Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONTAINER EVACUATION ARRANGEMENT
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a container evacuation arrangement.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a container evacuation
arrangement for evacuation of bulk flowable materials in intermediate bulk
containers.
BACKGROUND TO INVENTION
Viscous, greasy, flowable materials including powders are generally
transported
in containers having a rigid exterior frame and a flexible interior pocket.
The
io interior pocket normally contains a top mounted inlet and a side mounted
drain.
The pocket is thus filled from the top inlet, which is capped for
transportation and
storage. When the container is to be evacuated, the drain is opened and the
material is allowed to flow out of the container through the drain.
Where the materials are viscous and less flowable for example due to
temperature effects, a mechanism is provided to force the viscous material out
of
the container through the drain. Examples include a double chamber whereby air
is pumped into a first chamber to force the viscous material out of an
adjacent
second chamber.
US Patent 6,234,351 (Wilcox) discloses a pillow bag which is modified to
include
an air input port that allows inflation of an interply region of the bag. As
the
interply region inflates, an inner ply rises and becomes an advancing wall,
raising
the bulk material level in the bag, inclining the bottom of the bag, and
pulling
excess material away from the drain port all at the same time. In another
embodiment, the pillow bag is made with half the initial number of layers
folded
in half to create the upper and lower plies and the non-fold edges are bonded.
Where corner drain ports are used, the bag can be arranged so that an
interlayer
bond parallel to the fold is parallel to a diagonal of a tote in which the bag
sits
and so that the interlayer bond is opposite the drain port to enhance bag
evacuation. An additional optional feature of the invention is the inclusion
of an
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integral filling conduit or snout on the top of the bag, a mouth of which acts
as a
fill port to ease filling of the bag. The invention can also be applied to
fitted bags.
US Patent Application 20010002675 (Wilcox) discloses a method and apparatus
for enhancing evacuation of bulk material shipper bags. A bag is modified to
include an air input port that allows inflation of an interply region of the
bag. As
the interply region inflates, an inner ply rises and becomes an advancing
wall,
raising the bulk material level in the bag, inclining the bottom of the bag,
and
pulling excess material away from the drain port all at the same time. In
another
embodiment, the bag is made with half the initial number of layers folded in
half
to create the upper and lower plies and the non-fold edges are bonded. Where
corner drain ports are used, the bag can be arranged so that an interlayer
bond
parallel to the fold is parallel to a diagonal of a tote in which the bag sits
and so
that the interlayer bond is opposite the drain port to enhance bag evacuation.
An
additional optional feature of the invention is the inclusion of an integral
filling
conduit or snout on the top of the bag, a mouth of which acts as a fill port
to
ease filling of the bag. Junctures can be created in the interply region to
guide its
inflation. The invention can also be applied to fitted bags.
US Patent Application 20080302819 (Stuart) discloses a container evacuation
system for viscous flowable materials such as grease, paste or flowable
powders.
The container system includes a lightweight, rigid exterior, such as a
cardboard
container. Provided within the container is a flexible containment system
constructed of polyethylene sheets or the like. The flexible containment
system is
provided with a plurality of weldments to create at least two pockets, wherein
one pocket contains the flowable material and a second pocket is available to
be
filled with air, to allow air provided to the second pocket to force the
flowable
material from the first pocket out through a drain. The system includes a
weldment which curves around at least a portion of the drain to create a
funnel
which focuses flowable material toward the drain, while reducing the
likelihood of
a portion of the flexible containment system from obstructing the movement of
flowable material out of the first pocket through the drain.
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However, the known construction methods for the evacuation of viscous material
explained above have drawbacks, in particular regarding the positioning of the
welding lines between the pockets of chambers.
It is an object of the invention to a container evacuation arrangement which
will
assist in overcoming the afore-mentioned problems.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to the invention, a container evacuation arrangement includes a
flexible container constructed of at least two layers each consisting of four
polygonally shaped sheets and having
(a) a first flexible pocket adapted to receive a flowable material;
(b) a second flexible pocket in communication with the first flexible pocket
and sealed in fluid communication with the first flexible pocket;
(c) an inlet and/or funnel in communication with the first flexible pocket;
(d) a drain in communication with the first flexible pocket;
(e) a fill port in communication with the second flexible pocket;
and a rigid frame for supporting the flexible container.
Also according to the invention, a method for evacuating a container includes
the
steps of
(a) providing a flexible container constructed of at least two layers each
consisting of four polygonally shaped sheets and having
(i) a first flexible pocket adapted to receive a flowable material;
(ii) a second flexible pocket in communication with the first flexible
pocket and sealed in fluid communication with the first flexible
pocket;
(iii) an inlet and/or funnel in communication with the first flexible
pocket;
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(iv) a drain in communication with the first flexible pocket;
(v) a fill port in communication with the second flexible pocket;
(b) of supporting the flexible container with a rigid frame;
(c) of opening the drain in communication with the first flexible pocket to
allow the flowable material to exit the first flexible pocket;
(d) of charging a fluid into the second flexible pocket through the fill port
with sufficient pressure to assist in forcing the flowable material out of
the first flexible pocket.
The second flexible pocket may surround the first flexible pocket.
1o The first flexible pocket may be secured to the second flexible pocket as
follows:
(a) along seams along the edges of one polygonally shaped sheet;
(b) along seams having a rectangular shape and/or a side of the container;
(c) along seams along the edges of one polygonally shaped sheet and
which further extend to the opposite corners of the first flexible pocket;
and/or
(d) along seams surrounding the inlet and/or the funnel and the drain.
The polygonally shaped sheet, along whose seams the first flexible pocket and
the second flexible pocket are secured, may include the inlet and/or funnel
and
the drain.
The respective four polygonally shaped sheets may be inter-connected and/or
integrally formed.
The flexible container may be a form-fit flexible container.
The seams may be substantially straight.
The fluid may be air.
The flexible container may be cube-shaped.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the
accompanying schematic drawings.
In the drawing there is shown in:
Figure 1: A perspective view of a flexible container of a container evacuation
arrangement according to the invention, with the first pocket full
and the second pocket empty and with the dotted lines indicating
folds;
Figure 2: A perspective view of the flexible container shown in Figure 1, but
with the first pocket partially empty and the second pocket
containing fluid and with the thick line indicating the seam lines;
Figure 3: A perspective view of the flexible container shown in Figure 1, but
with the first pocket partially empty and the second pocket
containing fluid and with the thick line indicating the seam lines;
Figure 4: A perspective view of the flexible container shown in Figure 1, but
with the first pocket partially empty and the second pocket
containing fluid and with the thick line indicating the seam lines;
Figure 5: A perspective view of the flexible container shown in Figure 1, but
with the first pocket partially empty and the second pocket
containing fluid and with the thick line indicating the seam lines;
Figure 6: A perspective view of a first panel of the flexible pocket shown in
Figure 1;
Figure 7: A perspective view of a second panel of the flexible pocket shown in
Figure 1;
Figure 8: A perspective view of a third panel of the flexible pocket shown in
Figure 1;
Figure 9: A perspective view of a fourth panel of the flexible pocket shown in
Figure 1;
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Figure 10: A perspective view of a panel used to construct a layer of the
flexible container according to a second embodiment of the
invention, with the dotted lines indicating folds; and
Figure 11: A top flat view of the panel as shown in Figure 10.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Referring to the drawings, a flexible pocket for a container evacuation
arrangement in accordance with the invention is shown.
A container evacuation arrangement includes a cube-shaped flexible container
10
constructed of at least two layers each consisting of four polygonally shaped
io sheets 12, 14, 16, 18 and having
(a) a first flexible pocket 20 adapted to receive a flowable material;
(b) a second flexible pocket 22 in communication with the first flexible
pocket 20 and sealed in fluid communication with the first flexible
pocket 20;
(c) an inlet and/or funnel 24 in communication with the first flexible
pocket 20;
(d) a drain 26 in communication with the first flexible pocket 20;
(e) a fill port 28 in communication with the second flexible pocket 22;
and a rigid frame (not shown) to supporting the flexible container 10.
The second flexible pocket 22 surrounds the first flexible pocket 20.
The first flexible pocket 20 is secured to the second flexible pocket 22 as
follows:
(a) along seams 30 along the edges of one polygonally shaped sheet 12;
(b) along seams 30.1 having a rectangular shape and/or a side of the
container;
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(c) along seams 30.2 along the edges of one polygonally shaped sheet 12
and which further extend to the opposite corners of the first flexible
pocket 20; and/or
(d) along seams 30.3 surrounding the inlet and/or funnel 24 and the
drain 26.
The polygonally shaped sheet 12 along whose seams the first flexible pocket 20
and the second flexible pocket 22 are secured includes the inlet and/or funnel
24
and the drain 26.
The respective four polygonally shaped sheets 12, 14, 16, 28 can be
to connected/integrally formed as shown in Figures 7 and 8.
The flexible container 10 is a form-fit flexible container.
The seams 30 are substantially straight.
Thus the container evacuation arrangement according to the invention provides
a
method for evacuating a container which includes the steps of
(a) providing a flexible container 10 constructed of at least two layers each
consisting of four polygonally shaped sheets 12, 14, 16, 18 and having
(i) a first flexible pocket 20 adapted to receive a flowable material;
(ii) a second flexible pocket 22 in communication with the first
flexible pocket 20 and sealed in fluid communication with the first
flexible pocket 20;
(iii) an inlet and/or funnel 24 in communication with the first flexible
pocket 20;
(iv) a drain 26 in communication with the first flexible pocket 20;
(v) a fill port 28 in communication with the second flexible pocket 22;
(b) of supporting the flexible container 10 with a rigid frame;
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(c) of opening the drain 26 in communication with the first flexible
pocket 20 to allow the flowable material to exit the first flexible
pocket 20;
(d) of inserting a fluid into the second flexible pocket 22 through the fill
port 28 with sufficient pressure to assist in forcing the flowable
material out of the first flexible pocket 20.
The fluid is generally air, but can be another gas.
