U.S. patent application number 10/570688 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-01 for bulk material cargo container liner with internal restraint system for preventing the outward bulging of the liner.
Invention is credited to Michael J. McMahon, Doug Miller, Oswaldo Mino, Stanley Piotrowski.
Application Number | 20070024078 10/570688 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34225966 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070024078 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mino; Oswaldo ; et
al. |
February 1, 2007 |
Bulk material cargo container liner with internal restraint system
for preventing the outward bulging of the liner
Abstract
A bulk container liner assembly for use in conjunction with a
bulk material cargo container comprises structure incorporated
therein such that restraint forces are impressed upon or
transmitted to the back or rear wall member of the bulk material
cargo container liner, along linearly seamed loci, so as to
effectively prevent the back or rear wall member of the bulk
material cargo container liner from experiencing or undergoing any
outward bulging thereof under the influence of the hydrostatic head
load forces generated internally within the bulk material cargo
container liner as a result of the charging of bulk cargo material
into the interior portion of the bulk material cargo container
liner.
Inventors: |
Mino; Oswaldo; (Houston,
TX) ; McMahon; Michael J.; (Palatine, IL) ;
Piotrowski; Stanley; (Addison, IL) ; Miller;
Doug; (Kingwood, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Steven W Weinrieb;Schwartz & Weinrieb
2001 Jefferson Davis Highway
Crystal Plaza One Suite 1109
Arlington
VA
22202
US
|
Family ID: |
34225966 |
Appl. No.: |
10/570688 |
Filed: |
September 7, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
September 7, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US04/28852 |
371 Date: |
March 6, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
296/39.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 90/048 20130101;
B60R 13/01 20130101; B65D 2590/046 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
296/039.1 |
International
Class: |
B60R 13/01 20060101
B60R013/01 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 4, 2003 |
US |
10654067 |
Claims
1. A bulk material cargo container liner for use within a bulk
material cargo container having rear door structures, comprising: a
bulk material cargo container liner having a substantially
rectangular parallelepiped structure when erected for disposition
within a bulk material cargo container and therefore comprising a
front wall member, a pair of side wall members, a ceiling member, a
floor member, and a rear wall member; and means disposed within
said bulk material cargo container liner for impressing restraint
forces along first linear loci upon said rear wall member of said
bulk material cargo container liner, and thereby effectively reduce
the forces normally imposed upon said rear wall member of said bulk
material cargo container liner, by means of hydrostatic head load
forces generated as a result of bulk cargo material being charged
into said bulk material cargo container liner, which would normally
tend to cause said rear wall member of said bulk material cargo
container liner to bulge outwardly, so as to thereby prevent said
rear wall member of said bulk material cargo container liner from
undergoing outward bulging.
2. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim 1,
wherein: said rear wall member of said bulk material cargo
container liner has predetermined vertical height and lateral width
dimensions; and said first linear loci, along which said restraint
forces are impressed, extend substantially vertically along said
rear wall member of said bulk material cargo container liner
throughout substantially the entire vertical height dimension of
said rear wall member of said bulk material cargo container
liner.
3. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim 1,
wherein: said means disposed within said bulk material cargo
container liner, for impressing said restraint forces along said
first linear loci upon said rear wall member of said bulk material
cargo container liner, comprises a plurality of gusset plates
disposed internally within said bulk material cargo container
liner.
4. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim 3,
wherein: said plurality of gusset plates are disposed internally
within said bulk material cargo container liner so as to be
disposed parallel to each other.
5. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim 4,
wherein: each one of said plurality of gusset plates disposed
parallel to each other has a substantially triangular configuration
wherein a first side of each one of said substantially triangularly
configured gusset plates is fixedly secured to said rear wall
member of said bulk material cargo container liner along said first
linear loci, while a second side of each one of said substantially
triangularly configured gusset plates is fixedly secured to said
floor member of said bulk material cargo container liner along
second linear loci.
6. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim 4,
wherein: each one of said plurality of gusset plates has a
substantially trapezoidal configuration wherein a first edge
portion of each one of said substantially trapezoidal configured
gusset plates is fixedly secured to said rear wall member of said
bulk material cargo container liner along said first linear loci,
and a second edge portion of each one of said substantially
trapezoidal configured gusset plates is fixedly secured to said
floor member of said bulk material cargo container liner along
second linear loci.
7. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim 1,
further comprising: cleat means fixedly mounted upon said side wall
members of said bulk material cargo container liner for operatively
engaging corresponding configured recessed regions of the bulk
material cargo container so as to effectively retain said bulk
material cargo container liner at a fixed position within the bulk
material cargo container even when the bulk material cargo
container is tilted so as to unload the bulk cargo material from
said bulk material cargo container liner.
8. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim 1,
further comprising: a plurality of reinforcing straps
interconnecting said plurality of parallel gusset plates to said
rear wall member of said bulk material cargo container liner.
9. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim 1,
further comprising: a plurality of reinforcing straps
interconnecting said plurality of parallel gusset plates to said
floor member of said bulk material cargo container liner.
10. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim
1, further comprising: a plurality of reinforcing straps fixedly
mounted upon said floor member of said bulk material cargo
container liner and interconnecting said plurality of gusset plates
to forward corner regions of said bulk material cargo container
liner; and fastening means for connecting said forward corner
regions of said bulk material cargo container liner to interior
supports located upon the bulk material cargo container such that
restraint forces are transmitted to said plurality of reinforcing
straps and said gusset plates.
11. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim
1, further comprising: reinforcing strap means fixedly mounted upon
upper exterior surface portions of said rear wall member of said
bulk material cargo container liner; and fastening means for
connecting said reinforcing strap means to interior supports
located upon the bulk material cargo container so as to prevent
said rear wall member of said bulk material cargo container liner
from vertically sagging and collapsing.
12. The bulk material cargo container liner as set forth in claim
1, further comprising: safety sheet means secured to said rear wall
member of said bulk material cargo container liner for reinforcing
said rear wall member against bulging and leakage.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a Continuation-in-Part (CIP) of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/654,067 which was filed on Sep.
4, 2003 in the name of Michael J. McMahon et al. and which is
entitled BULK MATERIAL CARGO CONTAINER LINER WITH INTERNAL
RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR PREVENTING THE OUTWARD BULGING OF THE
LINER.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to bulk material
cargo containers within which fluid-like or flowable bulk cargo
materials, such as, for example, dry bulk chemicals, powdered and
pelletized resins, flour, coffee beans, grain, and the like, are to
be housed or contained while being shipped, transported, or stored,
and more particularly to a new and improved bulk material cargo
container liner, for use in conjunction with such bulk material
cargo containers, wherein the new and improved bulk material cargo
container liner is characterized by means of an internal structural
system which effectively restricts or prevents the tendency of the
rear wall member of the bulk material cargo container liner to
experience any rearwardly oriented outward bulging, under the
influence of the substantially large hydrostatic head which is
normally or inherently impressed upon the rear wall member of the
bulk material cargo container liner by means of the bulk cargo
material contained within the bulk material cargo container liner,
as a result of the bulk cargo material having been charged into or
deposited within the bulk material cargo container liner, by
imparting restraint forces to the rear wall member of the bulk
material cargo container liner, and wherein further, an external
structural system is also provided so as to effectively supplement
the internal structural system so as to not only ensure the fact
that the internal structural system is effectively maintained
intact and that the structural integrity of the bulk material cargo
container liner is preserved, but in addition, the external.
structural system also structurally interconnects the bulk material
cargo container liner to interior regions of the bulk material
cargo container so as to effectively prevent any movement or
collapse of the bulk material cargo container liner when the bulk
material cargo container is tilted during bulk material cargo
unloading operations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Bulk material cargo containers are conventionally utilized,
at different times, to house or contain different fluid-like or
flowable bulk cargo materials, such as, for example, dry bulk
chemicals, powdered and pelletized resins, coffee beans, flour,
grains, rice, sugar, and the like. The bulk material cargo
containers are integrally formed within, for example, the cargo
holds of ships, trucks, railroad cars, and the like, whereby the
bulk cargo materials can readily be shipped or transported from one
location to another. Alternatively, the bulk material cargo
containers are utilized to temporarily store bulk cargo materials
at a particular location prior to the continued transportation or
shipping of the bulk cargo materials, or still further, prior to
the discharge or unloading of the bulk cargo materials from the
bulk material cargo containers.
[0004] Since different bulk cargo materials are shipped or
transported within a particular bulk material cargo container at
different times, it is imperative that the bulk material cargo
containers effectively be clean so as not to contaminate the
materials, comprising a particular bulk material cargo load, with
any residual materials which may have remained within the bulk
material cargo container from a previously shipped or transported
bulk material cargo load. Accordingly, in order to eliminate the
necessary cleaning of each bulk material cargo container after a
particular bulk material cargo load has been unloaded or discharged
from a particular one of the bulk material cargo containers, it has
become conventional within the industry to employ removable bulk
material container liners within the cargo holds or the bulk
material cargo containers whereby, after a particular bulk material
cargo load is delivered to its destination and discharged or
unloaded, the bulk material cargo container liner is simply removed
from the bulk material cargo container, thereby again rendering the
bulk material cargo container usable for carrying another bulk
material cargo load without requiring a significant amount of
cleaning of the bulk material cargo container.
[0005] Examples of bulk material cargo container liners as used
within bulk material cargo containers for shipping or transporting
fluid-like or flowable materials are disclosed within U.S. Pat. No.
5,657,896 which issued on Aug. 19, 1997 to Matias, U.S. Pat. No.
5,542,563 which issued on Aug. 6, 1996 to Matias, U.S. Pat. No.
5,489,037 which issued on Feb. 6, 1996 to Stopper, U.S. Pat. No.
5,421,476 which issued on Jun. 6, 1995 to Matias, U.S. Pat. No.
5,222,621 which issued on Jun. 29, 1993 to Matias, U.S. Pat. No.
5,193,710 which issued on Mar. 16, 1993 to Podd, Sr. et al., U.S.
Pat. No. 5,152,735 which issued on Oct. 6, 1992 to Podd, Jr. et
al., U.S. Pat. 5,137,170 which issued on Aug. 11, 1992 to Matias,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,722 which issued on Dec. 5, 1989 to Podd, U.S.
Pat. No. 4,541,765 which issued on Sep. 17, 1985 to Moore, and
FRENCH Patent 2,461,661 which was published on Jun. 2, 1981 in the
name of Bac. While the aforenoted removable bulk material cargo
container liners have obviously performed satisfactorily from an
overall point of view in connection with the achievement of their
primary objectives, such removable bulk material cargo container
liners have exhibited several operational and structural
difficulties. For example, as disclosed within the aforenoted U.S.
Pat. No. 5,489,037 which issued to Stopper, U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,735
which issued to Podd, Jr. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,722 which
issued to Podd, and FRENCH Patent 2,461,661 which issued to Bac,
bracing systems comprising structural bulkheads, reinforcing
straps, and rigid cross-beams, are employed.
[0006] More particularly, the structural bulkheads are interposed
between the rear end wall members of the bulk material cargo
container liners and the rear end walls of the bulk material cargo
containers, which are conventionally formed by means of a pair of
pivotal doors, such that the loads or hydrostatic head forces,
characteristic of the bulk material disposed internally within the
bulk material cargo container liners, are not transferred to the
rear doors of the bulk material cargo containers. In addition,
strapping systems and reinforcing cross-beams are sometimes
additionally utilized in conjunction with the structural bulkheads
so as to secure and effectively support the structural bulkheads
with respect to the bulk material cargo container as well as with
respect to the bulk material cargo container liner. It is therefore
readily appreciated that these systems are structurally complex and
time-consuming to erect or install. In addition, such bulkhead
structures add a significant amount of weight to the gross weight
of the cargo load to be transported or shipped, and they do not
always enable the viewing of the interior of the bulk material
cargo container liner and the bulk material cargo container
whereby, for example, monitoring of the inflation or expansion of
the bulk material cargo container liner, and the charging of the
bulk materials into the bulk material cargo container liner, are
not always able to be readily achieved.
[0007] Continuing further, as disclosed within all of the
aforenoted Matias patents, relatively complex reinforcing systems,
comprising a plurality of reinforcing straps disposed both
internally and externally of the bulk material cargo container
liners, are utilized. While such reinforcing systems ostensibly
serve to in fact reinforce the rear end wall member of the bulk
material cargo container liner, such systems pose potentially
defective problems, and in addition, such reinforcing systems are
costly to fabricate and implement. For example, it is noted that a
plurality of vertically spaced, horizontally oriented external
reinforcing straps, and a plurality of horizontally spaced,
vertically oriented external reinforcing straps are secured to the
external surface of the rear end wall member of the bulk material
cargo container liner so as to effectively crisscross each other at
a plurality of intersection locations and thereby form a
checker-board arrangement. Still further, a plurality of obliquely
oriented tensioning straps are disposed internally within the bulk
material cargo container liner wherein first end portions of the
internally disposed tensioning straps are fixedly secured to the
plurality of externally disposed reinforcing straps at the
intersection locations thereof, while second end portions of the
plurality of internally disposed tensioning straps are fixedly
secured to predetermined locations upon the floor member of the
bulk material cargo container liner. In view of the fact that the
internally disposed tensioning straps effectively comprise lineal
members, the cross-sectional area of each tensioning strap is
extremely small. Accordingly, the resulting interactive clamping
force defined or generated between each tensioning strap and the
bulk material disposed internally within the bulk material cargo
container liner is correspondingly small whereby the securing,
holding, or restraint forces, acting upon the rear wall member of
the bulk material cargo container liner, are only a function of the
floor-anchoring attachment assembly, the strapping tension, and the
rear wall-anchoring attachment assembly defined upon the rear wall
member of the bulk material cargo container liner at each
crisscrossed intersection.
[0008] A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved
bulk material cargo container liner, for use in conjunction with
bulk material cargo containers, and within which bulk cargo
materials are to be accommodated for shipping, transportation, and
storage purposes, wherein an internal restraint system will be
capable of providing enhanced restraint forces for impression upon
or transmission to the rear wall member of the bulk material cargo
container liner so as to effectively restrict or prevent the
tendency of the rear wall member of the bulk material cargo
container liner to experience or undergo any rearwardly oriented
outward bulging under the influence of the substantially large
hydrostatic head which is normally or inherently impressed upon the
rear wall member of the bulk material cargo container liner by
means of the bulk cargo material contained within the bulk material
cargo container liner as a result of the bulk cargo material having
been charged into or deposited within the bulk material cargo
container liner, as well as an external structural system which can
effectively supplement the internal structural system so as to
maintain the structural integrity thereof, as well as to
effectively prevent any movement or collapse of the bulk material
cargo container liner when the bulk material cargo container is
tilted during bulk material cargo load unloading operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in
accordance with the teachings and principles of the present
invention through the provision of a new and improved bulk material
cargo container liner which, in accordance with any one of the
plurality of different embodiments thereof, is generally seen to
comprise the utilization of a plurality of gusset members which are
disposed internally within the bulk material cargo container liner
and-which are laterally spaced with respect to each other across
the width of the bulk material cargo container liner. Each one of
the gusset members comprises, for example, a plate member having a
substantially triangular or trapezoidal configuration wherein a
first side or edge portion of the gusset plate member is integrally
attached to, for example, the interior surface portion of the rear
wall member of the bulk material cargo container liner, while a
second side or edge portion of the substantially triangularly or
trapezoidally configured gusset plate member is integrally attached
to, for example, the interior surface portion of the floor member
of the bulk material cargo container liner. It is therefore to be
appreciated that not only are restraint forces imposed upon or
distributed to the rear wall member of the bulk material cargo
container along linear loci, as opposed to such forces being
conventionally concentrated at point loci, but in addition,
retention forces are likewise imposed upon or distributed to the
floor member of the bulk mater-al cargo container along linear
loci, as opposed to such forces also being conventionally
concentrated at point loci.
