NZ225698A - Rigid container with flexible liner and heating element - Google Patents

Description

22 5 6 9 8 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No.: 225,698 Date: 5 August 1988 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INTERMEDIATE BULK CONTAINER AND TRANSPORT SYSTEM XI We, NEW ZEALAND DAIRY BOARD, a Body Corporate established under the Dairy Board Act 1961, of 25 The Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand; NEW ZEALAND DAIRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, a Body Corporate incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957, of Dairy Farm Road, Fitzherbert West, Palmerston North, New Zealand; and DRUM PACKAGING LTD, a New Zealand company, of 630 Great South Road, Green-lane South, Auckland, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention for whichaj"/ we pray that a patent may be granted to mg/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - <F* ;This invention relates to a method of handling substances which are highly viscous or solids at normal ambient temperatures. The invention also consists in intermediate bulk containers for transporting such substances. ;For the purpose of this specification "intermediate bulk container" means any container v/ith a capacity in excess of 500 litres up to a capacity of 24,000 litres (the capacity of a standard road tanker). An intermediate bulk container is normally one which can be handled by a fork lift vehicle. An example of an intermediate bulk container is a container with a capacity of 1,000 litres but the definition is not limited thereto. ;V~»f1 * Traditional methods of transporting substances, for example, fats and oils, anhydrous milk fat, or honey or wax have been either in bulk or in metal drums of about 200 litres capacity. For ease in handling a number of drums are placed on a pallet, strapped in place and stored within a shipping container for transport by sea, rail or truck.

In order to make the substances flowable the drums may be placed in a hot room or may be heated by sources external to the drum. More recently there has been a growth in the use of intermediate bulk containers for the transporting of such substances. When such substances are transported in bulk they can be stored in a smaller storage volume. However there is the disadvantage that it takes longer to melt or render sufficiently pourable to allow the substance to be poured out of the bulk container.

It is an object of the present invention to go some way towards alleviating this disadvantage or at least to offer the public a useful choice.

Accordingly the invention may be said broadly to consist in a method of handling meltable or highly viscous substances stored in an intermediate bulk container (as herein defined) having a collapsible substantially impervious liner which comprises: providing a heating element at the bottom of said liner, 225698 activating said heating element to heat said substance in said liner to melt or render less viscous said substance, providing an outlet means at or adjacent to the bottom of said liner, and opening said outlet means to discharge said substance in a liquid form from said liner.

Preferably said method includes the preliminary steps of loading said substance into said liner and transporting said container and contained substance.

Preferably said liner is purged with nitrogen or other inert gas prior to and during the loading of said substance.

Preferably said substance is melted or rendered into a pourable state prior to loading into said liner.

Preferably said container is transported by break bulk shipping or by traditional shipping methods.

Alternatively said intermediate bulk container is itself shipped in a shipping container.

The invention may be said broadly to consist in a method of handling solid or highly viscous substances substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In another embodiment the invention may be said broadly to consist in an intermediate bulk container (as herein defined) for meltable or highly viscous substances comprising: a rigid intermediate bulk container (as herein defined), an inner collapsible liner within said container which is made of a liquid-tight material capable of maintaining its integrity at temperatures in excess of the melting point of the substance to be contained therein, a flat heating element forming either an integral part of said liner or being between said liner and an inner surface of said container, outlet means from said liner through the wall of said container, 22b698 the arrangement and construction being such that in use said substance is melted or rendered less viscous when said heating element is activated so as to allow said substance to flow from said container.

Preferably said intermediate bulk container comprises a pallet base, side walls extending upwardly from said base forming a storage space of regular geometric cross-section and a lid closing said storage space at the top.

Preferably said regular geometric cross-section is circular.

Alternatively said regular geometric cross-section is octagonal.

Preferably there are provided vertical frame members extending upwardly from said pallet base.

Preferably there are provided vertical straps in association with said vertical frame members to maintain said lid in place.

Preferably there are provided horizontally extending straps in association with said vertical frame.members.

Preferably said inner liner is a plastics liner.

Preferably said inner liner a high oxygen barrier plastics liner.

In one embodiment said outlet means is provided near the bottom of said inner liner and is fitted through an opening near the bottom of a side wall of said container.

Preferably there is provided a second opening near the top of said liner.

Preferably said second opening is fitted with a cap.

Preferably said heater comprises a large surface area low inertia contact heater.

Preferably said heater comprises a laminated structure having a smooth surface layer on at least its upperside and a heating element under said layer.

Preferably said heater is placed below said liner and above the bottom of said container.

Alternatively said heater forms an integral part of said inner liner.

Preferably there is provided a thermostat in association with said heater. -5- 225698 Preferably said thermostat is a thermister.

The invention may also be said broadly to consist in an intermediate bulk container as hereinabove defined containing a meltable or highly viscous substance.

