Patent Publication Number: US-6213305-B1

Title: Bulk bag

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bulk bag. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bulk bags are large bags that are used to transport bulk commodities. They are currently transported on low portable platforms known as “pallets.” The use of pallets facilitates the handling of bulk bags with fork lifts. Unfortunately, pallets increase the weight and, consequently, the cost of shipping bulk bags. This involves both the transportation of full bulk bags from the shipper to the customer, and the transportation of empty bulk bags from the customer back to the shipper. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     What is required is a bulk bag that can be readily transported without requiring a pallet. 
     According to the present invention there is provided a bulk bag which includes a flexible body having a bottom. At least one pair of tubular fork tine receiving members are arranged in parallel spaced relation across the bottom of the body. Fork tines from a forklift are insertable into the receiving members to lift the body. 
     The bulk bag, as described above, does not need a pallet as provision is made for receiving members to accommodate the fork tines of a forklift. This enables a forklift to be used to handle the bulk bags. The preferred mode of construction of the bulk bag involves making the fork tine receiving members in the form of sleeves that extend across the bottom of the bulk bag into which are inserted rigidifying inserts. 
     Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the bulk bag, as described above, rigidifying inserts can limit the extent to which empty bulk bags may be folded up for transport. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when the rigidifying inserts are removable from the sleeves to facilitate transportation of empty bulk bags. 
     There are various ways in which rigidifying inserts may be maintained within the sleeves and yet, still remain removable to facilitate transportation of empty bulk bags. One way is to provide elastic bands at opposed ends of the sleeves to elastically deform the opposed ends. The elastic bands constrict the opposed ends of the sleeves to preclude the rigidifying inserts from being withdrawn from the sleeves. Another way is to provide a mating clamping component which clamps around the sleeve and onto the rigidifying insert. In this manner the rigidifying insert is clamped in position within the sleeve and cannot be withdrawn until the mating clamping component is removed. Yet another is to have sleeves made from an elastic material, that will stretch to allow entry of the rigidifying inserts and then return to their original form, thereby holding the rigidifying inserts in place. 
     Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the bulk bag, as described above, there is a danger that a fork lift may rupture the bulk bag when attempting to insert fork tines into the fork tine receiving members. Even more beneficial results may, therefore, be obtained when a peripheral reinforcing impact panel is secured to the sidewalls adjacent the bottom of the bulk bag in the vicinity of the at least one pair of tubular fork tine receiving members. 
    
    
     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, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a bulk bag having fork tine receiving members and rigidifying inserts constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an end elevation view of a first embodiment of rigidifying insert. 
     FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the first embodiment of rigidifying insert illustrated in FIG. 2 inserted into a sleeve to form a fork tine receiving member. 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevation view, in section, of the rigidifying insert illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded end elevation view of a second embodiment of rigidifying insert with mating clamping component. 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded end elevation view of the second embodiment of rigidifying insert with mating clamping component illustrated in FIG. 5, and sleeve. 
     FIG. 7 is an end elevation view of the second embodiment of rigidifying insert with mating clamping component illustrated in FIG. 5, clamped onto a sleeve to form a fork tine receiving member. 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of four rigidifying inserts assembled to provide two pairs of fork tine receiving members. 
     FIG. 9 is an end elevation view of a third embodiment of rigidifying insert. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The two preferred embodiments of a bulk bag will now be described. A first embodiment generally identified by reference numeral  10  will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4 and  8 . A second embodiment generally identified by reference numeral  12  will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5 through  8 . 
     Referring to FIG. 1, first embodiment of bulk bag  10  includes a flexible body  16  having a bottom  18 , a circumferential sidewall  20  and bag handling loops  22 . A pair of tubular fork tine receiving members  24  are arranged in parallel spaced relation across bottom  18  of body  16 , such that fork tines from a forklift are insertable into receiving members  24  to lift body  16 . Fork tine receiving member  24  is a sleeve  26  with a removable rigidifying insert. As will hereinafter be further described, the rigidifying insert can take various forms. Referring to FIG. 9, the rigidifying insert can be a tubular member  27 . It is preferred, however, that the rigidifying insert be in the channel form as will hereinafter be further described in relation to a first embodiment, which is identified in FIG. 2 by reference numeral  28 . A channel form of rigidifying insert takes up less space during transportation. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, first insert  28  has a cross section shape that is substantially an inverted square channel. First insert  28  has a pair of sidewalls  30  in parallel spaced relationship and a top member  32 . Top member  32  is rigidly affixed along the length of a top edge  34  of each sidewall  30  at an angle close to 90 degrees. A bottom edge  36  of sidewall  30  is linear and parallel to top edge  34 , and is smooth thereby preventing tearing when first insert  28  is inserted into sleeve  26 . First insert  28  is manufactured from a thermoplastic and is preferably of a gauge between 0.110 and 0.300. A height of sidewall  30  is between 2 inches and 5 inches, and a width of top member  32  is between 4 inches and 12 inches, the dimensions of first insert  28  being dependent on the dimensions of sleeve  26 , body  16  and a maximum weight to be carried in body  16 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, first insert  28  is inserted into sleeve  26  so that top member  32  lies in a substantially coplanar attitude with and supports bottom  18  of body  16 . A rectangular fork tine receiving member  24  having a cavity  38  is thereby formed by top member  32 , pair of sidewalls  30  and a section  40  of sleeve  26  spanning a space between bottom edges  36  of sidewalls  30 . Cavity  38  so formed is ready to receive a fork tine (not shown) from a forklift. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, elastic bands  42  are embedded in opposed ends  50  of sleeves  26 . First insert  28  is installed by expanding elastic bands  42 . When first insert  28  is installed within sleeve  26 , elastic bands  42  are positioned between first insert  28 , indicated by a dotted line  46 , and an opening  48  at one of opposed ends  50  of sleeves  26 . Elastic bands  42  elastically deform opposed ends  50 , thereby precluding rigidifying first insert  28  from accidentally being withdrawn through opening  48 . Referring to FIG. 9, the same effect can be obtained by having the entire of sleeve  26  made from an elastic material, such as an EVA flex plastic. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, it is preferred that a peripheral reinforcing impact panel  51  is secured to said sidewalls  30  in the vicinity of receiving members  24  in order to protect sidewalls  30  adjacent bottom  18  of body  16  against accidental puncture by fork tines of a forklift. 
     The method of use of first embodiment of bulk bag  10  will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 4. First embodiment of bulk bag  10  is provided in a compactly folded form with first inserts  28  withdrawn from sleeves  26 . Body  16  is unfolded and first inserts  28 , as illustrated in FIG. 2, are inserted into sleeves  26 , as illustrated in FIG. 3 by elastically expanding elastic bands  42 . Once insertion has been completed, elastic bands  42  prevent first inserts  28  from accidentally being withdrawn from sleeves  26 , as illustrated in FIG.  4 . Once bulk bag  10  has been loaded, fork tines of a forklift are inserted into fork tine receiving channels  24 , to lift and move first embodiment of bulk bag  10 . Once the load has been discharged from bulk bag  10 , inserts  28  are removed from sleeves  26 . Body  16  can then be folded in preparation for body  16  and first inserts  28  being stored or transported in a compact form. 
     Referring again to FIG. 1, second embodiment of bulk bag  12  includes flexible body  16  substantially similar to said body  16  described above for first embodiment of bulk bag  10 . Fork tine receiving member  24  is a sleeve  26  with a second embodiment of insert generally identified by reference numeral  52 . Referring to FIG. 5, second insert  52  is substantially similar to first insert  28 , but with the additional feature that sidewall  30  has an angular “J” shaped foot  60  forming a channel  62  external to and along the length of a bottom edge  36  of sidewall  30 . A mating component  66  is provided that has a planar base  68  with opposed parallel edges  70 . An angular hook shaped member  72  extends along the length of each edge  70 , spaced above top face  74  of base  68 . Hook member  72  has an engagement lip  78 . Referring to FIG. 6, second insert  52  fits loosely within sleeve  26 . When second insert  52  is inserted into sleeve  26 , top member  32  lies in a substantially coplanar attitude with and supports bottom  18  of body  16 . A rectangular fork tine receiving member  24  having a cavity  38  is thereby formed by top member  32 , pair of sidewalls  30  and a spanning section  40  of sleeve  26  spanning a space between bottom edges  36  of sidewalls  30 . Cavity  38  so formed is ready to receive a fork tine (not shown) from a forklift. Referring to FIG. 7, mating component  66  mates with “J” shaped foot  60  on each opposed sidewall  30  of second insert  52 . When so mated, engagement lip  78  of hook member  72  is positioned in channel  62  of “J” shaped foot  60 . This clamps second insert  52  onto spanning section  40  of sleeve  26 , thereby precluding second insert  52  from accidentally being withdrawn through opening  48  of sleeve  26 . 
     The method of use of second embodiment of bulk bag  12  will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 5 through  7 . Second embodiment of bulk bag  12  is provided in a compactly folded form with second inserts  52  withdrawn from sleeves  26 . Body  16  is unfolded and second inserts  52  are inserted into sleeves  26 , as illustrated in FIG.  6 . Engagement lip  78  of hook member  72  of mating component  66  is then mated with channel  62  to clamp second insert  52  onto spanning section  40  of sleeve  26 . Body  16  is filled with a load and fork tines of a forklift are inserted into fork tine receiving channels  24  to lift and move bulk bag  10 . When load has been discharged from body  16  mating component  66  is removed to enable second inserts  52  are removed from sleeves  26 . Body  16  can then be folded in preparation for bulk bag and second inserts  52  being stored or transported in a compact form. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, two pairs of tubular fork tine receiving members  24  are used when there is a need to be able to lift bulk bag  10  from four sides, as opposed to two sides. A first pair of the tubular fork tine receiving members  24   a  crosses substantially perpendicularly a second pair of tubular fork tine receiving members  24   b . A forklift can then approach a loaded bulk bag from any of four sides and insert fork tines into one of pair of fork tine receiving members  24   a  or pair of fork tine receiving members  24   b.    
     In order to accommodate two pairs of receiving members  24 , two pairs of intersecting or crossing sleeves  26  are preferably provided across the bottom  18  of the body  16 , and two pairs of intersecting or crossing rigidifying inserts  28  are preferably provided for insertion in the sleeves  26 . This can be accomplished by providing communication between the sleeves  26  at the point of their intersection and by providing notches in the rigidifying inserts  28  at their points of intersection so that they can be assembled in a single plane and still permit fork tines to access either pair of receiving members  24   a  or  24   b . Alternatively, the two pairs of receiving members  24   a  and  24   b  could be located in different planes along the bottom  18  of the body  16 , thus eliminating the need for intersecting or crossing sleeves  26  and rigidifying inserts  28 . 
     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.