Abstract:
A bulk bag includes a shell and a gate valve assembly and is configured to retain a material. The gate valve assembly includes a gate which is slidable to selectively prevent and facilitate variation of rate of dispensation of material from the bulk bag and, more particularly, through an aperture defined by the shell of the bulk bag. The gate valve assembly has a configuration which, during movement of the gate to restrict dispensation of material through the aperture in the shell, renders the gate unlikely to snag with other portions of the bulk bag such as, for example, portions of the shell which define the aperture. Methods are also provided.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/257,287 filed Nov. 2, 2009, and hereby incorporates the same provisional application by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to bulk bags having a gate valve assembly. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Conventional bulk bags are used to facilitate transportation, storage and dispensation of various bulk materials such as, for example, powdered or granular flux material for use in a submerged are welding process or other welding processes. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In accordance with an embodiment, a bulk bag is configured for storing and dispensing bulk material. The bulk bag comprises shell means, lifting means, and valve means. The shell means defines a storage chamber and an aperture in communication with the storage chamber. The storage chamber is configured to retain bulk material. The lifting means facilitates lifting of the bulk bag. The valve means is slidable with respect to the aperture and defines a first opening having a generally triangular shape. The valve means is configured to selectively facilitate retention of bulk material within the storage chamber. The valve means is also configured to selectively facilitate controlled dispensation of bulk material from the storage chamber and sequentially through the aperture and the first opening. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    It is believed that certain embodiments will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a bottom side perspective view depicting a bulk bag having a gate valve assembly in accordance with one embodiment, wherein a portion of a shell of the bulk bag is broken away to depict bulk material within a storage chamber defined by the shell, and wherein a gate of the gate valve assembly is in a first position to prevent the bulk material from dispensing from the bulk bag; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a bottom side perspective view depicting the bulk bag of  FIG. 1 , wherein the gate is in a second position to facilitate flow of the bulk material from within the storage chamber at a relatively low rate; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a bottom side perspective view depicting the bulk bag of  FIG. 1 , wherein the gate is in a third position to facilitate flow of the bulk material from within the storage chamber at a relatively high rate; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along section lines  4 - 4  in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view depicting the gate apart from the remaining components of the bulk bag of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective fragmentary view depicting a portion of the bulk bag of  FIG. 1 , wherein the gate is in the first position, and wherein certain hidden lines are shown in phantom; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a top perspective fragmentary view depicting a portion of the bulk bag of  FIG. 1 , wherein the gate is in the second position, and wherein certain hidden lines are shown in phantom; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a top perspective fragmentary view depicting a portion of the bulk bag of  FIG. 1 , wherein the gate is in a fourth position, and wherein certain hidden lines are shown in phantom; 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a top perspective fragmentary view depicting a portion of the bulk bag of  FIG. 1 , wherein the gate is in the third position, and wherein certain hidden lines are shown in phantom; 
           [0015]      FIG. 10A  is a perspective view depicting a gate in accordance with a second embodiment; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10B  is a perspective view depicting a gate in accordance with a third embodiment; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10C  is a perspective view depicting a gate in accordance with a fourth embodiment; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 10D  is a perspective view depicting a gate in accordance with a fifth embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Selected embodiments are hereinafter described in detail in connection with the views and examples of  FIGS. 1-9  and  10 A- 10 D. A bulk bag can be used to facilitate transportation, storage and dispensation of various bulk materials such as, for example, powdered or granular flux material for use in a submerged are welding process or other welding processes. For example, a bulk bag  10  in accordance with one embodiment is shown and described herein in connection with  FIGS. 1-9 . The bulk bag  10  is shown to comprise a shell  12  which defines a storage chamber (shown generally as “ 15 ” in  FIG. 1 ). The storage chamber  15  is shown in  FIG. 1  to retain a bulk material  98  such as can be, for example, powdered or granular flux material for use in a submerged are welding process or other welding processes. The shell  12  can be flexible and can comprise a material such as cloth, plastic sheeting, and/or any of a variety of other suitable materials which are of sufficient density and strength to retain the bulk material  98  within the storage chamber  15 . 
         [0020]    The shell  12  can include one or more support straps and/or other reinforcement features (e.g.,  17  in  FIG. 1 ) that can provide structural support to the shell  12  and/or can facilitate maintenance of the shell  12  in a particular shape. It will be appreciated that a shell of a bulk bag can be provided in any of a variety of other suitable shapes and sizes, and can be provided with any of a variety of additional or alternative reinforcement features. The shell  12  can be sewn or stitched together and/or can involve adhesives, rivets, snaps, heat seals, and/or any of a variety of other suitable features or mechanical fastening arrangements. 
