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US-12623838-B1 - Liquid hand truck, liquid receptacle, combination liquid hand truck and receptacle, system and/or method for handling liquids

US12623838B1US 12623838 B1US12623838 B1US 12623838B1US-12623838-B1

Abstract

A combination liquid holding device and liquid receptacle, a liquid holding device, a liquid receptacle, a liquid management system, kit, and/or method which preferably greatly enhances the ease and reduces the work required to dispose of undesired liquid. A combination liquid holding device and liquid receptacle, the liquid hand truck, and the liquid dumpster may be entirely manually powered, manually powered and free of all motors and electrical components, may be operated by a powered device, may include a motor, or may be operated manually with a powered assist.

Inventors

  • Luke Waesche

Assignees

  • Luke Waesche

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20210805

Claims (7)

  1. 1 . A combination liquid holding device and liquid receptacle, comprising: a liquid holding device, wherein the liquid holding device is configured for transportation in a same manner as a hand truck, comprising: a device body having an exterior surface and a base, the device body defining a body chamber configured to hold liquid therein; the device body defining a body opening in fluid communication with the body chamber, the device body is a tank such that the body chamber is a tank chamber configured to hold liquid therein, the body opening is a tank opening in fluid communication with the tank chamber; and the connector mechanism comprises an attachment bar secured to the tank in a spaced apart fashion from the exterior surface, the attachment bar defining an axis of rotation; and a plurality of wheels attached to the tank, the plurality of wheels configured to facilitate transporting the tank by allowing the plurality of wheels to roll on the supporting surface while moving the tank such that the tank can be moved in a same manner as a hand truck; and a liquid receptacle positioned on a supporting surface, comprising: a receptacle body defining a receptacle chamber configured to hold and store liquid; the receptacle body defining a receptacle opening; a connector mechanism located on at least one of the liquid holding device and the liquid receptacle which is configured to form a detachable positive connection therebetween, the connector mechanism being configured to only allow pivoting about an axis of rotation between the liquid holding device and the liquid receptacle while the liquid holding device is connected to the liquid receptacle via the connector mechanism, the liquid holding device may be rotated such that liquid tends to be biased for movement from the body chamber, through the body opening, through the receptacle opening, and into the receptacle chamber; the liquid receptacle having a receptacle bracket configured to detachably connect to the attachment bar, the liquid holding device being rotatable relative to the liquid receptacle about the axis of rotation when the receptacle bracket is connected to the attachment bar of the liquid holding device; wherein the attachment bar is on a same side of the tank as the tank opening; wherein the liquid holding device is positioned in a first, vertical position, the base is located on the supporting surface, the same side of the tank is angled relative to the supporting surface; the receptacle bracket having a free end which incorporates a ramp section and having a slot located between the ramp section and the liquid receptacle; the tank having a tapered shape such that when the liquid holding device is in the first, vertical position, a first area of the tank at the base, as measured in cross section parallel to the supporting surface, is greater than a second area of the tank at the opening, as measured in cross section parallel to the supporting surface; the tank and the plurality of wheels being configured such that when the liquid holding device is moved into the first vertical position after being moved as the hand truck with the edge of the base adjacent to the hand truck, the attachment bar rides along the ramp portion to facilitate driving the attachment bar into position in the slot; and wherein the liquid is waste oil.
  2. 2 . The combination of claim 1 , further comprising a first filtering insert configured for placement in the tank opening, the first filtering insert configured to reduce an amount of particulates and other foreign objects from entering the tank chamber with the liquid.
  3. 3 . The combination of claim 2 , further comprising a splash guard configured to sit in the tank opening, the splash guard preventing excess liquid from splashing out of the tank opening from the tank chamber when the liquid holding device is attached thereto and rotated.
  4. 4 . The combination of claim 2 , further comprising a second filtering insert configured to cover the receptacle opening, the second filtering insert reducing the amount of particulates and other foreign objects from entering the receptacle chamber with the liquid.
  5. 5 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein when the liquid holding device is in the first, vertical position the attachment bar and the receptacle bracket are generally equally distanced from the supporting surface, as measured perpendicular to the supporting surface, and the tank opening is positioned farther from the supporting surface than the receptacle opening, as measured perpendicular to the supporting surface.
  6. 6 . The combination of claim 5 , wherein the liquid holding device is in a second, horizontal position when the liquid holding device is engaged with the liquid receptacle and the liquid holding device has been rotated about the axis of rotation and the same side of the tank is substantially parallel to the supporting surface.
  7. 7 . The combination of claim 5 , wherein when the liquid holding device is in the second, horizontal position and engaged with the liquid receptacle, the tank opening is above and closely aligned with the receptacle opening to facilitate pouring liquid from the liquid holding device into the liquid receptacle.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent No. 63/061,503, filed Aug. 5, 2020, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. BACKGROUND The preferred embodiments of the present invention relate generally to hand trucks and waste receptacles. More specifically, the preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to liquid hand trucks and liquid waste receptacles. More specifically still, one preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a combination liquid holding device and liquid receptacle. The present invention may also relate to a stand-alone liquid hand truck. The present invention may also relate to a stand-alone liquid receptacle. Typically, the disposal of waste kitchen oil in commercial setting requires either the carrying of a small, heavy vessel holding the oil to a dumpster or hiring a professional waste removal service to come into the restaurant and collect the oil. However, carrying the oil can create messes and the infliction of self-injury because of the potential for spillage. In order to efficiently dispose of waste oil, restaurants and other commercial kitchens must employ the service of expensive waste oil disposal companies. However, much of the convenience is lost when the kitchens are forced to work around a third party's schedule for coming to pick up and transport away waste oil. It may be advantageous to provide a combination liquid holding device and liquid receptacle, a liquid hand truck, and/or a liquid receptacle, which may preferably, but not necessarily, at least one of: is configured to transport and store waste oil for later disposal; take advantage of a hand truck design for easy transport of waste oil by a user; be manually operated without the use of motors or electrical components; which may incorporate a motor or lift assist such that the dumping of the liquid holding device into the liquid receptacle is easier and requires less work by the user; be easy to clean; have a thinner profile to fit underneath a nozzle or a drain hole in a fryer or other kitchen apparatus with waste oil; be visually attractive; be suitable for use in commercial kitchens, restaurants, food factories, and other settings where large amounts of waste oil from cooking is produced; be sturdy enough for commercial use; use filters to reduce the amount of foreign particulates entering the hand truck and/or the liquid receptacle; be efficient for manufacture; allow for the transportation of waste oil without spillage or overflow; be useful for use by people with limited strength or of advanced age; and/or be easy to use. SUMMARY Briefly speaking, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a combination liquid holding device and liquid receptacle. The combination liquid holding device and liquid receptacle may comprise a liquid holding device. The liquid holding device may comprise a tank having an exterior surface and a base. A receptacle connector may be configured to engage the liquid holding device to allow pivoting therebetween. The tank may include wheels to facilitate moving the liquid holding device in a hand truck manner. The tank including a second connector configured to engage the first connector on the liquid receptacle to create a pivotal connection therebetween. The liquid may be waste oil. In a separate aspect, the present invention is related to a hand truck configured to hold liquid. The hand truck may comprise a tank having an exterior surface configured to hold liquid and having a base. The tank may define a tank chamber configured to receive liquid therein. The tank may define a tank opening in fluid communication with the tank chamber. The hand truck may also comprise a plurality of wheels located on the tank proximate the base. The hand truck may further comprise at least one of a handle and a grip formed by a portion of the exterior surface such that a user can incline and roll the tank to facilitate transport thereof. In a separate aspect, the present invention may be directed a hand truck and a dumpster. The hand truck may be configured to hold waste. The hand truck may detachably connect to dumpster to assist the user in dumping waste from the hand truck into the dumpster. In a separate aspect, the present invention may be directed to a hand truck. The hand truck may have a hollow body. The hollow body may be configured to hold waste. The waste may comprise liquid. The liquid may comprise oil. The oil may comprise cooking oil. The cooking oil may come from a deep fryer or other cooking device. The hand truck may be configured to lay flatly underneath a drainage spout in the cooking device. The hand truck may then be righted for transportation. In a separate aspect, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to a combination liquid holding device and liquid receptacle. The combination liquid holding device and liquid recepta