GB2103581A

GB2103581A - Petrol can/storage box assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2103581A
Application number: GB08217638A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dominic Paul Edmund Barnard
Original assignee: Smiths Group PLC
Current assignee: Smiths Group PLC
Priority date: 1981-07-08
Filing date: 1982-06-18
Publication date: 1983-02-23
Also published as: DE8218117U1; FR2509267A3

Abstract

The assembly comprises a petrol can (1) of box-like form, and at least one storage box in the form of an open tray (10), the mouth of said tray being dimensioned to be located on a peripheral seat (6) around the bottom wall 8 of the can, and securing means (17) for detachably securing the tray in its located position on said can. A further tray (11) preferably acts as a cover. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Petrol can/storage box assembly.

This invention relates to accessories for motor vehicles and particularly to a petrol can/storage box assembly.

It is common practice for a driver of a motor vehicle to carry a petrol can for emergency use. Such petrol cans are normally of shallow box-like form so that, e.g. when stored on the floor of a car boot, or the like, they are relatively stable against car movement. Also they tend to be substantially rectangular, so that the maximum volume of petrol can be carried for a given set of dimensions of the can. Of course, other accessories normally carried by the driver are tools and other vehicle service items. These are sometimes carried in a tool box, but are often left lying in disarray in the car boot.

An object of the invention is to provide a petrol can/storage box assembly which, conveniently, provides a general servicing unit for a motor vehicle in that tools etc. can be carried in the associated storage box.

According to the invention, a petrol can/ storage box assembly comprises a petrol can of box-iike form, and at least one storage box in the form of an open tray the mouth of said tray being dimensioned to be located around the periphery of a bottom wall of the can, and securing means for detachably securing the tray in its located position on said can.

Preferably, where the can is of relatively shallow rectangular form, said wall is the bottom wall.

It will be appreciated that the can provides peripheral locating means in the form of a shoulder, flange or the like, over which the mouth of the tray locates. When separated, the tray is open and is readily accessible.

Consequently, it is particularly useful for storing tools.

Conveniently, an open cover tray is provided for the top wall of the can, the mouth of said tray being dimensioned to locate around the top wall of the can with said tray inverted, and the height of the side wall of said tray being dimensioned to leave sufficient space between the face of the tray and said top wall of the can to accomodate a carrying handle of the can, if provided and/or other associated parts e.g. a detachable filling spout.

Alternatively, a further storage tray is provided for fitting over the top wall of the can, said further tray having a lid and the bottom wall of the tray having a depending skirt which is dimensioned to locate around the top wall of the can, the height of the skirt being dimensioned to leave sufficient space between the face of the tray and said top wall of the can to accomodate a carrying handle of the can, if provided and/or other associated parts e.g. a detachable filling spout.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, a preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is an exploded, perspective view of the assembly.

Referring to the drawing, the petrol can 1, as known per se, is of rectangular, box-like form, and comprises a pair of tray-like pressings 2, 3 of metal or rigid plastics material, which are welded together via mating flanges 4, each being formed with a stepped shoulder to provide peripheral locating seats 5, 6 around respective top and bottom walls 7, 8.

A first rectangular, relatively shallow open storage tray 9 is provided and dimensioned so that the mouth of its side wall 10 locates around the peripheral seat 6. Thus, when assembled, the tray is closed-off by the bottom face of the can.

A second rectangular open cover tray 11 is provided to fit when inverted over the top wall 7 of the can 1, the mouth 1 3 of the tray being dimensioned to locate around the peripheral seat 5. The side wall 1 2 of the tray is of sufficient height to leave a space between the face of the tray 11 and the top wall 7 of the can to accomodate the carrying handle (not shown), and other associated parts such as a detachable filler spout 15, normally stowed on said top wall. The cover tray 11 is used to "square-off" the top of the can.

However, this tray could alternatively be in the form of a further shallow storage tray, in which case this tray would be provided with a lid, and the bottom of the tray would be formed with a depending skirt for seating around said peripheral seat 5 provided around the top wall 7 of the can, the skirt being of a height sufficient to provide a space to accomodate said carrying handle and associated parts.

If required, further stacked lower (and possibly upper) trays may be included in the assembly. In this case, the bottom walls of all the trays, which may be of metal or rigid plastics material, would each be formed with a peripheral locating seat similar to the seats 5 and 6 on the petrol can 1. It will be appreciated that, in such a case, only the uppermost tray of the assembly would require a lid 16. All the other trays, when detached, would be of open form and, hence, readily accessible, making them particularly convenient for use as tool tidy trays.

The securing means can be of any appropriate form. One relatively cheap, but effective arrangement would be to provide a pair of flexible straps 1 7 to encircle the assembly, in which case locating recesses 18, 1 9 may be formed in the trays 9 and 11 as shown, to retain the straps positively in position. In such a case, the straps may be endless bands of "elastic" material, or may each be belt-like and provided with suitable buckle, hook and eye, or like fastenings.

Alternatively, the trays may be secured to the can 1 by some form of slip fastener arrangement mounted on the can, or the trays, or both.

In the case where the can is of plastics material, it may be dimensioned to be relatively tall and narrow, in which case, instead of using the top and bottom walls of the can, the storage tray(s) may be applied to the or each side wall thereof.

Claims

1. A petrol can/storage box assembly comprising a petrol can of box-like form, and at least one storage box in the form of an open tray, the mouth of said tray being dimensioned to be located around the periphery of a wall of the can, and securing means for detachably securing the tray in its located positiion on said can.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1, wherein said wall is the bottom wall.

3. An assembly according to Claim 2, wherein an open cover tray is provided for the top wall of the can, the mouth of said tray being dimensioned to locate around the top wall of the can with said tray inverted, and the height of the side wall of said tray being dimensioned to leave sufficient space between the face of the tray and said top wall of the can to accomodate a carrying handle of the can, if provided and/or other associated parts e.g. a detachable filling spout.

4. An assembly according to Claim 2, wherein a further storage tray is provided for fitting over the top wall of the can, said further tray having a lid and the bottom wall of the tray having a depending skirt which is dimensioned to locate around the top wall of the can, the height of the skirt being dimensioned to leave sufficient space between the face of the tray and said top wall of the can to accomodate a carrying handle of the can, if provided and/or other associated parts e.g. a detachable filling spout.

5. An assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein a number of open storage trays are provided at the bottom of the can, said trays each being of similar dimensions and being formed with similar locating seats such that they can be secured in a stacked arrangement.

6. An assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 5, wherein the detachable securing means comprises flexible straps for encircling the assembly, the or each storage tray, and cover tray if provided, being formed with locating recesses to ensure positive location of said straps.

7. A petrol can/storage box assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.