EP2883814A1

EP2883814A1 - Flexible container (FIBC)

Info

Publication number: EP2883814A1
Application number: EP14162059.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Burak Dogan
Original assignee: Isbir Sentetik Dokuma Sanayi AS
Current assignee: Isbir Sentetik Dokuma Sanayi AS
Priority date: 2013-12-12
Filing date: 2014-03-27
Publication date: 2015-06-17
Also published as: US20150166259A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a big bag (10) (FIBC) comprising a base (12), four outer edges (11) and an internal volume (14) obtained by sewing of said base (12) and said outer edges (11), an opening (15) formed on the upper portion thereof for supplying the products desired to be disposed inside said internal volume (14) therethrough, an opening (18) formed on said base (12) for discharging the products disposed inside said internal volume (14) to the external environment (19) when desired, horizontal edges (111) formed at the portions of said outer edges (11) intersecting with said base (12) and at the upper portions corresponding to said intersecting portions and adjacent panels (20) positioned on said outer edges (11), characterized in comprising a seam line (22) obtained by bringing the edges (23) of said adjacent panels (20) on top of each other starting from said horizontal edge (111) and sewing thereof on the outer edge (11) so as to be parallel to the corners (21) formed on the portions of said outer edges (11) intersecting with each other until the other opposite horizontal edge (111) is reached.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a big bag to be used in transportation, packaging and stacking of granular, powder or fluid products.

PRIOR ART

Flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC), also referred to as big bag or bulk bag, is a flexible container for transportation of granular, powder or fluid products from half a ton to 3 tons. FIBC is suitable for free flowing powder, granular or fine structure materials. For example, FIBC containing sugar, salt, tea, etc. is lifted by conventional loading equipment such as forklifts and cranes. They can carry loads far above the weigh thereof. They do not require pallet since lift loops sewn thereon are provided. They can be used over and over again and occupy less space since they can be folded after use. For this reason, today, they are preferred for transportation of granular, powder or fluid products.
In the current state of the art, panel big bags (FIBCs) comprise a cubic form. They comprise four outer edges perpendicular to each other, a base and a top. A filling spout is disposed on the top thereof and a discharge spout is disposed on the base thereof. Four carrying loops are disposed on the corners thereof. Full closing and opening of the filling and discharge spouts is provided by the fasteners secured on the spouts. Panels are provided in the corners for obtaining said cubic form.
Said panels consist of a strip shaped fabric, wherein said fabric is secured to the edges of the bag at a certain distance from the corners where edges of said fabric join. Thus, the big bag shown in Figure 2 is obtained. As can be seen in Figure 2, when such a sewing corresponding to the corner portions is performed, panel fabric seam extends from top to bottom along the bag. Since 2 panel fabrics are secured on both corners by sewing, two seams extend parallel to each other from top to bottom along the bag edges forming the cubic structure. Number of seams sewn to secure the panel fabrics on the corners when 4 panels are used is 8. Sewing cost is high due to longer duration of sewing operation carried out to secure 4 panels on the edges of the bag. For example, a sewing operation comprising 4 top to bottom seams sewn along the bag to perform the same function will mean a decrease in the duration of sewing operation by half.
This operation should be carried out by an exceptionally skilled and experienced tailor. Because in assembly of the panels by sewing thereof on the outer edges of the bag, sewing operation should be carried out on a linear line until the opposite horizontal edges. Guide plates (supports) enabling sewing on a straight line in the sewing machines can not be used since this sewing operation is carried out in the interior portion. Although experienced tailors can perform the assembly on a straight line without these supports, they are required to work slower than normal and pay more attention. In addition, another difficulty encountered in the current state of the art in the assembly of panel fabric is sewing said panel fabric by folding 2 to 3 cm from the edge thereof. During the assembly, tailor manually performs this folding and feeds it through the sewing machine. In this case, since folding margin is large, net distance of the panel decreases, more load is exerted on the panel during filling operation due to distortion of load distribution between the panels and this can result in tears. When the folding margin is less, there is the possibility that folding is not provided below the sewing, thus, tears also become inevitable during or after filling the panel (during storing and transporting) or since the strength of seam decreases.
In the assembly operations carried out by sewing, a firm cordonnet or a cord is used to prevent the product placed in the bag from flowing out through the hole formed by the needle and to prevent fabric's loss of strength due to the holes formed thereon. The sewing operation of the prior art performed for the assembly of panel fabrics on the main body outer edge fabrics is carried out 8 times for 4 panels on 2 edges of each fabric. In this case, components required for the sewing operation such as sewing thread, cord and firm cordonnet consumed by performing the assembly sewing 8 times in the prior art will be reduced by half through performing said assembly sewing 4 times.
Wear and tear of big bags, thus, material leakage through these portions first takes place in the seam portions. As compared to a bag having less number and amount of seams, the risk of product leakage is more due to large number of seams.
In addition to all mentioned above, 4 top to bottom seams made along the bag instead of 8 top to bottom seams made along the bag will provide a market competitive product to the manufactures as well as will provide the end users with the advantage of acquiring the same product with a lower cost.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The present invention departing from the prior art intends to provide solutions to all of the aforementioned drawbacks.
Following description is provided by referring the portions of the outer edges having the height of the bag intersecting with each other as corners, the portions of the outer edges intersecting with the base and top as horizontal edges. Different from the panels of the prior art, a panel having a width extending from the midpoint of a horizontal edge to the midpoint of another horizontal edge is preferred. Two different panels are preferably secured by sewing thereof through the midpoint of the horizontal edge on an outer edge of the bag using a single seam. In Figure 1, panel and seam structure thereof according to the present invention is illustrated. In the prior art (see Figure 2), 8 separate sewing operations carried out for securing the panel fabrics on the corners is performed by using also 4 panels and conducting 4 sewing operations.
A panel having a width extending from the midpoint of a horizontal edge to the midpoint of another horizontal edge means a wider panel width as compared to that of the prior art. Since widening of the width dimension of the panel fabric increases the tensile strength in the direction of widening, the panel fabric g/m2 weight used in the prior art can be reduced by 40% with the new design.
The requirement of the sewing operation to be carried out by a skilled and experienced tailor is eliminated.
The duration of obtaining the product is reduced since the operation time corresponds to 4 seams instead of 8 seams.
In the assembly operations carried out by sewing, a firm cordonnet or a cord is used to prevent the product placed in the bag from flowing out through the hole formed by the needle and to prevent fabric's loss of strength due to the holes formed thereon. With the newly developed technique, edges of 2 panels are joined and simultaneously sewn to the main body outer edge fabric. Therefore, reducing the sewing thread, cord and firm cordonnet consumed for 8 seams of the prior art by half is provided by means of decreasing the number of seams to 4 with the new technique.
Further, product leakage risk is also reduced by half since number of seams extending along the bag is decreased from 8 to 4.
Difficulties and disadvantages encountered in the assembly of the panel fabric in the prior art due to sewing the fabric edges by folding thereof 2 to 3 cm are eliminated. In the developed technique, edges of the panel fabric are sewn without folding.
Thanks to the present invention, labor time for obtaining the product is reduced, quantities of materials being used are lowered and a cheap product providing the end user with the chance to compete is obtained.
To achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention relates to big bags (FIBC) comprising a base, four outer edges and an internal volume obtained by sewing of said base and said outer edges, an opening formed on the upper portion thereof for supplying the products desired to be disposed inside said internal volume therethrough, an opening formed on said base for discharging the products disposed inside said internal volume to the external environment when desired, horizontal edges formed at the portions of said outer edges intersecting with said base and at the upper portions corresponding to said intersecting portions and adjacent panels positioned on said outer edges. The present invention is characterized in that it comprises a seam line obtained by bringing the edges of said adjacent panels on top of each other starting from said horizontal edge and sewing thereof on the outer edge so as to be parallel to the corners formed on the portions of said outer edges intersecting with each other until the other opposite horizontal edge is reached. Said seam line secures the two adjacent panel edges on the outer edge.
In such a case, a single seam line securing the adjacent panel edges on the other edge by bringing them on top of each other on an outer edge is obtained. When the panel edges are sewn by being brought on top of each other and the panel width is selected as the distance starting from the horizontal edge midpoint to the other horizontal edge midpoint, panel edges are attached on the outer edges with two different separate seam lines.
The present invention will be understood better by the description provided with referring to the following figures and reference numbers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1. A schematic view illustrating the structure and securing of the panels according to the present invention on the big bag.
Figure 2. A schematic view illustrating the structure and securing of the panels of the prior art on the big bag.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

10. Bag
11. Outer edge
111. Horizontal edge
12. Base
13. Top
14. Internal volume
15. Opening
16. Filling spout
17. Discharge spout
18. Opening
19. External environment
191. Fasteners
20. Panel
21. Corners
22. Seam line
23. Panel edge
30. Carrying loops
H- Panel and bag height
W- Panel width
a- Horizontal edge midpoint

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating the structure of the panel (20) according to the present invention and securing of the panels (20) on the big bag (10). The big bag (10) (FIBC) comprises a cubic form. The bag (10) comprises an internal volume (14) enclosed by four outer edges (11) perpendicular to each other, a base (12) and a top (13). The desired products are disposed into the internal volume (14) through a filling spout (16) comprising an opening (15) formed on the top (13). A discharge spout (17) is provided on the base (12) and the product disposed inside the internal volume (14) is discharged to the external environment (19) when desired through the opening (18) of said spout (17). Full closing and opening of the filling and discharge spouts (16, 17) is provided by the fasteners (191) of the openings (15, 18) secured on the spouts (16, 17). Portions of the outer edges (11) having the height (H) of the bag (10) intersecting with each other will be referred as corners (21) and the portions of the outer edges (11) intersecting with the base (12) and top (13) will be referred as horizontal edges (111).
To obtain said cubic form, panels (20) are used within the internal volume (14) of the bag on the corners (21). These panels (20) are in the form of strips made of the same material used for obtaining the bag (10) and having a width (w) shorter than the height (H) thereof. Height (H) of the panels (20) is equal to the height (H) of the bag. Panels (20) are positioned on the intersecting outer edges (11) forming the corners (21). This positioning is carried out in such a way that an edge (23) of the panel (20) extending along the outer edge (11) (H) and the other edge (23) of the same panel (20) on the outer edge (21) is secured on the other adjacent outer edge (21). Said panels (20) can also be made of any type of mesh.
Edges (23) of the two independent panels (20) on a horizontal edge (111) are sewn on the outer edge (11) by a seam line (22) starting from the horizontal edge (111) in parallel to the corners (21) until reaching the other horizontal edge (111) by being brought on top of each other.
In another embodiment, width (w) of the panels is preferred to be equal to the length of the line extending from the midpoint (a) of a horizontal edge (111) of the bag (10) to the midpoint (a) of the adjacent horizontal edge (111). Panels (20) are sewn along a seam line (22) in parallel to the corners (21) by being brought on top of each other in the midpoints (a) of the bag horizontal edges (111).
Carrying loops (30) are formed close to the top (13) portion for carrying the bag (10). Carrying loops (30) are secured at the top portion (13) on the corners (21) of the bag (10).

Claims

A big bag (10) (FIBC) comprising
• a base (12),

• four outer edges (11) and

• an internal volume (14) obtained by sewing of said base (12) and said outer edges (11),

• an opening (15) formed on upper portion thereof for supplying products desired to be disposed inside said internal volume (14) therethrough,

• an opening (18) formed on said base (12) for discharging the products disposed inside said internal volume (14) to external environment (19) when desired,

• horizontal edges (111) formed at portions of said outer edges (11) intersecting with said base (12) and at upper portions corresponding to said intersecting portions and

• adjacent panels (20) positioned on said outer edges (11),
characterized in comprising:
• a seam line (22) obtained by bringing edges (23) of said adjacent panels (20) on top of each other starting from said horizontal edge (111) and sewing thereof on the outer edge (11) so as to be parallel to the corners (21) formed on the portions of said outer edges (11) intersecting with each other until the other opposite horizontal edge (111) is reached.
The big bag (10) (FIBC) comprising panels (20) according to Claim 1, characterized in that width (w) of said panels is equal to the length of the line extending from the midpoint (a) of a horizontal edge (111) of said bag (10) to the midpoint (a) of the adjacent horizontal edge (111).