US 12,447,889 B2
Fluid baffle for a tank
Andrew Mark Berry, Port Melbourne (AU); and Andre Stephen Buchner, Nathalia (AU)
Assigned to TRANS TANK INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD, Nathalia (AU)
Filed by TRANS TANK INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD, Nathalia (AU)
Filed on Apr. 3, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/625,911.
Application 18/625,911 is a continuation of application No. 17/052,625, granted, now 12,054,087, previously published as PCT/AU2019/050436, filed on May 10, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018901625 (AU), filed on May 11, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0246473 A1, Jul. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. B60P 3/22 (2006.01); B60K 15/077 (2006.01)
CPC B60P 3/2235 (2013.01) [B60K 15/077 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fluid baffle for use in a tank, the baffle comprising:
a body at least partially formed by a first baffle piece comprising a first continuous wall coupled to a second baffle piece comprising a second continuous wall to define an interior volume and a plurality of fluid passage apertures at spaced positions around the body to allow fluid to easily pass into and out of the interior volume,
wherein the first continuous wall defines a first flanged rim, the second continuous wall defines a second flanged rim, and the first flanged rim of the first baffle piece contacts the second flanged rim of the second baffle piece to define a rim region when the first and second baffle pieces are coupled together,
wherein the first and second baffle pieces each comprise multiple coupling portions in the rim region configured to be manually press-fitted together without rotation to form the body,
wherein the first and second baffle pieces each comprise multiple alignment parts in the rim region, with the first flanged rim defining at least one alignment part formed as a projecting part, and the second flanged rim defining at least one alignment part formed as a recessed part configured to receive the projecting alignment part of the first flanged rim,
wherein the multiple coupling portions comprise male coupling portions and female coupling portions,
wherein each female coupling portion has deflectable arms extending within a cavity defined by an outer wall, and
wherein each male coupling portion has an inwardly tapering wall of a complementary taper to the wall of the female coupling portion so that, when the male coupling portion is received within the interior of the female coupling portion, the walls of the male coupling portion generally nest and mate inside the walls of the female coupling portion.