WO2005090205A1

WO2005090205A1 - Improved means for emptying bulk liquid containers

Info

Publication number: WO2005090205A1
Application number: PCT/AU2005/000362
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arthur Raymond Winn
Original assignee: Rees Operations Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-03-16
Filing date: 2005-03-16
Publication date: 2005-09-29

Abstract

A bulk liquid container (10) comprising a pallet type base (11), four interconnectable side panels defining an open-topped enclosure for housing a liner bag containing liquid. The container includes a tiltable floor panel (12) elongate lifting strap (17) which is secured at one end to the floor panel adjacent one side thereof. The other end of the strap is attached to a retaining device secured to the outer side of one of said side panels (13). The floor panel lifting strap (17) may be retained to an operative position wherein the floor panel is held by the strap (17) in a tilted position in order to facilitate complete emptying of the liner bag by gravity discharge through an outlet or to an inoperative position wherein the floor panel is disposed substantially horizontally on top of the container pallet base.

Description

IMPROVED MEANS FOR EMPTYING BULK LIQUID CONTAINERS FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved means for emptying bulk liquid containers of the kind having a pallet-type base on which there is mounted four side panels to form a container and a flexible liner bag or bladder housed in the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bulk liquid containers of the aforementioned kind are of course well-known and commonly used in the food and beverage industries where it is often necessary to transport and store bulk liquids. The containers are designed so that the bulk liquid discharges usually by gravity through an outlet nozzle of the liner bag which locates through an opening in one side of the container adjacent the base thereof. The nozzle is designed to incorporate a valve and an outlet port.

One of the major problems with such containers is the inability of the liner bag or bladder to be completely emptied of its contents through gravity discharge alone. A number of solutions have been proposed in order to deal with this problem. One such solution involves tilting the container base towards the container side having the nozzle opening through the use of a spring loaded filter on which the container is supported. As the liquid is emptied from the liner bag, the springs raise one side of the base, thereby increasing the angle of tilt of the base as the weight of the liquid decreases. While these spring arrangements function satisfactorily, they are not completely satisfactory due to their cost and also the requirement for the container to be lifted onto and off the filter. An example of a tilting device is disclosed in UK Patent No. GB 2211480 ("Karpisek"). Another example of a spring-type tilting mechanism is disclosed in Australian Patent No. 737062 (Technosearch) entitled "A base for a liquid housing container". In this case, the tilting mechanism is incorporated into the pallet- base of the container.

Yet another solution to the problem in question has been the use of a mechanism which attaches to the upper region of the liner bag and around which the bag is rotated when it is nearly empty, this resulting in a squeezing pressure being applied to the bag so as to direct substantially all of the remaining liquid in the bag towards the outlet nozzle. This approach is quite labour intensive and is not a satisfactory long term solution to the problem.

The object of the present invention is to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive means by which the contents of a bulk liquid container of the aforementioned kind can be substantially completely emptied by gravity discharge therefrom.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tilting arrangement for a moveable floor panel of a bulk liquid container which, when in an operative condition, will automatically increase the angle of tilt of the floor panel as the weight of the liquid in the container decreases.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved tilt arrangement for a bulk liquid container having a false floor panel which is designed in such a way that the container (when the liner bag or bladder has been emptied and removed therefrom) can be fully collapsed with the side panels flat one on top of the other on the pallet base without the need to remove the false floor panel. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect the present invention accordingly provides a rectangular bulk liquid container comprising a pallet type base, four interconnectable side panels which, when erected, define an open-topped enclosure for housing a liner bag or bladder containing the liquid, with one of the side panels having a nozzle outlet opening adjacent the base of the container for locating a nozzle of the liner bag or bladder, said container including: a tiltable floor panel overlying and supported on top of the base; and a floor panel elongate lifting strap which is secured at one end to the floor panel adjacent one side thereof, the other end of the floor panel lifting strap attaching to a retaining device secured to the outer side of one of said side panels for releasably retaining the floor panel lifting strap in either an operative position wherein the floor panel is held by the strap in a tilted position in order to facilitate complete emptying of the liner bag by gravity discharge through the nozzle outlet opening, or an inoperative position wherein the floor panel is disposed substantially horizontally on top of the container pallet base, said floor panel lifting strap extending upwardly along the inner side of said one of said side panels in a substantially contiguous relationship therewith.

Clearly this container provides a very simple, effective, and inexpensive means by which the enclosed liner bag containing the liquid can be completely emptied of its contents by the action of gravity. The incorporation of a tiltable floor panel does not alter the construction of the container base therefore allowing the floor panel to be easily retrofitted to existing containers providing a clear advantage over other prior art mechanisms for emptying containers. Additionally, the inclusion of the floor panel does not otherwise interfere with the collapsibility of the container. Preferably, said floor panel lifting strap is formed of flexible inextensible webbing which, when in its operative position, is manually tightened and retained in a tightened condition by anchoring its outer end to said external retaining device.

When the liner bag has been emptied, the strap is released from its external retaining device and is relaxed thereby allowing the floor panel to revert to its horizontal non-tilted position.

Optionally, the floor panel lifting strap is provided with resilient biasing means intermediate the ends thereof, arranged to bias the floor panel, when the strap is in its operative position, in an upwards direction, whereby as the contents of the liner bag or bladder are emptied and the weight of the container decreases, the biasing means is effective to progressively raise one side of the floor panel and in turn increase its angle of tilt.

With this arrangement, the floor panel lifting strap can be pre-tensioned so as to position the floor panel in its tilted position and thereafter the liner bag can be inserted into the container and filled with its contents, with the tilt angle of the floor panel being automatically adjusted as the weight of the liquid in the liner bag decreases.

Preferably, the resilient biasing means is integrally formed as a portion of said floor panel lifting strap.

Preferably, the floor panel lifting strap comprises an intermediate elasticised portion attached to end portions of flexible inextensible webbing.

Optionally, the resilient biasing means is separately fitted to said floor panel lifting strap. Preferably, the resilient biasing means includes a separately fitted resilient member which interconnects two lengths of inextensible webbing, one of which is connected to the floor panel, while the other of which is connected to the external retaining device.

Preferably, the resilient member is a shock cord.

Preferably, the external retaining device includes vertically spaced apart upper and lower horizontal retention rods or bars to which the outer end of the lifting strap is selectively attached.

Preferably, the floor panel lifting strap includes a coupling member attached thereto, to slidably engage either the upper or lower retention bar or rod.

Preferably, the upper and lower retention rods or bars are formed as part of a closed loop secured to an intermediate frame member of the side panel, with the coupling member on the outer end of said floor panel lifting strap being arranged to slidably engage along the loop forming retention bar or rod.

In this way the end of the lifting strap can remain permanently coupled to the loop. The vertical dimension of the closed loop is selected so that when the • strap is attached to the upper end of the loop, the strap will be in its inoperative, relaxed condition with the floor panel supported horizontally on the pallet base, while with the strap end engaging the lower end of the loop, the strap is retained in its operative tensioned condition wherein the floor panel is held in its elevated tilted position.

Preferably, the coupling member is a hook. Preferably, the floor panel lifting strap is secured to the movable floor panel approximately centrally thereof adjacent one of its sides.

Optionally, a plurality of floor panel lifting straps are utilised to tilt said tiltable floor panel.

Depending on the circumstances it may be desirable to use a number of lifting straps to tilt the floor panel.

Preferably, the floor panel is false and is removably locatable from said container.

Preferably, the four side panels are collapsible inwardly so as to lie flat on top of said floor panel.

With the floor panel lifting strap arrangement of the present invention, the container can still be readily collapsed without having to remove the false floor panel.

In a second aspect the present invention accordingly provides a device for emptying liquid from a container, said container including a base and four side panels arranged in a generally rectangular configuration thereby forming an enclosure for a flexible liner containing said liquid, said device including: a movable floor panel positioned beneath said flexible liner, said floor panel movable between a first substantially horizontal position wherein said floor panel is substantially horizontal to said base of said container and a second tilted position wherein said floor panel is tilted at an angle with respect to said base; tilting means to tilt said floor panel from said first horizontal position to said second tilted position, wherein said tilting means includes an elongate floor lifting strap or web having a first end attached to said floor panel and a second end located outside of said container, wherein said floor panel is caused to be tilted by drawing on said strap thereby lifting one end of said floor panel to thereby facilitate the emptying of liquid from said flexible liner through an outlet nozzle adjacent the base of said flexible liner by gravity discharge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible bulk liquid container (with one of its side panels removed and without the liner bag fitted therewithin) showing the false floor panel in its non-tilted horizontal position on top of the floor of the pallet base;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the false floor panel in its elevated tilted position; FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container showing the means by which the outer end of the floor panel lifting strap attaches to an externally mounted retention device on one of the side panels;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the floor panel lifting strap showing the resilient biasing means fitted intermediate the ends thereof; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the floor panel lifting strap attached to the externally mounted retention device when in its relaxed inoperative condition.

In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a collapsible rectangular bulk liquid container 10 of the kind having four inter-connectable side panels hingdly mounted on a four way entry pallet type base 11 so that they can be folded down one over the other on top of the floor 12 of the base 11. The side panels can of course be permanently mounted in an upstanding manner on the base 11. These side panels define an open topped enclosure for housing a flexible liner bag or bladder (not shown) filled with liquid to be discharged therefrom. The container normally is provided with a lid (not shown) for closing off the open top end of the container. Side panel 13 is provided with a nozzle outlet opening to permit a discharge nozzle of the liner bag to locate therethrough. The aforesaid features are all in accord with prior art design.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, there is provided a tiltable floor panel 15 which overlies floor 12 of the base 11 to provide a support surface for the bottom of the liner bag or bladder to be housed in the container 10. The floor panel is preferably made of a rigid polymeric material and forms a removable false floor for the container.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, there is provided an elongate floor panel lifting strap 17 which at one end is secured to one side of the false floor panel 15 centrally (or nearly so) thereof, while its other outer end is slidably attached to an externally mounted retention device 18 (refer

Figure 3) which, in this embodiment, is formed as a metal rod loop secured, eg by welding, to an intermediate vertically extending frame member 19 on the outer side of side panel 20.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lifting strap 17 extends upwardly across the inner face of side panel 20 in contiguous or near contiguous relationship therewith and passes over the top edge 22 of the panel 20 and thereafter extends downwardly across the outer face of panel 20 terminating in a coupling hook 23 which releasably engages the anchorage loop 18. As shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the strap 17 incorporates a resilient biasing member 25 which, in this embodiment, is one or more looped shock cords 26 which pass through loops 27 and 28 formed in the strap 17 intermediate the ends thereof. When the strap is pulled tight and retained in its tensioned operative position, with the coupling 23 retained on the lower part of loop retention 18, the false floor panel 15 is resiliently supported in its tilted position. When the liner bag or bladder is inserted into the container and filled with its liquid contents, the floor panel is deflected downwardly against the biasing force of the biasing member 25. It will be appreciated as the liquid is emptied from the liner bag, the biasing force provided by the shock cords 26 will cause the tilt angle of the floor panel 15 to progressively increase as the weight of liquid in the container decreases. With this arrangement the liner bag is able to be virtually completely emptied of its contents automatically.

With the arrangement of the present embodiment, the biasing shock cords 26 are designed to gradually lift the rear edge of the internal false floor panel to a height of 150 millimetres as the liner bag is emptied with the lift commencing when there is approximately 50 litres of liquid left in the bag, thereby allowing complete discharge efficiency - even with thick viscous liquids.

Referring to Figure 5 of the drawings, the strap 17 is shown in its non- tensioned, inoperative condition with the coupling hook 23 slidably located along the vertical leg 30 of the retention handle 18. With the strap 17 in its non- tensioned condition, the false floor panel 15 rests horizontally on top of the floor 12 of the base 11.

While the above described embodiment has been given by way of an illustrative example of the present invention, many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. For example, in lieu of the biasing shock cords 26, the strap 17 can have an intermediate portion in the form of an elasticised web which has sufficient strength to resiliently support the floor panel and the partly filled liner bag supported thereon in a tilted position.

In another variation to the present invention, the lifting strap 17 can be used without any form of resilient biasing member. It will of course be appreciated that it is not necessary for the floor panel to be raised and tilted until most of the liquid in the liner bag resting on the floor panel has been discharged. Consequently instead of the floor panel being designed to automatically tilt once the liner bag has discharged most of its contents, another option is for an operator to simply manually pull the lifting strap 17 to thereby raise and tilt the floor panel, once the liquid has ceased to gravity discharge from the nozzle of the liner bag. This requires the operator to monitor the liquid flow from the container and manually effect the tilting of the floor panel at the appropriate time.

In yet another variation of the present invention, the false floor panel can be substituted by a heater panel pad which incorporates heat elements designed to heat the liquid contents of the liner bag and thereby improve the flowability thereof. With the lifting strap attached to the heater panel, the automatic tilting of the panel can occur in a manner identical to that described in relation to the false floor panel.

A brief consideration of the above described embodiment will indicate that the invention provides a very simple, effective, and inexpensive means by which a bulk liquid container can be completely emptied of its contents, and which is designed in a way which does not alter the construction of the container base nor interfere with the collapsibility of the container with the liner bag removed therefrom. It will be understood that the term "comprise" and any of its derivatives (eg. comprises, comprising) as used in this specification is to be taken to be inclusive of features to which it refers, and is not meant to exclude the presence of any additional features unless otherwise stated or implied.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in the foregoing detailed description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS

1. A rectangular bulk liquid container comprising a pallet type base, four interconnectable side panels which, when erected, define an open-topped enclosure for housing a liner bag or bladder containing the liquid, with one of the side panels having a nozzle outlet opening adjacent the base of the container for locating a nozzle of the liner bag or bladder, said container including: a tiltable floor panel overlying and supported on top of the base; and a floor panel elongate lifting strap which is secured at one end to the floor panel adjacent one side thereof, the other end of the floor panel lifting strap attaching to a retaining device secured to the outer side of one of said side panels for releasably retaining the floor panel lifting strap in either an operative position wherein the floor panel is held by the strap in a tilted position in order to facilitate complete emptying of the liner bag by gravity discharge through the nozzle outlet opening, or an inoperative position wherein the floor panel is disposed substantially horizontally on top of the container pallet base, said floor panel lifting strap extending upwardly along the inner side of said one of said side panels in a substantially contiguous relationship therewith.

2. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said floor panel lifting strap is formed of flexible inextensible webbing which, when in its operative position, is manually tightened and retained in a tightened condition by anchoring its outer end to said external retaining device.

3. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floor panel lifting strap is provided with resilient biasing means intermediate the ends thereof, arranged to bias the floor panel, when the strap is in its operative position, in an upwards direction, whereby as the contents of the liner bag or bladder are emptied and the weight of the container decreases, the biasing means is effective to progressively raise one side of the floor panel and in turn increase its angle of tilt.

4. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in claim 3, wherein said resilient biasing means is integrally formed as a portion of said floor panel lifting strap.

5. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in claim 4, wherein said floor panel lifting strap comprises an intermediate elasticised portion attached to end portions of flexible inextensible webbing.

6. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in claim 3, wherein said resilient biasing means is separately fitted to said floor panel lifting strap.

7. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in claim 6, wherein said resilient biasing means includes a separately fitted resilient member which interconnects two lengths of inextensible webbing, one of which is connected to the floor panel, while the other of which is connected to the external retaining device.

8. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in claim 7, wherein said resilient member is a shock cord.

9. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said external retaining device includes vertically spaced apart upper and lower horizontal retention rods or bars to which the outer end of the lifting strap is selectively attached.

10. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in 9, wherein said floor panel lifting strap includes a coupling member attached thereto, to slidably engage either the upper or lower retention bar or rod.

11. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in claim 10, wherein the upper and lower retention rods or bars are formed as part of a closed loop secured to an intermediate frame member of the side panel, with the coupling member on the outer end of said floor panel lifting strap being arranged to slidably engage along the loop forming retention bar or rod.

12. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said coupling member is a hook.

13. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said floor panel lifting strap is secured to the movable floor panel approximately centrally thereof adjacent one of its sides.

14. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of floor panel lifting straps are utilised to tilt said tiltable floor panel.

15. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said floor panel is false and is removably locatable from said container.

16. A rectangular bulk liquid container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said foufside panels are collapsible inwardly so as to lie flat on top of said floor panel.

17. A device for emptying liquid from a container, said container including a base and four side panels arranged in a generally rectangular configuration thereby forming an enclosure for a flexible liner containing said liquid, said device including: a movable floor panel positioned beneath said flexible liner, said floor panel movable between a first substantially horizontal position wherein said floor panel is substantially horizontal to said base of said container and a second tilted position wherein said floor panel is tilted at an angle with respect to said base; tilting means to tilt said floor panel from said first horizontal position to said second tilted position, wherein said tilting means includes an elongate floor lifting strap or web having a first end attached to said floor panel and a second end located outside of said container, wherein said floor panel is caused to be tilted by drawing on said strap thereby lifting one end of said floor panel to thereby facilitate the emptying of liquid from said flexible liner through an outlet nozzle adjacent the base of said flexible liner by gravity discharge.

18. A device for emptying a liquid from a container as claimed in claim 17, wherein said second end of said elongate strap is retained by a retaining device attached to an outer side of one of said side panels and wherein said floor lifting strap includes a resiliently biased portion arranged, in use, to tilt said floor panel as the weight of the liquid contained in said flexible liner reduces.