Abstract:
A bulk bag for dense materials includes side panels seamed together to form side walls having first and second ends and at least one end wall secured to the first ends of the side walls with the seams connecting the side panels to form the side walls located at points substantially spaced from the adjacent corners of the end wall. Four baffles extend across the corners of the end wall and are secured to the side panels. One or more additional baffles are secured in the side walls seams and extend entirely across the interior of the bulk bag to maintain the bulk bag in a rectangular cross sectional configuration when filled with dense materials.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to flexible intermediate bulk containers, also known as bulk bags, and more particularly to an improved bulk bag construction useful in the tansportation, storage, and discharge of dense materials.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Over the past three decades flexible intermediate bulk containers, commonly known as bulk bags, have gained increasing acceptance in the transportation, storage, and discharge of dry, flowable solids. Bulk bags are almost universally constructed from woven polypropylene panels which are joined along their adjacent edges by sewing. Although tubular bulk bag constructions are known, most of the present bulk bag designs are square or rectangular in horizontal cross section.  
           [0003]    Because they are constructed from flexible fabrics, conventional bulk bag designs assume a cylindrical configuration when filled regardless of their original horizontal cross sectional configuration. This is undesirable because cylindrical configurations cannot completely fill a square or rectangular vehicle or warehouse.  
           [0004]    The foregoing problem is overcome by the bulk bag disclosed and claimed Derby U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,710 issued Dec. 31, 1991, and assigned to the assignee hereof. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 hereof, the bulk bag of the Derby Patent employs side panels which are joined at seams located at spaced intervals relative to the corners of the bulk bag. Baffles extending across the corners of the bulk bag and secured to the side panels prevent the bulk bag from assuming a cylindrical configuration when filled.  
           [0005]    The bulk bag of the Derby Patent operates satisfactorily when used in conjunction with relatively light materials. However, when used in conjunction with more dense materials, the bulk bag construction of the Derby invention is not entirely successful in maintaining a rectangular configuration when filled. Thus, a need exists for further improvements in the art of bulk bag design to provide a bulk bag which maintains a rectangular configuration even when filled with coins and other objects formed from relatively heavy metals.  
           [0006]    The present invention comprises a bulk bag construction which fulfills the foregoing and other objectives long since found lacking in the prior art. In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a bulk bag constructed generally in accordance with the disclosure of the above-identified Derby Patent is provided with at least one additional panel extending between the side walls of the bulk bag. The use of the additional panel in the construction of the bulk bag prevents the side walls of the bulk bag from bulging outwardly when the bulk bag is filled with dense materials.  
           [0007]    In accordance with more specific aspects of the invention, the bulk bag may be provided with either one or two panels extending between the side walls thereof. When two panels are used, the panels may be deployed either in a parallel configuration or in a perpendicular configuration.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    A more complete understanding of the present invention may be had by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings wherein:  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art bulk bag;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the bulk bag of FIG. 1;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of a bulk bag comprising the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of a bulk bag comprising a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a bulk bag comprising a third embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a further illustration of the bulk bag of FIG. 5.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]    Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a bulk bag  10  constructed in accordance with the teachings of Derby U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,710 granted Dec. 31, 1991, and assigned to the assignee hereof. The bulk bag  10  includes four side walls  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18 . The bulk bag  10  further includes a top wall  20  and a bottom wall  22  either of which may be provided with an aperture  24  which receives a fill spout in the case of the top wall  20  or a discharge spout in the case of the bottom wall  22 .  
         [0016]    The side walls  12 ,  14 ,  16 , and  18  of the bulk bag  10  are formed from four side panels  26 ,  28 ,  30 , and  32 . The side panels  26 ,  28 ,  30 , and  32  are joined one to another at seams  34  each of which is located in a spaced apart relationship to the corners  36  of the bulk bag  10 . In the embodiment of the Derby invention illustrated in FIG. 2, the seams  34  are located at points equidistant from adjacent corners  36 , however, other configurations can be used in the practice of the Derby invention, if desired.  
         [0017]    Each of the side panels  26 ,  28 ,  30 , and  32  is provided with a baffle  38 . Each baffle  38  is secured to its respective side panel at points  40  by sewing. Each baffle  38  is provided with one or more apertures  42  which allow material received in the bulk bag to flow into the corners  36  thereof.  
         [0018]    Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a bulk bag  110  comprising a first embodiment of the present invention. The bulk bag  110  includes four side walls  112 ,  114 ,  116 , and  118 . The bulk bag  110  further includes a bottom wall  122  and may include a top wall, although open top bulk bags are known. The top wall and the bottom wall may be provided with an aperture which receives a fill spout in the case of the top wall or a discharge spout in the case of the bottom wall.  
         [0019]    The side walls  112 ,  114 ,  116 , and  118  of the bulk bag  110  are formed from four side panels  126 ,  128 ,  130 , and  132 . The side panels  126 ,  128 ,  130 , and  132  are joined one to another at seams  134  each of which is located in a spaced apart relationship to the corners  136  of the bulk bag  110 . In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3, the seams  134  are located at points equidistant from adjacent corners  136 , however, other configurations can be used in the practice of the invention, if desired.  
         [0020]    Each of the side panels  126 ,  128 ,  130 , and  132  is provided with a baffle  138 . Each baffle  138  is secured to its respective side panel at points  140  by sewing. Each baffle  138  is provided with one or more apertures  142  which allow material received in the bulk bag to flow into the corners  136  thereof.  
         [0021]    In accordance with the present invention, the bulk bag  110  is provided with a baffle  144  which extends between the seams  134  of the side walls  114  and  118 . The baffle  144  is provided with an aperture  146  which allows material to flow between the opposite sides of the baffle  144  as the bulk bag  110  is filled. The baffle  144  prevents the side walls  114  and  118  of the bulk bag  110  from bulging outwardly when the bulk bag  110  is filled with dense materials, thereby preventing the bulk bag  110  from assuming a non-rectangular configuration when filled.  
         [0022]    Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a bulk bag  210  comprising a second embodiment of the present invention. The bulk bag  210  includes four side walls  212 ,  214 ,  216 , and  218 . The bulk bag  210  further includes a top wall and a bottom wall  222  either of which may be provided with an aperture which receives a fill spout in the case of the top wall or a discharge spout in the case of the bottom wall.  
         [0023]    The side walls  212 ,  214 ,  216 , and  218  of the bulk bag  210  are formed from six side panels  226 ,  227 ,  228 ,  230 ,  231 , and  232 . The side panels  226 ,  227 ,  228 ,  230 ,  231 , and  232  are joined one to another at seams  234  each of which is located in a spaced apart relationship to the corners  236  of the bulk bag  210 . In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4, the side walls  214  and  218  which include the panels  227  and  231 , respectively, are relatively longer than the side walls  212  and  216 .  
         [0024]    Each of the side panels  226 ,  228 ,  230 , and  232  is provided with a baffle  238 . Each baffle  238  is secured to its respective side panel at points  240  by sewing. Each baffle  238  is provided with one or more apertures  242  which allow material received in the bulk bag to flow into the corners  236  thereof.  
         [0025]    In accordance with the present invention, the bulk bag  210  is provided with two baffles  244  which are secured in and extend between the seams  234  of the side walls  214  and  218 . The baffles  244  are provided with apertures  246  which allow material to flow between the opposite sides of the baffles  244  as the bulk bag  210  is filled. The baffles  244  prevent the side walls  214  and  218  of the bulk bag  210  from bulging outwardly when the bulk bag  210  is filled with dense materials, thereby preventing the bulk bag  110  from assuming a non-rectangular configuration when filled.  
         [0026]    Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a bulk bag  310  comprising a third embodiment of the present invention. The bulk bag  310  includes four side walls  312 ,  314 ,  316 , and  318 . The bulk bag  310  further includes a top wall and a bottom wall  322  either of which may be provided with an aperture which receives a fill spout in the case of the top wall or a discharge spout in the case of the bottom wall.  
         [0027]    The side walls  312 ,  314 ,  316 , and  318  of the bulk bag  310  are formed from four side panels  326 ,  328 ,  330 , and  332 . The side panels  326 ,  328 ,  330 , and  332  are joined one to another at seams  334  each of which is located in a spaced apart relationship to the corners  336  of the bulk bag  310 . In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5, the seams  334  are located at points equidistant from adjacent corners  336 , however, other configurations can be used in the practice of the invention, if desired.  
         [0028]    Each of the side panels  326 ,  328 ,  330 , and  332  is provided with a baffle  338 . Each baffle  338  is secured to its respective side panel at points  340  by sewing. Each baffle  338  is provided with one or more apertures  342  which allow material received in the bulk bag to flow into the corners  336  thereof.  
         [0029]    The bulk bag  310  includes a baffle  344  which is sewn into the seams  334  on opposite sides of the bulk bag and extends between the side walls  214  and  218 . A baffle  350  is likewise sewn into the seams  334  and extends between the side wall  212  and the side wall  216 . As is best shown in FIG. 6, the baffle  344  has an aperture  346  centrally located therein, and the baffle  348  has apertures  350  formed in the upper and lower edges thereof. This allows the baffle  348  to extend through the baffle  344 .  
         [0030]    In the use of the bulk bag  310 , the baffle  344  prevents the side walls  314  and  318  from bulging outwardly when the bulk bag is filled with dense materials. Likewise, the baffle  350  prevents the side walls  312  and  316  from bulging outwardly when the bulk bag is formed with dense materials. In this manner the baffle  344  and  350  maintain the bulk bag  310  in a square or rectangular configuration when the bulk bag is filled with dense materials.  
         [0031]    Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.