BAG FOR THE STORAGE AND TRANSPORT OF A PULVERULENT PRODUCT AND METHOD OF FILLING THE SAME

Abstract

A bag for the storage and transport of a pulverulent product, such as agri-food, mineral, chemical or pharmaceutical powders and like powdery materials, the bag including a bottom part, a sidewall, and an upper part joined together to form a storage volume, wherein the upper part is provided with a filler inlet configured to allow the pulverulent product to be introduced inside the storage volume during a filling operation. The bag further includes lifting straps, and at least one integral elongated section made of an air-permeable material extending inside the storage volume and including an outlet accessible from the outside of the bag, the elongated section acting as an integrated filter member configured to allow insertion of an elongated air-extraction member of an air-extraction system inside the elongated section so as to extract air directly from inside the storage volume of the bag during the filling operation.

Claims

1.-18. (canceled)

19. A bag for the storage and transport of a pulverulent product comprising a bottom part, a sidewall and an upper part joined together to form a storage volume, wherein the upper part is provided with a filler inlet or opening configured to allow the pulverulent product to be introduced inside the storage volume of the bag during a filling operation, wherein the bag further comprises lifting straps provided in an upper portion of the bag, wherein the bag further comprises at least one elongated section made of an air-permeable material and extending inside the storage volume of the bag, which elongated section is an integral part of the bag and comprises an outlet accessible from the outside of the bag, the elongated section acting as an integrated filter member and being configured to allow insertion of an elongated air-extraction member of an air-extraction system, inside the elongated section, so as to extract air directly from inside the storage volume of the bag during the filling operation.

20. The bag according to claim 19, wherein the elongated section is secured to the upper part of the bag and extends inside the storage volume of the bag towards the bottom part.

21. The bag according to claim 20, wherein the elongated section is sewn to the upper part of the bag.

22. The bag according to claim 20, wherein the elongated section extends up to the bottom part of the bag.

23. The bag according to claim 19, wherein a distal end of the elongated section is secured to the bag.

24. The bag according to claim 19, wherein a distal end of the elongated section is not secured to the bag and is repositionable inside the storage volume of the bag.

25. The bag according to claim 19, wherein the elongated section exhibits a substantially cylindrical shape.

26. The bag according to claim 19, wherein the outlet of the elongated section is shaped as a collar section configured to be attached to an outer portion of the elongated air-extraction member.

27. The bag according to claim 19, comprising multiple said elongated sections each designed to act as an integrated filter member.

28. The bag according to claim 19, wherein the sidewall is made of four sides connected in pairs along adjacent edges to form vertical ridges at four corners of the bag, and wherein the lifting straps are provided along the vertical ridges of the bag.

29. The bag according to claim 19, wherein at least the bottom part and sidewall of the bag are configured to be airtight and/or siftproof.

30. The bag according to claim 29, wherein the upper part of the bag is also configured to be airtight and/or siftproof.

31. The bag according to claim 26, wherein the bottom part, upper part, and sidewall of the bag are configured to be airtight and/or siftproof, and wherein the collar section forming the outlet of the elongated section is likewise configured to be airtight and/or siftproof.

32. The bag according to claim 19, wherein the bag is made of fabric cut into several pieces, which are assembled together by means of seams.

33. The bag according to claim 32, wherein the seams are siftproof seams.

34. The bag according to claim 33, wherein the siftproof seams each include multiple threads that are sewn to form an alternation of mutually overlapping stitches arranged in a single line.

35. A method of filling the bag of claim 19 with a pulverulent product, comprising: providing an air-extraction system comprising an air-extraction unit coupled to an elongated air-extraction member having dimensions conforming to dimensions of the elongated section of the bag; inserting the elongated air-extraction member inside the elongated section of the bag; starting the filling operation by introducing the pulverulent product into the storage volume of the bag via the filler inlet or opening of the bag; activating the air-extraction system during the filling operation to extract air from inside the storage volume of the bag via the elongated section and the elongated air-extraction member as the pulverulent product is introduced into the storage volume of the bag; and stopping the air-extraction system and removing the elongated air-extraction member from the elongated section of the bag after the filling operation is completed.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the air-extraction system comprises an air-extraction unit consisting of a portable industrial vacuum device.

37. The method according to claim 35, wherein the elongated air-extraction member is provided with a manometer to monitor air pressure inside the elongated air-extraction member during air extraction.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein the pulverulent product includes agri-food, mineral, chemical or pharmaceutical powders or powdery materials.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention which are presented solely by way of non-restrictive examples and illustrated by the attached drawings in which:

[0035] FIG. 1A is a photographic illustration of a conventional big-bag in the process of being filled with a pulverulent product;

[0036] FIG. 1B is a photographic illustration of the conventional big-bag of FIG. 1A after air trapped inside the bag has been allowed to escape and the pulverulent product has settled inside the storage volume of the big-bag;

[0037] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a bag in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0038] FIG. 2A is a photographic illustration of a portion of the inside of the bag of FIG. 2, revealing an elongated section extending inside the storage volume of the bag and acting as integrated filter member;

[0039] FIG. 3 is a photographic illustration of a portable industrial vacuum device used as air-extraction system in connection with the bag of FIGS. 2 and 2A;

[0040] FIG. 3A is an enlarged photographic illustration of an elongated air-extraction member of the portable industrial vacuum device of FIG. 3; and

[0041] FIG. 4 is a photographic illustration showing the elongated air-extraction member of the portable industrial vacuum device of FIG. 3 inserted inside the elongated section extending inside the storage volume of the bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0042] The present invention will be described in relation to various illustrative embodiments. It shall be understood that the scope of the invention encompasses all combinations and sub-combinations of the features of the invention disclosed herein.

[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a bag, which can likewise be referred to as a big-bag, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, which bag is generally identified by reference numeral 10. FIG. 2 shows the bag 10 in a fully deployed configuration. It is to be understood that, in the fully deployed configuration, the bag 10 typically exhibits a generally cubic or cuboid shape, with possibly different width, length and height dimensions, depending on the relevant application and goods to be stored and transported. The bag dimensions (be it the width, length or height) may in particular range from approximately 60 to more than 200 centimetres, which dimensions shall however be understood as being mentioned for the purpose of illustration only. Other bag shapes could also be contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

[0044] The bag 10 is preferably manufactured from woven fabric using e.g. synthetic fibre materials (such as polypropylene or polyethylene materials), which fabric is cut into pieces that are sewn and/or welded together to form the bag structure. By way of illustration, reference can be made to International (PCT) Publications Nos. WO 01/18293 A1, WO 2010/073219 A2 and WO 2017/216742 A1 in the name of the present Applicant, which publications are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0045] The bag 10 generally shares a configuration similar to known bags. In particular, the bag 10 comprises at least a bottom part 5 and a sidewall here consisting of four sides 1 to 4 connected in pairs along adjacent edges to form vertical ridges at four corners of the bag 10. The bag 10 is further provided with an upper part, or lid, 6 closing the upper part thereof and provided with a filler inlet, or spout, 60 to allow introduction of a pulverulent product inside the storage volume 10A of the bag 10, like the known bag shown e.g. in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Typically, and while this is not specifically shown in FIG. 2, the bottom part 5 is further provided with an emptying outlet, or spout, to allow emptying of the bag 10. The bag 10 further comprises four lifting straps 8 provided in an upper portion of the bag 10 along the vertical ridges of the bag 10. The lifting straps 8 are here shown as individual lifting straps, but it should be understood that the lifting straps 8 may optionally be interconnected in pairs by two sleeves to form tubings or ducts on two opposite sides of the bag 10 to allow lifting of the bag 10 by means of a forklift, as taught for instance in International (PCT) Publication No. WO 98/54070 A1.

[0046] In accordance with the invention, as schematically depicted in FIG. 2, the bag 10 further comprises at least one elongated section 65 made of an air-permeable material and extending inside the storage volume 10A of the bag 10. In the illustrated example, the bag 10 comprises one such elongated section 65, but multiple elongated sections may be provided. The elongated section 65 is an integral part of the bag 10 and comprises an outlet 65A accessible from the outside of the bag 10. As this will be appreciated, the elongated section 65 is designed to act as an integrated filter member and is configured to allow insertion of a corresponding elongated air-extraction member (designated by reference numeral 220 in FIGS. 3, 3A and 4) of an air-extraction system, inside the elongated section 65, so as to extract air directly from inside the storage volume 10A of the bag 10 during the filling operation.

[0047] The elongated section 65 is here shown as being secured (in particular sewn) to the upper part 6 of the bag and extends inside the storage volume 10A of the bag 10 towards the bottom part 5. The elongated section could alternatively be secured to another part of the bag, such as to an upper portion of the sidewall 1-4. Provision of the elongated section 65 on the upper part 6 of the bag 10 is however preferred in that removal of the elongated air-extraction member 220 after the filling operation is thereby facilitated.

[0048] The elongated section 65 is preferably of substantially cylindrical shape, but other shapes could possibly be contemplated. In essence, the shape of the elongated section 65 should match the shape of the elongated air-extraction member of the air-extraction system.

[0049] FIG. 2A is a photographic illustration of a portion of the inside of the bag of FIG. 2, revealing the elongated section 65 extending inside the storage volume 10A of the bag 10. A distal end 65a of the elongated section 65 could be secured to the bag 10, for instance to the bottom part 5, in which case the elongated section 65 does not need not be closed at the distal end 65a. In another embodiment, as shown, the distal end 65a of the elongated section 65 is not secured to the bag 10 and is repositionable at will inside the storage volume 10A of the bag 10. In this latter case, the distal end 65a of the elongated section 65 is closed to prevent the pulverulent product from being sucked together with the air extracted by the air extraction system.

[0050] The bottom part 5 and sidewall 1-4 of the bag 10 are advantageously configured to be airtight and/or siftproof, thereby preventing any contamination of the product stored in the storage volume 10A of the bag 10 as well as preventing the powdery material from sifting through the bag structure. By the same token, the upper part 6 of the bag 10 can also be configured to be airtight and/or siftproof.

[0051] Airtightness and siftproofness may be ensured by the provision of a suitable impermeable lining on the interior side of the bag 10 and/or by a suitably assembly of the pieces of fabric used to build the bag 10. In that respect, the bag 10 may in particular be made of fabric cut into several pieces that are assembled together by means of siftproof seams, in particular by sewing, in accordance with the method disclosed in International (PCT) Application No. WO 2010/073219 A2 or WO 2017/216742 A1, in the name of the present Applicant, which publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0052] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a siftproof seam made in accordance with the teaching of International (PCT) Application No. WO 2010/073219 A2. More precisely, FIG. 5 shows the state of advance of the assembly of two pieces of fabric F1, F2 being assembled together using a sewing machine comprising an in-line arrangement of at least two needles N1, N2 that are arranged in succession one after the other along a same sewing direction (as separately shown in FIG. 4 of WO 2010/073219 A2) to form the illustrated, siftproof seam. This siftproof seam includes in essence multiple threads TH1a, TH1b, TH2a, TH2b that are sewn to form an alternation of mutually overlapping stitches S1, S2 arranged in a single line. Specifically, the first needle N1 produces a series of stitches S1 using two threads TH1a, TH1b, while the second needle N2, that is arranged in-line behind the first needle N1 with respect to the sewing direction, produces another series of stitches S2 using two further threads TH2a, TH2b. At the stage of advance pictured in FIG. 5, the first needle N1 has just finished producing a new stitch S1 after having perforated the pieces of fabric F1, F2 at perforation P3. At this moment, the second needle N2 is put into action to start a new perforation P2 through the (upper) thread TH1a of the stitch S1 that has just been formed by the first needle N1, namely at a position located between perforations P1, P3 previously made by the first needle N1. In this way, the perforation P2 formed by the second needle N2 is partly filled at its entry point by the thread TH1a. Moreover, the (upper and lower) threads TH2a, TH2b cover the stitches S1 previously formed by the first needle N1, including in the area of perforation P1 made by the first needle N1. In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, the pieces of fabric F1, F2 are double-thickness pieces of fabric. Furthermore, as a result of the sewing process, the outer piece of fabric F1 tends to slide slightly with respect to the inner piece of fabric F2, thus contributing towards obstruction of the perforations in the seam, thereby making it siftproof.

[0053] FIG. 3 is a photographic illustration of an air-extraction system 200 used in connection with the bag of FIGS. 2 and 2A during the filling operation. This air-extraction system 200 may comprise an air-extraction unit 210 consisting of a portable industrial vacuum device, as generally available on the market from suppliers like Kärcher and the like, which air-extraction unit 210 is coupled to a custom-designed elongated air-extraction member 220 via a flexible tubing 215. This considerably reduces costs compared to the typical air-extraction systems of the prior art. Indeed, a suitable industrial vacuum device typically costs in the range of 8'000 to 10'000 EUR, one order of magnitude less than the conventional air-extraction systems used in the context of the filling of big-bags with powdery products.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3A, the elongated air-extraction member 220 is preferably provided with a manometer 250 to monitor air pressure inside the elongated air-extraction member 220 during air extraction.

[0055] The elongated air-extraction member 220 here exhibits a substantially cylindrical shape conforming to the shape of the elongated section 65 of the bag 10. Any other shape could be contemplated as long as the elongated air-extraction member 220 can be inserted inside the elongated section 65 of the bag 10, as for instance shown in FIG. 4.

[0056] By way of preference, the outlet 65A of the elongated section 65 is designed as a collar section configured to be attached to an outer portion of the elongated air-extraction member 220, as depicted in FIG. 4. Such collar section may especially be attached by tightening a securing band around the collar section and the elongated air-extraction member 220, as shown. This collar section may likewise be configured to be airtight and/or siftproof.

