CA2057286A1 - Oil collecting and dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Apparatus for quick, clean and convenient changing of the oil ox other fluids of a vehicle of particular use to the "do-it-yourselfer. " The apparatus is sized so as to fit under most vehicles when resting on one side thereof and is provided with a pivoting extensible arm having a funnel mounted on the end thereof for collecting the fluid that is mounted in a recess in one side thereof so as not to catch on the undercarriage of the vehicle when slid under or out from under the vehicle. Once positioned, the funnel is raised into close approximation with the oil drain plug, oil filter neck, or other location from which fluid is to be collected, and the fluid is drained into the funnel and directed down through the arm into the container. The container is then stood upright for dispensing the stored oil or other fluid through a valve, which is also recessed in the container, into a larger recycling or other collection facility.

Description

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IMPROVED OIL COLLECTING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS

BACKGROUND OF TH~ INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting used oil or other fluids, storing, and then dispensing that oil or other flui~ at a later date. In more detail, the present invention relates to a container having an integral pivoting arm with a funnel mounted on the end thereo f for collecting oil or other fluid drained from a vehicle which is used for storing the oil or flUid until it can be taken to a recycling point.
The: :reasons:: for making thi~s invention have }:~een recognized previously, and re~erence is made to U.S Patent No. 4,533,042 ~wherein the following, somewhat colorful, discussion characterizes the problems associated with the 20 ~ changing :~of~ the motor oil from, for instance, an ~automobile~
~: "As costs~associated with~operating and maintaining an ~, automobile`~have risen,~:and as many former neighborhood gas ~ : stations have:~closed~or converted to 'gas and go' stations : 25 which~do:~not~ offer automobile: servicing, more motorists have exper:imented with, or have switched over to, changing their :own automot~ive motor oil.
, ;~ ~ "One undeslrabl~e~consequence~of this trend is the loss of~a considera~ble~amount of reusable oil from the petroleum ~reflnlng and~distr1bution~system. Genera]ly, when a car's :: : ~ - :- ~ , :
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oil is changed at a service station, the waste oil is saved at the station, from which it is periodically collected by the service station's supplier of new oil, or by an inde-pendent reprocessor. The collected waste oil is then rerefined into a use~ble product. Whereas many service stations have, as a convenience, or under direction by suppliers or governmental authority, established facilities to receive waste oil that is brought to the station by 'do-; it-yourselfers' (hereinafter "DIY7s"), these facilities have largely proved to be inconvenient both to the DIY's and to the dealers and much waste oil never makes it back from the DIY's to these facilities. Rather, it is sewered or run out on the ground, or disposed-of in municipal waste, i.e., put out in an unsegregated manner with the trash for collection and disposition at a landfill. In many urbanized areas, casually discarded, used motor oil has become a pollution menace, and the subject of uncharac-teristic criminal behavior by otherwise moral and upstanding citizenry.
"One problem DIY's have with doing their part in recycling waste oil is that many automobiles hold five to .
seven quarts of oil, whereas most of the empty containers ` DIY's are likely to have readily available are-four-quart containers. It only takes one time of seeing the last ~uart of draining dirty oil brim over the container and ~spil~l on the garage floor, street or ground to convince a novice DIY that he or she is incompetent to change thé oil again, and is one reason why the oil is dumped illegally.
"Another problem DIY's have with such a project is ` 30 that most conveniently available closeable containers that ~have a large enough capacity to hold all five to seven - quarts of oil are too tall to fit under the car at the location from which oil is to be drained from the crank-case.~ Some~DIY's decide upon discovering this problem to abandon the project and take the car to a service station, othe~r~s move the car to a place (such as over a storm drain) .
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where they can let the waste oil drain out without being collected. A particularly enterprising segment o~ DIY's devise a multi-step operation in which they first drain the waste oil from the crankcase into a low-sided, broad container such as a dishpan, and then pour it from the dishpan or the like into a jug that is too tall to have fit under the car in the first place, but which has the virtue of being closable. Some DIY's make the same mistake at this stage as was mentioned earlier: trying to pour five to seven quarts of oil into a four-quart container. Ofhers cause spillage when they attempt this transfer without the aid of a funnel, or with an inadequate funnel. Besides the mess, this method can prove to be expensive, as when the DIY discards an expensive polyethylene dishpan after a single use because it has gotten too messy and did not work well for this purpose, and is another reason why the oil is dumped illegally.
"A further problem is that some collecting stations will only permit the deposit of used oil in approved ~0 containers, or will only permit the DIY's to d~posit used oil by pouring from the brought-in containers, with the understanding that the emptied containers themselves may not be left at the station but must immediately be taken bac~ by the DIY's who~brought them."
In spite of this explicit explanation of the pxoblems involved in changing the oil,~the device described in that patent has ~ot proved~to be the answer such that ther`e is still a need for a device which can solve the problems which are characterized in that patent. One particularly vexing problem, as noted in that patent, has been the problem ~of the size of the opening into the collector container and the ~distance between the opening into the container~and the crankcase or other location on the vehicle from which oil is to be collected. So far as is ~5 known, this~problem has only been addressed in U.S. Patent ~-~ ?

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No. 4,557,395 (and Reissue P~tent No. RE 32,45~), which provides an elongate extension member having a flexible medial portion between the funnel and the container for positioning the funnel in close approximation with the poiht from which oil is to be collected. However, the extension member does no~ allow adjustment of the height of : the funnel, nor is there provision made on that device for storage of that elongate extension member in a manner which is conducive to its ready availability and easy use. The object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide an apparatus which not only addresses the problems charac-terized so explicitly in U.S. Patent No. 4,533,042, but which also remedies the deficiencies of the device dis-closed in U.S. Patent No. 4,557,3g5.
A further ob~ect of the pxesent invention is to provide an apparatus for collecting, storing, and dispensing used motor oil and other fluids which not only solves the problems and/or overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of these known prior devices, but which also is capable of being manufactured and assembled at reasonable cost. This object, is of course, always desirable for commercial purposes, but the high cost of the design and manufacture of the molds for making large molded plastic ~: parts (sometimes as high as hundreds of thousands of dollars for hardened molds suitable for mass production~
must: be balanced against, for instance, the labor costs nvolved for assembly such that a premium is placed upon molding parts which are easily assembled - so long as they will all fit in one or two multiple cavity molds. The present invention addresses that balance by, for instance, using a single molded part as both the main support member for the funnel which collects the fluid from the vehicle and as the conduit for routing the collected fluid directly into the container in which the fluid is stored.

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Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of holding a substanti~l amount of oil as well as means for filliny the apparatus while at the same time achieving the previously m~ntioned ob~ectives.
Other objects, and the advantages, of the present invention will be made clear to those skilled in the art by the following disclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
10This object is achieved by providing an apparatus for use in collecting, storing, and dispensing used oil or other fluids comprising a container having a generally rectangular shape with first and second sides, a top, and a bottom having a recess formed in the first side thereof.
15One end of a pivoting arm having a passageway therethrough which opens into the container is mounted in the recess and a funnel is mounted on the other end of the arm with the outlet from the funnel in fluid communication with the passageway in the arm. The funnel is selectively 20positionable in a first, stored position in which the arm is positioned down in the recess, within the external confines of the container, and a substantial portion of the vertical dlmension of the funnel is positioned within the recess when the container rests on the second side thereof 25for positioning the con*ainer under the vehicle from which oil or other fluid is to be collected and a second position in which the arm is extended to support the funnel in close approximation with the location from which oil or other 1uid is to be collected from the vehicle, the oil or other 30fluid caught by the funnel being directed by the funnel ~down through the pas~sageway in the arm into the container.
A drain~ spout is mounted in a recess from which the spout ~does not~ protrude in the wall vf the container near the bottom thereof and the interior of the spout is continuous :

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witll the interior o~ the con~ainer for ~ispensing the oil or other collected fluid out of the container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWII~S
Figure 1 is a side eleva~ion.ll view of a preferred em~odimen~ of an apparatus constlucted in ar~o~da~ with the present invention showing the apparatus in an upright poC;i~ion for storin~ or di.spensing ~re~rio-lsi~ collected used oil or other fluid.
Fi~ure 2 is a side elevational ~iew of the apparatus iO of Fig. 1 in an upriqht position with funnel, pivoting arm, and drain spout removed therefrom to show the details of the structure thereof.
Fi~ure 3 is a sectional view of the apparatus of Fig.
2 taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 2.
Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 showing the raising and lowering of the unnel and pivotin~ arm:thereof.
Fisur.e 5 i~ a s:ide ele~at:iona.~ vi.ew og the ar~ for supporting the funnel and directing oil ox other ~lui~ into ~0 the a~paratus of F.i.g~ 1.
Figure 6 is an end elevational vie-~ of the arm o~ Fig.
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preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the p~esent ~5 inventi.on is in~cated~generally at re~erence nume~al 10 and is com~L-ised of a:cont~lner 12 having other structure either formed integralIy therewith or mounted thereto.
Container I2 is general.ly rectangularly shaped with first~
and second sides 14 and 16, respectively, a front ,8, back 20, top 22 anA: ~ottom 24. A recess 26 is formed in the first side L4 of container I2, and a pivoting arm 32 is mounted at the proximal: end thereof in recess 26 on the axi~s formed by~the dimple 44 form~d integrall~ in one side of the;proximal~encl :G~ a~-m 32 (see ~iy. 6j an~ t~ llar 35 : 30 formed in~:the other side of the proximal end of arm 32.

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The dimple 44 rests in the well 3~ ~ormed in the wall~ of . recess 26 (see Figs. 2 ~nd 3) and the collar 30 is xeceived within the correspondi.ng sized hole 2~ ormed i.n th~ walls of recess 26 opposite the well 34. Arm 32 i.s held in place i~-well 34 by the hole 28, by a plate 40 ~ unted to t~e first side 14 of conta.iner 12, ~nd hy screws 17 An o-ring 5~ is pro~~ e~ " the coll--lr 30 ~o~ ~providing a fluid--tigh~
f.it in the hole 28 in the wall of recess 26.
A funnel 42 is mounted to the distal end of arm 32 by an elbow 62 whic~l ~its onto the s~rew threads 63 on the distal end of arm 32 and is provided with a screw coll~r 64 ~or fixing funnel 42 in a horizontal position when arm 32 is extended. Funnel 42 is provided with a grate, or strainer, 48 (shown in shadow lines in Fig. 4) to allow passage of oil or other fluid but prevent.the loss of an oil drain plug or other hardware down into container 12.
The portion of funnel 42 immediately above s~rainer 4~ is ~refel-abl.y ~ro~ided -~Ji';.2l an irdenta~.ion, or .shou ~er, 43 formed in the walls of the funnel 42 to provide, with strainer ~8, a flat surface on which an oil filt.er tnot shown) can be turned upside down and left to drain down into container 12. A cap 50 (see Fig. 1) is provi.ded for closing the funnel 42 to prevent any residual oil or other ~luid which may coat the inside sur~ace of elbow 62~or arm 32:from;running out of ~unrlel 42 ~hen cc,nta.iner 12.is stood n the upright posi.tion, e.g., when resting on bot~om 24 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Cap 50 is shown sized to fit~
down into funnel 42 and is provi~ed with threa~s (not ~shown) to~secure it in place to prevent cap 50 from bein~
~ inadverte~tly stripped or knoc]ced off the funr.el 4~. Those ~ki..~led :in:tne art who have the benefit of thi.s disclosure will-recognize that cap 50 m~y also be sized to fit oveL
~ the top of the ~unnel (for instance, snap on the top o~ the : ~funnelj::or~just in~ide tlle top of- funnel 42~with the same 35 ~ result. : : ~

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Funnel ~2 i5 pivoted from a first, stored position down in recess 26 (Figure 4) to a second position in which arm 32 is extended, or raised, to position funnel 42 in close approximation with the location from which used oil or other fluid is to be collected for draining the oil or other fluid from the vehicle, the fluid being caught by funnel 42 and directed down through arm 32 into container 12 through the collar 30 and hole 28. In the preferred embodiment, funnel 42 can be raised as much as twenty ~20) or more inches from the surface upon which the apparatus rests.
Recess 26 serves as a means for storing arm 32 and funnel 42 substantially within the external confines of container 12, e.g., so that the funnel 42 does not protrude significantly from the surface of the irst side 14 of container 12, and because container 12 is sized to fit under most vehicles when resting on the second side 16 thereof, storing funnel 42 and arm 32 in that manner facilitates the positioning of the apparatus 10 under the vehicle. It is the ability of the funneI 42 to be raised and lowered in this fashion which is so important to the ~unction of the apparatus 10 of the present invention. In other words, to facilitate the positioning of the apparatus 10 under a vehicle, the vertical dimension of the apparatus 10 when the apparatus rests on the second side 16 thereof must be minimized while at the same time providing for the raising of funnel 42 so as to be able to position funnel 42 i~ close approximation to a drain plug (not shown) which may be two feet or more above the surface on which the apparatus~ 10 rests. To accomplish this function, a significant;~portlon~ of the vertlcal dimension (vertical with reference to when~the apparatus 10 rests on the second side 16 ~thereof) of;;~funnel 42 is positioned within the recess 26 when in the first, stored position.
Coincidentally,~ the storing of the arm 32 and funnel 42 in : :

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that first position provides the ~irst side 14 of container 12 with a relatively obstruction-free surface providing ease of storage of the apparatus 10 between uses. Once positioned under the vehicle from which oil or other fluid is~-to be collected, arm 32 and funnel 42 are pivoted until funnel 42 is positioned close to the crankcase drain plug, oil filter neck, radiator stopcock, transmission or brake fluid drain plug, or other loca~ion from which oil or fluid is to be collected so that the distance between the opening lo into container 12 is effectively reduced to insure that the fluid is collected by funnel 42 and directed into container 12.
Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, it can be seen that the bottom of recess 26 is provided with a plurality of notches 68 for receiving the free end o~ the rod 66 which is pivotally mounted to pivoting arm 32 by press fitting into a hole in an ear 67 formed integrally with pivoting arm 32. As shown in shadow lines in Fig. 3, as funnel 42 is raised upwardly by pivoting the arm 32 from the first, stored position to the second, extended position, the free : end of rod 66 catches in one of the notches 68 to lock pivoting arm 32 in that second position.
Once the used oil or other fluid has been drained into container 12 through funnel 42 and arm 32, funnel 42 and arm 32 are returned to their first position and funnel 42 is closed with cap 50. The oil or other fluid can then be ~takèn to a recycling and/or collecting station, the handle 54 formed in the top 22 of container 12 providing a conve-nient means for carrying the apparatus 10 when stood uprlght, e.g., when resting on the bottom 24 thereof. It is-noted, however, the container 12 can be formed in sizes with capacities of over twelve quarts, plenty of capacity for the oil changes in most passenger vehicles, while still ;~ being~ small enough in external dimensions to allow the ~ ~apparatus 1~0 to be positioned under all but the lowest _9_ : . ~

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sprung vehicles while restiny on second side 16. container 12 therefore also serves as a convenient storage container for used motor oil.
To dispense the used oil or other fluid collected in container ~2, a drain spout 56 is mounted in a recess 58 in the wall of container 12 near the bottom ~4 thereof. Drain spout 56 preferably does not protrude from the surface of the front lB of container 12 and is continuous with the interior of container 12 for draining the fluid therefrom.
For control of the flow of fluid therethrough, drain spout 56 is provided with a stopcock or spigot comprised of a vertical hollow cylinder 76 having a spool (not shown) pivotally mounted therein which controls the flow of fluid through drain spout 56. The spool is provided with a central bore (not shown) having a hole through the wall thereof which, when aligned with the opening from container 12 formed by the threaded outlet 78 by rotating an integral knurled knob 72, allows the oil or other fluid to flow through drain spout 56. Drain spout 56 is retained on threaded outlet 78 by a screw collar 74, preferably of the sàme size as screw 64.
` ~ ~ As shown in Fig. 1, container 12 is "stood up" by ;~ resting~ container 12 on the bottom 24 thereof for dispensing the oil or other fluid collected therein. The ; 25 back side of 20 of container 12 is provided with means for ~tipping` container 12 when stood upright in the form of a recess, or finger hold, 63 for use by the "do-it-yourselfer" in tipping the erect container 12 toward drain spout 56 to cause oil or other fluid collected therein to flow downhill~toward spout 56 to facilitate the dispensing of the fluid therefrom when container lZ rests on a surface 61. ~A vent plug 65 is disposed in a bore 67 located near the top 22 of container 12, e~g., within the recess around handle 54 so às not~ to protrude from the surfaces of : ~ ;

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container 12, to further facilitate the dispensing o~ ail from container 12.
Construction of the apparatus 10 of the present invention in this manner confers upon that apparatus the number of advantages which have been alluded to in the preceding paragraphs but which may be summarized as follows. First, the construction of apparatus lo in this manner makes the external dimensions of container 12 such that container 12 will slide beneath all but the lowest-sprung automobiles but still have sufficient capacity for multiple oil chanyes or for use of the apparatus 10 in changing the oil of light trucks or other utility vehicles.
Second, because none of the funnel 42, arm 32, or drain spout 56 protrude siynificantly from the surfaces of container 12 when in their respective stored positions and because neither handle 54 or vent plug 65 protrude from those surfaces, apparatus 10 is easily stored by the user and packaged and shipped by the manufacturer. Likewise, the construction of the apparatus 10 in this manner reduces the possibility of interferences of one of tho~e structures with the underside of a vehicle when placed on second side 16 for sliding the apparatus 10 underneath the vehicle.
~hird, once positioned under the vehicle, funnel 42 is raised on arm 32 into close approximation with an oil drain plug or other point~from which fluid is to be collected to insure that the oil or other fluid will drain into funnel 42 and not all over the user's hands, the floor or ground, or the outside surface of container 12. A fourth advantage of the apparatus 10 is the construction which prevents the messy leaking of the oil or other fluid coating the surfaces~of the funnel 42 and pivoting arm 32 by use of the cap 50 which closes funnel 42. A fifth advantage of the apparatus lO;is the solution of the problem with the device described in ~the above-referenced U.S. Patent No.

3~ 4,533,042, namely, storage of the member on which the ` ~ ~11-:
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2~728~' funnel is mounted and which enables the funnel to be closely approximated with the location from which oil or other fluid is to be collected, by retracting funnel 42 into recess 26. A siY.th advantage to the construction of the pivoting arm 32 having a collar 30 connected directly to recess 26 at hole 28 located near the top of the container 12 when container 12 rests on the second side 16 for allowing fluid draining into container 12 to substantially fill the container 12. Other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this disclosure.
Althaugh the apparatus 10 has been described in terms of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art who have benefit of the instruction set out h~rein will recognize that certain changes can be made to that preferred embodiment without altering the function or result of the various elements thereof. By way of example, reference has been made throughout the present specification and claims to the collecting and storing of used motor oil. However, the apparatus 10 is also used for collecting and storage of other fluids from sources other than internal combustion engines, and by the use of the word 7'oil" ~ or the phrase "used motor oil", it is not the intention to be so restricted. A good example is the use of the apparatus 10 for collecting hydraulic fluid from `- heavy macbinery or brake or transmission fluid. Reference ` ~ is made to used motor oil because that is the presently preferred use of the invention and because the Patent Statute requires that an invention be described in terms of a "best mode contemplated by the inventor."
Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of the instruction set out herein will also recognize that changes ~ can be made to the preferred embodiment shown in Figs. 1-6 ; that would function in an equivalent manner to accomplish "~ 35 an~equivalent result, and that such modifications are :~

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2~7286 intended to fall within the spiri.t and scope o~ the following claims.

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Claims (8)

1. An apparatus for use in collecting fluid from a vehicle comprising:
a container having a generally rectangular shape with first and second sides, a top, and a bottom, and having a recess formed in the first side thereof;
a pivoting arm having a passageway therethrough which opens into said container mounted in said recess;
a funnel mounted on the end of said arm with the outlet from said funnel in fluid communication with the passageway in said arm, said funnel being selectively positionable in a first, stored position in which said arm is positioned down in said recess and a significant portion of the vertical dimension of said funnel is positioned within said recess to facilitate the positioning of said container under a vehicle when said container rests on the second side thereof and a second position in which said arm is extended to support said funnel in close approximation with the location from which a fluid is to be collected for draining the fluid from the vehicle into said funnel and down through the passageway in said arm into said container; and a drain spout having a valve therein for opening to dispense the fluid collected in said container when said container is stood upright on the bottom thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drain spout is mounted within a recess in said container and does not protrude from the surface

3. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising a vent for facilitating the dispensing of fluid from said container when said container rests on the bottom thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said drain spout is positioned near the bottom of said container.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said container is provided with means for tipping said container toward said drain spout when said container is stood upright to facilitate the draining of fluid therefrom.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said funnel is provided with a removable cap for covering said funnel when said funnel is in said first, store positioned.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the external dimensions of said container are such that said container is capable of fitting under a vehicle when resting on the second side thereof and when said funnel is in said first, stored position.

8. The apparatus of claim 9 additionally comprising a handle for carrying said container when resting on the bottom thereof.