Bulk bag having a multi-sided shaped bottom

Abstract

A fabric bulk bag and a method for constructing the same, the bag including a continuous sidewall, a top portion, and a bottom, all defining a bulk storage space therein; the bottom further comprising eight sides which define an octagonal shape having an enlarged footprint so that the bag wall is sewn to the bottom in less time than a round shaped bag, yet when filled stands more upright with less tendency to lean than the current square shaped bags thereby providing a safer more dependable stacking bulk bag. In the method of producing the fabric bulk bag, the bag is constructed in less time than the prior art round bottom bags, uses less wall fabric than prior art square bottomed bags and when constructed and filled, supports itself more stable on a floor or pallet because it provides substantially more base for the product to rest on. In other embodiments, the bag would be multi-sided with greater than four sides.

Claims

1. A fabric bulk bag, comprising: a) a side wall comprising a layer of fabric; b) a bottom comprising at least four sides and having a shape that is neither a circle nor a square; c) a filled configuration wherein the bag is filled with bulk material; d) wherein in the filled configuration the side wall has a rounded perimeter at a height above the bottom; e) wherein in the filled configuration the side wall has one or more bulge portions at or around the height of the rounded perimeter, the one or more bulge portions extending beyond the bottom and not touching a support surface upon which the bottom rests; and f) wherein the side wall is adapted to expand while being filled with bulk material without restraining the one or more bulge portions that form.

2. The bulk bag in claim 1 wherein the side wall is continuous.

3. The bulk bag in claim 1, wherein the side wall comprises a plurality of fabric panels which when sewn together define a continuous side wall.

4. The bulk bag in claim 1, wherein the bottom is not limited to a unilateral shape.

5. The bulk bag in claim 1, wherein the bag comprises a top and wherein in the filled configuration the bag has a substantially straight support structure operable to support another filled bag stacked on the top.

6. The bulk bag in claim 5, wherein the top comprises the same shape as the bottom.

7. The bulk bag in claim 1, wherein the bottom has more than four (4) sides but less than seventeen (17) sides.

8. A fabric bulk bag, comprising: a) an unrestrained side wall comprising a layer of fabric, a top portion, and a bottom, all defining a bulk storage place therein, the bag having a filled configuration and an unfilled configuration; b) the side wall having a rounded perimeter at a height between the bottom and the top portion; c) the bottom having at least four (4) sides and a shape that is neither a square nor a circle; and d) wherein in the filled configuration the side wall is operable to have one or more bulge portions at or around the height of the rounded perimeter, said one or more bulge portions extending beyond the bottom without touching a support surface upon which the bottom rests and without causing leaning or sagging of the bag in the filled configuration.

9. The fabric bulk bag in claim 8 wherein the bottom has more than four (4) and less than seventeen (17) sides.

10. The fabric bulk bag in claim 8 wherein in the filled configuration, the bag on a square pallet is fully supported by the square pallet.

11. The fabric bulk bag in claim 8 wherein the rounded perimeter of the bag in the filled configuration fits on a square pallet.

12. The fabric bulk bag in claim 8 wherein the shape and dimensions of the bottom may be adjusted to fit a desired pallet size.

13. The fabric bulk bag in claim 8 wherein the shape of the bottom of the bag is not unilateral.

14. The fabric bulk bag in claim 8 wherein the one or more bulge portions include individual columns of unsupported product that do not touch a surface that the bottom is resting upon.

15. A fabric bulk bag, comprising; a) a top portion; b) a bottom portion having at least six sides; c) a side wall comprising a single layer of fabric and having a perimeter at a height between the top portion and the bottom portion, wherein the side wall is unrestrained allowing the side wall to have a rounded shape at the perimeter when the bulk bag is filled with bulk material in a filled configuration; and d) the side wall having one or more bulge portions in the filled configuration wherein said one or more bulge portions extend a distance beyond the bottom and do not touch a support surface upon which the bottom is resting.

16. The fabric bulk bag in claim 15 wherein the shape of the bottom may be adjusted to fit a desired pallet size.

17. The fabric bulk bag in claim 15 wherein the shape of the bottom of the bag is not unilateral.

18. A fabric bulk bag, comprising: a) a side wall comprising a layer of fabric, the side wall adapted to expand when being filled to a filled configuration without restraining one or more bulge portions that form when being filled; b) a bottom comprising at least four sides and having a shape that is neither a circle nor a square; c) a perimeter that is at least substantially circular formed in the filled configuration that is above the bottom, wherein in the filled configuration the one or more bulge portions extend beyond the bottom at or around a height of the perimeter without touching a support surface upon which the bottom rests; and d) the bottom having a footprint with an area that is larger than a square footprint of a square bottom bag having a same total perimeter as the perimeter of the fabric bulk bag.

