Abstract:
A system, method and apparatus for transferring bulk material for transport, the method includes placing a first quantity of bulk material in a soft-sided bulk material container, extending a first hold-in across the container from a first side of the container to a second location, the second location being substantially toward a second side of the container, wherein the first hold-in is secured to the first side of the container, securing the first hold-in to the second location and placing a second quantity of bulk material in the container, the second quantity covering the first hold-in and securing the first hold-in to the second location with a weight of the second quantity of bulk material.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/288,935 filed on Nov. 3, 2011 and entitled “Soft-sided Bulk Material Containers with Hold-ins,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes. This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/409,759 filed on Nov. 3, 2010 and entitled “Soft-sided Bulk Material Containers with Hold-ins,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes. This application is also continuation of and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/670,122, filed on Nov. 6, 2012, and entitled “Soft-sided Containers and Systems and Methods for Using Soft-sided Containers,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. This application is also continuation of and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/466,542, filed on May 15, 2009, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,359,175 on Jun. 7, 2016 and entitled “Soft-sided Containers and Systems and Methods for Using Soft-sided Containers,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to bulk material handling, and more particularly, to methods and systems for transferring, packaging, transporting, and otherwise handling bulk materials. 
         [0003]    Typical processes for loading a typical soft-sided bulk material container with bulk material require supporting the soft-sided container using some sort of a support structure.  FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic of a typical soft-sided container  100  supported in an external support structure. These structures are used in many forms and are of many different types,  FIG. 1  showing an exemplary support structure  102  as a frame in which the container  100  is received. Such support structures are configured as structures in addition to the soft-sided container  100 , and are in addition to equipment used for loading bulk materials  110  (shown in circle  112  and by arrow  114  as being loaded into the soft-sided container  100 ). The soft-sided container  100  is referred to as a “supported soft-sided container” when used with the support structure  102 . 
         [0004]    Exemplary bulk materials may include sand, minerals (e.g., salt and stone), agricultural materials (e.g., chemicals, fertilizers; bulk plastic pellets, whether new or recycled); waste materials (e.g., hazardous or non-hazardous), nuclear waste products loaded at controlled sites, landscaping or garden materials (e.g., compost, soil, bark) generally sold in small bags of manageable size, bulk grains (e.g., corn, feedstocks) and seeds. Such exemplary bulk materials may be mixed with other exemplary bulk materials, and each may be “wet”, as by being mixed with a liquid, such as water. One common feature of all such bulk materials is that for transport, the bulk material has no inherent shape and assumes the shape of the container in which the bulk material is received for transport, and this applies whether or not the bulk material is mixed with a liquid. 
         [0005]    The supported soft-sided container  100  can be filled by scooping and dumping multiple front end loader bucket loads, or loads from a bucket of similar loading equipment or conveyor system until the supported soft-sided container is filled. Then, the supported soft-sided container is closed to prevent spillage. Finally, the filled soft-sided container can be moved, generally without the support structure  102 . 
         [0006]    Generally, when such filled soft-sided container is moved (as by the vertical upward movement out of the support structure  102 ), the contained bulk material tends to move downwardly under the force of gravity and cause the soft-sided sides to move laterally, referred to as bulging. 
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a typical, rectangular soft-sided bulk material container  100 . The typical, rectangular soft-sided bulk material container  100  is filled with bulk material and has lost its rectangular shape as the sides are slumping downward and spreading (bulging) outward. The bulging soft-sided sides assume a more curved shape rather than a more desired rectangular shape. 
         [0008]    During the vertical upward movement of the filled container  100  out of the support structure  102 , the bulging sides are urged laterally and are pressed against the support structure  102 , risking damage to the sides. Also, when many such soft-sided containers  100  are adjacent to each other, the bulging soft-sided curved sides of the adjacent containers are next to each other. These sides of the containers cause the adjacent containers to occupy more lateral space than containers without the curved (bulging) sides as shown in  FIG. 2 . This is disadvantageous not only for storage of these containers, but for transport, e.g., in rigid intermodal units or flatbed trucks or trailers. 
         [0009]    In the past, attempts have been made to prevent the soft-sided sides from bulging during the vertical upward movement out of the support structure  102 , and after the filled container has been removed from the external support structure. Various side-support structures have been secured to the sides inside the containers, e.g., between both opposite, or both diagonally-adjacent, sides of the containers (referred to as “fixed-in-place internal structures”). The length of the “fixed-in-place internal structures”) is an attempt to define a maximum value of a lateral space between the opposite sides, and is intended to avoid the lateral bulging of the opposite sides. However, when the exemplary dumping of the multiple front end loader bucket loads occurs into this soft-sided container having the “fixed-in-place internal structures”), the dumped bulk material often hits the “fixed-in-place internal structures”, and under the force of gravity acts on those “fixed-in-place internal structures”. The hitting and acting causes those “fixed-in-place internal structures” to curve downwardly and assume a curved shape extending to a lower location within the container. Because those internal structures are either rigid or non-stretchable, and as so secured to both the opposite, or adjacent, sides, the new curved shape of those structures is at the lower location and reduces the lateral (e.g., horizontal) length of those internal structures. Thus, the opposite soft-sided sides of the containers are moved toward each other, assume an inward (or reverse) bulge, and lessen the space between the opposite sides. The result is a bulge of the soft-sided walls above and below those structures, which is as disadvantageous as the outward bulge described above. 
         [0010]    Whether such internal structures are secured to both of the opposite sides of the containers, or are secured to both of two adjacent sides of the soft-sided containers, the lateral bulging of both the inward or outward type may occur. As a result, bulging results when these containers are being filled, or lifted, or when they are stacked on top of each other. Moreover, in each case this bulging results from undesired gravitational action of the bulk material on the fixed-in-place internal structures. 
         [0011]    What is needed, is a configuration of a soft-sided container by which difficult-to-avoid gravitational action of the bulk material does not cause the soft-sides to maintain their substantially vertical plan nor move or shift or expand laterally, neither inwardly toward each other nor outwardly away from each other, e.g., when the container is being filled with bulk material, or when the filled container is lifted off a support surface, or when the filled container is stacked on another soft-sided container. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0012]    Broadly speaking, the present invention fills these needs by a soft sided bulk material containers with hold-ins to substantially reduce or eliminate side bulging when loaded and moved. It should be appreciated that the present invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including as a process, an apparatus, a system, computer readable media, or a device. Several inventive embodiments of the present invention are described below. 
         [0013]    One embodiment provides a method for transferring bulk material for transport, the method includes placing a first quantity of bulk material in a soft-sided bulk material container, extending a first hold-in across the container from a first side of the container to a second location, the second location being substantially toward a second side of the container, wherein the first hold-in is secured to the first side of the container, securing the first hold-in to the second location and placing a second quantity of bulk material in the container, the second quantity covering the first hold-in and securing the first hold-in to the second location with a weight of the second quantity of bulk material. 
         [0014]    The method can also include extending a second hold-in across the container from a first side of the container to a third location, the third location being substantially toward a second side of the container, wherein the second hold-in is secured to the first side of the container, securing the second hold-in to the third location and placing a third quantity of bulk material in the container, the third quantity covering the second hold-in and securing the second hold-in to the third location with a weight of the third quantity of bulk material. 
         [0015]    The first hold-in can include a first plurality of hold-ins and wherein extending the first hold-in across the container from the first side of the container to the second location can include alternating the first plurality of hold-ins of alternating sides of the container. 
         [0016]    The opposing ones of the alternating first plurality of hold-ins can overlap lengthwise, widthwise or not overlap at all or a combination thereof. The opposing ones of the alternating first plurality of hold-ins can be secured to each other by a securing mechanism. 
         [0017]    Another embodiment provides a soft-sided container a bottom, a plurality of sides coupled to the bottom, at least one hold-in secured to a first one of the plurality of sides, wherein the at least one hold-in is secured to the selected side between about 20 and 70 percent of a height of the selected side, wherein the at least one hold-in is substantially parallel to the bottom and a plurality of covering flaps. 
         [0018]    Yet another embodiment provides a method of making a soft-sided container including forming a bottom of the container, coupling a plurality of sides to the bottom, securing at least one hold-in to a first one of the plurality of sides, wherein the at least one hold-in is secured to the selected side between about 20 and 70 percent of a height of the selected side, wherein the at least one hold-in is substantially parallel to the bottom and coupling a plurality of covering flaps to respective ones of the plurality of sides. 
         [0019]    Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]    The present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
           [0021]      FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic of a typical soft-sided container supported in an external support structure. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a typical, rectangular soft-sided bulk material container. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 3A-3C  show a soft-sided bulk material container with hold-ins, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 3D  shows a supported soft-sided bulk material container, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIGS. 4A-4H  show the soft-sided bulk material container being filled, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart diagram that illustrates the method operations performed in filling the soft-sided bulk material container, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 6A  is a side cross sectional schematic view of the soft-sided bulk material container, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 6B  is a top view of the soft-sided bulk material container, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 6C  is an end cross-section view of a filled soft-sided bulk material container, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIGS. 6D and 6E  are top views of the soft-sided bulk material container, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0031]    Several exemplary embodiments for non-bulging bulk soft-sided containers (bags) will now be described. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of the specific details set forth herein. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 3A-3C  show a soft-sided bulk material container  300  with hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A,  304 B, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A,  304 B can be made from any suitable materials including the same materials as the soft-sided bulk material container or different materials such as may be water permeable while not allowing solids (e.g., sand, dirt, gravel) to pass through. 
         [0033]      FIG. 3D  shows a supported soft-sided bulk material container  300 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The soft-sided bulk material container  300  is supported in a frame  310  for filling/loading. The frame  310  is formed from sides  310 A and ends  310 B that are coupled together at intersecting corners. The corners can be secured through any suitable mechanism. As shown the corners are secured with a flexible material  308 . The flexible material  308  can be secured to the respective side  310 A and end  310 B by any suitable fastener (e.g., staples, nails, screws, latches, glue, hook and loop fasteners). 
         [0034]    The soft-sided bulk material container  300  is supported by the frame  310  by folding the soft-sided bulk material container side  306 A over a corresponding side  310 A of frame  310 . Similarly, the respective soft-sided bulk material container ends  306 B over a corresponding side  310 B of frame  310 . The soft-sided bulk material container  300  also includes multiple lift straps  320  as will be described in more detail below. 
         [0035]      FIGS. 4A-4H  show the soft-sided bulk material container  300  being filled, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.  FIG. 5  is a flowchart diagram that illustrates the method operations  500  performed in filling the soft-sided bulk material container  300 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The operations illustrated herein are by way of example, as it should be understood that some operations may have sub-operations and in other instances, certain operations described herein may not be included in the illustrated operations. With this in mind, the method and operations  500  will now be described. 
         [0036]    In an operation  505 , the soft-sided bulk material container  300  is supported in the frame  310  as illustrated in  FIGS. 3A-3D . A first quantity of bulk material  402 A is placed in the container  300  in an operation  510 . The first quantity of bulk material  402 A partially fills the container  300  (e.g., between about 20% to about 50% of the capacity of the container  300 ). 
         [0037]    In an operation  515 , the hold-ins  302 A,  302 B are laid across the first quantity of bulk material  402 A as shown in  FIG. 4B . The hold-ins  302 A,  302 B can be coupled together with laces, straps, buckles, hook and loop fasteners or other suitable fasteners  422 . Hold-ins  302 A,  302 B can couple together with friction surfaces that hold together or interlock. The hold-ins  302 A,  302 B can overlap as shown. Alternatively, the hold-ins  302 A,  302 B can lay side by side. 