Preferably said substance is fat or oil.

Preferably said fat or oil is anhydrous milk fat.

Alternatively said substance is wax or honey.

The invention may be more fully understood by having reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the invention with a part of the lid broken away.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in figure with a part of the side broken away.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the invention with a part broken away.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the second embodiment shown in figure 3 with a part broken away.

The intermediate bulk container 10 shown in figures 1 and 2 has a substantially cylindrical storage cavity. It consists of a pallet 11 having an upper layer 14 and a lower layer 15 separated by cross-beams 16. There are gaps 17 between beams 16 to receive the forks of a forklift vehicle. Preferably flat layers 14 and 15 are made of medium density fibre board (MDF board). In the embodiment illustrated the pallet 11 is octagonal in plan view but may be of any other regular geometric shape when viewed in plan.

Extending upwardly from layer 14 is a substantially cylindrical side wall 12 which fits into a circular notch cut into the upper surface of layer 14. Supporting vertical beams 18 may also be inserted into grooves in the upper surface of layer 14. 225698 Side wall 12 is preferably constructed of wound paper laminated with adhesive. Alternatively wall 12 can be made of metal, plastics or other material. The exterior and interior of wall 12 may be coated with a waterproofing compound and coloured for easy identification. It is also possible to provide additional insulation to the inside of side wall 12.

A lid 13 is provided on the top of side walls 12.

In addition to the vertical beams 18 already described there may be provided a plurality of straps 20 which rest in grooves 19 in beams 18. These straps 20 encircle the pallet 11, the container 10 and the lid 13 to hold them in place. Support beams 18 together with the strapping 20 provide sufficient strength that bulk containers may be stacked one upon another.

There is provided a collapsible liner 30 within container 10. The collapsible liner is preferably made of a plastics material selected for containing the particular substance in question. It may be laminated product and may include layers which are metalised. Alternatively the liner could be of other collapsible material. In one preferred embodiment the bag is a gussetted plastics bag. In another preferred embodiment it is a lay flat plastics bag. Preferably the plastics is a high oxygen barrier type of bag. Suitable liner material can be chosen according to the use to which it is to be put. The liner material should maintain its integrity up to at least the flow temperature or melting point of the substance to be transported within the liner.

In one preferred embodiment the bag liner has a 1,000 litre capacity. In a preferred embodiment of the invention bag 30 has a threaded top opening 24 with a cap 26 threaded onto it. Towards the bottom of the bag is provided a tap or spiggot 21 which passes through an opening in the wall 12 and preferably through upright member 18. Alternatively a reinforcing grommet can pass through side wall 12 and retain spiggot or tap 21 in place. 2 2 5 6 9 8 Beneath liner 30 there is provided a heater 31. In the preferred embodiment this is in the form of a sheet or "blanket". Heater 31 rests on top of layer 14. Wires lead from heater 31 to an electrical connector 33 so that an external source of electricity may be supplied to the heater. Also illustrated in figures 1 and 2 is a thermister 28 with an electrical connector 29. Thermister 28 measures the temperature of the substance within bag 30 and ensures that the substance is not heated above a predetermined temperature below the substances degradation point.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention in a storage facility such as a warehouse there will be provided a central controlling unit which has electrical connectors which can in their turn be connected to connectors 29 and 33. These can conveniently be connected in order to allow for pouring of the substance from the intermediate bulk container when required and can be disconnected or turned off when storage only of the substance is needed.

In the embodiment illustrated in figures 3 and 4 the container walls 12 enclose a space which is octagonal in cross-section. This configuration allows an increase in the storage volume of substance while compromising somewhat in strength of the sides. In figure 4 there is illustrated an open spiggot 21 which is discharging the liquified substance 32.

Also visible in figure 4 are horizontal straps 22 around the walls 12 of the container to reinforce the wall strength.

In operation in a preferred embodiment of the invention an intermediate bulk container 10 according to the invention to be filled with anhydrous milk fat (AMF) 32 is positioned to receive the anhydrous milk fat in a liquified form. Bag liner 30 is in a collapsed state within the container and lid 13 is removed. A source of nitrogen is connected to tap 21 and as bag 30 becomes inflated tap 26 is loosened to allow nitrogen to escape from the bag until the bag has been substantially completely purged with nitrogen. AMF 32 is then fed through tap 21 under pressure into bag 30 displacing the nitrogen through loosened cap 26. When bag 30 has been filled with the anhydrous milk fat cap 26 is tightened and lid 13 is placed in position. Straps 20 and 22 are fastened into position. 22 5 6 9 The container 10 may then be transported. Transport may be in a shipping container or mounted on some other transporting means such as the flat bed of a truck or a railcar, sometimes referred to as break bulk shipping.

When the container arrives at its destination it may be stacked beside or on top of other containers. If the ambient temperature is below the melting point or the pouring point of the anhydrous milk fat then it will be substantially a solid on arrival for storage.

