GB2375096A

GB2375096A - A bulk bag for palletless transportation of goods

Info

Publication number: GB2375096A
Application number: GB0107018A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Alfred Joseph Gibbons
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-03-20
Filing date: 2001-03-20
Publication date: 2002-11-06
Also published as: GB0107018D0

Abstract

A bulk bag to transport goods normally carried on pallets comprises a base panel, four side panels and a lid/cover portion. The base may further comprise wheels or castors 9, which may be removable and floor reinforcement in the form of a removable insert. The side panels may be provided with tie straps to allow the goods carried in the bag to be held securely therein and a pocket 7 for a manifest or the like. The side panels may be provided with ventilation holes 4, an identification number 5, the user's logo 6 and may be provided with windows 15 allowing the contents of the bulk bag to be seen. The bag may be provided with straps allowing it to be secured to a pallet. In use, the bulk bag may be of comparable in length and width to either a standard or euro pallet.

Description

This invention relates to a fully foldaway and re-usable conveyance and package.

Its common known usage may be described as a pallet bag.

This is because its main use shall be to hold goods normaly and commonly loaded to either standard or euro pallets.

Goods of any size may be loaded or put into the foldaway and re-usable conveyance and package and as the package shall have an identifiable unique number on its outside it shall enable easy identification of contents. A pocket on the outside shall enable the placing of a manifest and any other necessary documents into it. Bar coding can also be subscribed to the package.

It must be said that sports bags and similar such much smaller bags contain similar properties, but the size of such sports bags being much smaller should bot be taken or confused as being this invention. It is recognised that certain properties do exist in the sports bags, ie-floor insert and different closing methods. However-it is the size of a foldaway and re-usable conveyance and package that sets it apart and distinct, plus the variation whereby with the floor insert enabled and castors fitted make the conveyance mobile by way of pulling or pushing.

Essential properties of the fully foldaway and re-usable conveyance and package rely on the size and construction. The size must be made known and recognised as the major distinguishing property. Such packages shall have two main standards, one being half the height roughly of the other. The width and depth shall be suitable to contain goods as normaly loaded to either standard or euro sized shipping pallets, while the general heaight is governed by the height of the General Purpose Container type the goods can be shipped in, while note of High Cube shipping containers and over-height items shall have suitable sized package used.

Goods generaly loaded to conventional shipping pallets are normaly packed in inner retail and outer shipping cartons and have shrink wrap matterial and nylon strapping used to secure. All four types of packaging currently end up mostly being discarded once the item is delivered to its end user. The fully foldaway and re-usable conveyance and package can be used as an alternative to the outer shipping cartons and nylon strapping and shrink wrap material. Goods can be placed inside and secured using the tie belts by drawing the package to fit and secure the goods.

The fully foldaway and re-usable conveyance and package incorporates other features, such as strapping points underneath to enable securing to pallets if so desired.

The fully foldaway and re-usable conveyance and package can have its owners name, logo and general Identification features incorporated on it. Colour is not restricted, while the standard may be a neutral grey type. Each package shall have a designers and manufactures logo and trade mark device shown while an essential shall be a Unique Identification Number. This shall enable clear line of sight identity and plans to seek HM Customs & Excise Approval as aRe-usable Empty Shipping Container shall be sought.

Goods can be shipped in retail or immediate display presentation packaging without risk of identification and therefor theft or tampering. The package shall have ventilation holes and if required a clear see through window. Some common forms of damage to goods may be avoided as there shall be no need to cut away shrink wrap and thereby avoid snicking by sharp knives and similar. The package can provide complete anonymity of its contents except to its proper owners who have a manifest relating to the package unique number.

By being fully foldaway and re-usable, owners can enjoy repeat use cost savings and as package is lighter than wood or metal mobile trolleys and similar, therefor it may be possible to obtain more space and loading capacity.

The main and driving force behind this invention is to enable delivery of goods without using as much discarded packaging.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :- Figure 1 shows all the main features, 16 an all. Separate listing sheet as figure 5 explains.

Figure 2, identifies the floor insert.

Figure3, gives and shows indication of normal maximum height.

Figure 4, shows closing and securing methods, though not a complete defination of all variations.

A fully foldaway and re-usable outer conveyance and package.

The conveyance and package container is to be made of shower proof material, heavy duty variations can be fully weather proof to allow for outdoor standing. Materials therefor shall vary according to use and suitability and preference. Colours, size, shape, dimensions and construction can and shall vary, figure 1 is the standard item.