19. The fabric bulk bag of claim 18 wherein the footprint of the bottom is at least 10% larger than the square footprint.

20. A fabric bulk bag, comprising; a) a top portion; b) a bottom portion having at least six sides; c) a side wall comprising a layer of fabric and having a perimeter at a height between the top portion and the bottom portion, wherein the side wall is adapted to expand when being filled with bulk material, allowing the side wall to have an at least substantially circular shape at the perimeter when the bulk bag is filled with bulk material in a filled configuration; d) the side wall having one or more bulge portions at or around a height of the perimeter in the filled configuration, wherein said one or more bulge portions extend a distance beyond the bottom and do not touch a support surface upon which the bottom is resting; and e) wherein the side wall is adapted to expand while being filled with bulk material without restraining formation of the one or more bulge portions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:

(2) FIGS. 1A through 4C illustrate the current state of the prior art in square bottom and round bottom bulk bags;

(3) FIGS. 5A through 5C illustrate the steps involved in forming the octagonal bottom of the bag from a square sheet of fabric in a preferred embodiment of the octagonal bottom bag of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of the octagonal bottom bag, after it has been cut to the various dimensions of each of the eight sides of the bottom of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 7 illustrates an additional embodiment of the multi-sided bulk bag illustrating the bag cut having a hexagonal configuration;

(6) FIG. 8 illustrates an overall view of an octagonal bottom bag filled with product set upon a conventional pallet;

(7) FIG. 9 illustrates two octagonal bottom bags filled with product set upon a pallet;

(8) FIG. 10 illustrates an underside view of a filled octagonal bottom bag filled with product set upon a conventional pallet; and

(9) FIG. 11 illustrates an overall view of one octagonal bottom bag filled with product being supported atop a second octagonal bottom bag filled with product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(10) Prior to turning to the bulk bag of the present invention, reference is made to FIGS. 1A through 4C to discuss the prior state of the art in bulk bags in general.

(11) In FIG. 1A there is illustrated a bulk bag 10 of the type which is manufactured in a basic square shape, having four side walls 12, a top 14, and a floor portion 16. This example illustrates the shape of the bag before it is filled with product.

(12) However, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, the bulk bag 10 is filled with product, the bulk material naturally piles up inside the bag in a conical shape with equal forces in all directions. This equal force reshapes the bag side walls 12 above the square bottom 16 into a cylindrical shaped bag 18. This causes a transitional area 17 that starts from the bottom 16 and ends when the bag has reached full cylindrical shape 18. As seen in FIG. 1B, the floor portion 16 is much smaller than the cylindrical portion 18.

(13) In the example given of a 37 inch (94 cm) square prior art bag, the floor portion 16 is 37 inches (94 cm) square but the cylindrical portion 18 is 47.1 inches (120 cm) in diameter. Or a little over 10 inches (25 cm) wider than the square base 16 of the bag 10. The results that occur because of this difference is illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B.

(14) As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, areas 20 along the length of the bag 10 represent the unsupported columns of product within the bag and not illustrated. These areas 20 represent approximately 25% of the product within the bag 10. As a result of this much unsupported weight in the unsupported columns 20 of product, this product, through the force of gravity, will seek a base and sag downwards until it reaches the floor 22. In this example, the portions of the cylinder 18 that is unsupported, is shown as unsupported columns 20 of product. In this example the width of the unsupported columns 20 of product is approximately 5 inches (13 cm) (Arrows 69).

(15) An additional problem with the Prior Art Bags is illustrated in FIG. 3A through 3C. These three figures together illustrate the issue that unsupported columns of product create.

(16) FIG. 3A shows the initial condition of bulk bag 10 immediately after filling. It shows the space 21 between the floor 22 and the unsupported columns 20 of product. It depicts the initial height 63 of a recently filled bulk bag.

(17) FIG. 3B shows the condition of bulk bag 10 when it is able to settle in a perfectly vertical manner. As illustrated, the sidewall 12 is now partially vertical and partially horizontal. As a result the bag height 63 has now been reduced and is lower than original bag height. The new height is illustrated as 62. However, since, in FIG. 3B, this has happened evenly around the entire base of the bag 10, the cylindrical portion 18 of the bag 10 is still standing very vertically.

