U.S. patent application number 11/040618 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-28 for arrangement for transporting highly dispersed powders, and method of filling and emptying the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to Wacker-Chemie GmbH. Invention is credited to Maginot, Helmut, Schertel, Heinz.
Application Number | 20050161451 11/040618 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34625757 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050161451 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Maginot, Helmut ; et
al. |
July 28, 2005 |
Arrangement for transporting highly dispersed powders, and method
of filling and emptying the same
Abstract
A container with a top edge, a bottom edge and a rear side
provided with a door, containing an inliner, wherein the inliner
comprises at least two layers located one above the other, an inner
layer consisting of uncoated, air-permeable fabric and an outer
layer being coated so as to be dust-tight and to provide a moisture
barrier, these layers being connected to one another by a special
seam such that dust-free venting of the receptacle is possible only
through this seam, the inliner being fastened in a reversible
manner in the container and having at least one filling opening and
an emptying opening.
Inventors: |
Maginot, Helmut;
(Burgkirchen, DE) ; Schertel, Heinz; (Emmerting,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BROOKS KUSHMAN P.C.
1000 TOWN CENTER
TWENTY-SECOND FLOOR
SOUTHFIELD
MI
48075
US
|
Assignee: |
Wacker-Chemie GmbH
Munich
DE
|
Family ID: |
34625757 |
Appl. No.: |
11/040618 |
Filed: |
January 21, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/1.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 2590/046 20130101;
B65D 90/046 20130101; B65D 90/047 20130101; B65B 1/16 20130101;
B65B 1/28 20130101; B65B 69/0075 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/001.6 |
International
Class: |
B65D 088/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 22, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 003 364.1 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A container with a top edge, a bottom edge and a rear side
provided with a door, containing an inliner, wherein the inliner
comprises at least two layers located one above the other, an inner
layer of uncoated, air-permeable fabric, and an outer layer being
coated so as to be dust-tight and to provide a moisture barrier,
these layers being connected to one another by a seam such that
dust-free venting of the receptacle is possible only through this
seam, the inliner being fastened in a reversible manner in the
container and having at least one filling opening and at least one
emptying opening.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the filling opening and the
emptying opening are located adjacent each other on the bottom edge
of the rear side of the container.
3. The container of claim 1, wherein the inliner is configured such
that the seams of the inliner are located in the longitudinal
direction of the container, on the top and bottom edges of the
container.
4. The container of claim 1, wherein the filling opening of the
inliner is in the form of a filling connector comprising a fabric
hose which is fixed to the inliner.
5. The container of claim 1, wherein the emptying opening is
similar, in terms of shape and size, to the filling opening.
6. A method of filling and emptying a container of claim 1,
wherein, the inliner is filled with contents via the filling
opening by means of dense-stream conveying until a predetermined
filling weight has been reached, the dense-stream conveying system
is removed, and the filling opening is closed.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein filling takes place by means of a
diaphragm pump.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein, a filling grid is inserted into
the rear-side door opening of the container.
9. A method of emptying a filled container of claim 1, wherein the
emptying opening of the inliner of the filled container is
connected to a discharge arrangement and a suction device and
opened, and the contents are sucked out of the inliner with the aid
of the suction device.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the discharge device comprises a
pressure-pulse generator which ensures friction-free product
discharge of the material during emptying by the flowability of the
material being increased via pressure pulses.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the discharge device is fitted
to the container.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the container is located in an
oblique position during emptying.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein said oblique position is
greater than 30.degree. from horizontal.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a container for transporting highly
dispersed powders and to a method of filling and emptying the
same.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] Handling pourable materials of extremely low bulk density
gives rise to problems in various respects. Both the manufacturers
and the end users are faced with the fact that such materials swirl
up dust even in the case of extremely low levels of air convection.
The creation of dust must be avoided in order to protect staff who
handle the materials against potential health risks caused by
breathing in the dust. Furthermore, the low bulk density causes
increased transportation costs because the ratio of receptacle
weight to filling weight is high and a correspondingly large amount
of packaging material is required.
[0005] EP-A 0 773 159 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,929) discloses a method
of filling and emptying a container with pourable material of low
bulk density, multiple times. The fabric containers disclosed
therein, the so-called "Big Bag" or "Super Bag," have a filling
capacity of 90 to 350 kg. The fabric container consists of a
flexible, air-permeable fabric, preferably a plastic fabric with
one or more layers and with at least one access opening. These
fabric containers are filled by means of vacuum-filling systems. In
this case, the fabric container is subjected to the action of
negative pressure and the material is sucked through the open
access opening into the fabric container until a predetermined
filling weight has been reached. The gas here is distributed over
the entire surface of the fabric container. During filling, the
material is compacted in a reversible manner without its structure
being destroyed in the process, in a manner similar to being filled
into sacks.
[0006] The abovementioned receptacles, however, have a series of
disadvantages, which are partially eliminated in the large flexible
receptacles disclosed in EP 0982238 A. These flexible receptacles
are characterized in that they comprise at least two layers located
one above the other, an inner layer consisting of an uncoated,
air-permeable fabric and an outer layer being coated so as to be
dust-tight and to provide a moisture barrier, these layers being
connected to one another by a special seam such that venting of the
receptacle is possible only through this seam.
[0007] These large flexible receptacles are indeed impermeable to
moisture and allow high levels of stability and dust-tightness, but
they are limited in terms of the filling quantity. It is also
desirable for large receptacles to be configured such that filling
and emptying can be accelerated and precisely apportioned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Disadvantages of prior art contained are improved upon by a
container with a top edge, a bottom edge and a rear side provided
with a door, the container containing an inliner, wherein the
inliner comprises at least two layers located one above the other,
an inner layer consisting of uncoated, air-permeable fabric and an
outer layer being coated so as to be dust-tight and to provide a
moisture barrier, and these layers being connected to one another
by a special seam such that dust-free venting of the receptacle is
possible only through this seam, the inliner being fastened in a
reversible manner in the container and having at least one filling
opening and an emptying opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of an inliner of the
present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a filling grid for the
rear door opening of the container;
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates one mode of filling the container with a
fine powder; and
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a discharge device useful in one
embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0013] The container is preferably a standard transporting
container which is commonly used throughout the world. The inliner
corresponds, in terms of construction, to the construction of the
large receptacle which is described in EP 0982238 A, although the
inliner is configured such that it completely fills the interior of
a standard container. The inliner is preferably configured such
that the seams of the inliner which are described in EP 0982238 A
are located in the longitudinal direction of the container, on the
top and bottom edges of the latter. The filling opening of the
inliner is preferably in the form of a filling connector comprising
a fabric hose which is fixed to the inliner. The fabric hose
preferably consists of the same material as the inliner. The
filling connector preferably has a length of less than 100 cm and
preferably a diameter of between 5 and 40 cm. The filling opening
and the emptying opening are preferably located one beside the
other on the bottom edge of the rear side of the container. The
emptying opening preferably corresponds, in terms of shape and
size, to the filling opening.
[0014] In order for the inliner to be suspended in a dimensionally
stable manner in the container during filling and emptying, the
inliner is preferably fastened in a reversible manner, by means of
a plurality of fixing loops, on the eyelets and fastening
crosspieces in the interior of the container (FIG. 1). There are
preferably 1 to 10 fixing loops on each longitudinal edge of the
inliner. Each fixing loop is preferably fastened on the inliner by
an overlooked seam. Since standard containers have different
fastening points, usually eyelets or crosspieces, in the interior,
but the inliner has standard fixed loops, flexibility for fitting
in the fixing loops of the inliner is preferably achieved in that a
plurality of eyelets (crosspieces) of the container are connected
to a strip and this strip can run through the fixing loops.
[0015] By virtue of the inliner being vented over its entire inner
surface, reversible compaction of the high air content solids is
made possible during the filling operation, this compaction not
changing the product properties. It is only by this means that a
high degree of filling of the container/inliner can be
achieved.
[0016] The invention also relates to a method of filling a
container according to the invention. The filling method is defined
in that, in the container according to the invention, the inliner
is filled with contents via the filling opening, by means of
dense-stream conveying, until a predetermined filling weight has
been reached, the dense-stream conveying system is removed and the
filling opening is then closed.
[0017] During filling, use is made of dense-stream conveying which
applies the necessary compacting pressure, compaction preferably
taking place by means of diaphragm pumps.
[0018] In contrast to the method which is known from EP-A 0 773
159, the invention does not use negative pressure; rather, the
product is introduced into the inliner with pressure, in which case
the dissipation of pressure (air) does not take place via a
separate opening; rather, the inliner is vented preferably over the
entire surface of the inner fabric layer of the inliner into an
intermediate region between the inner fabric layer and outer fabric
layer, and the rest of the venting operation in the outward
direction takes place from this intermediate region via the seams
of the inliner.
[0019] During filling of the container, a filling grid (FIG. 2) is
preferably inserted into the rear-side door opening of the
container. This avoids the inliner bulging out there during filling
and ensures that the doors of the container are easily closed once
the inliner has been filled. It is preferable, for this purpose,
for the filling grid (1) to be fitted, in the first instance, from
above into the ISO blocks (3) of the container (2). Two side frames
(4) with fastening hooks (5) are inserted on the left and right
into the filling grid (1) hanging on the container (2). The two
fastening hooks (5) are then fitted into the ISO blocks (3) at the
bottom left and right and pushed into the ISO blocks until they
come to a stop. The entire filling-grid frame is fixed to the
container. This can take place, for example, by means of two hand
wheels (6).
[0020] FIG. 3 shows, by way of example, the operation of filling
the inliner in the container. The filling connector (7) of the
conveying unit is connected to a feed vessel containing the high
air content solids, and is pushed into the filling hose (8) to the
extent where it projects approximately 10 cm into the inliner (9).
The filling connector (7) is connected in a dust-tight manner to
the filling hose (8) and thus to the filling opening of the
inliner. Filling takes place via the filling connector, the
contents being conveyed into the filling connector by means of a
pressurized conveying system, preferably by means of a controllable
diaphragm pump. In addition, fluidizing air is introduced into the
filling connector (7) to the extent where the flowability of the
contents is maintained without, at the same time, excessive
quantities of air being brought into the inliner.
[0021] If the desired (i.e. usually maximum) filling weight has
been achieved, the filling connector is uncoupled and the filling
opening of the inliner is closed. The end point of the filling
operation is determined, for example, via a pressure sensor, the
increase in pressure determining the end point of the filling
operation and the latter being terminated automatically. Quantities
below the maximum filling weight may be determined, for example,
via the filling period or via a platform weigher on which the
entire unit is standing.
[0022] The invention also relates to a method of emptying a filled
container according to the invention. This method is defined in
that the emptying opening of the inliner of the filled container is
connected to a discharge arrangement and a suction device and
opened and the contents are sucked out of the inliner with the aid
of the suction device. The container is preferably emptied by means
of a discharge device (FIG. 4), which can be fitted to the standard
container.
[0023] The discharge unit is preferably constructed such that it
can be fixed in the ISO blocks of the container. It preferably
comprises a preferably conical emptying tube (11) and a supporting
cage (12). The emptying tube (11) is pushed into the emptying
opening (14) of the inliner and connected in a dust-tight manner
thereto for dust-free emptying purposes. The supporting cage (12)
can be pushed in a variable manner into the emptying opening (14)
of the inliner.
[0024] The supporting cage (12) ensures, during emptying, that, in
the case of a suction-action conveying system, the emptying hose of
the inliner is not compressed. The supporting cage preferably
contains fluidizing openings through which it is possible to blow
in preferably air or inert gases for loosening the material in the
region of the emptying opening of the inliner (DL), in order to
re-establish the flowability of the solids for the emptying
operation to the necessary extent.
[0025] During emptying, use is preferably made of a discharge
device with a pressure-pulse generator (13), preferably with a
control unit, the pressure-pulse generator, during emptying,
ensuring friction-free product discharge of the material by the
flowability of the material being improved via pressure pulses. The
control unit is, for example, a pneumatic or electric device by
means of which the frequency of the discharge-assisting pressure
pulses can be adjusted, i.e. set to requirements, e.g. initiating
the compressed-air gun every 5 or 10 minutes.
[0026] In order to render the material capable of flowing, it is
preferred for the filled container to be moved into an oblique
position, preferably >30.degree. from the horizontal.
[0027] The container and method according to the present invention
are suitable, in particular, for transporting highly dispersed
silicic acid.
[0028] While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and
described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and
describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words
used in the specification are words of description rather than
limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *