Emergency water storage kit

Abstract

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.

1 . An emergency water storage kit comprising: 
 at least one collapsible bladder having a water-tight interior portion for holding a fluid, said bladder including a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the interior portion of the bladder;    a cap for closing said fluid inlet;    a hose assembly for delivering a fluid to said at least one bladder, said hose assembly including: 
 a flexible tube having an inlet end configured to be removably connected to a fluid source and an outlet end; and  
 a coupling apparatus for releasably connecting said fluid inlet of said bladder with said outlet end of said hose assembly, said coupling apparatus including a first member affixed to said fluid inlet of said bladder and a second mating member affixed to said outlet end of said tube;  
   wherein said first member and said second member are configured to be releasably connected to form a fluid-tight passageway between said bladder and said hose assembly; and    wherein said second member of said coupling apparatus includes an apparatus for stopping flow of a fluid through said second member when said first member and said second member are not connected.    
   
   
       2 . The emergency water storage kit of  claim 1 , comprising two or more collapsible bladders.  
   
   
       3 . The emergency water storage kit of  claim 1 , wherein said inlet end of said hose assembly includes a fitting assembly configured to be removably attached to a conventional water faucet.  
   
   
       4 . The emergency water storage kit of  claim 3 , wherein said fitting assembly comprises an internally threaded connector for threaded engagement to a water faucet having external threads.  
   
   
       5 . The emergency water storage kit of  claim 4 , further comprising an adaptor fitting, said adaptor fitting having a first end for threaded engagement with said internal threads of said threaded connector and a second end for threaded engagement with a water faucet having internal threads.  
   
   
       6 . The emergency water storage kit of  claim 1 , wherein said first member of said coupling apparatus includes a coupling insert and said second member of said coupling apparatus includes a coupling body; 
 further wherein said coupling insert is configured to be releasably inserted into said coupling body to form a fluid-tight passageway between the bladder and hose assembly.    
   
   
       7 . The emergency water storage kit of  claim 6 , wherein said coupling body includes a normally closed valve that is configured to open when said coupling insert is releasably inserted into said coupling body.  
   
   
       8 . The emergency water storage kit of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one storage bag configured to hold at least one fluid-filled bladder, said storage bag including a lifting means for lifting said storage bag containing said at least one fluid-filled bladder.  
   
   
       9 . The emergency water storage kit of  claim 8 , further comprising a writing instrument for writing a fill date on said bladder.  
   
   
       10 . A method of using an emergency water storage kit, the method comprising: 
 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 said fluid inlet of said bladder, said hose assembly including a flow control member operable to stop flow of water through said outlet end of said hose assembly when said outlet end and said fluid inlet are not connected;    connecting said inlet end of said hose assembly to a fluid source;    engaging a flow of fluid from said fluid source into said hose assembly;    releasably connecting said fluid inlet of said bladder to said outlet end of said hose assembly thereby allowing flow of water through said outlet end of said hose assembly into said bladder;    disconnecting said fluid inlet from said outlet end of said hose assembly thereby stopping flow of fluid through said outlet end of said hose assembly; and    capping said fluid inlet.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said inlet end of said hose assembly includes a threaded connector for threaded engagement to a threaded water faucet; and further wherein the step of connecting said inlet end of said hose assembly to a fluid source comprises threading said threaded connector onto said water faucet.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said threaded connector is internally threaded and said water faucet is internally threaded; and wherein the method further comprises: 
 connecting said internally threaded connector to an externally threaded first end of an adaptor assembly; and    connecting said internally threaded faucet to an externally threaded second end of said adaptor assembly.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the releasably connecting said fluid inlet of said bladder to said outlet end of said hose assembly step comprises: 
 providing a coupling apparatus for releasably connecting said fluid inlet of said bladder with said outlet end of said hose assembly, said coupling apparatus comprising a coupling insert affixed to said fluid inlet of said bladder and a coupling body affixed to said outlet end of said tube; and    releasably inserting said coupling insert into said coupling body to form a fluid-tight passageway between the bladder and hose assembly.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said coupling body includes a normally closed valve, and further wherein said normally closed valve is configured to open when said coupling insert is releasably inserted into said coupling body.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 marking a fill date on said bladder.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 placing a filled bladder in a storage bag, said storage bag comprising a container for holding at least one filled bladder, said storage bag including a lifting means for lifting said storage bag containing at least one filled bladder.