(18) FIG. 3C shows the condition of bulk bag 10 when it has any inertial force 19 such as transportation causing the bag to settle more in one direction than another. Bag height 63 is basically the same but the bag is no longer standing vertically. Bag bottom 16 is no longer centered beneath the bag (Arrow 65) as one bag side 12 has a much bigger portion (Arrow 67) laid horizontally. Since one side is now vertically shorter, the bag and product have moved into a leaning position. In this figure, a filled bag 10 which is typical of the current art, has a 37 inch (94 cm) square bottom 16. The bag above has rounded out to a 47 inch (119 cm) cylinder 18. The cylinder 18 has leaned to the right until the unsupported columns 20 of product are resting on the floor 22 below. To do this, it has used or converted part of side wall 12 to the bottom 16. Such a bag is not only unattractive, it is less stable and less safe when being stacked upon.

(19) FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate that the fully circular bottom bag 40 is somewhat uneconomical. Due to the weight that a bag must carry, the edges of the bottom panel are folded over to create the needed strength. Therefore, a panel that will fit a 47 inch (119 cm) diameter circle 44 must start out as a minimum square of fabric 66 that is 51 inches (130 cm) square. This allows for a 1.5 inch (3.8 cm) fold of fabric 42 and a 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) sew line 46 to create a 47 inch (119 cm) diameter bottom 45 that fits a 47 inch (119 cm) diameter circular wall 43.

(20) In FIG. 4C a group of conventional bags 40 are illustrated, each filled with product. As seen in the figure, what has occurred to the bags shown in the figure was the result of the dynamics which occur in the prior art bags, as was previously illustrated in FIG. 3C and discussed above. These bags in FIG. 4C show the condition of bulk bag 10 being acted upon by inertial forces, causing the bag to settle more in one direction than another. Bag height is basically the same but the bag is no longer standing vertically. The bags 10 have rounded out to a cylinder 18, which has caused the bags 10 to lean and sag until unsupported columns 20 of product are resting on the floor 22 below. To do this, it has used or converted part of side wall 12 to the bottom 16. Such a bag is not only unattractive, it is less stable and less safe when being stacked upon.

(21) Having to start with a larger square of fabric requires, in this case, nearly 300 square inches (1935 square cm) of extra fabric cost. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 4B, it is difficult and time consuming to sew a circular seam. The sewing machines that are used in this industry to apply heavy load bearing seams 46 are designed to sew and move in a straight line. Therefore, the circular seam 46 is actually accomplished by making a large number of small straight lines 49. 49 is intended to be the seam between the bottom and sidewalls of a prior art cylindrically shaped bag. However for clarity, the sew line is illustrated beyond the actual edge of the prior art bag. After each straight line, the operator must stop the machine and adjust the direction of fabric through the machine. This results in a comparatively slow production system with many stops as opposed to the square bag and the present invention.

(22) Turning to the present invention, reference is made first to FIGS. 5A through 11. In FIG. 5A, there is illustrated a view of the bottom panel 68 that will become the bottom of the present invention. In this example, the beginning fabric is cut 48 inches (122 cm) square (Arrows 71).

(23) FIG. 5B shows that four triangular pieces 73, in phantom view, must be either removed by cutting or folded to make an octagonal shape bottom 75, having eight octagonal sides 81, the bottom 75 being 48 inches (122 cm) across the vertical and horizontal centerline.

(24) FIG. 5C illustrates the final octagonal bottom 72 for the octagonal bag 80. This final shape is created by folding the second stage of octagonal panel 70 1.25 inches (3.18 cm) on all eight sides 81. When this is sewn to the side walls 12 with a 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) scam 76, the result is the final octagonal bottom 72 that is 44.5 inches (113 cm) across the center lines in both directions. (Arrows 77)

(25) FIGS. 5A through 5C further illustrate how to make a perfectly uniform octagonal bag for bags with a perimeter of 148 inches (376 cm). It is obvious that this shaping of the bottom can be done for any perimeter size of bulk bag and gain the benefits already spoken of. In reality, what defines the invention of the octagonal bag disclosed herein, is that the octagonal shape of the bag defines a larger footprint for a filled bulk bag, and in doing so, eliminates the problems of sagging of filled bags which results in sidewalls becoming part of the support surface of the filled bags. In the octagonal bag, the larger footprint eliminates this problem, for the reasons as will be discussed below.

