FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a container arrangement.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a container arrangement such as liner bags and intermediate bulk containers (IBC) for transporting and/or storing fluids, pastes, and powders.

BACKGROUND TO INVENTION

Highly viscous fluids such as grease and cosmetics are sometimes stored and transported in liner bags and IBCs, however extracting these fluids from the liner bags is a common challenge. Fluids like water will easily drain out the bottom of the liner under the influence of gravity alone, however this is not the case for ‘thicker’ fluids. Some fluids do not flow at all under the influence of gravity, so they need some additional motive force to move them out of the liner during decant.

One strategy for this is to create a suction at the outlet of the liner bag by means of a pump. The difference in pressure between the inside of the liner (close to atmospheric pressure) and the outlet (around 60% of atmospheric pressure) creates an additional force on the fluid which can be enough to drain the liner. Unfortunately, the pressure difference created even by a high-suction pump is not sufficient to move many high viscosity fluids, so other methods must be used to create an even higher motive force.

ES Patent 2 717 378 discloses a device for emptying flexible fluid-containing bags, characterized in that it comprises traction means and draining means, the draining means being physically linked to the traction means by means of positioning means such that they are rotatably movable around the traction means, and the traction means and the draining means being arranged and mutually arranged for the stretching of a flexible bag from the traction means and simultaneously for the passage and circulation of the bag through the draining means.

US Patent 5,765,723 discloses an evacuator for a plastic bag containing viscous liquid within a rectangular, parallelepiped container having a drain positioned at a bottom edge region uses a windlass for drawing and winding an evacuated upper region of the bag to a region above the drain. A bag wall region diagonally opposite the drain is gripped, preferably with a noose; and a windlass positioned on the walls of the container above the drain draws the gripped region of the bag across the top of the container and then winds the evacuated upper regions of the bag onto the windlass to funnel the viscous liquid toward the drain in lower, unevacuated regions of the bag.

CN107697486B discloses a squeezing pusher, a fluid discharge system, and a fluid discharge method. The fluid discharge system comprises a container, a lining bag, a squeezing device, and a driving device, wherein the lining bag is arranged in the container, and the driving device is connected with the squeezing device and is used for driving the squeezing device. The squeezing and pushing device comprises at least two rolling shafts, the lining bag is formed by welding a front piece and a rear piece and is provided with a discharge port, the discharge port is close to a welding line at the bottom of the lining bag, when liquid needs to be discharged, the lining bag is clamped by the two rolling shafts, the two rolling shafts rotate oppositely under the driving of the driving device, so that the liquid in the lining bag is squeezed and discharged, and in the liquid discharging process, the two rolling shafts automatically descend along with the liquid level and squeeze and push the liquid along with the reduction of the liquid in the lining bag. The zero-residue discharge system of the medium-sized bulk container, which does not need liner suspension, has the advantages of simple structure, good manufacturing process, simple operation, and cost saving.

US Patent US7798365B2 discloses a dispensing device and method for dispensing fluids from a flexible container is disclosed. The dispensing device includes a support and a linkage pivotally attached to the support. The dispensing device may also include a roller mechanism coupled to the linkage, wherein the roller mechanism has at least two squeeze members configured to engage a flexible container that co-act with a drive roller to force the roller mechanism in a first direction to dispense fluids from a flexible container.

PCT/ES2020/0701 18 discloses a device for emptying flexible fluid-containing bags, which comprises traction means and wringing means, the wringing means being physically connected to the traction means by positioning means, such that they are rotatably movable about the traction means, and the traction means and the wringing means being mutually equipped and disposed so as to allow a flexible bag to be tautened by the traction means and, simultaneously, to allow the bag to pass and travel through the wringing means.

However all the known devices have various limitations on their operations, effectiveness, and automation thereof. It is an object of the invention to suggest a container arrangement which will assist in overcoming the above obstacles.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to the invention, a container arrangement having an outlet port and a liner bag containing fluid, which includes pressure means adapted to create a high pressure within the liner bag, by means of a force applied to the liner bag and fluid; the force is applied by two rollers which grip the liner bag at a point furthest from the outlet port, then move on an arc towards the outlet port; and the roller squeezes the fluid forward and drive it out of the liner bag; and wherein the pressure means and the rollers are not mutually enabled.

The rollers may be closed by hand but are squeezed together with pneumatic cylinders.

Also according to the invention, a container arrangement having an outlet port and a liner bag containing fluid, which includes pressure means adapted to create a high pressure within the liner bag, by means of a force applied to the liner bag and fluid; the force is applied by two rollers which grip the liner bag at a point furthest from the outlet port, then move on an arc towards the outlet port; and the roller squeezes the fluid forward and drive it out of the liner bag; wherein the pressure means and the rollers are not mutually enabled; wherein the rollers are closed by hand; and wherein the rollers are squeezed together with pneumatic cylinders.

Yet further according to the invention, a container arrangement having an outlet port and a liner bag containing fluid, which includes pressure means adapted to create a high pressure within the liner bag, by means of a force applied to the liner bag and fluid; the force is applied by two rollers which grip the liner bag at a point furthest from the outlet port, then move on an arc towards the outlet port; and the roller squeezes the fluid forward and drive it out of the liner bag; wherein the rollers are closed by hand; and wherein the rollers are squeezed together with pneumatic cylinders.

The container arrangement may be a liner bag and/or intermediate bulk container (IBC).

The arrangement may include the following components:

(a) Rollers;

(b) Air motor;

(c) Liner puller;

(d) Pivoting arms;

(e) Frame and structure;

(f) Safety features; and/or

(g) User interface.

The arrangement may include two rubber-coated rollers may be constrained next to each other with the liner passing between them.

One roller may be driven by an air motor in a forward direction during decant, and a reverse direction briefly after decanting.

The second roller may not drive but is in contact with the first roller and is thus driven to rotate with the driven roller due to friction. The rollers may be moved apart by hand to allow the liner to be placed between them before decanting and released from their grip after decanting.

The air motor may be used to drive the driven roller.

The arrangement may be adapted to use an air motor to drive the rollers.

There may be some tension in the liner behind the rollers for example the part of the liner that has already been emptied.

A liner puller may be attached to the inlet gland of the liner by means of a rope or strap, that rope in turn is attached to a roller which is rotated by a ratchet and actuator system.

This puller may provide extraordinarily little force, just enough to accept the slack of the empty liner.

The arrangement may work without the puller because the rollers and air motor provide the motive force to the fluid.

Rollers may be placed in a bracket which is attached to the end of pivoting arms.

These arms may be actuated up and down, however during decant the arms are not powered, and simply move under the influence of gravity and the reaction forces from the other powered systems.

The arm actuation may only be used to bring the arms up to their original position after the decant is finished.

The frame of arrangement may support all the systems. The frame may be mounted on wheels and can be rolled into position over the container arrangement from the back or from the front.

A hood may cover the container arrangement when the machine is in operation to prevent access to moving parts.

The hood may be opened by the operator to set up and remove the liner bag but will be closed while the machine is decanting fluid and returning to its starting position.

A safety interlock in the hood may disable all drives and actuators when the hood is open.

The arrangement may include an automatic mode which will begin the decant process with the push of a button.

When the ‘Auto Start’ button is pushed, the rollers may begin to rotate forward, the arm will begin to drop under its own weight and the puller will accept slack from the empty part of the liner bag.

All these processes may stop when the emergency stop button is pressed, or when the hood is opened, or when the ‘Auto stop’ button is pushed, or when a limit switch detects that the arms have reached the end of their 90 degrees arc - implying that the rollers have reached the wall of the IBC near the outlet gland.

The invention also extends to a method for emptying IBC, inner bag arrangements, liquid bags and/or liquid liners as described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

In the drawings there is shown in Figure 1 to 5 a schematic illustration of the container arrangement according to the invention where Figures 6 to 19 depict images of the use and application and functioning of the container arrangement according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a container arrangement in accordance with the invention.

The container arrangement having an outlet port and a liner bag containing fluid, includes pressure means adapted to create a high pressure within the liner bag, by means of a force applied to the liner bag and fluid; the force is applied by two rollers which grip the liner bag at a point furthest from the outlet port, then move on an arc towards the outlet port; and the roller squeezes the fluid forward and drive it out of the liner bag; and wherein the pressure means and the rollers are not mutually enabled.

The rollers are closed by hand but are squeezed together with pneumatic cylinders.

The container arrangement includes:

(a) an arm assembly 1

(b) a tensioner assembly 2 (c) a frame weldment 3

(d) right side torque arm assembly 4

(e) left side torque arm assembly 5

(f) bin back stop assembly 6

(g) bin back stop assembly 7

(h) arm lock pin assembly 8

(i) safety cage assembly 9

(j) female buckle strap assembly 10

(k) male buckle strap assembly 11

(l) oval flanged bearing 12

(m)DSBC standard cylinder 13

(n) Nuts 14

(o) Washers 15

(p) Head screws 16

(q) Nuts 17

(r) Washers 18

(s) Socket button head cap screw 19

(t) VMEF roller lever valve 20

The container arrangement having an outlet port and a liner bag containing fluid, which includes pressure means adapted to create a high pressure within the liner bag, by means of a force applied to the liner bag and fluid.

The force is applied by two rollers which grip the liner bag at a point furthest from the outlet port, then move on an arc towards the outlet port. The roller squeezes the fluid forward and drive it out of the liner bag similar to squeezing the back of a piping bag or toothpaste tube.

