RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application derives priority from New Zealand patent application number 615518 incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Described herein is a fluid container and method of use. BACKGROUND ART

Art fluid containers come in many varied shapes and forms, an aim being to store the fluid inside the container until ready for use. Some designs also enhance the usability by for example having a nozzle or other outlet so that the user may direct the flow of fluid from the container. For brevity, the example of a container used to deliver a lubricant to a chain is used for further discussion but it should be appreciated that the container may be used to deliver other fluids to other surfaces.

With respect to containers for delivery of lubricants to chains, the aim of a container is to store the lubricant over time in a stable manner and assist the user to direct the lubricant from the container when used. Lubricant containers largely follow a similar design form having a receptacle area housing the fluid and a delivery member. In art designs, the delivery member often is one moulded part with receptacle, the delivery member being a tapered point on the receptacle through which the fluid is ejected. Alternatively, the delivery member may be a lid fastened to the receptacle and the lid includes a tube dispenser. The tube dispenser may flip up and down to open or close the dispenser. A further design known to the inventors is a container with a cap using a tube dispenser as above. The tube includes a plastic member with an absorbent pad and plastic elements on either side of the pad. In use, the tube and plastic member are rotated open, lubricant is forced out of the container into the pad and the pad is wiped into the chain. In all of these designs, the outlet or nozzle if used is centrally positioned relative to a central vertical axis through the container.

The above containers are in the inventors experience not ideal for the assisting in the application of a lubricant to a surface such as a chain. For example, a centrally located outlet makes it difficult to see the interface between the outlet and surface. Further, a centrally located outlet tends to draw the user's hand or hands towards moving parts increasing the risk of injury or at least having the container inadvertently bumped or moved from the application site. Further, the art container outlets generally give little assistance in providing a solid contact area between the lubricant outlet and the chain to which the lubricant is applied. The outcome is that lubricant does not always wick well onto the chain and lubricant may be applied on the wrong areas or even be forced through the chain. It should be appreciated that it may be desirable to address one or more of the above disadvantages or at least provide the public with a choice.

Further aspects and advantages of the container and method will become apparent from the ensuing description that is given by way of example only.

SUMMARY

Described herein is a fluid container and method of use. The container is shaped in a manner that facilitates easy application of the fluid e.g. a lubricant, to a surface such as a chain.

In a first aspect there is provided a container for storage and delivery of a fluid comprising: a receptacle inside which the fluid is stored;

a shaped delivery member fitted to the receptacle wherein the top of the delivery member narrows to a point;

a nozzle at the point of the delivery portion from which fluid inside the container is dispensed;

wherein the nozzle is off set relative to a central vertical container axis.

In a second aspect there is provided a method of applying a fluid to a surface, the steps comprising:

(a) selecting a container comprising fluid therein, the container comprising:

a receptacle inside which the fluid is stored;

a shaped delivery member fitted to the receptacle wherein the top of the delivery member narrows to a point;

a nozzle at the point of the delivery portion from which fluid inside the container is dispensed;

wherein the nozzle is off set relative to the central vertical container axis; and

(b) positioning the container for fluid delivery by holding the receptacle of the container and aligning the container nozzle with the surface;

(c) squeezing the receptacle to force fluid out of the nozzle and onto the surface.

Advantages of the above container and method include the use of a shape that assists in the function of delivery of a fluid in the container to a surface. The offset nozzle places the fluid outlet away from the users hand(s) thus maximising visibility of the surface to which the fluid is applied and keeps the users hand(s) away from moving parts. The container nozzle and/or guide(s) assist in providing a solid contact area between the fluid outlet and the surface to which the fluid is applied. Nozzle placement also ensures that the nozzle wipes on the surface e.g. a chain bush, allowing for desired wicking of the fluid onto the surface. Further, the use of a guide or guides allows the container to be rolled away to provide maximum visibility to the surface yet still allow lubrication application and guidance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the container and method of use will become apparent from the following description that is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective and fully assembled view of one embodiment of the

container;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the container with the lid removed to show the delivery member detail;

Figure 3 illustrates a front elevation view of the container with the lid removed to show the delivery member detail;

Figure 4 illustrates a detail front elevation view of the container delivery member assembly;

Figure 5 illustrates a side elevation view of the container with the lid removed to show the delivery member detail; and

Figure 6 illustrates a plan view of the container with the lid removed to show the delivery member detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As noted above, described herein is a fluid container and method of use. The container is shaped in a manner that facilitates easy application of the fluid e.g. a lubricant, to a surface such as a chain.

For the purposes of this specification, the term 'about' or 'approximately' and grammatical variations thereof mean a quantity, level, degree, value, number, frequency, percentage, dimension, size, amount, weight or length that varies by as much as 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1% to a reference quantity, level, degree, value, number, frequency, percentage, dimension, size, amount, weight or length.

The term 'substantially' or grammatical variations thereof refers to at least about 50%, for example 75%, 85%, 95% or 98%.

The term 'comprise' and grammatical variations thereof shall have an inclusive meaning - i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. The term 'lubricant' is used for ease of reference but it should be appreciated that other fluids may also be dispensed from the container and use of this term should not be seen as limiting.

The term 'chain' is used for ease of reference but it should be appreciated that the container may be used to apply fluid to other surfaces as well and the term 'chain' should not be seen as limiting.

Terms such as 'top', 'bottom', 'up', or 'down' are used in relation to the container when placed base down on a flat surface. Top or up refers generally to the items at or near the nozzle while 'bottom' or 'down' refers to items at or near the container base.

In a first aspect there is provided a container for storage and delivery of a fluid comprising: a receptacle inside which the fluid is stored;

a shaped delivery member fitted to the receptacle wherein the top of the delivery member narrows to a point;

a nozzle at the point of the delivery portion from which fluid inside the container is dispensed;

wherein the nozzle is off set relative to a central vertical container axis.

The fluid may be a lubricant.

The container may have an elongated shape to have one side longer than the other. In one embodiment the longer sides are approximately 2, or 3, or 4, or 5, or 6, or 7, or 8, or 9, or 10 times the width of the shorter side.

The container nozzle may be offset relative to the vertical central axis in the widest orientation of the container i.e. when the container front view is the widest side of the container and the nozzle is offset from the central vertical axis in this widest side orientation.

The container nozzle may be offset relative to the vertical central axis by at least 5, or 10, or 15, or 20, or 25, or 30, or 40, or 45, or 50% of the overall container width. By way of further illustration, the container base may be approximately 40-100mm wide and 5-30mm deep and the nozzle may be off set from the central vertical axis by 5 to 50mm. These measurements are provided by way of illustration only and should not be seen as limiting as it should be appreciated that these dimensions may be scaled up or down and/or the proportions changed yet still perform the desired function.

In the above offset embodiments, the nozzle offset remains within the boundary of a side of the receptacle. For example, the nozzle remains within an imaginary right angle line running from the base of the container directly upwards.

The fluid in the container may be applied from the container onto a surface. The surface may be a chain. The chain may be a bicycle chain although it should be appreciated that the container may also be used to apply a fluid to other types of chain such as motorcycle chain or chainsaw. The nozzle described above may sit proud of the delivery member. The term 'proud' as used herein refers to the nozzle projecting or protruding from the delivery member surface. The nozzle may be 1 , or 2, or 3, or 4, or 5, or 6, or 7, or 8, or 9, or 10mm proud of the surface of the delivery member. This sitting proud feature may be important to ensure that fluid ejected from inside the container passes out of the nozzle immediately adjacent and/or within the surface such as a chain to which the fluid is to be applied.

The nozzle may be a separate piece to the receptacle and delivery member. In this embodiment, the nozzle may press into the receptacle at one end and protrude though an aperture in the delivery member at the opposing end. The nozzle may be a tube. The delivery member aperture may be sized to form a snug fit with the nozzle. The tube length may be sufficient to extend through the aperture and ^' sit proud of the delivery member surface as described above. Note that although a tube or round cross-sectional shape is referred to, other shaped members may also be used such as an elliptical cross-section tube or a square shaped tube.

The delivery member may have a round to elliptical cross-sectional shape. The delivery member may have a frustroconical to frustro-ovoid shape. In one embodiment, the delivery member may have a wide elliptical shape that mates with the receptacle and then smoothly transitions to a tapered delivery point with a small or approximately elliptical cross-sectional shape.

The delivery member may comprise at least one projection extending from the point of the delivery member approximately adjacent to the nozzle. The projection or projections may be sufficiently long to act as a guide for a chain and may maintain the chain in alignment with the nozzle. The inventors have found that using a guide or guides to manage the path of the chain assists with application of fluid such as lubricant to the chain. The nozzle may be positioned adjacent to guides so that, when a chain passes against the guide, the chain also passes over the nozzle outlet.

The projection or projections may have a rounded transition between the delivery member point adjacent the nozzle and foot of the projection or projections. This rounded transition may be useful to prevent dust, lubricant or other matter building up about the transition and ensure a clean surface about the application region.

The delivery member may in one embodiment comprise two guides in the form of projections at the tapered end of the delivery member, each projection opposing the other about a vertical plane around the nozzle. The width between the two projections may be approximately the width of a chain to which the fluid e.g. lubricant is to be applied to. Using two projections and a width as described assists to guide the chain across the nozzle and also to retain the chain in a desired position during application of fluid/lubricant. In selected embodiments, the width between the projections may be approximately 5, or 6, or 7, or 8, or 9, or 10, or 11 , or 12, or 13, or 14, or 15, or 16, or 17, or 18, or 19, or 20mm wide. It should be appreciated that these distances are provided by way of illustration only and the width may be varied to suit the width of chain (or chains) beyond the range of dimensions noted and still perform the function desired. One of the projections described above may have an enlarged ending relative to the opposing projection. The enlarged ending projection may be furthest from the container vertical central axis. An enlarged ending may be an advantage to help retain the chain in position although may not be essential.

The receptacle may include a base portion with an approximately flat base that may be placed onto a horizontal surface and which maintains the container in a vertical alignment. The receptacle base may in one embodiment be approximately elliptical in shape although it should be appreciated that other shapes for the base may be used and still achieve the same function.

The receptacle may have an approximately right angle triangle shape when viewed from the side, the internal angle between the base and one side being approximately 85, or 86, or 87, or 88, or 89, or 90, or 91 , or 92, or 93, or 94, or 95 degrees and the internal angle between the base and opposing side being approximately 40, or 45, or 50, or 55, or 60, or 65, or 70, or 75 degrees. An aim of this right angle shaping may be to cause the delivery member nozzle to be off set from the central axis of the receptacle.

The opposing sides of the receptacle may terminate about an annulus at an angle offset from the angle of the base of receptacle. The angle of offset of the annulus may be approximately 1 , or 2, or 3, or 4, or 5, or 6, or 7, or 8, or 9, or 10, or 15, or 20, or 25, or 30, or 35, or 40, or 45, or 50, or 55, or 60, or 65, or 70 degrees relative to the base of the receptacle.

The annulus may have an approximately elliptical cross-sectional shape that mates with a complementary elliptical shape of delivery member.

The delivery member and receptacle may fit together about a joint. In one embodiment, the joint comprises a flange extending from the receptacle that the delivery member base fits over.

The receptacle may be manufactured at least in part from a deformable and resilient plastic. In one embodiment, at least the longitudinal sides of the receptacle may be deformable so that when deformed, fluid in the container is ejected out of the nozzle. The base, narrowed sides and top of the receptacle may be made from the same deformable material but thicker so as to retain the receptacle shape and/or may be made from a different material altogether to the longitudinal sides. The receptacle may be manufactured as one moulded plastic piece.

The nozzle may be manufactured from the same receptacle material albeit thicker to minimise deformation or may be manufactured from a different non-deformable material.

The delivery member may be made from a non-deformable plastic. Use of a more resilient and less deformable material may act to maintain the overall shape of the container. In addition it may be preferable to have the delivery member outlet and guide or guides if present maintain a substantially fixed position so as to ensure smooth transit of the chain about the nozzle. Having two guides that are deformable may, for example, result in the width of the guides decreasing and inadvertently clamping the chain or alternatively, having the guides move apart allowing the chain to move away from the nozzle outlet. The delivery member may have a removable cover. This may be to keep the nozzle and guide or guides if used free of dust and enclosed from the environment.

A nozzle plug may also be included so as to plug the nozzle outlet and prevent inadvertent ejection of fluid from the container. The nozzle plug may be a separate part or instead integrated into the removable cover.

In a second aspect there is provided a method of applying a fluid to a surface, the steps comprising:

(a) selecting a container comprising fluid therein, the container comprising:

a receptacle inside which the fluid is stored;

a shaped delivery member fitted to the receptacle wherein the top of the delivery member narrows to a point;

a nozzle at the point of the delivery portion from which fluid inside the container is dispensed;

wherein the nozzle is off set relative to the central vertical container axis; and

(b) positioning the container for fluid delivery by holding the receptacle of the container and aligning the container nozzle with the surface;

(c) squeezing the receptacle to force fluid out of the nozzle and onto the surface.

The surface may be a chain. The chain may be a bicycle chain although it should be appreciated that the container may also be used to apply a fluid to other types of chain such as motorcycle chain or chainsaw.

The fluid may be a lubricant.

The delivery member may comprise at least one projection extending from the point of the delivery member approximately adjacent to the nozzle and wherein, in step (b), the chain may also be aligned with the projection or projections.

When used to apply fluid (e.g. lubricant) to a chain, a longitudinal horizontal axis of the container may be approximately perpendicular to the chain direction of travel. More specifically, when used to apply lubricant to a chain, the user may hold the container about the receptacle on the opposing side of the container to which the nozzle is offset. This design form keeps the user's hand away from moving parts and keeps the application area unobstructed.

Advantages of the above container and method include the use of a shape that assists in the function of delivery of a fluid in the container to a surface. The offset nozzle places the fluid outlet away from the users hand(s) thus maximising visibility of the surface to which the fluid is applied and keeps the users hand(s) away from moving parts. The container nozzle and/or guide(s) assist in providing a solid contact area between the fluid outlet and the surface to which the fluid is applied. Nozzle placement also ensures that the nozzle wipes on the surface e.g. a chain bush, allowing for desired wicking of the fluid onto the surface. Further, the use of a guide or guides allows the container to be rolled away to provide maximum visibility to the surface yet still allow lubrication application and guidance.

The embodiments described above may also be said broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, and any or all combinations of any two or more said parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which the embodiments relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as of individually set forth,

Where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which this invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth. WORKING EXAMPLE

The above described container and method are now described by reference to a specific example.

EXAMPLE 1

Figures 1 to 6 illustrate one embodiment of a container generally indicated by arrow 1. For the purposes of this example, the fluid in the container is referred to as a lubricant and the surface to which the fluid may be applied is referred to as a bicycle chain. As noted above, the container may also be used to apply various fluids to various surfaces.

Figure 1 shows the container 1 in a fully assembled configuration, the illustration showing a receptacle 2 that houses the fluid such as a lubricant (not shown). The receptacle 2 is shaped to have one side longer than the other with the receptacle 2 width approximately 2 to 10 times wider than the receptacle depth.

Figure 1 also shows a removable cover 15 and a nozzle plug 16. The removable cover 15 may be used to keep the nozzle and guide or guides free of dust and enclosed from the environment. The nozzle plug 16 may be included to plug the nozzle outlet and prevent inadvertent ejection of fluid from the container.

Figure 2 shows the same container 1 with the removable cover 15 omitted to show detail of the delivery member 3.