Electrical connectors 29 and 33 may be connected to a centralised control unit. When it is desired to discharge the AMF 32 from bag 30 heater 31 and thermister 28 are activated. Heat from heater 31 passes by convection upwardly through the AMF. The AMF melts from near the bottom and may be poured out through tap 21 as required. Although tap 21 illustrated in figure 4 is merely discharging AMF 32 in a commercial operation it would be discharging to a hose or other conduit. If the AMF is heating to a temperature above the cutoff point the thermister will cut off power to heater 31. The thermister 28 is adjusted to turn off the electricity at a temperature below the degradation point of the AMF.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the materials of construction of the container 10 and pallet 11 are sufficiently unexpensive to allow it to ~ be discarded once the substance it has been transporting has been discharged.

It will be appreciated that the heater according to the invention provides a low power source of heat directly into the substance being poured and minimises power usage. It is not necessary to place containers 10 in a hot storage room or to provide external sources of heat to the outside of the container walls 12 in order to discharge the contents. Other variations of construction and method of use of the container and method of handling materials within the scope of the claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (30)

mL WHAT WE CLAIM IS: - 9 - 225698 f; c

1. A method of handling meltable or highly viscous substances stored in an intermediate bulk container (as herein defined) having a collapsible substantially impervious liner which comprises: providing a heating element at the bottom of said liner, activating said heating element to heat said substance in said liner to melt or render less viscous said substance, providing an outlet means at or adjacent to the bottom of said liner, and opening said outlet means to discharge said substance in a liquid form from said liner.

2. A method according to claim 1 which includes the preliminary steps of loading said substance into said liner and transporting said container and contained substance.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said liner is purged with nitrogen or other inert gas prior to and during the loading of said substance.

4. A method according to any of the preceding claims wherein said substance is melted or rendered into a pourable state prior to loading into said liner.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said container is transported by break bulk shipping or by traditional shipping methods.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said intermediate bulk container is itself shipped in a shipping container.

7. A method of handling solid or highly viscous substances substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. An intermediate bulk container (as herein defined) for meltable or highly viscous substances comprising: ^^ a rigid intermediate bulk container (as herein defined), -10- 22569 an inner collapsible liner within said container which is made of a liquid-tight material capable of maintaining it without loss of integrity at temperatures in excess of the melting point of the substance to be contained therein, a flat heating element forming either an integral part of said liner or being between said liner and an inner surface of said container, outlet means from said liner through the wall of said container, the arrangement and construction being such that in use said substance is melted or rendered less viscous when said heating element is activated so as to allow said substance to flow from said container.

9. A container as claimed in claim 8 wherein said intermediate bulk container comprises a pallet base, side walls extending upwardly from said base forming a storage space of regular geometric cross-section and a lid closing said storage space at the top.

10. A container as claimed in claim 9 wherein said regular geometric cross-section is circular.

11. A container as claimed in claim 9 wherein said regular geometric cross-section is octagonal.

12. A container as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11 wherein there are provided vertical frame members extending upwardly from said pallet base.

13. A container according to claim 12 wherein there are provided vertical straps in association with said vertical frame members to maintain said lid in place.

14. A container according to claim 13 wherein there are provided horizontally extending straps in association with said vertical frame members.

15. A container according to any one of claims 8 to 11 wherein said inner liner is a plastics liner.

16. A container according to claim 15 wherein sftd-inaer liner is a high oxygen barrier plastics liner. W - 11 - 225698

17. A container according to any one of claims 8 to 16 wherein said outlet means is provided near the bottom of said inner liner and is fitted through an opening near the bottom of a side wall of said container.

18. A container according to any one of claims 8 to 17 wherein there is provided a second opening near the top of said liner.

19. A container according to claim 18 wherein said second opening is fitted with a cap,

20. A container according to any one of claims 8 to 19 wherein said heater comprises a large surface area low inertia contact heater.

21. A container according to claim 20 wherein said heater comprises a laminated structure having a smooth surface layer on at least its upperside and heating element under said layer.

22. A container according to any one of claims 8 to 21 wherein said heater is placed below said liner and above the bottom of said container.

23. A container according to any one of claims 8 to 21 wherein said heater froms an integral part of said inner liner.

24. A container according to any one of claims 8 to 23 wherein there is provided a thermostat in association with said heater.

25. A container according to claim 24 wherein said thermostat is a thermister.

26. An intermediate bulk container according to any one of claims 8 to 25 containing a meltable or highly viscous substance.

27. A container as claimed in claim 26 wherein said substance is a fat or oil.

28. A container as claimed in claim 27 wherein said fat or oil is anhydrous milk fat.

29. A container as claimed in claim 26 wherein said substance is wax or honey.

30. An intermediate bulk container substantially as herein described with reference to the accompan,,^,,',