CH706140B1 - A method for improving the emptying of the inner flexible envelope of a container for the transport and handling of liquids and quasi-liquids, in particular in the case of a flexible container with an outer cloth envelope, namely a bag; and container from the process. - Google Patents

Abstract

The method for improving the emptying of the inner flexible envelope of a flexible container for the transport and handling of liquids and quasi-liquids, said flexible container comprising a reinforcing plate (12) disposed on the bottom (11) of the bag, has the particularity that it is carried out in a piece of tubular fabric, a jacket (20), and in that one introduces the reinforcing plate in said jacket, so that two free corners of the jacket can be used as triangular traction wings (23) sewn and carrying at their free vertex a hooking member (24), said wings being positioned along one or more ridges of the sleeve opposite to the vertical wall (26) of the bag carrying an organ draining (22); in that the jacket containing the reinforcing plate is placed on the bottom (11) of the bag before introducing into the bag the flexible inner envelope; and in that one or more elastic elements (27), ropes or bands are secured with these fasteners (24) to then put them in tension by hooking their second end to the upper part of the structure of the structure. bag either directly or via referrals or loops (28), the latter operation being preferably performed after filling the inner casing.

Description

Description: [0001] The present invention relates to a method for improving the emptying of the flexible inner envelope of a container for the transport and handling of liquids and quasi-liquids, in particular in the case of a flexible container with a flexible outer casing Canvas. It also relates to a container resulting from the implementation of the method.

[0002] The industrial scale transport of liquid and quasi-liquid substances, in particular fruit juice concentrates for example, represents an important branch of world trade. To transport such substances, the first idea that comes to mind is to place them in rigid containers, such as tanks with metal walls or plastic.

However, such rigid containers have a major disadvantage, namely that they occupy the same volume when empty than when they are full. Carrying empty containers over very long distances to return them to the filling point is economically and ecologically absurd. That is why the preference goes logically, since they are available, to flexible containers that can be deployed to fill them or on the contrary to fold to give rise to a minimum space requirement during the return trip to the filling location .

Such a flexible container is known in particular from WO 2009/010 928 A2 which has in brief an outer envelope formed of assembled canvas coupons roughly forming a roughly cubic bag in which takes place a second envelope, a liner, intended to be filled with a liquid or quasi-liquid substance. The four sides of the outer envelope are made of double fabric and compartmentalized so as to receive reinforcing plates. The four vertical edges of the bag forming the outer envelope are separated from the liner by vertically sewn webs parallel to said ridges, in order to combat the tendency of the bag once filled to bend outward under the pressure of the liquid it contains.

The trade of liquid or quasi-liquid substances, and in particular that of fruit juice concentrates, has the particular fact that the amount of liquid actually transported in a container rarely depends on the maximum internal volume of the container. The container is not filled to the brim, it is filled according to the order to be satisfied or the volume of liquid available in the tank to be emptied. For this reason, for the most part, containers (flexible or not) travel only partially filled and not at full capacity.

A problem is encountered during the emptying of all containers (flexible or not) which have a flexible inner envelope, that is to say a liner, namely that the liner collapses freely as the liquid is extracted, according to folds, torches and pockets forming at random and that no one can control. Everyone has probably emptied once a refill of liquid soap contained in a flexible plastic envelope trade and knows that to really empty the refill is forced to squeeze it in his hands to expel the remaining soap that lodge in pockets that the flexible plastic envelope invariably forms by emptying itself. Since container liners are inaccessible, mechanical pressure can not be applied to empty containers, as can be done in the bathroom with a refill of liquid soap.

In addition, the viscosity of the transported liquid also plays its role in the intensity of the emptying problems encountered. In fact, the more the liquid transported is syrupy, the more it is necessary to use a suction pump for emptying, and more problems folds, torches and pockets are acute.

The problem described above is ultimately expressed by the observation that part of the liquid, trapped folds, torches and pockets of the liner, can not be extracted from the container on the standard facilities of the point of destination. Now the quantity of liquid thus remaining prisoner is far from being insignificant. To fix the ideas, it was found on average that for a quantity of 1000 liters filling, 80 liters remained prisoners at the drain which is not nothing. The motivation is therefore strong to improve this ratio; because eliminating everything else is simply not an achievable goal. Although the elements of the invention have not yet been presented, it is nevertheless the moment to indicate what the invention brings. On average, for a quantity of 1000 liters filling, the invention reduces the amount trapped to less than 10 liters, in fact rather around 8 liters.

In general, the containers have a drain member provided with a valve and coupling means, often a thread, to secure them with the available conduits at the destination and in particular with a suction pump. In perfect logic, the emptying member is placed in one of the sides of the container and in the low position, close to the bottom of the container.

The present invention aims to improve the emptying of the inner flexible envelope of a container for the transport and handling of liquids and quasi-liquids, particularly in the case of a flexible container with outer casing. canvas, namely a bag. The present invention also aims to provide a container whose loss ratio to emptying compared to the amount transported is less than 8%.

For this purpose, the present invention relates to a method and a container as defined in the claims.

The purpose of the method according to the invention also provides that, once the filling of the flexible inner envelope is completed, the unused surface of the internal flexible envelope is rolled up and in that the internal flexible envelope thus rolled up by means of clips on the upper part of the three vertical walls of the container namely the two side walls and the wall which carries the drain member.

The following description refers to the drawing in which FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view illustrating the application of the method according to the invention.

Fig. 1 corresponds exactly to FIG. 6 of EP 2 170 739 B1 (also WO 2009/010 928) and gives a plunging view of a detail of the bag for the transport of liquids according to this document and more particularly presents the location of the reinforcing plate 12 positioned on the bottom 11 of the bag. In this position and situation, the role of the reinforcement plate is to protect the part of the liner placed on the bottom of the bag against the risk of perforation caused for example by gravel lying on the ground.

The method according to the present invention involves making new arrangements to this known element to make it play an additional role, without removing anything from the one he had previously, and so it retains.

FIG. 2 shows a bird's eye view of a partially truncated detail of the container, namely the preparation of the reinforcing plate 12.

In FIG. 2, it is found that the reinforcing plate 12, in this case octagonal, is introduced into a rectangular tubular fabric jacket 20A and 20B whose two open ends are closed by two seams trapping the reinforcing plate. The set is then like a rectangular pillowcase inside which is the octagonal reinforcing plate. As a result, the four corners of the shirt form four unfolded triangular wings on the inside. The reinforcing plate consists for example of a corrugated corrugated extruded polypropylene plate whose thickness can be chosen to be 2 mm for a good result.

During the sewing of what will be the edge of the jacket 20 near the wall of the bag 26 carrying the drain member 22, includes in the seam the edge of a flap pierced with a hole d ' a gauge slightly greater than that of the drain pipe. When stowing the liner on the drain member, the flap is caught between the fastening flanges and thus becomes integral with the wall 26, which will prevent any slippage on the bottom of the reinforcing plate 12 in his shirt. 20 below the liner.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the entire container 21 without its lid. It can be seen that a drain member 22 is shown implanted in one of the vertical walls 26 of the container, in a low position, close to the bottom of the container.

Returning to FIG. 2, whose orientation is exactly the same as that of FIG. 3, it is observed that the jacket 20 surrounding the reinforcing plate comprises two triangular tensile wings 23 made of double fabric whose free crown comprises a fastening member, for example an eyelet 24.

Returning to FIG. 3, we see in position the two triangular traction wings 23, which are adjacent to the vertical wall 25 of the container opposite to the vertical wall 26 of the container, which carries the discharge member 22.

It is also possible to provide triangular wings reported by stitching on another side C, or several other sides A, C and E. All these sides being non-adjacent to the vertical wall 26 of the container carrying the emptying member 22. .

Triangular traction wings 23 spontaneously result from the manner in which is made the shirt 20, but it is obvious that other shapes can be used, especially if it is about patches.

FIG. 4 illustrates an enlarged detail of the jacket containing the reinforcing plate according to the invention. Each of the fastening members 24 which are located near the free top of the triangular traction wing 23 is coupled to a first end of an elastic rope, an elastic band is also suitable. The elastic member 27, rope, band or other, is intended to be tensioned by hooking its second end to the upper part of the vertical walls of the container. One or more referrals can be used to achieve a sufficient extension of the elastic member. It is also possible to double or triangulate the elastic members so that they offer more traction on a shorter stroke. Although it is not advisable to introduce metal elements inside the outer envelope, it is noted that springs play the same role.

The container may be provided with hooking loops 28 corresponding to the two positions, either at rest and armed under tension, the elastic element, either on the inner face of the container or on its outer face. In the latter case it is necessary to arrange a door 29 and to pass the elastic member, as shown in FIG. 5. Similar loops can be used as references.

At this stage, we can comment on the order of operations and the development of the effect to which tend the arrangements described above. When filling, the lid of the container is not in place, it will be attached to the container once the filling is complete, for transport. In this way we have access to the interior of the container and it can be verified that the triangular traction wings 23 are deployed well upwards and that the same is true of the elastic elements 27. The filling is then performed until to the desired quantity of the liquid to be transported.

It is then that one proceeds to two operations.

The first, already suggested in the text, is to tension the elastic elements by hanging, with or without references, their second free end to the container structure, or loops if the container is provided. The operation of tensioning can take place before shipment, or on the contrary at the place of destination, just before the emptying.

Claims (10)

The tensioning of the elastic elements does not lead to any noticeable effect when filling is completed, because the weight of the liquid contained is much too important for the elastic elements can lift the reinforcement plate deposited on the bottom of the container. But it is not at this moment that the elastic elements show their advantages, it is on the contrary at the time of the emptying. Indeed, it is known that the emptying, by gravitation or under the action of a suction pump, is done without great problem for 85% of the amount of liquid. Arrived at this point, the weight of the liquid still contained is less and more in relation to the tensile force that can exert the armed elastic elements under tension. Thus, the more the inner casing, the liner, empties, the more the elastic elements tend to lift more and more easily the reinforcing plate 12 in its part opposite to the discharge member 22. In this way, the liquid still The contents are oriented toward the emptying member and tend to get closer to it, rather than going to lock themselves in pockets forming the liner. The second operation is to stretch the liner along three sides of the container namely the two side walls and the face 26 which carries the drain member 22 and to call up, at least in part, the inevitable superfluous surface of the liner, and to fix the upper part of the liner on the tops of the three faces by means of clip clips 28. To use an image, this operation resembles the roll-up from the top of the skirt of a mosquito net too large. This second operation aims to combat, to the best of what allows the circumstances of each filling, the natural propensity of the liner to form folds, torches and pockets during emptying. It is the combined effect of these two operations that achieves a much better emptying ratio, as announced at the beginning of the description. claims A method of preparing a flexible container for the transport and handling of liquids and quasi-liquids, said flexible container having at least one flexible outer envelope comprising a bottom and vertical walls made of tubular fabric parts forming pockets, the vertical walls (25, 26) being provided with reinforcement plates inserted in said pockets, a flexible inner envelope and a reinforcing plate (12) disposed on the bottom (11) of the container between said bottom and the inner envelope flexible, said container comprising a drain member (22) on one (26) of its vertical walls and being arranged to improve the emptying of the inner flexible envelope characterized in that it is carried out in a piece of tubular fabric , a liner (20), and in that the reinforcing plate is inserted into said liner, the liner comprising at least two traction flanges (23) bearing at their free apex a hook member chage (24), said wings being positioned along one or more ridges of the liner opposite to the vertical wall (26) of the container carrying a drain member (22); in that the jacket containing the reinforcing plate is placed on the bottom (11) of the container before introducing into the container the flexible inner envelope; and in that a first end of one or each of a plurality of elastic elements (27) is secured with these fastening members (24) to then put them in tension by hooking on their second end. at the top of the container either directly or via referrals or loops (28), the latter operation being preferably performed after filling the inner casing. 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the traction wings are created by a difference in shape between the reinforcing plate and the jacket. 3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the reinforcing plate has an octagonal shape and the shirt a rectangular shape. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the traction wings are attached to the jacket. 5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the traction wings are sewn on the jacket. 6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that once the filling of the flexible inner envelope is completed, it tends to roll up the flexible inner envelope and that the envelope is fixed internal flexible thus rolled up by means of clips on the upper part of two side walls and the wall (26) which carries the drain member (22). 7. Container comprising a flexible outer casing with vertical walls (25,26), a bottom (11) and a flexible inner casing, the vertical walls and the bottom being made of tubular fabric parts forming pockets, the container of which said walls vertical members are provided with reinforcing plates inserted into said pockets, the container being furthermore provided with a reinforcing plate (12) resting on said bottom between the bottom and the flexible inner casing, and the container comprising a discharge member ( 22) on one (26) of its vertical walls, characterized in that the reinforcing plate of the bottom of the container is enclosed in a jacket (20) made of tubular fabric, said jacket comprising the opposite of the drain member (22), at least two traction wings (23) carrying at their free summit a fastening member (24) integral with resilient elements (27) by a first end of said elastic elements whose implementation tension upwardly by hooking their second end to the upper part of the container either directly or via crosshairs or loops (28) causes, when the force due to the weight of the liquid in the container is less than the force of recall of the elastic elements, the at least partial lifting of the reinforcing plate (12) by inclination towards the discharge member (22). A container according to claim 7, wherein the reinforcing plate is octagonal in shape and the liner is rectangular in shape so that the introduction of the reinforcing plate into the liner allows the pulling flanges to be formed in the liner. 9. Container according to claim 7, wherein the traction wings (23) are attached to the jacket. Container according to claim 7, wherein the traction wings (23) are sewn onto the jacket.