         [0038]    In an operation  520 , a second quantity  402 B of bulk material is added on top of and covering the hold-ins  302 A,  302 B. The soft-sided bulk material container  300  can be between about 50% and about 100% filled to capacity. If only one set or layer of hold-ins  302 A,  302 B are used, then the about 40-60% of the bulk material is filled in the first quantity  402 A and the remaining capacity is filled with the second quantity  402 B of bulk material. 
         [0039]    Alternatively and as shown in  FIGS. 3A-4H , a second set or layer of hold-ins  304 A,  304 B are used and thus the first quantity  402 A is between about 20% and about 50% of the capacity of the soft-sided bulk material container  300 . The second quantity of material  402 B fills the soft-sided bulk material container  300  to between about 50% to about 80% capacity, then the second set or layer of hold-ins  304 A,  304 B are laid over the second quantity of bulk material  402 B similar to how the hold-ins  302 A,  302 B are laid across the first quantity of bulk material  402 A as shown in  FIGS. 4C and 4D . 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIG. 4E , a third quantity of bulk material  402 C is added on top of and covering the second set or layer of hold-ins  304 A,  304 B to substantially fill the soft-sided bulk material container  300 . The weight of the bulk material  402 B,  402 C on top of the respective hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A,  304 B hold the hold-ins so that the soft-sided bulk material container  300  cannot expand horizontally when removed from the frame  310 . 
         [0041]    In an operation  525 , the soft-sided bulk material container  300  is secured. Securing the soft-sided bulk material container  300  includes laying the sides  306 A and ends  306 B of the soft-sided bulk material container  300  over the third quantity of bulk material  402 C. 
         [0042]    In an operation  530 , the soft-sided bulk material container  300  is separated from the frame  310  and moved to a different location from the frame in an operation  535  and the method operations can end. Separating the soft-sided bulk material container  300  and the frame  310  can include removing or disassembling the frame  310 . Separating the soft-sided bulk material container  300  and the frame  310  can include using the lift straps  320  to lift the soft-sided bulk material container  300  from the frame  310  as shown in  FIG. 4G . 
         [0043]    As also shown in  FIG. 4G , the layers  402 A- 402 C and hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A,  304 B are visibly separated in the side  306 A of the soft-sided bulk material container  300 . As also shown in  FIGS. 4G and 4H , the side  306 A and end  306 B of the soft-sided bulk material container  300  remain substantially vertical and do not substantially curve or bulge outward like the typical, rectangular soft-sided bulk material container  100  as shown in  FIG. 2  above. 
         [0044]      FIG. 6A  is a side cross sectional schematic view of the soft-sided bulk material container  300 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.  FIG. 6B  is a top view of the soft-sided bulk material container  300 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0045]    The soft-sided bulk material container  300  includes a bottom  306 C, opposing sides  306 A,  306 A′ and a top  306 D. Ends  306 B and  306 B′ are not shown. 
         [0046]    Hold-ins  302 A, and  304 A are attached to first side  306 A of soft-sided bulk material container  300 . Hold-ins  302 B,  304 B are attached to second side  306 A′ of soft-sided bulk material container  300 . The hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A,  304 B can be attached to the respective sides  306 A,  306 A′ through any suitable attachment mechanism. A relatively simple attachment mechanism is by sewing or otherwise bonding the hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A,  304 B to the respective sides  306 A,  306 A′. 
         [0047]    The hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A,  304 B can partially or fully extend across from their respective sides  306 A,  306 A′ of the soft-sided bulk material container  300  to the opposing side of the soft-sided bulk material container. The hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A,  304 B can optionally be secured to the respective opposing side  306 A,  306 A′ of the soft-sided bulk material container  300 . Optionally, the hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A,  304 B can optionally be secured to a respective opposite hold-in. 
