U.S. patent application number 14/081546 was filed with the patent office on 2015-05-21 for bag lift assembly for a lined bulk material container.
This patent application is currently assigned to ConeCraft, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is James A. Austin, C. Anthony Cox. Invention is credited to James A. Austin, C. Anthony Cox.
Application Number | 20150135643 14/081546 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53171885 |
Filed Date | 2015-05-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150135643 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cox; C. Anthony ; et
al. |
May 21, 2015 |
Bag Lift Assembly for a Lined Bulk Material Container
Abstract
A lifting assembly for a polymeric liner disposed within a fluid
material container. The assembly includes a pneumatic linear drive,
and, an interface member that is supportively connecting to the
polymeric liner. A tension line is coupled between the pneumatic
linear drive and the interface member, and a line guide is
positioned to route the tension line to a central location above
the polymeric liner, and thereby correspondingly locates the
interface member. A pneumatic controller actuates the pneumatic
linear drive to move in a first direction, to move in a second
direction, or to remain in a fixed position. Movement of the
pneumatic linear drive in the first direction causes the tension
line to lift the interface member in an upward direction, and,
movement of the pneumatic linear drive in the second direction
causes the tension line to lower the interface member in a downward
direction.
Inventors: |
Cox; C. Anthony;
(Colleyville, TX) ; Austin; James A.; (Fort Worth,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Cox; C. Anthony
Austin; James A. |
Colleyville
Fort Worth |
TX
TX |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
ConeCraft, Inc.
Fort Worth
TX
|
Family ID: |
53171885 |
Appl. No.: |
14/081546 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
53/384.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 69/0083 20130101;
B65D 90/046 20130101; B65D 88/54 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
53/384.1 |
International
Class: |
B65B 67/12 20060101
B65B067/12 |
Claims
1. A lifting assembly for a polymeric liner disposed within a fluid
material container, comprising: a pneumatic linear drive; an
interface member adapted for supportive connection to the polymeric
liner; a tension line coupled between said pneumatic linear drive
and said interface member; a line guide positioned to route said
tension line to a central location above the polymeric liner,
thereby correspondingly locating said interface member; a pneumatic
controller coupled to actuate said pneumatic linear drive to move
in a first direction, to move in a second direction, or to remain
in a fixed position, and wherein movement of said pneumatic linear
drive in said first direction causes said tension line to lift said
interface member in an upward direction, and, movement of said
pneumatic linear drive in said second direction causes said tension
line to lower said interface member in an downward direction.
2. The assembly of claim 1, and wherein the polymeric liner is a
bag structure that includes support fitments, and wherein said
interface member includes at least a first connector adapted to
engage the support fitments.
3. The assembly of claim 2, and wherein the support fitments are
selected from a loop of polymeric material, an eyelet inserted
through the polymeric material and a reinforced portion, and
wherein said at least a first connector is selected from a hook, a
ring, a karabiner, and a clamp.
4. The assembly of claim 1, and wherein the fluid material
container is a rigid structure with an open top, and wherein: said
interface member is inserted through the open top.
5. The assembly of claim 1, and wherein: said pneumatic linear
drive is a rodless pneumatic cylinder.
6. The assembly of claim 1, and wherein: said interface member is a
spider structure with a central joint that is connected to said
tension line with spider arms extending outwardly, which are
connected to the polymeric liner.
7. The assembly of claim 1, and wherein: said tension line is a
cable.
8. The assembly of claim 1, and wherein: said line guide includes a
pulley, around which said tension lines is routed.
9. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a housing, having
said pneumatic linear drive disposed therein, and which is adapted
for mounting to the fluid material container.
10. The assembly of claim 9, and wherein: said housing comprises a
line guide support member, which orients said line guide at said
central location above the polymeric liner.
11. The assembly of claim 10, and wherein: said line guide support
member extends as a cantilever from said housing to said central
location.
12. The assembly of claim 1, and wherein: said pneumatic controller
is a three-position, four-port, pneumatic valve with a closed
center position.
13. The assembly of claim 1, and wherein: said pneumatic controller
is coupled within a pneumatic circuit that has a regulated
pressure, and wherein said pneumatic circuit further include a
relief valve set to a pressure less than twenty percent greater
than said regulated pressure, thereby limited the maximum force
exerted by said pneumatic linear drive.
