Decorative propane tank assembly

Abstract

Three-dimensional, sports-related cover assemblies ( 34, 84, 94, 108, 126, 144 ) for propane tanks ( 32 ) are provided in order to permit sport- or team-related decoration of the tanks ( 32 ). The cover assemblies ( 34, 84, 94, 108, 126, 144 ) may be separable from the tanks ( 32 ) or may be integrated and unitized with the tanks ( 32 ). The assemblies ( 34, 84, 94, 108, 126, 144 ) have contoured or concavo-convex outer surfaces ( 70, 86, 104, 112, 130, 150 ), which are configured to give the three-dimensional likeness or appearance of a sports-related item, such as athletic head gear, footwear, balls, or other equipment.

1 . A sports-related cover assembly for a propane tank, said cover assembly comprising a decorative body having and inner and an outer surface, said inner surface configured to mate with a propane tank, said outer surface being shaped and configured to present a three-dimensional likeness of a sports-related item. 
     
     
         2 . The cover assembly of  claim 1 , said decorative body being separable from said propane tank. 
     
     
         3 . The cover assembly of  claim 2 , said body having a pair of sections, said sections being hinged together, there being latching structure releasably interconnecting said sections when applied to a propane tank. 
     
     
         4 . The cover assembly of  claim 2 , said body having an upper and a lower opening, said lower opening sized to receive a propane tank, said upper opening being smaller than said lower opening and sized to surround the valve and connection assembly of a propane tank. 
     
     
         5 . The cover assembly of  claim 2 , said body formed of molded synthetic resin material. 
     
     
         6 . The cover assembly of  claim 2 , said body being air inflatable. 
     
     
         7 . The cover assembly of  claim 1 , said body being integrated with said propane tank. 
     
     
         8 . The cover assembly of  claim 1 , sports-related item selected from the group consisting of athletic headgear, athletic footwear, athletic balls, and other athletic equipment. 
     
     
         9 . The cover assembly of  claim 8 , said sports-related item being athletic headgear and selected from the group consisting of helmets, caps, and hats. 
     
     
         10 . The cover assembly of  claim 9 , said headgear selected from the group consisting of helmets for racing, football, lacrosse, baseball batting, rodeo, fencing, skiing and other winter sports, bicycling, hockey, and boxing. 
     
     
         11 . The cover assembly of  claim 8 , said sports-related item being athletic footwear and selected from the group consisting of footwear for soccer, football, hockey, basketball, track, skiing, boxing, golf, ballet, and bicycling. 
     
     
         12 . The cover assembly of  claim 8 , said sports-related item being an athletic ball and selected from the group consisting of baseballs, basketballs, cricket balls, tennis balls, footballs, rugby balls, lacrosse balls, baoding balls, billiard balls, table tennis balls, bowling balls, handballs, soccer balls, wiffle balls, polo balls, golf balls, racquet balls, beach balls, and volley balls. 
     
     
         13 . The cover assembly of  claim 8 , said sports-related item being other athletic equipment and selected from the group consisting of athletic apparel selected from the group consisting of jerseys, shirts, jackets, shorts, pants, stockings, pads, and gloves, hockey pucks, curling stones, racquets, mallets, baseball bats, hockey sticks, and basketball nets. 
     
     
         14 . The cover assembly of  claim 1 , said body outer surface having a portion thereof spaced at least one-half inch from the proximal propane tank, when the cover assembly is mounted on a propane tank. 
     
     
         15 . The combination comprising a propane tank comprising wall structure designed to contain propane and presenting an outer surface, said outer surface being shaped and configured to present a three-dimensional likeness of a sports-related item. 
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 15 , said wall structure comprising a cover assembly separate from a propane tank, said cover assembly comprising a decorative body having and inner and an outer surface, said inner surface configured to mate with a propane tank, said outer surface being shaped and configured to present a three-dimensional likeness of a sports-related item. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 16 , said decorative body being separable from said propane tank or integrated with said propane tank. 
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 16 , said body being air inflatable. 
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 15 , sports-related item selected from the group consisting of athletic headgear, athletic footwear, athletic balls, and other athletic equipment. 
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19 , said sports-related item being athletic headgear selected from the group consisting of helmets, caps, and hats, said helmets selected from the group consisting of helmets for racing, football, lacrosse, baseball batting, rodeo, fencing, skiing and other winter sports, bicycling, hockey, and boxing, said sports-related item being athletic footwear selected from the group consisting of footwear for soccer, football, hockey, basketball, track, skiing, boxing, golf, ballet, and bicycling, said sports-related item being an athletic ball and selected from the group consisting of baseballs, basketballs, cricket balls, tennis balls, footballs, rugby balls, lacrosse balls, baoding balls, billiard balls, table tennis balls, bowling balls, handballs, soccer balls, wiffle balls, polo balls, golf balls, racquet balls, beach balls, and volley balls, said sports-related item being other athletic equipment and selected from the group consisting of athletic apparel selected from the group consisting of jerseys, shirts, jackets, shorts, pants, stockings, pads, and gloves, hockey pucks, curling stones, racquets, mallets, baseball bats, hockey sticks, and basketball nets.