[0010] Still further, not only are significant clamping forces
effectively imposed or impressed upon the opposite side surfaces of
each gusset plate member by means of the bulk material disposed
within the bulk material cargo container liner so as to effectively
maintain each gusset plate member at a fixed location within the
interior portion of the bulk material cargo container liner, but in
addition, the weight and hydrostatic head forces, characteristic of
the bulk material contained within the bulk material cargo
container liner, serve to respectively reinforce the integral
attachments of each gusset plate member to the interior surface
portions of the rear wall and floor members of the bulk material
cargo container liner. In addition to, or in conjunction with the
aforenoted substantially triangularly or trapezoidally configured
gusset plate members, auxiliary strapping is also fixedly secured
upon external surface regions of the floor and rear wall members of
the bulk material cargo container liner so as to not only
supplement the internal structural system so as to maintain the
structural integrity thereof, but in addition, to effectively
prevent any movement or collapse of the bulk material cargo
container liner when the bulk material cargo container is tilted
during the performance of bulk material cargo load unloading
operations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of
the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the
following detailed description when considered in connection with
the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters
designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,
and wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a new
and improved bulk material cargo container liner, for use within
bulk material cargo containers for holding and transporting bulk
cargo materials, wherein a first arrangement of gusset plate
members, disposed internally within the bulk material cargo
container liner and integrally attached to the interior-surface
portions of the rear wall and floor members of the bulk material
cargo-container liner, is disclosed;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of-a second embodiment of a bulk
material cargo container liner, for use within bulk material cargo
containers for holding and transporting bulk cargo materials,
wherein a second preferred arrangement of the gusset plate members,
as disposed internally within the bulk material cargo container
liner and integrally attached to the interior surface portions of
the rear wall and floor members of the bulk material cargo
container liner, is disclosed;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of, for example, the
central one of the gusset plate members, as incorporated within the
gusset plate assembly disclosed within FIG. 2 and as taken along
the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the details, for example, of
attaching the bottom edge portion of each gusset plate member to
the interior surface portion of the floor member of the bulk
material cargo container liner;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a third embodiment
of a bulk material cargo container liner, for use within bulk
material cargo containers for holding and transporting bulk cargo
materials, wherein the structural details of a preferred gusset
plate member, as disposed internally within the bulk material cargo
container liner, and as integrally attached to the interior surface
portions of the rear wall and floor members of the bulk material
cargo container liner, are disclosed;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of a fourth embodiment of a
bulk material cargo container liner having reinforcing strapping
members secured to-the exterior surface portion of the floor member
of the bulk material cargo container liner so as to not only
supplement the internal gusset plate structural system in order to
maintain the structural integrity thereof, but in addition, to
effectively connect the bulk material cargo container liner to
interior portions of the bulk material cargo container so as to
effectively prevent any movement of the bulk material cargo
container liner with respect to the bulk material cargo container,
or collapse of the bulk material cargo container liner, when the
bulk material cargo container is tilted during bulk material cargo
load unloading operations;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of a fifth embodiment of a
bulk material cargo container liner having reinforcing strapping
members secured to the exterior surface portion of the rear wall
member of the bulk material cargo container liner so as to not only
supplement the internal gusset plate structural system so as to
maintain the structural integrity thereof, but in addition, to
effectively connect the bulk material cargo container liner to
interior portions of the bulk material cargo container so as to
effectively prevent any substantial movement of the bulk material
cargo container liner relative to the bulk material cargo
container, as well as the collapse of the bulk material cargo
container liner, when the bulk material cargo container is tilted
during bulk material cargo load unloading operations;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a
bulk material cargo container liner having a safety sheet fixedly
secured upon the exterior surface portion of the rear wall member
of the bulk material cargo container liner so as to not only
provide the rear wall member of the bulk material cargo container
liner with additional support against outwardly directed bulging
forces, but in addition, to effectively provide a sealing structure
with respect to the rear wall member of the bulk material cargo
container liner in case the structural integrity of the rear wall
member of the bulk material cargo container liner is compromised;
and
[0019] FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a side wall
portion of a new and improved bulk material cargo container liner
showing the details of a cleat structure which may be integrally
incorporated upon internal surface portions of the side wall
members of the bulk material cargo container liner so as to
structurally cooperate with corresponding structures integrally
formed within internal surface portions of the side wall members of
the bulk material cargo container for maintaining the bulk material
cargo container liner fixed in position with respect to the bulk
material cargo container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Referring now to the, drawings, and more particularly to
FIG. 1 thereof, a first embodiment of a new and improved bulk
material cargo container liner, which is constructed in accordance
with the teachings and principles of the present invention and
which is adapted for use within bulk material cargo containers for
holding and transporting bulk cargo materials, is illustrated and
is generally indicated by the reference character 10. More
particularly, the new and improved bulk material cargo container
liner 10 of the present invention is preferably fabricated from a
suitable material, such as, for example, extruded polyethylene, and
as can readily be appreciated from FIG. 1, the bulk material cargo
container liner 10 has a geometrical configuration which
substantially comprises that of a rectangular parallelepiped.
Accordingly, the bulk material cargo container liner 10 is seen to
include, as viewed in FIG. 1, a front or forward wall member 12, a
left side wall member 14, a top or ceiling member 16, a right side
wall member 18, a bottom or floor member 20, and a back or rear
wall member 22. Still further, it is noted that the bulk material
cargo container liner 10 preferably has a width dimension W of
ninety-two inches (92'') or approximately eight feet (8.00'), a
length dimension L of two hundred thirty-two inches or
approximately nineteen and one-third feet (19.331), and a height
dimension H of ninety-four inches (94'') or approximately eight
feet (8.00'). Still further, it is to be understood that in order
to facilitate the loading of bulk cargo materials into the bulk
material cargo container liner 10, the bulk material cargo
container liner 10 is provided with a suitable loading port or
sleeve, which is not shown but which may be similar to those shown
within the aforenoted patents to Stopper and Podd, Sr. et al., and
in a similar manner, in order to facilitate the unloading of the
bulk cargo materials from the bulk material cargo container liner
10, the bulk material cargo container liner 10 is likewise provided
with a discharge port or sleeve member, which is also not shown but
which may likewise be similar to those shown within the aforenoted
patents-to Stopper and Podd, Sr. et al.
[0021] Continuing still further, and in accordance with the unique
and novel structure specifically characteristic of the new and
improved first embodiment bulk material cargo container liner 10
constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the
present Mention; and with reference still being made to FIG. 1, a
plurality, for example, a pair, of laterally spaced gusset members
24, 26 are adapted to be fixedly attached to the back or rear wall
member 22 of the bulk material cargo container liner 10, as well as
to be fixedly attached to the bottom or floor member 20 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 10. Each one of the gusset members
24, 26 comprises a plate liner having a substantially
right-triangular geometrical configuration, and therefore, the
vertically oriented leg or edge portion of each gusset plate member
24, 26 is adapted to be fixedly attached to the back or rear wall
member 22 of the bulk material cargo container liner 10 along a
respective linear seam locus 28, 30, while the horizontally
oriented leg or edge portion of each gusset plate member 24, 26 is
adapted to be fixedly attached to the bottom or floor member 20 of
the bulk material cargo container liner 10 along a respective
linear seam locus 32, 34. It is to be noted that the gusset plate
members 24, 26 are preferably formed from a suitable material which
is substantially the same as, or compatible with, the material from
which the bulk material cargo container liner 10 is fabricated, and
therefore, the attachment of the gusset plate members 24, 26, with
respect to the back or rear wall member 22, and with respect to the
bottom or floor member 20 of the bulk material cargo container
liner 10, may be achieved in accordance with any one of a plurality
of modes.
[0022] For example, the gusset plate members 24, 26 can be
heatsealed respectively along the aforenoted linear seam loci 28,
30 and 32, 34 to the back or rear wall member 22, and to the bottom
or floor member 20, or alternatively, the gusset plate members 24,
26 can be secured to the back or rear wall member 22, and to the
bottom or floor member 20, by means of suitable stitching. In
either case, the aforenoted linear seam loci 28, 30, and 32, 34 are
effectively defined by means of folded flap members, formed from
the gusset plates 24, 26, which are fixedly attached to the back or
rear wall member 22, and to the bottom or floor member 20, of the
bulk material cargo container liner 10, as will be disclosed in
more detail hereinafter. It is also to be noted that while only two
laterally spaced gusset plates 24, 26 are illustrated in accordance
with the principles and teachings of the first embodiment of the
bulk material cargo container liner 10 of the present invention,
bulk material cargo container liners, constructed in accordance
with the principles and teachings of the present invention can
comprise more than two gusset plate members as will also become
more apparent hereinafter.
[0023] As can be appreciated still further from FIG. 1, each one of
the gusset plate members 24, 26 has a length dimension or
longitudinal extent LGP which may be, for example, up to
approximately fifty percent (50%) of the length dimension L of the
bulk material cargo container liner 10, and a height dimension HGP
which may be, for example, up to approximately ninety-five percent
(95%) of the height dimension H of the bulk material cargo
container liner 10. While the particular dimensions of each gusset
plate member 24, 26 may vary, it can be readily appreciated that
the surface area of each trianguarly configured gusset plate member
24, 26 is substantially large, and that the configurations of the
gusset plate members 24, 26, the surface areas defined by means of
the gusset plate members 24, 26, and the attachment of the gusset
plate members 24, 26 to the back or rear wall member 22, as well as
to the bottom or floor member 20, of the bulk material cargo
container liner 10, comprise the significant features of the
present invention. More particularly, it can be readily be
appreciated that, as a result of the interior volume of the bulk
material cargo container liner 10 being filled with the particular
bulk cargo material, the bulk cargo material present within the
bulk material cargo container liner 10 will naturally or inherently
exhibit or generate significantly large hydrostatic head forces
which will act in all directions so as to in fact be exerted or
impressed upon, for example, the front or forward wall member 12,
the left side wall member 14, the right side wall member 18, the
bottom or floor member 20, and the back or rear wall member 22 of
the bulk material cargo container liner 10.
[0024] In view of the additional fact, however, that the front or
forward wall member 12, the left side wall member 14, the right
side wall member 18, and the bottom or floor member 20 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 10 are respectively rigidly
supported by means of corresponding wall members of the bulk
material cargo container within which the bulk material cargo
container liner 10 is disposed, such hydrostatic head forces,
generated by means of the bulk cargo material, and impressed or
exerted upon the front or forward wall member 12, the left side
wall member 14, the right side wall member 18, and the bottom or
floor member 20 of the bulk material cargo container liner 10, will
effectively be suitably or appropriately resisted or
counterbalanced. In this manner, those portions of the bulk
material cargo container liner 10, as defined by means of the front
or forward wall member 12, the left side wall member 14, the right
side wall member 18, and the bottom or floor member 20 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 10, will be statically disposed
within the bulk material cargo container as a result of the front
or forward wall member 12, the left side wall member 14, the right
side wall member 18, and the bottom or floor member 20 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 10 positionally conforming to, or
being positionally confined by, the fixed dispositions of the
corresponding wall members of the bulk material cargo container
within which the bulk material cargo container liner 10 is
disposed.
[0025] To the contrary, in view of the fact that the back or rear
wall of the bulk material cargo container is open, that is, the
back or rear wall of the bulk material cargo container does not in
effect comprise a fixed, rigid wall member, but to the contrary,
comprises a pair of doors that are movable with respect to each
other between OPENED and CLOSED positions, such hydrostatic head
forces, normally operating upon the back or rear wall member 22 of
the bulk material cargo container liner 10, will normally cause the
back or rear wall member 22 of the bulk material cargo container
liner 10 to experience rearwardly oriented bulging.
[0026] However, as a result of the disposition of the gusset plate
members 24, 26 within the interior portion of the bulk material
cargo container liner 10, and in view of the particularly noted
fixation of the gusset plate members 24, 26 to the back or rear
wall member 22, as well as to the bottom or floor member 20, of the
bulk material cargo container liner 10, such rearwardly oriented
bulging of the back or rear wall member 22 of the bulk material
cargo container liner 10 does not occur. More particularly, as a
result of the disposition of the gusset plate members 24, 26 within
the interior portion of the bulk material cargo container liner 10,
and as a result of the filling of the interior volume of the bulk
material cargo container liner 10 with the bulk cargo material, the
bulk cargo material, interposed between the pair of gusset plate
members 24, 26, as well as the bulk cargo material interposed
between the left side wall member 14 and the gusset plate member
24, and the bulk cargo material interposed between the right side
wall member 18 and the gusset plate member 26, acts upon the
opposite side surfaces of the gusset plate members 24, 26 so as to
effectively clampingly engage the gusset plate members 24, 26 and
thereby effectively fixedly secure the gusset plate members 24, 26
at their illustrated positions within the interior portion of the
bulk material cargo container liner 10.
[0027] It can be further appreciated that in conjunction with the
aforenoted clamping engagement forces impressed upon the opposite
side surfaces of each one of the gusset plate members 24, 26 by
means of the bulk cargo material interposed between the pair of
gusset plate members 24, 26, as well as the bulk cargo material
interposed between the left side wall member 14 and the gusset
plate member 24, and the bulk cargo material interposed between the
right side wall member 18 and the gusset plate member 26, the
weight forces of the bulk cargo material disposed within the bulk
material cargo container liner 10, as well as the hydrostatic head
forces, directed toward and acting upon the bottom or floor member
20 of the bulk material cargo container liner 10, and, in
particular, the weight and hydrostatic head forces directed toward
and acting upon the linear seam loci 32, 34 along which the
horizontally oriented leg or edge portion of each gusset plate
member 24, 26 is fixedly attached to the bottom or floor member 20
of the bulk material cargo container liner 10, serve to fixedly
maintain the bottom or floor member 20 of the bulk material cargo
container liner 10, and the linear seam loci 32, 34 thereof, at
fixed positions within and with respect to the bottom or floor
region of the bulk material cargo container. Accordingly, in view
of the fact that the bottom or floor member 20 of the bulk material
cargo container liner 10, and the linear seam loci 32, 34 thereof,
are maintained at fixed positions within and with respect to the
bottom or floor region of the bulk material cargo container, and in
view of the fact that the back or rear wall member 22 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 10 is effectively fixed in position
with respect to the bottom or floor member 20 of the bulk material
cargo container liner 10 through means of the gusset plate members
24, 26, as attached to the back or rear wall member 22 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 10 along the vertically oriented
linear seam loci 28, 30, it can be readily appreciated that the
gusset plate members 24, 26 effectively exert restraining forces
upon the back or rear wall member 22 of the bulk material cargo
container liner 10 such that the back or rear wall member 22 of the
bulk material cargo container liner 10 cannot in fact experience,
exhibit, or undergo rearwardly oriented bulging.
