Container apparatus for the storage and transportation of fluid material

Abstract

 Container apparatus (2) for the storage and transportation of a fluid material, which container apparatus (2) comprises a frame (4), a bag member (6) for being positioned inside the frame (4) and supported by the frame (4), and braces (8) which are connected to the frame (4) and which are engaged by the bag member (6) when the bag member (6) is full up with the fluid material, the frame (4) being an open frame having upstanding corner members (10), a top portion (12) connected to upper parts of the corner members (10), and a base portion (14) connected to lower parts of the corner members (10), and the container apparatus (2) being such that the braces (8) prevent the bag member (6) from being forced by the fluid material through openings (16) between the corner members (10), and such that in response to pressure from the bag member (6) the braces (8) exert a force at their ends to pull on the corner members (10) and thereby to tension the frame (4) and make the frame (4) rigid.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to container apparatus for the storage and transportation of fluid material such for example as liquids, powders and granular materials.

[0002] There are many known types of container apparatus for use in transporting fluid materials. The container apparatus is usually either produced to be returnable or non-returnable. Non-returnable containers are often used when the fluid material is to be despatched overseas and the cost of returning the container is likely to exceed the cost of the actual container itself.

[0003] The present invention is concerned with container apparatus which is non-returnable. Such container apparatus has to be designed such that it can be sufficiently economically produced so that it can be discarded after one use. The container apparatus also has to be strong enough so that it can securely retain the fluid material during transit, and so that the container apparatus can be stacked on top of each other during transit. For example, the container apparatus may be required to contain one thousand litres of a liquid and then the container apparatus may need to be stored two high in transit, and five high in factory storage. The container apparatus must be rigid during the transit and storage as otherwise stacks of the container apparatus could collapse.

[0004] It is an aim of the present invention to produce container apparatus of the above mentioned required type.

[0005] Accordingly, this invention provides container apparatus for the storage and transportation of a fluid material, which container apparatus comprising a frame, a bag member for being positioned inside the frame and supported by the frame, and braces which are connected to the frame and which are engaged by the bag member when the bag member is full up with the fluid material, the frame being an open frame having upstanding corner members, a top portion connected to upper parts of the corner members, and a base portion connected to lower parts of the corner members, and the container apparatus being such that the braces prevent the bag member from being forced by the fluid material through openings between the corner members, and such that in response to pressure from the bag member the braces exert a force at their ends to pull on the upstanding corner members and thereby to tension the frame and make the frame rigid.

[0006] Thus the braces serve two purposes. The first purpose is to retain the bag member within the frame and the second purpose is to cause a tensioning effect which makes the frame rigid. This tensioning effect has the important advantage that the frame can be made of smaller gauge sections than it might otherwise have been made of, whilst still remaining rigid during use. This in turn means that the frame can be cheaper to make and lighter to handle than it would be if it needed to employ larger gauge sections for the frame part.

[0007] Preferably, the frame will be a collapsible frame. With such a collapsible frame, the various parts of the frame can be manufactured and sent to the user in a non-assembled condition. This is easier for packing and transportation. All the user has to do is to assemble the frame, and this is easy because the separate components of the frame can be produced as a loose fit. There is no need to precision make the various components since the braces, under the tensioning action of the bag member, will act to make the frame rigid. It is to be appreciated that, if desired, the frame can be made to be non-collapsible.

[0008] The braces will usually be such that there is at least one brace extending between each adjacent pair of upstanding corner members. Preferably there are two of the braces extending between each adjacent pair of upstanding corner members. In this case, the two braces preferably cross over each other. Where the braces cross over each other, they will usually not be connected together but they may be connected together if desired.

[0009] Preferably, the two braces extend diagonally between each adjacent pair of upstanding corner members. The braces may however extend in other directions if desired so that, for example, one brace could extend in a horizontal direction whilst another brace could extend in a vertical direction.

[0010] The braces will usually be made of a flexible material. The braces may thus be made of strips of metal, strips of a fabric, or strips of a plastics material. Where strips of metal are employed, these will usually be flat strip metal such for example as spring steel. Where strips of a fabric are employed, the fabric may be webbing, canvas or nylon. Where strips of a plastics material are employed, these strips may be extruded plastics strips.

[0011] The container apparatus may include connecting means for connecting the braces to the frame.

[0012] The connecting means may be abutment members positioned for connection to end portions of the braces.

[0013] The abutment members may each be provided with an aperture for receiving a locking member for connecting the end portion of the braces to the abutment members.

[0014] With a collapsible frame, each corner member may be in two parts which fit together.

[0015] The top portion of the frame may have fastener means by which the bag member can be attached to the top portion.

[0016] The fastener means may be hooks, studs or a clamp arrangement. With hooks or studs, the bag member may have eyelets for fitting over the hooks or the studs.

[0017] The frame is preferably made of angle iron. The angle iron is a rigid and cheap material. Other materials can however be employed.

[0018] The bag member may be made of a canvas or a plastics material. The bag member can be made initially in one piece or it can be made in separate pieces which are subsequently secure together.

[0019] The container apparatus may include a liner bag for fitting inside the bag member. When a liner bag is employed, the liner bag will be for containing the fluid material. The food industry may prefer a liner bag for reasons of hygiene. Where a liner bag is not employed, then the fluid material is housed directly in the bag member.

[0020] The frame will usually be square in plan. Other rectilinear shapes may however be employed.

[0021] The base portion of the frame may be such that it is able to rest on a pallet. The pallet will usually be separate from the container apparatus. Users of the container apparatus can then use their own pallets. Wood pallets are relatively cheap but plastics pallets may be employed for reasons of increased hygiene in the food industry.

[0022] An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows container apparatus for the storage and transportation of a fluid material; and

Figure 2 shows part of the container apparatus shown in Figure 1.

[0023] Referring to the drawings, there is shown container apparatus 2 for the transportation and storage of a fluid material. The container apparatus 2 comprises a frame 4, a bag member 6 for being positioned inside the frame and supported by the frame, and braces 8 which are connected to the frame 4 and which are engaged by the bag member 6 when the bag member 6 is full up with the fluid material.

[0024] As can be seen from Figure 1, the frame 4 is an open frame having upstanding corner members 10, a top portion 12 connected to upper parts of the corner members 10, and a base portion 14 connected to lower parts of the corner members 10.

[0025] The container apparatus 2 is such that the braces 8 prevent the bag member 6 from being forced by the fluid material through openings 16 between the corner members 10. The container apparatus 2 is also such that in response to pressure from the bag member 6, the braces 8 exert a force at their ends to pull on the corner members 10 and thereby to tension the frame 4 and make the frame 4 rigid.

[0026] The frame 4 is a collapsible frame so that the frame 4 can be manufactured in separate parts and the entire container apparatus 2 can then be sent to a user in a non-assembled condition. This is easier for packing and transport and all the user has to do is to assemble the frame. Assembly is easy since the various components of the frame 4 can be made to be a loose fit inside each other since the tensioning of the frame 4 is effected by the bag member 6 pressing on the braces 8. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, there are two braces 8 which cross over each other and which extend diagonally between each adjacent pair of corner members 10.

[0027] Connecting means in the form of abutment members 18 are provided at corners of the frame 4. End portions of the braces 6 are then connected to the abutment members 18. More specifically, the end portions of the braces 8 are each provided with an aperture 20 which can then receive a pin (not shown) which can also pass through an aperture 22 in the abutment members 18 thereby pivotally connecting the braces 8 to the abutment members 18.

[0028] The corner members 10 may be in two or more parts which fit together, thereby facilitating the collapsing of the container apparatus 2 into a small easily-transportable package.

[0029] The top portion 12 of the frame 4 is provided with fastener means in the form of studs 24. The bag member 6 can then be provided with holes or eyelets for fitting over the studs 24, thereby enabling the bag member 6 to hang from the top portion 12 of the frame 4.

[0030] The base portion 14 of the frame 4 rests on a pallet 26. The pallet 26 is separate from the container apparatus 2.

[0031] It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, a locking member other than pins passing through the apertures 20 may be employed to connect the braces 8 to the abutment members 18. Also, fastener means such for example as hooks or a clamp arrangement may be employed instead of the studs 24. Still further, a liner bag (not shown) may be positioned inside the bag member 6 in cases where the fluid material has to be contained in, for example, a factory sealed totally hygienic container. As an alternative to employing the illustrated braces 8, braces may be used which are threaded around loops at the diagonally opposite corners such that in total only two long braces, for example two long straps, are used.

[0032] The container apparatus of the present invention may use a cable or plastics webbing strip. The cable or plastics webbing strip may be a very long piece of material that is wound consecutively around a hook or other appropriate anchor means at one top corner down to the diagonally opposite bottom corner, then up to the next corner etc, all around the container. Then a second cable or plastics strip may be wound around starting from the bottom of the same side as the first cable or strip to form a "X" on each face of the container. The cable or strip would have a loop at each end and be very accurately made so that it is fairly tight to fit at the end. Final tensioning may be provided by liquid in the container acting against the cables. For this to work, the hooks or other anchoring devices would preferably be well rounded so as not to provide an angle so sharp that the cable or strip cannot slide and thus find its own equalibrium in the form of even tension around the unit.

[0033] The apparatus of the invention may find beneficial application on tankers.

Claims

1. Container apparatus for the storage and transportation of fluid material, which container apparatus comprises a frame, a bag member for being positioned inside the frame and supported by the frame, and braces which are connected to the frame and which are engaged by the bag member when the bag member is full up with the fluid material, the frame being an open frame having upstanding corner members, a top portion connected to upper parts of the corner members, and a base portion connected to lower parts of the corner members, and the container apparatus being such that the braces prevent the bag member from being forced by the fluid material through openings between the corner members, and such that in response to pressure from the bag member the braces exert a force at their ends to pull on the upstanding corner members and thereby to tension the frame and make the frame rigid.

2. Container apparatus according to claim 1 in which the frame is a collapsible frame.

3. Container apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which there are two of the braces extending between each adjacent pair of the upstanding corner members.

4. Container apparatus according to claim 3 in which the two braces cross over each other, and in which the two braces extend diagonally between each adjacent pair of upstanding corner members.

5. Container apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the braces are made of a flexible material.

6. Container apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including connecting means for connecting the braces to the frame.

7. Container apparatus according to claim 6 in which the connecting means are abutment members positioned for connection to end portions of the braces, and in which the abutment members are each provided with an aperture for receiving a locking member for connecting the end portion of the braces to the abutment members.

8. Container apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the top portion of the frame has fastener means by which the bag member can be attached to the top portion.

9. Container apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including a liner bag for fitting inside the bag member.

Drawing