[0057] Filling of the bag of the invention with a pulverulent product may be carried out as follows: [0058] firstly, a suitable air-extraction system, like the air extraction system 200 of FIG. 3, is provided, comprising an air-extraction unit 210 coupled to an elongated air-extraction member 220 having dimensions conforming to dimensions of the elongated section 65 of the bag 10; [0059] the elongated air-extraction member 220 is then inserted inside the elongated section 65 of the bag 10 (as shown in FIG. 4); [0060] thereafter, the filling operation can be started by introducing the pulverulent product into the storage volume 10A of the bag 10 via the filler inlet 60 of the bag 10; [0061] while the filling operation is underway, the air-extraction system 200 is activated in order to extract air from inside the storage volume 10A of the bag 10, via the elongated section 65 and the elongated air-extraction member 220, as the pulverulent product is being introduced into the storage volume 10A of the bag 10; and [0062] finally, after the filling operation is completed, the air-extraction system 200 can be stopped and the elongated air-extraction member 220 can be removed from the elongated section of the bag 10.

[0063] In effect, the air-extraction system 200 could stay active for some time after the filling operation has been completed in order to extract as much air as possible from the storage volume 10A of the bag 10.

[0064] In a variant, the air-extraction member 220 could be progressively removed as the bag is being filled with the pulverulent product, thereby allowing the pulverulent product to progressively fill the space left by the retraction of the air-extraction member 220. This being said, the volume occupied by the air-extraction member 220 is considerably smaller than the lost storage space that results from settling of the powdery product in the solutions of the prior art (see again FIG. 1B), and removal of the air-extraction member 220 will not therefore lead to any significant loss of storage space inside the storage volume 10A of the bag 10.

[0065] The bag of the present invention and related method of filling the bag with a pulverulent product considerably reduces the required time for the pulverulent product to settle inside the bag, namely from hours, or even days, to just a few minutes. Furthermore, and in contrast to the known solutions, the bag's storage volume can be exploited in a more optimal manner as air is extracted more efficiently during the filling operation, leading to a reduction or complete elimination of unused, lost storage space in the upper portion of the bag. The invention therefore allows to achieve a significant reduction of waste.

[0066] Various modifications and/or improvements may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. For instance, while the bag is shown as being of generally cubic form, the bag could alternatively exhibit a more elongated shape in one direction, for instance be taller or wider, or a substantially cylindrical shape, depending on the relevant application.

[0067] Furthermore, the filler inlet or opening may take any suitable shape or configuration adapted to allow introduction of a pulverulent product inside the storage volume of the bag.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS USED THEREIN

[0068] 10* bag (prior art of FIGS. 1A and 1B) [0069] 10a* upper, unused portion of bag 10* after settling of powdery product inside the bag 10* [0070] 8* lifting straps of bag 10* [0071] 60* filler inlet of bag 10* [0072] 10 bag (embodiment of the invention) [0073] 10A storage volume of bag 10 [0074] 1 first side of bag 10 (part of sidewall) [0075] 2 second side of bag 10 (part of sidewall) [0076] 3 third side of bag 10 (part of sidewall) [0077] 4 fourth side of bag 10 (part of sidewall) [0078] 5 bottom part of bag 10 [0079] 6 upper part of bag 10 [0080] 8 lifting straps of bag 10 [0081] 60 filler inlet or opening of bag 10 for introduction of pulverulent product [0082] 65 elongated section acting as integrated filter member [0083] 65A outlet of elongated section (collar section) [0084] 65a distal end of elongated section 65 [0085] 200 air-extraction system [0086] 210 air-extraction unit (e.g. portable industrial vacuum device) [0087] 215 flexible tubing [0088] 220 elongated air-extraction member coupled to flexible tubing 215 and configured to be inserted inside elongated section 65 of bag 10 [0089] 250 manometer coupled to elongated air-extraction member 220 [0090] F1 first piece of (e.g. double-thickness) fabric [0091] F2 second piece of (e.g. double-thickness) fabric [0092] N1 first needle of sewing machine [0093] N2 second needle of sewing machine arranged in-line behind the first needle N1 with respect to the sewing direction [0094] P1, P3 perforations made by first needle N1 [0095] P2 perforation made by second needle N2 [0096] S1 first series of stitches made by first needle N1 [0097] S2 second series of stitches made by second needle N2 [0098] TH1a upper thread of stitches S1 [0099] TH1b lower thread of stitches S1 [0100] TH2a upper thread of stitches S2 [0101] TH2b lower thread of stitches S2