14. The assembly of claim 13, further comprising: a flow control
orifice coupled to an exhaust port of said pneumatic controller,
thereby controlling the rate of movement of said pneumatic linear
drive.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to fluid material containers
that are lined with a polymeric bag-type liner. More particularly,
the present invention relates to an assembly for raising and
lowering such a liner as it is filled or emptied, by using a
pneumatic linear drive.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Storage and processing containers are in widespread use in
various industries and other endeavors. Many of these are used to
contain liquids and other flowable bulk materials, such as powders
and granular materials. While containing certain types of fluid
materials, it is preferable to line the container with a polymeric
membrane so that the bulk material is either impermeably contained
in a suitable polymeric material, or to insure that the bulk
materials does not contact the container itself. For example, in
the case of pharmaceutical and food grade materials, a polymeric
liner, such as PVC or polypropylene, may be used to maintain the
purity and cleanliness of the bulk material. In other instances,
the bulk material may react with a storage container itself, so a
polymeric liner is used to prevent such reactions.
[0005] Various fluid material containers can be employed, and one
useful configuration is a rectangular stainless steel bin that has
an open top. The liner is inserted from the top, and then plumbing
connections are made to the bin and liner combination, as is known
in the art. In other applications, the liner is inserted through a
door of the host container. As the liquid, or fluid, is filled into
the liner, it is necessary to control the position and movement of
the liner to insure that it fits properly into the volume of the
bin, and that the liner does not become improperly oriented or
creased. If this occurs, then the liner may be damaged, or the
maximum volumetric capacity of the bin and liner combination may
not be realized. One approach to dealing with these potential
problems has been to access the liner from the open top of the bin,
and raise and lower it as the fluid material is added and removed
from the bin. That way, improper fit can be adjusted before the
liner becomes filled with the fluid material. Thus it can be
appreciated that there is a need in the art for a system for
mitigating the potential risk of filling and emptying bin liners in
a manner that raises and lowers the liner during installation,
filling, emptying and removal from a bin or other bulk material
container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The need in the art is addressed by the teaching of the
present invention. The present disclosure teaches a lifting
assembly for a polymeric liner that disposed within a fluid
material container. The assembly includes a pneumatic linear drive,
and an interface member that is adapted for supportively connecting
to the polymeric liner. A tension line is coupled between the
pneumatic linear drive and the interface member, and a line guide
is positioned to route the tension line to a central location above
the polymeric liner, which thereby correspondingly locates the
interface member. A pneumatic controller actuates the pneumatic
linear drive to move in a first direction, to move in a second
direction, or to remain in a fixed position. Movement of the
pneumatic linear drive in the first direction causes the tension
line to lift the interface member in an upward direction, and,
movement of the pneumatic linear drive in the second direction
causes the tension line to lower the interface member in a downward
direction.
[0007] In a specific embodiment of the foregoing assembly, where
the polymeric liner is a bag structure that includes support
fitments, the interface member includes at least a first connector
adapted to engage the support fitments. In a refinement to this
embodiment, where the support fitments are selected from a loop of
polymeric material, an eyelet inserted through the polymeric
material, and a reinforced portion, the first connector is selected
from a hook, a ring, a karabiner, and a clamp.
[0008] In a specific embodiment of the foregoing assembly, where
the fluid material container is a rigid structure with an open top,
the interface member is inserted through the open top. In another
specific embodiment, the pneumatic linear drive is a rodless
pneumatic cylinder.
[0009] In a specific embodiment of the foregoing assembly, the
interface member is a spider structure with a central joint that is
connected to the line guide with spider arms extending outwardly,
which are connected to the polymeric liner. In another specific
embodiment, the tension line is a cable. In another specific
embodiment, the line guide includes a pulley, around which the
tension line is routed.
[0010] In a specific embodiment, the foregoing assembly further
includes a housing that contains the pneumatic linear drive, and
which is configured for mounting to the fluid material container.
In a refinement to this embodiment, the housing includes a line
guide support member, which orients the line guide at the central
location above the polymeric liner. In a further refinement, the
line guide support member extends as a cantilever from the housing
to the central location.