(26) As illustrated by FIG. 6, a perfect octagon is not always preferred. When making a circular woven bag, it speeds production up to use the markings that already exist on the fabrics to indicate to the sewing machine operator when to make the turn for the next of the eight octagonal sides 81. In this example, those pre-existing marks are at 16 inches (41 cm) (Arrows 82) and 21 inches (53 cm) (Arrows 84) apart. Modifying the octagonal bottom 72 to take advantage of these marks does not notably deteriorate the performance of this bag therefore, it is anticipated that many manufacturers will manufacture in this manner.

(27) Although the octagonal shape is the preferred embodiment of the bag, reference is made to FIG. 7 which shows a bag bottom 90 cut in a hexagonal shape 92. The multi-sided bag, having six sides 94, would perform similarly to the octagonal shaped bag 80, and in fact it is foreseen that a bulk bag having multiple sides greater than four would, in theory, perform better than a prior art four sided bag.

(28) Returning to the preferred embodiment of the bulk bag illustrated in FIGS. 5A through 6, using the same previously mentioned size bag of 37×37 inch (94×94 cm) square, what follows is a discussion of the mathematics used in this invention. For this size bag we recommend a finished Octagonal bottom panel 72 having centerline lengths of 44.6 inches (113 cm). These dimensions can obviously be altered to larger or smaller bags and larger or smaller centerline dimensions, but these are preferred dimensions.

(29) In order to end up with 44.6 inch (113 cm) centerline dimensions in both directions, a 48 inch (122 cm) piece of fabric is the preferred starting material. This piece of fabric has 2304 square inches (14,864 square cm) of area. This is 15% less materials than is required by the round bottom bag and 30% more than the bottom for the square bag.

(30) When this 44.6 inch (113 cm) Octagonal bottom 72 is sewn to the side walls 12 of a 37 inch (94 cm) square bag, it would have eight (8) 18.5 inch (47 cm) sides which add up to 148 inches (376 cm) of perimeter. This is identically equal to the perimeter of a 37 inch (94 cm) square bulk bag or a 47 inch (119 cm) diameter cylinder.

(31) The resulting bottom will then have 1646 square inches (10,619 square cm) of area to support the 1742 square inches (11,239 square cm) of cylinder above it. This works out to 94.5% of the total area of the cylinder above, which defines the larger footprint of the bag.

(32) In practical terms, the bag will have a slight bulge at the centerline of each side 12 of the original square based bag. This bulge is now only 1.25 inches (3.18 cm) beyond the base of the bag or 1.3% of the total product is bulging out beyond the base on each side.

(33) The average bulk bag carries 2200 lbs (998 kg). In the original square bag, the amount of unsupported product is 25% of the 2200 lbs (998 kg) or a total weight of 550 lbs (249 kg). As experienced in the industry, this is more than enough unsupported weight to influence the reshaping of the bulk bag.

(34) In the present invention, only 5.5% or 121 lbs (54.9 kg) of product is unsupported and that is divided up into 8 parts by the octagon instead of 4 parts for the prior art. Therefore, the imbalances in the octagonal shaped bag 80 have an average of only 15.1 lbs (6.85 kg) in any direction. This represents a less than 1% influence on the stability of the present invention.

(35) As to the cost of this bag, since the prior art uses 5 inches (13 cm) of sidewall to allow the bag to get to full support position, then the present invention can be made 5 inches (13 cm) shorter and hold the same amount of product. In the example explained above, there is a saving 5 inches (13 cm) of fabric on each of 4 sides of the original square bag for a total savings of 740 Square inches (4774 square cm) of side wall fabric.

(36) As was discussed earlier, the octagonal bottom 72 required a piece of fabric with an area of 2304 square inches (14,864 square cm) as opposed to the square bag bottom which required only 1764. However, since the octagonal bottom 72 allows the drop in side wall height of 5 inches (13 cm), we can see that the present invention uses an almost identical amount of fabric. The present invention uses 2304 sq. inches (14,864 sq. cm) for the bottom but saves 740 square inches (4774 sq. cm) on the side walls. This presents a net usage of 1564 square inches (10,090 sq. cm) for the present invention versus 1764 square inches (11,380 sq. cm) for the prior art.

(37) On the labor side, the sewing machine operator is still sewing the same 148 inches (376 cm) of perimeter bottom but is making 8 stops and turns instead of 4 stops and turns. The effect of this is minimal and probably equal in value to the 200 square inches (1290 square cm) of fabric that the octagonal bag saves over the prior art.

(38) As can now be seen, the octagonal bag 80 has a cost roughly equal to the prior art but has a greatly improved stability.

(39) The shape of the octagonal bottom 72 can be altered to accomplish different objectives without substantially affecting the stability. In one design, as seen in FIG. 6, the sides of octagonal corners are altered to 16 inch (41 cm) corners and 21 inch (53 cm) sides. This alteration matches the marker yarns on circular reinforced fabrics and provides an easy visual aid for the sewing machine operators to know when to make the eight turns on the bottom to create the Octagonal shaped bottom. This speeds up the process and eliminates the need for marking the fabrics to identify the turning points. The inventor has used this method and found no identifiable deterioration in bag performance.

(40) FIGS. 8 through 11 illustrate the octagonal bags 80 filled with product resting on a conventional pallet 60. As illustrated first in FIG. 8, the single bag 80, set upon a pallet 60, provides an upright filled bag, wherein because of the large footprint of the bottom 90, the sidewalls 81 have not bulged outward, as with the prior art bag shown in FIG. 2B. This due to the fact that the larger footprint of the bag 80 provides a broad, stable base upon which the filled bag 80 is supported, and in that manner, the sidewalls 81 are not inclined to sag and become part of the area upon which the product within the bag 80 rests, as in prior art bags, as seen in FIG. 2A. As seen in FIG. 9, a pair of filled bags 80 are positioned side by side, with the sidewalls 81 of both bags supported in a vertical position, on the pallet 60, and which therefore, continue to define a flat, horizontal top able to receive and support filled bags 80 in an upright position as seen in FIG. 11.

(41) FIG. 10 illustrates an underside view of a filled octagonal shaped bag 80, resting on a pallet 60. From a comparison of this view with the prior art view as seen in FIG. 2B, it is clear that the sidewalls 81 of the bag 80 in FIG. 11, although bulging out very slight, are still well confined within the footprint of the base or bottom 90 of the bag. Therefore the sidewalls 81 are unlikely to force the bag to sag, unlike the bag in FIG. 2B, where the sidewalls 12 have bulged out a great deal which results in sagging of bags, as seen in the bags illustrated in FIG. 4C.

(42) Now one can see that the wider base improves stability through providing a greater support surface, or a greater footprint, as it could be defined. We can also see that in the stacking of these bags, a similar top would also be beneficial as it will provide a greater surface for the upper bag to rest securely upon as well. However, it is not necessary to apply this design to the top to get the benefits of a bag that will stand stably by itself.

(43) It is also noted that providing a larger base, or footprint, through the use of the octagonal shaped bottom is beneficial for stacking. Therefore, using this technology to provide a larger panel on the top of the bag will provide a wider stacking surface for any bags being stacked on bags with octagonally shaped tops. This will further improve the stacking safety and stability of such bulk bags.

(44) The following is a list of parts and materials suitable for use in the present invention:

(45) TABLE-US-00001 PARTS LIST Parts Number Description 10 prior art bulk bag 12 side walls 14 top 16 floor portion 17 transitional area 18 cylinder shaped shape of bag 19 Inertial force 20 areas of unsupported columns of product 21 distance between floor and Product 22 floor 40 prior art bag 42 folded fabric 43 circular wall 44 full circle 46 sew line 50 bulk bag 52 floor portion 54 sides 55 wall portion 56 octagonal shape 58 triangles 59 comers 60 pallet 62 initial height of bulk bag 63 final height of bulk bag 64 transportation force 65 Arrows 67 Arrows 66 51 inch (132 cm) Fabric square 68 beginning octagon bottom panel 70 second stage of octagon panel 71 Arrows 72 final octagon bottom panel 73 triangular portions 74 1.25 inch (3.18 cm) fabric fold 75 octagonal shape 76 seam 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) deep 77 Arrows 80 octagonal bag 81 sides 82 Arrows 84 Arrows 90 hexagonal bag bottom 92 hexagonal shape 94 sides

(46) All measurements disclosed herein are at standard temperature and pressure, at sea level on Earth, unless indicated otherwise. All materials used or intended to be used in a human being are biocompatible, unless indicated otherwise.

(47) The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.