[0028] It is therefore to be further appreciated that as a result
of the structural incorporation of the gusset plate members 24, 26
within the bulk material cargo container liner 10, and the
consequent internal restraining forces generated by the gusset
plate members 24, 26 and accordingly impressed upon the back or
rear wall member 22 of the bulk material cargo container liner 10,
the need for structural bulkheads, and external securing or
reinforcing strapping, characteristic of conventional PRIOR ART
bulk material cargo container liners, is obviated. Still further,
in view of the utilization of the gusset plate members 24, 26, and
the fixation of the same to the back or rear wall member 22 of the
bulk material cargo container liner 10, and to the bottom or floor
member 20 of the bulk material cargo container liner 10, along the
respective linear seam loci 28, 30 and 32, 34, relatively large
clamping forces able to be impressed upon the opposite side
surfaces of each one of the gusset plate members 24, 26 by means of
the bulk cargo material disposed within the bulk material cargo
container liner 10. In addition, and most importantly in
conjunction with the generation or development of such clamping
forces, restraint forces are impressed upon the back or rear wall
member 22 of the bulk material cargo container liner 10, by means
of the gusset plate members 24, 26, along linear loci as defined by
means of the linear seamed portions 28, 30.
[0029] Such restraint forces, acting along the noted linear loci,
are therefore better able to prevent any rearwardly oriented
bulging of the back or rear wall member 22 of the bulk material
cargo container liner 10 than simple conventional tie-down
strapping, disposed internally within the bulk material cargo
container liner as disclosed, for example, within the aforenoted
PRIOR ART patents which issued to Matias, in view of the fact that
such strapping only exerts forces at point locations as opposed to
along linear loci. It is lastly noted in connection with the bulk
material cargo container liner 10, as disclosed within FIG. 1,
that, in order to facilitate the discharge or unloading of the bulk
cargo material from a the bulk material cargo container liner 10,
each one of the gusset plate members 24, 26 is provided with a
cross-flow through-passage 36, 38 such that all internal regions
within the bulk material cargo container liner 10 can be
fluidically connected to the discharge port, not shown, defined
within the back or rear wall member 22 of the bulk material cargo
container liner 10.
[0030] With reference now being made to FIG. 2, a second embodiment
of a new and improved bulk material cargo container liner,
constructed in accordance with additional teachings and principles
of the present invention, and which is likewise adapted for use
within bulk material cargo containers for holding and transporting
bulk cargo materials, is illustrated and is generally indicated by
the reference character 110. It is to be noted that the bulk
material cargo container liner 110, as disclosed-within FIG. 2, is
substantially the same as the bulk material cargo container liner
10 as disclosed within FIG. 1, except as will be noted shortly
hereinafter, and therefore, a detailed description of the bulk
material cargo container liner 110 will be omitted herefrom for
brevity purposes, the description of the bulk material cargo
container liner 110 being confined to those structural features
incorporated within the bulk material cargo container liner 110
which are different from, or are in addition to, those structural
features characteristic of the bulk material cargo container liner
10. It is accordingly noted, still further, that the various
structural features characteristic of the bulk material cargo
container liner 110 will be designated by means of reference
characters similar to those utilized in connection with the bulk
material cargo container liner 10 except that the reference
characters for the bulk material cargo container liner 110 will be
within the 100 series. More particularly, it is seen that the bulk
material cargo container liner 110 has the configuration of a
rectangular parallele-piped comprising a front or forward wall
member 112, a left side wall member 114, a top or ceiling member,
not shown, a right side wall member 118, a bottom or floor member
120, and a back or rear wall member 122.
[0031] However, in accordance with the structural features
characteristic of the bulk material cargo container liner 110, as
opposed to the structural makeup comprising the bulk material cargo
container liner 10, three; laterally spaced gusset plate members
124,125,126 are provided within the bulk material cargo container
liner 110, and it is further noted, as can be additionally
appreciated from FIG. 3, that each one of the gusset plate members
124,125,126 actually comprises a composite gusset plate member
comprising a pair of gusset plate members
124-L,124-R,125-L,125-R,126-L, 126-R which are adapted to be
fixedly bonded or otherwise attached to each other in a
side-by-side fashion. The lower edge portions of the composite
gusset plate members 124,125, 126 are respectively provided with
oppositely disposed flap members 132-L, 132-R, 133-L, 133-R, 134-L,
134-L whereby undersurface portions of the plurality of flap
members 132-L, 132-R, 133-L, 133-R, 134-L, 134-R are adapted to be
fixedly attached or otherwise bonded to the interior surface of the
bottom or floor member 120 of the bulk material cargo container
liner 110 so as to form the aforenoted horizontally oriented
linearly seamed loci. In a similar manner, the vertically oriented
edge portion of the composite gusset plate members 124,125,126 are
respectively provided with oppositely disposed flap members
128-L,128-R,129-L,129-R,130-L,130-R whereby rearward-facing surface
portions of the plurality of flap members
128-L,128-R,129-L,129-R,130-L,130-R are adapted to be fixedly
attached or otherwise bonded to the interior surface portion of the
rear wall member 122 of the bulk material cargo container liner 110
so as to form the aforenoted vertically oriented linearly seamed
loci.
[0032] With reference now being made to FIG. 4, a partial
perspective view of a third embodiment bulk material cargo
container liner, for use within bulk material cargo containers for
holding and transporting bulk cargo materials, is disclosed and is
generally indicated by the reference character 210. It is to be
noted that the bulk material cargo container liner 210, as
disclosed within FIG. 4, is similar to the bulk material cargo
container liners 10,110 respectively disclosed within FIGS. 1 and
2, except as will be noted shortly hereinafter, and therefore, a
detailed description of the bulk material cargo container liner 210
will be omitted herefrom for brevity purposes, the description of
the bulk material cargo container liner 210 being confined to those
structural features incorporated within she bulk material cargo
container liner 210 which are different from, or are in addition
to, those structural features characteristic of the bulk material
cargo container liners 10,110. It is accordingly noted, still
further, that the various structural features characteristic of the
bulk material cargo container liner 210 will be designated by means
of reference characters similar to those utilized in connection
with the bulk material cargo container liners 10, 110, except that
the reference characters for the bulk material cargo container
liner 210 will be within the 200 series. More particularly, it is
seen that three, laterally spaced gusset plate members are adapted
to be respectively fixedly secured to the floor and rear wall
members 220,222 of the bulk material cargo container liner 210
along the aforenoted horizontally and vertically oriented linear
loci, although only one of the three gusset plate members 224 is
illustrated.
[0033] It is seen that all of the gusset plate members, as
exemplified by means of gusset plate member 224, has a
substantially trapezoidal geometrical configuration comprising a
pair of longer and shorter, upper and lower, parallel edges
240,242, and a pair of oppositely disposed non-parallel angled
edges 244,246 which are respectively adapted to be fixedly secured
to the floor and rear wall members 220, 222 of the bulk material
cargo container liner 210. A plurality of reinforcing straps
248,250,252 are fixedly secured upon the interior surface portion
of the rear wall member 222 of the bulk material cargo container
line 210, and similar reinforcing straps, not illustrated, are
fixedly secured upon the exterior surface portion of the rear wall
member 222 of the bulk material cargo container liner 210. Still
further, similar reinforcing straps, also not illustrated, may be
secured upon the interior and exterior surface portions of the
floor member 220 of the bulk material cargo container liner 210,
and in this manner, those portions of the rear wall member 222 and
the floor member 220 which are interposed between such internally
and externally located reinforcing straps effectively form
reinforced laminates, with such internally and externally located
reinforcing straps, to which the edge portions of each gusset plate
member, as exemplified by means of the edge portions 244,246 of the
gusset plate member 224, may be fixedly secured.
[0034] It is further noted that in view of the fact that each one
of the gusset plate members, as exemplified by means of gusset
plate member 224, has the aforenoted trapezoidal geometrical
configuration, then the bottom edge portion of each gusset plate
member, as exemplified by means of bottom edge portion 242 of
gusset plate member 224, effectively cooperates with the corner
region of the bulk material cargo container liner 210, which is
defined by means of the junction of rear wall member 222 and floor
member 220, so as to form a cross-flow, through-passageway 236
through which the bulk cargo material can flow toward the discharge
port, not shown. It is lastly seen that in addition to the
provision of the plurality of gusset plate members, as exemplified
by means of gusset plate member 224, a plurality of auxiliary
reinforcing belt or straps, as exemplified by means of reinforcing
belt or strap 254, are also provided within the bulk material cargo
container liner 210. It is seen that each reinforcing strap or
belt, as exemplified by means of reinforcing strap or belt 254, is
disposed parallel to the bottom edge portion of each gusset plate
member, as exemplified by means of bottom edge portion 242 of
gusset plate member 224, so as to also be disposed in a coplanar
manner with respect to its associated gusset plate member, and it
is further appreciated that opposite ends of the reinforcing belt
or strap 254 are respectively fixedly secured to the rear wall
member 222 and the floor member 220 as at point locations 256,258
which are located along the vertical and horizontal loci 228,232.
The provision of the plurality of auxiliary reinforcing straps or
belts, as exemplified by means of reinforcing strap or belt 254,
further restrains, and thereby effectively prevents, any rearwardly
oriented outward bulging of the rear wall member 222 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 210.
[0035] As has been alluded to hereinbefore in connection with the
disclosure of the bulk material cargo container liner 210 as
illustrated within FIG. 4, the bottom edge portion of each gusset
plate member, as exemplified by means of bottom edge portion 244 of
the gusset plate member 224, can be affixed to the floor member 220
of the bulk material cargo container liner 210 by means of a
laminated structure comprising internal and external reinforcing
straps similar to, for example, the reinforcing straps 248,250,252
affixed upon the interior surface portion of the rear wall member
222 of the bulk material cargo container liner 210. Accordingly, as
illustrated within FIG. 5, the arrangement of such reinforcing
straps, as fixed upon the exterior surface portion of the floor
member of a fourth embodiment of a new and improved bulk material
cargo container liner generally indicated by the reference
character 310, is disclosed. More particularly, the bulk material
cargo container liner 310 is seen to comprise a front wall member
312, a left side wall member 314, a right side wall member 318, a
floor member 320, and a rear wall member 322. A plurality of
reinforcing straps 360,362,364 are fixedly secured upon the
exterior surface portion of the floor member 320 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 310, and it is seen that the
reinforcing straps 360,362,364 are laterally spaced from each other
so as to effectively coincide in a coplanar manner with the gusset
plate members, not illustrated within FIG. 5, which will be
disposed internally within the bulk material cargo container liner
310 in a manner similar to that characteristic of the gusset plate
members disposed within the bulk material cargo container liners
110,210 of FIGS. 2 and 4.
[0036] In addition, the reinforcing straps 360,362,364 will also be
effectively mated with additional reinforcing straps, also not
illustrated, which will be fixedly secured upon the interior
surface portion of the floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo
container liner 310, so as to form with such interiorly located
reinforcing straps and those portions of the floor member 320 of
the bulk material cargo container liner 310 which will be
interposed between the reinforcing straps fixedly secured to both
the interior and exterior surface portions of the floor member 320
of the bulk material cargo container liner 310, laminated
reinforcement regions disposed along the linear horizontally
oriented seamed loci which will correspond to the seamed loci
formed within the bulk material cargo container liners 110,210 as
illustrated within FIGS. 2 and 4. It is to be further appreciated
that the exterior reinforcing straps 360,362,364, as well as the
corresponding interior reinforcing straps, not illustrated, extend
from end portions 366, 368,370, located at the rear end portion of
the floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310
which intersects the base of the rear wall member 322 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 310, to terminal end portions
372,374,376 which correspond to the location at which the distal
end portions of the gusset plate members terminate.
[0037] Still yet further, it is also to be appreciated that not
only is it desired that the exterior reinforcing straps
360,362,364, as well as the interior reinforcing straps, not shown,
secured to the floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo
container liner 310, and that the interior reinforcing straps
248,250,252 illustrated within FIG. 4, as well as the corresponding
exterior reinforcing straps, not shown in FIG. 4, serve as a means
for effectively securing the gusset plate members, exemplified by
means of the gusset plate member 224 as illustrated within FIG. 4,
to both the floor and rear wall members 220,222, and 320,322 of,
for example, the bulk material cargo container liners 210,310,
whereby the gusset plate members can effectively prevent the
rearwardly oriented, outward bulging of the rear wall members
222,322 of the bulk material cargo container liners 210,310 due to
the charging or loading of the bulk material cargo container liners
210,310 with bulk cargo material, but it is additionally desired
that the exterior reinforcing straps 360,362,364, as well as the
interior reinforcing straps, not shown, secured to the floor member
320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 serve as a means
for ensuring that the bulk material cargo container liners 210,310
remain substantially fixed or stationary within their bulk material
cargo containers during, for example, the tilting of the bulk
material cargo containers during bulk cargo material unloading or
discharging operations.
[0038] Accordingly, with reference still being made to FIG. 5, it
is seen that a plurality of additional reinforcing straps are
fixedly secured to both the exterior and interior surface portions
of the floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner
310 so as to achieve this objective. More particularly, a pair of
reinforcing straps 378,380 are fixedly secured upon the exterior
surface portion of the floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo
container liner 310 so as to extend along the outside edge portions
of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 as respectively
defined between the junctions of the floor member 320 and the side
wall members' 314,318 of the bulk material cargo container liner
310 throughout substantially the entire longitudinal extent or
length of the floor member 320 as defined between the front wall
and rear wall members 312, 322 of the bulk material cargo container
liner 310. The, reinforcing straps 378,380 will also prefer-ably be
mated with additional reinforcing straps, not illustrated, which
will be fixedly secured upon the interior, laterally spaced side
edge surface portions of the floor member 320 of the bulk material
cargo container liner 310 located at the junctions of the floor
member 320 and the side wall members 314,318 of the bulk material
cargo container liner 310, so as to form with such interiorly
located reinforcing straps and those portions of the floor member
320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 which will be
interposed between the reinforcing straps fixedly secured to both
the interior and exterior surface portions of the floor member 320
of the bulk material cargo container liner 310, laminated
reinforcement regions. It is noted that the only significant
difference between the exterior reinforcing straps 378,380, and the
interior reinforcing straps, not illustrated, is that the opposite
terminal ends of the exterior reinforcing straps 378,380 are
respectively provided with extension loop and fastening structures
382,384, and 386,388 which are therefore located within the
vicinities of the four corner regions of the bulk material cargo
container liner 310, as at 390,392,394,396, for a purpose to be
explained in more detail shortly hereinafter.
[0039] Continuing further, a pair of reinforcing straps 398,400 are
fixedly secured upon the exterior surface portion of the floor
member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 so as to
respectively extend between the terminal end portions 372,374 of
the reinforcing-straps 360, 362 and the corner region 392 of the
bulk material cargo container liner 310, and as was the case with
the additional reinforcing straps 378,380, the reinforcing straps
398,400 will also preferably be mated with additional reinforcing
straps, not illustrated, which will be fixedly secured upon the
interior surface portion of the floor member 320 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 310, so as to form, with such
interiorly located reinforcing straps and those portions of the
floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310
which will be interposed between the reinforcing straps fixedly
secured to both the interior and exterior surface portions of the
floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310,
laminated reinforcement regions. Again, as was the case with the
reinforcing straps 378,380, it is noted that the only significant
difference between the exterior reinforcing straps 398,400, and the
interior reinforcing straps, not illustrated, is that the terminal
ends of the exterior reinforcing straps 398,400, disposed within
the corner region 392 of the bulk material cargo container liner
310, are respectively provided with extension loop and fastening
structures 402,404 which are similar to the extension loop and
fastening structure 384.
[0040] In a similar manner, a pair of reinforcing straps 406,408
are fixedly secured upon the exterior surface portion of the floor
member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 so as to
respectively extend between the terminal end portions 374,376 of
the reinforcing straps 362, 364 and the corner region 396 of the
bulk material cargo container liner 310, and as was the case with
the additional reinforcing straps 398,400, the reinforcing straps
406,408 will also preferably be mated with additional reinforcing
straps, not illustrated, which will be fixedly secured upon the
interior surface portion of the floor member 320 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 310, so as to form, with such
interiorly located reinforcing straps and those portions of the
floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310
which will be interposed between the reinforcing straps fixedly
secured to both the interior and exterior surface portions of the
floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310,
laminated reinforcement regions. Again, as was the case with the
reinforcing straps 398,400, it is noted that the only significant
difference between the exterior reinforcing straps 406,408, and the
interior reinforcing straps, not illustrated, is that the terminal
ends of the exterior reinforcing straps 406,408, disposed within
the corner region 396 of the bulk material cargo container liner
310, are respectively provided with extension loop and fastening
structures 410, 412 which are similar to the extension loop and
fastening structure 388.
[0041] Still yet further, a last additional reinforcing strap 414
is fixedly secured upon the exterior surface portion of the floor
member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 so as to
extend along the longitudinal axis or centerline of the floor
member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 whereby
the reinforcing strap 414 extends between the terminal end portion
374 of the reinforcing strap 362 and a terminal end portion 416
located at the junction with the front wall member 312 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 310. As was the case with the
additional reinforcing straps 398,400,406,408, the reinforcing
strap 414 will also preferably be mated with an additional
reinforcing strap, not illustrated, which will be fixedly secured
upon the interior surface portion of the floor member 320 of the
bulk material cargo container liner 310, so as to form, with such
interiorly located reinforcing strap and those portions of the
floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310
which will be interposed between the reinforcing straps fixedly
secured to both the interior and exterior surface portions of the
floor member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310,
laminated reinforcement regions. In addition, as was also the case
with the reinforcing straps 378,380,398,400,406,408, it is noted
that the only significant difference between the exterior
reinforcing strap 414 and the interior reinforcing straps, not
illustrated, is that the terminal end of the exterior reinforcing
strap 414 is provided with an extension loop and fastening
structure 418 which is similar to the extension loop and fastening
structures 382,384,386,388,402, 404,410,412.
[0042] As can be appreciated still further, when the extension loop
and fastening structures 382,384,386,388,402, 404,410,412,418 are
fixedly secured to suitable corresponding or mating fastener
structures fixedly mounted upon the interior wall members of the
bulk material cargo container, the bulk material cargo container
liner 310 will be fixedly secured within the bulk material cargo
container so as to prevent any substantial movement of the bulk
material cargo container liner 310 with respect to the bulk
material cargo container, particularly when the bulk material cargo
container is movably tilted during bulk cargo material unloading or
discharging operations. Considered alternatively, the use of the
various extension loop and fastening structures
382,384,386,388,402,404,410,412,418 effectively prevents the
longitudinal or axial collapse or implosion of the bulk material
cargo container liner 310 during the aforenoted tilting of the bulk
material cargo container during bulk cargo material unloading or
discharging operation. In addition, it can be further appreciated
that by fixedly attaching the forward end portion of the bulk
material cargo container liner 310 to the forward region of the
bulk material cargo container, by means of the various extension
loop and fastening structures 382,384,386,388,402,404,410,412,418,
additional restraint forces can effectively be impressed upon the
rear wall member 322 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310
so as to effectively prevent the rearwardly oriented outward
bulging thereof as a result of such restraint forces being
transmitted to the rear wall member 322 of the bulk material cargo
container liner 310, and along the vertically oriented seamed loci,
by means of the reinforcing straps 398,400,406,408,414, and their
interior surface counterparts, not illustrated, as well as by means
of the reinforcing assemblies comprising the reinforcing straps
360,362,364, and their interior surface counterparts, not
illustrated, which are connected to the gusset plate members, not
illustrated.
[0043] It is lastly seen from FIG. 5 that the bulk material cargo
container liner 310 further comprises a pair of transversely
oriented, longitudinally spaced reinforcing straps 420,422 which
are fixedly secured to the exterior surface portion of the floor
member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 so as to
extend across the entire width dimension of the bulk material cargo
container liner 310 as defined between the side wall members
314,318. The reinforcing straps 420,422 may be similar to the
reinforcing straps 360,362,364,378,380,398,400,406,408, and may
therefore have counterpart reinforcing straps, not illustrated,
fixedly attached to the interior surface portions of the floor
member 320 of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 so as to
form the aforenoted laminated structures or assemblies. The
reinforcing strap 420, and its counterpart, not illustrated, are
provided so as to effectively integrally interconnect the terminal
end portions 372,374,376 of the reinforcing straps 360,362,364
together, while the reinforcing strap 422 effectively serves as a
mechanism upon which a pair of loops or tubular sleeve members
424,426 may be fixedly mounted. A transversely oriented securing
bar, rod, or strap, not shown, may be inserted through the loops or
sleeve members 424,426 so as to additionally facilitate or ensure
the retention of the bulk material cargo container liner 310 at a
fixed position within the bulk material cargo container when the
bulk material cargo container is tilted in order to facilitate the
discharge of the bulk cargo material from the bulk material cargo
container liner 310.
[0044] Referring now to FIG. 6, a fifth embodiment of a bulk
material cargo container liner, generally indicated by the
reference character 510, is illustrated wherein additional
reinforcing straps are fixedly secured to exterior surface portions
of the rear wall member 522 of the bulk material cargo container
liner 510 so as to not only supplement or reinforce the internal
gusset plate members, but in addition, to effectively connect the
bulk material cargo container liner 510 to interior portions of the
bulk material cargo container so as to effectively prevent any
substantial movement of the bulk material cargo container liner 510
within or relative to the bulk material cargo container, as well as
to effectively prevent the vertical collapse of the bulk material
cargo container liner 510, when the bulk material cargo container
is tilted during bulk material cargo load unloading operations.
More particularly, it is seen that the bulk material cargo
container liner 510 comprises a left side wall member 514, a
ceiling member 516, a right side wall member 518, a floor member
520, and the rear wall member 522. A viewing window 524, a bulk
cargo material loading port 526, and a ventilation port 528 are
defined within upper regions of the rear wall member 522, and a
pair of discharge ports 530,530 are defined within lower regions of
the rear wall member 522. A plurality of laterally spaced,
vertically oriented reinforcing straps 532,534,536 are fixedly
secured upon the exterior surface portions of the rear wall member
522 of the bulk material cargo container liner 510, and it is to be
appreciated that the reinforcing straps 532,534,536 can cooperate
with corresponding reinforcing straps, which are not illustrated
within FIG. 6 but which can be disposed upon the interior surface
portions of the rear wall member 522 of the bulk material cargo
container liner 510 in a manner similar to that illustrated in
connection with the reinforcing straps 248,250,252 as illustrated
within FIG. 4, so as to form with such interiorly located
reinforcing straps a laminated structure which effectively
sandwiches portions of the rear wall member 522 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 510 therebetween. In addition to the
provision of the vertically oriented reinforcing straps
532,534,536, a pair of vertically spaced horizontally oriented
reinforcing straps 538,540 are also fixedly attached to the
exterior surface portion of the rear wall member 522 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 510 so as to extend across the
entire lateral extent of the rear wall member 522 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 510 between the side wall members
514,518. The upper reinforcing strap 538 integrally interconnects
the upper terminal end portions of the vertically oriented
reinforcing straps 532,534,536 as at junctions 542,544,546, and the
lower reinforcing strap 540 integrally interconnects the lower
terminal end portions of the vertically oriented reinforcing straps
532,534,536 as at junctions 548,550,552. In addition to the
integral interconnections defined between the upper reinforcing
strap 538 and the vertically oriented reinforcing straps
532,534,536 as at junctions 542,544,546, it is also seen that
opposite ends of the upper reinforcing strap 538 are respectively
provided with extension loop and fastening structures 554,556 which
may be similar to any one of the extension loop and fastening
structures 382,384,386, 388,402,404,410,412,418 as illustrated
within FIG. 5. As was the case with the extension loop and
fastening structures 382,384,386,388,402,404,410,412,418, the
extension loop and fastening structures 554,556 can be connected to
support structures, not shown, fixedly mounted upon interior
portions of the bulk material cargo container, and in this manner,
the upper end region of the bulk material cargo container liner
510, and more particularly, the upper end region of the rear wall
member 522 of the bulk material cargo container liner 510, can be
fixedly supported within the bulk material cargo container so as to
prevent any vertical collapse or sagging of the rear end portion of
the bulk material cargo container liner 510, particularly when the
bulk material cargo container is tilted, such as, for example,
during bulk cargo material unloading operations.