The re-usable outer conveyance and package is in response to have an alternative to wasteful and discarded outer cartons and similar and to be used in the shipping and conveyance of goods.

The re-usable outer conveyance and package can provide an effecient cost effective re-usable alternative. Recent and current legislation as regards recycling, reprocessing of all packaging materials means that distributors must prove they can approved means of reprocessing all such , materials while by using the re-usable outer conveyance and package shall reduce the essential use of other materials and such shall reduce costs and reduce the use of wasteful raw materials considerably.

It may be possible to use the re-usable outer conveyance and packing to replace the need for such other materials, paper and board for certain items altogether.

The re-usable outer conveyance and package is a direct response to Green directives as regards disposal of unwanted packaging materials.

The re-usable outer conveyance and package can be made to any specification, shape, dimension, colour or size. Closing and securing can be on any seam or seams and by various methods. Main attributes as displayed in Figure 1.

The re-usable outer conveyance and package can be mobile by placing a solid hard floor insert which contains fittings to allow for castors to be inserted. The package itself can be modified to allow openings to enable castors to be inserted through to connect with the floor insert. As Figure 1, the unit shall have pull along handles and wrap around tie belts. This mobile version shall be lighter, less obtrusive and easier to handle than rigid metal and similar like trolleys or similar. The fold away nature means they can be delivered more competitively on cost by virtue of being lighter and smaller.

NOTES TO FIGURE (DRAWING) 1 BAGU-THIS RELATES TO A FULLY FOLDAWAY AND REUSABLE CONVEYANCE AND PACKAGE.

LEGEND OF ICONS USED IN FIGURE (1) 1. ZIP OR CORDFASTENING SEAM OR SIMILAR 2. BOTTOM SECURING BANDS, TO ALLOWS FOR FASTENING TO TRADITIONAL PALLETS.

3. CORNERS AND FASTENING ANGLES.

4. PERFORATION VENTS.

5. PACKAGE NUMBER, UNIQUE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.

6. OWNERS NAME AND/OR LOGO. je 7. DOCUMENT POUCH SECURED WITH ZIP, VELCRO OR SIMILAR.

8. PULL OR LIFTING HANDLES.

9. CASTORS OR ROLLERS, THROUGH EYELETS IN FLOOR.

10. FASTENING AND/OR SEALING POINT.

11. FLOOR, EITHER HEAVY TWO PLY OF MATERIAL IN DESIRED, OR SINGLE PLY. OR CAN HAVE 12 (AS BELOW) INSERTED.

12. FLOOR INSERT (FIGURE 2), WITH FITMENTS FOR (9).

13. EYELET TO ALLOW BELT TIGHTENING.

14. SECURING BELT-THREE ON AVERAGE PER PACKAGE, MORE OR LESS CAN BE USED.

15. SEE THROUGH WINDOW.

16. NYLON SUPPORT RODS CAN BE INSERTED AT THE ANGLES TO MAKE A FRAME.

THE ITEM ITSELF CAN BE ANY COLOUR, GREY BEING PREFERRED STANDARD AND ANY SIZE OR SHAPE.

NOTES TO FIGURE (DRAWING) 2 BAGU FIGURE 2. FLOOR INSERT FLOOR TO BE IN ONE PIECE OR SLOT PANELS, THE FLOOR INSERT SHALL BE OF 1) STANDARD PALLET SIZE 2) EURO PALLET SIZE EITHER CAN BE USED DEPENDING ON REQUIREMENT.

SCREW FITTINGS TO ALLOW FOR ROLLERS TO BE MADE/INSERTED TO ALLOW'EYE'FOR MALE/FEMALE TYPE SLOTTING. THE ACTUAL ENCLOSURE SHALL HAVE'EYE'FIXTURES AT APPROPRIATE PLACINGS TO ALLOW EITHER SIZE'FLOOR'TO BE INSERTED. i. e. CASTOR TO SLOT IN TO FITTING.

THICKNESS OF INSERT TO BE SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW A STRONG CONNECTION. IDEALLY MADE FROM PLASTIC IN ONE PIECE OR 2 OR 3 OR MORE PIECES TO ALLOW EASY SLOT ASSEMBLY.

NOTES TO FIGURE (DRAWING) 3 BAGU FIGURE 3. THIS FIGURE SHOWS TALLEST'STANDARD' APPROX OVERALL STANDARD SINGLE PALLET SIZE, LENGTH 120 CMX HEIGHT 240 CM X WIDTH 120 CM SIZING SHALL PROBABLE HAVE AN OVER-HANG TO ALLOW FOR EASIER LOADING AND UNLOADING AND TO STOP UNNECCESSARY RUBBING OR SPLITTING.

THIS'TOLERANCE'SHALL PROBABLY BE 20 CM.

'HIGH CUBE'TALLER SHALL BE AVAILABLE ALONGWTTH HALF- HEIGHT STACKABLE APPLICATIONS.

VARIATIONS TO DIMENSIONS AND NON-RECTANGLE OR CUBE TO BE AVAILABLE. e. g. AIRCRAFT'UNIT LOAD DEVICE'DIMENSIONS.

NOTES TO FIGURE (DRAWING) 4 BAGU FIGURE 4. CLOSING METHOD IDEA-BASED ON STANDARD RECTANGLE MODEL. IT IS NOT ESSENTIAL TO'SEAL'BUT FOR CONTENTS SECURITY IT IS DESIRABLE.

VARIATIONS-2 MAIN TYPES.

1) ZIP-UP FROM'B'THROUGH F + G TO CLOSE AT (i) UP FROM'D'THROUGH E + H TO CLOSE AT (i) LOOP A TRADITIONAL NUMBERED SEAL THROUGH ZIP EYES.

2) CORD-ZIG-ZAG THROUGH EYELETS UP FROM'B'THROUGH F + G TO CLOSE AT (i) UP FROM'D'THROUGH E + H TO CLOSE AT (i) LOOP A TRADITIONAL NUMBERED SEAL THROUGH CORD EYES.

VARIATIONS ON BASIC'MOCK-UP'OTHER CLOSING METHODS CAN BE VELCRO, POP-PRESSING, TIE-UP.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. The BA6U is a fully foldaway and re-usable outer conveyance and package and a claim to a Pallet Bag is made.
2. The BAGU may best be described in the public domain as a PALLET BAG.
3. A Pallet Bag device is claimed, as it shall enable goods to be transported in a uniform package and of the dimensions and similar as required and as shown in Figure 3.
4 - The overall look of the Pallet Bag can be any combination of characters as shown in Figures 1 and 2, but essentially it is the sizing that categorizes the BA6U. A Pallet Bag is claimed wherein the overall size and structure shall contain merchandise of the essential volume that the BAGU enables.
5. A Pallet Bag is claimed wherein the securing and closing methods as shown in figures 1,2, 3, and 4 afford a secure transporting device.
6. A Pa ! ! et Bag is claimed in that the volume of goods to be loaded and inserted are of the volume as carried by either a Standard or Euro pallet device.
7. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that the device can be utilised in other sizes and dimensions and on varying conveyances, such as Sea freight Containers, Trucks and other vehicles, Aeroplanes and other transportation mechanisms.
8. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that a reduction in other essential packaging materials may be made.
9. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that the security of goods may be enhanced if the Pallet Bag is secured by the methods a shown in figures 1, 2,3, and 4.
10. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that the contents may be kept confidential if the use and closing and securing as described in all figures and notes I maintained.
11. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that the integrity of the contents may be made known only by having reference to the Pat ! et Bag manifest and that the Pallet Bag whereby individually numbered shall be the essential manner of noting to the said manifest.

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12. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that not-withstanding item 6 above (of the claims) in that if suitable fitted with a Floor Insert as in Figure 2, that the Pallet Bag shall be a self supported unit and suitable for picking up and moving with conventional handling equipment such as fork Lift Trucks and similar.
13. A Pallet Sag is claimed in that suitably marked and identifiable for and by its owners they alone shall know of its contents.
14. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that other of the items shipped together while individually marked shall enable consolidation of different products from different suppliers to be loaded into a master conveyance, such as a Sea Freight Container, Truck or Aircraft while keeping the integrity of each Pallet Bags contents confidential.
15. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that once goods loaded into the Pallet Bag they may be transported by any means from any place to any destination intact inside the secured Pallet Bag.
16. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that the goods loaded to an individual Pallet Bag by the one shipper may be consigned directly to an end user and receiver together with other items while each Pallet Bag shall container but one product or a defined number of products under receipt of the Pallet Bag reference.
17. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that Multiple shippers and multiple products may be loaded precisely to a Pallet Bag for receipt by one receiver and end user.
18. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that the device shall enable goods otherwise to well known may be moved discretely.
19. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that the device shall afford minimal handling and checking of the contained goods whilst in transit.
20. A Pallet Bag is claimed in that the Insurance of the Contents may be made more efficient by the discreet loading of the unit device.