Fuel delivery nozzle and air vent and portable container having same

A portable container for delivery, storage and/or transport of a liquid organic compound, the portable container comprising:

• an enclosure having an interior volume and a fill/delivery nozzle fluidly coupled to interior volume and extending outwardly from the enclosure;
• a nozzle and vent assembly, wherein the nozzle and vent assembly includes:
• a first section that is sealingly and fluidly coupled to the fill/delivery nozzle, the first section including a liquid line through which the liquid from the enclosure flows and a vent airline through which air flows to the interior volume;
• a second section that is movably coupled to the first section, the second section including a liquid delivery passage and an air vent passage, the air vent passage being fluidly coupled to atmosphere;
• a passageway alignment assembly disposed in the first and second sections, the passageway alignment assembly being configured so as to align the first section liquid line and the second section liquid delivery passage and to align the vent airline and the second section air vent passage responsive to movement of the second section with respect to the first section;
• a valve assembly that includes a longitudinal valve member having first and second valve portions, and an actuation member operably coupled to the longitudinal valve member, where the first valve portion and second valve portion are selectively opened and closed responsive to movement of the actuation member;
• wherein, when the first section liquid line and the second section delivery passage and the vent airline and the second section vent passage are aligned with respect to each other and the actuation member is moved to open the first and second valve portions, the first section liquid line and the second section delivery passage are fluidly coupled to each other and the first section vent airline and the second section vent passage are fluidly coupled to each other.

A method for one of delivering, storing or transporting a liquid organic compound, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a portable container having an enclosure with an interior volume and a fill/delivery nozzle fluidly coupled to interior volume and extending outwardly from the enclosure and a nozzle and vent assembly, wherein the nozzle and vent assembly includes:
• a first section that is sealingly and fluidly coupled to the fill/delivery nozzle, the first section including a liquid line through which the liquid from the enclosure flows and a vent airline through which air flows to the interior volume;
• a second section that is movably coupled to the first section, the second section including a liquid delivery passage, an air vent passage, the air vent passage being fluidly coupled to atmosphere and a nozzle;
• a passageway alignment assembly disposed in the first and second sections, the passageway alignment assembly being configured so as to align the first section liquid line and the second section liquid delivery passage and to align the vent airline and the second section air vent passage responsive to movement of the second section with respect to the first section;
• and
• a valve assembly that includes a longitudinal valve member having first and second valve portions, and an actuation member operably coupled to the longitudinal valve member, where the first valve portion and second valve portion are selectively opened and closed responsive to movement of the actuation member.

A portable container for storing and transporting fuel, the fuel including volatile organic compounds, comprising:

• a fuel container portion;
• a platform including a platform fuel passage and a platform air channel, the platform fuel passage and the platform air channel being in fluid communication with the fuel container portion;
• a nozzle assembly in removable-mechanical communication with the platform, the nozzle assembly including a nozzle, an adjustable nozzle assembly portion, and a nozzle assembly air channel substantially aligned with the platform air channel,
• wherein the platform is operative to couple the nozzle assembly to an upper portion of a front side of the fuel container portion;
• wherein the nozzle is coupled to the adjustable nozzle assembly portion and includes a nozzle fuel channel and a nozzle air channel that each extend along a length of the nozzle and through the adjustable nozzle assembly portion,
• wherein the adjustable nozzle assembly portion is operative to rotate to a first position to move the nozzle fuel channel into alignment with the platform fuel passage, and to move the nozzle air channel into alignment with the nozzle assembly air channel;
• and
• wherein the adjustable nozzle assembly is further operative to rotate to a second position to move the nozzle fuel channel out of alignment with the platform fuel passage, to move the nozzle air channel out of alignment with the nozzle assembly air channel, and, while in the second position, to block and seal the platform fuel passage and the nozzle assembly air channel, thereby substantially preventing escape of the volatile organic compounds from the fuel container portion to the atmosphere through the platform fuel passage and the nozzle assembly air channel.