         [0021]    The bulk bag  10  can also include lifting members which are attached to the shell  12  to facilitate lifting of the bulk bag  10 . For example, the bulk bag  10  is shown to include to comprise a plurality of loops  14  which can be used by a crane or hoist to facilitate lifting of the bulk bag  10  for transportation or to facilitate dispensation of the bulk material  98 , such as flux, from the bulk bag  10 . It will be appreciated that lifting members of a bulk bag can alternatively comprise hooks, apertures, or any of a variety of other suitable features. 
         [0022]    The bulk bag  10  can also include a gate valve assembly as generally shown at  16 . A bottom wall  25  of the shell  12  is shown to define an aperture  13  (see FIGS.  4  and  6 - 9 ). The aperture  13  can be provided in communication with the storage chamber  15 . The bulk material  98  within the storage chamber  15  can selectively dispense through the aperture  13  as controlled by the gate valve assembly  16 . More particularly, as described in further detail below, the gate valve assembly  16  can selectively facilitate retention of the bulk material  98  within the storage chamber  15 , and provide controlled dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15  and through the aperture  13 . 
         [0023]    The gate valve assembly  16  can include a retention member  18  and a gate  20 . The retention member  18  can be fixedly attached to the bottom wall  25  of the shell  12  such as through sewing, adhesives, rivets, snaps, heat seals, and/or any of a variety of other suitable features or mechanical fastening arrangements. In one embodiment, the retention member  18  can comprise a material similar to that of the shell  12 . For example, the shell  12  and the retention member  18  can be formed from cloth, plastic sheeting, or some other suitable flexible material. In another embodiment, a retention member of a bulk bag can comprise a different material than the material(s) which defines a shell of the bulk bag. 
         [0024]    When the retention member  18  is attached to the shell  12  as shown in  FIGS. 1-4  and  6 - 9 , the retention member  18  can cooperate with the shell  12  to define a channel ( 50  in  FIG. 5 ). At least a portion of the gate  20  can be slidably received within the channel  50 , as described in further detail below. The retention member  18  can define an aperture  19  which substantially aligns with the aperture  13  in the shell  12  and, in certain positions of the gate  20 , communicates with the aperture  13  to facilitate dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15 . In one embodiment, the apertures  13  and  19  can be similar in size and shape. 
         [0025]    In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the retention member  18  can include a spacer portion  30  and a wall portion  32  which are each attached to the shell  12  with thread (e.g.,  34 ). Each of the spacer portion  30 , the wall portion  32 , and the shell  12  can cooperate to define the channel  50  for slidably receiving the gate  20 . It will be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments (e.g., as generally shown in  FIGS. 6-9 ), the retention member  18  can include a spacer portion and a wall portion which are formed as a unitary structure. It will be appreciated that a retention member can be provided and attached to a shell in any of a variety of suitable configurations. In another embodiment, a retention member can be formed as a unitary structure with one or more portions of a shell. 
         [0026]    The gate  20  can be slideable relative to the retention member  18  and the opening  13  between one or more closed positions and one or more opened positions. In the closed position, the gate  20  can prevent dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15  through the aperture  13  in the shell  12 . In an opened position, the gate  20  can facilitate flow or dispensation of the bulk material  98  sequentially through the aperture  13  in the shell  12 , an opening (e.g.,  24  or  26 ) in the gate  20 , and the aperture  19  in the retention member  18 . In one embodiment, the gate  20  can be slidable with respect to the retention member  18  and the aperture  13  to facilitate an infinitely variable rate of flow or dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15 . However, in another embodiment, a gate can be slidable among a plurality of preset positions or stops, each of which corresponds to a particular flow rate. Depending upon the position of the gate  20  relative to the retention member  18  and the shell  12 , the bulk material  98  within the storage chamber  15  can be prevented from being dispensed from the storage chamber  15 , or can be dispensed or poured from the storage chamber  15  at any of a variety of selectable rates of dispensation. 
