The present invention relates generally to the field of systems and methods of receiving, storing, transporting, and discharging bulk materials, and more particularly, to a bulk bag having two or more compartments.
Bulk bags, also known as flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), may be used to facilitate the receiving, storing, transporting, and discharging of flowable solids and other materials.
The present invention provides a bulk bag having two or more compartments that may be used to facilitate the receiving, receiving, storing, transporting, and discharging of flowable solids and other materials, including but not limited to, minerals, chemicals, foodstuffs, etc. In some circumstances, the bulk bag can be adapted for use with fluidized materials, semi-liquids and liquids.
More specifically, the present invention provides a bulk bag that includes a first panel, a second panel, a third panel, a fourth panel and a fifth panel. The first panel forms a first sidewall, a first bottom wall and a first opposite sidewall. The second panel is attached to the first panel and forms a second sidewall adjacent to the first sidewall, a second bottom wall adjacent to the first bottom wall and a second opposite sidewall adjacent to the first opposite sidewall. The third panel is attached to the first panel and forms a first end wall attached to the first sidewall, the first bottom wall and the first opposite sidewall. The fourth panel is attached to the second panel and forms a second end wall attached to the second sidewall, the second bottom wall and the second opposite sidewall. The fifth panel is disposed between and attached to the first panel and the second panel to form a first compartment and a second compartment.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a bulk bag by attaching a first panel, a second panel and a fifth panel together to form a first sidewall, a second sidewall adjacent to the first sidewall, a first bottom wall, a second bottom wall adjacent to the first bottom wall, a first opposite sidewall, a second opposite sidewall adjacent to the first opposite sidewall, wherein the fifth panel is disposed between and attached to the first panel and the second panel to form a first compartment and a second compartment. A third panel is attached to the first panel to form a first end wall attached to the first sidewall, the first bottom wall and the first opposite sidewall. A fourth panel is attached to the second panel to form a second end wall attached to the second sidewall, the second bottom wall and the second opposite sidewall.
The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The above and further advantages of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention. The present disclosure could generally provide bulk bags having two or more compartments of various sizes and configurations. Moreover, the panel(s) separating the compartments can serve various purposes, such filtration, screening, isolation or segregation of materials. Although the following description generally describes a particular construction, it should be understood that any suitable configuration could be used to construct the bulk bag according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
In one embodiment, the present disclosure could provide five relatively flat two-dimensional pieces or panels that may be assembled to form a bulk bag having two or more compartments. Bulk bags in accordance with the present invention can be implemented or generally used in warehouses, garages, factories, manufacturing plants, packaging plants, processing plants, storage facilities, transportation facilities, trucks, cargo ships, shipyards, commercial real estate locations, lumber yards, mines other suitable locations, or any combination thereof according to one embodiment of the present invention.
Now referring to
The fifth panel 110 can be a solid divider wall, a filtration screen or other desirable type of separator. The first compartment 128 and the second compartment 130 can be equally sized as shown in
The first panel 102, the second panel 104, the third panel 106, the fourth panel 108, the fifth panel 110, the sixth panel, the seventh panel and any top panel can be made of one or more woven or porous materials selected from the group comprising polypropylene, micropored material, static controlled material, conductive material, metalized material, liner material, film material, foil material, coated material, tubular material, webbed material, baffle fabric, coated baffle fabric, nonflammable material, water-proof material, corrugated material, nylon, rope, jute, hemp, sisal, leather, fibers, rope-like material, twine, cloth, canvas, polyurethane, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), bungee cord material, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyester, high-gloss polyester, synthetic rubber, natural rubber, plastic, polymer, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, other suitable materials, or any combination thereof. The first panel 102 and the second panel 104 can be formed from two or more panels. The panels can be attached to one another along various seams. Other attachment means can be used, such as a hook and loop fastener system, glue, adhesive, self-adhesive, heat-sensitive fastener, tape, putty, gel, magnet, zipper, slide-lock, wire, tie-back, twist tie, wire tie, web tie, cord lock, cable, drawstring, rope, button, snap, hook, hook and eye fastener, buckle, clasp, laces, other suitable temporary or semi-permanent fastening or retaining method, or any combination thereof according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
The bulk bag 100 and compartments 128 and 130 could include any suitable size, shape, material, construction, or configuration according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, compartments 128 and 130 and bulk bag 100, in general, could be designed to withstand or otherwise comply with certain weight/loading capacities, pushing/pulling requirements, lifting requirements, sift tolerances, contamination standards, moisture-resistant properties, temperature pressure tolerances, requirements, humidity stability requirements, tolerances, structural integrity, conductivity levels, grounding requirements, static control specifications, sealing specifications, insulation requirements, minimum or maximum air exposure requirements, hygroscopic specifications, strength-loss specifications, torque specifications, safety/hazard requirements, occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) rules and regulations, other suitable tolerances, specifications, requirements, standards, rules, or regulations associated with bulk bag 100 or any materials stored in or transported by bulk bag 100, or any combination thereof.
Referring now to
The fifth panel 110, as shown is a filtration screen. As shown, the first compartment 128 and the second compartment 130 not equally sized. Moreover, the fifth panel 110 is substantially perpendicular to the first panel 102 and the second panel 104. The first panel 102, second panel 104 and fifth panel 110 are joined together with one or more seams as shown in
Although a particular structure of bulk bag 100 or 300 has been generally illustrated in
Now referring to
Various optional steps may also be performed. For example, attaching one or more handles to a top of one or more of the first end wall, the first sidewall, the first opposing sidewall, the second sidewall, the second opposing sidewall or the second end wall in block 408. And/or attaching one or more handles to a bottom of one or more of the first end wall, the first sidewall, the first opposing sidewall, the second sidewall, the second opposing sidewall or the second end wall in block 410. And/or attaching a spout to the first end wall, the first sidewall, the first bottom wall, the first opposing sidewall, the second sidewall, the second bottom wall, the second opposing sidewall or the second end wall to selectively access contents within the bulk bag, or load contents into the bulk bag, or unload contents from the bulk bag in block 412. And/or attaching one or more top panels to enclose one or more of the compartments in block 414. For example: (1) a first top panel can be attached to the first panel, the third panel and the fifth panel to enclose the first compartment; (2) a second top panel can be attached to the second panel, the fourth panel and the fifth panel to enclose the second compartment; or (3) a third top panel can be attached to the first panel, the second panel, the third panel and the fourth panel to enclose the first compartment and the second compartment. Note that these top panels can be permanently attached or removably attached to one or more of the other panels. And/or forming additional compartments in block 416 (See e.g.,
Referring now to
Each sixth panel 132i is attached between the second panel 104 and the fourth panel 108, and forms an additional side wall 136i, an additional bottom wall 138i and an additional opposite wall 140i. The fourth panel 108 is attached to the last sixth panel 132n and forms a second end wall 126 attached to the last additional sidewall 136n, the last additional bottom wall 138n and the last additional opposite sidewall 140n. One or more seventh panels 142i are disposed between the second panel 104 and the one or more sixth panels 138i to form one or more additional compartments 144i. The seventh panels 142i can be a solid divider wall, a filtration screen or other desirable type of separator.
The first compartment 128, the second compartment 130 and the one or more additional compartments 144i can be equally sized, or not equally sized. Moreover, the fifth panel 110 and one or more seventh panels 142i can be substantially perpendicular to the first panel 102 and the second panel 104 as shown in
The first panel 102, the second panel 104, the third panel 106, the fourth panel 108, the fifth panel 110, the sixth panel(s) 132i, the seventh panel(s) 134i and any top panel can be made of one or more woven or porous materials selected from the group comprising polypropylene, micropored material, static controlled material, conductive material, metalized material, liner material, film material, foil material, coated material, tubular material, webbed material, baffle fabric, coated baffle fabric, nonflammable material, water-proof material, corrugated material, nylon, rope, jute, hemp, sisal, leather, fibers, rope-like material, twine, cloth, canvas, polyurethane, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), bungee cord material, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyester, high-gloss polyester, synthetic rubber, natural rubber, plastic, polymer, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, other suitable materials, or any combination thereof. The first panel 102, the second panel 104 and the sixth panel(s) 132i can be formed from two or more panels. The panels can be attached to one another along various seams. Other attachment means can be used, such as a hook and loop fastener system, glue, adhesive, self-adhesive, heat-sensitive fastener, tape, putty, gel, magnet, zipper, slide-lock, wire, tie-back, twist tie, wire tie, web tie, cord lock, cable, drawstring, rope, button, snap, hook, hook and eye fastener, buckle, clasp, laces, other suitable temporary or semi-permanent fastening or retaining method, or any combination thereof according to embodiments of the present disclosure.
The bulk bag 500a and 500b and compartments 128, 130 and 144i could include any suitable size, shape, material, construction, or configuration according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, compartments 128, 130 and 144i and bulk bag 500a and 500b, in general, could be designed to withstand or otherwise comply with certain weight/loading capacities, pushing/pulling requirements, lifting requirements, sift tolerances, contamination standards, moisture-resistant properties, temperature pressure tolerances, requirements, humidity stability requirements, tolerances, structural integrity, conductivity levels, grounding requirements, static control specifications, sealing specifications, insulation requirements, minimum or maximum air exposure requirements, hygroscopic specifications, strength-loss specifications, torque specifications, safety/hazard requirements, occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) rules and regulations, other suitable tolerances, specifications, requirements, standards, rules, or regulations associated with bulk bag 500a and 500b or any materials stored in or transported by bulk bag 500a and 500b, or any combination thereof.
Although a particular structure of bulk bag 500a or 500b has been generally illustrated in
Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various alterations, changes, modifications and substitutions can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
This Non-Provisional patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/751,723, filed Jan. 11, 2013, entitled “Compartment Bulk Bag,” the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61751723 | Jan 2013 | US |