Patent Publication Number: US-9850054-B2

Title: Manifold arrangement

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a manifold arrangement. 
     More particularly, the present invention relates to a manifold arrangement for packaging arrangements for fluids, pastes and powders. 
     BACKGROUND TO INVENTION 
     Various types of packaging are known for transporting or storing liquids such as food products and chemicals. These food products and chemicals are either emptied by means of devices, such as pumps or pressure devices, or are self-emptying due to gravity. 
     Unfortunately there are problems in completely and effectively emptying such packaging arrangements. 
     It is an object of the invention to suggest a novel manifold arrangement for over-coming the above problems. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     According to the invention, a manifold arrangement for bulk handling of fluid material having an inner bag for holding fluid material, includes a manifold member adapted to be located within the inner bag, the inner bag having a product inlet through which fluid material can be introduced into the inner bag and a product outlet through which the fluid material can flow from the inner bag, and being adapted to assist in forcing fluid material out of the inner bag through the product outlet and thereby reducing residue in the inner bag. 
     Also according to the invention, a packaging arrangement for bulk handling of fluid material and being adapted to be located within an outer box and/or container, includes
         (a) an inner bag adapted to hold fluid material, the inner bag having a product inlet through which fluid material can be introduced into the inner bag and a product outlet through which fluid material can flow from the inner bag;   (b) a surrounding member adapted to surround the inner bag and adapted to form at least one air pocket or air compartment between the surrounding member and the inner bag, the pocket having an air inlet through which air can be introduced into the pocket and thereby putting pressure on the inner bag to force the fluid material out of the inner bag through the product outlet; and   (c) a manifold arrangement located within the inner bag to assist in forcing the fluid material out of the inner bag through the product outlet and thereby reducing residue in the inner bag.       

     Yet further according to the invention, a manifold arrangement for the bulk handling of fluid material, includes a loose manifold member placed and mounted inside an inner bag of an air-assist bag in final stages of the bag assembly process with the inner bag closed off with the manifold member inside, packed and shipped to customer ready to use. 
     The main function of the manifold arrangement may be to reduce the residual in the bag during discharging or decanting of fluid material. 
     During the decanting process the material of the bag may be folding on each other at the bottom of Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) and create pockets where product is trapped. This increases the residual fluid material as all the products cannot be pumped out of the bag. 
     The manifold arrangement serves the purpose of keeping the folded material open during the decanting process and allowing the pump to pump the remainder of product through the manifold during the last stages of decanting and thereby reducing the final residual fluid in bag. 
     A surrounding member may surround the inner bag and be adapted to form at least one air pocket or air compartment between the surrounding member and the inner bag, the pocket having an air inlet through which air can be introduced into the pocket and thereby allowing putting pressure on the inner bag to force fluid material out of the inner bag through the product outlet. 
     The manifold arrangement may be a loose device inserted into the inner bag. 
     The manifold arrangement may consist of plastics material. 
     The manifold arrangement may consist of an inert material. 
     The manifold arrangement may be injection moulded. 
     The manifold arrangement may be a one-piece integrally formed object. 
     The packaging arrangement may be flexible. 
     The surrounding member may consist of at least two layers. 
     The surrounding member may have 7 air pockets or air compartments. 
     The packaging arrangement may have a bladder shape. 
     The packaging arrangement may consist of transparent material to enable the fluids, pastes and/or powders to be visible from the outside. 
     The box and/or container may be an intermediary bulk container (IBC). 
     The packaging arrangement may be a liquid liner. 
     The fluid material may be powdery, paste-like, fluids and/or liquids. 
     The intermediate bulk container may have a capacity of 50 to 500 gallons or about 189 to 2000 litres. 
     The invention also extends to a method for delivering bulk material and a method for producing the manifold arrangement as described herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing. 
       In the drawings there is shown in: 
         FIG. 1 : various views of the manifold arrangement in accordance with the invention; and 
         FIG. 2 : a sectional top view of a packaging arrangement in which the manifold is located; and 
         FIG. 3 : a front perspective view of the packaging arrangement shown in  FIG. 2  with a section of the box or container cut-out to show the product outlet. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     Referring to the Figures, a manifold arrangement for intermediate bulk containers in accordance with the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral  10 , is shown. 
     The manifold arrangement  10  for the bulk handling of fluid material includes a manifold member  12  having four tubular legs  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 . It can, however, have any number of legs. The manifold member  12  is adapted to be located within an inner bag  22  on its bottom surface  22   a  for holding fluid material. 
     The inner bag  22  has a product inlet  24  on its side surface  22   b  through which the fluid material can be introduced into the inner bag  22  and a product outlet  26  to the surface  22   b through which the fluid material can flow from the inner bag  22 , and being adapted to assist in forcing the fluid material out of the inner bag  22  through the product outlet  26 . 
     A surrounding member  28  surrounds the inner bag  22  and is adapted to form at least one air pocket or air compartment between the surrounding member  28  and the inner bag  22 . The pocket has an air inlet through which air can be introduced into the pocket and thereby putting pressure on the inner bag  22  to force the fluid material out of the inner bag  22  through the product outlet  26 . 
     The manifold arrangement  10  is a loose part placed and mounted inside the inner bag  22  on bottom surface  22   a  in the final stages of the inner bag assembly process. The inner bag will be closed off with manifold arrangement  10  inside, packed and shipped to a customer ready to use. The main function of the manifold arrangement  10  is to reduce the residual fluid material in the inner bag  22  during the decanting process. During the decanting process the lining of the inner bag  22  folds on the bottom of the Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) and creates pockets in which product is trapped. This increases the residual of the fluid material which cannot be pumped out of the inner bag. The manifold arrangement  10  in this case will serve the purpose of keeping the folded lining open during the decanting process and allowing the pump to pump the remainder of fluid material through the manifold arrangement during the last stages of decanting. This will reduce the final residual fluid material in inner bag. 
     As mentioned above, the manifold arrangement  10  is a loose device inserted into the inner bag. 
     The manifold arrangement  10  consists of plastics material. 
     The manifold arrangement  10  consists of an inert material. 
     The manifold arrangement  10  can be injection moulded. 
     The manifold arrangement  10  can be a one-piece integrally formed object. 
     The packaging arrangement is flexible. 
     The surrounding member consists of at least two layers. 
     The surrounding member can have various air pockets or air compartments. 
     The packaging arrangement has a bladder shape. 
     The packaging arrangement consists of transparent material to enable the fluids, pastes and/or powders to be visible from the outside. 
     The box and/or container is an intermediary bulk container (IBC). 
     The packaging arrangement is a liquid liner. 
     The fluid material can be powdery, paste-like, fluids and/or liquids. 
     The intermediate bulk container can have a capacity of 50 to 500 gallons or about 189 to 2000 litres. 
     The invention provides for a manifold arrangement for a packaging arrangement for the bulk handling of fluid material and being adapted to be located within an outer box and/or container, which includes
         (a) an inner bag adapted to hold fluid material, the inner bag having a product inlet through which the fluid material can be introduced into the inner bag and a product outlet through which the fluid material can flow from the inner bag;   (b) a surrounding member adapted to surround the inner bag and adapted to form at least one air pocket or air compartment between the surrounding member and the inner bag, the pocket having an air inlet through which air can be introduced into the pocket and thereby putting pressure on the inner bag to force the fluid material out of the inner bag through the product outlet; and   (c) a manifold arrangement located within the inner bag to assist in forcing the fluid material out of the inner bag through the product outlet.