GB2252292A

GB2252292A - Oil handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2252292A
Application number: GB9028009A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Guy Henry Mountford
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-12-24
Filing date: 1990-12-24
Publication date: 1992-08-05
Also published as: GB9028009D0

Abstract

A conventional oil can 1, fig 1, containing motor oil has affixed to the side 2 thereof by means of a piece of double- sided adhesive tape 3 a generally plural oil-stream deflecting member 4. The oil-stream deflecting member 4 is generally trapezoidal in plan and is formed of thin cardboard provided on one surface thereof with an oil-impervious layer of metal foil. In use, the oil-stream deflecting member 4 is detached from the oil can 1, the oil inlet cap is removed from the rocker box inlet 7, fig 3, of the rocker box 8 of a vehicle engine 9, and the oil-stream deflecting member 4 is deformed into an arcuate cross-section and located in the inlet 7. Oil 10 is then poured from oil can 1 into the rocker box 8. The tape 3 may be replaced by a line of weakness, tacky plastics material, a clip, or hook and eye material. The member 4 may alternatively be aluminium foil or plastics material. <IMAGE>

Description

OIL HANDLING APPARATUS This invention relates to oil handling apparatus for use in the pouring of oil or other fluid from a vessel to a receptacle.

The transfer of oil from its containing vessel to a receptacle of limited inlet area such as that provided by the rocker box of a vehicle engine is often difficult to achieve without spillage.

This is because the oil either tends to glug out of the vessel or has to be poured into the inlet from a considerable vertical height. It is well known to use as a flow guidance device a funnel or tundish. However motorists tend not to carry a funnel around with them and thus a funnel is not always readily available when such oil transfer is required.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus whereby transfer of oil or the like from. its containing vessel to an intended receptacle therefor may be facilitated.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus comprising, in codbination, a vessel containing oil or a similar fluid, and a generally planar strean-deflecting member, adapted to be so located at an inlet of a receptacle for receiving said oil or similar fluid as to deflect into a said inlet a stream of the liquid poured from the vessel for receipt within a said receptacle.

Preferably the fluid in the container is oil, in which case it is envisaged that a said receptacle for the oil will be the rocker box of a vehicle engine.

Said strefflm-deflecting member is generally planar but is preferably flexible and of such a size that it may be deformed into a more or less arcuate shape and will be retained in that arcuate shape by contact with the inlet when a part of said member is inserted into the inlet. Alternatively the member may be merely held in the desired arcuate shape by a user of the invention. It is to be understood however that the member of this invention does not have to be strictly planar. It may for example be of a more or less rigid construction and have a permanent, somewhat arcuate cross-section, although this may be more awkward to manufacture and more cumbersome to store or to affix to a said vessel.

The member of this invention may be composed of any suitable material, i.e. one which is more or less impervious, at least on its fluid-contacting surface, to the oil or other fluid to be transferred. Thus, the member may be made for example of thin metal sheet, e.g. tin plate or of aluminium foil or sheet; of a plastics material, e.g. by way of a stamping or moulding operation; or of cardboard, e.g. a cardboard provided with a surface of metal foil or plastics foil. It is envisaged that the member may be made of a corrugated, fluted or cellular board material such as that available by reference to the Trade Mark CORREX ("C02REX" is a Registered Trade Mark).

The member of this invention may be of any suitable shape, e.g. rectangular, circular or elliptical in plan; it is preferred that the member be trapezoidal in plan, e.g. having two opposed edges which are of equal and opposite angle so as to provide a taper towards what is the base of the member when in use.

In a preferred embodiment, the member of this invention is removably affixed to the said vessel. For example the member may be formed integrally with the vessel and be detachable therefrom by tearing or breaking along a predetermined line of weakness or frangibility, e.g. a line of perforation or a fold or crease line.

Alternatively the member may be temporarily adhered to the vessel e.g. by double-sided adhesive tape, by a spot of adhesive, by a piece of tacky plastics material, by pieces of cooperating hook and eye material or by means of a clip. Alternatively the member may be provided with an aperture or collar enabling it to be disposed about a neck or spout of the vessel for the oil or similar fluid.

It is also envisaged that the member of this invention may actually be supplied separately of the oil-containing vessel, e.g. by the manufacturer and supplier of the oil, or by a third party, to garages and to petrol stations so as to be conveniently available for use by a motorist.

The member of this invention may bear upon it instructions as to use of the invention and/or may bear upon it other matter such as advertising matter, promotional coupons, or matter designed to amuse and entertain such as trivial questions, pin-ups, collectable theme cards to be cut out and kept, etc.

An embesiment of apparatus of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, by reference to the accopanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of apparatus according to the present invention; Figures 2A, 2B and 2C are respectively a plan, a side elevation and an end elevation of part of the apparatus of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a crude illustration of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2 in use.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a conventional oil can 1 containing motor oil. Affixed to the side 2 of the oil can 1 by means of a piece of double-sided adhesive tape 3 is an oil-stream deflecting member 4. The oil-stream deflecting member 4 is generally trapezoidal in plan and is formed of thin cardboard provided on one surface 5 thereof with an oil-impervious layer of metal foil 6.

In use, the oil-stream deflecting member 4 is detached from the oil can 1, the oil inlet cap (not shown) is removed from the rocker box inlet 7 of the rocker box 8 of a vehicle engine 9, and the oil-stream deflecting member 4 is deformed into an arcuate cross-section and located in inlet 7. Oil 10 is then poured from oil can 1 into rocker box 8. The oil-stream deflecting member 4 will act to deflect the stream of oil into the rocker box inlet 7 and will reduce the possibility of spilling oil over the rocker box 8 and engine 9.

As has been indicated above it is preferred that the member of this invention be retained in position within the inlet of the receptacle, e.g. by contact with the inlet. This maintenance of position may be achieved in other ways, for example by providing the member with a pair of wings or side legs that can be bent out of the plane of the member so as to constitute supports for the member to hold it in a stream-deflecting position. Alternatively, the bottom of the member may be provided with a pair of spaced vertical cuts or slots so that the member may be fitted onto the inlet, e.g. with a central portion of the bottom of the member located within the inlet and outer portions thereof located outside the inlet. The advantage of the member supporting itself in a stream-deflecting position is of course that the user can then manipulate the oil can and its contents with both hands.

After use, the oil-stream deflecting member 4 may simply be discarded or, if made of re-usable materials, may be wiped and either stored in the vehicle or re-secured to the oil can 1.

The present invention provides a simple, ingenious and convenient means for simplifying the transfer of liquid from a vessel to a receptacle. It is to be understood that the apparatus of this invention also has utility in relation to liquids other than viscous liquids such as oil.

The invention encompasses within its scope a stream-deflecting member as hereinbefore defined and thus according to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a liquid-stream-deflecting member as hereinbefore defined.

The invention may be performed otherwise than as has been particularly described; all modifications, changes and alterations to the invention that would be apparent to one skilled in the art are within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Fluid-handling apparatus comprising in combination, a vessel containing a fluid and a generally planar stream-deflecting member which comprises a surface substantially impervious to fluid, said member being adapted to be located at or in an inlet of a receptacle such that a stream of fluid poured from the vessel is deflected along the surface into said inlet, said surface being concave in use.

2. Fluid-handling apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the generally planar member includes attachment means whereby it is removably attached to the vessel.

3. Fluid-handling apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the attachment means comprises adhesive or adhesive tape.

4. Fluid-handling apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the attachment means comprises a clip or pieces of cooperating hook and eye material.

5. Fluid-handling apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the attachment means comprises a collar or aperture of the generally planar member which is disposed about a neck or spout of the vessel.

6. Fluid-handling apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the member is formed integrally with the vessel and is detachable by tearing along a predetermined line of weakness.

7. Fluid-handling apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the member is made of metal or of plastics.

8. Fluid-handling apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the member includes opposing edges which taper towards the base of the member.

9. Fluid-handling apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said member is flexible whereby said surface is rendered concave when said member is located in a said inlet of a said receptacle.

10. Fluid-handling apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein said generally planar member is formed to have an arcuate cross section to provide said surface, concave in use.

11. Fluid-handling apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the fluid comprises oil.

12. Fluid-handling apparatus according to any preceding claim, adapted for use with an oil filler inlet of an internal combustion engine.

13. Fluid-handling apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of directing fluid from a vessel into an inlet of a receptable. which method comprises locating a generally planar stream-deflecting member in a said inlet, arranging that the member present a concave surface, pouring a stream of fluid from the vessel and deflecting said stream, by means of said concave surface of said member, into the inlet of the receptacle.

15. A generally planar stream-deflecting member for use in a method according to Claim 14.

16. The features hereinbefore disclosed. or their equivalents, in any novel selection.