[0045] Continuing further, a third reinforcing strap 558 is
likewise fixedly secured upon the exterior surface portion of the
rear wall member 522 of the bulk material cargo container liner 510
so as to extend across the entire lateral extent of the rear wall
member 522 of the bulk material cargo container liner 510 and
thereby integrally interconnect the three vertically oriented
reinforcing straps 532, 534,536 as at junctions 560,562,564,
however, it is further appreciated that the reinforcing strap 558
has a uniquely arcuate configuration. The reinforcing strap 558 is
provided with such an arcuate configuration so as to truly support
the rear wall member 522 of the bulk material cargo container liner
510 and thereby effectively counteract the normal or natural
tendency or manner in which the rear wall member 522 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 510 would otherwise sag or collapse
under gravitational forces, whereby such sagging or collapse of the
rear wall member 522 of the bulk material cargo container liner 510
can effectively be prevented. As was the case with the reinforcing
strap 538, the opposite ends of the reinforcing strap 558 are
provided with extension loop and fastening structures 566,568 for
connection to fixed support structures disposed upon the interior
wall portions of the bulk material cargo container.
[0046] Still yet further, it is also noted that additional
vertically oriented reinforcing straps 570,572 can be fixedly
secured to the exterior surface portion of the rear wall member 522
of the bulk material cargo container liner 510 so as to extend
along the rear corner regions of the bulk material cargo container
liner 510 as defined between the rear wall member 522 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 510 and the side wall members
514,518 of the bulk material cargo container liner 510. The
reinforcing straps 570,572 extend throughout the entire vertical
height of the bulk material cargo container liner 510, however, it
is noted that the terminal end portions of the reinforcing straps
570,572 are not necessarily provided with any extension loop and
fastening structures in view of the presence of the extension loop
and fastening structures 554,566 and 556,568, within the upper rear
corner regions on tone bulk material cargo container liner 510, as
well as the presence of the extension loop and fastening structures
382,386, as disclosed within FIG. 5, within the lower rear corner
regions of the bulk material cargo container liner.
[0047] With reference now being briefly made to FIG. 7, a sixth
embodiment of a bulk material cargo container liner is disclosed
and is generally indicated by the reference character 610. It is
noted that the structural components disclosed in connection with
this embodiment of the bulk material cargo container liner, that
correspond to the structural components disclosed in connection
with the embodiment of the bulk material cargo container liner 510
as disclosed within FIG. 5, will be designated by corresponding
reference characters except that they will be within the 600
series, and that the discussion of the bulk material cargo
container liner 610 will be confined to those structural components
which differ from those of the bulk material cargo container liner
510. More particularly, it is seen that in accordance with the bulk
material cargo container liner 610, there is provided a safety
sheet 674 which is adapted to be fixedly secured upon the exterior
surface portion of the rear wall member 622 of the bulk material
cargo container liner 610 so as to not only provide the rear wall
member 622 of the bulk material cargo container liner 610 with
additional support against the aforenoted outwardly directed
bulging forces, but in addition, to effectively provide a sealing
structure with respect to the rear wall member 622 of the bulk
material cargo container liner 610 in case the structural integrity
of the rear wall member 622 of the bulk material cargo container
liner 610 is compromised. More particularly, the safety sheet 674
may be fabricated from a suitable material similar to that from
which the bulk material cargo container liner 610 is fabricated, or
alternatively, a woven fabric. The safety sheet 674 is provided
with upper apertures 676,678,680 which positionally correspond with
the locations of the loading port 626, the ventilation port 628,
and the viewing window 624 defined within the rear wall member 622
of the bulk material cargo container liner 610, as well as a pair
of lower apertures 682,682 which positionally correspond to the
locations of the discharge ports 630,630 defined within the rear
wall member 622 of the bulk material cargo container liner. In
addition, the peripheral edge portions 684,686,688,690 of the
safety sheet 674 are stitched or otherwise sealed to the
corresponding peripheral edge portions 692,694,696,698 of the rear
wall member 622 of the bulk material cargo container liner 610, and
still further, portions of the safety sheet 674, internally located
within the peripheral edge portions 684,686, 688,690 thereof, are
also stitched or otherwise sealed, as at 700,702,704 around the
horizontally disposed reinforcing straps 638,658,640 fixedly
mounted upon the exterior surface portion of the rear wall member
622 of the bulk material cargo container liner 610, as well as at
706,708,710 around the vertically oriented reinforcing straps
632,684,636 fixedly mounted upon the exterior surface portion of
the rear wall member 622 of the bulk material cargo container liner
610. In this manner, should the structural integrity of the rear
wall member 622 of the bulk material cargo container liner 610
become compromised, the bulk cargo material contained within the
bulk material cargo container liner 610 will still be maintained
within the bulk material cargo container liner 610 so that the bulk
material cargo container liner 610 does not experience or exhibit
any substantial leakage.
[0048] With reference lastly being made to FIG. 8, it is seen that
a last additional unique and novel structural feature
characteristic of any one of the bulk material cargo container
liners resides in the provision of a plurality of rigid cleat
members 810 which may be fabricated from a suitable plastic
material and which may be arranged in vertically aligned sets
fixedly mounted upon the interior surface portions of both the left
and right side wall members of the bulk material cargo container
liner, one of the cleat members 810 being illustrated as being
mounted upon a portion of a right side wall member 818 of a bulk
material cargo container liner. Each one of the cleat members 810
has a substantially outwardly oriented convex cross-sectional
configuration and is specifically designed to structurally
co-operate with a correspondingly configured concave recessed
region 812 integrally formed within a side wall portion of the bulk
material cargo container. Accordingly, after the bulk material
cargo container liner has been properly disposed and positionally
located within the bulk material cargo container, and as a result
of the bulk cargo material being charged into the interior portion
of the bulk material cargo container liner, the bulk material cargo
container liner will undergo outward expansion as a result of the
hydrostatic head load forces acting or impressed upon, for example,
the right side wall member 618, as well as upon the left, front, or
rear wall members of the bulk material cargo container liner. As a
result of such outward expansion of the wall members of the bulk
material cargo container liner, the cleat member 810 will
structurally engage the rigid recessed region 812 defined within
the right side wall of the bulk material cargo container. These
intercooperating cleat and recessed structures 810,812 will
therefore serve to effectively retain the bulk material cargo
container liner at a fixed position with respect to the bulk
material cargo container, particularly during the tilting of the
bulk material cargo container in order to facilitate the unloading
or discharge of the bulk cargo material from the interior portion
of the bulk material cargo container liner.
[0049] Obviously, many variations and modifications of the present
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is
therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended
claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein.
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