Removable Fluid Holding Tank for Vehicle

This invention relates to a fluid receiving and holding tank for use with vehicles.

The use of recreational trailers and motorized homes has increased dramatically in recent years. Most such vehicles have sinks and other fluids using devices in them from which waste fluids must be drained periodically. However, in many areas it is now illegal to drain such fluids from a vehicle directly onto the ground.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a novel holding tank for receiving and holding waste fluid until such time as the vehicle is moved to a suitable sewer facility where it may be emptied. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel holding tank which is so constructed as to fit within support members suspended beneath the body of the vehicle and having an indentation in one wall of the tank to receive a portion of a support member to inhibit removal of the tank from the support members until such time as such is desired by the user.

Yet another object is to provide a novel holding tank assembly which can be installed and used with such a recreational vehicle in a very simple and economic manner.

These and other objects and advantages will become more fully apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a recreational trailer on which a holding tank assembly according to the invention is supported;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view taken generally along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1, with portions broken away;

FIG. 3 is a view taken generally along the line 3--3 in FIG. 2;

FIG.4 is an enlarged view taken generally along the line 4--4; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of the tank separated from the vehicle.

Referring to the drawings, and first more specifically to FIG. 1, at 10 is indicated generally a recreational trailer having a side wall 12 extending along one side thereof and a floor 14 (see FIG. 2). Body 10 is supported on an underlying frame. A channel 16 forming a portion of the frame for the trailer and extending longitudinally of the trailer is illustrated in FIG. 2. The frame and vehicle body 10 are supported above the ground on wheels 18. As is seen in FIG. 2, channel member 16 is spaced inwardly on the vehicle from side wall 12.

Referring to FIG. 2, at 22 is indicated a sink supported on wall 12 of the vehicle. The plumbing for the sink includes a drain having a P-trap 24 and a bifurcated drain and vent unit 26, also referred to as a double-putter unit. Unit 26 has a lower drain branch 26a and an upper vent branch 26b. Both branches 26a, 26b extend through side wall 12 and terminate a short distance outside the vehicle.

A pair of substantially U-shaped support strap members 30, 32 are secured to and depend from the underside of floor 14 of the vehicle intermediate side wall 12 and frame beam 16. As is seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the horizontally disposed base portion 30a of member 30 is supported at a slightly higher elevation than is horizontally disposed base portion 32a of member 32.

At 40 is indicated generally a holding tank according to the invention constructed of a liquid impervious material. The tank is an elongate hollow body having a substantially flat top 40a, opposed upright side walls 40b, 40c projecting downwardly from opposite sides of top 40a, a front end wall 40d extending between side walls 40b, 40c, a rear end wall 40e, and a bottom wall, or base, 40f, extending between the opposed side walls and the front and rear end walls. Adjoining edges of the various walls are integrally joined together to form a liquid impervious enclosure. A handle 41 is secured to front end wall 40d.

As is best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, base 40f of the tank has an indentation 44 extending thereacross which is adapted to receive base portion 30a of strap 30 therein when the tank is in operative position, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4.

Opposed side walls 40b, 40c are parallel and laterally spaced apart a distance slightly less than the distance between the opposed, upright legs of support members 30, 32, respectively. Top and bottom walls 40a, 40f are substantially parallel, and when received in supporting position on support members 30, 32 as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, incline downwardly on progressing inwardly from side wall 12 toward beam 16. Front end wall 40d and rear end wall 40e are substantially parallel and are disposed at angles other than 90.degree. relative to the top and bottom walls. Front wall 40d is disposed at an angle greater than 90.degree. relative to base wall 40f and rear wall 40e is disposed at an angle less than 90.degree. relative to base wall 40f. With this construction, when the tank is supported on members 30, 32, its rear end wall may abut flush with beam 16 and its front end wall will be disposed substantially upright adjacent side wall 12.

The height of tank 40 is less than the distance between base portion 30a of support member 30 and the underside of floor 14 of the vehicle. This permits the tank to be lifted slightly, whereby the major portions of base 40f will clear the base portion of support member 30. Such lifting to clear base 30a of member 30 permits the tank to be slid horizontally outwardly from the support members. Horizontal removal of the tank, however, is inhibited when the tank is resting on the supports with base portion 30a received in indentation 44. This prevents the tank from sliding from its supports until such time as it is desired to remove it.

An inlet, or fill opening, or port, 46 extends through front end wall 40d adjacent the top of the tank and a vent opening, or port, 48 extends through the front end wall adjacent opening 46. An elongate conduit, or tube, 52 extends from opening 46 to a region closely adjacent the base of the tank adjacent rear end wall 40e which will be the lowest portion of the tank when in its supported operative position.

An elongated, flexible drain tube, or conduit, 58 is connected at one of its ends to inlet opening 46 and is detachably connected at its opposite end to the lower, or drain, branch 26a of the double-putter unit. The lower end of tube 58 connects with tube 52 in the tank to provide a continuous conduit for channeling fluid from the sink to the base of the tank.

It will be recognized, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, that tube 58 has sufficient length and flexibility than an expanse thereof is formed in a reverse bend 58a outside the tank. Reverse bend 58a is at, or lower than, the base of tank 40.

An elongated, flexible vent tube, or conduit, 62 is connected at one of its ends to vent opening 48. Tube 62 extends from the top of the tank along the outside of the camper and is secured at its opposite end above sink 40.

Describing the operation of the apparatus, the tank is supported in support members 30, 32 beneath floor 14 of the vehicle. In such supported position indentation 44 in the base of the tank receives a portion of support member 30 to inhibit horizontal removal of the tank from the vehicle. With conduit 58 connected at its opposite ends to drain branch 26a and inlet opening 46 of the tank, when waste liquid is drained from the sink, it flows into and is held in tank 40. Gas displaced from the holding tank by the liquid is vented through conduit 62. Throughout operation, a quantity of fluid is held in the reverse bend portion 58a of tube 58. Upon reaching a sewer facility, where the holding tank can be emptied, it is a simple matter to disconnect the upper end of conduit 58 from drain branch 26a and lower it below the evaluation of the base of the tank. This produces a gravity flow of fluid from the tank through tubes 52, 58 to empty the tank. With tube 52 extending to the lowest region of the tank, the tank may be substantially completely emptied of waste fluid.

Should it be desired to remove the tank from the vehicle, it is a simple matter to lift the front end of the tank slightly whereby the base can clear support member 30 and it is then slid horizontally outwardly from under the vehicle.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.