Australian Patents Act 1990 - Regulation 3.2A ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title "A container apparatus for storing and dispensing liquid" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: C \NRPorth\DCC\AZM\4170445-1 DOC - 23/2/12 A CONTAINER APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING LIQUID [0011 This invention relates to a container and pump, integrally or separately formed, whereby the pump is used to pump liquid, such as gasoline, out of the container into a dispensing hose. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0021 Containers for storing and dispensing liquids, such as gasoline, have been around for as long as there has been a storage or dispensing need. [0031 The problem with many containers of the prior art is that most containers use the same simple opening for the filling up the container and for the dispensing of liquid from the container. 1004] In its most rudimentary design, this involves simply a container with an opening that is closed by securing a threaded cap. When the cap is removed, a funnel is often placed onto the receiving container at its opening and liquid is added to that container through the funnel. Alternatively when the user wants to remove or dispense liquid from the container, the cap is removed and often a neck-shaped spout is attached to the container at the opening so that the user can lift the container and pour liquid out of the container through the spout. This operation, although simple to contemplate, can be difficult to execute. [0051 Various proposals have been developed so that the container does not have to be lifted during use. Pumps have been added to the containers so that the container does not have to be lifted. Hand pumps, which the user flexes a handle, plunger or trigger, to create suction or pressure through a dispensing tube have been made. These hand pumps can require an exhaustive effort on the part of the user as s/he has to pump with her/his hand and, as well, pressure can be required to be maintained within the container so that, as the user pumps, pressure is increased and the liquid is drawn or pushed through the delivery tube from the container. If the container is not pressurized, it often has to be elevated above the outlet of the dispensing device to ensure delivery. The effort of the user required to hand pump and place the container at a suitable elevation, or the design requirements of a container which maintains pressure to make the hand pump operative are all problems of the prior art. [0061 Foot pumps have been proposed so that the user does not have to exhaust his/her hand power, but the problems of the container design or placement have usually remained. [0071 It is an object of the present invention to overcome these problems of the prior art by providing a container, which permits the easy dispensing of liquid. [0081 It is another object of the present invention to provide a container having a foot pump that does not require the storage chamber of the container to be pressurized during operation and which does not require the container to be placed at an elevation above the elevation of the dispensing handle during use. [0091 It is another object of the present invention to provide a container having a foot pump that does not require great effort on the part of the user to pump liquid from the container. 100101 It is another object of the present invention to provide a foot pump that can be used with a liquid storage/dispensing container with its storage chamber not being pressurized to pump liquid out of the container without having to consider the elevation of the container during the dispensing process. (00111 It is another object of the present invention to provide a foot pump that can be either integrally or separately formed with the container to deliver liquid from the storage chamber of the container that is simple in design, economical to make and simple to operate. [00121 It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pump which can attached to a container for dispensing the liquid stored therein, all the while achieving ease of use. [00131 Other objects will become apparent on reading the specification. 2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [00141 According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container apparatus having a container housing and a foot pump means for pumping liquid connected to the container housing. The container housing has a storage chamber for storing liquid and an opening through which liquid is added into the storage chamber. The foot pump means has a chamber wall defining a pump chamber with an pump chamber entrance opening and a pump chamber exit opening. The container housing has an exit opening in fluid communication with the pump chamber entrance opening to permit liquid in the storage chamber to be drawn and pumped into the pump chamber through the pump chamber entrance opening and out of the pump chamber through the pump chamber exit opening by operation of the foot pump means. There is a valve means comprising a one-way check valve mounted between the storage chamber and the pump chamber to permit operation of the foot pump means, there being an air means to permit the drawing of air into the storage chamber as liquid is being pumped out of the storage chamber by use of the foot pump means. [00151 According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container apparatus having a container housing and a bellows foot pump means for pumping liquid connected to the container housing. The container housing has a storage chamber for storing liquid and an opening through which liquid is added into the storage chamber. The bellows foot pump means has a chamber wall defining a pump chamber with a pump chamber entrance opening and a pump chamber exit opening. The container housing has an exit opening in fluid communication with the pump chamber entrance opening to permit liquid in the storage chamber to be drawn and pumped into the pump chamber through the pump chamber entrance opening and out of the pump chamber through the pump chamber exit opening by operation of the bellow foot pump means. There is a valve means comprising a one-way check valve mounted between the storage chamber and the pump chamber to permit operation of the bellow foot pump means, there being an air means to permit the drawing of air into the storage chamber as liquid is being pumped out of the storage chamber by use of the bellow foot pump means. 