US 11,518,608 B2Granted

Mobile collapsible storage silo

OwnerDarrell Ford, Lonny Thiesseninventors

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Abstract

A collapsible storage silo having an expanded configuration includes: (a) a shell for circumscribing storage space and comprising a plurality of concentrically nested tubular members that are collapsible; (b) a lift system operable to slidably expand the plurality of concentrically nested tubular members to place the silo in its expanded configuration; and (c) a mast operable to support the lift system, The mast is pivotable between horizontal and vertical positions relative to a frame. A winch attaches to the mast and a cable extends between the winch and an outermost tubular member to expand the silo such that inwardly and outwardly projecting lips of nested members engage each other and a conical hopper engages an innermost tubular member. A flexible inner liner attaches between an outermost tubular member and the hopper. A collapsible roof has a flexible roof membrane and a plurality of radially extending foldable rib members.

Claims1

Dependent claims

A mobile collapsible storage system for storing and delivering granular materials, the system comprising:

a frame;
a silo supported on the frame deployable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, the silo including (i) a conical hopper on the frame, (ii) a plurality of annular support members movable relative to the hopper from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and (iii) a flexible liner provided within an interior of the annular support members so as to be movable between the collapsed configuration and the expanded configuration with the annular support members, the flexible liner being connected between an uppermost member of the annular support members in the expanded configuration and a top of the conical hopper;
a lifting arrangement including (i) a mast attached to the frame and being movable relative to the frame so as to be operable to be raised in height from a first position corresponding to the collapsed configuration of the silo to a second position corresponding to the expanded configuration of the silo, and (ii) a lifting system operatively connected between the mast and the silo to deploy the annular support members relative to the mast from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration;
a roof enclosing a top end of the silo in the expanded configuration;
a loading system supported on the frame and arranged to load the granular materials into the silo in the expanded configuration;
and
a conveying system supported on the frame and arranged to discharge the granular materials received from the conical hopper of the silo.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/208,631Filed 22 Mar 2021 · continuation
Priority: 3 Nov 2016
Published: US 2021/0229902 A129 Jul 2021
Granted: 6 Dec 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

B65D 88/52
Large containers: collapsible, i.e. with walls hinged together or detachably connected
B65D 88/26
Large containers: hoppers, i.e. containers having funnel-shaped discharge sections
B65D 88/30
Hoppers, i.e. containers having funnel-shaped discharge sections: specially adapted to facilitate transportation from one utilisation site to another
B65D 88/32
Hoppers, i.e. containers having funnel-shaped discharge sections: in multiple arrangement

Family

Application62/417,160Us provisional application · filed 3 Nov 2016
PCT/CA2017/051304Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Nov 2017
US 2021/0229902 A1Pre-grant publication · published 29 Jul 2021
Application16/341,749Parent of this continuation
US 10,981,719 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2020/0047991 A1Published application
US 11,518,608 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.