Funnel
AssigneeManvell Newton
InventorManvell Newton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a funnel for use in refilling a vehicle fuel tank from a container. The funnel is adapted to be fixed to the fuel tank inlet so that a person adding fuel to the vehicle fuel tank does not need to hold it in place during the refilling operation. This allows a person to use both their hands to hold the container containing fuel and decant the fuel in a more controlled manner. The funnel also has an inlet opening where the peripheral rim is substantially horizontal when the funnel is fixed in an operational position. With the peripheral rim being substantially horizontal the funnel is able to receive and direct fuel into the fuel tank with minimal spillage.
Claims6
A funnel for use to decant fuel into a fuel tank where there is a fuel tank inlet on the side of a vehicle, the fuel tank inlet has a screw thread on or about the opening of the fuel tank inlet, comprising:
- a container portion that has a wide open inlet;
- an elongate channel portion that has a comparatively narrow outlet and a screw thread that is complementary to the screw thread associated with the fuel tank inlet, wherein the elongate channel portion is longer than the length of the container portion, a longitudinal axis of the funnel extends through both the wide open inlet and the narrow outlet to provide an unimpeded flow path;
- wherein a peripheral plane of said wide open inlet is at an angle and non-parallel relative to a peripheral plane of said narrow outlet;
- said container portion and elongate channel portion extends away from a perpendicular axis from the peripheral plane of said wide open inlet;
- and
- wherein in use the funnel is attached by the complementary screw threads to the fuel tank inlet so that the wide open inlet is horizontal, proud of the vehicle fuel tank inlet and spaced from a vehicle fuel cap cover so that fuel can be decanted into the container portion without interference from the fuel cap cover or the need to physically hold the funnel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.