The delivery member 3 is fitted to the receptacle 2. The top of the delivery member 3 narrows to a point generally indicated by arrow 4. A nozzle 5 is located at the point 4 of the delivery member 3 through which fluid inside the container 1 may be dispensed. As shown more clearly in Figure 3 and Figure 6, the nozzle 5 ejection point marked as line BB in Figure 3 and line DD in Figure 6 is off set relative to a central vertical axis of the container shown as line AA in Figure 3 and CC in Figure 6. The distance of offset marked as X in Figure 3 and Figure 6 may be at least 5 to 50% of the overall container 1 width. For example, the distance marked X in Figure 3 and Figure 6 may be 5 to 30mm on a container 1 with a receptacle 2 base 12 size of 60mm wide and 15mm deep.

The nozzle 5 sits proud or protrudes from the delivery member 3 surface by between 1 to 5mm.

The nozzle 5 is at one end presses into the receptacle 2 and at the opposing end protrudes though an aperture in the delivery member 3 immediately surround the nozzle 5. The nozzle 5 is illustrated in the Figures as a round tube although other shaped members may also be used such as an elliptical cross-section tube or a square shaped tube.

The delivery member 3 as shown in the Figures has a wide elliptical shape that mates with the receptacle and then smoothly transitions to a tapered delivery point 4 with a small approximately elliptical cross-sectional shape.

The delivery member 3 includes guides 8, 9 extending from the point 4 of the delivery member 3 approximately adjacent to the nozzle 5. The guides 8, 9 act to align a chain (not shown) passing through the guides 8, 9 with the nozzle 5.

The guides 8, 9 have a rounded transition 11 between the delivery member 3 point adjacent the nozzle 5 and foot of the guides 8, 9. The rounded transitions 1 1 may be useful to prevent dust, lubricant or other matter building up about the transition 1 1 and ensure a clean surface about the application area.

The width between the two guides 8, 9 may be approximately the width of a chain (not shown) to which the lubricant is to be applied to. By way of example, the width between the guides may be approximately 5 to 20mm wide.

Guide 9, furthest away from the container central axis AA may have an enlarged ending relative to the opposing guide. An enlarged ending may be an advantage to help retain a chain (not shown) in position.

The receptacle 2 includes a base 12 portion with an approximately flat base that may be placed onto a horizontal surface (not shown) and which maintains the container 1 in a vertical alignment. The receptacle 2 base 12 as shown is elliptical in shape although it should be appreciated that other shapes of base 12 may be used and still achieve the same function.

The receptacle 2 has an approximately right angle triangle shape as best observed in Figure 3. The internal angle between the base 12 and one side 6 being approximately 90 degrees and the internal angle between the base 12 and the opposing side 7 being approximately 60 degrees. The opposing sides 6, 7 of the receptacle 2 terminate about an annulus 14 at an angle offset from the angle of the base of receptacle. The angle of offset may be approximately 1 to 70 degrees relative to the base of the receptacle 2. The annulus 14 has an approximately elliptical cross-sectional shape that mates with a complementary elliptical shape of delivery member 3.

The delivery member 3 and receptacle 2 fit together about a joint 13. In one embodiment, the joint 13 comprises a flange extending from the receptacle 2 that the delivery member 3 base fits over.

The receptacle 2 is manufactured from a deformable and resilient plastic and the longitudinal sides of the receptacle may be squeezed so as to force fluid in the container 1 out of the nozzle 5. The receptacle 2 and nozzle 5 are manufactured as one moulded plastic piece.

The delivery member 3 is made from a non-deformable plastic.

In use, lubricant in the container 1 may be applied to a chain (not shown) by positioning the container 1 adjacent the chain by holding the receptacle 2 of the container 1 and aligning a part of the chain with the nozzle 5, the chain passing between the guides 8, 9. Once aligned, the user squeezes the receptacle 2 to force lubricant out of the nozzle 5 and onto the chain.

The container 1 shape prompts the user to hold the container 1 so that the longitudinal axis is approximately perpendicular to the chain direction of travel and the container 1 is held about the receptacle 2 on the opposing side of the container to which the nozzle 5 is offset. This design preference keeps the users hand away from moving parts such as the chain and avoids the user blocking the view of the application area by their hand. Aspects of the container and method have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the claims herein.