US20050189033A1

US20050189033A1 - Focus oil change system

Info

Publication number: US20050189033A1
Application number: US10/788,010
Authority: US
Inventors: William Buchanan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-02-27
Filing date: 2004-02-27
Publication date: 2005-09-01

Abstract

Used motor oil and other used engine fluids can contain toxics such as benzene, lead, zinc, and cadmium. One quart of waste oil can ruin the taste of 250,000 gallons of drinking water and one pint can produce a slick covering one acre. Oil dumped on the land reduces productivity and 50 ppm can foul sewage treatment processes. Crankcase oil accounts for 40 percent of total oil pollution in our waterways. Today many automobile owners have their oil changed and disposed of by a professional, but there are thousands of Do-It-Yourselfers changing oil and other fluids in automobiles, outboard engines, lawn equipment and other power equipment. Unfortunately, since there has not been an easy way to change and dispose of these fluids, it has been either dumped on the ground or into a sewer. The FOCUS System provides an easy way to collect these fluids in a flexible, disposable, plastic bag, which is sealed and may be disposed at an EPA approved site.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS



No.	Date	Inventor

5716840	September 1996	Kahler and Roseberry
5092457	August 1990	Salva and Guy
4533042	July 1983	Pollacoo
4513865	May 1983	Melzi

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Do-It-Yourself oil changers have been draining oil and other engine fluids, antifreeze, etc and dumping the majority on the ground and in sewers creating a severe environmental problem.
The increase in fourstroke outboard engines can help improve the environment with less emissions but again most do-it-yourselfers dump most waste oil. We developed an oil change system to address this problem, primarily in fourstroke outboards, application Ser. No. 10/286/996 in November 2002.
The pursuit of this product has led to the development of four different products. Several lawn equipment, outboard companies, engine manufacturers and marine distributors will soon be selling these products.
The unique feature of all of these products is the utilization of special, flexible, disposable, plastic bags.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The FOCUS Oil Change System is a Disposable Fluid Change System, that may be composed of several different transfer systems to drain or pump used oil or other used fluids directly into a flexible, disposable, plastic bag, where it is easily sealed and may be disposed in an environmentally friendly manner.

DETAILED DISCRIPTION

The FOCUS disposable fluid change system, may be composed of several different transfer systems to drain or pump used oil or other used engine fluids directly into a flexible, disposable, plastic bag, where it is easily sealed and may be disposed in an environmentally friendly manner.

- One system is a hand-operated vacuum pump used to pump used fluids, motor oil or other fluids, from the engine, via the fill or dipstick aperture, with a direct connection to a disposable plastic bag.
- The second system utilizes a rubber drain boot, which is slipped over the fluid fill inlet and directly connects to a disposable plastic bag with a flexible tube. The engine is tipped and the fluid drains by gravity into the bag.
- The third system consists of a flexible disposable bag with a capped opening, sometimes utilizing a catch bowl, where the oil or fluid is drained by gravity directly into the disposable plastic bag.

The unique feature of this system is the placing of the oil or fluid directly into a flexible, disposable, plastic bag.
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to the structural features. It is understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features described, since the means and construction herein disclosed comprise a preferred form of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims

1. I claim a one time use, Disposable Fluid Change System, which may be composed of several different transfer systems to drain or pump used oil or other used fluids directly into a flexible, disposable, plastic bag, where it is easily sealed and may be disposed in an environmentally friendly manner.

One unit is a hand-operated vacuum pump used to pump used fluids, motor oil or other fluids, from the engine, via the fill or dipstick aperture, with a direct connection to a disposable plastic bag.

The second system utilizes a rubber drain boot, which is slipped over the fluid fill inlet and directly connects to a disposable plastic bag with a flexible tube. The engine is tipped and the fluid drains by gravity into the bag.

The third system consists of a flexible disposable bag with a capped opening, sometimes utilizing a catch bowl, where the oil is drained by gravity directly into the disposable plastic bag.

The unique feature of this system is the placing of the oil directly into a flexible, disposable plastic bag.