         [0027]    The gate  20  can be formed from plastic, wood, metal, and/or any of a variety of other suitable materials. In one embodiment, such as shown in  FIG. 5 , the gate  20  can he formed as a unitary and substantially rigid structure. It will be appreciated, however, that a gate can be formed in any of a variety of other suitable configurations. The gate  20  is shown in  FIG. 5  to comprise a body  22  in the form of a generally rectangularly-shaped plate and which extends along a longitudinal axis “L” between respective ends  21  and  23 . The longitudinal axis “L” can centrally bisect the gate  20  such that the gate  20  is generally symmetrical on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis “L”, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0028]    The body  22  is shown to define respective openings  24  and  26  adjacent to respective ends  21  and  23  of the body  22 . Each of the openings  24  and  26  is shown to have a generally triangular shape. More particularly, in defining the opening  24 , the body  22  is shown to include edges  44 ,  46 , and  48  which cooperate to define a generally triangular shape having vertices  54 ,  56 , and  58 . The edge  44  is shown to be generally straight and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis “I.”. The edge  44  is also shown to be adjacent to the end  21  of the body  22 . The edges  46  and  48  are shown to be generally straight and to extend from opposite ends of the edge  44  (located at vertices  54  and  58 ), and at opposite inclines relative to the longitudinal axis “L”, for meeting at the vertex  56 . The vertex  56  is shown to he located upon the longitudinal axis “L” between the edge  44  and the end  23  of the body  22 . The opening  24  is shown to extend from an inside end  40  to an outside end  42 . The inside end  40  of the opening  24  can be defined by the vertex  56 , while the outside end  42  can be defined by the edge  44 . The body  22  is shown to define the opening  26  to have a configuration similar to that of the opening  24 , such that the apertures  24  and  26  are similar in size and shape, but such that the opening  26  is in a mirrored position in the body  22  relative to the opening  24 . More particularly, the opening  26  is shown to have a generally triangular shape similar to that of the opening  24 . In other embodiments, a gate can be provided with only a single generally triangularly-shaped opening, or with more than two generally triangularly-shaped openings, and in either circumstance possibly in addition to openings having other shapes. 
         [0029]    It will be appreciated that generally triangularly-shaped openings in a body of a gate can be provided in any of a variety of other suitable configurations, such as shown in  FIGS. 10A-10D .  FIG. 10A  illustrates a gate  220  having a body  222  which defines openings  224  and  226 ;  FIG. 10B  illustrates a gate  320  having a body  322  which defines openings  324  and  326 ;  FIG. 10C  illustrates a gate  420  having a body  422  which defines openings  424  and  426 ; and  FIG. 10D  illustrates a gate  520  having a body  522  which defines openings  524  and  526 . It will also be appreciated that an outer edge which partially defines a generally triangularly-shaped opening in a gate might not be generally straight (like edge  44  in  FIG. 5 ), but might rather be curved or otherwise shaped to facilitate comfortable grasping of the gate by a hand of an operator, such as shown in  FIGS. 10B and 10C . It will further be appreciated that one or more vertices defining a generally triangularly-shaped opening in a gate might not be rounded or curved (like vertices  54 ,  56  and  58  in  FIG. 5 ), but might rather be pointed, such as shown in  FIG. 10A . It will additionally be appreciated that a generally triangularly-shaped opening might not be defined by only three edges (like edges  44 ,  46 , and  48  in  FIG. 5 ), but might rather be defined by more than three edges, such as shown in  FIG. 10D . 
         [0030]    In order to facilitate sliding of the gate  20  with respect to the retention member  18  and the aperture  13 , an operator can push or pull on the gate  20  by grasping a portion of the gate  20  which defines one of the openings  24  and  26 . The gate  20  is shown in a first or closed position in each of  FIGS. 1 and 6 . In the closed position, the gate  20  prevents dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15  through the aperture  13  in the shell  12 . When an operator desires to dispense the bulk material  98  from the bulk bag  10 , the operator can attach a crane to loops  14  of the bulk bag  10  and can use the crane to lift the bulk bag  10 . An operator can then grasp the gate  20 , such as by placing his or her fingers through the opening  24  in the gate  20 , and can partially withdraw the gate  20  from the channel  50 , resulting in movement of the gate  20  to a second position as generally shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 . In this second position, a portion of the opening  26  in the gate  20  can align with the aperture  13  in the shell  12  and the aperture  19  in the retention member  18  such that the bulk material  98  from within the storage chamber  15  can be dispensed through the aperture  13 , the opening  26 , and the aperture  19 . In this position, it can be seen that only a small portion of the opening  26  aligns with the apertures  13  and  19 , and that a portion of the body  22  partially obstructs the apertures  13  and  19 , thus allowing the bulk material  98  to flow from within the storage chamber  15  at a relatively low and controlled rate. It will be appreciated that, when sliding the gate  20  to facilitate initial dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15 , a vertex (e.g., similar to  56  of opening  24 ) of the opening  26  is the first portion of the opening  26  to align with the apertures  13  and  19 . 
