EP1120357B1 - Package for visquous products comprising a flexible bag and a rigid protecting shell and its use - Google Patents

Abstract

The paint storage method consists of choosing a sealed and flexible bag (10) with an insufficient resistance to resist the weight of the product. The bag is placed in a protective rigid container (20) so that its edge passes over that of the container. The bag is held open and the product is poured into it until it is level with the container edge. The bag edge is then folded on top of the product and stored. After using the product the empty bag is removed from the container.

Description

The use of viscous products requires their packaging at a place of manufacture of the products, then their transport to a place of use.

Generally, the packaging of such products is in metal drums of 200 liters whose weight is much too high for two men, let alone one, can move them.

In the case of paints, coatings and coatings for the building, the drums are a considerable gene for paint companies because, in addition to their different manipulations, the empty drums are unusable and accumulate until they are eliminated. vacuum storage in addition to full storage, that is to say that companies must have a floor area more important than their flow is large.

It is indeed impossible, in practice, to clean the empty drums because the residues of products after drying would require the use of powerful and harmful solvents during long operations, all involving prohibitive costs.

Empty drums themselves are highly polluting waste and their destruction is very expensive.

Containers formed of a flexible bag placed in a rigid outer casing are known, but the introduction of the bag, the transhipments of the whole, the emptying of the bag by inclination of the whole and the reuse of the bag assume it is sturdy. Generally, this bag is made from a plastic sheath that must be thick, which has disadvantages not only because of its price but also for its use.

After filling the bag, its opening is sealed because the rigidity of the bag is such that during transport of the assembly, its edges if they were simply folded, would tend to reopen because of the "nerve" of the synthetic material.

For the same reason, it is not possible to fold the edge of the bag on the edge of the envelope, either to fill the bag already placed in the envelope, or to empty the contents by pumping. Moreover, the bag is always sealed, it is opened by cutting with a knife blade or the like, which is incompatible with the guarantee of having a bag edge long enough to cover the outer envelope and the protect.

This is why containers of this type, known as "bag-in-barrel", are often intended to be emptied at one time by overturning.

For example, GB 2279058 is known which discloses a relatively complex machine for lifting a large capacity drum, overturning it and emptying it.

DE 19544806 relates to a bucket of paint of 3, 5 or 10 liters. In the case of small containers to be used manually, this document describes how to place the bag in the bucket, as it is an industrial operation, without describing a particular method necessary to take the contents.

The present invention relates to a novel process, to keep the original drums clean, internally and externally, and to reuse them as they are, because they are not soiled, this method also allowing almost complete use product, which avoids significant losses.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a process according to claim 1.

• La figure 1 est une vue schématique montrant les deux parties d'un contenant conforme à l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue schématique en coupe d'un contenant vide conforme à l'invention.
• La figure 3 est une vue schématique en coupe d'un contenant conforme à l'invention, en cours de remplissage.
• La figure 4 est une vue schématique en coupe d'un contenant conforme à l'invention, rempli et fermé, prêt à être utilisé.
• La figure 5 est une vue schématique illustrant le procédé d'utilisation conforme à l'invention, depuis la réception d'un contenant rempli et fermé, jusqu'à l'extraction du produit.
• La figure 6 est une vue schématique illustrant le procédé d'utilisation conforme à l'invention, après avoir fini l'extraction du produit.

The invention will be better understood from the detailed description below made with reference to the accompanying drawing. Of course, the description and the drawing are given only by way of indicative and nonlimiting example.

• Figure 1 is a schematic view showing the two parts of a container according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of an empty container according to the invention.
• Figure 3 is a schematic sectional view of a container according to the invention, during filling.
• Figure 4 is a schematic sectional view of a container according to the invention, filled and closed, ready to use.
• Figure 5 is a schematic view illustrating the method of use according to the invention, from the receipt of a filled and closed container, until the extraction of the product.
• Figure 6 is a schematic view illustrating the method of use according to the invention after finishing the extraction of the product.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, it is seen that a container according to the invention comprises two parts, namely a plastic bag 10 and a robust envelope 20.

The bag 10 has a free mouth 11 and the casing 20 has a removable cover 21.

The envelope 20 has a bottom 22 and walls 23 whose height h is less than the height H of the bag 10, so that the edge 12 of the mouth 11 exceeds the edge 24 of the envelope 20.

The envelope 20 shown here is a standard metal shaft with a useful capacity of 200 liters and is therefore the height H of that bag to be adapted to that of the barrel 20 h which is constant because it is, however , very easy to determine the height H during the manufacture of the bag10.

It is the same, moreover, the diameter of the sheath from which the bag 10 is obtained according to a method well known per se, because the inner space of the barrel 20 is as intangible as its height.

To fill the container, we first place the bag 10 in the barrel 20 (Figure 2) by clearing the mouth 11 so that it remains open. As shown, it returns the top of the bag 10 so that it can be placed outside the barrel 20, covering the edge 24, which has the triple advantage of maintaining the bag 10 deployed, to maintain the mouth 11 open and to prevent any contamination from entering between the bag 10 and the barrel 20, or more generally to flow outside the barrel 20.

The bag 10 is chosen solely for its sealing, that is to say for its ability to isolate the product to be packaged from the barrel 20, because it is not necessary that it alone has a large resistance since it is supported on the inside of the barrel 20, which is extremely robust and rigid and furthermore it is not intended to be reused.

The bag 10 must only be insensitive to accidental bursts that may be caused by handling and filling operations may cause cuts or tears.

If the bag 10 is calibrated relative to the barrel 20, there must not occur relative movements between them because the bag 10 is strongly applied against the walls 23 by the same weight of its contents.

Referring to Figure 3, we see a filling nozzle A which has been lowered into the container before the arrival of the product B, to prevent it from violently against the bottom of the bag 10 still empty because it could be brutally driven to the bottom of the drum, which is why it is important to keep the bag 10 not only open but also at a good height.

As the level of product B rises in the container, the nozzle A is raised, as is well known per se, and the filling is stopped when the product level has reached a value such that it is possible to fold the upper part of the bag 10 on itself and thus to "close" the bag without sealing it, as shown in Figure 4, after which we put in place the cover 21 and fixed firmly.

The folding of the top of the bag 10 is useful to prevent the chaos due to transport causing overflows of products out of the bag 10 and, therefore, in the barrel 20 but its sealing is useless because we do not change the orientation of the bag. 'ensemble bag 10 - barrel 20, since the introduction of the bag, its filling, the closure of the drum, its transport, its opening and until the extraction of the contents B.

Another equivalent solution consists in leaving the edge of the bag 10 folded over the edge 24 of the barrel 20 and thus jamming it. The advantage of this solution is to simplify handling since during removal of the cover 21, the bag 10 is already open.

On the other hand, the underside of the cover 21 may be contaminated by splashing of the product B, in which case a plastic protection sheet must be placed between the top of the product B and the underside of the cover 21.

The outer diameter of the lid 21 to be placed inside the barrel 20, it is necessary to take into account the thickness (even minimal) of the bag 10 to prevent tearing of the latter by the lid 21 itself when the implements.

For some products, it is possible to place a shim between the top of the bag 10 closed and the underside of the lid 21 to oppose the movements of the product B during transport.

As shown in Figure 4, the container according to the invention is ready to be stored and transported and delivered to the recipient.

Referring to Figure 5, we see how the finished container of Figure 4 is used.

It is transported to the place of use in its original orientation, which is symbolized by the arrow F1, then the lid 21 is removed, then the edges of the bag 10 are unfolded and folded outside. the barrel 20 over the edge 24, then is immersed in the product B a suction pipe C connected by a pipe D to the inlet of a pump E. At the outlet thereof, is connected a flexible F ending in a pistol G.

The installation by which the product B is taken from inside the container does not form part of the invention and what has just been described is purely indicative and essentially relates to the application of the invention to the setting in place of paints, coatings and coatings in the field of building, which is one possibility among others.

When the container no longer contains enough product B so that it can be taken normally, the suction rod C is removed, then the bag 10 is taken out according to the arrow F2 (FIG. 6) and brought to it as evoked by the arrow F3, to a calender 30 comprising two rollers 31 and 32 set in motion by a crank 33.

The bag 10 is introduced through its bottom between the two rollers 31 and 32 and the crank 33 is actuated to drive the rollers in the direction of the arrows F4 and F5, which forces the bag 10 to move along the arrow F6 and to pass entirely between the rollers 31 and 32 whose minimal spacing causes crushing of the bag 10 and the energetic thrust of the remains of the product B towards the mouth of the bag 10, remains that are either left in the bottom of the bag 10 fault to have been able to take them, either glued to the walls of the bag 10.

These remains are collected in a small container 34 to be used instead of being destroyed as is currently the case. For this, we can directly use these remains (with a brush, roller or spatula when it comes to the remains of a product for the building) or transfer them into a bag 10 which has just been opened so to retrieve them for use. The bag 10 which does not actually contain anything recoverable is eliminated according to the symbolic arrow F7.

The barrel 20 freed from the bag 10 remained perfectly clean and can be reused indefinitely.

It is returned to its lid 21 and is returned in the F8 arrow instead of filling for another use with a new bag 10 not yet used, because if the barrel remains intact and still available, the bag 10 serves only one one time.

It is observed that the recovery of the remains prevents waste but also makes it possible to fight against pollution, because the barrels are no longer destroyed and what they still contain more or less dangerous products, and that during the destruction bags, these contain only a tiny amount of these dangerous or harmful products.

The invention provides a specific provision when the product B must be subjected to the action of a stirrer, a mixer or a kneader.

This may be the case when the product B is an unstable mixture, the components of which separate and lay out, the heavier products tend to fall to the bottom while the lighter components tend to float.

This is also the case when the product B delivered in the container according to the invention is a standard base (for example white paint) to which dyes must be added at the site of use.

It is then necessary to use an agitator in order to homogenize the mixture well.

With a common bale, the mixer is of the current type, comprising a handle at the base of which is a propeller driven by a small electric motor.

This apparatus can not be easily used for a container according to the invention because the agitator immersed in the mass of the product B must be manipulated and moved to the periphery where the bag 10 is located. It is perfectly adapted to isolate a product and is used in such conditions that it resists the movements of the product B but is not designed to withstand the tears that the mixer propeller could cause when it comes into contact with it.

In order to be able both to use a container formed of an outer barrel 20 and an inner bag 10, and to ensure good mixing, the invention provides a particular stirrer which is shown in FIG.

Naturally, this figure is schematic and intentionally generic because the invention applies to all agitators, whether purely manual or mechanical and have a moving body or at least aggressive for the bag 10.

It can be seen that the agitator 40 shown comprises a central element, or handle 41, carrying an electric motor 42 kinematically connected to an axis (not visible in the drawing) on which a propeller 43 is wedged.

According to the invention, this helix is surrounded by a protective element which is formed here of a fixed ring 44 disposed beyond the virtual circle that runs through the ends of the blades of the propeller 43 in rotation and which is held in place by support arms 45 fixed to the handle 41.

Such a ring is reminiscent of the one associated with boat propellers, as is known per se.

The height I of the ring must be sufficient for said ring 44 to abut against the bottom of the bag 10 and thus prevents contact between the bottom of the bag 10 and the propeller 43 in rotation.

The bag 10 itself, along the cylindrical wall of the barrel 20, is also protected from any aggression of the helix 43 by the lateral surface of the ring 44 itself.

It is then possible to proceed to any mixing or mixing required, without special precautions, despite the presence of the fragile bag 10.

The protective element may be of any desired type different from the ring 44 described herein. For example, it may be a bell trellised or pierced with holes, or several angularly offset rings, the important thing being to allow the movements of the product B and simultaneously ensure the protection of the bag 10.

Claims (6)

1. Process for use of viscous products such as oils, greases, tars and bitumens, paints, varnishes and coatings, providing a sealed bag placed in a rigid outer envelope, characterised in that a sealed and flexible bag (10) is selected of insufficient strength to be re-usable and to resist the forces due to the weight of the product (B) and/or stresses of storage and transport, that the bag (10) is placed freely i.e. without fixing in a rigid and robust drum (20) which is suitable for prolonged use but unsuitable for containing the product (B) repeatedly since it cannot be completely cleaned and cleared of residue of product (B), the drum (20) having a base (22), vertical walls (23) and an upper opening, the edge (24) of which comprises the end of walls (23), that the bag (10) is held in the drum (20) so that its edge (12) protrudes over the edge (24), that the bag (10) is held open, that the product (B) is poured into the bag (10) up to a level lower than that of the edge (24), that the edge (12) of the bag (10) is folded over the product (B) without closing the bag (10), then after possible storage the assembly of full bag (10) - drum (20) in the orientation the assembly had during filling is transported to a place of use of the product (B) where it is left still in the same orientation, then the folds of the bag (10) are unfolded to give access to the product (B) via the upper opening, that the product (B) is extracted in one or more pumping operations until the bag (10) is practically empty, that the bag (10) is then withdrawn from the drum (20), the flattened bag (10) is then passed base first through a calender (30) to extract the residue of product (B), that this residue is then collected in a recipient (34), that the bag (10) is eliminated and the empty drum (20) returned to the site of introduction of a new bag (10) with a view to filling this new bag (10) and re-use.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that after having folded the edge (12) of the bag (10), a cover (21) is placed on the edge (24) of the drum (20) to close it.
3. Method according to claim 2, characterised in that after having transported the assembly (10-B-20) to the site of use of the product (B), the cover (21) is removed, the folds of the bag (10) are unfolded, into the product (B) is immersed at least one rigid pipe (C) linked to a tube (D) opening into the inlet of a pump (E), the outlet of which is linked to a hose (F) fitted with a gun (G) or other distribution means.
4. Container for implementation of the method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the bag (10), in particular made of synthetic material, is sealed, flexible and has insufficient strength to be re-usable and to resist the forces due to the weight of the product (B) and/or the stresses of storage and transport, and in that the rigid and robust drum (20) for prolonged use has a base (22) and walls (23) limited by an upper edge (24) situated in their extension, the height (h) of which is less than the height (H) of the bag (10), so that the edge (12) of the bag (10) full of product (B) and placed in the drum (20) can be folded over itself above the product (B) without closure or seal, the drum (20) being possibly associated with a removable cover (21).
5. Container according to claim 4, characterised in that the drum (20) is a metal drum.
6. Container according to claim 4, characterised in that it is associated firstly with a mixer (40) that is fitted with a protector element (44) of soft form before being interposed between the mixer (40) itself and the bag (10), and secondly with a pipe linked to a pump so that the content (B) of the bag (10) can be extracted from the bag (10) by aspiration, without modifying the orientation of the assembly of bag (10) - drum (20).

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