The container arrangement can be a liner bag and/or intermediate bulk container (IBC).

The purpose of the invention is to create a high pressure within the liner, by means of a force applied to the liner bag and fluid. This force is applied by two rollers which grip the liner at a point furthest from the outlet port, then move on an arc towards the outlet port.

Another way to describe the action would be that the rollers squeeze the fluid forward and drive it out of the liner similar to squeezing the back of a piping bag or toothpaste tube.

Two rubber-coated rollers are constrained next to each other with the liner passing between them. One roller is driven by an air motor in a forward direction during decant, and a reverse direction briefly after decanting. The second roller is not driven but is in contact with the first roller and is thus driven to rotate with the driven roller due to friction. The rollers can be moved apart by hand to allow the liner to be placed between them before decanting and released from their grip after decanting.

An air motor is used to drive the driven roller. This strategy has been used in a product called the Xtract by ILC Dover, however that system has different configuration of rollers. In that system 4 rollers are arranged in a square layout and rotate together thanks to bevel gears connecting each roller to its neighbours. The present invention is the only system which uses an air motor to drive the rollers in the configuration described above. Testing showed that the rollers work better if there is some tension in the liner behind the rollers - i.e., the part of the liner that has already been emptied. A puller attaches to the inlet gland of the liner by means of a rope or strap, that rope in turn is attached to a roller which is rotated by a ratchet and actuator system. A product called the Squiz by Pusa Pack also has a mechanism to pull on the back edge of the liner, however in that system this puller is the only driven mechanism, so it must be providing all the motive force to move the fluid forward. In the present invention this puller provides extraordinarily little force, just enough to accept the slack of the empty liner. In fact, the machine can work without this puller, because the rollers and air motor provide the motive force to the fluid.

The attachment of the puller to the liner inlet gland by means of a bracket which fits on to the square base of the gland is believed to be novel.

Rollers are placed in a bracket which is attached to the end of pivoting arms. These arms can be actuated up and down, however during decant the arms are not powered, and simply move under the influence of gravity and the reaction forces from the other powered systems. The arm actuation is only used to bring the arms up to their original position after the decant is finished.

The frame of the present invention supports all the systems described previously. This frame is mounted on wheels and can be rolled into position over the IBC from the back or from the front.

A hood covers the IBC when the machine is in operation to prevent access to moving parts. The hood will be opened by the operator to set up and remove the liner bag but will be closed while the machine is decanting fluid and returning to its starting position. A safety interlock in the hood will disable all drives and actuators when the hood is open.

The present invention has an automatic mode which will begin the decant process with the push of a button. When the ‘Auto Start’ button is pushed, the rollers will begin to rotate forward, the arm will begin to drop under its own weight and the puller will accept slack from the empty part of the liner bag. All these processes will stop when the emergency stop button is pressed, or when the hood is opened, or when the ‘Auto stop’ button is pushed, or when a limit switch detects that the arms have reached the end of their 90-degree arc - implying that the rollers have reached the wall of the IBC near the outlet gland.

Key features or mechanisms of the container arrangement according to the invention include the following:

(a) the arrangement rolls in place over the IBC from the front or the back;

(b) the arrangement fixes itself to the IBC by means of dropdown restraining plates on one side, and a strap on the other side;

(c) the arrangement includes a safety hood which completely covers the IBC and only allows access on the side opposite the outlet;

(d) a safety interlock prevents the arrangement from operating while the access door is open;

(e) an operator will pull the inlet gland between the rollers and fix a clamp to it. During decant, this clamp is pulled by means of a wire towards the outlet side of the IBC. This creates an upward and sideways force on the inlet gland. Pulling on the inlet gland helps the liner move between the rollers, and takes up the slack of the empty liner bag;

(f) the rollers are locked tight to one another below the inlet gland (either by the operator or by mechanical device). One roller is driven by a pneumatic motor (could be electric) and this rotation in turn drives the other roller in the opposite direction. This combined squeezing and rolling force from the rollers pulls the liner bag through between them, and simultaneously forces the fluid ahead of the rollers and towards the IBC outlet;

(g) the combined force from the puller on the inlet gland, and the driving and squeezing rollers creates a higher pressure within the fluid, which acts to force the fluid out of the liner;

(h) a pump outside the IBC, connected to the liner outlet, will work together with the arrangement to suck the fluid out;

(i) the rollers are mounted onto a pivot arm which drops freely during decant. This causes the rollers to follow an arced path starting at the top/back of the IBC and ending at the IBC outlet;

(j) when decant is finished a sensor will automatically shut off the machine and release the tension on the liner bag;

(k) pneumatic cylinders will raise the pivot arms back up to their starting position;

(l) the roller motor is adapted to be made to reverse after the decant is complete, this allows the rollers to drive back up towards the inlet where the operator will open the rollers and release the empty liner.