Background Art In industrial processes, large volumes of bulk material may be provided in reusable bulk bags. Some bulk bags are formed of manipulative material so that when the bulk material is removed, the bags may be readied for return transport to the bulk material supplier for reuse. Sometimes the bulk bags are at least partially collapsed by a person stomping on the outside of the bag in order to remove the entrapped air. This procedure is not acceptable in that the residue left in the bag is dispelled into the air and creates a potentially hazardous situation. In order to address this problem, folding machines and the like may be employed to at least partially collapse the bulk bags and reduce their spatial volume. However, known folding apparatuses are bulky and inconvenient to use, thereby encouraging a return to the"stomp"method.

Disclosure of the Invention In accordance with the practice of the present invention, there is provided a degassing station and method for degassing empty bulk bags to prepare them for return shipment to a supplier.

According to one aspect of the invention, the degassing system utilizing an associated vacuum source to degas an empty bulk bag 16 having a top spout, a bottom spout and an interior is provided. The degassing station includes a side port extending from the associated vacuum source, valve means for selectively allowing communication between said side port and said vacuum means, and connecting means for securely connecting said bulk bag to said side port.

According to another aspect of the invention, the connection means is an inflatable collar.

According the another aspect of the invention, a return carton is provided for holding said bulk bags after utilization of the degassing system.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method for degassing an empty bulk bag at a degassing station utilizing an associated vacuum source is provided. The empty bulk bag includes a top spout, a bottom spout and an interior. The method being characterized by the steps of: providing a side port extending from said associated vacuum source, providing valve means for selectively allowing communication between the side port and the vacuum means, providing connecting means for securely connecting the bulk bag to the side port, providing an opening to the interior of the bulk bag through one of the spouts, mounting the bag to the side port via one of the spouts, utilizing the connecting means, opening the valve means to at least partially collapse the bulk bag, closing the valve means after the bulk bag is at least partially collapsed, removing the bulk bag from the side port after the valve is closed, and, folding up the bag after it is at least partially collapsed.

One advantage of the present invention is that industrial facilities may be readily adapted to provide the degassing system of the present invention.

Another advantage of the present invention is that potentially hazardous residue in the bulk bag is prevented from dispelling into the surrounding air.

Another advantage of the present invention is its simplicity of implementation.

Another advantage of the present invention is that users of bulk material can more efficiently return bulk bags to a supplier for reuse.

Another advantage of the invention is that the bulk bag is protected from damage.

Another advantage of the invention is that the operator's exposure to potentially hazardous situations are minimized.

Still other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the following specification.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part

hereof and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a degassing station and empty bulk bag according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a degassing method according the invention; Detailed Description of the Invention Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same, Figure 1 shows a degassing station 10 for reducing the spatial volume occupied by an empty bulk bag 16. For the purposes of the present invention,"empty"refers to that state wherein nearly all of the contents of the bulk bag have been removed and the interior of the bulk bag 16 a gas, generally air, and the spatial volume occupied by the bulk bag 16 is at or nearly at a maximum value.

The degassing station 10 is linked with an associated vacuum source 20 such as is confmonly used in industrial applications as dust collection means. The preferred embodiment of the invention deals with bulk bags of the type having an top inlet spout 24 for receiving bulk material into the bag and a bottom outlet spout 28 for allowing material to be removed from the bag when the downspout is released.

Various means for transporting the bulk bag 16 to the degassing station 10 may be employed, such as conveyors and fork lifts, not forming a part of the present invention. At the degassing station 10, the associated vacuum source 20 is equipped with a side port 32 projecting from the vacuum 20 and valve means 38 for allowing selective communication between the side port 32 and the vacuum source 20. Connection means for connecting the bulk bag 16 to the side port 32 through either the top spout 24 or the bottom spout 28 is provided. In the preferred embodiment, the bulk bag 16 is connected to the side port 32 via the top spout 24.

With continued reference to Figure 1, in the preferred embodiment, the connection means comprises an inflatable collar 40 to firmly connect the bulk bag 16 to the side port 32 while minimizing air leakage around the connection. Other connection means able to accomplish the intended function of the inflatable collar 40 may be employed and include, but are not limited to, hook and loop fasteners,

straps, locking collars and the like (all not shown). The inflatable collar 40 is inflated by any known means in the art including utilizing pressurized air.

With reference to Figure 2, a preferred embodiment of a process for degassing an empty bulk bag 16 at a degassing station 10 is described. The empty bulk bag 16 is transported to the degassing station 10 by any convenient means, such as a fork lift (not shown). An operator (not shown) manually attaches the bulk bag 16 to the side port 32 via top spout 24. Convection means such as inflatable collar 40 is utilized to securely connect the bulk bag 16 to the side port 32. It is an important aspect of the present invention that any other spouts or openings be sealed to ensure the pull of the vacuum source on the entrapped gas.

The operator opens valve means 38 so that the interior 44 of the bulk bag 16 communicates with the associated vacuum source 20. The air inside the bulk bag 16 is evacuated along with some of the residual bulk material, and the bulk bag 16 is at least partially collapsed. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, first the valve means 38 is closed before the bulk bag 16 is removed from the vacuum source 20 and then the bulk bag 16 is manually collapsed further. In another embodiment of the invention, the bulk bag 16 is retained on the vacuum source 20 with the valve means 38 open while the bulk bag 16 is manually collapsed further.

After the valve means 38 is closed, the bulk bag 16 is removed from the vacuum source. The collapsed bulk bag 16 is then placed into a return carton 48 for transport back to the supplier. The efficiency of the return of bulk bags 16 to the supplier is increased if the spatial volume of the bulk bag 16 is reduced enough to allow several bulk bags 16 to be packed into the return carton 48. In the preferred embodiment, the spatial volume of the bulk bag 16 after application of the inventive process is from 20% to 50% of the spatial volume of the bulk bag 16 when filled with gas and bulk material residue.

EXAMPLE 1 An empty polypropylene bulk bag 16 having an interior occupied by air and bulk material residue constitutes an initial spatial volume. The bulk bag 16 of the present example includes a top spout 24 and a bottom spout 28. The top spout 24 of the exemplary bulk bag 16 has a 14 inch diameter. The bulk bag 16 is transported to a degassing station 10 according to the present invention. At the

degassing station 10, an operator fits the top spout 24 around the side port 32 fitted with the inflatable collar 40 to firmly connect the bulk bag 16 to the side port 32.

The inflatable collar 40 is inflated so as to create a seal against the inside diameter of the bulk bag 16. In the preferred embodiment, the inflatable collar 40 is inflated by pressurized air that is communicated through the interior of the side port 32.

For example, a pressure regulator that takes house air at 80 psi down to 7 psi may be utilized as well as a 3-way hand valve that allows both air flow to the collar 40 and exhaust air from the collar 40. Valve means 38 are opened to allow communication of the bag interior 44 with the vacuum source 20, operating at approximately 10 in. Hg. After sufficient time as elapsed to allow the interior 44 to be evacuated, the valve means 38 is closed. The inflatable collar 40 is deflated.

The bulk bag 16 is removed from the side port 32 and the bulk bag 16 is manually folded or rolled until the spatial volume occupied by the bulk bag 16 is at or nearly at a minimum.

The preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, hereinabove. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above methods may incorporate changes and modifications without departing from the general scope of this invention. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Having thus described the invention, it is now claimed: