Fluid Storage Device

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The disclosure relates to gas cans and more particularly pertains to a new gas can for lowering the center of gravity of the gas can, to inhibit the gas can from tipping.

The prior art relates to gas cans. Gas cans are useful tools, allowing people to safely store and transport gasoline. People will often drive to a gas station, fill a gas can with extra fuel, and transport the filled gas can home in their vehicle. However, once the gas can is filled, the gas can may become top heavy. Transporting a top heavy gas can may be dangerous, because the gas can may tip over, spilling the gasoline inside the vehicle. Spilling gasoline and other fuels can also be dangerous to the health and welfare of the user and can cause environmental damage. Accordingly, the prior art has disclosed various valves and lids designed to seal the gas can during transport. However, such devices fail to prevent spillage when the gas can is not fully sealed. Thus, there is a need in the art for a gas can which does not get top heavy, and which instead becomes bottom heavy such that the weight of the gasoline or other fluid within the gas can inhibits the gas can from tipping over.

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a container having a base wall, a top wall and a peripheral wall that is coupled to and extends between the base wall and the top wall to define an interior space. The container is configured to retain a fluid in the interior space. The base wall is generally planar wherein the base wall is configured to stabilize a position of the container on a surface. The base wall has a length and a width each exceeding a height of the peripheral wall wherein the base wall is configured to inhibit the container from tipping over when the container is positioned on the surface. A spout is coupled to the container. The spout is fluidly coupled to the interior space wherein the spout is configured to facilitate the fluid in being removed from the interior space and wherein the spout is configured to facilitate the fluid in being added to the interior space.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular tothereof, a new gas can embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeralwill be described.

As best illustrated in, the fluid storage devicegenerally comprises a containerthat generally has a base wall, a top walland a peripheral wallthat is coupled to and extends between the base walland the top wallto define an interior space. The containeris configured to releasably retain a fluidin the interior space. The base wallmay be square. The base wallis generally planar wherein the base wallis configured to stabilize a position of the containeron a surface.

The base wallhas a length and a width each exceeding a height of the peripheral wallwherein the base wallis configured to inhibit the containerfrom tipping over when the containeris positioned on the surface. The relative proportions of the base walland the peripheral wallare designed to keep a center of gravity of the containerpositioned adjacent to the surface. In other words, because the dimensions of the base wallexceed the height of the peripheral wall, the containeris bottom heavy and is inhibited from tipping over. For example, the base wallmay have a length between 14.0 inches and 17.0 inches. The base wallmay also have a width between 14.0 inches and 17.0 inches. The peripheral wallmay have a height between 9.0 inches and 12.0 inches.

The containergenerally has a plurality of corners. Each corner of the plurality of cornersmay be rounded. The peripheral wallmay have a front sideand a back side. The front sidemay include a first panelthat is coupled to and extends upwardly from the base wall. The first panelmay be perpendicular to the base wall. A second panelmay be coupled to and extend between the first panelto the top wall. The second panelmay be angled to extend upwardly from the first paneland inwardly toward the top wallwherein the base wallhas a width exceeding a width of the top wall. The width of each of the base walland the top wallis generally measured between the front sideand the back sideof the peripheral wall.

A side cutoutmay extend into the back sideof the peripheral wall. The side cutoutmay be centrally positioned on the peripheral wallbetween the base walland the top wall. The side cutoutmay be parallel to the back sideof the peripheral wall. The side cutoutmay include a side cutout top edge. For example, the side cutout top edgemay be positioned proximate to the top wall. A side cutout bottom edgemay be positioned proximate to the base wall. The side cutoutmay be concavely arcuate between the side cutout top edgeand the side cutout bottom edge. The side cutout bottom edgemay be parallel to the side cutout top edge.

A side handlemay be coupled to the back sideof the container. The side handlemay extending across the side cutout, for example between the side cutout top edgeand the side cutout bottom edge. The side handlemay be perpendicular to the back sideof the container. In other words, the side handlemay be perpendicular to the side cutout top edgeand the side cutout bottom edge. The side handlemay have a side handle upper surface. The side handle upper surfacemay be coplanar with the peripheral wall. The side handlemay be centrally positioned along the length of the side cutout. The length of the side cutoutmay be measured parallel to the side cutout top edge.

A top cutoutmay extend into the top wall. The top cutoutmay be centrally positioned on the top wallbetween the front sideand the back sideof the peripheral wall. The top cutoutmay have a surface area exceeding a surface area of the side cutout, for example because the surface area of the top wallmay exceed the surface area of the back sideof the peripheral wall. The top cutoutmay be parallel to the top wallwherein the top cutoutis perpendicular to the side cutout.

The top cutoutmay include a top cutout front edge, for example positioned proximate to the front sideof the peripheral wall. A top cutout back edgemay be positioned proximate to the back sideof the peripheral wall. The top cutoutmay be concavely arcuate between the top cutout front edgeand the top cutout back edge. The top cutout back edgemay be parallel to the top cutout front edge.

A top handlemay be coupled to the top wallof the container. The top handlemay extending across the top cutout, for example between the top cutout front edgeand the top cutout back edge. The top handlemay be perpendicular to the top cutout. In other words, the top handlemay be perpendicular to each of the top cutout front edgeand the top cutout back edge. The top handlemay have a top handle upper surfacethat is coplanar with the top wall. The top handlemay be centrally positioned along the length of the top cutout. The length of the top cutoutmay be generally measured parallel to the top cutout front edge.

A spoutmay be coupled to the container. The spoutis fluidly coupled to the interior spacewherein the spoutis configured to facilitate the fluidin being removed from the interior spaceand wherein the spoutis configured to facilitate the fluidin being added to the interior space. The spoutmay be positioned on the second panelof the front sideof the peripheral wall. The spoutmay be angled to extend upwardly from the second panelof the front sideof the peripheral walland outwardly from the container.

A valvemay be coupled to the spout. The valveis generally movable between an open position and a closed position. The valveis configured to facilitate the fluidin being removed from and added to the interior spacewhen the valveis in the open position. In other words, the fluidmay be able to flow freely through the spoutwhen the valveis in the open position. The valveis configured inhibit the fluidfrom being removed from and added to the interior spacewhen the valveis in the closed position. In other words, the fluidmay be inhibited from flowing through the spoutwhen the valveis in the closed position. The valvemay be rotatably coupled to the spoutwherein rotation of the valvemoves the valvebetween the open position and the closed position. The valvemay be positioned adjacent to the front sideof the peripheral wallof the container.

In use, the fluidcan be added to the interior spacethrough the spout. Because the base wallof a containerhas a length and a width which each exceed the height of the peripheral wall, the center of gravity of the containerwill remain close to the surfaceon which the containeris resting when the containeris filled with the fluid. The low center of gravity, achieved by the relative dimensions of the base wallcompared to the peripheral wall, inhibits the containerfrom tipping over and spilling the fluid. The containermay be manufactured in various sizes, as long as the length and width of the base wallexceed the height of the peripheral wall. For example, the interior spaceof the containermay have a volume between 4.0 gallons and 6.0 gallons. In another example, the base wallmay have a length between 14.0 inches and 17.0 inches while the peripheral wallmay have a height between 9.0 inches and 12.0 inches.

The side handleand the top handlemay facilitate transport of the container. For example, a user may grip one or both of the side handleand the top handleto carry the container. The side cutoutand the top cutout, respectively, may facilitate the user in gripping each of the side handleand the top handle. For example, the user may be able to wrap their hand around each of side handleand the top handlebecause each of the side cutoutand the top cutoutare concavely arcuate.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.