Patent Application
20070199840
This invention relates to emergency water storage systems, and more particularly to an emergency water storage kit containing all the needed supplies for storing potable water in an emergency.
Many people take clean, safe and readily available drinking water for granted. If an earthquake, hurricane, winter storm or other disaster strikes, access to food, water and electricity may be temporarily interrupted. Such interruptions may last a few hours up to several days or weeks. Because water is the most important nutrient for the human body, availability of an adequate supply of water in these situations is critical. However, there may not be enough time to obtain necessary supplies after the disaster strikes. In these situations, the ability to quickly collect and store an emergency water supply can be critical to survival.
Many organizations, including the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), recommend that emergency supplies be gathered and stored in advance in order to be prepared for these situations. Needs will differ, depending on age, physical condition, activity, diet and climate, but most people need to drink at least two quarts (8 cups) of water each day. Hot weather can increase the amount needed. Children, nursing women and ill people also will need more. In addition to drinking water, supplies for food preparation and hygiene are needed. In general, it is recommended that at least one gallon of water be stored per person per day for an emergency. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Emergencies and Disasters Web site recommends storing at least a three-day supply. FEMA, as well as the American Red Cross, recommends storing at least a two-week supply of water for each member of your family.
Many types of containers are available for water storage including those made of glass and plastic. Glass provides an effective container for water storage but glass containers may be heavy and easily broken. Plastic jugs with tight fitting, secure lids which have contained juice, punch, or other edible substances may be used for emergency water storage. However, these containers can degrade over time, and the prior contents of the container may affect the taste of stored water or contaminate the water if not properly cleaned. New containers can be purchased in most house-wares and sporting goods departments, as well as at some water vending locations, but until the new containers are actually used in an emergency, storing the number of containers that may be required in order to have an adequate supply of water when needed may require an inordinate amount of space.
In addition to the problem of finding a suitable container for storing water in an emergency, there is the problem of finding a suitable way to fill the container. Some containers can be held up to a conventional faucet or spigot to be filled, but precious water may be lost down the drain if the opening to the container is smaller than the faucet or spigot opening. In some cases the container may be too big or unwieldy to be lifted or to fit under a faucet. Of course, funnels and hoses may be used to fill containers, but these items may be difficult to find or not even owned in some households.
What is needed to overcome these problems associated with the prior art, is an emergency water storage kit that contains all the supplies needed for collecting and storing a supply of water that includes: an adequate number of containers for storing water; and a means for quickly and efficiently filling the containers that is usable with common household water fixtures and that does not take up much space when not in use.
In order to address these needs, the present invention contemplates an emergency water storage kit. The emergency water storage kit comprises at least one collapsible bladder having a water-tight interior portion for holding a fluid and a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the interior portion of the bladder. The kit further includes a hose assembly for delivering a fluid into a bladder. The hose assembly comprises a flexible tube having an inlet end and an outlet end. A coupling apparatus comprises a first member affixed to the fluid inlet of the bladder and a second member affixed to the outlet end of the tube. The first and second members are configured to be releasably connected to form a fluid-tight passageway between the bladder and the hose assembly. Additionally, the second member of the coupling apparatus includes a means for stopping flow of a fluid through the second member when the first member and the second member are not connected.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for using the emergency water storage kit. The method comprises providing an emergency water storage kit comprising at least one water-tight collapsible bladder having a fluid inlet, a hose assembly having an inlet end for removable connection to a fluid source and an outlet end configured to be releasably connected to the fluid inlet of the bladder. The hose assembly includes a flow control member operable to stop flow of water through said outlet end of said hose assembly when the outlet end and the fluid inlet are not connected.
The method further comprises connecting the inlet end of the hose assembly to a fluid source; engaging a flow of fluid from the fluid source into the hose assembly; and releasably connecting the fluid inlet of the bladder to the outlet end of the hose assembly thereby allowing flow of water through the outlet end of the hose assembly into the bladder. Once a desired amount of fluid has been delivered to the bladder, the fluid inlet is disconnected from the outlet end of the hose assembly thereby stopping flow of fluid through the outlet end of the hose assembly. Flow of water out of the bladder through the fluid inlet is prevented by capping the fluid inlet.
One advantage of the present invention derives from the utility of having all of the materials needed to quickly collect and store water in one place for ease of finding and using. Without the kit, a person may have to search in one place in order to find a storage container, in another place to find a hose, yet another place to find a funnel, etc. With the emergency water storage kit, people need only to go to one place to find everything they need to store water in an emergency.
Another advantage derives from the use of collapsible storage containers for storing water. Thus, the kit can contain many collapsed bladders and the hose assembly and still take up very little space. The kit can then be stored in just about any small space that is easily and quickly accessible, preferably near a water source such as a laundry room or kitchen.
Moreover, the functional value of being able to quickly connect and disconnect the hose from the bladder expedites the filling of multiple bladders of water that may be required in an emergency situation. Moreover, the shutoff valve of the coupling apparatus allows the hose to be disconnected from the bladder without having to turn off the water or having to place the outlet end of the hose assembly in a water drainage area such as a sink. This may be particularly beneficial in situations where the supply of water from the faucet may be limited and water from the faucet cannot be wasted.
These and other objects and benefits of the invention will be readily discerned from the following written description, taken together with the accompanying figures.
Aspects and features of the present embodiments will become apparent as the following description proceeds and upon reference to the drawings, in which:
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and described in the following written specification. It is understood that no limitation to the scope of the invention is thereby intended. It is further understood that the present invention includes any alterations and modifications to the illustrated embodiments and includes further applications of the principles of the invention as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.
Referring to
Referring now to
Water weighs approximately 8 lbs. per gallon. Therefore, the interior of the bladder 14, preferably, has a capacity that is less than 2½ gallons which, when filled with a liquid such as water, weighs approximately 21 lbs. However, the water-tight interior of the bladder 14 may have any suitable volume such that, when filled with a liquid, the bladder 14 has a weight and size that is readily lifted and carried by people of even slight physical build and strength. In an exemplary embodiment, the bladder 14 may have a capacity of approximately 6 quarts which is approximately 12 lbs. To aid in moving and carrying a filled bladder 14, bladder may be provided with a carrying means such as handles. Alternatively, kit 10 may further be furnished with storage liners 42 (see
Referring to
Referring again to
As shown in
Because a typical spout of a water faucet may be externally or internally threaded, the kit 10 may further include an adapter fitting 78 to enable the inlet end 26 of the hose 24 to be attached to a faucet 4 or spigot having either male or female threads. In this embodiment, threaded connector 68 is internally threaded and sized to fit a standard-sized externally threaded faucet or spigot. The adaptor fitting 78 has a first end 80 sized for threaded engagement with the internal threads of the threaded connector 68 and a second end 84 sized for threaded engagement with an internally threaded faucet 4. Thus, the hose assembly 20 may be readily used with most faucets and/or spigots available for use in a home.
Although the fitting assembly 64 is described with reference to the figures, it should be understood that any devices capable of removable attachment to a water source, such as a water faucet, that will permit fluid flow communication between the water source and the hose 24 is considered suitable for purposes of this invention. Furthermore, flexible hose 24 may be fitted directly around or inside the spout 4 of the water outlet, without the need for a connector.
Referring to
More particularly, as illustrated in
In some embodiments, the coupling insert 37 of the fluid inlet 18 may be enclosed by a transversely extending membrane seal. Preferably the membrane is integral with housing 88 such that coupling insert 34 is molded by a unitary molding process as a single piece from a low density polyethylene, or other suitable material. The membrane acts to seal the interior of the bladder until use so as to prevent contamination of the bladder, and is sufficiently thin so that it can be punctured by insertion of the coupling insert into the coupling body of the outlet end of the hose assembly.
Coupling body 38 has a housing 100 which also defines an inner tubular bore 104 along a longitudinal axis thereof. Both ends of bore 104 are open with back end 98 being suitably attached to hose 24. In the embodiment shown, back end 98 is sonic welded to a tubular hose barb 108 which in turn is connected to hose 24 with a hose clamp 110 to assure a fluid-tight seal. Tubular bore 104 at front end 114, has an inside diameter which is slightly greater than the outside diameter of housing 88 of the coupling insert 34 such that housing 88 is releasably insertable into the bore 104 of coupling body 38.
The coupling apparatus 30 can be disconnected with one hand by pressing on lever 118 of the locking mechanism 120 which releases coupling insert 34 and allows it to be withdrawn coupling body 38. To this end, coupling body 38 preferably includes a depressable release lever 118 and a locking mechanism 120 to releasably lock both coupling members together. As illustrated in
In the exemplary embodiment, the locking mechanism 120 includes a locking plate 128 which is slideably mounted adjacent front end 114 of coupling body 38. Plate 128 is slideably mounted for transverse movement between a first or released position as illustrated in
Coupling body 38 preferably includes an automatic shutoff valve assembly 140. Shutoff valve assembly 140 is slideably mounted in the bore 104 of coupling body 38. Valve assembly 140 is biased toward front end 114 of coupling body, into a closed position, by a spring 144. When coupling insert 34 is inserted into coupling body 38, valve assembly 140 is forced axially toward back end 98 of coupling body 38 into an open position. When coupling insert 34 is withdrawn from coupling body 38, the valve assembly 140 is biased by spring 144 back into its closed position and automatically seals the fluid passageway through the coupling body 38.
It is to be understood that other types or sizes of fittings or couplings may be employed in the present invention. What is of interest is a fitting for the hose assembly that can be easily connected and disconnected, with a check valve or shut-off valve preventing fluid from passing through the hose when the hose assembly is not connected to the bladder.
The emergency water storage kit 10 may be comprised of any number of optional beneficial components. For instance, because shutoff valve 140 is normally closed when coupling apparatus is not engaged, emergency water storage kit 10 may beneficially include a hose cleanout plug 22 (see
The shelf life of water depends on the original quality of the water, the temperature at which it is stored, how much light it is exposed to just to name a few. It is recommended that stored water be used with seven days of being filled unless purified. Therefore, to further add to the usefulness of the emergency water storage kit 10, a marking pen 32 (see
The kit 10 may also be provided with a storage container 42 for holding the contents of kit 10, such as a plurality of bladders 14, the hose assembly 20, adaptor fitting 78, cleanout plug 22 and marking pen 32, etc. The storage container 42 may comprise a plastic or nylon bag and may include an apparatus for closing the bag such as a drawstring or zipper. The kit contained in storage container 42 takes up very little space and may easily be stored in just about any location. Preferably the kit is kept near a water source in a home such as in a laundry room or kitchen.
When use of the emergency water storage kit is required, a bladder is preferably placed on a clean flat surface near a water source such as a faucet. If the faucet includes an aerator, the aerator may have to be removed to access the internal threads of the faucet. In this case, first end 80 of adaptor fitting 78 is threadingly connected to threaded connector 68 of the hose assembly 20 and second end 84 is threadingly connected to faucet 4. The water may turned on at the faucet before or after hose assembly 20 is releasably connected to bladder 14 via coupling apparatus 30 because the automatic shutoff valve 140 operates to prevent flow of water through the hose assembly 20 until coupling apparatus has been engaged. When ready to fill a bladder 14, coupling insert 34 of the fluid inlet 18 is inserted into coupling body 38 on the outlet end 28 of hose 24, thereby releasably locking coupling insert in position causing valve 140 to open to allow flow of water from the faucet 4 to pass therethrough into bladder 14.
Water is allowed to flow into bladder 14 until a desired quantity of water is contained therein. The coupling apparatus may then be disconnected with one hand by pressing on lever 118 of the locking mechanism 120 which releases coupling insert 34 and allows it to be withdrawn from coupling body 38 thereby closing valve 140 and preventing the passage of water through the hose assembly 20. The kit 10 preferably includes a cap for placing over the coupling insert on the bladder in order to prevent fluid from escaping the bladder. The kit 10 may further include a writing instrument, such as a marker, to mark a filled bladder with the current date and/or a “use by” date before it is placed in a clean, dry place preferably away from chemicals or other dangerous products.
The functional value of being able to quickly connect and disconnect the hose from the bladder expedites the filling of multiple bladders of water that may be required in an emergency situation. Moreover, the shutoff valve 140 allows the hose to be disconnected from the bladder without having to turn off the water or having to place the outlet end of the hose assembly in a water drainage area such as a sink. This may be particularly beneficial in situations where the supply of water from the faucet may be limited and water from the faucet cannot be wasted.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that only the preferred embodiments have been presented and that all changes, modifications and further applications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected
