US20050247727A1 - Hand operated fluid delivery device - Google Patents
Hand operated fluid delivery device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20050247727A1 US20050247727A1 US11/122,831 US12283105A US2005247727A1 US 20050247727 A1 US20050247727 A1 US 20050247727A1 US 12283105 A US12283105 A US 12283105A US 2005247727 A1 US2005247727 A1 US 2005247727A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- enclosure
- flexible
- volume
- fluid
- collapsible
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 80
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 abstract description 5
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 abstract description 4
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 description 21
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 18
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 10
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000005096 rolling process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000002528 anti-freeze Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000010718 automatic transmission oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012208 gear oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000010705 motor oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004806 packaging method and process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D35/00—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor
- B65D35/24—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor with auxiliary devices
- B65D35/28—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor with auxiliary devices for expelling contents
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D35/00—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor
- B65D35/24—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor with auxiliary devices
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D35/00—Pliable tubular containers adapted to be permanently or temporarily deformed to expel contents, e.g. collapsible tubes for toothpaste or other plastic or semi-liquid material; Holders therefor
- B65D35/44—Closures
- B65D35/46—Closures with valves
Definitions
- This disclosure generally relates to fluid delivery devices, and in particular, to hand operated fluid delivery devices.
- a liquid such as oil
- gravity e.g., “uphill”
- a fluid pump is a piece of equipment that most vehicle owners do not have, or if they do, it is not usually located in the same spot where the vehicle that is in need of more oil is located.
- FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to some embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to some other embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to still other embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to yet more embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to some additional embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device 100 according to some embodiments of the invention.
- the device 100 includes a tube 105 , an enclosure 110 , a roller 115 , and a flange 120 .
- the tube 105 and enclosure 110 have a one-piece construction.
- the enclosure 110 is structured to hold a fluid.
- the fluid may be of any type, some examples may include oil, water, or antifreeze.
- the enclosure 110 is made of a flexible material, such as plastic, that is strong enough to safely hold the fluid without leaking, but is also fully collapsible.
- the term “fully collapsible” means that the inner volume of the enclosure 110 may be reduced to substantially zero and increased back to its full volume without damaging or permanently deforming the structure of the enclosure.
- the enclosure 110 includes measure marks 110 a, the purpose of which will be explained in further detail below.
- the enclosure 110 has a tapered shape, for reasons that will be explained in further detail below.
- the tube 105 is flexible and includes a flow controller 105 a and a neck 105 b.
- the tube 105 is attached to the enclosure 110 at the neck 105 b.
- the flow controller 105 a is structured to stop, start, or adjust the flow of fluid through the tube 105 .
- the flow controller 105 a is capable of being positioned at any portion of the tube 105 .
- the roller 115 is attached to a lower portion of the enclosure 110 .
- the roller 115 is cylindrical in shape and may be made of the same material as the enclosure 110 , i.e., plastic, or some other desired material.
- the roller 115 has small protrusions which extend beyond the sides of the enclosure 110 .
- the flange 120 is attached to a lower portion of the enclosure 110 .
- the flange 120 has a small hole and may be made of the same material as the enclosure 110 , i.e., plastic, or some other desired material.
- the flange 120 is strong enough to safely support the weight of the device 100 plus the weight of any fluid within the device 100 when the device is hung or suspended by the small hole in the flange.
- Other embodiments of the invention may not have a flange.
- a fluid such as oil
- a fluid fills the enclosure 110 .
- the end of the flexible tube 105 is inserted into the fill port of the container that is to receive the fluid.
- opening the flow controller 105 will allow gravity to naturally drain the fluid from the enclosure 110 .
- the fluid delivery device 100 is held at a vertical position that is shorter than the container that is to receive the fluid, opening the flow controller 105 and rolling the roller 115 up the side of the enclosure 110 causes the walls of the flexible enclosure 110 to collapse, forcing the fluid out of the tube 105 .
- the shape of the enclosure 110 is substantially tapered. That is, there is no part of the enclosure 110 that is greater in width than the roller 115 . This ensures that all walls of the enclosure 110 are forced together by the roller 115 , ensuring that the enclosure 110 is fully collapsed and the contents of the enclosure 110 emptied.
- the measure marks 110 a may be used to indicate how much fluid remains in the enclosure 110 when the volume of the enclosure is not being reduced by the roller 115 .
- the measure marks 110 a may be used to indicate the volume of fluid that has been forced beyond the neck 105 b when the roller 115 is at a particular position.
- the flange 120 is also made of a flexible material, such as plastic, so that when the roller 115 is used to reduce the volume of the enclosure 110 the flange will also lay flat against the roller.
- FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device 200 according to some other embodiments of the invention.
- the fluid delivery device 200 has many similar features as the fluid delivery device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 . Like device 100 , device 200 has an enclosure 210 , measure marks 210 a, a roller 215 , and a flange 220 . Measure marks 210 a, roller 215 , and flange 220 operate in a similar manner as what was described above for fluid delivery device 100 .
- fluid delivery device 200 has a tube 205 that is substantially different than device 100 , in addition to a neck attachment 210 b that is not present in device 100 . Both of these differences will be explained in the paragraphs that follow.
- tube 205 of device 200 is flexible and has a flow controller 205 a.
- tube 205 has a neck attachment 205 b that is different from the neck 105 b illustrated in FIG. 1 .
- the neck attachment 205 b has threads that are configured to mate with matching threads (not shown) on the interior of the neck attachment 210 b of the enclosure 210 . That is, the tube 205 is attached to the enclosure 210 by screwing the neck attachment 205 b into the neck attachment 210 b.
- FIG. 2 are advantageous in that tubes of different lengths and widths, but with the same size neck attachment and thread arrangement, could be interchanged with the same enclosure 210 .
- the size of the tube may be increased or decreased to allow the fluid delivery device 200 to deliver fluids to fluid tanks, fluid reservoirs, oil pans, etc., that have different fill port sizes.
- the neck attachment 210 b also has threads on the exterior side. These threads allow a cap (not shown) with matching threads to be attached to the end of the enclosure 210 , thus allowing storage of fluid within the enclosure 210 .
- the threads on the exterior side of the neck attachment 210 b need not be present.
- the neck attachment 205 b is screwed into the neck attachment 210 b, it is preferable that the material used for the neck attachments 205 b, 210 b be rigid compared to the material used for the flexible tube 205 and flexible enclosure 210 . In addition, it is preferable that the neck attachment 210 b have an opening that is large enough to place the spout of a standard oil container within it. Thus, the enclosure 210 may easily be refilled with oil.
- the fluid delivery device 200 works in substantially the same manner as what was described above for the fluid delivery device 100 .
- FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device 300 according to still other embodiments of the invention.
- the fluid delivery device 300 has many similar features as the fluid delivery device 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 .
- device 300 has a tube 305 , a flow controller 305 a, a neck 305 b, an enclosure 310 , measure marks 310 a, a roller 315 , and a flange 320 .
- the tube 305 , flow controller 305 a, neck 305 b, enclosure 310 , measure marks 310 a, roller 315 , and flange 320 operate in a similar manner as what was described above for fluid delivery device 100 .
- fluid delivery device 300 has an enclosure port 310 b that is not present on device 100 .
- the enclosure port 310 b is a tubular opening into the enclosure 310 , which allows one to refill the enclosure with additional fluid.
- the opening diameter of the enclosure port 310 b is wide enough so that the neck of a conventional fluid container, such as an oil container, may be inserted within it.
- the enclosure port 310 b has threads on the exterior surface. This allows a cap with matching threads (not shown) to be screwed on to the enclosure port 310 b in order to seal the port.
- the enclosure port 310 b may have threads on the interior surface, which would allow a plug with matching threads to be screwed into the enclosure port 310 b in order to provide a leak-free seal when the port is not in use.
- the threads on the interior of the enclosure port 310 b are configured to cooperatively mate with the outer threads that exist on the neck of a conventional fluid container, such as an oil container.
- a conventional fluid container may be attached directly to the enclosure port 310 b and form a leak-free seal.
- the enclosure port 310 b is sealed by screwing a cap over it or a plug into it, it is preferable that the material used for the enclosure port 310 b be rigid compared to the material used for the flexible tube 305 and flexible enclosure 310 .
- FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device 400 according to yet more embodiments of the invention.
- the fluid delivery device 400 has many similar features as the fluid delivery device 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 .
- device 400 has a tube 405 , a flow controller 405 a, a neck 405 b, an enclosure 410 , measure marks 410 a, an enclosure port 410 b, and a flange 420 .
- the tube 405 , flow controller 405 a, neck 405 b, enclosure 410 , measure marks 410 a, enclosure port 410 b, and flange 420 operate in a similar manner as what was described above for fluid delivery device 300 .
- fluid delivery device 400 does not have a roller, and the flange 420 is connected directly to a lower portion of the enclosure 410 .
- a roller it is still possible to collapse the walls of the enclosure 410 , for example, by manually rolling the tapered enclosure beginning with the flange 420 or simply by manually squeezing the enclosure as tightly as possible with two hands.
- the enclosure port 410 b is a tubular opening into the enclosure 410 , which allows one to refill the enclosure with additional fluid.
- the interior surface of the enclosure port 410 b has threads, which allows a plug 410 c with matching threads to be screwed into the enclosure port 410 b in order to seal it.
- the diameter of the enclosure port 410 b and the threads on the interior surface of the enclosure port 410 b are sized such that a conventional fluid container, such as a plastic oil container, may be screwed into the enclosure port 410 b, creating a leak-free seal.
- the enclosure port 410 b is sealed by screwing plug 410 c into it, it is preferable that the material used for the enclosure port 410 b and plug 410 c be rigid compared to the material used for the flexible tube 405 and flexible enclosure 410 .
- FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device 500 according to some additional embodiments of the invention.
- the fluid delivery device 500 has many similar features as the fluid delivery device 300 illustrated in FIG. 3 .
- device 500 has a tube 505 , a flow controller 505 a, a neck 505 b, an enclosure 510 , measure marks 510 a, and an enclosure port 510 b.
- the tube 505 , flow controller 505 a, neck 505 b, enclosure 510 , measure marks 510 a, and enclosure port 510 b operate in a similar manner as what was described above for fluid delivery device 300 .
- fluid delivery device 500 does not have a flange, and instead of a roller, it has a sliding clamp 515 .
- the purpose of sliding clamp 515 will be explained further in the paragraphs below.
- the enclosure port 510 b is a tubular opening into the enclosure 510 , which allows one to refill the enclosure with additional fluid.
- the interior surface of the enclosure port 510 b has threads, which allows a plug 510 c with matching threads to be screwed into the enclosure port 510 b in order to seal it.
- the diameter of the enclosure port 510 b and the threads on the interior surface of the enclosure port 510 b are sized such that a conventional fluid container, such as a plastic oil container, may be screwed into the enclosure port 510 b, creating a leak-free interface.
- the exterior surface of the enclosure port 510 b also has threads, which allows a cap 510 d with matching threads to be screwed over the enclosure port 510 b in order to seal it.
- a cap 510 d with matching threads may be used to seal the enclosure 510 .
- the enclosure port 510 b is sealed by screwing plug 510 c into it or by screwing the cap 510 d over it, it is preferable that the material used for the enclosure port 510 b, the plug 510 c, and cap 510 d be rigid compared to the material used for the flexible tube 505 and flexible enclosure 510 .
- the sliding clamp 515 be used instead of the roller that was described for other embodiments of the invention because of the location of the enclosure port 510 b. Because the enclosure port 510 b, plug 510 c, and cap 510 d are made of rigid material compared to the flexible enclosure 510 , using a roller would cause the enclosure port to be “rolled up” along with the material of the flexible enclosure 510 . The presence of this rigid material may prevent the flexible enclosure 510 from fully collapsing.
- the sliding clamp 515 is preferred over the roller, although in some embodiments of the invention either a roller or a sliding clamp may be used interchangeably, depending on whatever solution works the best.
- the sliding clamp 515 may include two pieces of rigid material having an adjustable opening between the two pieces. When open, the sliding clamp 515 does not restrict the walls of the enclosure 510 , allowing fluid to enter the enclosure 510 from the enclosure port 510 b. When closed, the sliding clamp forces the walls of the enclosure 510 to contact each other. The sliding clamp can then be moved upwards, towards the neck 505 b of the device 500 , forcing fluid to exit from the tube 505 .
- embodiments of the invention may be sold with fluid, such as transmission oil or gear oil, already contained in the enclosure.
- fluid such as transmission oil or gear oil
- the ends of the tubes may be sealed to prevent any leakage during shipping or handling.
- the sealed end of the tube may be cut, removed, or otherwise punctured in order to remove the seal and operate the fluid delivery device.
- the embodiments are shipped and stored in conjunction with a protective container and/or protective packaging.
- one or more embodiments of the invention may be packaged and shipped in a protective box or other type of conventional shipping unit, facilitating the ease at which embodiments may be shipped, stacked, or stored.
- embodiments of the invention provide a quick and easy way to dispense fluids, even in situations where the fluid must be pumped against the force of gravity. Embodiments of the invention do not require additional funnels, measuring devices, or motor-driven pumps.
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a quick and easy way to dispense fluids, even in situations where space is tight or the fluid must be pumped against the force of gravity. No separate funnels, measuring devices, or pumps are needed. Thus, embodiments of the invention may be useful in any situation that requires the delivery of fluids from one container to another, and are recognized for being particularly useful in dispensing oil to automatic transmissions, or for dispensing oil to the rear ends of manual transmissions.
Description
- This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/569,090, filed on 7 May 2004, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
- 1. Technical Field of the Invention
- This disclosure generally relates to fluid delivery devices, and in particular, to hand operated fluid delivery devices.
- 2. Description of the Related Art
- The process of adding engine oil to an engine crankcase is familiar to most anyone who works with machinery. Typically, nothing more is required than opening the hood, removing the oil cap, and pouring oil of the desired weight directly into the crankcase from a rigid plastic oil container. A funnel is sometimes used to prevent inadvertent spills from occurring. Markings on the side of the rigid plastic container may indicate the amount of oil that has been dispensed.
- However, when it comes to the task of putting automatic transmission oil into a vehicle, the task may become more difficult. Typically, the fill port for the automatic transmission is closely surrounded by other engine components, making it difficult to maneuver the oil container into a convenient pouring position. The space may even be too cramped to allow the use of a funnel. Thus, there exists the potential for a very messy situation.
- For other tasks, there may be an added difficulty of forcing a liquid, such as oil, to flow against the force of gravity (e.g., “uphill), from one oil container to another. For example, one may wish to add oil to the rear differential casing of a manual transmission vehicle. In these situations, a motor-driven pump is usually required to force the oil into the differential casing. A fluid pump is a piece of equipment that most vehicle owners do not have, or if they do, it is not usually located in the same spot where the vehicle that is in need of more oil is located.
- It would be desirable to have a fluid delivery device that can easily and cleanly transfer fluid from the delivery device into another fluid container without the need for additional equipment such as funnels or motor-driven pumps. Embodiments of the invention address these and other disadvantages of the conventional art.
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FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to some other embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to still other embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to yet more embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a fluid delivery device according to some additional embodiments of the invention. - In the detailed description that follows, several exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings that were briefly described above. The description of these exemplary embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but rather to adequately convey the inventive concepts to those of skill in the art.
-
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating afluid delivery device 100 according to some embodiments of the invention. Thedevice 100 includes atube 105, anenclosure 110, aroller 115, and aflange 120. In preferred embodiments of the invention, thetube 105 andenclosure 110 have a one-piece construction. - The
enclosure 110 is structured to hold a fluid. The fluid may be of any type, some examples may include oil, water, or antifreeze. Preferably, theenclosure 110 is made of a flexible material, such as plastic, that is strong enough to safely hold the fluid without leaking, but is also fully collapsible. As used herein, the term “fully collapsible” means that the inner volume of theenclosure 110 may be reduced to substantially zero and increased back to its full volume without damaging or permanently deforming the structure of the enclosure. Preferably, theenclosure 110 includesmeasure marks 110 a, the purpose of which will be explained in further detail below. Preferably, theenclosure 110 has a tapered shape, for reasons that will be explained in further detail below. - The
tube 105 is flexible and includes aflow controller 105 a and aneck 105 b. Thetube 105 is attached to theenclosure 110 at theneck 105 b. Theflow controller 105 a is structured to stop, start, or adjust the flow of fluid through thetube 105. In preferred embodiments of the invention, theflow controller 105 a is capable of being positioned at any portion of thetube 105. There are several conventional devices that may adequately perform as aflow controller 105 a, for example, a clamp. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , theroller 115 is attached to a lower portion of theenclosure 110. Theroller 115 is cylindrical in shape and may be made of the same material as theenclosure 110, i.e., plastic, or some other desired material. Theroller 115 has small protrusions which extend beyond the sides of theenclosure 110. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , theflange 120 is attached to a lower portion of theenclosure 110. Theflange 120 has a small hole and may be made of the same material as theenclosure 110, i.e., plastic, or some other desired material. Preferably, theflange 120 is strong enough to safely support the weight of thedevice 100 plus the weight of any fluid within thedevice 100 when the device is hung or suspended by the small hole in the flange. Other embodiments of the invention may not have a flange. - When in operation, a fluid, such as oil, fills the
enclosure 110. To dispense the fluid, the end of theflexible tube 105 is inserted into the fill port of the container that is to receive the fluid. - If the
fluid delivery device 100 is held at a vertical position that is higher than the container that is to receive the fluid, opening theflow controller 105 will allow gravity to naturally drain the fluid from theenclosure 110. - If the
fluid delivery device 100 is held at a vertical position that is shorter than the container that is to receive the fluid, opening theflow controller 105 and rolling theroller 115 up the side of theenclosure 110 causes the walls of theflexible enclosure 110 to collapse, forcing the fluid out of thetube 105. As indicated above, the shape of theenclosure 110 is substantially tapered. That is, there is no part of theenclosure 110 that is greater in width than theroller 115. This ensures that all walls of theenclosure 110 are forced together by theroller 115, ensuring that theenclosure 110 is fully collapsed and the contents of theenclosure 110 emptied. - The measure marks 110 a may be used to indicate how much fluid remains in the
enclosure 110 when the volume of the enclosure is not being reduced by theroller 115. Alternatively, the measure marks 110 a may be used to indicate the volume of fluid that has been forced beyond theneck 105 b when theroller 115 is at a particular position. - Preferably, the
flange 120 is also made of a flexible material, such as plastic, so that when theroller 115 is used to reduce the volume of theenclosure 110 the flange will also lay flat against the roller. -
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating afluid delivery device 200 according to some other embodiments of the invention. - The
fluid delivery device 200 has many similar features as thefluid delivery device 100 illustrated inFIG. 1 . Likedevice 100,device 200 has anenclosure 210, measure marks 210 a, aroller 215, and aflange 220. Measure marks 210 a,roller 215, andflange 220 operate in a similar manner as what was described above forfluid delivery device 100. - However,
fluid delivery device 200 has atube 205 that is substantially different thandevice 100, in addition to a neck attachment 210 b that is not present indevice 100. Both of these differences will be explained in the paragraphs that follow. - Like
tube 105 ofdevice 100,tube 205 ofdevice 200 is flexible and has a flow controller 205 a. But,tube 205 has a neck attachment 205 b that is different from theneck 105 b illustrated inFIG. 1 . The neck attachment 205 b has threads that are configured to mate with matching threads (not shown) on the interior of the neck attachment 210 b of theenclosure 210. That is, thetube 205 is attached to theenclosure 210 by screwing the neck attachment 205 b into the neck attachment 210 b. - The embodiments illustrated in
FIG. 2 are advantageous in that tubes of different lengths and widths, but with the same size neck attachment and thread arrangement, could be interchanged with thesame enclosure 210. Thus, the size of the tube may be increased or decreased to allow thefluid delivery device 200 to deliver fluids to fluid tanks, fluid reservoirs, oil pans, etc., that have different fill port sizes. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , the neck attachment 210 b also has threads on the exterior side. These threads allow a cap (not shown) with matching threads to be attached to the end of theenclosure 210, thus allowing storage of fluid within theenclosure 210. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the threads on the exterior side of the neck attachment 210 b need not be present. - Because the neck attachment 205 b is screwed into the neck attachment 210 b, it is preferable that the material used for the neck attachments 205 b, 210 b be rigid compared to the material used for the
flexible tube 205 andflexible enclosure 210. In addition, it is preferable that the neck attachment 210 b have an opening that is large enough to place the spout of a standard oil container within it. Thus, theenclosure 210 may easily be refilled with oil. - In operation, the
fluid delivery device 200 works in substantially the same manner as what was described above for thefluid delivery device 100. -
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating afluid delivery device 300 according to still other embodiments of the invention. - The
fluid delivery device 300 has many similar features as thefluid delivery device 100 illustrated inFIG. 1 . Likedevice 100,device 300 has atube 305, aflow controller 305 a, aneck 305 b, anenclosure 310, measure marks 310 a, aroller 315, and aflange 320. Thetube 305,flow controller 305 a,neck 305 b,enclosure 310, measure marks 310 a,roller 315, andflange 320 operate in a similar manner as what was described above forfluid delivery device 100. - However,
fluid delivery device 300 has anenclosure port 310 b that is not present ondevice 100. Theenclosure port 310 b is a tubular opening into theenclosure 310, which allows one to refill the enclosure with additional fluid. In general, the opening diameter of theenclosure port 310 b is wide enough so that the neck of a conventional fluid container, such as an oil container, may be inserted within it. - As illustrated in
FIG. 3 , theenclosure port 310 b has threads on the exterior surface. This allows a cap with matching threads (not shown) to be screwed on to theenclosure port 310 b in order to seal the port. Alternatively, theenclosure port 310 b may have threads on the interior surface, which would allow a plug with matching threads to be screwed into theenclosure port 310 b in order to provide a leak-free seal when the port is not in use. Preferably, the threads on the interior of theenclosure port 310 b are configured to cooperatively mate with the outer threads that exist on the neck of a conventional fluid container, such as an oil container. Thus, a conventional fluid container may be attached directly to theenclosure port 310 b and form a leak-free seal. - Because the
enclosure port 310 b is sealed by screwing a cap over it or a plug into it, it is preferable that the material used for theenclosure port 310 b be rigid compared to the material used for theflexible tube 305 andflexible enclosure 310. -
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating afluid delivery device 400 according to yet more embodiments of the invention. - The
fluid delivery device 400 has many similar features as thefluid delivery device 300 illustrated inFIG. 3 . Likedevice 300,device 400 has atube 405, a flow controller 405 a, aneck 405 b, anenclosure 410, measure marks 410 a, anenclosure port 410 b, and aflange 420. Thetube 405, flow controller 405 a,neck 405 b,enclosure 410, measure marks 410 a,enclosure port 410 b, andflange 420 operate in a similar manner as what was described above forfluid delivery device 300. - It should be noted, however, that unlike
fluid delivery device 300,fluid delivery device 400 does not have a roller, and theflange 420 is connected directly to a lower portion of theenclosure 410. Despite the lack of a roller, it is still possible to collapse the walls of theenclosure 410, for example, by manually rolling the tapered enclosure beginning with theflange 420 or simply by manually squeezing the enclosure as tightly as possible with two hands. - The
enclosure port 410 b is a tubular opening into theenclosure 410, which allows one to refill the enclosure with additional fluid. Although not shown inFIG. 4 , the interior surface of theenclosure port 410 b has threads, which allows a plug 410 c with matching threads to be screwed into theenclosure port 410 b in order to seal it. Preferably, the diameter of theenclosure port 410 b and the threads on the interior surface of theenclosure port 410 b are sized such that a conventional fluid container, such as a plastic oil container, may be screwed into theenclosure port 410 b, creating a leak-free seal. - Because the
enclosure port 410 b is sealed by screwing plug 410 c into it, it is preferable that the material used for theenclosure port 410 b and plug 410 c be rigid compared to the material used for theflexible tube 405 andflexible enclosure 410. -
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating afluid delivery device 500 according to some additional embodiments of the invention. - The
fluid delivery device 500 has many similar features as thefluid delivery device 300 illustrated inFIG. 3 . Likedevice 300,device 500 has atube 505, aflow controller 505 a, aneck 505 b, anenclosure 510, measure marks 510 a, and an enclosure port 510 b. Thetube 505,flow controller 505 a,neck 505 b,enclosure 510, measure marks 510 a, and enclosure port 510 b operate in a similar manner as what was described above forfluid delivery device 300. - It should be noted, however, that unlike
fluid delivery device 300,fluid delivery device 500 does not have a flange, and instead of a roller, it has a slidingclamp 515. The purpose of slidingclamp 515 will be explained further in the paragraphs below. - The enclosure port 510 b is a tubular opening into the
enclosure 510, which allows one to refill the enclosure with additional fluid. Although not shown inFIG. 5 , the interior surface of the enclosure port 510 b has threads, which allows aplug 510 c with matching threads to be screwed into the enclosure port 510 b in order to seal it. Preferably, the diameter of the enclosure port 510 b and the threads on the interior surface of the enclosure port 510 b are sized such that a conventional fluid container, such as a plastic oil container, may be screwed into the enclosure port 510 b, creating a leak-free interface. - As shown in
FIG. 5 , the exterior surface of the enclosure port 510 b also has threads, which allows acap 510 d with matching threads to be screwed over the enclosure port 510 b in order to seal it. Thus, either theplug 510 c, thecap 510 d, or both may be used to seal theenclosure 510. - Because the enclosure port 510 b is sealed by screwing
plug 510 c into it or by screwing thecap 510 d over it, it is preferable that the material used for the enclosure port 510 b, theplug 510 c, and cap 510 d be rigid compared to the material used for theflexible tube 505 andflexible enclosure 510. - It is preferred that the sliding
clamp 515 be used instead of the roller that was described for other embodiments of the invention because of the location of the enclosure port 510 b. Because the enclosure port 510 b, plug 510 c, and cap 510 d are made of rigid material compared to theflexible enclosure 510, using a roller would cause the enclosure port to be “rolled up” along with the material of theflexible enclosure 510. The presence of this rigid material may prevent theflexible enclosure 510 from fully collapsing. - Consequently, the sliding
clamp 515 is preferred over the roller, although in some embodiments of the invention either a roller or a sliding clamp may be used interchangeably, depending on whatever solution works the best. - The sliding
clamp 515 may include two pieces of rigid material having an adjustable opening between the two pieces. When open, the slidingclamp 515 does not restrict the walls of theenclosure 510, allowing fluid to enter theenclosure 510 from the enclosure port 510 b. When closed, the sliding clamp forces the walls of theenclosure 510 to contact each other. The sliding clamp can then be moved upwards, towards theneck 505 b of thedevice 500, forcing fluid to exit from thetube 505. - It is recognized that some embodiments of the invention may be sold with fluid, such as transmission oil or gear oil, already contained in the enclosure. For this reason, the ends of the tubes may be sealed to prevent any leakage during shipping or handling. In this case, the sealed end of the tube may be cut, removed, or otherwise punctured in order to remove the seal and operate the fluid delivery device. Additionally, due to the collapsible nature of embodiments of the invention, it is preferred that the embodiments are shipped and stored in conjunction with a protective container and/or protective packaging. Thus, it is recognized that one or more embodiments of the invention may be packaged and shipped in a protective box or other type of conventional shipping unit, facilitating the ease at which embodiments may be shipped, stacked, or stored.
- Furthermore, embodiments of the invention may be sold to an end user fully filled with liquid. Other embodiments, especially those with ports that, as described above, allow conventional fluid containers to be attached to them, may be sold to an end user without any fluid inside the enclosures. Thus, the end user may fill the embodiment with any liquid that is desired.
- As described above, embodiments of the invention provide a quick and easy way to dispense fluids, even in situations where the fluid must be pumped against the force of gravity. Embodiments of the invention do not require additional funnels, measuring devices, or motor-driven pumps.
- Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in several exemplary embodiments, it should be apparent that the invention may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. For example, even though the above embodiments were described with particularity in the context of adding oil to a vehicle, it is recognized that other embodiments may be useful in a variety of contexts, such as medical, food preparation, or chemical scenarios.
- Furthermore, the specification may refer to “an”, “one”, “another”, or “some” embodiment(s) in various locations. It will be understood, however, that such use does not necessarily mean that each such reference is directed to the same embodiment(s), or that the features thereof only apply to a single embodiment.
- I claim all modifications and variation coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
Claims (19)
1. A fluid delivery device comprising:
a collapsible enclosure that has a maximum volume when fully expanded and a minimum volume when fully collapsed;
a flexible tube attached to a first end of the collapsible enclosure; and
a volume adjustment device structured to vary the volume of the enclosure between the maximum volume and the minimum volume.
2. The device of claim 1 , the volume adjustment device comprising a roller attached to a second end of the collapsible enclosure, the second end opposite the first end.
3. The device of claim 1 , the volume adjustment device comprising an adjustable clamp that is configured to force the walls of the collapsible enclosure together.
4. The device of claim 2 , the collapsible enclosure tapered from the second end to the first end.
5. The device of claim 4 , the roller having a width that is greater than a width of the second end of the collapsible enclosure.
6. The device of claim 1 , the collapsible enclosure having measure marks configured to indicate the amount of fluid remaining in or expelled from the collapsible enclosure.
7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a flow controller configured to adjust the flow of a fluid through the flexible tube.
8. The device of claim 1 , the flexible tube comprising a rigid neck attachment configured to be screwed into a matching rigid neck attachment located on the first end of the collapsible enclosure.
9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a rigid port connected to the collapsible enclosure, the rigid port having interior threads and exterior threads, the rigid port configured to seal the collapsible enclosure when a matching plug is threaded inside the interior threads or when a matching cap is threaded over the exterior threads.
10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a flange attached to a second end of the collapsible enclosure.
11. An oil delivery device comprising:
a flexible enclosure structured to hold a maximum volume of oil;
a flexible tube attached to a first end of the flexible enclosure; and
a volume adjustment device structured to decrease the volume of the flexible enclosure from the maximum volume to a minimum volume by collapsing the walls of the flexible enclosure.
12. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a flow controller configured to adjust the flow of oil through the flexible tube.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the flow controller comprises a clamp.
14. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a circular rigid port attached to the flexible enclosure, the circular rigid port having a threaded inner surface.
15. The device of claim 14 , the threaded inner surface of the circular rigid port structured to securely hold a plastic oil bottle.
16. The device of claim 14 , the threaded inner surface of the circular rigid port structured to accept a threaded plug that seals the flexible enclosure.
17. The device of claim 14 , the circular rigid port comprising a threaded outer surface, the threaded outer surface configured to accept a threaded cap that seals the flexible enclosure.
18. The device of claim 11 , the volume adjustment device comprising a roller attached to a second end of the flexible enclosure, the second end opposite the first end.
19. The device of claim 18 , the flexible enclosure tapered from the second end to the first end.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/122,831 US20050247727A1 (en) | 2004-05-07 | 2005-05-04 | Hand operated fluid delivery device |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US56909004P | 2004-05-07 | 2004-05-07 | |
US11/122,831 US20050247727A1 (en) | 2004-05-07 | 2005-05-04 | Hand operated fluid delivery device |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20050247727A1 true US20050247727A1 (en) | 2005-11-10 |
Family
ID=35238543
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/122,831 Abandoned US20050247727A1 (en) | 2004-05-07 | 2005-05-04 | Hand operated fluid delivery device |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20050247727A1 (en) |
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US20130267930A1 (en) * | 2010-10-27 | 2013-10-10 | Fbe Pty Ltd | Portable fluid warmer |
DE102019100328A1 (en) * | 2019-01-08 | 2020-07-09 | Edding Ag | Tube for dispensing pastes |
US11122940B1 (en) * | 2020-07-17 | 2021-09-21 | George Joseph Winn | Wrist-worn sanitizer dispenser |
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