drawing, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, includes the following Figures: 
         FIG. 1  is a drawing of a portable inline pump kit according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of a top tray of a portable inline pump kit according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  are views of a bottom tray of the portable inline pump kit shown in  FIG. 2  according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a view of a closed tray of the portable inline pump kit according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of alligator battery clips of the portable inline pump kit according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a view of a flat hose of the portable inline pump kit according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1-6  show a new and unique portable inline pump kit generally indicated as  100  that includes the following parts: 
     a case base  1  that may be blown molded, 
     a case lid  2  that may also be blown molded, 
     a case handle  3  for carrying the portable inline pump kit  100 , 
     a case latch  4  for latching the case lid  2  to the case base  1 , 
     a battery cover  5  that may be detachable, 
     a battery pack  6  (see  FIG. 3   b ) arranged underneath the battery cover  5 , 
     self tapping screws  7  for fastening the battery cover  5 , 
     a battery charger  8  having a bullet connector  8   a,    
     an inline electric pump  9  for pumping a fluid, 
     a hose clamp  10 , 
     a collapsible hose  11 , 
     a spray nozzle  12 , 
     an auto adapter plug  13  (a.k.a. cigarette lighter connector) having a bullet connector  13   a,    
     an alligator style battery connector  14  having a bullet connector  14   a  and clips  14   b ,  14   c,    
     a waterproof fuse assembly  15 , and 
     associated wiring or connector  16  having bullet connectors  16   a ,  16   b.    
     The case base  1  is hingeably coupled to the case lid  2  and may be latched with the case latch  4  for opening, closing and latching the portable inline pump kit  100 .  FIG. 4  shows the portable inline pump kit  100  as a closed case. 
     The case base  1  is configured with a molded construction in the form of a bottom tray  17  (see  FIGS. 3   a - 3   b ) configured to receive, frictionally engage and store an arrangement of the battery cover  5 , the battery pack  6 , the self tapping screws  7 , the charger  8  having a bullet connector  8   a , the inline pump  9 , the hose clamp  10 , the collapsible hose  11 , the waterproof fuse assembly  15 , and the associated wiring or connection  16  having two bullet connectors  16   a ,  16   b , as shown. The battery cover  5 , the battery pack  6 , the self tapping screws  7 , the charger  8 , the inline pump  9 , the hose clamp  10 , the collapsible hose  11 , the waterproof fuse assembly  15 , the associated wiring  16  and the bullet connectors  8   a ,  16   a ,  16   b  are all known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind either now known or later developed in the future. Alternatively, embodiments are envisioned in which the case base  1  and the bottom tray  17  are configured as one integral unit so that the case base  1  and the bottom tray are configured to form part of a one-piece molded construction. 
     The case lid  2  is configured with a similar molded construction in the form of a top tray  18  (see  FIG. 2 ) configured to receive, frictionally engage and store a corresponding arrangement of the spray nozzle  12 , the auto adapter plug or cigarette lighter adapter  13  having a bullet connector  13   a , the alligator style battery connector  14  having the bullet connector  14   a  and the battery clips  14   b ,  14   c , as shown. The spray nozzle  12 , the auto adapter plug  13  and the alligator style battery connector  14  are also all known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind either now known or later developed in the future. Alternatively, embodiments are envisioned in which the case lid  2  and the top tray  18  are configured as one integral unit so that the case lid  2  and the top tray  18  are configured to form part of a one-piece molded construction. 
     The scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to which of the parts listed above are arranged in the case base  1  or the case lid  2 . For example, embodiments of the invention are envisioned in which the case base  1  and the case lid  2  is respectively configured with a respective different molded construction to contain a respective different arrangement of parts. 
     The molded constructions of the case base  1  and the case lid  2  are configured and dimensioned so that each of the aforementioned parts, including not limited to parts  6  and  8 - 16 , are received, engaged and contained with a respective snap fit so as not to fall out when the case portions  1 ,  2  of the portable inline pump kit  100  are opened or closed. The molded constructions includes having portions configured and dimensioned in one case portion for receiving, engaging and retaining parts in the other case. For example, the case lid  2  has a portion  2   a  configured and dimensioned for receiving, engaging and retaining the pump  9  stored in the case base  1 , and the case lid  2  has a portion  2   b  configured and dimensioned for receiving, engaging and retaining the battery recharger  8  stored in the case base  1 . Techniques for providing such molded constructions having such a snap fit based on the dimension of the respective parts are known in the art, and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type or kind either now known or later developed in the future. 
     By way of example, the inline pump  9  may be capable of pumping hundreds of gallons of fluid per hour, including e.g. 280 or more gallons, based at least partly on the power in the battery pack  6  when fully charged, although the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the number of gallons per hours that are pumped. 
     The pump  9  has a quick connect fluid output port  9   a  ( FIG. 3   a ) configured to couple to an end  11   a  of the 8′ length of collapsible hose  11 . The pump  9  has a quick disconnect power input connection  9   b  configured to couple the pump  9  to some power source. For example, the power input connection  9   b  may be configured to receive a corresponding quick disconnect plug r connection, e.g. a bullet connector like  13   a , that forms part of the cigarette lighter connector  13  to couple the pump to a remote cigarette lighter (not shown), e.g., in a boat, a car, or some other equipment or device. The power input connection  9   b  may also be configured to receive a corresponding quick disconnect plug or connection, like a bullet connector, that forms part of wiring used to couple to the pump to a connection  6   a  of the portable battery or battery pack  6 , The power input connection  9   b  may also be configured to receive a corresponding quick disconnect plug or connection, e.g. a bullet connector, that forms part of the alligator style battery connector  14  having battery clips  14   b ,  14   c  used to couple the pump to terminals of a battery (not shown), including a car or boat battery. The invention is shown and described using a corresponding quick disconnect power connection in the form of a bullet connector; however, embodiments are envisioned, and the scope of the invention is intended to include, using other types or kinds of electrical connectors either now known or later developed in the future. 
     The hose clamp  10  may be used to further couple the hose  11  to the quick connect port  9   a . The battery pack connection  6   a  of the battery pack  6  may also be used for electrically coupling the battery pack  6  to a corresponding quick disconnect plug or connection  8   a  of the battery charger  8 , which is configured to couple to and recharge the battery pack  6 . 
     The spray nozzle  12  has a connector  12   a  at one end configured to couple the spray nozzle  12  to the port  9   a  of the pump  9  for spraying out of its other end  12   b  fluid being pumped by the pump  9 . 
     The portable inline pump kit  100  may also comprise the waterproof fuse assembly  15  configured electrically in relation to the pump  9  and the battery pack  6  so as to provide fusing functionality to protect the pump  9  and the battery pack  6  from electrical shorts. The present invention helps the consumer by allowing the user to transfer water, antifreeze or diesel fuel using 12 volt electricity from a vehicle battery, cigarette adaptor or an integrated rechargeable battery permanently mounted in the carry case. 
     THE SCOPE OF THE INVENTION 
     Further still, the embodiments shown and described in detail herein are provided by way of example only; and the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular configurations, dimensionalities, and/or design details of these parts or elements included herein. In other words, a person skilled in the art would appreciate that design changes to these embodiments may be made and such that the resulting embodiments would be different than the embodiments disclosed herein, but would still be within the overall spirit of the present invention. 
     It should be understood that, unless stated otherwise herein, any of the features, characteristics, alternatives or modifications described regarding a particular embodiment herein may also be applied, used, or incorporated with any other embodiment described herein. Also, the drawings herein are not drawn to scale. 
     Although the invention has been described and illustrated with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, the foregoing and various other additions and omissions may be made therein and thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.