WO2008091200A1

WO2008091200A1 - Device in form of a container

Info

Publication number: WO2008091200A1
Application number: PCT/SE2008/000059
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Lenz
Original assignee: Thomas Lenz
Priority date: 2007-01-24
Filing date: 2008-01-23
Publication date: 2008-07-31
Also published as: SE0700163L

Abstract

A container or a system of containers for equipping vehicles with liquids, particles and similar substances that can be stored in/tapped from the container when needed, said container or system also having space for spare light bulbs, fuses, tools, jack and similar equipment for emergency situations.

Description

DEVICE IN FORM OF A CONTAINER

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

The present invention was developed to solve a practical problem connected with vehicle use. In using vehicles, a number of different containers are most often employed to hold, for example, spare fuel, engine oil, oil for direct injection engines, lead additives, screenwash, sand, etc. Tools, jump leads, tow rope, removable hitch, light bulbs and the suchlike also lack methodical organisation or a storage space inside the vehicle. The invention detailed here solves this.

There are many disadvantages with traditional containers, plastic bottles, jerry cans, etc. Consequently, many people choose not to carry spares. One reason for this is that they take up room in the luggage storage space. When driving, it often happens that containers topple and move around in the vehicle. They may also roll under seats and, in the worst case, interfere with the driver's use of the pedals. People are also keen to avoid carrying fuel cans along with other luggage, food and clothes. In estate cars, the luggage space is not separated off and fuel and other fumes can spread into the passenger compartment.

When travelling on holiday, people normally want to use all the available space for luggage. Hence, jerry cans and the suchlike are left at home. However, a jerry can is particularly desirable precisely when holidaying to and/or in places where the travellers do not know the location of filling stations.

Extra screenwash is used in wintry conditions when it is, therefore, desirable to carry extra.

Currently, a vast number of container designs are used for different contents. The idea behind the present invention is the standardisation of a single design that is better adapted to the design of vehicles. The smaller and more compact a vehicle is developed to be, the fewer the extra storage spaces or nooks and crannies where a jerry can or other container, etc. can be carried. However, there is one space that is most often unused, namely, the space inside the rim of the spare wheel. The latter is most usually carried under the floor of the luggage compartment.

BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE INVENTION

This invention is a simple solution to the storage problem presented by containers for various liquids, tools, warning triangle, towing hook, spare light bulbs, fuses, etc. in a vehicle.

The container (1) is designed to fit into the space (4) inside the rim of the spare wheel (5). As it is designed to fit into the unused space (4) inside the rim, the container (1) has a suitable location where it will not move around and where it does not take up stowage space in the vehicle's luggage compartment. The container can be designed to fill either all or parts of the space. If the container fills all the space, the design can also incorporate various sections that would enable it to hold various liquids/solids. It could also have an open section for storing tools, towing hook, warning triangle and the suchlike. One design could be, for example, that the container fills a third of the space so that the entire space could be used for three containers with, perhaps, different contents. Suitable examples of the latter could be petrol, screenwash, sand, etc. Alternatively, one section could be for tools and spares, e.g. light bulbs and fuses.

In the long-term, the invention could result in the container (1) becoming standard and it being possible to buy a container filled with fuel or screenwash or sand. When the container runs out, a new one holding the appropriate product could be bought.

It is important that the container is made of a material that is suitable for recycling. The container (1) should preferably have a design that makes it easy to pour out its contents. It could have a screw cap (2) with, inside this, a spout that can be pulled out of the container (1) - when it has been opened - and then poked back in after use. The container could have a simple tap such as the type widely used on bag-in-box wine containers. The container (1) could have a handle (3) that could also form a mount for a funnel that could be detached when necessary. Example variants are many and embrace the ethos of this invention, i.e. placing a container (1) and/or tools, warning triangle, detachable hook, etc. inside the inner part of the spare wheel (5).

As regards appearance, the container (1) could be made in different colours for different contents (thereby reducing the risk of confusion). The container could also be given an appealing design.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The present invention is described in some detail with the assistance of 5 figures. Figure 1 shows the container in two of its fundamental formats.

Figure 2 shows a spare wheel from two different angles.

Figure 3 shows a container placed inside the spare wheel.

Figure 4 shows a container with several compartments.

Figure 5 shows a container with several compartments, including open compartments for tools and accessories.

A FIRST DESIGN POSSIBILITY

Figure 1 shows a "banana-shaped" container (1a) and a "cake-slice-shaped" container (1b), each of which fits inside the rim (4) of the spare wheel. The container (1) is designed to fit inside the central part of the spare wheel's rim (4) and take up approximately 1/3^rd of the space there. In this way, three different containers with different liquids can be kept inside the wheel. By having the container (1) take up one third of the space, it can be dimensioned to fit, for example, 14-inch rims. Thus, larger diameter wheels will also easily accommodate 3 containers (1). A further optimum design would be to dimension for a larger rim (4), a smaller wheel diameter then being possibly able to accommodate 2 containers.

A container can be designed to be completely open or partly/wholly lidded, its inside being organised to hold spare light bulbs, fuses, popular tools, etc.

Another design could be as per figure 4, in which the container is circular and is accommodated centrally within the rim. To hold different contents, the container can have one or more sections separated by intermediate walls. Each section has a purpose-designed screw cap and a spout that can be extracted from the container.

Figure 5 shows a variant that has space for tools as well as towing hook, tow rope, jump leads, first-aid kit and the suchlike. In the figure, these are indicated as (8) tools, (9) spare bulbs, etc. The space can also be designed to accommodate a scissors jack and/or a warning triangle (7) that, to stand firm when all or parts of the unit are deployed at the side of the road when there is a hazard, can be an integral part of the container. There can also be a void (8) to provide for however the spare wheel is secured.

The goal of the invention is that it should become a standard article for several makes of cars, in a manner analogous to Bosch's manufacture of components - e.g. starter motors - that are used in several different makes of cars. Integrating the contents described in this document into the centre of the wheel would prove beneficial in car accidents as everyone would know the location of spare fuel, tools, warning triangle, first-aid kit, firefighting aids, e.g. powder extinguisher, emergency equipment, etc. irrespective of the make of car.

A further aim of the invention is to collect all emergency facilities into a single area and thus establish an international standard. Depending on each market's priorities, there can be many different combinations. It is important to take environmental aspects into consideration. One possible design could thus be to have the unit form part of a "replacement cycle", perhaps with a refundable deposit system and the possibility of sponsorship from insurance companies and similar (possibly against advertising space).

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1.

Device in the form of a container for storing various forms of tools, solid particles, oils and other liquids and everything that is suitable for storage in a container, it being possible for certain parts of the container to be open and also divided into separate compartments, the whole being characterised by the container being designed to take up part or, preferably, all the space within the rim of the spare wheel that is included in the vehicle's equipment, the container having at least one enclosed space for liquids or powder- form fluids, e.g. salt and sand for slippery conditions and fires or other needs, the container for said liquid or fluid products having a purpose-designed sealable opening arrangement for easy emptying and filling.

2. Device as per the foregoing patent claim, characterised by the container being so formed or so equipped that it has a pipe, possibly telescopic and preferably an integral part of the container, that can be pulled out of the container for the easy emptying of the contents into a "filling point" or other intended place.

3.

Device as per the foregoing patent claims, characterised by the container being so formed or so equipped that it has a draining unit, the unit being accessed by opening the lid of said container and, for the easy emptying of the contents into a "filling point" or other intended place, it being possible to quickly and easily place the unit in said container's opening.

4.

Device as per one or more of the preceding patent claims, characterised by it being possible for the container to have one or more partitioned open sections for holding various contents such as tools, jump leads, tow rope, etc., it also being possible for the open sections to have a lid, which may or may not be designed as a tool, e.g. a warning triangle, etc.

5.

Device as per one or more of the preceding patent claims, characterised by it being possible for the container to have a built-in or detachable warning triangle.

6.

Device as per one or more of the preceding patent claims, characterised by it being possible for the container to have a built-in or detachable warning triangle that is equipped with illumination and the power source e.g. battery required by this.

7.

Device as per one or more of the preceding patent claims, characterised by it being possible for the container to hold dressings, etc. to provide first aid in the event of an accident.

8.

Device as per one or more of the preceding patent claims, characterised by the container having a part filled with fire retarding substances such as, preferably, powder with a propellant gas, or similar, for firefighting.

9.

Device as per one or more of the preceding patent claims, characterised by it being possible for the container to be of the disposable type, which is bought, used until it is empty and then put into a "recycling cycle".

10.

Device as per one or more of the preceding patent claims, characterised by it being possible for the container to be of the replaceable unit type, which is bought or, possibly, sponsored by an insurance company or similar and may then be reused via a refundable deposit system in which the user, in effect, pays to have the used unit refilled.