GB2087844A - Lined container for liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

A bulk liquid container comprising essentially a fibreboard box having upright posts in the centre of each face and a fluid tight bag 23 within the box is provided with an outlet 26 at the bottom of the bag 23. The outlet 26 includes a box-like structure 27 and a flanged tubular member 28 closed by a threaded plug 40, the member 28 being secured in an aperture in the bag 23 and fixed relative to the structure 27 and outer box so that forces acting on the member 28 as a result of movement of the plug 40 are borne by the outer box rather than the bag 23. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Container This invention relates to containers and has particular reference to intermediate bulk containers for fluids. It has further particular but not necessarily exclusive reference to intermediate bulk containers for liquids.

The increasing use of mechanical handling equipment has given rise to a requirement for intermediate bulk containers for the shipping and transhipment of bulk materials in sizes less than a complete lorry load. The most common intermediate bulk container for liquids is a steel drum. These drums conventionally have a capacity in the region of 200 to 250 litres. The steel drums are frequently a product used only once and then thrown away after single shipment. The drums are, however, difficult to pack and handle because they are conventionally cylindrical in shape and do not stack or pack neatly into containers for shipment. The space of a container is also, to some extent, wasted in the packing of drums into the container because the round drums do not fit neatly into rectangular shapes.

By the present invention there is provided an intermediate bulk container for fluids comprising an outer stiff container and an inner flexible fluid-tight bag, an outlet at the lower end of the bag having a plug therein, said plug being adapted to be rotated for release from the outlet, the outlet being adapted and arranged to transfer torque from the rotation of the plug into the outer stiff container to resist rotation of the outlet when the plug is rotated.

The outer stiff container may be rectangular in plan with a vertical post in the centre of each side wall. The outlet may lie adjacent the post and the base of the container. The outlet may be secured to the post. The outlet may be screwed to the post or may be secured to screws or other fittings in the post by means of keyhole slots formed in the outlet. The outlet may comprise a rectangular box having one end open, the open end being adjacent the side wall of the stiff container. The container may have a flap, aperture or markings, the box being larger than the flap, aperture or markings.The outlet may be secured to the bag by having a first portion which forms the box and a second flanged tubular portion adapted to be secured to the box by location in a hole in the base of the box, so that the periphery of an aperture in the bag is clamped between the flange and the base of the box. A nut may be screwed onto the exterior of the tubular portion. The tubular portion preferably has an internal thread to accom modatethe plug.

There may be provided a temporary seal on the outlet to restrict egress of the fluid when the plug is removed. The temporary seal may be a membrane across the outlet which is pierced to permit egress of fluid. The temporary seal may alternatively be an obturator held in place against the second flanged tubular portion by the pressure of liquid in the bag.

The obturator may be a flap valve. The flap valve may be weighted to assist in closing of the flap valve under the influence of gravity. The flap valve may be opened by a cord or string passing through the bag and connected to an inlet plug. The obturator may be temporary seal which may be removed by a cord or string passing through the bag and connected to the inlet plug. The stiff container may be formed of fibreboard. The fibreboard may be corrugated fibreboard. The fluid may be a liquid. The flexible bag may be formed of polyurethane or other suitable plastics material or rubber. The box of the flanged tube may be formed of polypropylene or other plastics material or a metal.

By way of example embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container in accordance with the present invention; Figure2 is a side elevational view of an outlet; Figure 3 is a cross-section of the outlet of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the outlet box of Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1 this shows a standard ISO pallet 1 on which is located a container indicated generally by 2. The container has four walls 3, 4, 5 and 6 which are formed from triple wall thickness corrugated fibreboard. The top of each wall is formed into an integral flap such as 7, 8,9 and 10 which can be folded overtoform the top. It will be appreciated that the flaps need not extend complete lyoverthetop ofthe container. Similar flaps or extensions are formed on the bottom of each of the walls to be folded in to form the bottom of the container.

Located within the container are four wooden support member or posts such as 11, 12, 13, and 14.

Each of the posts is formed of wood and has a size approximately 5 cm x 8cm. The wooden posts extend for the entire height of the container and are located in place on the external walls of the container by means of coach bolts 15 which are passed through the posts and are bolted to the container by nuts 16. A load spreading plate 17 of circular shape with reinforcing corrugations 18 spreads the load over a greater area of fibreboard. The nuts 16 are conveniently attached to plate 17. For standard pal lets of 1 m plan area it has been found preferable to use two bolts per post.

As can be clearly seen, in the upper regions of the container there is provided a pair of tension members 20 and 21. The tension members are in the form of steel straps which are located to interconnect opposing support members 12 and 14 and 11 and 13 respectively. The tension members have integrally formed tabs or boxes which engage the support members.

Located within the cardboard container is a flexible polyurethane bag illustrated dotted at 23. It has been found that with a standard 1 m2 pallet a container having a volume of 1 m3 can be provided directly on the pallet without the need for any external reinforcing collar two be provided. This means that the full plan area of the pallet can be used and the container can have a maximum internal volume for the transport of fluids.

The palletised loads may be stacked one on top of the other and the support members 11,12, 13 and 14 provide strength to the container such that stacking can comfortably occur.

The inlet to the flexible container is a flanged inlet 24. The outlet to the container is positioned at the bottom in the region indicated by 25.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 these show the flexible bag 23 having secured to it an outlet indicated by 26. The outlet basically comprises an open-mouthed rectangular box 27 and a flanged tubular member 28. The flanged tubular member has an outer screw thread 29 to which a plastics material nut 30 is secured to pull the flange of tubular member 28 towards the end wall of the box 27. The nut 30 has holes 31 to permit the nut to be turned. The periphery of an aperture in the flexible bag 23 is fitted between flange of tubular member 28 andend wall at 32 as shown clearly in Figure 3. The open-ended box 27 is positioned at the. base of the container in the corner between post 11 and base 34.

The box can be secured to the post 11 by means of screws 35,36 which fit into keyholes 37,38 in the side wall of the box as shown clearly in Figure 4.

Within the inner bore of the flanged member 28 there is a further screw thread 39. Screwed into the thread 39 is a plug 40 which may have an O-ring or washer 41 to complete the seal of the plug. When the flexible bag is full of liquid the contents of the liquid may be emptied by unscrewing plug 40 and permitting the liquid to flow through the bore of the flanged member 28. To resist the torque, which would otherwise be transferred to the flexible bag 23 when plug 40 is unscrewed, the box is made with squared corners as shown. This means that on unscrewing plug 40 the torque loads are transferred directly to post 11 and to the base 34 rather than to the bag itself. Clearly it may be possible to arrange the outlet 26 so that the torque loads are transferred to the cardboard container orto the base alone.

In orderthatthe liquid contents of the container may be prevented from spilling rapidly out through the outlet when the plug 40 is removed a temporary flap valve indicated generally by 42 may be provided. The flap valve comprises a rubber diaphragm 43 secured at 44 to the flange 28 by a clamping plate 45 and screws 46. The flap valve hinges at 47 so that the lower portion of diaphragm 43 can be lifted away from the mouth of the bore in the flanged member 28. A metal reinforcing disc 48 prevents the flap valve collapsing from internal pressure when the plug 40 is removed. A cord 49 can be secured by means of a central rivet and eye 50 to the flap valve to enable itto be opened. The cord 49 can be connected to the plug in the inlet for operation as required.

An alternative form of a flap valve may be provided in the form of a stiff piece of polypropylene or other suitable plastics material hinged to the inside of the bottom fitting. The flap valve could incorporate an integtral hinge or a separate hinge pin for attachment to flanged member 28 and a locally thickened portion to resist the pressure of fluid on the inside of the container.

Alternatively some form of piercable membrane may be applied across the aperture in the flanged member which could be pierced by means of a suitable tube when a valve or tap is screwed into the threaded bore 39, or pulled out with a suitable cord.

It will be appreciated that by utilising an outlet of the type described above, such that the torque may be transferred to the container rather than to the bag itself, much thinner material can be used for the membrane of the bag.

To obtain access to the outlet valve 26 the side wall of the container may be pierced initially to form a hole indicated generally by 51. Alternatively the wall of the container may be partially cut through to provide a flap, or the position of the hole may be printed onto the wall of the container for the user of the bag to cut open the flap. Clearly it is preferable that the hole be of a smaller size than the openended box so that there is no tendency for the box to be pushed through the hole cut in the side wall. The arrangement described also permits the outlet assembly to be inside the fibreboard container during transit, thereby protecting the outlet assembly.

To permit the container to be sealed for customs or security purposes a pair of outwardly projecting lugs may be provided at diametrically opposite positions on the end face of the tubular portion of flanged member 28. The lugs are apertured and a correspondingly apertured cap can then be located over the lugs and a padlock or wire seal can be passed through the apertures to seal the cap in position. The upper filler cap can also be so provided with security lugs.

New claims or amendments filed 9 February 1982 Superseded claims 1,2,3,4.

New or amended claims: 1. An intermediate bulk container for fluids comprising an outer stiff container being rectangular in plan and having a vertical post connected to a side wall and an inner flexible fluid-tight bag, an outlet at the lower end of the bag having a plug therein, said plug being adapted to be rotated for release from.the outlet, the outlet being connected to the post and being adapted and arranged to transfer torque from the rotation of the plug into the outer stiff container via the post to resist rotation of the outlet when the plug is rotated.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1 in which there is a vertical post in the centre of each side wall.

Claims (24)

1. An intermediate bulk container for fluids comprising an outer stiff container and an inner flexible fluid-tight bag, an outlet at the lower end of the bag having a plug therein, said plug being adapted to be rotated for release from the outlet, the outlet being adapted and arranged to transfer torque from the rotation of the plug into the outer stiff container to resist rotation of the outlet when the plug is rotated.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1 in which the outer stiff container is rectangular in plan with a vertical post in the centre of each side wall.

3. A container as claimed in Claim 2 in which the outlet lies adjacent to the post.

4. A container as claimed in Claim 3 in which the outlet is secured to the post.

5. A container as claimed in Claim 4 in which the outlet is screwed to the post or is secured to screws or other fittings in the post by means of keyhole slots formed in the outlet.

6. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5 in which the outlet is positioned adjacent the base of the container.

7. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 6 in which the outlet comprises a substantially rectangular box having one end open, the open end being adjacent the side wall of the stiff container.

8. A container as claimed in Claim 7 in which the outer stiff container has a flap, aperture or markings coincidental with the box, the box being larger than the flap, aperture or markings.

9. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8 in which the outlet is secured to the bag by having a first portion which forms a box and a second flanged tubular portion adapted to be secured to the box, so that the periphery of an aperture in the bag is clamped between the flange and the base of the box.

10. A container as claimed in Claim 9 in which the tubular portion has an internal thread to accommodate the plug.

11. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 10 in which there is provided a temporary seal on the outlet to restrict egress of the fluid when the plug is removed.

12. A container as claimed in Claim 11 in which the temporary seal comprises a membrane across the outlet which is pierced to permit egress of the fluid.

13. A container as claimed in Claim 12 in which the membrane is displaceable by a cord connected to or operating on the membrane.

14. A container as claimed in Claim 12 in which the membrane is displaced or pierced by a fitting screwed into the outlet fitting.

15. A container as claimed in Claim 11 in which the temporary seal is an obturator held in place by the pressure of liquid in the bag.

16. A container as claimed in Claim 15 in which the obturator is a flap valve.

17. A container as claimed in Claim 16 in which the flap valve is openable by a cord or string passing through the bag and connected to an inlet plug.

18. A container as claimed in Claim 16 in which the flap valve is pushed open by a fitting screwed into the outlet fitting.

19. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 16 to 18 in which the flap of the flap valve is weighted to assist in closing under the action of gravity.

20. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 19 in which the stiff container is formed of fibreboard.

21. A container as claimed in Claim 20 in which the fibreboard is a corrugated fibreboard.

22. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 21 in which the flexible bag is formed of polyurethane or other plastics material or rubber.

23. A container as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 22 in which the outlet is formed of polypropylene or other plastics material or metal.

24. A container substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.