Fluid Storage Device

Description

(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.

Not Applicable

(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to gas cans and more particularly pertains to a new gas can for lowering the center of gravity of the gas can, to inhibit the gas can from tipping.

(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to gas cans. Gas cans are useful tools, allowing people to safely store and transport gasoline. People will often drive to a gas station, fill a gas can with extra fuel, and transport the filled gas can home in their vehicle. However, once the gas can is filled, the gas can may become top heavy. Transporting a top heavy gas can may be dangerous, because the gas can may tip over, spilling the gasoline inside the vehicle. Spilling gasoline and other fuels can also be dangerous to the health and welfare of the user and can cause environmental damage. Accordingly, the prior art has disclosed various valves and lids designed to seal the gas can during transport. However, such devices fail to prevent spillage when the gas can is not fully sealed. Thus, there is a need in the art for a gas can which does not get top heavy, and which instead becomes bottom heavy such that the weight of the gasoline or other fluid within the gas can inhibits the gas can from tipping over.

(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a container having a base wall, a top wall and a peripheral wall that is coupled to and extends between the base wall and the top wall to define an interior space. The container is configured to retain a fluid in the interior space. The base wall is generally planar wherein the base wall is configured to stabilize a position of the container on a surface. The base wall has a length and a width each exceeding a height of the peripheral wall wherein the base wall is configured to inhibit the container from tipping over when the container is positioned on the surface. A spout is coupled to the container. The spout is fluidly coupled to the interior space wherein the spout is configured to facilitate the fluid in being removed from the interior space and wherein the spout is configured to facilitate the fluid in being added to the interior space.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top isometric view of a fluid storage device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom isometric view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a side in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new gas can embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the fluid storage device 10 generally comprises a container 12 that generally has a base wall 14, a top wall 16 and a peripheral wall 18 that is coupled to and extends between the base wall 14 and the top wall 16 to define an interior space 20. The container 12 is configured to releasably retain a fluid 22 in the interior space 20. The base wall 14 may be square. The base wall 14 is generally planar wherein the base wall 14 is configured to stabilize a position of the container 12 on a surface 24.

The base wall 14 has a length and a width each exceeding a height of the peripheral wall 18 wherein the base wall 14 is configured to inhibit the container 12 from tipping over when the container 12 is positioned on the surface 24. The relative proportions of the base wall 14 and the peripheral wall 18 are designed to keep a center of gravity of the container 12 positioned adjacent to the surface 24. In other words, because the dimensions of the base wall 14 exceed the height of the peripheral wall 18, the container 12 is bottom heavy and is inhibited from tipping over. For example, the base wall 14 may have a length between 14.0 inches and 17.0 inches. The base wall 14 may also have a width between 14.0 inches and 17.0 inches. The peripheral wall 18 may have a height between 9.0 inches and 12.0 inches.

The container 12 generally has a plurality of corners 26. Each corner of the plurality of corners 26 may be rounded. The peripheral wall 18 may have a front side 28 and a back side 30. The front side 28 may include a first panel 32 that is coupled to and extends upwardly from the base wall 14. The first panel 32 may be perpendicular to the base wall 14. A second panel 34 may be coupled to and extend between the first panel 32 to the top wall 16. The second panel 34 may be angled to extend upwardly from the first panel 32 and inwardly toward the top wall 16 wherein the base wall 14 has a width exceeding a width of the top wall 16. The width of each of the base wall 14 and the top wall 16 is generally measured between the front side 28 and the back side 30 of the peripheral wall 18.

A side cutout 36 may extend into the back side 30 of the peripheral wall 18. The side cutout 36 may be centrally positioned on the peripheral wall 18 between the base wall 14 and the top wall 16. The side cutout 36 may be parallel to the back side 30 of the peripheral wall 18. The side cutout 36 may include a side cutout top edge 38. For example, the side cutout top edge 38 may be positioned proximate to the top wall 16. A side cutout bottom edge 40 may be positioned proximate to the base wall 14. The side cutout 36 may be concavely arcuate between the side cutout top edge 38 and the side cutout bottom edge 40. The side cutout bottom edge 40 may be parallel to the side cutout top edge 38.

A side handle 42 may be coupled to the back side 30 of the container 12. The side handle 42 may extending across the side cutout 36, for example between the side cutout top edge 38 and the side cutout bottom edge 40. The side handle 42 may be perpendicular to the back side 30 of the container 12. In other words, the side handle 42 may be perpendicular to the side cutout top edge 38 and the side cutout bottom edge 40. The side handle 42 may have a side handle upper surface 44. The side handle upper surface 44 may be coplanar with the peripheral wall 18. The side handle 42 may be centrally positioned along the length of the side cutout 36. The length of the side cutout 36 may be measured parallel to the side cutout top edge 38.

A top cutout 46 may extend into the top wall 16. The top cutout 46 may be centrally positioned on the top wall 16 between the front side 28 and the back side 30 of the peripheral wall 18. The top cutout 46 may have a surface area exceeding a surface area of the side cutout 36, for example because the surface area of the top wall 16 may exceed the surface area of the back side 30 of the peripheral wall 18. The top cutout 46 may be parallel to the top wall 16 wherein the top cutout 46 is perpendicular to the side cutout 36.

The top cutout 46 may include a top cutout front edge 48, for example positioned proximate to the front side 28 of the peripheral wall 18. A top cutout back edge 50 may be positioned proximate to the back side 30 of the peripheral wall 18. The top cutout 46 may be concavely arcuate between the top cutout front edge 48 and the top cutout back edge 50. The top cutout back edge 50 may be parallel to the top cutout front edge 48.

A top handle 52 may be coupled to the top wall 16 of the container 12. The top handle 52 may extending across the top cutout 46, for example between the top cutout front edge 48 and the top cutout back edge 50. The top handle 52 may be perpendicular to the top cutout 46. In other words, the top handle 52 may be perpendicular to each of the top cutout front edge 48 and the top cutout back edge 50. The top handle 52 may have a top handle upper surface 54 that is coplanar with the top wall 16. The top handle 52 may be centrally positioned along the length of the top cutout 46. The length of the top cutout 46 may be generally measured parallel to the top cutout front edge 48.

A spout 56 may be coupled to the container 12. The spout 56 is fluidly coupled to the interior space 20 wherein the spout 56 is configured to facilitate the fluid 22 in being removed from the interior space 20 and wherein the spout 56 is configured to facilitate the fluid 22 in being added to the interior space 20. The spout 56 may be positioned on the second panel 34 of the front side 28 of the peripheral wall 18. The spout 56 may be angled to extend upwardly from the second panel 34 of the front side 28 of the peripheral wall 18 and outwardly from the container 12.

A valve 58 may be coupled to the spout 56. The valve 58 is generally movable between an open position and a closed position. The valve 58 is configured to facilitate the fluid 22 in being removed from and added to the interior space 20 when the valve 58 is in the open position. In other words, the fluid 22 may be able to flow freely through the spout 56 when the valve 58 is in the open position. The valve 58 is configured inhibit the fluid 22 from being removed from and added to the interior space 20 when the valve 58 is in the closed position. In other words, the fluid 22 may be inhibited from flowing through the spout 56 when the valve 58 is in the closed position. The valve 58 may be rotatably coupled to the spout 56 wherein rotation of the valve 58 moves the valve 58 between the open position and the closed position. The valve 58 may be positioned adjacent to the front side 28 of the peripheral wall 18 of the container 12.

In use, the fluid 22 can be added to the interior space 20 through the spout 56. Because the base wall 14 of a container 12 has a length and a width which each exceed the height of the peripheral wall 18, the center of gravity of the container 12 will remain close to the surface 24 on which the container 12 is resting when the container 12 is filled with the fluid 22. The low center of gravity, achieved by the relative dimensions of the base wall 14 compared to the peripheral wall 18, inhibits the container 12 from tipping over and spilling the fluid 22. The container 12 may be manufactured in various sizes, as long as the length and width of the base wall 14 exceed the height of the peripheral wall 18. For example, the interior space 20 of the container 12 may have a volume between 4.0 gallons and 6.0 gallons. In another example, the base wall 14 may have a length between 14.0 inches and 17.0 inches while the peripheral wall 18 may have a height between 9.0 inches and 12.0 inches.

The side handle 42 and the top handle 52 may facilitate transport of the container 12. For example, a user may grip one or both of the side handle 42 and the top handle 52 to carry the container 12. The side cutout 36 and the top cutout 46, respectively, may facilitate the user in gripping each of the side handle 42 and the top handle 52. For example, the user may be able to wrap their hand around each of side handle 42 and the top handle 52 because each of the side cutout 36 and the top cutout 46 are concavely arcuate.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.