The present invention relates to a utility bucket lid that provides on-demand running water from a typical bucket when individuals are in environments where running water does not exist.
People who are occupied in various trades relating to construction, utility workers, or other fields where ground breaking work is in progress often find themselves in work environments for substantial periods of time before clean running water is available at the work site. Also, individuals involved in recreation such as primitive camping, tailgating, fishing, or other activities often do not have access to clean running water. Individuals might bring a supply of water in containers for washing hands for example prior to eating, but there is little control over the amount of water that is wasted when tipping a container to pour water onto one's hands. Individuals find that a significant portion of available water is wasted as it is poured from the container and over the hands. When the amount of water available is restricted to the size of a container individuals in work and recreational activities must minimize the amount of the water that is wasted when pouring from a bucket of other container.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a device that provides on-demand water in environments that do not have the public utility of clean running water. Such a device must provide on-demand water with minimal waste of the resource. Such a device must be of relatively simple construction and be easy to use.
The utility bucket lid of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art by providing a device that can be adapted to a typical bucket. It is relatively small in size, such that it can be transported with the container of water in the cargo area most vehicles. The device is primarily comprised of a common bucket lid and rigid support members that add sufficient strength to the bucket lid to enable the lid to support a pump, suction hose and discharge hose, and rigid pipe. One end of the rigid pipe is passed through the bucket lid and serves to hold the open end of the pump's suction hose proximate the bottom of the bucket. The opposite end of the rigid pipe extends above the bucket lid and serves to support a fluid manifold having an inlet fitting from the pump's discharge port and an outlet valve. A hose or shower wand can be attached to the outlet valve and a towel holder can also be attached to the utility bucket lid for complete hygiene in primitive settings. The utility bucket lid can quickly be secured to a common bucket and readily supply on-demand water in environments where the utility does not exist. The utility bucket lid is of relatively simple design and construction, being produced using standard manufacturing techniques, so that the device is relatively inexpensive to produce so as to be economically attractive to potential consumers for this type of device. Use and maintenance of the utility bucket lid is simple and straightforward.
The discussion included in this patent is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible and alternatives are implicit. Also, this discussion may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative of a broader function or of a great variety of alternative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in device-oriented terminology, each element of the device implicitly performs a function. It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. These changes still fall within the scope of this invention.
Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the utility bucket lid of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral 10, is comprised of a generally round shaped bucket lid 12, having a top surface 14 and a bottom surface 16 and one or more rigid support members 18 below the bucket lid 12 and above (not shown) the bucket lid 12. The utility bucket lid 10 is preferably attached to a bucket B. The rigid support member(s) 18 having a hole 20 to allow a rigid pipe 22 to pass through the bucket lid 12 and rigid support member(s) 18. The rigid support member(s) 18 also having a fill hole 23 for refilling the bucket B without removing the utility bucket lid 10 from the bucket B. Fill hole 23 also passes through the bucket lid 12. The rigid support member(s) 18 also having holes 24 for attaching a pump P to the bucket lid 12. The pump P having an inlet hose 28. The inlet hose 28 having a suction opening 30. The pump P also having a discharge hose 32 with a discharge opening 34, and the pump P also having a pressure switch 36 and a power cord 38 (power supply not shown). The rigid pipe 22 has a top end 40, a bottom end 42, a first hole 44, and a second hole 46. The inlet hose 28 is in ruted from the pump P into the first hole 44 of the rigid pipe 22 and exits the rigid pipe 22 through the second hole 46 where suction opening 30 of the inlet hose 28 rests proximate the bottom of the bucket B. A multi-positional fluid manifold 48 is comprised of a first end 50, a second end 52, an inlet fitting 54, a discharge fitting 56, and a valve 58. The discharge opening 34 of the discharge hose 32 is appropriately connected to the inlet fitting 54 of the fluid manifold 48 and the inlet port 60 of the valve is appropriately connected to discharge fitting 56 of the fluid manifold 48. The outlet port 62 of the valve 58 is threaded to provide a means of connecting a hose (not shown) and/or spray wand W. The fluid manifold 48 also having a first plug 66 between the first end 50 and the discharge fitting 56, and a second plug 68 between the second end 52 and the outlet fitting 54 wherein the plugs (66, 68) provide a leak proof cavity 70 within the fluid manifold 48. The first end 50 of the fluid manifold 48 extends beyond the first plug 66 and the second end 52 of the fluid manifold 48 extends beyond the second plug 68. The position of the outlet port 62 of the valve 58 can be changed as desired to allow fluid to be pumped downward from the valve 58 by inserting the first end 50 of the fluid manifold 48 into the top end 40 of the rigid pipe 22, or fluid can be pumped upward from the valve 58 and into a hose (not shown) or shower wand by inserting the second end 52 of the fluid manifold 48 into the top end 40 of the rigid pipe 22. Either the first end 50 of the fluid manifold 48 or the second end 52 of the fluid manifold 48 can support a towel holder 72.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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