Patent ID: 6382446
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: B65D

Abstract:
A container module for intermodal transportation and storage of dry flowable product, comprising:a tank comprising a body portion, end caps, and a plurality of longitudinally intersecting downwardly discharging hoppers extending along a bottom of said tank, said body portion formed by a wall having a flat upper center section extending no more than about 12 inches laterally, upper curved sections extending laterally and downwardly from said upper center section, flat side sections extending downwardly from said upper curved sections no more than about 12 inches, and lower curved sections laterally intersecting said discharging hoppers; and an elongated support frame which supports said tank, said elongated support frame comprising a horizontally extending bottom frame and upright end frames at each end of said bottom frame, the corner extremities of said elongated support frame defining a container envelope of preset dimensions; wherein: (i) said wall, said end caps, and said discharging hoppers are made of a material comprising aluminum plate having a thickness no greater than about &frac38; inch; (ii) said tank can withstand a pressure of at least about 22 psig; and (iii) said elongated support frame comprises elongate members extending along each side between said end frames and secured to each hopper, said elongate members engaging said hoppers below the widest lateral dimension of said tank and tying said hoppers together to resist bending.