Abstract
A device for storing and transporting a bulk material, in particular a pharmaceutical bulk material, comprising a base container and at least one connection body detachably connectable with the base container, wherein the base container and the connection body in the connected state form a sealing section with which the base container and the connection body are connectable or are connected gas-tight with one another. A method for filling such device with this bulk material and for emptying a device filled with this bulk material as well as the use of such device for storing and transporting a pharmaceutical bulk material.
Claims
1. A device for storing and transporting bulk material, comprising a base container; and a connection body detachably connectable with the base container, wherein the base container and the connection body in a connected state form a sealing section with which the base container and the connection body are connected gas-tight with one another.
2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the connection body is a closed cover.
3. The device as in claim 2, wherein the closed cover is arranged such that a multiplicity of base containers can be stacked one above another when the cover is connected with the base container.
4. The device as in claim 1, wherein the connection body comprises a filling connection, that can be closed gas-tight, for introducing and emptying of the bulk material, and to which a mating connection of a supplying and/or emptying facility is connected gas-tight.
5. The device as in claim 4, wherein the filling connection is closable by a protective lid.
6. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a wheeled transporter onto which one or several of base containers is placeable.
7. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a pallet onto which one or several of the base containers is placeable.
8. The device as in claim 1, further comprising an inverting frame, connectable with the base container, with which the base container can be swivelled about a rotational axis (D).
9. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a flexible receptacle placeable into the base container, and wherein the flexible receptacle is gas-tight clampable into the sealing section.
10. The device as in claim 9, wherein the sealing section comprises a first sealing contour formed by the base container and a second sealing contour formed by the connection body, which, in the connected state, are in gas-tight contact on one another.
11. The device as in claim 10, wherein the flexible receptacle is clamped between the first sealing contour and the second sealing contour in the connected state.
12. The device as in claim 11, characterized in that the device further comprising: an adapter body with a first passage opening and a second passage opening, wherein wherein the adapter body in a region of the first passage opening comprises a first sealing section and in a region of the second passage opening comprises a second sealing section such that the adapter body is connectable gas-tight with the base container and/or gas-tight with the connection body.
13. The device as in claim 12, wherein the first sealing section comprises the first sealing contour and the second sealing section comprises the second sealing contour.
14. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a flexible first envelope and a flexible second envelope for guiding the bulk material, wherein the flexible first envelope and the second flexible envelope are detachably connectable with one another by a docking lock with a clearable and closable opening.
15. The device as in claim 14, wherein the flexible receptacle is detachably connectable with the first envelope or the second envelope utilizing the docking lock.
16. The device as in claim 14, wherein the first envelope, the second envelope or the flexible receptacle with the cleared opening encompass the sealing section of the connection body, the first sealing section of the adapter body or the second sealing section of the adapter body or the filling connection and/or a mating connection.
17. The device as in claim 9, wherein the connection body is connected with a supplying and/or emptying facility, with which the bulk material is placeable into the base container or the flexible receptacle, or removed from the base container or from the flexible receptacle.
18. The device as in claim 1, further comprising an enclosure facility that encompasses an interior volume into which the base container is placeable.
19. The device as in claim 18, wherein the enclosure facility comprises an enclosure container and an enclosure upper shell that are gas-tight connectable with one another.
20. The device as in one of the preceding claims 19, wherein the base container, the connection body, the flexible receptacle, the adapter body, the enclosure container and/or the enclosure upper shell are fabricated of a synthetic material.
21-27. (canceled)
Description
[0101] In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention will be discussed in greater detail with reference to the attached drawing. Therein depict
[0102] FIG. 1A to 1H perspective representations of several embodiments of a device according to the invention, all of which comprise a base container,
[0103] FIG. 2A base containers stacked one above the other,
[0104] FIG. 2B base containers disposed on a pallet,
[0105] FIG. 3A to 3H several steps of a first method for emptying a flexible receptacle filled with bulk material,
[0106] FIG. 4A to 4D several steps of a second method for emptying a flexible receptacle filled with bulk material,
[0107] FIG. 5A to 5G several steps of a method for connecting a base container with a processing chamber,
[0108] FIG. 6A to 6D several steps of a second method for emptying a base container filled with bulk material,
[0109] FIG. 7A a perspective exploded representation of a base container placed into an enclosure facility,
[0110] FIG. 7B a sectional representation through a base container placed into an enclosure facility,
[0111] FIG. 7C a number of enclosure facilities with base containers placed therein disposed on a pallet,
[0112] FIGS. 8A to 8I several steps of a third method for emptying a base container filled with bulk material,
[0113] FIGS. 9A and 9B several feasibilities of taking samples from base containers filled with bulk material, and
[0114] FIG. 10A to 10C several representations of an adapter body connected with a base container, into which a flexible receptacle has been placed.
[0115] In FIG. 1A a base container 12 of a device 10 according to the invention is shown in conjunction with a perspective representation. The base container 12 is substantially orthogonal in form and encompasses a hollow volume 13. In the hollow volume 13 can be received a bulk material not shown here.
[0116] The hollow volume 13 is accessible via an access opening 15. Onto the base container 12 a connection body 14 can be connected which, for example in FIG. 1B, is implemented as a cover 18.
[0117] When connected, the base container 12 and the connection body 14 form a sealing section 16 (FIG. 1D) in which the base container 12 and the connection body 14 are connected gas-tight with one another. In FIG. 1C the connection body 14 is shaped in the form of a pyramid and comprises a filling connection 20 to which a mating connection 22 can be connected (see for example FIG. 3F). In FIG. 1D the connection body 14 according to FIG. 1C is secured on the base container 12 forming the already cited sealing section 16. In FIG. 1E an inverting frame 24 is secured with the base container 12, with which it is feasible to swivel the base container 12 and the connection body 14 connected to the base container 12 about a rotational axis D which conventionally extends horizontally. The inverting serves in particular for mixing the bulk material disposed in the base container 12 and for emptying the base container 12 filled with bulk material.
[0118] As is discernible in FIGS. 1F to 1H, the filling connection 20 can be sealed with a protective lid 26. The protective lid 26 can be grasped with a grip 28, placed onto the filling connection 20 and subsequently be connected with the filling connection 20. After the protective lid 26 is secured on the filling connection 20, the grip 28 can be removed as is evident in FIG. 1H. The protective lid 26 serves for the protection of the filling connection 20 and counteracts the uncontrolled escape of bulk material through the filling connection 20. The protective lid 26 can, moreover, provide an indication of whether or not the base container 12 is filled with bulk material. For this purpose, protective lids 26 in different colors can be utilized.
[0119] In FIG. 2A an embodiment of the device 10 is depicted which comprises a wheeled transporter 30 on which a total of three base containers 12 are stacked which are each closed with a cover 18 shown in FIG. 1B.
[0120] In FIG. 2B overall six base containers 12 disposed on a pallet 32 are depicted that are closed with the pyramid-shaped connection body 14 which is shown in FIGS. 1C to 1H. The pallet 32 comprises in this case a wall 34 that protects the base containers 12 against damage.
[0121] In FIGS. 3A to 3H are depicted several steps of a first method for emptying a flexible receptacle 36 filled with bulk material. As is evident in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the flexible receptacle 36 can be placed into the base container 12. The flexible container 36 is closed with a first closure facility 42 that forms a part of a docking lock 40. The second part of the docking lock 40 is formed by a second closure facility 44 shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D. The second closure facility 44 is disposed on a flexible first envelope 45 which is connected with an adapter body 46 disposed between the base container 12 and the connection body 14 and can be connected gas-tight therewith forming in each instance a sealing section 16. The adapter body 46 comprises at a first end a first passage opening 47 and at a second end a second passage opening 49.
[0122] The first closure facility 42 and the second closure facility 44 are connected with one another such that two parts of a zipper 48 mesh with one another, which subsequently, referred to the representation selected in FIGS. 3A to 3H, is moved from right to left (cf. FIGS. 3C and 3D). The movement of the zipper 48 effectuates, on the one hand, that the first closure facility 42 and the second closure facility 44 are connected with one another and, on the other hand, that an opening 50 is cleared through which the adapter body 46 can be guided and be connected gas-tight with the base container 12, as is the case in FIG. 3E. The sealing section 16, formed by the base container 12 and by the adapter body 46, is consequently encompassed by the flexible receptacle 36 and by the flexible first envelope 45. In the event a portion of the bulk material escapes across the sealing section 16, it is captured by the flexible first envelope 45 and the flexible receptacle 36 such that this bulk material cannot escape into the environment unchecked.
[0123] In FIG. 3F the already cited mating connection 22 is connected to the filling connection 20 of the connection body 14. The mating connection 22 is part of a supplying and/or emptying facility 52 across which the bulk material is introduced into the base container 12 and can be removed therefrom. The filling connection 20 and the mating connection 22 can together form a double flap that can be opened when the filling connection 20 and the mating connection 22 are connected with one another as intended.
[0124] In the configuration shown in FIG. 3F the base container 12 can be filled with the bulk material after the filling connection 20 and the mating connection 22 have been opened with a common movement. In the manner described above, the escape of bulk material through the sealing section 16 is prevented by the flexible first envelope 45 and the flexible receptacle 36.
[0125] In FIGS. 3G and 3H a first method for emptying the flexible receptacle 36 is depicted. In FIG. 3G is discernible that the inverting frame 24, also already mentioned above, is connected to the adapter body 46 and to the connection body 14. The base container 12 is swivelled by 180° about a substantially horizontally extending rotational axis D such that the bulk material can fall out of the base container 12 and reach the supplying and/or emptying facility 52. When the base container 12 is completely empty, the filling connection 20 and the mating connection 22 are closed and separated from one another as is shown in FIG. 3H. The empty base container 12 can subsequently be disposed of (not shown) together with the adapter body 46 and the connection body 14. It should be noted that the docking lock 40 in the connected state can be jointly disposed of.
[0126] In FIGS. 4A and 4B two steps of a second method for filling and in FIGS. 4C and 4D two steps two steps of a second method for emptying the base container 12 are depicted, wherein the principal steps correspond to those that were depicted in FIGS. 3A to 3H. The significant difference comprises therein that on the adapter body 46 additionally a flexible second envelope 54 and on the supplying and/or emptying facility 52 a further first flexible envelope 45 are disposed. The flexible second envelope 54 and the flexible further first envelope 45 can again be connected with the docking lock 40 with one another in the manner described above. As already cited in connection with the embodiment example according to FIGS. 3A to 3H, the sealing section 16, formed by base container 12 and adapter body 46, is encompassed by the flexible receptacle 36 and the flexible first envelope 45. In this embodiment example the filling connection 20 and the mating connection 22 are, furthermore, encompassed by the flexible second envelope 54 and the flexible further first envelope 45. In contrast [sic] to the embodiment example according to FIGS. 3A to 3H, in this embodiment example the unchecked escape of bulk material through the filling connection 20 and the mating connection 22 into the environment is also prevented.
[0127] In FIGS. 4A and 4B is discernible that the filling connection 20 and the mating connection 22 are closed and separated from one another after completion of the filling process before the docking lock [40] is opened and consequently the first envelope 45 and the second envelope 54 are closed. In FIGS. 4C and 4D is depicted that the base container 12 swivelled by 180° is emptied first. The filling connection 20 and the mating connection 22 are subsequently closed and separated from one another such that the docking lock 40, formed by the flexible further first envelope 45 and the second envelope 54, can be opened whereby the further first envelope 45 and the second envelope 54 are closed.
[0128] While the method shown in FIGS. 3A to 3H is suitable for bulk material that can be handled according to the OEB 4 standard, the method shown in FIGS. 4A to 4D lends itself for bulk material that must be handled according to the OEB 6 Standard.
[0129] In FIGS. 5A to 5G several steps of a method for connecting a base container 12 with a processing chamber 56 are depicted. As can be seen in FIG. 5A, the device 10 comprises an enclosure facility 58 which is comprised of an enclosure container 60 and an enclosure upper shell 62 connectible gas-tight with the enclosure container 60. The device 10 furthermore comprises two clamping elements 63 which can be comprised, for example, of expanded polystyrene and be structured identically. The two clamping elements 63 can be introduced into the enclosure container 60 and the enclosure upper shell 62. As can be seen in FIG. 5C, the base container 12 can also be placed into the enclosure facility 58 such that the base container 12 is completely encompassed by the enclosure facility 58 and be fixed in the enclosure facility 58 using the two clamping elements 63.
[0130] To connect the base container 12 with the processing chamber 56, which is depicted in FIGS. 5D to 5G, first, the base container 12 is removed from the enclosure facility 58. The base container 12 depicted in FIG. 5C is connected with the already cited adapter body 46 to which a flexible first envelope 45 in the folded and closed state is secured by means of a carrier body 64. The adapter body 46 itself is not directly closable with a cover 18 or the like that can be connected gas-tight with the adapter body 46. To this extent the adapter body 46 is structured differently in this regard than the connection body 14 shown in FIGS. 10 to 1H. The adapter body 46, and consequently also the base container 12, are therefore closed exclusively with the flexible first envelope 45.
[0131] Correspondingly, the processing chamber 56 comprises a processing connection 66 that can be connected gas-tight with the adapter body 46 forming a sealing section 16 (FIG. 5E). The processing connection 66 is connected with a flexible second envelope 54 which, as is evident in FIG. 5B, can be connected with the flexible first envelope 45 forming a cleared opening 50 through which the processing connection 66 can be guided in order to be connected gas-tight with the adapter body 46 (cf. FIGS. 5E to 5F). The bulk material can subsequently be conducted from the processing chamber 56 into the base container 12 and conversely.
[0132] In FIGS. 6A to 6D several steps of a second method for emptying a base container 12 filled with bulk material are shown in conjunction with perspective representations. The base container 12 utilized in this method corresponds herein to that depicted in FIGS. 5C to 5G.
[0133] The supplying and/or emptying facility 52 comprises in this case a flexible tube 68. Like the processing chamber 56 depicted in FIGS. 5D to 5G, the tube 68 comprises a processing connection 66 which can be connected gas-tight with the adapter body 46 forming a sealing section 16. A flexible second envelope 54 is connected with the processing connection 66 which, as is evident in FIG. 6B, can be connected with the flexible first envelope 45 forming a cleared opening 50 through which the processing connection 66 can be guided to be connected gas-tight with the adapter body 46 (see FIG. 6C). In the state shown in FIG. 6C the base container 12 can be filled with bulk material for which purpose the flexible tube 68 can cooperate with a not depicted conveyance facility which, for example by applying compressed air, conveys the bulk material through the flexible tube 68 to the base container 12. The base container 12 is herein oriented such that its bottom points downwardly and its access opening 15 points upwardly.
[0134] When the base container 12 is to be emptied, the base container 12 can be swivelled with a not shown moving facility, in particular using the inverting frame 24 shown inter alia in FIGS. 3G to 3H, in order to be swivelled about a horizontally extending rotational axis D such that the bottom points upwardly and the opening 15 points downwardly, as can be seen in FIG. 6D. The bulk material falls under the force of gravity from the base container 12 into the flexible tube 68 where it can be transported further.
[0135] In FIGS. 7A and 7B the enclosure facility 58, shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, is shown once again into which the base container 12, the adapter body 46 and the folded first envelope 45 have been placed. While in FIG. 7A an exploded representation is depicted, FIG. 7B is a sectional representation through the enclosure facility 58. In FIG. 7C several enclosure facilities 58 with base container 12, adapter body 46 and folded first envelope 45 are disposed on a pallet 32, wherein is discernible in FIG. 7C that two enclosure facilities 58 are stacked one above the other. The pallet 32 can be utilized in particular for the base container 12 filled with bulk material to be delivered or to transport away the emptied base container 12 for disposal.
[0136] In FIGS. 8A to 8I several steps of a third method for emptying a base container 12 filled with bulk material are depicted. In this case the base container 12 filled with bulk material is connected to the already described adapter body 46 that is shown in FIGS. 6A to 6D. The adapter body 46 encompasses the connection body 12 and is connected gas-tight with a connection body 14 which, in turn, is connected with a further first envelope 45.
[0137] The base container 12 is connected with a first envelope 45 and the adapter body 46 is connected with a second envelope 54. The sealing section 16, formed by base container 12 and adapter body 46, consequently, is encompassed by the first envelope 45 and the second envelope 54 connected by means of the docking lock 40. The further first envelope 45 can be connected with a further second envelope 54 utilizing a second docking lock 40, as is also shown in FIGS. 4A to 4D. The further second envelope 54 in this case is connected with a reactor 70 in which the bulk material can be further processed. The reactor 70 comprises for this purpose a securement plate that can be connected gas-tight with the adapter body 46.
[0138] The reactor 70 comprises the mating connection 22 which can be connected with the filling connection 20 of the connection body 14 in the manner of a double flap. The mating connection 22 is herein oriented such that it points upwardly such that the base container 12 and the connection body 14 must be swivelled by means of the inverting frame 24 such that the filling connection 20 points downwardly. In FIG. 8C the filling connection 20 is connected with the mating connection 22 and is opened such that the bulk material can reach from the base container 12 into the reactor 70. After the base container 12 has been completely emptied, the first docking lock 40 is opened such that the base container 12 can be separated and removed from the connection body 14. Instead of base container 12, now the connection body 14 is closed by means of a closure cover 72 as is shown in FIGS. 8D and 8E. The closure cover 72 can be structurally identically to the cover 18 shown in FIG. 1B. To this extent several and differently developed connection bodies 14 are utilized. The further first envelope 45 of adapter body 46 is now separated from the further second envelope 54 of the reactor [70] as is shown in FIG. 8F. For its disposal, the connection body 14 can be placed into the base container 12 as is shown in FIGS. 8G and 8H whereby space can be saved. The base container 12 with the connection body 14 placed therein is, as is in shown in FIG. 8I, put onto a pallet 32 with which a multiplicity of base containers 12 can be transported away for their disposal.
[0139] In FIGS. 9A and 9B are shown several feasibilities of taking samples from the base container 12 filled with bulk material. In FIG. 9A a first base container 12.sub.1 with a connection body 14 connected thereon is connected with an insulator 74. The connection body 14 comprises the already described filling connection 20 which is connected with a mating connection 22 disposed on the insulator [74] and which can be opened in the manner of a double flap. Furthermore, a second base container 12.sub.2 is connected to insulator 74 wherein, however, the second base container 12.sub.2 is connected with a flexible first envelope 45. On the insulator 74 a flexible second envelope 54 is disposed which, utilizing the docking lock 40, also discussed several times in the preceding pages, can be connected with one another. An operator, not depicted here, can engage by means of a protective device into the interior volume encompassed by insulator 74. The operator can, furthermore, reach through the cleared opening 50 of the docking lock 40 into the second base container 12.sub.2 in order to take from it a sample of the bulk material and to transfer it across the opened filling connection 20 and the opened mating connection 22 to the first base container 12.sub.1.
[0140] In FIG. 9B a further feasibility of taking a sample is depicted. Onto the base container 12 an adapter body 46 can be placed such that it is gas-tight, which is provided with a first envelope 45. By using the docking lock 40 a second envelope 54 can be connected with the first envelope 45 and a cleared opening 50 between the base container 12 and the adapter body 46 can be provided. In the volume encompassed by the second envelope 54 a sample-taking device 76 is disposed which can be grasped from the outside and be introduced into the base container 12, wherein the sample-taking device 76 passes through the cleared opening 50. As soon as the desired quantity of bulk material has been removed from the base container 12, the sample-taking device 76 is returned again into the volume encompassed by the second envelope 54 and the pressure closure [sic] is closed. The removed sample is consequently disposed within the second envelope 54 and can be further transported for further analysis and be processed.
[0141] In FIGS. 10A to 100 several representations of an adapter body 46 are shown which is connected with a base container 12 in which a flexible receptacle 36 has been placed. In the same manner, a connection body 14 can also be connected with the base container 12. On the adapter body 46 is secured a flexible second envelope 54.
[0142] FIG. 10B represents an enlargement of the segment A marked in FIG. 10A. In FIGS. 10A and 10B is discernible that, when connected, the base container 12 and the adapter body 46 form a sealing section 16 into which the flexible receptacle 36 and the flexible second envelope 54 can be clamped and with which the base container 12 and the adapter body 46 are connectable gas-tight with one another. The sealing section 16 comprises a first sealing contour 78, formed by the base container 12, and a second sealing contour 80, formed by the adapter body 46, between which the flexible receptacle 36 and the flexible second envelope 54 are placed in the connected state. In cross section the first sealing contour 20 [sic: 78] describes approximately a quarter circle, and is thus substantially structured in the form of a circular ring sector. The second sealing contour 80 comprises a projection 82 which, in the connected state, engages into the volume encompassed by the first sealing contour 78, whereby a form closure is generated.
[0143] With reference to FIG. 10C the adapter body 46 is disposed aligned over the base container 12, the two closure facilities 42, 44 of the docking lock 40 are connected with one another and the docking lock 40 is opened. Consequently, a cleared opening 50 and consequently a passage encompassed by the docking lock 40 is created such that the adapter body 46 and the base container 12 can be connected with one another forming the sealing section 16. The bulk material can now be moved into the base container 12 or be removed from the base container 12. Instead of the adapter body 46, the connection body 14 can analogously be connected with the base container 12.
[0144] As is evident based on the above description, the device 10 according to the invention represents a type of construction kit which comprises entirely different components. A user can select those components that are required for handling the bulk material utilized by him. He can, in particular, be thereby taking into account the toxicity and the relevant OEB standards to be applied.
LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0145] 10 Device [0146] 12 Base container [0147] 12.sub.1, 12.sub.2 Base container [0148] 13 Hollow volume [0149] 14 Connection body [0150] 15 Access opening [0151] 16 Sealing section [0152] 18 Cover [0153] 20 Filling connection [0154] 22 Mating connection [0155] 24 Inverting frame [0156] 26 Protective lid [0157] 28 Grip [0158] 30 Wheeled transporter [0159] 32 Pallet [0160] 34 Wall [0161] 36 Flexible receptacle [0162] 40 Docking lock [0163] 42 First closure facilities [0164] 44 Second closure facilities [0165] 45 First envelope [0166] 46 Adapter body [0167] 47 First passage opening [0168] 48 Zipper [0169] 49 Second passage opening [0170] 50 Opening [0171] 52 Supplying and/or emptying facility [0172] 54 Second envelope [0173] 56 Processing chamber [0174] 58 Enclosure facility [0175] 60 Enclosure container [0176] 62 Enclosure upper shell [0177] 63 Clamping element [0178] 64 Carrier body [0179] 66 Processing connection [0180] 68 Hose [0181] 70 Reactor [0182] 72 Closure cover [0183] 74 Insulator [0184] 76 Sample-taking device [0185] 78 First sealing contour [0186] 80 Second sealing contour [0187] 82 Projection [0188] D Rotational axis
