BAG FOR CONTAINING FLOWABLE MATERIAL

Abstract: A plastics bag (11) for containing a flowable material includes an outlet port (10) which includes an aperture (12) and a threaded port (13). Around the aperture (12) is an annular plastics reinforcing member (14) which is welded to the plastics material of the bag. Threadably co-operating with the threaded port (13) is a hollow steel discharge device (15) which includes an end plate (16) and holes (15d) for the passage of flowable material into the device. The reinforcing member (14) restricts the bag from collapsing inwardly and the arrangement of the end plate (16) and holes (15d) restricts the bag from being sucked into the device during discharge of flowable material. As a result, it is found that a high percentage of the volume of liquid in the bag can be discharged therefrom.

Description: BAG FOR CONTAINING FLOWABLE MATERIAL The present invention relates to containers, and is concerned particularly, although not exclusively, with containers of the type known as intermediate bulk containers. The storage and transportation of liquids is typically carried out using containers known as intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) . The typical IBC comprises a box or frame within which is located a lining bag, which in use contains liquid to be stored or transported. Two common methods exist for discharging the liquid product from the bag. The first method comprises discharging the liquid from the bottom of the bag, after piercing the bag. Gravity or else a pumping means is used to force the liquid out of the opening. The second common method of discharge involves pumping out the liquid through a resealable opening at the top of the bag. Typically, this opening is also used for filling the bag with liquid. A problem with both known methods is that some of the liquid remains in the bag and is difficult to discharge. This is both wasteful, and also may lead to problems when the bag is to be destroyed, particularly if the liquid comprises a toxic substance. In the case of the second method, the problem of the residual liquid remaining in the bag may arise due to the walls of the bag itself (especially the sides) obstructing the outlet opening as the bag collapses. This problem is particularly pronounced when liquid of high viscosity is to be discharged from the bag, as the walls of the bag may be more likely to be sucked into the outlet opening than the remaining liquid, under the action of the pump. It is an object of the present invention to address the above-described problems. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bag for containing a flowable material, the bag comprising an outlet port through which flowable material may be discharged from the bag in use, and support means arranged in use to restrict movement of at least a portion of a wall of the bag during discharge of the flowable material. The term "flowable material" includes any flowable liquid or solid. For example, the term includes liquids, gels and solid material, such as granular material or powders. Said portion of said wall is preferably restricted from moving inwardly. Said portion is preferably restricted from moving towards said outlet port, for example under the action of a suction force arranged to discharge the flowable material in use. Said portion is preferably restricted from moving into said outlet port. Said portion of said wall is preferably adjacent said outlet port. Said portion of said wall preferably extends around said outlet port. Preferably, the support means is an integral part of the bag. Preferably, the support means is mounted on a surface of the bag in the region of the outlet port. In a preferred arrangement, the support means comprises a reinforcing member, suitably located around a periphery of the outlet port. Preferably, said reinforcing member comprises a thin plate, preferably in the form of a disc. A major plane of said reinforcing member preferably extends substantially parallel to said portion of said wall. Said major plane of said reinforcing member is preferably in face to face contact with said portion of said wall. Said major plane preferably extends in a direction which is transverse to, more preferably substantially perpendicular to, the direction of extent of said outlet port. A diameter of the reinforcing member is preferably greater than the diameter of the outlet port, suitably by a factor of at least 1.4, preferably at least 1.6, more preferably at least 1.8. In especially preferred embodiments, the diameter of the reinforcing member may be greater than the diameter of the outlet port by a factor of at least 2, preferably at least 3 and, more preferably, at least 3.5. The reinforcing member may be mounted on an inside surface of the bag. Preferably, the bag comprises plastics material. Preferably, the support means comprises plastics material. The outlet port may be located on an upper wall of the bag in use, and is preferably located on a top side of the bag in use. The bag may be provided with an inlet port through which the bag may receive flowable material in use. Preferably, the outlet port and the inlet port comprise a common port. Preferably, the bag includes a single port which is said outlet port described herein. The bag may be provided with a discharge device according to any statement herein. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a discharge device for use with a bag containing flowable material to be discharged, the device comprising a connecting portion arranged, in use, to make a connection with an outlet port of the bag and a tube portion arranged, in use, to extend inwardly of the bag, through which tube portion the flowable material is arranged, in use, to pass during discharge of the flowable material from the bag. Preferably, the tube portion and the connecting portion are connected together or are integral. Preferably, the tube portion is arranged, in use, to restrict movement of at least a portion of a wall of the bag towards the outlet port. Preferably, the tube portion comprises a first end which is, in use, located outside the bag, and a second end which is, in use, located within the bag. The second end may comprise a closed end. Said tube portion is preferably arranged for the passage of flowable material