FLEXIBLE CONTAINER WITH SEPARATE LIFTING AREA

Abstract: Flexible container (6) for transport and storage of bulk material, comprises integral lifting loops (9) having openings (5) for insertion of lifting means. In the upper part of the container (6) there is placed a piece of material (1, 1'), preferably of flexible material, which separates and can close off that part of the container (6) which shall be filled with bulk material, from the lifting loop (9). The piece of material (1) is fastened along the openings (5), possibly also to the container's wall or is pressed against it by means of a lifting handle sleeve. The container (6) also comprises a filling spout (a, b, c or d) which preferably is an integral part of the piece of material (1, 1') and is Y- or T-formed or has a form derived thereof, and where the Y's or T's branches (a, b, c) can be equally long or have different lengths and one or two of the branches (a, b, c) can have a length equal to zero. The branches (b and c) of the Y- or T-formed piece of material (1, 1') have openings (7, 7') which are fastened along the opening (5) in the lifting loops (9). Parts of the branches (a, b, c, d) or extensions of these can be used for joining of the lifting loops forming one or several permanent lifting handles (4).

Description: Flexible container with separate lifing area The present invention relates to flexible containers for transport and storage of bulk material. The container com¬ prises integral lifting loops, which are direct extensions of its side walls, and which form openings for lifting means. Containers of the above mentioned type have been in use for some time and have proved to be well suited for several purposes. Usually they comprise a liner of impervious material, and when they are to be filled with free-flowing bulk material the liner is usually first inflated by air. US Patent No. 4.136.723 shows such a container having bottom flaps crossing each other. The container is preferably equipped with two integral lifting loops having a total width substantially equal to half of the container's circumference such that the lifting loops comprise all longitudinal fibres in the container. By using an apparatus described in GB Patent No. 1.505.583 a filled container can stand upright on the floor without any extra support. Its lifting loops can also be hanging on a hook or the like before inflation and filling of bulk material. The container is made ready for further transport after filling. This may comprise closure of the liner and joining of the lifting loops such that one obtains a suitable loop which easily can be placed on a hook or other lifting means by pressing the lifting loops together and securing them in this position. Joining of the lifting loops to a permanent lifting handle can, however, be carried out before the container is filled by bulk material as de¬ scribed in Norwegian Patent Application No. 830718 (corres¬ ponding to EP 118.112). By application of containers with a liner of impervious material, the function of the liner is to protect the bulk material in the container against contamination, and to close the container such that the bulk material therein will not flow out if the container topples, for instance due to in¬ correct handling. In this connection it should be mentioned that the liner must of course be kept completely watertight until discharge, however, experience shows that the upper part of the liner can easily be damaged by lifting means. The liner if often used just to fulfil this function of pre¬ venting the bulk material from flowing out of the container, as several types of bulk material do not need to be protected against contamination. In certain cases, especially during filling of dusty bulk material in flexible containers having at least one lifting loop, the primary function of the liner is to form a filling spout which is placed tightly around the filling pipe and thereby prevent dust formation during the filling operation. The liner represents a relatively large part of the total cost of the container. The use of such liners, if they shall only prevent the bulk material in the container from flowing out due to incorrect handling or if they shall only be used as filling spout, is therefore not very economic. However, several types of bulk material require protection against contamination, and a liner has to be used. When containers having integral lifting loops with or without permanent lifting handle are used, contaminants entering through the openings in the lifting loop can get into the space between the liner and the outer container. When the container is emptied, the pressure from the bulk material against the liner which keeps it against the outer con¬ tainer's walls, ceases, and possible contaminants in the said space can follow the bulk material out of the container and contaminate the material when being discharged froir. the container. Flexible containers as shown in US Patent No. 4.136.723, having a squarish bottom construction and where the container is equipped with two integral lifting loops having a total width substantially equal to half of the container's circum¬ ference, are well suited for transport and storage of bulk material without use of a liner of impervious material if the container is closed just below the lifting loop. A known way of doing this is for instance by tying a rope around the con¬ tainer below the lifting loops in form of a clove hitch or the like. The disadvantages of such a method are: This closing operation has to be carried out after the bulk material has been filled into the container as the rope closes the fill opening of the container, and the capacity of the filling apparatus can not be fully utilized. When the container is pressed together below the lifting loop, channels can easily form so that the container will not necessarily be completely closed by this method. The rope knot may slip. The capacity of the container can not be fully utilized as its net volume is reduced when the container is lashed below the fill opening. The main object of the present invention was to arrive at a new way of closing the container such that the container could function without using a liner of impervious material and without reducing its transport and storage capacity. Another object was to be able to close the container also when a liner was used to prevent contaminants from getting into the space between the outer container and the liner such that the bulk material could be contaminated as the container was discarged and the liner no longer was pressed against the outer container's walls. A further object was to arrive at menas or special embodi¬ ments of the outer container which secured that the liner could not be damaged by lifting means. One way of solving the problem related to intrusion of con¬ taminants is to cover the complete container by an external hood of suitable impervious material. Below the top of such a hood an opening will have to be made for insertion of lifting means into the lifting loop, accordingly contaminants are not prevented from entering into the container. Containers having four lifting loops or containers of the hood-lift type have at least two of their container walls terminating just above the filling height of the bulk material. In order to obtain structural stability it has been common to fasten a lid of flexible material at the top of such containers or constrict the container's walls above or at those places where the lifting loops are fastened to the container ("Four-loop flexible IBC"). If a lid is used, one can either cut a filling opening in it or fasten filling spout to it. Extensions of the constricted container walls can also form a filling spout. In those cases one will get a filling spout which can be closed after filling the bulk material into the container. For these types of containers one has accordingly solved the main object by placing an external filling spout at the con¬ tainer' s outer extremities. From US Patent No. 4.010.784 it is also known to equip a four-loop flexible container by a lid which is fastened around the complete circumference at the container's top. In the lid there is a fill opening which can be closed by a rope. It is, however, difficult to obtain complete closure of the opening in this way. For containers having integral lifting loops where the width of the lifting loop or loops comprises substantially one half of the container's circumference, one can of course also place a filling spout in the container's outer wall and close this one after filling of bulk material. But the problem is not solved as the lifting loops still will have two openings leading into the room between the container and the liner. Another way of solving the problem will be to separate that area or part of the container which comprises the integral lifting loops, from that room of the container which is to be filled by bulk material. Previously it has been mentioned that one could close the container after having filled the container with bulk material by tying a rope around it below the lifting loop. By pressing the container's walls together in this way one obtains a partition in a "lifting area" and a "cargo com¬ partment". One may of course also tie the rope around the container and press it together before it is filled with bulk material when one places an external filling spout in the container's wall below the place where it is pressed together. The capacity of the filling equipment can thereby be better utilized, but the container's lifting strength is then weakened and the capacity is reduced. Further development of the idea of splitting the container in a lifting area and a cargo compartment showed that the problem of separating the lifting area and the cargo com- part-nent could be solved relatively simply by placing a piece of material in the lifting area. Having placed the piece of material in the container, its edges were joined at both its ends with the corresponding edges of the two openings in the lifting loop. The lifting area was then separated from the cargo compartments and the lifting area was open for inser¬ tion of lifting means while the cargo compartment was closed to hold the bulk material. Containers having integral over¬ lapping lifting loops could be joined in such a way that a separating pipe was formed. In order to get the bulk material into the container one had, however, to use a filling spout which led into the cargo com¬ partment. If the above described piece of material was sub¬ stituted by a T-pipe and this one was placed in the openings of the lifting loop, one found that the downward directed leg of the T could be pulled out through one of the lifting loop's two openings so that it could be utilized, as filling spout, as it was leading directly into the container's cargo compartment. The length of the T's wings can be varied as desired, from a length larger than the width of the flat container till 0. When the wings of the T are equal to 0, the partitioning piece of material can be made in several ways: 1) from a round-woven piece of material 2) from a flat-woven piece of material folded double and sewn together in its lower part and thereupon sewn in the same way as described above 3) from two flat pieces of material which are sewn together. The spout is drawn out through the side openings during filling. After filling it can be folded and put back into the container. 4) a piece of material which gives the lifting area form of a pipe ^ Filling of bulk material is performed through a separate filling spout (a'). The special features of the invention are accordingly that a pipe-formed lifting area is formed and closed by placing a piece of material in the form of a T or Y or a piece of material which has a form which can be derived therefrom in the interior of the container, which thereby becomes divided in a lifting area and a cargo compartment. The piece of material can also be formed such that it in addition can serve as a fill opening such that the bulk material can be led to the cargo compartment. The branch pipe of the piece of material which is used as filling spout can be drawn out through one of the openings of the lifting loop or the central filling opening and it will then be closed after the filling of bulk material is finished. Separation of the downward running branch pipe from the T- formed piece of material and fit it as a filling spout which leads into a separate cargo compartment, will be one way of carrying out the invention. For containers having integral overlapping lifting loops, this way of arranging the filling spout will be obvious. The characterizing features of the invention are as defined in the claims. The invention will now be further explained in connection with the figures, which show some ways of carrying out the invention. Fig. 1 shows a flexible pipe-formed piece of material having several branch pipes. Fig. 2 shows the piece of material in Fig. 1 fitted in a flexible container. Fig. 3 shows a flexible piece of material in the form of a single pipe. Fig. 4 shows the upper part of a flexible container, in which is fitted a flexible piece of material according to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows a piece of material derived from Fig. 3, where the upper part of the pipe is cut off, whereby both ends become completely open. Fig. 6 shows a piece of material in the form of a T-pipe, where the top has been removed from the horizontal part and joined to the upper part of the flexible container. Fig. 1 shows a pipe-formed piece of material (1) which shall be fitted in a flexible container having integral lifting loops. The pipe-formed piece of material (1) is preferably of flexible material. But the piece of material (1) can also be a relatively rigid pipe or consist of a rigid pipe having extensions of flexible material. The piece of material (1) shall serve as filling means for bulk material, to separate that part of the container which is filled with bulk material from the lifting loops and be closing means to maintain the bulk material in the container. The pipe-formed piece of material (1) has primarily a T-form with two horizontal branch pipes (b and c) with openings (7) and a vertical branch pipe (a) which in fact is a filling spout. In the horizontal pipe there can be an opening (10) with our without a vertical pipe (d) which is shown by dotted lines. In this case filling of bulk material can take place through the pipes (a and d). This embodiment can be used if there is a filling opening (8) in the container's lifting loops (9) as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The branch pipes (b and c) do not necessarily form an angle of 90° with the branch pipe (a) as the three branch pipes (a,b,c) can form a Y (not shown on the figure). The branch pipes (a), (b), (c) and (d) can have variable lengths and at least one of the branches can have a length equal to 0. The total length of the branch pipes (c) and (b) can be equal to or less than the width of the flat-laid con¬ tainer. Parts of the branch pipes (a,b,c,d) or extensions of these can be used for making permanent lifting handles (4) (Fig. 4). The branch pipe (a) can be placed in the centre of the horizontal pipe or off centre. The diameter of the branch pipe (a) can be less than or equal to the diameter of the container. Fig. 2 shows the upper part of a container (6) with lifting loops (9) and their openings or "armpits" (5) for insertion of lifting means. In the container (6) there is fitted a pipe-formed piece of material (1) which openings (7) are fastened in the "armpits" (5). The filling spout (a) can be drawn out before filling through one of the branch pipes (b,c), possibly out through an opening (10) in the pipe (b,c) and the opening or cut (8). Then the filling can take place through the filling spout (a). After the filling is completed, the filling spout (a) is closed and the lifting loops (9) are pressed together and joined, for instance as shown on Fig. 4. The filling spout (a) can be a separate filling spout (a') placed in the container's (6) wall. Lifting means can now be led in through the pipe-formed piece of material (1) and the bulk material in the con¬ tainer (6) is separated from the lifting loops (9). If the 10 container topples, the bulk material can not flow out through the armpits (5) . When the container (6) has two or several lifting loops (9) which are joined together in more than one permanent lifting handle (4) (see Fig. 4), the edges in the openings (10) in the piece of material (1) are fastened to the respective edges which are formed by the cut (8) in the container (6). Fig. 3 shows a pipe-formed piece of material (1) without branch pipes (b) and (c), having a diameter (2) which can be larger, equal to or less than the flat-laid width (3) between the openings (7). In a similar way as shown in Fig. 1 the pipe (a) can have an opening (10) with or without exten¬ sions (d). Fig. 4 shows a container (6) having lifting handle (4) and a pipe-formed piece of material (1), according to Fig. 3, fastened along the edges of the armpits (5). Before filling of bulk material the pipe (a) is pulled out of the armpit (5) (as shown on the figure), and after filling the pipe (a) can be lashed. Fig. 5 shows a piece of material (1,1') corresponding to that shown in Fig. 3, but having its upper part cut off so that the piece of material (1,1') becomes a pipe-formed filling spout (a) which is completely open in both ends. The openings (7) in Fig. 3 will thereby be substituted with the semicircled openings (7*). When the openings (7') are fastened in the lower part of the armpits (5) and the lifting loops are joined together by a sleeve-formed lifting handle at the upper half, the lifting area will be separated from the cargo compartment. The pipe (a) is closed after filling, for instance by lashing, and the lifting area becomes separated from the cargo compartment so that the bulk material can not flow out from it. Fig. 6 shows a piece of material (1*), having substantially semicircled cross-section, placed in a flexible con¬ tainer (6). The branches (c and d) of the piece of material (1') have openings (7') fastened in the lower part of the armpits (5), as shown on the figure. The edges between the openings (7') are fastened to the container walls between the armpits (5) or pressed tightly against the container wall by means of a lifting handle sleeve, in order to form a pipe of the lifting area which can separate the lifting area from the cargo compartment. For filling bulk material into the container (6), one needs a filling spout (a) which can be an integral part of the piece of material (1') or a separate pipe (a 1 ) placed in the container's (6) wall. After filling, the filling spout (a,a') is closed and bulk material can accordingly not flow out of the container (6). Application of a piece of material (1 * ) as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 reduces the consumption of cloth material compared to application of a piece of material (1), and when the lifting loops are joined with a lifting handle this can be done in an easier way, as one has less cloth material to gather together. If one applies a liner in the container (6), the liner's fill opening will of course be pulled out through the filling spout of the piece of material (1,1'). Filling of bulk material will of course be carried out in such a way that no bulk material gets between the outside of the liner and the piece of material (1,1'). By the present invention one has obtained a simple way of preventing that bulk material can flow out of a container having integral lifting loops if it topples. One has also obtained that contaminants can not damage the liner. Con¬ taminants can not get in between the container's walls and the liner and during discharge it will not follow out together with the bulk material and contaminate it. Further, the piece of material (1,1) will protect the liner against damage by the lifting means. In spite of the fact that one has closure device partition between the lifting area and the cargo comportmant, one still obtains simple filling of bulk material.

Claims: 13 Claims Flexible container (6) for transport and storage of bulk material, and where the container (6) comprises integral lifting loops (9) which are direct exten¬ sions of the container's (6) walls and which form openings (5) for placement therein of lifting means, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the upper part of the container (6) is pipe-formed and comprises a piece of material (1,1*), preferably of flexible material, which separates and can close off that part of the container (6) which shall be filled with bulk material, from the lifting loop(s) (9), as the piece of material (1,1') is fastened along the openings (5), possibly also to the container's wall or is pressed tightly against it by means of a lifting handle sleeve, and that the con¬ tainer (6) further comprises a filling spout (a,b,c or ), which is an integral part of the piece of material (1,1') or a separate pipe (a'), and where the piece of material (1,1') is Y- or T-formed or a form derived therefrom and where the Y's or T's branches (a,b,c) can have the same or different lengths and that one or two of the branches (a,b,c) can have a length equal to zero. 2. Flexible container according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the piece of material (1) is a pipe-formed Y or T and that the branch pipes (b and c) have openings (7) which are fastened along the openings (5) in the lifting loops (9). 14 Flexible container according to claims 1 and 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t right above the downward running branch pipe (a) and below the opening (8) in the container (6) there is an opening (10) in the piece of material (1), possibly with a branch pipe (d). Flexible container according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the pipe-formed piece of material (1) consists of just one branch pipe (a) and that its upper part com¬ prises two openings (7) fastened to the container (6) in the corresponding openings (5) in the lifting loops (9) and that the distance (3) between the upper part of the openings (7) can be equal to or different from the diameter (2) of the branch pipe (a). Flexible container according to claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t parts of the branch pipes (a,b,c,d) or extensions of these can be used for joining the lifting loops (9) to one or several permanent lifting handles (4). Flexible container according to claims 1 and 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the lifting loops (9) of the container (6) are gathered together in two permanent lifting handles (4) and that in the piece of material (1) there is an opening (10) and that its edges are fastened to the respective edges of the opening (8) in the lifting loops (9), while the edges in the opening (7) are fastened to the respective open¬ ings (5) in the lifting loops (9). 7. Flexible container according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the pipe-formed area is formed by fastening a piece of material (1'), having substantially semicircled cross-section and openings (7'), in the con¬ tainer (6), as the openings (7*) are fastened in the lower part of the openings (5) and the edges of the piece of material (1*) between the openings (7") are fastened to the container (6) between the open¬ ings (5), and that the container (6) is equipped with a filling spout (a,a') which can be an integral part of the piece of material (1') 8. Flexible container according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the piece of material (1') consists of just one . branch pipe (a' ) which is completely open in both ends and having substantially semicircled openings (7' ) in its upper part and that these are fastened to the lower part of the respective openings (5) in the container (6) which in addition is equipped with a permanent lifting handle for complete partition of the lifting area from the cargo compartment. 9. Flexible container according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the branch pipe (a' ) is separated from the T-formed piece of material (1,1') and placed in the con¬ tainer's walls as filling spout.

Inventors: MYKLEBUST EIRIK, OMDAL BJARNE, MYKLEBUST, EIRIK, OMDAL, BJARNE
Applicants: NORSK HYDRO AS, NORSK HYDRO A.S.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B65D88
IPC codes: B65D88