Flexible bags – Wall details – Reinforced
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-16
2002-06-11
Young, Lee (Department: 3727)
Flexible bags
Wall details
Reinforced
C052S222000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06402378
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a flexible container having a support system comprising internal baffles for assisting in maintaining the shape of the container when it is filled with a material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flexible containers are commonly used for the handling, storage and transportation of flowable materials. These containers are typically designed to be rectangular in cross-section so that they form “cubes” when filled which can be packed efficiently into storage and transportation facilities such as trucks and warehouses, minimizing the amount of wasted space that may result from other shapes.
Unfortunately, flexible containers have an inherent tendency to bulge when filled so that they do not maintain their intended shape. This bulging typically results in the container having rounded corners and sides which are not straight. This in turn results in the containers being more difficult to handle and store efficiently.
It is well known in the art of flexible containers to employ devices or systems for adding structural support to the container for the purpose of assisting in maintaining the shape of the container.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,710 (Derby), U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,802 (Derby), U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,812 (Cuddy et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,267 (Cuddy et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,528 (Shnaars et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,205 (Gallie), U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,833 (Proffitt) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,644 (Taylor) all describe the use of “corner baffles” which span adjacent sides of flexible containers in order to add support to the container. These corner baffles include apertures of a variety of shapes such as circles, rectangles, diamonds and triangles for permitting material to pass between sides of the baffles. A variety of different configurations for the baffles is described in these references, but all are attached such that in a rectangular shaped container, there are eight locations of connection between the baffles and the side walls of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,025 (Boots), U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,937 (Boots), U.S. Pat. No. 5,407,090 (Boots), U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,227 (Takezawa et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,255 (Nickell et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,767 (Nickell et al) all describe container systems that consist of outer structures and inner structures which together provide support for the container through the cooperation of the two structures. Once again, a variety of different configurations for the structures is described, but these container systems all tend to be somewhat complicated and thus would be difficult or costly to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,387 (Polett et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,268 (Lafleur), U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,804 (Lafleur), U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,155 (Hoekstra), U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,478 (Alack et al), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,887 (Lafleur) all describe types of support systems for flexible containers, some of which include baffle structures and some of which do not.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,387 (Polett et al) describes three different embodiments of a support system. In a first embodiment, a plurality of loops are attached to the inside surfaces of the walls of the container at a plurality of levels. A rope or the like is then passed through each loop at a level and the rope is then joined at its ends. Each loop is separately attached to a wall so that there are four attachment points per level for a four sided container. In a second embodiment, a plurality of panels are provided, each of which have one edge affixed to the inside surface of one wall of the container and extend toward the center of the container. The panels are then fastened together at a point at or near the center of the interior of the container to define a plurality of separate sections within the container. Material is permitted to move between sections at the upper and lower ends of the panels. A third embodiment is a hybrid of the first and second embodiments, and comprises a plurality of flaps, each of which have one edge affixed to the inside surface of one wall of the container. Each flap has a plurality of holes at a plurality of levels. A rope or the like is passed through each of the holes at a level and the rope is then joined at its ends. The support system in Polett therefore involves a significant amount of fabrication effort.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,155 (Hoekstra) describes a support system somewhat similar to the hybrid embodiment in Polett in which a baffle “core” is provided, which baffle core is contained within the container and is spaced from the inner surfaces of the walls of the container by side walls which extend from the inner surfaces of the walls toward the center of the container. The baffle core is therefore relatively small in comparison with the size of the container, and fabrication of the container and support structure is made somewhat more complicated by the inclusion of the side walls. Holes are provided in the baffle core to facilitate movement of material into and out of the baffle core.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,478 (Alack et al) describes a support system somewhat similar to the first and second embodiments in Polett. In Alack, a plurality of tension members are provided at different levels in the container. These tension members are attached to the walls of the container and either extend between opposite sides of the container or between adjacent sides of the container. As in Polett, the use of the tension members requires four connection points per level for a four sided container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,268 (Lafleur), U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,804 (Lafleur) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,887 (Lafleur) all describe a support system for a flexible container which is similar to the first embodiment in Polett, in that closed loops of cord are provided around the inner surfaces of the walls of the container at a plurality of levels. These loops of cord preferably have portions which extend obliquely between adjacent sides of the container. In the preferred embodiment, the cords require a minimum of eight connection points to the walls of the container per level in order to provide the oblique portions, thus adding to fabrication costs.
All of the support systems for flexible containers as detailed above may add significant cost to the fabrication of the container due to the number and types of connections that must be used to attach the support system to the container.
In addition, the support systems detailed above which include apertured baffles often permit the passage of material through the baffle but only while compromising its structural support properties.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,710 (Derby), U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,802 (Derby), U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,528 (Schnaars et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,205 (Gallie et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,833 (Profitt) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,644 (Taylor) the baffles include a plurality of relatively large apertures spaced vertically along the centerline of the baffle. These large centralized apertures facilitate easy movement of the material through the baffle but tend to result in bulging of the container adjacent to locations where the apertures are positioned because the strength of the baffle is compromised at those locations.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,812 (Cuddy et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,267 (Cuddy et al), U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,155 (Hoekstra), the apertures tend to be smaller and more evenly distributed on the baffle, resulting in some improvement in the strength and thus the support properties of the baffle. This improvement in strength is offset, however, by the baffle providing a more restrictive passage for material due to the relatively small apertures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,255 (Nickell et al) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,767 (Nickell et al) both describe the use of a plurality of “baffle strips” which are attached to a liner for the container with spaces between them to permit the passage of material around the strips. Each baffle strip can thus function as a separate support member, with the ability of material to pass around the baffle strips being governed by the spacing between the
Hylton Robin A.
Kuharchuk Terrance N.
Rodman & Rodman
Young Lee
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