DISCARDABLE LOAD PALLET-BASED BULK CONTAINER

Abstract: Discardable bulk container of plastic or rubber, intended for liquids and loose goods. The bulk container has closable filling and bottom draining apertures. The bulk container is encircled by a supporting frame (6) in order to prevent bulging of the bulk container and to enable bulk containers to be stacked upon each other. Bulk containers of prior art are containers constructed of hard plastic, with metallic structure or enclosed in metal cladding, and which are rendered inapplicable in single-trip transports by their high price. With a view to eliminating this drawback, in the bulk container of the invention the supporting frame (6) consists of an inner collar (5) of corrugated cardboard, provided with wooden, polyurethane, or equivalent supports, in a corrugated cardboard box (1).

Description: Discardable load pallet-based bulk container The present invention concerns a discardable load pallet- based container, made of corrugated cardboard, appropri¬ ate for transporting- liquids and loose goods and by its special design enabling filled containers to be stacked upon each, other. The container comprises a separate inner container made of plastic or rubber and having a closable filling and bottom draining aperture. In prior art, liquid containers of this type are contain- ers constructed of hard plastic with metallic structures or enshrouded in a metallic cladding, their high price precluding their use as discardable containers for single transports . The object of the invention is to provide an economical, discardable bulk container which is stackable in filled condition. This is achieved, as taught by the invention, in that the supporting frame of the bulk container consists of a spe¬ cially designed, foldable corrugated cardboard boy rein¬ forced with a wood, polyurethane or equivalent filling and which is placed on a discardable load pallet for transporting. For liquids and loose goods, the bulk con- tainer is provided with a discardable, collapsible plast¬ ic container provided with a filling and emptying tube. Since bulk containers may be manufactured in several sizes, e.g. with 500, 1000, 1500 litres capacity, the supporting frame of the container has to be strong enough to counteract its bulging tendency and to permit stack¬ ing. Unless the problem solution taught by the invention is applied, corrugated cardboard cannot be used to this purpose. The characteristic feature odT : the invention is an inner collar provided on the corrugated cardboard box and stayed on every side by a supporting structure made of wood or e.g. of hard polyurethane such as is shown in Fig. 2. The task of the supporting structure is to trans¬ mit the greater part of the effect of the liquid bag tending to push the sides of the package outward, over the collar to the corners of the container. As a result of this design, the sides of the container will not bulge and the container keeps its shape. Stackability of the illed containers is achieved, by the aid of the inven¬ tion, by * tlιβ same wooden, polyurethane, or equivalent supporting structure keeping the inner collar in shape. It is a further characteristic feature of the invention that the draining tube of the liquid bag is for in_ tance of polyethylene and affixed by heat seaming to the lower part of the liquid bag. During the filling operation and during transport, the draining tube is rc ded up as shown in Fig. 1. For emptying, the flap of the liquid container is opened and the folded—up draining tube is pulled out. Draining is effected by cutting open the end of the tube. The draining operation may be suspended by lifting the tube end to a height above the liquid level in the container. A shut-off valve or hose connector may be attached to the draining tube if required. ""■ Then empty and during storage, the corrugated cardboard container with its supporting structure is kept folded as Fig, 2 shows. The invention is described in the following with refer¬ ence by way of an example to the attached drawings, wherein:- Fig. 1 presents a bulk container according to the inven ¬ tion, in condition ready for transporting, and the ' BUU * C.'.FI bottom draining design applied iri the liquid-transport¬ ing version of the container, Fig, 2 shows its supporting structures, and Fig. 3 shows the inner container employed in the liquid- transporting version of the bulk container, empty and filled. In Fig. 1 has been depicted a bulk container, in liquid- transporting version, lodged on a load pallet. Emptying of the container is effected by opening the flap 2 on the container 1 and pulling out the draining tube 3 lying folded up behind the flap. The tube is raised to be above the liquid level in the container, and the closed end k of the tube 3 in Fig. is cut off. Prevention of the bulk container's bulging, and stack- ability of filled containers on each other is accom- pushed by the aid of the special design shown in Fig. 2. The inner collar 5, made of corrugated cardboard, on the corrugated cardboard box 1 has been braced to main¬ tain its shape, by the supporting structure 6 shown ±n. Fig. 2. In the version depicted, the supporting str c- ture is made of wood. Alternatively, the space defined between the corrugated cardboard box 1 and the inner collar 5 may be filled with hard polyurethane or equiv¬ alent. By using polyurethane, thermal lagging of the container is achieved in addition to the structural properties described. In the liquid-transporting version is employed a col¬ lapsible container 7 made by heat seaming of polyethy¬ lene plastic, of the type shown in Fig. 3« T e contain- ΘΓ is placed in the opened corrugated cardboard con¬ tainer. For bottom draining, the container has been provided with a draining tube 3 of polyethylene plast¬ ic, of which the end has been closed by heat seaming h . For the duration of filling and transporting, the drain¬ ing tube 3 is folded up as shown in Fig. 3 and affixed with tape 8, For filling, the container has on top a filling aper¬ ture " provided with a screw cap 9» The container may al¬ ternatively be provided with a filling tube made by heat seaming of polyethylene, which is closed by heat seaming or by clamping. Thanks to the supporting structure of the corrugated cardboard container, the inner container which has to be made for bulk transports of liquids may be manufac¬ tured e.g. of thin O-p ' olyethylene by heat seaming. This results in considerable reduction of the material and manufacturing costs, whereby it becomes possibi s to use the bulk container as a discardable bulk pack¬ aging in export shipments. In domestic trasnports, the container stands even several shipments , thanks to its sturdy construction. As regards the material and manu¬ facturing costs, a liquid container with 100 litres ca¬ pacity according to the invention is well competitive with five 200-litre barrels. URE_

Claims: Claims 1. Discardable bulk container of plastic or rubber for liquids and loose goods, with closable filling and bot¬ tom draining apertures and encircled by a supporting frame to the purpose of preventing bulging tendencies and enabling stacking one upon the other, characterized in that the supporting frame (6) consists of an inner collar (5) of corrugated cardboard, provided with wood¬ en, polyurethane, or equivalent supports, in a corru¬ gated cardboard box (l). 2. Bulk container according to claim 1 , characterized in that the draining tube (3) is for the duration of filling and transporting folded up and affixed with tape (8) and the end (4) of the tube (3) I s closed by heat seaming. 3. Bulk ooirfcainer according to claim 1 or .2, charac¬ terized in that the corrugated cardboard box (l) con¬ stituting the supporting frame has been provided with a flap (2) openable for pulling out the draining tube (3). . Bulk container according to any one of claims 1 -3 , characterized in that the corrugated cardboard box (l) with its supporting structure (6) and inner collar (5) is collapsible by folding (lθ) for transporting in empty condition and for storage. -gUREA OV.PI

Inventors: KEKAELAEINEN H, ROSENQVIST T
Applicants: UNIPALL OY
Application year: 1981
Main classification: B65D77
IPC codes: B65D77