Portable fuel dispensing system

• US 8,347,926 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voss Intellectual Property, LLC
• Original Assignee: Voss Intellectual Property, LLC
• Inventors: Voss, Frederick III
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUST, TIMOTHY LEWIS
• Application Number:
  US12/789,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20100236658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 141/59, 141/198, 141/231, 141/323, 222/608, 222/628
• US Class Current: 141/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/0406 Filler caps for fuel tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors

Abstract

A portable fuel dispensing system comprises a fuel pump assembly, a conduit, and a fuel tank cap assembly. The dual line conduit permits vapor in an external fuel tank to be evacuated via a vapor line in the conduit and collected in the reservoir of the portable fuel container. The conduit and the fuel tank cap assembly comprise mating couplers having valves biased closed when disconnected from the mating coupler. In use, the fuel tank cap assembly is threaded to the external fuel tank, and the conduit coupler is connected to the cap coupler, forming a fluid-tight connection between the conduit and the fuel tank cap assembly. Thereafter, the external fuel tank is replenished by manipulating the pump assembly. The pump assembly further comprises release valves disposed in the pump body assembly to alleviate pressure differences between the reservoir of the portable fuel container and the external ambient pressure.

Claims

1. A portable fuel dispensing system comprising:

a pump assembly disposed in a portable fuel container, said pump assembly capable of pumping fuel from the portable fuel container to an external fuel tank, wherein the pump assembly comprises a release valve capable of alleviating pressure differences between the inside of the portable fuel container and the outside atmospheric pressure;

a fuel tank cap assembly having a cap coupler, said fuel tank cap assembly capable of removably attaching to a threaded neck opening of the external fuel tank;

a conduit connected at one end to the pump assembly, said conduit capable of receiving fuel from the pump assembly and channeling the fuel through the fuel tank cap assembly coupled to the conduit, and dispensing the fuel into the external fuel tank, said conduit comprising a fuel line for dispensing fuel from the reservoir of the portable fuel container, and a vapor line for collecting and channeling vapor from the external fuel tank to the reservoir of the portable fuel container; and

a conduit coupler disposed in the end of the conduit opposite that of the pump assembly, said conduit coupler capable of removably coupling to the cap coupler,

wherein the conduit coupler further comprises quick-disconnect dual-line conduit receptacles, and the cap coupler further comprises quick-disconnect dual-line cap receptacles capable of mating with the dual-line conduit receptacles; and

wherein the conduit coupler and the cap coupler further comprise valves that are biased closed when not connected to the mating coupler, said valves being opened upon connection to the mating coupler.

2. The portable fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a self-sealing filler cap disposed in the body of the portable fuel container.

3. The portable fuel dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the cap coupler further comprises an adaptor capable of accommodating multiple sizes of the threaded neck opening of the external fuel tank.

4. The portable fuel dispensing system of claim 2, wherein the pump assembly further comprises release valves capable of alleviating pressure differences between the inside of the portable fuel container and the outside atmospheric pressure.

5. The portable fuel dispensing system of claim 3, wherein the pump assembly further comprises release valves capable of alleviating pressure differences between the inside of the portable fuel container and the outside atmospheric pressure.

6. The portable fuel dispensing system of claim 3, wherein the system further comprises a self-sealing filler cap disposed in the body of the portable fuel container.

7. The portable fuel dispensing system of claim 2, wherein the cap coupler further comprises an adaptor capable of accommodating multiple sizes of the threaded neck opening of the external fuel tank.