3 [0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a foot pump apparatus comprising: a foot pump means mountable to a container for drawing and pumping liquid from the container, whereby the foot pump means has a housing with an entrance opening for receiving liquid, a pump chamber, and an exit opening through which liquid is dispensed. The foot pump apparatus has a coupling means for mounting the foot pump means to a container to be in fluid communication to the chamber of a container to permit the pumping of liquid from the container into the housing through the entrance opening and pump chamber and out the exit opening. There is a valve means comprising a one-way check valve mounted to the foot pump means to regulate the inflow of liquid during use. [00171 According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bellows foot pump apparatus comprising: a bellows foot pump means mountable to a container for drawing and pumping liquid from the container, whereby the bellows foot pump means has a housing with an entrance opening for receiving liquid, a pump chamber, and an exit opening through which liquid is dispensed. The bellows foot pump apparatus has a coupling means for mounting the bellows foot pump means to a container to be in fluid communication to the chamber of a container to permit the pumping of liquid from the container into the housing through the entrance opening and pump chamber and out the exit opening. There is a valve means comprising a one-way check valve mounted to the bellows foot pump means to regulate the inflow of liquid for pumping during use. [00181 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [00191 The invention will be more readily understood after reading the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the following drawings in which: [0020] Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of a first embodiment of this invention showing the container having both the housing and the foot pump means attached to the housing; 4 100211 Figure 2 is a cross section of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, illustrating a preferred configuration of check valves utilized to control flow of liquid from the housing chamber and through the foot pump; [00221 Figure 3 is a cross section of an alternative embodiment to that shown in Figures 1 and 2, whereby an air check valve is mounted within the foot pump, in combination with the other check valves, to ensure that air is drawn into the container housing when liquid is drawn out, during use; [00231 Figures 4a, 4b and 4c are illustrations of showing the valve member of Figure 3 having three check valves, including a cross section view (Figure 4a) and two perspective views (Figures 4b and 4c); 10024] Figure 5 is a sectional view showing how, in the preferred embodiment, the pump can be designed to permit removal and replacement of a section of the pump with the upper member of the pump being shown as disengaged from the base member of the pump; [00251 Figure 6 is a sectional view showing a different pump design than that shown in Figure 5. [0026] Figure 7 illustrates a foot pump, made in accordance with this invention, that is attachable to a conventional liquid container. [0027] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the pump of Figure 7 mounted to a conventional container. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 100281 Referring to the drawings, there is shown a container referred to generally by the numeral 8 for storing and dispensing liquid, such as gasoline. The container 8 includes a lift handle 10 for lifting and an extended towing handle 12 for tilting and pulling the container along the ground using the wheels 14. 5 [00291 The container 8 comprises a housing 16 within which there is a storage chamber 18 for storing liquid 20. The housing 16 has an opening at 22, covered by a threadedly secured cap 24. In the preferred embodiment, the cap includes a check valve 25, located at its top, which permits air to be drawn into the housing 16 when liquid is drawn out of the housing 16 by the pump as described below. It, however, will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same effect, during use can be obtained by merely opening the cap during use or providing a small hole opening in the can to permit the drawing in of air as liquid is dispensed. The check valve 25.is preferable and advantageous, but there are obvious alternatives that would be apparent to those in art. 100301 Liquid 20 is first added into the storage chamber 18 through opening 22 after cap 24 is removed. Cap 24 is then remounted over opening 22 for storage and transport. This manner of filling the container 8 is standard. 100311 However, in the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, the container further comprises a foot pump, which in the preferred embodiment is a bellows foot pump, generally referred to by the numeral 26. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that foot pumps, other than bellows foot pumps, such as, for instance, a simple resilient single chamber container, which collapses on downward pressure and reasserts its shape after the release of downward pressure, could also be used advantageously. [00321 In the embodiments illustrated for Figures 1 to 6, with like parts having like numbers unless otherwise noted, the bellows foot pump 26 includes a base member 28 with a curved wall that is circular in cross section, and an upper bellows member, referred generally by the numeral 30, having a resiliently collapsible side wall 32, circular in cross section, and a flat top wall 34. Circular is the preferred embodiment but alternate design shapes would also be suitable. [00331 As illustrated in Figure 2 and 3, the upper bellows member 30 is integrally formed with the base member 28 to create a pump chamber 40 and as illustrated in Figure 5, the upper bellows member 30 is threadedly mountable onto the base 6 member 28 using complementary threaded surfaces 36, 38 to create a pump chamber 40. [00341 By making the upper bellows member 30 separate and mountable to the base member 28, the upper bellows member, which will bear the brunt of the wear and tear of usage can easily be replaced after it is worn out without the need to replace the entire pump or the entire container. Variations of the separation of these parts and their design is possible without deviating from the scope of this invention. For instance, in Figure 6, there is illustrated an alternative design of an upper bellows member, generally numbered in that drawing as 31, and base member, numbered in that drawing as 29. [00351 The bellows pump is connected to the container housing via conduit member 33, which in the preferred embodiments of 1 to 5 are integrally connected to the bellows pump base member 28. 100361 The bellows foot pump 26 is also formed with an exit opening 42 through which liquid can be pumped and after it is drawn through the entrance opening 41 into the bellows chamber 40 from the storage chamber 18, via the passageway of the conduit member 33, during use by repeatedly pressing downwardly on the flat top wall 34 with one's foot and then raising one's foot to let the resilience of the top member 30 reassert its shape. [00371 In the preferred embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, two check valves 44, 45 are mounted within the pump means. These check valves ensure that the direction of the flow of the liquid is maintained from the container housing through the pump, and ensure that the pump chamber is properly pressured to achieve this end. Check valve 25, previously described, ensures that air is introduced into the container housing 16 as any liquid is removed via the pump. [00381 Check valves 44, 45 are standard one-way valves used in pumping operations for liquids and are readily available off of the shelf. The choice of which valve to use is a matter of simple choice. 7 100391 The check valve 44 ensures that liquid 20 will not flow back into the storage chamber 18 of the container 8 from the bellows chamber 40 once the liquid has passed from the container housing 16 into the bellows pump 26. When the flat top wall 34 is depressed liquid in the bellows chamber 40 is forced out of the bellows pump through opening 42 and check valve 44 is forced closed to prevent passage of liquid from the bellows pump back into the container housing. When the user permits the bellows top member to reassert its original shape, check valve 44 is open and the bellows chamber 40 can refill. Liquid is thereby pumped from the container. 100401 A delivery hose 46 with a delivery nozzle 48 is threadedly attached the bellows pump 26 at the opening 42 with barbed outlet member 49 so that the user can direct delivery of the liquid that has so easily been pumped from the container. The connection of the dispensing hose to the foot pump is achieved, in the embodiments shown in figures 1 and 2, by means of a barbed outlet member 49. 10041] The check valve 45 ensures that liquid once pumped out of the pump chamber does not flow back into the pump chamber. As will be apparent, this particular check valve 45 can be positioned further away from the pump, for instance, within the delivery hose 46 or nozzle 48. The positioning of the check valve 45, providing it is placed to achieve the aforesaid function, is a choice of design. Similarly, a choice of design is also where the check valve 44 is disposed. The check valve 44 could be disposed within the conduit member 33, the container housing 16 or the bellows pump 30. 100421 As an alternative manner of providing for the valve operation of the pump, there is illustrated a different valve configuration in Figures 3, 4a, 4b and 4c. There is a valve control means comprising a valve member, generally referred to by the number 70, which extends through the pump from its outlet opening 42 to its inlet opening 41. This valve member 70 provides three subsidiary functions to its main function of ensuring that the liquid will flow, during use, in only one direction, namely from the container housing into the dispensing tube. The three subsiduary functions are i) that liquid will flow only in the direction through opening 41 from the container housing 16 into the pump chamber 40, whereby there is a check valve 72 8 that opens when the resilience of the pump reasserts itself to draw liquid into the pump chamber 40 and that closes when downward pressure is exerted by the user with his foot onto the pump; ii) that liquid will flow in the direction only through opening 42 from the pump chamber 40 into the dispensing hose 46, whereby there is a check valve 74 that opens when downward pressure is exerted by the user onto the pump and that closes when the resilience of the pump reasserts the shape of the pump to re expand the volume of the chamber after downward pressure by the user is released; and iii) an air valve 76 with an air-way tube 78 which opens to draw air from the outside through the tube and into the passageway of conduit member 33 when liquid is being drawn into the pump chamber and which closes to prevent liquid from leaking through the valve into the atmosphere when the pump is not being used. Optionally, but preferably an subsidiary air tube 80 is attached to the air-way tube 78 to more easily introduce the air into the storage chamber 18 proper. It will be apparent that when this configuration of a pump valve member is being used no air valve, such as that shown at 25, need be attached to the container. 10043] The check valve 74 ensures that liquid once pumped out of the pump chamber does not flow back into the pump chamber. As will be apparent, this particular check valve 74 can be positioned further away from the pump, for instance, within the delivery hose 46 or nozzle 48. The positioning of the check valve 74, providing it is placed to achieve the aforesaid function, is a choice of design. [00441 The arrangement of the valve configuration is an issue of design. [00451 As well, variations in the design of the foot pump is possible as shown by the two alternative embodiments of Figures 5 and 6. [0046] In Figure 6, the bellows pump is shown having an upper bellows member, here numbered 50, and a lower bellows base member, here numbered 52. In this embodiment, a top wall seating surface 54 is formed to descend downwardly and inwardly from the side wall of the base member 52. A threaded surface 58 is formed to define the opening 60. The upper bellows member 50 has a complimentary inner wall 62 that rests against the top wall seating surface 54 when the threaded member 70 is threadedly secured within the opening 60 against threaded surface 58. It will be 9 apparent that the upper bellows member 50 is hollow to permit resilience and suction, and so that the bellows pump of this embodiment can pump on the same general principle of operation as the bellows pump of the embodiments previously described. [0047] By making the flexible portion of the bellows pump replaceable, it becomes easier to repair the container without having to replace the whole configuration. Because the flexible portion of the bellows pump is the piece that will bear the brunt of wear and tear during normal use, it is advantageous to be able to just replace this particular part. 100481 Throughout, the intricacies of the design of the nozzle and the nozzle hose to be used in conjunction with the invention are standard in the industry and are not described in detail in this specification, other than to point out that advantages of ease of use are achieved. [0049] In the preferred container embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, where the pump is located at the base of the container 8, the bellows foot pump is ready for use when the container 8 is in an upright position. This has the advantage of the user being able to remove liquid from the container without tilting the container or moving it. [00501 However, as in the final embodiment shown, the bellows pump can be formed completely separate from the container and mounted, providing the threading is complementary, directly to a standard liquid container. This is shown in Figure 8, with the pump shown in figure 7. [00511 As shown in those drawings, there is a bellows foot pump 60 mountable to a container 8 for storing and dispensing liquid. The bellows foot pump 60 has a coupling means 22, comprising an 0-ring (not shown) for sealing, and an outer tightening coupling ring 62, which in the preferred embodiment would be the existing container cap that threadedly secures about the threaded opening already existing on the can. Once mounted, the liquid can be dispensed by tilting the can so that the bellows foot pump 60 is in the operative position as shown in Figure 6, and liquid can be pumped, using the afore-described manner for the previous embodiments. 10 [00521 There will be a need for an air means to permit the drawing of air into the container 8 as liquid is being pumped out of the container by use of the bellows foot pump 60 means. If the container to which the bellows foot pump 60 is being mounted does not have an air means the bellows foot pump 60 can be provided with an air means to meet that need. For instance the coupling means 22 in the assembly shown in figure 7 could include an air means opening 23 which could also house a check valve which allow or regulate air airflow into the container 8 as fluid is being pumped out. [00531 Several variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without deviating from the scope of this invention. 10054] For instance, the bellows pump can be made integrally to the container housing or as separably mountable. The advantage of making the bellows pump separately mountable is that the pump can be replaced without replacing the whole configuration. [00551 In the configuration where the pump means is disposed at the base of the container housing, it becomes easier to use a dispensing hose and a dispensing nozzle configuration because liquid can be easily pumped, without great effort, take full advantage of the nozzle delivery system. [00561 As well, the advantage of the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 1, because the container can be used in its upright position, wheels and a transport handle make more sense. If the container has to be tiled or lifted for delivery, the wheels and transport handle can become a nuisance during use. [00571 Similarly, with the advantages of using a foot pump that can pump liquid from the container housing with the housing in the upright position, still on the ground, the use of transport wheels and a handle becomes a more useful feature. If the container has to be tilted or lifted to a different elevation for use, the handle and wheels can become an awkward hindrance. By being able to pump liquid from the container while it is in the upright position, as are possible with the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 6, the wheels and pull handle have added benefit. 11 [0058] Throughout, the choice of materials used in the composition of the parts will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Choices can be made in accordance with the desired strength and environmental regulations required. [0059] It is not intended that this specification be read in a limiting sense, and the minor modifications can be made without deviation from the invention. The scope of the invention is as defined in the appended claims. 12