between said second end and said first end in a first direction and said tube portion preferably includes at least one aperture arranged for the passage of flowable material into said tube portion in a direction which is transverse, preferably substantially perpendicular, to said first direction. Preferably, said at least one aperture is located in a side wall of the tube portion. Said side wall preferably extends in said first direction. Preferably, a plurality of apertures is provided. One, or preferably each, aperture may be located towards the second end of the tube portion. One, or preferably each, aperture may be located adjacent said second end. Preferably, the device is provided with an engagement portion arranged, in use, to be attached to or integral with the connecting portion, and to extend outwardly with respect to the bag. The engagement portion is preferably arranged, in use, to engage a hose. The engagement portion may be shaped so as to engage a hose by means of a cam fitting in use. The engagement portion and/or the connecting portion and/or the tube portion may comprise metal, and preferably comprise stainless steel. The tube portion may comprise a substantially hollow cylinder. The cylinder portion may be arranged, in use, to threadably connect to an outlet port of the bag. According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided flowable material discharge apparatus comprising a bag for containing flowable material to be discharged, and a discharge device arranged, in use, to be connected to an outlet port of the bag, the bag being provided with support means arranged, in use, to restrict movement of at least a portion of a wall of the bag during discharge of the flowable material from the bag, the discharge device comprising a tube portion arranged in use to extend inwardly of the bag through which tube portion flowable material is arranged, in use, to pass during discharge of the flowable material from the bag. The bag may be according to any statement herein. The discharge device may be according to any statement herein. The invention also includes a method of discharging flowable material from a bag, the method comprising connecting a discharge device to an outlet port of the bag, the discharge device comprising a tube portion which extends inwardly of the bag, and pumping out flowable material from the bag, whilst restricting movement of at least a portion of a wall of the bag. Preferably, the method comprises restricting movement of at least a portion of a wall of the bag using support means located adjacent the outlet port of the bag. The method may include using the tube portion of the discharge device to maintain the outlet port of the bag and at least a portion of at least one wall of the bag in spaced apart relationship. The invention extends to a bag for containing a flowable material, the bag comprising an outlet port through which flowable material may be discharged from the bag in use and restrictor means for restricting flexing of the bag in a region of the bag substantially opposite said outlet port. Said restrictor means is preferably an integral component of the bag and is, preferably, fixed to the bag in said region of the bag substantially opposite said outlet port. Said restrictor means preferably comprises a thin plate, preferably in the form of a disc. A major plane of said restrictor means preferably extends substantially parallel to said region of the bag which it restricts. Said restrictor means is preferably in face-to- face contact with said region of the bag. Said restrictor means is preferably made out of a plastics material. Preferably, the bag is arranged such that, in use, during discharge of fluid, the outlet port moves towards said region of the bag, suitably so that said outlet port is superimposed upon said region. Where the bag includes a discharge device extending through the outlet port, said bag is preferably arranged for the discharge device to be superimposed upon, suitably to rest upon, said region during discharge of fluid. The invention may include any combination of the features or limitations referred to herein. The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but an embodiment will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is cross-sectional view of an outlet port of a bag for containing liquid, and, Figure 2 is a side view of the outlet port of Figure 1. Referring to both Figures 1 and 2, there is shown generally at 10 an outlet port of a bag 11 for containing a liquid. Only an upper wall of the bag 11 is shown, which bag comprises plastics material. The outlet port 10 comprises an aperture 12 (shown only in Figure 1) over which is mounted a threaded port 13 which may typically be of nylon or other suitable material and which is welded to the body of the bag 11 during manufacture. Around the aperture 12 on an inside surface of the bag 11 is an annular plastic reinforcing member 14 which is also welded to the bag during manufacture. Typically, the diameter of the outlet port may be 2 or 3 inches (about 5cm to 7.6cm) and the diameter of the reinforcing member may be 12 inches (about 30.5cm). Threadably mounted on the port 13 is a discharge device 15 through which liquid is discharged in use. The discharge device 15 comprises a threaded portion 15a which, in use, engages the port 13, a hollow tube portion 15b which, in use, projects into the bag 11, and a coupling connector 15c which, in use, is coupled to a hose (not shown) by a conventional cam engagement. At the end of portion 15b furthest from the port 13, the hollow tube has an end plate 16 closing the tube, above which are located a plurality of holes 15d around the wall of the tube. The discharge device 15 is manufactured from stainless steel either as a complete unit, or else with the tube portion 15b welded on to the threaded portion 15a. In use, when it is required to discharge the liquid contents from a bag 11, which is typical of the liner bags used in a frame or box as an intermediate bulk container (IBC) , the discharge device 15 is connected to the port 13 of the bag 11. A suitable flexible hose (not shown) is then coupled to the portion 15c of the device 15. The liquid (not shown) is then drawn from the bag 11 through the device 15 using a pump (not shown) . During discharge, the liquid in the bag 11 is drawn into the device 15 through the holes 15d. As the level of liquid in a bag 11 falls, the weight of the device 15 together with the weight of the hose, maintains the tube portion 15b of the device 15 in contact with the liquid. Eventually, as the level of liquid falls still further, the plate 16 comes to rest on the bottom (not shown) of the bag 11. The plate 16 prevents the material comprising the lower portion (not shown) of the bag 11 from becoming drawn into the tube 15b under the action of the pump. In addition, the material comprising the upper portion (not shown) of the bag 11 is inhibited from blocking the holes 15d by the reinforcing member 14. The remaining liquid in the bag is therefore provided with an unobstructed path into the tube 15b and thus out of the port 13. As an alternative to the plate 16 of the device 15 coming to rest on plastics material of the bag (which may risk the plastics material forming a cup around the lower end of tube 15) , the bag may include a plastics disc at its lower end onto which the device 15 may come to rest during discharge from the bag. The provision of such a plastics disc may make it substantially impossible for the bag to become cupped around the lower end of tube 15. It has been found that a significantly higher percentage of the volume of liquid in the bag may be discharged using the apparatus described above, as compared with conventional techniques, in which the outlet port of the bag tends to become blocked by the collapsing walls of the bag as the level of liquid falls. In addition, the apparatus described above requires minimal handling of the bag during a discharge operation, as compared with prior techniques, and since the device 15 has no moving parts or seal labyrinths, the chances of contamination of the liquid in the bag are lessened or removed completely. The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s) . The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) , or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A bag for containing a flowable material, the bag comprising an outlet port through which flowable material may be discharged from the bag in use, and support means arranged in use to restrict movement of at least a portion of a wall of the bag during discharge of the flowable material. 2. A bag according to Claim 1, wherein said portion is restricted from moving towards said outlet port under the action of a suction force arranged to discharge the flowable material, in use. 3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said portion of said wall is adjacent said outlet port. 4. A bag according to any preceding claim, wherein said support means is mounted on a surface of the bag in the region of the outlet port. 5. A bag according to any preceding claim, wherein said support means comprises a reinforcing member located around a periphery of the outlet port. 6. A bag according to Claim 5, wherein a major plane of said reinforcing member extends substantially parallel to said portion of said wall. 7. A bag according to Claim 6, wherein said major plane of said reinforcing member is in face-to-face contact with said portion of said wall. 8. A bag according to any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein said reinforcing member is mounted upon an inside surface of the bag. 9. A bag according to any preceding claim, wherein said outlet port is located on an upper wall of the bag. 10. A discharge device for use with a bag containing flowable material to be discharged, the device comprising a connecting portion arranged, in use, to make a connection with an outlet port of the bag and a tube portion arranged, in use, to extend inwardly of the bag, through which tube portion the flowable material is arranged, in use, to pass during discharge of the flowable material from the bag. 11. A discharge device according to Claim 10, wherein the tube portion is arranged, in use, to restrict movement of at least a portion of a wall of the bag towards the outlet port. 12. A device according to Claim 10 or Claim 11, wherein the tube portion comprises a first end which is, in use, located outside the bag, and a second end which is, in use, located within the bag. 13. A device according to Claim 12, wherein said second end is a closed end. 14. A device according to any of Claims 10 to 13, wherein said tube is arranged for the passage of flowable material between said second end and said first end in a first direction and said tube includes at least one aperture arranged for the passage of flowable material into said tube portion in a direction which is transverse to said first direction. 15. A device according to any of Claims 10 to 14, wherein said at least one aperture is located in a side wall of the tube portion. 16. Flowable material discharge apparatus comprising a bag for containing flowable material to be discharged and a discharge device arranged, in use, to be connected to an outlet port of the bag, the bag being provided with support means arranged, in use, to restrict movement of at least a portion of a wall of the bag during discharge of the flowable material from -the bag, the discharge device comprising a tube portion arranged in use to extend inwardly of the bag through which tube portion flowable material is arranged, in use, to pass during discharge of the flowable material from the bag. 17. A method of discharging flowable material from a bag, the method comprising connecting a discharge device to an outlet port of the bag, the discharge device comprising a tube portion which extends inwardly of the bag, and pumping out flowable material from the bag, whilst restricting movement of at least a portion of a wall of the bag. 18. A bag for containing a flowable material, the bag comprising an outlet port through which flowable material may be discharged from the bag in use and restrictor means for restricting flexing of the bag in a region of the bag substantially opposite said outlet port.

Inventors: FAIRBANK HARRY MICHAEL, HARRIS IAN, FAIRBANK, HARRY, MICHAEL, HARRIS, IAN
Applicants: ARLINGTON PACKAGING LTD, FAIRBANK HARRY MICHAEL, HARRIS IAN, ARLINGTON PACKAGING LIMITED, FAIRBANK, HARRY, MICHAEL, HARRIS, IAN
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65D77
IPC codes: B65D33, B65D88