Abstract:
This tool aids a user remove a twist cap. This tool provides an extension to a tight area while providing the user with a solid grip to twist a gas cap on or off. This tool is best suited for removing gas caps from automobiles.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Most gasoline stations provide self-service only or a combination of self-service and full service to their customers. However, even those with the combination of services normally have the full service being a few cents more a gallon of self-service stations. Thereby, most people opt for the self-service pumps, even when there is full service available. 
         [0002]    The cars that are on the road today normally have access to the gas caps by one of the rear quarter panels of the vehicle. In order to access the gas cap, a door must be opened in order to access the gas cap. Because of the narrow opening that the door defines it can be difficult to twist off the cap. Part of the problem is the government requiring the proper sealing of evaporated fumes from the gas tank access port. Thereby, automotive manufacturers have designed gas caps that have a resistive click when they are tightened. This additive resistance makes the gas cap more difficult to remove, in order to access the gas tank. Anyone having a problem with their hands, such as arthritis, has a greater frustration in twisting the gas cap to remove it. 
         [0003]    Previous devices and patents have tried to solve this problem. However, these devices and patents are very cumbersome and not necessarily user-friendly. Many of the devices listed will not work with gas caps that are bounded together to the door access. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    This invention provides a light, portable, easy to use and economical way to remove a gas cap. This invention is easily stored in a glove compartment until needed. The device is designed to easily find the tab that is on most gas caps and provides an easy twisting or torque to remove the gas cap. This invention does not require any special mounting in order to use it. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates the side view of the invention, if the invention was resting on a flat surface; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  illustrates a 90° side view from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  shows a bottom view of the entire invention, illustrating the twisting motion of the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  shows a subset of  FIG. 3  by focusing on the gripping portion of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  illustrates the alignment of attaching the invention to a gas cap. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  illustrates the invention showing a handle  10 , a stem  11 , a head  12 .  FIG. 2  further shows directly a left beveled notch  13  and because of the removal of material indirectly shows the right beveled notch  14 .  FIGS. 3 and 4  shows the left beveled notch  13  and the right beveled notch  14  distinctly.  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  5  shows the tool in contact with the gas cap  15 . 
         [0011]    Optionally contained within the bottom portion of the stem  11  is an illuminating device  16  such as an LED or a small light bulb. The illuminating device  16  is powered by a power source  17  and connected with electrical wire  18  and a switch  19 . 
         [0012]    In its simplest form, the invention is a one-piece device, formed out of material that is hard and durable such as (but not limited to) plastic or lightweight metal such as aluminum. The handle  10  and is directly attached to the top part of the stem  11  either by glue or directly attached as a one-piece molded device. The head  12  is similarly attached to the bottom of the stem  11  either by glue or as part of the one-piece molded device. The head  12  is aligned such that the center line of the handle  10  and the center line determined by the centers of the left beveled notch  13  and right beveled notch  14  are essentially parallel. This can best be seen in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0013]    The handle  10  is designed to be easily gripped by a human hand. Thereby, the handle  10  is approximately 4¾ inches long and approximately 1 inch in diameter. The handle  10  is similar to a cylinder with cut off edges or with rounded edges as shown in  FIG. 1 . The handle  10  can be of any shape (square, triangular, etc.), ideally for this invention the shape is circular. The handle  10  may be a solid core or maybe hollow as long as the remaining material in the handle  10  can tolerate the stress of the twisting of the gas cap  15 . 
         [0014]    The stem  11  is similar in design to the handle  10 . The stem  11  can be as long as necessary to access a gas cap  15 . In the automobiles on the road today, the preferred length is approximately 4½ inches. However, the designed length of the stem  11  is determined by how deep the gas cap  15  is away from the surface of a car. The diameter is approximately 1 inch. The stem  11  can be of any shape (square, triangular, etc.), ideally for this invention the shape is circular. The handle  10  may be a solid core or maybe hollow as long as the remaining material in the stem  11  can tolerate the stress of the twisting of the gas cap  15 . 
         [0015]    The head  12  is attached to the lower portion of the stem  11 . The head  12  can be a distinct piece or can be incorporated as part of the stem  11 . The head  12  can be designed as large or small as necessary, based on the gas cap  15  that needs to be twisted. For automobiles are on the road today, the preferred head  12  is approximately 1 inch high, and 1⅜ inch in diameter. The head  12  can be of any shape (square, triangular, etc.), ideally for this invention, the shape is cylindrical. The head  12  may be a solid core or maybe hollow (similar to a thick walled can) as long as the remaining material in the head  12  can tolerate the stress of the twisting of the gas cap  15 . If the head  12  is solid, then the left beveled notch  13  and the right beveled notch  14  would make the head  12  as viewed from the bottom as if it were a channel. The attachment of the head  12  to the stem  11  may be done by either glue, encompassed in a body molding or by having the stem  11  and ripping device threaded such that the gripping device can be screwed on and locked to the stem  11 . 
         [0016]    The left beveled notch  13  and the right beveled notch  14  are normally equivalent in size and shape. The size and shape of the beveled notches is designed such that they are slightly larger than the tab they are to grab. For gas caps  15  that are in today&#39;s cars, the preferred height of the left beveled notch  13  and the right beveled notch  14  is ¾ inch high. The width of the left beveled notch  13  and the right beveled notch  14  is approximately ½ inch. 
         [0017]    The shape of the left beveled notch  13  and the right beveled notch  14  is similar to a rectangle, the preferred design is having the bottom of each rectangle is slightly larger than the top in order to provide an easier guide to attaching this tool to the gas cap  15 , as the invention finishes its alignment with the gas cap  15 . However the left and right edges of the left beveled notch  13  and the right beveled notch  14  (rectangle) may be perpendicular to the bottom edge of the head  12 . The top boundary of the left beveled notch  13  and the right beveled notch  14  (rectangle) may either be a straight edge or slightly curved. 
         [0018]    In a more sophisticated version of the invention, the invention may contain a power source  17  such as a battery, an illuminating device  16  such as a small light bulb or an LED, electrical wire  18  and a switch  19 . In this configuration, the illuminating device  16  is mounted into the bottom portion of the stem  11  or the top portion of the head  12 . The power source  17  may be stored within a hollow stem  11  and/or in the handle  10 . If the power source  17  is in the stem  11 , the access to replace the power source  17  can be done by either removing the handle  10  and or removing the head  12 . If the power source is in the handle  10 , then the left and right ends of the handle  10  are created such that the left and right ends of the handle  10  have easy removing and securing methods (i.e. a screwing mechanism). The power source  17  would be connected to the illuminating device  16  via wires  18  or a metallic lead painted shell within the handle  10  and the stem  11 . The illuminating device  16  would be turned on by either a switch  19  located on the invention or may be made through sophisticated contact device when attached to a gas cap  15 . 
         [0019]    To use the tool, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a human hand grabs the handle  10  and visually aligns the left beveled notch  13  and the right beveled notch  14  such that it will surround the vertical tab of the gas cap  15 . The user then twists the handle  10  (normally in a counterclockwise direction to remove) to remove the gas cap  15 . The invention may also be used to tighten the gas cap  15  (normally in a clockwise direction to tighten).