         [0031]    Upon further withdraw of the gate  20  from the channel  50 , as generally shown in  FIG. 8 , a larger portion of the opening  26  aligns with the apertures  13  and  19 , such that a smaller portion of the body  22  partially obstructs the apertures  13  and  19 , thus allowing the bulk material  98  to flow from within the storage chamber  15  at a relatively higher rate than would be achieved in the configuration of  FIG. 7 . Upon still further withdraw of the gate  20  from the channel  50 , as generally shown in  FIGS. 3 and 9 , a still larger portion of the opening  26  can align with the apertures  13  and  19 , thus allowing the bulk material  98  to flow from within the storage chamber  15  at a still relatively higher rate than would be achieved in the configuration of  FIG. 8 , or at a maximum possible rate. In one embodiment, the opening  26  can be sized such that no portion of the body  22  obstructs any portion of either of the apertures  13  and  19  when the body  22  facilitates dispensation at a maximum possible rate (e.g., a portion of the opening  26  is larger than each of the apertures  13  and  19 , as shown in  FIG. 9 ). In an alternative embodiment, the opening  26  can be sized such that, even when the body  22  facilitates dispensation at a maximum possible rate, a portion of the body  22  can obstruct respective portions of the apertures  13  and  19  (e.g., no portion of the opening  26  is larger than either of the apertures  13  and  19 ). 
         [0032]    Accordingly, by sliding the gate  20  into and out from the channel  50 , it will be appreciated that an operator can selectively adjust or stop the rate of flow of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15  in a controlled manner. In contrast to grasping the body  22  at the opening  24  as described above to facilitate movement of the gate  20  and selective dispensation of the bulk material  98  through the opening  26  in the gate  20  and from the storage chamber  15 , an operator can alternatively grasp the body  22  at the opening  26  to facilitate movement of the gate  20  and selective dispensation of the bulk material  98  through the opening  24  in the gate  20  and from the storage chamber  15 . In this configuration, it will be appreciated that each of the openings  24  and  26  in the gate  20  can selectively and alternatively serve as a handle and a regulator to facilitate dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15 . 
         [0033]    It will be appreciated that the generally triangular shape of the openings  24  and  26  in the gate  20  can facilitate convenient, efficient, and effective selective dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the bulk bag  20 . In the example described above with reference to  FIGS. 1-9 , the generally triangular shape of the openings  24  and  26  facilitate a progressively increasing dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15  as the gate  20  is further withdrawn from the channel  50 . Likewise, the generally triangular shape of the openings  24  and  26  facilitates a progressively decreasing dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15  as the gate  20  is returned into the channel  50 . Accordingly, due to the generally triangular shape of the openings  24  and  26 , it will be appreciated that linear sliding movement of the gate  20  can facilitate non-linear (e.g., exponential) increase or decrease in flow of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15 . When the gate  20  is in a slightly withdrawn position as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 7 , the portion of the opening  26  (i.e., adjacent to its inner vertex similar to vertex  56  of opening  24 ) allowing the bulk material  98  to pass through the apertures  13  and  19  can be relatively small as compared to the size of the apertures  13  and  19 . Therefore, from that position, further insertion of the gate  20  into the channel  50  to completely block the dispensation of the bulk material  98  from the storage chamber  15  (i.e., to the position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 ) can require only a small amount of force upon the gate  20  by an operator, and any likelihood of jamming resulting from flowing of the bulk material  98  or snagging of the shell  12  or retention member  18  with the edges (e.g., like edges  44 ,  46 , and  48  which define the opening  24 ) of the gate  20  can be minimized. 
         [0034]    The foregoing description of embodiments and examples of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the forms described. Numerous modifications are possible in light of the above teachings. Some of those modifications have been discussed and others will be understood by those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and various embodiments as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The scope of the invention is, of course, not limited to the examples or embodiments set forth herein, but can be employed in any number of applications and equivalent devices by those of ordinary skill in the art. Rather it is hereby intended the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.