[0011] In a specific embodiment of the foregoing assembly, the
pneumatic controller is a three-position, four-port, pneumatic
valve with a closed center position. In another specific
embodiment, the pneumatic controller is coupled within a pneumatic
circuit that has a regulated pressure, and the pneumatic circuit
further include a relief valve set to a pressure less than twenty
percent greater than the regulated pressure, thereby limiting the
maximum force exerted by the pneumatic linear drive. In a
refinement to this embodiment, the assembly further includes a flow
control orifice coupled to an exhaust port of the pneumatic
controller, thereby controlling the rate of movement of the
pneumatic linear drive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view drawing of a bag-lined fluid
material container according to an illustrative embodiment of the
present invention
[0013] FIG. 2 is a top view drawing of a bag-lined fluid material
container according to an illustrative embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a side view drawing of a pneumatic bag lift
assembly according to an illustrative embodiment of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side view drawing of a pneumatic bag lift
assembly according to an illustrative embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a functional diagram of a pneumatic bag lift
assembly according to an illustrative embodiment of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a pneumatic schematic of a bag lift assembly
according to an illustrative embodiment of the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Illustrative embodiments and exemplary applications will now
be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to
disclose the advantageous teachings of the present invention.
[0019] While the present invention is described herein with
reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications,
it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto.
Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings
provided herein will recognize additional modifications,
applications, and embodiments within the scope hereof and
additional fields in which the present invention would be of
significant utility.
[0020] In considering the detailed embodiments of the present
invention, it will be observed that the present invention resides
primarily in combinations of steps to accomplish various methods or
components to form various apparatus and systems. Accordingly, the
apparatus and system components and method steps have been
represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the
drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to
understanding the present invention so as not to obscure the
disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of
ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the disclosures
contained herein.
[0021] In this disclosure, relational terms such as first and
second, top and bottom, upper and lower, and the like may be used
solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or
action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such
relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms
"comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are
intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process,
method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements
does not include only those elements but may include other elements
not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article,
or apparatus. An element proceeded by "comprises a" does not,
without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional
identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus
that comprises the element.
[0022] An illustrative embodiment of the present invention is
applied to the pharmaceutical industry, and in particular,
processing bins that employ polymeric liners to impermeably retain
a fluid content, which is commonly a liquid. Such processing and
storage bins are commonly fabricated from stainless steel, for the
benefits of corrosion resistance, sanitation, and durability. The
polymeric liners are generally flexible bag-like structures that
can be replaced from time to time. Such replacement may occur
through an open top of the container, or through door openings
located through the container walls. For this and other reasons,
the exterior walls of such containers may have doors installed for
access to the interior. Such doors contain the polymeric liner in
the same fashion as the walls. The liners are fabricated to the
same dimensions and shape as the interior of the host container,
which is commonly rectangular. As such, it is important to position
and orient the liner in a manner that will allow the form-fitted
liner to fill and fit the interior shape of the container. Lifting
the top of the liner, so as to `stretch` it out and enable the
liner membrane to fit neatly into the container as it is filled,
can facilitate this. A similar issue may present itself as the
liner is emptied of fluid, as well as while the liner fluid volume
fluctuates during production and operations.
[0023] In general, the assembly of this disclosure comprises is a
device to lift the top of a bag, or liner, inside a bin or bag
holder, that holds the bag up while filling the bag with product
and while discharging the product. The illustrative embodiment
assembly consists of a pneumatic rodless cylinder contained within
a vertical housing, so as to be completely concealed, with a cable
that is routed up to the top of the vertical tube, through a
horizontal tube, exiting in a vertical direction, and connected to
a lifting frame, referred to as a `spider`, which reaches out to
the four corners of the bag. A pneumatic hand valve controls flow
of air to the pneumatic cylinder. When the carriage of the rodless
cylinder travels up the spider travels down, and when the carriage
of the rodless cylinder travels down, the spider travels up.
Additionally, the pneumatic line coupled to drive the pneumatic
cylinder that raises the spider includes a pressure relief valve,
which is set to provide only slightly more pressure than is needed
to lift and hold the bag up. If more pulling force is exerted on
the bag lift, the pressure relief valve relieves, allowing the
spider to lower, preventing too much force from being exerted on
either the bag or the bag lift structure itself.
[0024] Reference is directed to FIG. 1, which is a perspective view
drawing of a bag-lined fluid material container according to an
illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The bulk material
container 2 is fabricated from stainless steel, and employs and
exterior frame 4 made from structural shapes. Stainless steel sheet
or plate 3 is applied to the frame and yields a generally smooth
interior surface. The container has an open top 5, and an access
door 6 located on one of its exterior walls. Other process related
fixtures are illustrated, but are not germane to the present
disclosure. A stainless steel housing 8 is fixed to a corner of the
container 2 using plural mounting clips 11 to removably engage the
housing 8 to the container 2. The housing 8 is elongated and
oriented in a generally vertical orientation. Other orientations
can be employed, including orientations where the housing 8 is not
directly connected to the container 2. A pneumatic linear drive
(not shown) is disposed within the housing 8, and includes certain
pneumatic circuit components (not shown). Access to the interior of
the housing 8 is provided by plural covered access openings 9. In
addition, a control housing 10 is fabricated as a portion of the
housing 8 for containing control valves (not shown) and other
pneumatic components (not shown).
[0025] The housing 8 in FIG. 1 serves as a mounting location for a
line guide support member 12, which has the form of a cantilevered
structural arm in the illustrative embodiment. A tension line 13 is
supported by the line guide support member 12 using one or more
line guides (not shown), and with tension line routing also managed
using the line guides (not shown). In the illustrative embodiment,
the tension line 13 is a stainless steel cable, the line guides are
pulleys, and the line guide support member 12 is a structural tube.
The tension line 13 is positioned near the central area of the open
top 5, and is oriented in a vertical direction. The tension line 13
is coupled to a spider structure 14, which as four arms that extend
toward the four corners of the open top 5 of the container 2. In
the illustrative embodiment, the spider structure 14 is fabricated
from stainless steel tubing with reinforcing gussets to strengthen
connections. The end of each spider structure 14 arm is terminated
with a connector 16. The connectors 16 attached to support fitments
(not shown), which are a component of the bag liner (shown in
phantom) 18 in FIG. 1.
[0026] Reference is directed to FIG. 2, which is a top view drawing
of a bag-lined fluid material container 2 according to an
illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The structural
frame 4 of the container 2 is presented, with the stainless
sidewalls 3 visible as well. The housing 8 of the bag lift assembly
is connected to the exterior of the container 2, and a cantilevered
line guide support member 12 extends to the central areas of the
open top of the container 2. A control housing 10 extends from the
side the housing 8. The spider structure 14 extends to the four
corners of the container 2. There are connectors 16 at the end of
each spider arm 14, and in this embodiment the connectors 16 are
rings, which engage support fitments (not shown) of the bag liner
(also not shown). The spider assembly 14 travels up and down inside
the container 2, and serves to lift and extend the bag liner (not
shown). The weight of the spider 14 and bag liner (not shown) are
carried by the cantilevered line guide support member 12, which is
supported, in turn, by the housing 8.
[0027] Reference is directed to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, which are a side
view drawing of a pneumatic bag lift assembly according to an
illustrative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3
illustrates the spider assembly 14 in the lowest position and FIG.
4 illustrates the spider assembly 14 in the highest position. Both
figures illustrate the entire bag lift assembly without showing the
host bulk fluid material container or the bag liner. An elongated
stainless steel housing 8, which has a rectangular cross section,
contains a pneumatic linear drive (not shown), and includes a
control housing 10 for containing certain pneumatic controls,
including an operator 19 for a pneumatic valve contained therein.
The housing includes plural access openings 9 with removable covers
for enabling access to internal components. A cantilevered line
guide support member 12 extends laterally from the top of the
housing 8. In the illustrative embodiment, the line guide support
member 12 is a rectangular stainless steel tube. The line guide
support member 12 includes a pulley 20 at its distal end, which
serves to route the tension line 13 to a vertical orientation. The
tension member 13 in the illustrative embodiment is a stainless
steel cable, although other manner of chain, cordage, and wire
could be employed with suitable effectiveness. The tension line 13
is connected to a central point of bag interface member, or spider
frame, 14. The spider frame 14 is fabricated from stainless steel
tubing with reinforcing gussets in the illustrative embodiment. The
distal ends of the spider frame 14 arms have connectors 16 for
connection to the bag liner (not shown). The connectors may be
rings, hooks, clamps or karabiners, whichever is most suitable for
particular support fitments present on the specific bad liner being
supported. The bag liner support fitments may be a loop of
polymeric material, a reinforced portion of polymeric material,
eyelets, or other support fitments as are known to those skilled in
the art. The key feature of the connectors 16 is that they are
adapted to supportively engage these support fitments.
[0028] Reference is directed to FIG. 5, which is a functional
diagram of a pneumatic bag lift assembly according to an
illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The bulk material
container 2 is lined with a polymeric bag liner 18, which is
partially filled with a liquid 46 in this illustration. The bag
interface member 14 supports the upper portion of the bag liner 18
using plural connectors 16, which are connected to support fitments
24 that are included with the bag liner 18. In this embodiment, the
connectors 16 are stainless steel rings and the support fitments 24
are reinforced tabs having grommets inserted there through. The
interface member 14 is a spider frame that is connected to a
tension line 13, which is a stainless steel cable in this
embodiment. The tension line is routed over two pulleys 20, 22.
Pulley 20 is supported at the distal end of the line guide support
member 13, and pulley 22 is supported at the upper end of housing
8. These pulleys 20, 22 serve to route the tension line 13 between
vertical and horizontal orientation, as illustrated. The tension
line 13 is terminated at a moving carriage 26 on a pneumatic linear
drive 24, which is a rodless pneumatic cylinder in the illustrative
embodiment. In the illustrative embodiment, the rodless pneumatic
cylinder is a Festo Corporation Series DGL linear drive having a 25
mm bore, and a length selected to match the corresponding container
2 height and bag 18 size. Festo Corporation has a US headquarters
in Hauppauge, N.Y. and a web presence at www.festo.com. The
pneumatic linear drive 24 is mounted within housing 8, which is
mounted to the bulk container 2 using plural mounting brackets
11.
[0029] The pneumatic linear drive 24 in FIG. 5 is fixed within the
housing 8, and includes pneumatic line connections at interface
ports 44. A first pneumatic line 40 drives the carriage 26 up, and
a second pneumatic line 42 drives the carriage 26 down. The pulleys
22, 20 route the tension line 13 to cause the spider 14 to move in
the opposite direction of the carriage 26. A control housing 10 is
added as an appendage to the housing 8, and provides a space for
certain pneumatic elements. Among these is a 3-position, 4-port,
center-closed, control valve 34, which presents an operator handle
19 on the exterior of control housing 10. Also included is a
pressure relief valve 32 and a flow control orifice 36. In
addition, a pressure regulator 30 receives line pressure 28 from an
external source, and delivers regulated air pressure to the control
valve 34 through pneumatic line 38. Further details of the
pneumatic circuit will be discussed herein after.
[0030] Reference is directed to FIG. 6, which is a pneumatic
schematic of a bag lift assembly according to an illustrative
embodiment of the present invention. An air supply line 28 delivers
compressed air, typically in the 80-100 psi pressure range, which
is regulated to approximately 50 psi by pressure regulator 30. The
regulated air is coupled via supply line 30 to an input port of
control valve 34, which is a 3-position, 4-port, valve 34, and
which has a closed center position. The control valve 34 is
selectively operated by actuator 19. The control valve 34 drives
both input ports of the pneumatic linear actuator through air lines
40 and 42. This is a conventional pneumatic cylinder drive
arrangement, as is know to those skilled in the art. The line 40,
which drives the aforementioned interface member upwardly, is
coupled to a pressure relief valve 32, which is set to a nominal 55
psi. Note that this pressure is slightly higher than the supply
line 38 pressure of 50 psi. This arrangement limits the force that
can be imparted to the lifting operation of the assembly, and
serves to prevent damage to the aforementioned line guide, tension
line, interface member, and the bag liner itself. The range of up
to twenty percent over pressure is suitable. The line 42, which is
used to lower the assembly generally does not require over-pressure
protection. The exhaust line 39 out of the control valve 34 is
routed through a flow limited orifice 36. This serves to limit the
rate at which the assembly moves during exhaust limited
movement.
[0031] Thus, the present invention has been described herein with
reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application.
Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present
teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications and
embodiments within the scope thereof.
[0032] It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any
and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the
scope of the present invention.
* * * * *
References