Patent Publication Number: US-6698472-B2

Title: Housing for a fluid transfer machine and methods of use

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a utility application based on U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/266,399, entitled “Housing For A Fluid Transfer Machine and Methods of Use,” filed Feb. 2, 2001. This related application is incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this application. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the servicing of an automotive vehicle it is necessary to transfer such fluids as engine flush liquids, transmission fluid, radiator coolant, power steering fluid, and fuel injection cleaners. Typically, these different fluids have different colors, or are at least stored in color coded containers. For example, the engine flush liquid is blue and/or is stored in a blue container, the transmission fluid is red or black and/or is stored in a red or black container, the radiator coolant is green and/or is stored in a green container, the power steering fluid is yellow and/or is stored in a yellow container, and the fuel injection cleaner is green and/or is stored in a green container. In many situations there is an exchange of used and new fluids, but sometimes, for example, with the fuel injection cleaner, the same cleaner is recycled many times and there is not a replacement of a used fluid with a new fluid. When an exchange of fluids is required, two receptacles are employed, one for the new fluid and the other for the used fluid. Typical fluid transfer machines are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,472,064; 5,806,629; 5,853,068; 6,165,567; 6,112,855; and 6,131,701. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention has several features. These features provide this invention with its many desirable attributes. After reading the following section entitled “DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS,” one will understand how the features of this invention provide its benefits, which include, but are not limited to, convenient access to and replacement of containers for fluid, compactness for ease of storage, mobility, applicability to a variety of different types of automotive fluid transfer machines. Without limiting the scope of this invention as expressed by the claims that follow, its more prominent features will now be discussed briefly. 
     A first feature of the housing of this invention is that it is particularly suited for a fluid transfer machine used in the automotive service industry. It includes a base member having a perimeter defined by an edge. The base member holds one or more container of fluid that is manually move onto and from the base member. Preferably, there are wheel members extending from an underside of the base member. A pedestal member extends outward from the base member in a substantially vertical orientation and terminates in a platform. A cover member is mounted to the platform, for example, by a hinge, in a manner enable it to move between an open position where the platform is exposed and a closed position where the platform is covered. The platform may be substantially horizontally oriented or at an angle with respect to the horizontal. Preferably, the base member and the platform have substantially the same over all shape and dimensions. In one embodiment of this invention the base member and the platform are each rectangular. In some applications it is desirable to have the container and at least a part, or component of the housing, of substantially the same color. 
     A second feature is that the pedestal member is offset inward from a front edge portion of the base member to provide an open space beneath the platform between an underside of the platform and a topside of the base member. This space adapted to store at least one container for a fluid. There typically is at least one hose member in communication with a container in the space. This hose member extends from the underside of the platform and terminates in a connector adapted to attach and detach the hose member to the container. The configuration of the pedestal member is important. Preferably, the pedestal member has a hollow interior and has a removable door to provide access to this hollow interior. One side of the pedestal member is positioned nearby a rear edge portion of the edge of the edge of the base member. Opposite this one side is a substantially vertical partition wall that is centrally positioned on the base member and at substantially a right angle to a front edge portion of the base member. 
     A third feature is that space has a volume that is complementary to the shape and dimensions of the container. In one embodiment, the container occupies essentially the entire space when the container positioned on the base member. In another embodiment, the container has a predetermined height and a predetermined volume and the space has a height that is substantially the same as the predetermined height of the container and the space is greater in volume than the predetermined volume of the container, for example, up to a maximum of 15 volume percent greater than the predetermined volume of the container. 
     A fourth feature is that the base member and the space between the platform and base member are designed to accommodate different types of containers or pairs of containers. In one embodiment, the container is a single unit or structure having a central, longitudinal, narrow indentation on an inboard side thereof that receives the partition wall when the container is positioned on the base member. This indentation is only slightly greater in size than the partition wall, so the wall fits snugly within the indentation. In another embodiment, the base member supports a pair of containers that are side by side next to each other and the partition wall is between the containers. Preferably, the containers comprising this pair are preferably mirror images of each other. One, or both, containers may have an opening and a level sensing instrument inserted into this opening. Preferably, the container has a bottom with a predetermined configuration and the topside of the base member has a recess portion therein that is substantially identical to this predetermined configuration of the bottom of the container. This facilitates storing the container in the space. There is a predetermined distance between the underside of the platform and the topside of the base member, and the container has a height substantially the same as this predetermined distance, which typically is from about 24 to about 36 inches. 
     This invention also includes a method of transferring fluid between a container of fluid and an automotive vehicle. This method includes: 
     (a) providing a transfer machine having a housing, including 
     a base member having a perimeter defined by an edge, 
     a pedestal member extending outward from the base member in a substantially vertical orientation and terminating in platform, said pedestal member being offset inward from the edge of the base member to provide an open space beneath the platform between an underside of the platform and a topside of the base member for storing at least one container for a fluid, and 
     a cover member mounted to enable the cover member to move between an open position where the platform is exposed and a closed position where the platform is covered; 
     (b) placing a container of fluid into the open space with said container being supported by the topside of the base member; and 
     (c) placing the container and the automotive vehicle in communication with each other through the transfer machine to effect a transfer of the fluid in the container until substantially of the fluid is removed from the container and the container is empty. 
     The method of claim 34 may include the step of replacing with a new container of fluid the empty container. Also, a pair of containers may employed, one for new fluid and the other for used fluid. The housing, or a portion thereof, and the container may also have substantially the same color. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The preferred embodiments of this invention, illustrating all its features, will now be discussed in detail. These embodiments depict the novel and non-obvious housing of this invention for a fluid transfer machine and methods of use as shown in the accompanying drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only. This drawing includes the following figures (Figs.), with like numerals indicating like parts: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the housing of this invention for a fluid transfer machine looking at the rear of the housing. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective of the housing shown in FIG. 1 looking at the front of the housing. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a unitary container that straddles a partition wall of the pedestal of the housing shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the housing this invention for a fluid transfer machine looking at the front of the housing with its containers removed from the storage space provided by the housing. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the housing of FIG. 4 with its containers placed in the storage space provided by the housing. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the housing of FIG. 4 looking at the rear of the housing. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the housing of FIG. 6 with the cover raised. 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the “left hand” container when looking at the housing shown in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the “right hand” container when looking at the housing shown in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective, partially exploded, view of the third embodiment of the housing this invention for a fluid transfer machine looking at the front of the housing with its containers placed in the storage space provided by the housing. 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the housing this invention for a fluid transfer machine looking at the front of the housing with its containers placed in the storage space provided by the housing. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the housing this invention for a fluid transfer machine looking at the front of the housing with one its containers placed in the storage space provided by the housing and the other of its containers removed from the storage space provided by the housing. 
     FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the housing of FIG. 12 with both containers placed in the storage space provided by the housing. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the first embodiment of this invention, the housing  10 , includes a rectangular base  12  and, centrally positioned on the base, a pedestal  14  that extends upward in a vertical orientation. As best shown in FIG. 2, fixedly attached to the top of the pedestal  14  is a flat, rectangular, planar platform  16  oriented horizontally. This platform  16  is used to support components of a fluid transfer machine (not shown). Indeed, the housing  10  may be consider a component of the automotive transfer machine, and an important feature of this invention is that the housing  10  is adapted to be used with a variety of different fluid transfer machines. For example, but not limited to, the housing  10  may be used with machines for transferring such fluids as engine flush liquids, transmission fluid, radiator coolant, power steering fluid, and fuel injection cleaners. Hoses  32  of the fluid transfer machine pass through holes  36  in the platform  16 . Preferably, these hoses  32  terminate in quick disconnect connectors  34  for placing fluid in communication with the automotive vehicle being serviced. 
     A cover  18  is mounted by hinges  20  (FIG. 2) attached to an edge  16   a  of the platform  16 . This cover  18  has a handle  19  and latches  21  that secure the cover to the platform  16 . Upon unlatching the latches  21 , a technician that operates the fluid transfer machine can manually move the cover  18  between a closed position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, covering the platform  16 , and an open position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, exposing the platform, and any of the components of the fluid transfer machine mounted thereon. 
     Preferably, the cover  18  has a front face  18   a  slanted inward, and mounted thereon, is a control panel  30  displaying any pressure gages, flow meters, indicator lights, switches, or other instrumentation (not shown) of the fluid transfer machine. Optionally, there is in the front face  18   a  a sunken tray  28  for holding tools or parts used by the technician. The lower perimeter  18   b  of the cover  18  has substantially the same shape and dimensions as the perimeter  16   b  of the platform  16 . The cover  18  includes raised side walls  18   c  extending from the cover&#39;s lower perimeter  18   b  and terminating at the front face  18   a . Thus, the cover  18  forms a moveable enclosure for any of the components of the fluid transfer machine mounted on the platform  16 . A hook  38  is attached to one side wall  18   c  for holding, for example, a power cable  40 . Another hook  38   a  may be attached to the pedestal  14  for holding, for example, another hose  32   a  with a connector  34  again for placing fluid in communication with the automotive vehicle being serviced. 
