Abstract:
A fluid container, comprising a bottom surface, four walls extending upward from the bottom surface to create a cavity to house a fluid, a top surface covering the cavity, a fluid opening formed in one of the four walls near the bottom surface, wherein the fluid passes through the fluid opening to exit the container, and an air/vapor passageway formed adjacent and substantially parallel to the one of the four walls including the fluid opening, wherein the air/vapor passageway extends from the fluid opening upward toward the top surface, and air/vapor passes through the passageway into the container.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/055,675, filed on May 23, 2008, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a container for fluid, such as gasoline or water, and more specifically, a fluid container that is wearable on a user&#39;s back such that the container can be worn as a backpack, and includes a vapor recovery system. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Known fluid containers, for example, five (5) or eight (8) gallon water or gasoline containers, can be very cumbersome and heavy to carry, especially when filled with fluid. Bearing weight on one&#39;s back is a more efficient and comfortable way to transport items. In addition, known fluid containers do not include effective vapor recovery systems. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, there is a need for a fluid container that includes a vapor recovery system, and that is adapted to be worn on the back of a user to facilitate carrying of the container by a user. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    A fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a bottom surface, four walls extending upward from the bottom surface to create a cavity to house a fluid, a top surface covering the cavity, a fluid opening formed in one of the four walls near the bottom surface, wherein the fluid passes through the fluid opening to exit the container, an air/vapor passageway formed adjacent and substantially parallel to the one of the four walls including the fluid opening, wherein the air/vapor passageway extends from the fluid opening upward toward the top surface, and air/vapor passes through the passageway into the container. 
         [0008]    The air/vapor passageway may comprise an enclosed channel located on a surface of the one of the four walls, the enclosed channel including an entrance opening through which air/vapor enters the enclosed channel and an exit opening through which air/vapor exits the enclosed channel. 
         [0009]    The exit opening may connect to a canal positioned at or near the top of the cavity and extending substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein the air/vapor travels through the canal into the cavity. 
         [0010]    The fluid container may further comprise a hose connected to the fluid opening, wherein the hose includes an outer hose portion, an inner hose portion substantially concentric with the outer hose portion, and a space between an outer wall of the inner hose portion and an inner wall of the outer hose portion, wherein the fluid passes through the fluid opening to the inner hose portion, and the air/vapor passes through the space to the air/vapor passageway. 
         [0011]    The fluid container may further comprise a plurality of spacers positioned between the outer and inner hose portions. The hose may include a dispensing end through which the fluid is dispensed, and a cone-shaped spout positioned at the dispensing end, wherein a smaller diameter portion of the cone-shaped spout is closer to the dispensing end than a larger diameter portion of the cone-shaped spout. 
         [0012]    The fluid container may further comprise a valve to open and close the fluid opening. The valve may be a ball valve. 
         [0013]    At least one of the four walls may extend higher than the top surface and the portion of the at least one of the four walls higher than the top surface may include an opening formed therein. 
         [0014]    The fluid container may further comprise a plurality of shoulder straps attached thereto to allow a user to wear the container on the user&#39;s back. 
         [0015]    The bottom surface may extend beyond an outer surface of at least one of the four walls. 
         [0016]    A fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a bottom surface, four walls extending upward from the bottom surface to create a cavity to house a fluid, a top surface covering the cavity, a fluid opening formed in one of the four walls near the bottom surface, wherein the fluid passes through the fluid opening to exit the container, an air/vapor passageway formed along the one of the four walls including the fluid opening, wherein the air/vapor passageway extends from the fluid opening upward toward the top surface, and air/vapor passes through the passageway into the container. 
         [0017]    The air/vapor passageway may connect to a canal positioned at or near the top of the cavity and extending substantially parallel to the top surface, wherein the air/vapor travels through the canal into the cavity. 
         [0018]    The fluid container may further comprise a hose connected to the fluid opening, wherein the hose includes an outer hose portion, an inner hose portion positioned in the outer hose portion, and a space between an outer wall of the inner hose portion and an inner wall of the outer hose portion, wherein the fluid passes through the fluid opening to the inner hose portion, and the air/vapor passes through the space to the air/vapor passageway. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a left side view of a wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  shows a top view of a wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  shows a front view of a wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  shows a rear view of a wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  shows a side perspective view of a side panel including a first ball valve of a wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  shows a side perspective view of a side panel including a second ball valve and a vapor passageway of a wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7A  shows a schematic representation of a vapor passageway of a wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  shows a top sectional perspective view of a vapor passageway of a wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of a delivery hose of a wearable fluid container, including a cap and a spout, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a sectional view of the cap and hose taken along the line  10 - 10  in  FIG. 9 , according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the spout and hose taken along the line  11 - 11  in  FIG. 9 , according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  is a front view of the cap positioned on the delivery hose of the wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  is a front view of the spout positioned on the delivery hose of the wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  is a side view of an inside bottom portion of the wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 15  is a sectional view of the cap and opening of the wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0036]      FIG. 16  is a sectional view of the delivery hose including a spring-loaded handle operated valve of the wearable fluid container, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0037]    Exemplary embodiments of the present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. 
         [0038]    Referring to the drawings, a fluid container  100  to carry fluid, such as gasoline or water, includes a housing  110 . The housing  110  includes a back panel  111 , a front panel  115 , side panels  112  and  114 , a top panel  113  and a bottom panel  116 . The bottom inside of the container  100  may include a slight bevel  116   a  running from the bottom panel  116  to opening  191 , creating a void V under the ball valve positioned on the side panel  112 . 
         [0039]    The panels  111 ,  112 ,  114  and  115  extend to a height over the top panel  113 , and include respective openings  121 ,  122 ,  124  and  125  therein, which may be used as handles when not wearing the container  100  on one&#39;s back. The openings  121  also receive straps  131  to fix the straps  131  to an upper portion of the housing  110 . The straps  131  are fixed to a lower portion of the housing  110  using strap supports  132  respectively located on side panels  112  and  114 . The strap supports  132  can be molded to the housing  110  to create an opening between the strap support  132  and each panel  112  and  114 , through which the straps  131  can pass and be fixed to the lower portion of the housing  110 . 
         [0040]    Users pass their arms through the straps  131  to position the straps  131  around their shoulders so that the hack panel  111  rests against a user&#39;s back and the container  100  is worn as a backpack. The back panel  111  includes a pad  141  which can conform to a user&#39;s lower back for added comfort and support. The pad  141  may be made from any suitable material, such as nylon, and can include foam material inside the pad  141 . The straps  131  can be made of any suitable material, such as nylon, and may be padded for added comfort. In addition, the straps  131  may include external pads  135  for comfort and adjustment bars  133  for quick release and/or size adjustment of the straps  131  to accommodate different users. 
         [0041]    The container  100  includes a base  150  that is wider than the housing  110  so as to provide a stable configuration when the container  100  rests on a surface, such as the ground, a table or a dock. Furthermore, the base  150  is wide enough to permit stable stacking of multiple containers  100  for storage and/or transport. 
         [0042]    Depending on the intended use of the container  100 , the container  100  may be made of different materials. For example, the container may be made of 3 mm or 4 mm high density polyethylene (HDPE), whereby the 3 mm HDPE can be used for water, and the 4 mm HDPE can be used for gasoline. In addition, for industrial or military use, other materials may be desirable, such as corrosion resistant 20 gauge steel. Also, as an alternative to being opaque, the housing  110  may be translucent or semi-translucent to allow a user to see the fluid level in the container  100 . The housing  110  may also include molded markings to indicate the number of gallons or liters of fluid in the container  100 . 
         [0043]    The container includes an opening  191  formed in the side panel  112  through which the fluid from the container  100  is dispensed. The fluid can be dispensed directly through the opening  191 . Alternatively, especially in the case of gasoline or other flammable liquids, where dispensing containers are governed by strict regulations, the fluid can be dispensed via a delivery hose or tube  160 , including a cap  180  and a spout  170  at opposite ends thereof. The cap  180  is threaded with threads  185  and screws onto a mating threaded portion including threads  185  located at the opening  191 . O-ring grooves  186  and  187  are located at interior portions of the cap  180  and opening  191 , respectively. The O-ring grooves receive O-rings for creating a leak-proof seal between the cap  180  and opening  191  when the cap  180  is screwed onto the opening  191 . 
         [0044]    While delivering gasoline or other odorous and/or flammable liquid from the container, the hose  160 ; cap  180 , spout  170 , and container  100  include features to remove harmful vapors from the air surrounding the container, and to prevent overflow. For example, the hose  160  includes an outer hose  161  and an inner hose  162 . When fluid, such as gasoline, is being poured out of the container  100  through the inner hose  162 , vapor and air travel back into the container through the space between the outer wall of the inner hose  162  and the inner wall of the outer hose  161  to the vapor/air passageway  190  located on the side panel  112 . In accordance with Venturi principles, a vacuum is created in the vapor passageway  190  while pouring the fluid out of the can, and air/vapor is sucked in through the space between the outer wall of the inner hose  162  and the inner wall of the outer hose  161  to the vapor/air passageway  190 . In other words, referring to  FIG. 7A , as the fuel F (or other liquid) comes out of the container, a suction S is caused to draw in air to pull vapor into the container. As the fuel F is pulled out of the container, and the empty space in the container increases, a suction S results. The air/vapor travels through the passageway  190 , through opening  189  and into canal  197  inside the housing  110 . The canal  197  includes an open end into the body of the container  100  at the end farthest from the opening  189 . In addition, the canal  197  feeds into a body portion  198  of a ball valve to allow any fluid that entered into the passageway  190  to be returned to the body of the container  100 . 
         [0045]    The cap  180  includes a cone shaped portion  181  that fits into the opening  191  when the cap  180  is screwed onto the treaded portion of the opening  191 . The cone shaped portion  181  includes holes  182  or other types of openings to create a porous section C through which the air/vapor can pass into the vapor/air passageway  190 . The porous section C corresponds to the space between the outer wait of the inner hose  162  and the inner wall of the outer hose  161 . The fluid travels out of the container  100  through the inner hose  162 . 
         [0046]    The outer hose  161  is prevented from collapsing or caving in on the inner hose  162  by separation rods  163 , extending along the length of the hose  160  and positioned between the outer and inner hoses  161 ,  162 . The separation rods  163  are made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as a bendable metal or hard rubber to provide support for the outer hose  161  and to act as a spacer between the outer and inner hoses  161 ,  162 . Alternatively, or in addition to the separation rods  163 , protrusions  164  may be positioned between the inner wall of the outer hose  161  and the outer wall of the inner hose  162 . The protrusions  164  extend substantially perpendicular to the outer wall of the inner hose  162  and the inner wall of the outer hose  161 . Like the separation rods  163 , the protrusions  164  function as spacers between the outer and inner hoses  161 ,  162 . The outer hose  161  and/or the inner hose  162  may be molded to include the protrusions  164  extending therefrom. Alternatively, the protrusions  164  can be wedged between the outer and inner hoses  161 ,  162 . 
         [0047]    The cone-shaped spout  170  fits around the outer wall of the outer hose  161 , with the smaller diameter portion of the spout  170  being closer to the dispensing end of the hose. Accordingly, the spout  170  seals an opening (such as the opening for a gas tank in a vehicle) into which the fluid is being dispensed, and prevents overflow and splashing. The spout  170  also seals the opening so that vapors do not escape while dispensing odorous liquids, such as fuel. Furthermore, when the fluid reaches the top portion of the tank into which the fluid is being dispensed, the fluid in the tank covers the entrance for air into the space between the outer wall of the inner hose  162  and the inner wall of the outer hose  161 , thereby stopping fluid flow out of the container  100  to prevent overflow (analogous to an end of a straw being sealed off by one&#39;s finger to stop flow out of the straw). 
         [0048]    Depending on design constraints, the length of the outer hose  161  can be shortened from what is shown in  FIG. 9  so that the outer hose  161  does not extend beyond the cone-shaped spout  170 , and stops at or prior to the seal formed by the cone-shaped spout  170 . 
         [0049]    The delivery hose  160  may include a valve integrated therewith, such as, for example, a spring-loaded handle operated valve that is biased in the closed position. Referring, to  FIG. 16 , for example, a ball valve  168  is opened upon actuation of the handle  165  to allow free flow of fluid through the delivery hose  160 . The valve  168  is biased by spring  166  in the closed position. When the handle  165  is pressed, the spring  166  is compressed, turning threaded bar  167 , and moving ball valve  168  to the open position to allow fluid to flow through the hose  160 . The valve system includes O-ring butterfly valve  169  adjacent the ball valve  168 . The handle is moveable via a hinge  266 . A guard  265  can be positioned around the handle  165  to prevent inadvertent pressing of the handle  165 . In addition, a cap  267  may be secured to the dispensing end of the hose  160  using threads  268  so as to cover the dispensing end when not in use. 
         [0050]    The side panel  112  also includes a ball valve positioned opposite the opening  191  on the inside portion of the housing  110 . The ball valve includes a solid portion  194 , an open portion  195  and a ball  196 . The ball  196  sits in the solid portion  194  to block the fluid in the container from reaching the opening  191  when the container  100  is tipped. When a user desires to dispense fluid from the container  100 , a blocking device  192 , such as a bolt, penetrates through portion  193  into and through an opening in portion  194  to block the ball  196  from sealing off opening  191 . 
         [0051]    The side panel  112  also includes a ball valve at an upper portion thereof including a solid portion  198  and an open portion  199 . Like the ball valve at the lower portion, when the container is tipped, a ball (not shown) sits in the portion  198  to seal off passage to canal  197  and prevent fluid from exiting the container  100  through the passageway  190 . It is to be understood that other valves known to those of ordinary skill in the art may be used for the purpose of preventing fluid from exiting the container  100 . 
         [0052]    Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described hereinabove, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but may be modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.