Patent Publication Number: US-2007102428-A1

Title: Flexible liner for packaging powdered or granular cargo for cargo container transportation

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      The present application relates to and claims the priority of Thai Patent Application No. 105907 filed on Nov. 7, 2005. That application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  
     BACKGROUND  
      Typically in cargo packaging for use in cargo container transportation, transport operators pack their cargo as full as possible and especially so with powdered or granular cargo that needs a large liner for packaging this nature of goods. However, the problem they face is that it takes too long to remove a large a percentage of the cargo from a container using the conventional techniques. Therefore, special features, including air bags, are introduced to help push the cargo out of a flexible liner. U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,037 discloses details concerning a liner for packaging cargo with inflatable air bags of a triangular shape and positioned at its front and side walls. Upon full inflation, cargo inside the liner is pushed sideways because the air bag mounted on the front wall has no exerting support on the cargo container&#39;s wall because the front wall of the cargo container remains open while the cargo is being unloaded. Typically, there is a residual amount of the cargo retained in the liner and it takes quite a long time to discharge all of the cargo.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,481,598 B1 also discusses details concerning an air bag attached to two walls of the cargo container but there is no valve device for in-out air flow control. Controlling the pressurized air is done manually. Thus, it would be almost impossible for the operators do any other job while working on the loading and unloading operation. Furthermore, with its shape of a triangle, when it is inflated, it will expand into a configuration of a pointed water drop. This results in the accumulation of a large amount of cargo at the pointed areas connecting the air bags with the cargo packaging liner.  
     SUMMARY  
      The present specification describes a flexible liner for packaging powdered or granular cargo for cargo container transportation having the shape of a closed rectangle. One example of the flexible liner described herein includes a front wall with two openings at the top portion, one opening for cargo loading, the other opening for air ventilation, and one opening at the lower portion for cargo discharge. The top wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner is fastened to a cargo container by hooks which are then connected to elastic cords at the areas near its corners and wall edges. There are flexible strips attached to the joints between the front and the top walls as well as between the front wall and each side wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner.  
      In this example, the flexible strips between the front wall and each side wall have two features, i.e. one is the flexible strips with vertical rows of holes through which steel rods or axles are inserted in order to connect to 2 sides of the cargo container walls for installation while the other is the thick flexible strips and different methods of fixing to the cargo container. Two scalene hexagonal air bags are provided at the outside of a bottom wall at the area near the front wall of the flexible liner. When the air bags are fully inflated through flexible tubes with valve devices for in-out air flow control, the inflated air bags possess the shape of cut-pointed triangular prisms. These air bags will help push cargo out of the bottom opening. Controlling the out flow of air for each bag is done through a spiral valve mounted on it. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and are a part of the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the claims.  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a flexible liner for packaging powdered or granular cargo for cargo container transportation attached by flexible strips with punctured holes at the joints between its front wall and each side wall.  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of a flexible liner for packaging powdered or granular cargo for cargo container transportation attached by thick flexible strips at the joints between its front wall and each side wall.  
       FIG. 3  is a side view of an air bag in a folded feature in preparation for attachment to the flexible cargo packaging liner at a position as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  is another side view of an air bag in a folded feature in preparation for attachment to the flexible cargo packaging liner at a position as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the fully inflatable bag in its expanded configuration possessing the shape of cut-pointed triangular prisms.  
       FIG. 6  is a schematic planar view of the inflatable bag showing a folded line prior to attachment at a position shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a hook connected with a flexible rubber ring to be incorporated into a base plate and mounted on a front wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner.  
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a spiral type valve while it is spirally winding up out of its base which is affixed tightly to the air bag as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 . 
    
    
      Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.  
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      This specification describes a flexible liner for packaging powdered or granular cargo, in particular, a flexible cargo packaging liner for use in a cargo container. The described flexible cargo packaging liner is especially designed to package a variety of cargo that are of powdered or granular in nature and to facilitate the loading and unloading operation by providing an instant installation within the cargo container using hooks mounted on the flexible liner, as well as using flexible strips which are attached to the joints between the front and the top walls and between the front wall and each side wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner.  
      In a described example, the flexible strips between the front wall and each side wall have two features. The first feature is the flexible strips with vertical rows of holes, arranged from top to bottom, through which the steel rods or axles are inserted in order to connect to two sides of the cargo container, which helps support the flexible cargo packaging liner, maintain its shape, and effectively prevent wrinkles so that the problem of residual amounts of the cargo retained in the wrinkles is reduced. Without this feature, a sufficient build up of residual cargo may eventually break open the flexible cargo packaging liner. The second feature is that the thick flexible strips are used for pressing flat against the side walls of the cargo container so that the cargo container will be protected from contamination by foreign materials and maintaining vacuum condition between each wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner is easier and more effective.  
      Additionally, there are also scalene hexagonal air bags. When inflated, these air bags possess the shape of cut-pointed triangular prisms, which helps push the cargo out through a bottom opening. The air bags are controlled by valve devices for in-out air flow control so that no manpower is needed for this air flow control operation.  
      In addition, the air bags have spiral type valves capable of controlling and maintaining pressurized air content from the start of the loading process. This handling process facilitates end cargo receivers who are not equipped with air pumps. They are able to discharge cargo without the need to pump air into the air bags because the fully inflated air bags will perform the duty of pushing the cargo out through the discharge opening. Once the cargo is discharged completely, the valves can be opened to let all the air out and the air bags can be reused.  
      In some examples, the flexible liner described herein has the shape of a closed rectangle for packaging powdered or granular cargo for cargo container transportation. In such examples, the flexible liner comprises a front wall with two openings at the top portion, one opening for cargo loading the other for air ventilation, and one opening at the lower portion for cargo discharge. The top wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner is fastened to the cargo container by hooks which are then connected to elastic cords near the corners and wall rims. Flexible strips are attached to the joints between the front and the top walls as well as between the front wall and each side wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner. The flexible strips between the front wall and each side wall may have the following features. The flexible strips may have vertical rows of holes through which steel rods or axles are inserted in order to connect to two sides of the cargo container walls for installation, and the flexible strips are thick and have a different method of fixing to the cargo container. Two scalene hexagonal air bags are provided at the outside of the bottom wall at the area near the front wall of the flexible liner. When the air bags are fully inflated through flexible tubes with valve devices for in-out air flow control, the inflated air bags possess the shape of cut-pointed triangular prisms. These air bags help push the cargo out through the bottom opening. Controlling the outward air flow is done through a spiral valve mounted on each air bag.  
      The flexible cargo liner described herein provides a ready-for-installation package for cargo of powdered or granular nature for cargo container transportation, with the capacity for handling more contents of bulk transfer per one trip by using a one-piece liner and the capacity for convenient and quick discharge of cargo with the help of the air bags which, when fully inflated, push the contents inside the liner down through the discharge opening.  
      The availability of the flexible strips with holes through which rods or axles can be inserted to connect to the cargo container walls will help support the flexible liner for cargo packaging to maintain its shape and prevent wrinkles. These rods or axles can be made of steel, but this is not necessarily so. Other suitable materials may be used. The problem of a residual amount of the cargo being retained in the wrinkles is reduced. Without this feature, weight builds up from the residue of cargo may eventually break open the flexible cargo packaging liner.  
      The thick flexible strips are used to protect the cargo container from contamination by foreign materials. They are capable of maintaining a vacuum condition between each wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner and its cargo container walls. Furthermore, the thick flexible strips help the flexible cargo packaging liner maintain its shape.  
      Additionally, the flexible cargo packaging liner and supporting systems described herein can be automated or operated without manual supervision and control throughout its work life. It also has the capacity for multiple rounds of use.  
      With reference to the diagrams shown in  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 8 , one example of a flexible cargo packaging liner according to the principles described herein will be illustrated and described. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that many other examples and modifications may be made using the principles described herein as best suits a particular application.  
      The flexible cargo packaging liner  1  for cargo container transportation comprises a flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  and air bags  7  and  7 A as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 .  
      This flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  has a configuration of a closed rectangle for use in packaging cargo of powdered or granular nature for cargo container transportation, which is used for protection of the cargo container surface from contaminating cargo and protection of the cargo from contamination, as well as for enabling the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  to accommodate a great amount of cargo without depending heavily on the cargo being packed in many individual small liners and subsequently being piled up in the cargo container. This means that mores space inside the cargo container is available for cargo thus enabling the cargo container to hold a greater amount of cargo.  
      Another element in this embodiment is an air bag that possesses a configuration of a scalene hexagon when folded. Once the air bag is fully inflated, it possesses the shape of a cut-pointed triangular prism, which is different from an existing bag having an essentially triangular or trapezoid shape that will be expanded, upon full inflation, into a configuration of a pointed water drop. This may result in an accumulation of a certain amount of cargo at the pointed area of this bag. However, the air bag according to the present specification has the cut-pointed triangular prism when it is expanded, which helps push the cargo contained inside the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  out easily also reducing the amount of the cargo trapped in the corners of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 .  
      The flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 , as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , which is the element of the flexible cargo packaging liner  1 , as earlier mentioned, has a configuration of a closed rectangle comprising: 
          A front wall  40 , a rear wall  50 , a top wall  60 , a bottom wall  70 , the first side wall  80 , and the second side wall  90  as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 .        

      There are two openings at the top portion of the front wall  40 , one opening for cargo loading  2 , the other opening being for air ventilation  3 . There is also one opening for cargo discharge  4  from the flexible cargo packaging liner  45  at the lower portion of the front wall  40 .  
      A flexible tube  12  is connected along a horizontal line parallel to the bottom wall  70  and runs through the first side wall  80  to get to the second side wall  90  and rests itself near the rear wall  50 . A steel axle (not shown) will be inserted through the flexible tube  12  in order to hold the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  firmly to the cargo container.  
      A hook assembly  75  is used for hanging the top wall  60  of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  onto the cargo container in order to prevent the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  from collapsing and damaging the cargo contained therein. The hook assembly  75 , as show in  FIG. 7 , comprises a hook  5 , a weight support plate  17  with four round holes  20  arranged in two rows of two, and elastic cords  6  which are inserted through the holes  20  of the support plate  17 . The support plate  17  lies on top of a transparent plastic plate  18  which in turn connects to the top wall  60  of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  at a circle  19 . The hook assembly  75  will enable the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  to be ready for installation. This is very convenient to users.  
      As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , there is a flexible strip  10 A attached to the joint between the front wall  40  and the top wall  60  of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 , which presses against the front wall of the cargo container in order to close a gap between the upper side of the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  and the cargo container walls and protects the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  from contamination by foreign materials.  
      There are flexible strips attached to the joints between the front and each side wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  in order to fix the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  to the cargo container. These flexible strips have two features as follows.  
      One feature of the flexible strips used for fixing the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  to the cargo container as shown in  FIG. 1  is a vertical flexible strip  10  which is attached to the joints between the front wall and each side wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 . The vertical flexible strip  10  has a row of holes  11  arranged vertically from top to bottom, through which rods or axles will be inserted (not shown) in order to connect to 2 sides of the cargo container, which will help support the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  to maintain its shape and prevent wrinkles reducing the amount of residual cargo retained in the wrinkles. Without this feature, a weight buildup of residual cargo may eventually results in the breakage of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 .  
      The other feature of the flexible strips used for fixing the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  to the cargo container as shown in  FIG. 2  is a thick flexible strip  10 B which is attached to the joints between the front wall and each side wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 . The thick flexible strip  10 B is used for fixing the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  to the side of the cargo container by pressing the thick flexible strip  10 B against the two side walls of the cargo container. After air from an enclosed gap around the cargo container is removed by a suction pump (not shown), all walls of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  will be pressed flat against the cargo container wall. The thick flexible strip  10 B will protect the cargo container from any foreign materials contamination and will help better maintain the vacuum condition between each wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 .  
      Another element of the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  is air bags, as mentioned earlier. The design comprises at least two air bags which are of different sizes. Air bag  7  and air bag  7 A posses a configuration of a scalene hexagon when they are not yet inflated. Detailed views of the air bags  7  and  7 A, without the packaging liner body  45 , are shown in  FIG. 6 .  
      Air bag  7  and air bag  7 A comprise a broad end base  14  and taper to a narrow end base  100 . The broad end base  14  has another V-shaped overlapping wall  110  inside, while the narrow end base  100  has flexible inflation tube  8  which is capable of controlling air flow through an in-out valve device  13  which lies across the flexible inflation tube  8  for introducing pressurized air into air bag  7  and air bag  7 A without manpower being required to control the air flow operation. The broad end base  14  is capable of maintaining the pressurized air content inside the air bag and is also capable of performing the function of letting the air flow out.  
      The spiral type valve  9  as shown in  FIG. 8  includes (1) a valve cap  120  to perform the function of controlling the air flow inside air bag  7  and air bag  7 A; and (2) a valve base  22  which has a cylindrical tube with a spiral  21  outside.  
      The spiral type valve  9  is attached to air bag  7  and air bag  7 A by sealing with heat into a circle line  23 . Controlling and maintaining pressurized air content is done through this spiral type valve  9 . Releasing the pressurized air from air bag  7  and air bag  7 A is done by winding the valve cap  120  up out of the valve base  22  through the spiral  21 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , air bag  7  is fixed to the outside of the bottom wall  70  and to the outside of the first side wall  80  near the front wall  40  of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 . This may be done with double-sided tape  16 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Air bag  7 , while folded, possesses a configuration of a scalene hexagon, but air bag  7  when fully inflated possesses the shape of a cut-pointed triangular prism which helps to push the cargo out of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 . This reduces the amount of cargo trapped in the corners of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  as well.  
      As shown in  FIG. 3 , when air bag  7  is installed with the flexible cargo packaging liner  1 , air bag  7  will be folded according to a folding line  17  which is perpendicular to the broad end base  14  of air bag  7 . Then air bag  7  is fixed to the outside of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  at the edge of the first side wall  80  of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  by fixing to the first side wall  80  and the bottom wall  70  with double-sided tape  16  in a position which runs along an edge line  15  of air bag  7 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , air bag 7 A, which is smaller than air bag  7 , is fixed to the outside of the bottom wall  70  and to the outside of the second wall  90  near the front wall  40  of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  by double-sided tape  16 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Air bag  7 A while folded possesses a configuration of a scalene hexagon, but air bag  7 A when fully inflated possesses the shape of a cut-pointed triangular prism which helps push the cargo out of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45 . This helps reduce the amount of cargo trapped in the corners of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  as well.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4 , when air bag  7 A is installed with the flexible cargo packaging liner  1 , air bag  7 A is folded according to a folding line  17  which is perpendicular to the broad end base  14  of air bag  7 A. Then air bag  7 A is fixed to the outside of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  at the edge of the second side wall  90  of the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  by fixing to the second side wall  90  and the bottom wall  70  with double-sided tape  16  in a position which runs along an edge line  15  of air bag  7 A.  
      To use the flexible cargo packaging liner  1 , spread the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  out in the cargo container. Insert the steel axle through the flexible tube  12  in order to fix the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  to the bottom part of the cargo container. Hook  5  is then linked up with the cargo container at its side fixture, and the cargo is subsequently loaded into the flexible cargo packaging liner body  45  through the opening for cargo loading  2 . Then close the opening for cargo loading  2  and the opening for air ventilation  3  in order to prevent a reverse flow of cargo. Then the flexible strip  10 A is attached to the front portion of the container to close the gap between the top portion of the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  and the wall of the cargo container to reduce contamination by foreign materials slipping through the flexible cargo packaging liner  1 .  
      To use the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  with the vertical flexible strip  10  insert the steel axle (not shown) through the hole  11  and fix to the side wall of the cargo container. Then close the cargo container door.  
      To use the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  with the thick vertical strip  10 B press the thick vertical strip  10 B flat against the two sides of the cargo container walls after the air between the gap around the cargo container and each wall of the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  is fully removed. Subsequently, the walls of the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  will be pressed flat against the walls of the cargo container. Then the cargo container door will be closed.  
      When the cargo inside the flexible cargo packaging liner  1  is ready to be discharged, the opening for cargo discharge  4  is opened to facilitate the flow of the cargo. At the same time, air bag  7  and air bag  7 A are fully inflated. This expansion will make a difference to levels of the bottom area of the flexible cargo packaging liner  1 , which will result in the removal of residual cargo. When all of the cargo has flowed out, valve cap  120  is opened in order to free the air content inside air bag  7  and air bag  7 A. They will shrink and be ready for reuse.  
      The preceding description has been presented only to illustrate and describe embodiments of the invention. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to any precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.