     The base  12  has a wheel member at each of its corners, with the front wheels  22   a  and  22   b  being caster types that swivel and the rear wheels  22   c  and  22   d  being mounted on axles (not shown) and each positioned beneath a fender  24 . A pair of recesses  26   a  and  26   b  are formed by a vertical partition wall  14   a  of the pedestal  14  and a raised front edge  12   a  of the base  12 . This partition wall  14   a  has its bottom edge  14   c  co-extensive with the center line X of the base  12  and is at a right angle to the base and is at a right angle the raised front edge  12   a . The leading edge  14   d  of the partition wall  14   a  is set back from the front edge  12   a  of the base  12  a distance of from about 6 to about 8 inches. The partition wall  14   a  is the same height as the space and its thickness is of from about ¾ to about 1 ¼ inch. Its width is from about 2 to about 4 inches. The pedestal  14  preferably has a rear compartment  14   b  that is hollow and there is at the rear of the housing an access door  42  (FIG. 1) that is removable. This compartment  14   b  provides a storage area within the interior of the pedestal  14 . 
     As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a storage space  44  for a container  46  is created on each side of the partition wall  14   a  between the underside  16   d  of the platform  16  and the topside  12   d  of the base  12 . The container  46  holds the fluid used by the fluid transfer machine. The space  44  has a volume that is complementary to the shape and dimensions of the container  46  so that the container, in this first embodiment of the invention, occupies essentially the entire space  44  when the container is seated on the base  12  as shown in FIG.  1 . The dimensions of this space  44  and the container  46  are substantially the same, and typically each have a width w of from about 30 to about 40 inches, a height h of from about 24 to about 36 inches, and a depth d of from about 20 to about 30 inches. 
     In accordance with this invention, the bottom  58  of the container  46  has a configuration that is complementary in shape to the recesses  26   a  and  26   b  in the base  12 , so that this bottom, when the container is seated on the base, is nested in the recesses. In this first embodiment, the container  46  is a unitary structure, having a box-like shape with a central, longitudinal, narrow indentation  48  on its inboard side  46   a  that receives the partition wall  14   a  when the container  46  is seated on the base  12 . The indentation  48  is only slightly greater in size than the partition wall  14   a , so this wall fits snugly within the indentation. Another central, longitudinal, narrow indentation  48   a  in the container&#39;s outboard side  46   d  opposite the indentation  48  has a liquid level gage  49  including a transparent tube  49   a  mounted therein that the technician uses to check the amount of fluid in the container  46 . There are two separate fluid holding sections  46   b  and  46   c  in communication with each other via a passageway section  46   d  formed between the indentations  48  and  48   a  and extending between these two fluid holding sections. On the top of the container  46  is a pair of access ports  50  with caps  52  threaded thereon and spouts  54  with removable plugs  56  therein. 
     In accordance with this invention, the container  46  and the entire housing  10 , or at least some of its major elements such as the cover  18 , or pedestal  14 , or base  12 , are the same color as the container. It is likely that at a service center there will be several different types of fluid transfer machines, each having a special fluid to be used exclusively with one machine. The fluid for each of these different machines is held in its own individual container that has the same identical color as the machine in which this fluid is to be used. This avoids mistakenly using the wrong fluid, because the technician will know that the correct fluid is in a container that is the same color as the machine in which it is to be used. In the example illustrated, the fluid in the container  46  is fuel injection cleaner that is recycled many times, rather than a situation where used fluid is being replaced with new fluid. When used fluid is to be replaced with new fluid, the second embodiment of this invention is employed. 
     The housing components such as the platform  16 , pedestal  14  and base  12  are preferably manufactured using conventional rotational molding techniques to provide an integral, unitary structure. The cover  18  is a separately manufactured component that is attached to the integral structure comprising the platform  16 , pedestal  14  and base  12 . When ever possible, the housing&#39;s components are made of a plastic such as high-density polyethylene or polypropylene that make the housing durable. The overall height of the housing  10  is from about 36 to about 48 inches, its overall width is from about 30 to about 40 inches, and its overall depth is from about 28 to about 40 inches. The platform  16  and tray  28  are at about waist height of the technician, i.e., from about 28 to about 36 inches above ground. 
     Second Embodiment 
     As shown in FIGS. 4 through 9, the second embodiment of this invention, the housing  60 , is substantially identical to that of housing  10 , except in this second embodiment, two of separate containers  62  and  64  are used. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, these containers  62  and  64  are mirror images of each other. A minor difference between the first and second embodiments is that the edge  12   a  only extends over the central portion of the base  12  in forming the recesses  26   a  and  26   b . These recesses  26   a  and  26   b  may be formed in many ways. What is important is that in this second embodiment, each separately supports one of the two containers  62  and  64 . In this second embodiment, the housing  60  is a component of a fluid transfer machine that exchanges a used fluid with a new fluid. For example, the fluid in the container  62  is new transmission fluid that is red in color, and the container  64  will initially be empty and used to collect and store the used transmission fluid being removed from the vehicle being serviced. The housing  60  and the containers  62  and  64  will all be the same color, preferably red since the transmission fluid is red. Thus, except for color, the same major elements (covers, platforms, pedestals, and bases) of each of the housings  10  and  60  are identical. Significant costs saving are consequently realized in the manufacture of this invention. 
     As shown in FIG. 8, the container  62  is a “left hand” container when looking at the housing  60  as shown in FIG.  5 . It has a bottom  63  with a set back perimeter  63   a  that has essentially the same configuration as the perimeter of the recess  26   a , and thus nests within this recess as shown in FIG.  5 . The height h and the depth d of the container  62  are about equal to that of the space  44 , and its width w is about half that of the space  44 . Thus, the container  62  fills about half the volume of the space  44  when supported by the base  12  as shown in FIG.  5 . As shown in FIG. 5, the container  62  is to the left of the partition wall  14   a  and has its side wall  62   a  abutting one side of the partition wall  14   a . On the top of the container  62  is a port  66  covered by a threaded cap  68  and a spout  70  with a plug  72  in its mouth. 
     As shown in FIG. 9, the container  64  is a “right hand” container when looking at the housing  60  as shown in FIG.  5 . It has a bottom  74  with a set back perimeter  74   a  that has essentially the same configuration as the perimeter of the recess  26   b , and thus nests within this recess as shown in FIG.  5 . The height h and the depth d of the container  64  are about equal to that of the space  44 , and its width w is about half that of the space  44 . Thus, the container  64  fills about half the volume of the space  44 . When supported by the base  12  as shown in FIG. 5, the container  64  fills about have the volume of the space  44  that is opposite the other container  62 . The container  64  is to the right of the partition wall  14   a  and has its side wall  64   a  abutting the other side of the partition wall  14   a . On the top of the container  64  is a port  76  covered by a threaded cap  78  and a spout  80  with a plug  82  in its mouth. 
     Third Embodiment 
     As shown in FIG. 10, the third embodiment of this invention, the housing  90 , is similar in many aspects to housing  60 , except in this third embodiment, the spouts  92  (only one shown) of the containers  62  and  64  are on lateral as opposed to the fronts of the containers. Also, the cover  18  has an open section  94  into which additional instrumentation may be mounted and covered by a supplement panel  96 . 
     Fourth Embodiment 
     As shown in FIG. 11, the fourth embodiment of this invention, the housing  100 , is similar in many aspects to the above embodiments of housing of this invention, except in this forth embodiment, the platform  16  is not horizontally oriented, the cover  18  is not hinged, but may still be removed, and the space  44  is at the rear of the housing rather than at the front of the housing as depicted in the above embodiments. 
     Fifth Embodiment 
     As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the fifth embodiment of this invention, the housing  110 , is similar in many aspects to the above embodiments of housing of this invention, except in this fifth embodiment, the space  44  is greater in volume than the volume occupied by the containers  62  and  64 . This space  44  is up to a maximum of about 15 volume percent greater in volume than that occupied by the containers  62  and  64 . This is best illustrated in FIG.  13 . As depicted, an extra space  44   a  is created between the back walls  112  (only one shown) of the containers  62  and  64  and a front wall  114  of the pedestal rear compartment  14   b  when the bottoms  63  and  74  of the containers are nested respectively in the recesses  26   a  and  26   b . On the front wall is a hook  120  holding a hose  122 . As shown in FIG. 12, with the one container  64  removed from the space  44 , a level sensing device  116  is exposed. This device  116  is inserted into the open port  76  of the container  64  upon removal of the cap  78  and placement of this container in the position next to the other container  62 . 
     Scope of the Invention 
     The above presents a description of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the present invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use this invention. This invention is, however, susceptible to modifications and alternate constructions from that discussed above which are fully equivalent. Consequently, it is not the intention to limit this invention to the particular embodiments disclosed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications and alternate constructions coming within the spirit and scope of the invention as generally expressed by the following claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter of the invention: