US20040084449A1

US20040084449A1 - Adjustable oil cap

Info

Publication number: US20040084449A1
Application number: US10/285,908
Authority: US
Inventors: Stanley Howard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-11-04
Filing date: 2002-11-04
Publication date: 2004-05-06

Abstract

Until now, the only way to add oil to a vehicles engines oil filler port and be confidant you would not spill the oil was to use a funnel or spout. These devices can

be

messy and are not always available. If you keep them in your vehicle they can stain the inside of the vehicle or become lost. My invention stays on the engine at all times and allows a person to add oil to the engine without the use of funnels or spouts and greatly reduces the chance of spilling the oil on the engine or ground. With the device always attached to the engine a person never has to look for a funnel or spout to add oil. The oil can be added and there is no extra devices that have to be stored or kept track of.

Description

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

This invention is the sole idea and property of the inventor, Stanley Lee Howard. There is no federal, state, county, or manufacturing company involved in the developement of this idea and the inventor was not working for any person or institution that could hold any right to this invention. It is purely an individual project from start till now.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The main problem that htis invention attempts to solve is the abundant oil spillage that occurs when a person tries to add oil into a oil filler port on an engine when it is to low to get the oil can close to it. It is very hard in this type of situation to pour the oil in the filer port without spilling it on the engine or ground. I have had this problem for years and there is not always a spout or funnel handy. If a person trys to carry these items in their vehicle they can be very messy and can ruin carpet or seat covers. With my invention, the adjustable oil cap, it will always be ready to use because you never have to take it off of your vehicle's engine.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The advantages of my invention are that a person can start pouring the oil into the engine very easily because you can pull my invention up using the accordian style neck. Then you take the top cap off the device and rest the oil can on top of the invention, giving you a steady place to pour and it is above all the other engine parts that can get in the way. If there is still interference after the invention is raised you can tilt it in one direction or the other to help get an easier location to pour from.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT OF DRAWINGS

The title of the invention is the adjustable oil cap. The inventor is Stanley Lee Howard All reference numbers to the drawings pertain to the (1) sheet of drawings (page 2) which each reference number identifies separatly. [0004] Reference # 1 refers to the centerline of the device which has a hole passing through the entire length of the device except for the top screw on cap.
The hole allows oil to pass through the oil filler port on a vehicles engine. The top cap is a solid lid that keeps oil from coming out of the device when the engine is running. [0005] Reference number 2 refers to the top cap which is the only part of the device that is removeable. It has threads on the inside (female) which screw onto the top of the middle portion of the device or the neck,
(reference number [0006] 5) which has coinciding outside (male) threads. The top cap screws off the top of the neck to pour oil through the device and into the engines oil filler port. It is then screwed back onto the top of the neck to prevent oil from escaping during engine use. There are 2 views of reference number 2. One shows the top view and the other shows the side view.
[0007] Reference number 3 refers to the bottom portion of the device below the middle or neck. It has male threads, female theads, or prongs on it to coincide with the oil filler port of the engine it is being used on. It has serrated or in the case of this drawing a prong style outer edge for a more suitable gripping surface to attach and unattach it to the oil filler port of the engine. This is the part of the device that attaches directly to the engines oil filler port. Like the rest of the device (except the top cap) it has a through hole in it for the oil to pass through. There are 3 views of reference number 3. One shows the top of the bottom cap and the other 2 show the side view. Reference number 4 refers to the top portion of the middle neck. This is the part of the device that the solid top cap screws onto. It has outside male threads that coincide with the inside female threads on the top cap. It has a through hole in it. This is the part of the device where the oil is initially poured into. Reference number 5 refers to the middle portion of the device or neck. This the part of the invention that makes it unique and sets it apart from any other device on the market. It has an accordian style neck that can be raised to over 6 inches and lowered to less than 3 inches. The device is raised high enough to pour oil into the engines oil filler port without any interference from the engines other mechanical components, thus reducing the chance of spilling oil on the engine or on the ground. Then the middle neck is pushed down to its lowered position so it will not interfere with the vehicles hood or its normal operating funtions. It can be manufactured to raise and lower to different heights to accommodate each different vehicles requirements. It has a through hole for the oil to pass through it into the engines oil filler port. The neck (4) and the bottom portion (3) of the device are all one piece with a through hole all the way through. All the Parts of the invention, the middle neck(5), the top of the middle cap(4), the bottom of the middle cap(3), and the removeable top cap(2) are molded out of semi-hard heat resistant plastic with molded or machined threads.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

My invention, the adjustable oil cap, is a collapsable device that replaces the oilcap on any engine that requires oil and the oil filler port is to low to add oil without spilling it. The bottom of the device is adapted to connect to the oil filler port of the model of engine it is used on. It has a collapsable accordian style middle that can be raised to add oil to the engine and lowered for normal engine use. It has a screw on top cap that screws onto the top threads on the collapsable middle portion. The top cap is taken off to pour oil through the device and into the engine and put back on to close the oil filler port. The device has a hole through the middle collapsable neck and the bottom part that attaches to the engines oil filler port. The top cap is solid to prevent oil from coming back out of the engine when in use. The invention is molded out of semi-hard heat resistant plastic. The threads on the invention can be molded or machined. [0008]

Specifications

Name of inventor. Stanley Lee Howard Address. 1777 Mt. Fork Rd. New Market, Ala. 35761 Telephone number (256) 379-4777 Country. U.S.A. Citizenship. U.S.A. Title of invention. Adjustable oil cap. My invention the adjustable oil cap is a device that attaches to the valve cover of any engine. It will be adapted to attach to the existing oil filler port of the different styles and models of gasoline and diesel engine. It has an accordian style middle or neck portion that can be raised and lowered and it has a top cap to unscrew from the threads at the top of the middle neck portion of the invention to pour oil into the engine. The top cap is then screwed back on to keep the oil from coming back out during operation of the engine. When a person wants to put oil into the engine of their vehicle they pull the device up allowing the accordian style middle neck to expand above any obstructions on the engine. They would then unscrew the solid (no through hole) top cap and would be able to pour oil into the engine without interference from the engine parts. After pouring in the amount of oil they want they would screw the top cap back onto the middle neck portion of the device using the threaded top part of the neck. Then they would push the top down collapsing the accordian style middle neck thus keeping it from interfering with the hood of the vehicle or the engine's other working parts. The adjustable oil cap will be made by a molding process using semi-hard heat resistant plastic. The threads on the invention will either be molded or machined. [0009]

Declaration for Nonprovisional Utility Patent Application

This declaration is being submitted with the initial filing of application for a nonprovisional utility patent. I declare that I am the sole inventor of the invention titled the adjustable oil cap for which this application is being filed for. I also declare that I have had no help what so ever in the original idea, design, or prototype phase of this invention. I also declare that I have performed a thorough and exhaustive patent search using all the means available to me and I have found no other invention that is the same thing or similar. I have found nothing in my search that comes close to being anything like this invention. Because of very limited finds I am filing this utility patent application without the benefit of an attorney or agent. [0010]
My correspondence information is as follows. Stanley Lee Howard 1777 Mt. Fork Rd. New Market, Ala. 35761 country U.S.A. citizenship U.S.A. [0011]
Name of sole inventor. Stanley Lee Howard. Family name. Howard [0012]
Title of invention. Adjustable oil cap, the specification of which is attached hereto. I believe that I am the original and first and only inventor of the subject matter which is claimed and for which a patent is sought. [0013]
I have reviewed and understand the contents of the above-identified application, including the claims. [0014]

Claims

1. What I claim as my invention is a collapsable plastic device that attaches to an engines oil filler port and does not have to be taken on and off to add oil to the engine without spilling the oil. It can be pulled up to be reachable with the oil can and then pushed back down so it will not interfere with the vehicles hood or other parts of the engine. It can be tilted back and forth in its raised position for a better location. In its raised position it will help eliminate oil spillage because the top of the invention and the oil can will be at the same heigth. A person can then rest the oil can on the top of the device and pour the oil.