Dispensing – With casing or support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-21
2001-05-15
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With casing or support
C222S571000, C137S234600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230939
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a system for the automated dispensing of windshield washer fluid and other automotive fluids, such as radiator coolant or oil, at locations convenient to consumers, such as service stations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Windshield washer fluid, and other automotive fluids, such as radiator coolant or engine oil, typically are sold in plastic jugs of a size convenient to the consumer. In the case of windshield washer fluid, such jugs typically contain a gallon of fluid, and currently sell at a retail price of roughly $1.25 per gallon (slightly more in some places, slightly less in others). Such fluid is relatively cheap to produce—typically it consists simply of a water/methanol mixture, with about 10-35% methanol, depending on the climate in which the product is sold (the higher methanol percentage is desirable in colder climates). Thus, a significant portion of the retail cost of windshield washer fluid lies in the cost of producing, filling and capping the plastic jug, and transportation costs associated with distribution and handling of the plastic jugs.
In the northern states which have snowy climates, retail sales of windshield washer fluid can be extremely erratic, being highly dependent upon weather conditions. Road spray on highways during and after a snowfall, particularly on roads that have been salted and sanded by highway crews, can cause motorists to use fairly large quantities of fluid in a short amount of time. The spring melting of snow along highways can also give rise to dirty road spray. These types of weather conditions create spikes of demand for windshield washer fluid, as motorist in some weather conditions may actually need to use a squirt of washer fluid every mile or even half-mile. In contrast, very cold and dry conditions, or consistently warm and dry conditions, do not give rise to such high levels of demand.
Although retail outlets of all types sell windshield washer fluid, service stations in particular sell large quantities of this fluid during the winter months in northern states. Some service stations can sell hundreds of gallons per day in certain weather conditions. Yet, retail “floor space,” whether indoors or out, is usually fairly limited in such service stations. Thus, the stocking of service stations with gallon jugs of windshield washer fluid becomes a labor intensive, challenging job, as demand can be very heavy for a few days or weeks, and then very light for until weather conditions again cause high demand. Yet, it is very important for retailers, particularly service stations, to not run out of fluid during high demand days, as a very large portion of annual sales of windshield washer fluid occur on a proportionately small number of such days.
Other areas of the country experience similar erratic demand cycles for windshield washer fluid. In some states there are seasonal periods during which bugs are an inordinate problem. For example, Florida typically has a bug season of about one month in duration both spring and fall; during those seasons windshields become regularly fouled with particularly messy bugs, creating a much larger than normal demand for windshield washer fluid. Thus, in these periods of time the high demand for windshield washer fluid creates inventory control challenges.
In addition to the challenges of cost-effective inventory control for such automotive fluids, the use of plastic jugs to distribute such fluid creates environmental disposal concerns. Even though windshield washer fluid is mostly water, the plastic gallon jugs in which the fluid is sold generally are not re-usable. Thus, each year large numbers of such jugs must be either land-filled or, where available, recycled.
Self-service vending of automotive fluids from a coin-operated dispensing unit has been proposed for certain applications. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,914 shows a car care self-service device designed to dispense small quantities of a number of different types of cosmetic car care fluids, such as engine cleaner, rubber cleaner, windshield and glass cleaner, windshield washer fluid, upholstery cleaner, air fresheners, or the like. The user inserts in a predetermined amount of money, and then selects which type of fluid is desired. A corresponding hose
ozzle is then activated to permit the user to dispense a small quantity of the chosen fluid. This vending unit is mounted on casters, so that it can be rolled around, and, thus, while the system is capable of dispensing measured amounts of various types of fluids, the system plainly is not designed to handle the relatively enormous volume of windshield washer fluid (e.g., hundreds of gallons) that a typical service station might sell on a particularly high-demand day.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a solution to the high package and handling cost, inventory control and environmental problems associated with the conventional plastic jug method of distributing automotive fluids such as windshield washer fluid, antifreeze, oil and the like. The system utilizes automated vending concepts that are convenient to the consumer, in combination with a storage and dispensing system that facilitates convenient storage of large quantities of windshield washer fluid without taking up valuable retail “floor space” (whether indoors or out).
In one embodiment the system includes two or more vending control units and a fluid storage system that includes two or more fluid storage tanks mounted at a level above the vending control units. One or more fluid equalization conduits are provided to connect the storage tanks to each other so that fluid levels in the storage tanks are able to equalize as fluid is added to or withdrawn from any one of the tanks. Two or more fluid dispensing hoses are provided, each one being associated with and controlled by one of the vending control units. Each fluid dispensing hose has a proximal end connected to the fluid storage system and a distal end from which fluid may be dispensed by force of gravity in response to selective activation of the corresponding vending control unit by a user. Preferably the fluid storage tanks are mounted to an overhead canopy, either on the roof of the canopy or on one of the canopy support columns.
In another embodiment, the system includes an overhead canopy including a roof portion and two or more columns supporting the roof portion, two or more fluid vending control units, each such fluid vending control unit being mounted to a different one of the columns, and a fluid storage system. The fluid storage system includes one or more fluid storage tanks at least partially filled with windshield washer fluid, and a fluid dispensing hose associated with and controlled by each vending control unit. Each fluid dispensing hose has a proximal end connected to the fluid storage system and a distal end from which fluid may be dispensed in response to selective activation of the corresponding vending control unit by a user. Preferably at least a portion of the fluid storage system is mounted to the canopy, either on the roof of the canopy or on one of the canopy support columns.
In yet another embodiment, the system includes a fluid vending control unit, a fluid storage tank mounted remotely from and at a level above the fluid vending control unit, and a fluid dispensing hose connected to the storage tank at a position that permits fluid to flow from the storage tank into the hose by force of gravity. The fluid dispensing hose has a dispensing nozzle with a dispensing end, a controllable dispensing valve located upstream from the dispensing nozzle, and a check valve disposed between the dispensing valve and the dispensing end of the nozzle. The check valve is configured to permit fluid to flow through the check valve toward the nozzle when a pressure differential across the check valve exceeds a predetermined value. Thus, when the upstream dispensing valve is opened (as by activation from the vending control unit), the fluid pressure across the check valve exceeds the predetermined value, open
Eliason Jeffrey M.
Severson Dale A.
Willeke Robert
Bui Thach H
Clean Shield Enterprises, Inc.
Fredrikson & Byron , P.A.
Shaver Kevin
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