CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an overall view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a view along lines 2-2 in FIG. 1 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an overall exploded view of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates an underside view of the present invention with a protective cover tied and secured across the bag portion;

FIG. 5 illustrates an underside view of the present invention with a protective cover secured across the entire underside of the bulk bag;

FIG. 6 illustrates an underside view of the present invention in a bulk bag having an opening in its floor portion;

FIG. 7 illustrates an underside view of the present invention embodying a cover for the opening in the floor portion a bulk bag;

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate overall views of a prior art pallet portions which may be used with the present invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates a plurality of the bulk bags of the present invention stacked upon one another in rows in a rigid and secure manner;

FIG. 11 illustrates a partial cutaway view of an additional embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 illustrates an isolated view of a pleat as illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrates a partial cutaway view of the modified drop down portion of the bulk bag;

FIG. 15 illustrates an additional embodiment of the drop down portion of the bulk bag;

FIG. 16 illustrates a top view of the pattern of the embodiment of the drop down portion illustrated in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 illustrates a side view of a bulk bag with no lifting loops with the modified drop down portion of the bulk bag filled with bulk material;

FIG. 18 illustrates the modified drop down portion of the bulk bag including the pleat features of FIG. 11;

FIG. 19 illustrates a group of filled bulk bags of the type having a drop down portion set upon a roller conveyor;

FIG. 20 illustrates a modified bulk bag having a drop down portion protective member;

FIG. 21 illustrates a side view of the bulk bag illustrated in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 illustrates a side view of the bulk bag in FIG. 21, with the protective member released from the bag; and

FIG. 23 illustrates a box housing for enclosing the drop down portion as bulk is poured into the bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 through 7 illustrate a first preferred embodiment of the container system 10, which includes a bulk bag of the present invention incorporating a pallet feature therein. FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate views of a prior art pallet which may be utilized with the bulk bag of the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 7. FIGS. 11 through 23 illustrate additional preferred embodiments of the container system of the present invention.

Turning first to FIGS. 1 through 7, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a fabric bulk bag 10, of the type having a top wall 14, side walls 16, and a bottom wall 18. In most cases the bulk bag 10 would have an opening in its top wall 14 through which bulk material is poured into the bag space 20, and an opening 22 on its bottom wall 18 for allowing the bulk to flow from the bag space 20, when the normally closed opening 22 is opened. The opening 22 would usually include a down spout for allowing the bulk material to flow into another vessel or the like. These features are quite common in most bulk bags.

Turning again to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated the underside or bottom wall 18 of bulk bag 10 of the present invention, which would include a pair of fabric sleeves 24 stitched, or secured in other ways, along the edges 25 so as to define an opening 26 between the sleeve 24 and the underside 18 of the bulk bag 10. As illustrated the sleeves 24 are open at their two ends 28, 30, which would allow a support member 32, as illustrated, to be slidingly engaged through the opening 26. Each support member would include an opening 35 throughout to accommodate a foklift tyne. The support members 32 may have ends 34, 36 extending beyond the ends 28, 30 of the sleeves, although this is not necessarily required. As is further illustrated the sleeves 24 are positioned substantially parallel to one another on the underside 12, and spaced sufficiently apart so, after support members 32 are in place, will allow the tynes of a forklift to slide into each support member 32 when the filled bulk bag 10 is being lifted and moved, as will be discussed further.

In a related application, owned by Ameriglobe, there is provided a detailed explanation of various types of support members 32 which could be utilized with the bulk bag of the present invention. This related application, entitled "BULK BAG PALLET TUBE APPARATUS", is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.

As seen particularly in FIG. 2, the underside 18 of bulk bag 10 is configured to define a bulk containing space 70 between the two sleeves 24, so that when receiving sufficient bulk, the bulk 71 within the containing space 70 occupies the entire space between the two sleeves 24, and further defines a continuous lower surface 72 upon which the bag rests, as defined by the two members 32 and the bulk bag space 70. As illustrated, the bottom wall 18 of bulk bag 10 has been designed to provide sufficient fabric between the two sleeves 24, so as to allow bulk within the bag to fill the entire void or space 70 between the entire length of the two sleeves 24 and perform the support function as seen in FIG. 2.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the support members 32 are substantially rigid, four-sided rectangular members having a space 35 therethrough for accommodating the tynes of a forklift, as described earlier. After the members 32 are slidingly engaged within sleeves 24, the two members 32 together with the bulk space 70 maintains a solid and flat support undersurface 72 extending across the entire bottom surface of the bag upon which the bulk bag rests.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate additional features which may be included as part of the present invention to help maintain the bulk bag free from contamination and offer greater support. As seen first in FIG. 4, the bulk space 70 between support sleeves 24 has been provided with an underside 75, which may be rigid or flexible, but, as seen, would be tied in place to bag 10 via ties 77. This underside 75 would offer a barrier between the surface upon which the bag 10 rests and the underwall of the bulk space 70. In this embodiment the two sleeves 24 are not covered by the underside 75.

In FIG. 5, the underside 75 has been modified so that it extends across the entire underside 18 of the bag 10, including the two sleeves 24. In this embodiment the underside 75 may be secured to bag 10 in various ways, although the use of velcro to secure the undersurface 75 to the bag 10 would be preferred. In this embodiment there is no direct contact between any portion of the bulk bag underside 18 and the surface upon which the bag rests. Also, depending of the rigidity of the underside 75, the bag would be more secure along its base with such an underside 75 in place across the entire underside 18 of the bag 10.

Turning now to FIGS. 6 and 7, in these Figures, the bulk bag 10, which incorporates the bulk space 70 along its underside 18 would be of the type having an opening 22 in its underside 18 for allowing bulk within the bag 10 to be released from the bag 10. In FIG. 6, the underside 18 simply has the opening 22 exposed to the surface upon which it rests, between the two sleeves 24. In FIG. 7, however, there is provided a cover 80 which can be attached along the two sleeves 24, again through any means, although velcro is preferred, so that when in place the cover serves as a protective barrier between opening 22 and the surface. Of course when the product within the bag 10 is ready to be released, cover 80 is simply pulled away, as illustrated in FIG. 7, and the opening 22 is opened and bulk flows from the bag 10.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate two embodiments of a prior art pallet portion 90 which may be utilized with the present invention. As illustrated, the pallet 90 includes the two spaced apart support members 32, with the undersurface 76 secured therebetween, on their lower ends, to define the pallet 90 to be used with the bulk bag of the present invention. Because the undersurface 76 is on the lower ends of the support members 32, there is defined a void 94 therebetween which would be filled with the bulk space 70, when that space is filled with bulk. Therefore, together, the two support members 32, and the bulk space 70, filling the void 100, and resting on undersurface 76 would provide a bulkbag/pallet combination 96 which would be very stable. The only difference between the two embodiments of the pallet 90 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, is that the embodiment in FIG. 8 illustrates the pallet 90 with a central opening 92 which would be aligned with the opening 22 in the underside 18 in bulk bag 10 to allow bulk to flow therethrough when the downspout is released and bulk flows. FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment that would be utilized with a bulk bag having no opening in its bottom wall 18, and therefore, eliminating the need for an opening in pallet undersurface 76.

As seen in FIG. 10, there is represented a plurality of the bulk bags 10 of the present invention stacked upon one another. The pair of lower bags 10 represent the embodiment where the support members 32 secured within the sleeves 24, and the bulk space 70 filled with bulk to define a continuous support underside 75 upon which the bags 10 rest. The pair of upper bags 10, resting on lower bags 10, represent the embodiment utilizing the integrated combination of bulk bag and pallet feature; that is, with the bulk bag 10 secured upon a, pallet 90, which is not integrated as part of bag 10, but which, when the bulk has filled bulk space 70, allows the bag 10 to rest on pallet 90, with the bulk space 70 nested between support members 32, and undersurface 76 extending between the members 32, to define a solid base upon which the upper bags 10 are supported.

For purposes of construction, the support members 32 would be injection molded high density polyethylene (HDPE), or be formed of some other suitable, equivalent material, but in each case sufficiently strong to support the weight of a filled bulk bag, yet geometrically shaped to strengthen the members 32 against deflection; and each side wall have a 10 degree angle to strengthen the walls against uneven floors. Also, the corners of each of the members 32 are rounded to allow the members 32 to easily inserted into sleeves 24 without snagging the fabric. The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

FIGS. 11 through 23 illustrate additional preferred embodiments of the container system of the present invention as illustrated by the numeral 110. As illustrated in the figures, there is depicted a bulk bag 111 having a floor portion 112 of a bulk bag 111, of the type as described in FIGS. 1 through 10, having a top portion 113 (FIG. 17), plurality of sidewalls 115. The floor portion 112 having a drop down portion 114 incorporated therein, positioned between to inserts 32 as was described earlier in FIGS. 1 through 10. It should be noted for purposes of construction, the drop down portion 114, which as illustrated, has a pair of side walls 116, 118 and opposing end walls 120, 124, which are stitched to form the rectangular drop down portion 114. The upper edges 126 of the drop down portion would be stitched to the bottom portion 112 of the bulk bag to define the composite floor portion 112 with the drop down portion 114 incorporated therein, as illustrated.

It should be noted that when dry bulk material is delivered into the bulk bag during filling, usually from a spout on the upper wall, the bulk material, of course fills the lower end of the bulk bag, with the drop down portion 114 receiving the bulk initially. As more bulk is poured into the bag, the weight of the bulk tends to force the end walls 120, 124 and side walls 116, 118 outward, attempting to reform the drop down portion from the rectangular shape as illustrated to a circular shape. When this occurs, the expansion of the side walls 116, 118 begin to impinge on the inserts or support members 32, and cause the members to disorient so that the members 32 are not lying flat. This presents difficulties in the tines of a forklift entering the spaces 35 within the members 32 to lift the bag. Furthermore, an even more difficult problem is that the shorter end walls 120, 124 will bulge outwards in the direction of arrows 130, which causes high stress on the bag's fabric wall at the point above the stitch line to the drop down portion. This stress will result in a rupture of the bag wall, which, of course, is very undesirable.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrates one of the means for compensating for this bulging effect, and to reduce the outward bulging of end members 120, 124 which would also reduce the great stress on the fabric of the bag bottom 112 and the drop down portion 114. This means comprises a pair of pleats 134, which are formed along the sidewalls 116, 118 and the floor portion 112 of the drop down portion 114. The pleats 134, as formed, and illustrated ir isolated view in FIG. 12, take up fabric 135 along the length of the drop down portion 114, tending to force the end walls 120, 124 inward, so that when bulk is poured into the bag 110, and creates the stresses on the end walls 120, 124, as referred to earlier, the end walls 120, 124 will not be forced outwardly to the extent as would occur without the pleats 134, thus reducing the stress on the fabric of the bag.

In order to provide greater strength between the stitched connection between the bag floor portion 112 and the drop down portion 114, reference is made to FIG. 13 where there is illustrated a length of reinforced material, known in the industry as webbing 140, which would be stitched along each end wall 120, 124 at the connection between the bag floor 112 and the drop down portion 114. The ends 142 of the webbing 140 would wrap around to the side walls 116, 118 and would terminate along each side wall 116, 118. In this embodiment the webbing 140 would cover only a portion of the end walls 120, 124 of the drop down portion 114. An additional option to reinforce the side walls 116, 118 and end walls 120, 124 of the drop down portion 114 of the bag, is illustrated in FIG. 14. In this configuration, there would be provided a length of webbing 141, which would be of the same width as the end walls 120, 124 of the drop down portion 114, and would be sewn in place around the entire perimeter walls of the drop down portion 114, as illustrated. Thus, when bulk material is placed therein, the reinforced webbing 141 would greatly assist in preventing the walls of the drop down portion 114 from bowing outward, and therefore minimizing the stress on the fabric of the bag.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 15 through 17 for a discussion of yet an additional means for preventing or greatly reducing the bulging of the side walls 116, 118 of the drop down portion 114. As illustrated first in FIG. 15, a top view of the drop down portion 114 is illustrated before it is sewn into the composite structure 114 that would be sewn to the bag. As illustrated, the two edges 121 of end walls 120, 124, rather than forming a 90 degree angle to the edges 123 of side walls 116, 118, the edges 121 are angulated inward, so that when the edges 121 are sewn to edges 123, the composite structure, rather than being a rectangular box, as seen in FIG. 11, would have the two end walls 120, 124 formed in a trapezoid shape, with the two side walls 116, 118 brought inward as seen in FIG. 16. The result would be that when bulk is poured into the drop down portion 114, as seen in FIG. 17, the side walls 116, 118, forming the trapezoid configuration (seen in phantom view) rather than expand outward and impinge on the two inserts 32, would move from the position inward (phantom view) to a postion either upright, or slightly bulging, to compensate for the stress caused by the bulk material. This would greatly reduce, if not totally eliminate any impingement of the side walls 116, 118 on the inserts, as was described earlier.

As seen in FIG. 18, there is illustrated a combination of the pleats 134 as described for reducing stress on the side walls 116, 118, as described in FIGS. 11 and 12. In addition, there could be included the use of the reinforced webbing 140 along the end walls 120, 124, as seen in FIG. 13, or the use of the wider webbing 141 around the entire perimeter of the drop down portion 114, as seen in FIG. 14, when as used together with the trapezoid construction of the drop down portion 114, as discussed, would define the most secure drop down portion 114, which is resistant to bulging and deforming under the stress of the bulk within the bag. Of course all of the reinforcement features as discussed could be used in different combinations or independently depending on the requirements for a particular bag and its contents.

An additional means for reducing the bulging of the drop down portion 114 after being filled with bulk, is illustrated in FIG. 23. In this figure there is illustrated a rectangular box 150, having sidewalls 152 and end walls 154 to define a space 156 therein. Box 150 would be substantially the same size as the dimensions of the drop down portion 114. The box 150 would be set beneath the drop down portion 114 when the bag is yet filled. Upon being filled, the drop down portion 114 would expand to the configuration of the walls of the box 150, but would be prevented from expanding further. When the bag is lifted from the box 150, although there would be some expansion of the drop down portion 114, it has been found through tests, that the expansion would be a great deal less than without the box 50, when poured into a drop down portion 114 that has not been reinforced as described in relation to FIGS. 11 through 18 above.

The final problem which must be addressed is the problem of the drop down portion 114 expanding downward beyond the floor portions of the two inserts 32. This problem and its solution is discussed in FIGS. 19 through 22. In FIG. 19, bulk bags 111 are illustrated moving along a roller conveyor 160. A common problem occurs when the filled bulk bag 111 would be lifted and set upon the conveyor rollers 162 to be moved from one place to the next. The bulge on the bottom of the drop down portion 114 would tend to encounter the rollers 162 and would cause the bag 111 to become lodged and unable to move along the rollers 162.

The solution to this problem is provided in FIGS. 20 through 22. What is provided is a substanially rigid member 170, constructed of hard plastic or the like, which would be of dimensions equal to the length and width of the drop down portion 114. The member 170 would be secured to the sidewalls 115 of the bag, or walls 116, 118 of the drop down portion 114, with a pair of fabric strands 172, 174, sewn into the bag wall at a first end and threaded through openings 175 in the ends of the member 170 and tied in place. As illustrated, the length of the strands 172, 174, would allow the member 170 to hang a distance below the filled drop down portion 114 when the bag is lifted. When the bag 110 is set in place on roller conveyor 160, the member 170 would be resting on the conveyor surface, and the drop down portion 114 would rest on the inner face of the member 170, making no contact with the conveyor surface. Therefore, together with the lower surfaces of the inserts 32 and the lower surface of the member 170, the bag 111 would be resting on a flat, smooth surface and would move easily along the conveyor surface. Each bag would have such a member 170 attached; therefore, there would be no need to manually place such a member 170 beneath each bag, as each bag is set in place on the conveyor 160. Furthermore, the member 170 would define a means to provide a barrier between the lower end of the bag and the surfaces upon which the bag would rest during transport and storage. This would prevent contamination of the bag contents, and would further provide a lower surface, defined by the two inserts and the member 170 upon which the bag rests. It has been shown that this under surface provides an almost "tripod" lower end which would more easily conform to an irregular surface, since each component; i.e., the two inserts 32 and the drop down portion 114 is acting apart from the other components and would allow greater stability of the bag when placed upon another bag.

As illustrated in FIG. 22, when the contents of the bag are ready to be removed via the downspout 177, two of the strands 172, 174 would be untied from one end of the member 170, and the member 170 would swing away from the bottom of the bag (arrow 179) to allow access to the downspout to release the bag contents 180. When the bag is empty, the member 170 could returned to its full protective mode.

It is foreseen that the system as discussed in relation to FIGS. 1 through 22 provide a complete system for supporting and transporting bulk bags. It should be noted that the bulk bag 110 as illustrated in FIG. 17, has no lifting loops as would a conventional bulk bag 110. In the preferred system, there would be no use of lifting loops. The use of inserts 32 together with the drop down portion 114, as illustrated, allows the bag to be moved easily and to be set upon a surface or upon other bags, as the case may be. The carrier system as described, including the pair of inserts 32, and the manner in which the drop down portion is reinforced to maintain its rectangular configuration would define the single system of lifting and transporting the bulk bags in the system.

PARTS LIST

The following is a list of suitable parts and materials for the various elements of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.