         [0048]    The weight of the third quantity of bulk material  402 C presses down on hold-ins  304 A,  304 B and thus allows the hold ins to maintain the position and not allow the sides  306 A,  306 A′ to shift or bulge outward. Similarly, the weight of the second and third quantities of bulk material  402 B,  402 C press down on hold-ins  302 A,  302 B and thus allows the hold ins to maintain the position and not allow the sides  306 A,  306 A′ to shift or bulge outward. 
         [0049]    While two layers of hold-ins are shown, it should be understood that only one layer of hold-ins or more than two layers (e.g., three or up to ten or more layers of hold-ins) could be used. It should also be understood that hold-ins can be attached to the ends  306 B,  306 B′ of the soft-sided bulk material container  300  in additional to or instead of one or more of the layers of hold ins. 
         [0050]    Hold-ins  302 A,  302 B can partially or fully extend across from their respective sides  306 A,  306 A′of the soft-sided bulk material container  300  to the opposing side of the soft-sided bulk material container. The hold-ins  302 B can partially or fully cover the opposing hold-ins  302 A. Hold-ins  302 A,  302 B can be distributed approximately evenly along the length L of the soft-sided bulk material container  300 . The width W and number of the hold-ins can vary as needed according to the type of bulk material  402 . By way of example, if the bulk material  402  is a relatively larger aggregate (e.g., average size of 4 inches, 10 cm or larger) may need more or less numbers of and layers of hold-ins than if the bulk material is a relatively smaller aggregate (e.g., sand or dirt having an average size of about 1 mm or smaller). 
         [0051]      FIG. 6C  is an end cross-section view of a filled soft-sided bulk material container  300 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The hold-ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A and  304 B can be separated by respective quantity of bulk material. By way of example, hold-ins  302 A and  302 B can be separated by a first intermediary bulk material quantity  402 A′. Similarly hold-ins  304 A and  304 B can be separated by a second intermediary bulk material quantity  402 B′. The respective weights of the quantities  402 C,  402 B′,  402 B,  402 A′ press down on the respective hold ins  302 A,  302 B,  304 A and  304 B as shown. 
         [0052]      FIGS. 6D and 6E  are top views of the soft-sided bulk material container  300 , in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Hold-ins  302 A and  302 B are coupled together by coupling mechanism  620 . Coupling mechanism can be an adhesive, a latch a buckle, a hook and loop fastener, laces, or any other suitable coupling mechanism. Hold-in  302 A′ can be secured to the opposing side  310 B with a coupling mechanism  620 . If the hold-in is secured to both sides  306 A,  306 A′of the soft-sided bulk material container  300 , then an opposing hold-in may not be required. For example if  302 A′ is secured to both sides  306 A,  306 A′, then an overlying hold-in  302 B may not be required. 
         [0053]    Hold-ins  302 A are attached to first side  306 A of soft-sided bulk material container  300 . Hold-ins  302 B are attached to second side  306 A′of soft-sided bulk material container  300 . Hold-ins  302 A,  302 B can partially or fully extend across from their respective sides of the soft-sided bulk material container to the opposing side of the soft-sided bulk material container. The Hold-ins  302 B and hold-ins  302 A can alternate along the length of the soft-sided bulk material container  300 . 
         [0054]    An optional block  324  can be attached to an unsecured end  322  of one of the hold-ins  302 A. The optional block  324  can be anything suitable for griping the bulk material such as a pipe or rock or block that can be used to add thickness to the hold-in  302 A so that the end  322  cannot be easily pulled through the bulk material filled on top of the hold-in  302 A. It should be understood that the hold-ins could also be arranged along the length of the soft-sided bulk material container  300  from end  306 B to end  306 B′ similar to how the hold-ins are arranged from side  306 A to  306 A′. 
         [0055]    Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be apparent that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the present embodiments are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims.