Patent Publication Number: US-7594579-B2

Title: Bulk bag and rigid fork lift tine receiving member combination

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a bulk bag and rigid fork lift tine receiving member combination. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,305 (Baker et al 2001) describes a bulk bag which has a pair of flexible sleeves depending from the bottom of the bulk bag. Rigid fork lift tine receiving members are inserted into the sleeves. This facilitates the insertion of fork lift tines into the fork lift tine receiving members, so that the bulk bag may be lifted by a fork lift. 
   Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the bulk bag and rigid fork lift tine receiving members, as described by Baker et al; after prolonged use the sleeves on the bottom of the bulk bag tend to become worn. This is due to the fact that the sleeves are frequently in contact with the floor. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   What is required is a bulk bag and rigid fork lift tine receiving member combination which will have greater wear resistance. 
   According to the present invention there is provided a bulk bag and rigid fork lift tine receiving member combination. The combination includes a bulk bag having a bottom and a peripheral sidewall. Two rigid parallel-piped fork lift tine receiving members are provided, each having an exterior surface with a tie receiving channel extending across a bottom face of the exterior surface. The fork lift tine receiving members are tied with ties to the bottom of the bulk bag. The ties are positioned within the receiving channels. Further beneficial results may be obtained through the use of velcro ties. 
   With the combination, as described above, the ties used to secure the fork lift tine receiving members to the bottom of the bulk bag are protected from wear within the tie receiving channel as the bottom face of the fork lift tine receiving members move across a floor. 
   Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the combination, as described above, it is desirable to limit movement of the fork lift tine receiving members as much as possible. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when adjacent side faces of the fork lift tine receiving members also have tie receiving channels. The tie receiving channels on the adjacent side faces help to limit movement of the fork lift tine receiving members. It is preferred that the tie receiving channel on the bottom face be substantially aligned with the tie receiving channels in the adjacent side faces. 
   There are two alternative approaches to providing the above described tie receiving channels. A first approach is to have the tie receiving channel or channels recessed relative to the exterior surface of the fork lift tine receiving member. A second approach is to have the tie receiving channel or channels raised so that they protrude from the exterior surface. 
   Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the combination, as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained when the recessed tie receiving channel or channels are in the form of a dove-tail groove. This structure allows a tie, such as a belt, to be inserted into the groove in one orientation and resists the removal from the groove in another orientation. 
   Further beneficial results may be obtained through the use of slots positioned at the outward ends of the fork lift tine receiving members adapted to receive further ties. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to in any way limit the scope of the invention to the particular embodiment or embodiments shown, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bulk bag/fork lift tine retaining member combination constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, having recessed tie receiving channels. 
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal section view of the bulk bag/fork lift tine retaining member combination illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a bulk bag/fork lift tine retaining member combination constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, having raised tie receiving channels. 
       FIG. 4  is a detail, perspective view of a bulk bag/fork lift tine retaining member combination constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, having a recessed bottom tie receiving channel and raised side tie receiving channels. 
       FIG. 5  is a detailed perspective view of a belt tie. 
       FIG. 6  is a detailed perspective view of an elasticized tie. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a fork lift tine receiving member with stops. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   A first preferred embodiment of bulk bag/fork lift tine retaining member, generally identified by reference numeral  10 , will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . A second preferred embodiment of bulk bag/fork lift tine retaining member, generally identified by reference numeral  100 , will now be described with reference to  FIG. 3 . A third preferred embodiment of bulk bag/fork lift tine retaining member, generally identified by reference numeral  200 , will now be described with reference to  FIG. 4 . Variations on ties will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 5 through 7 . 
   Structure and Relationship of Parts of First Embodiment 10: 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , bulk bag  12  has a bottom  14  and peripheral sidewall  16 . Fork lift tine receiving members  18  each have a bottom face  20 , side faces  22  and outward end  24 . Bottom face  20  and side faces  22  each are adapted with recessed tie receiving channels  26 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , bulk bag  12  is adapted with ties  28  (one side here shown) which are positioned within recessed tie receiving channels  26 . A pair of slots  30  are positioned on top at outward ends  24  to receive further ties (one shown)  28 . 
   Operation: 
   The use and operation of a Bulk Bag and Rigid Fork Lift Tine Receiving Member Combination generally identified by reference numeral  10 , will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 through 2 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , fork lift tine receiving members  18  are positioned under bulk bag  12  and fitted into ties  28  where ties  28  (one side here shown) are positioned within recessed tie receiving channels  26  such that movement of bulk bag  12  is controlled. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , all ties  28  shown are positioned within recessed tie receiving channels  26  and slots  30 . The operation is especially facilitated where the recessed tie receiving channels  26 , are dove-tailed. The dove-tailed channels contain the ties, so that they cannot be pulled laterally out of the channels. 
   Structure and Relationship of Parts of Second Embodiment 100: 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , bulk bag  12  has a bottom  14  and peripheral sidewall  16 . Fork lift tine receiving members  18 , each having a bottom face  20  and side faces  22 , are each adapted with raised tie receiving channels  32 . Bulk bag  12  is adapted with ties  28  (one side here shown) which are positioned within raised tie receiving channels  32  and slots  30 . 
   Operation: 
   The use and operation of a Bulk Bag and Rigid Fork Lift Tine Receiving Member Combination generally identified by reference numeral  100 , will now be described with reference to  FIG. 3 . Fork lift tine receiving members  18  are positioned under bulk bag  12  and fitted into ties  28  (one side here shown) where ties  28  are positioned within raised tie receiving channels  32  and slots  30  such that movement of bulk bag  12  is controlled. As described above, the operation is especially facilitated where the raised tie receiving channels  32 , are dove-tailed to laterally confine the ties. 
   It is possible to combine the teachings of first embodiment 10 and second embodiment 100 to arrive at a third embodiment 200: 
   Structure and Relationship of Parts of Third Embodiment 200: 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , fork lift tine receiving members  18 , have a bottom face  20  and side faces  22 . Bottom face  20  is adapted with recessed tie receiving channels  26 . Each side face  22  is adapted with raised tie receiving channels  32 . Bulk bag  12  is adapted with ties  28  (one here shown) which are positioned within each of recessed tie receiving channels  26  and raised tie receiving channels  32 . 
   Operation: 
   The use and operation of a Bulk Bag and Rigid Fork Lift Tine Receiving Member Combination generally identified by reference numeral  200 , is as previously outlined in regard to the previous embodiments. 
   Variations: 
   The term “tie” is used as all encompassing term to cover all of the many possible variations. Referring to  FIG. 5 , it can be seen that the tie can be in the form of a belt  34 . Belt  34  can be fastened together by any suitable fastener, such as a buckle or mating tape fastener. In the illustrated embodiment, a fastener such as are sold under the Trade Mark “VELCRO” is illustrated. Referring to  FIG. 6 , the tie can also be in the form of an elastic sleeve  36  which is stretched into position. Sleeve  36  can vary in width, from a relatively narrow sleeve of two to three inches, to a relatively width sleeve that extends for substantially the entire length of the fork lift tine receiving member, to a sleeve of intermediate width of six to twelve inches. 
   Further, receiving channels  32  on side faces  22  of fork lift tine receiving members  18  serve to limit relative axial movement between the ties and the fork lift tine receiving members. Referring to  FIG. 7 , it is possible to accomplish this same objective when fork lift tine receiving members  18  have side faces  22  with raised stops  38  which limit relative axial movement of the ties and fork lift tine receiving members  18  in one direction. 
   Operation: 
   The use and operation of the further variations of ties as outlined above is as previously outlined in regard to the previous use of ties. 
   In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. 
   It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the illustrated embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined in the Claims.