Lift loop assembly test process and apparatus
AssigneeAmeriglobe, LLC
InventorsClifford Dunlap, Brody Alan Viator
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hand-held lift loop assembly tester apparatus and method tests peel strength of a heat seal connection between a lift loop patch and a bulk bag body as an indicator of shear strength of the connection and whether the bag will pass industry safety lifting requirements. A lifting platform of the hand loop tester is inserted between the patch and the bag body in an unsealed area and measures the amount of peel and thus the peel strength of the heat seal bond or connection at the edges or sides of the unsealed area. If the peel strength is adequate, this is a reliable indicator that the shear strength of the bond or connection is also adequate and that the bag will meet the current industry required 5 to 1 safety lifting requirements.
Claims30
An apparatus for testing strength of a lift assembly that is coupled on a bulk bag, the apparatus comprising:
- a) a lifting platform having an insert portion that is sized so that at least a portion of the insert portion can be inserted into an unsealed area in between a lift loop patch and a bulk bag body and sized to apply pressure to sealed areas of the lift loop patch and bulk bag body that are adjacent to the unsealed area, wherein the sealed areas are formed by one or more bonds between flexible fabrics of the lift loop patch and the bulk bag body;
- b) wherein the lifting platform is operable to be raised while the insert portion is in the unsealed area to lift the lift loop patch and test the amount of peel that occurs in the sealed areas, wherein the amount of peel is an indicator of peel strength of the bond between the flexible fabrics;
- c) wherein the lifting platform is operable to be raised while the insert portion is inserted in the unsealed area for a desired amount of time under a desired amount of pressure;
- and
- d) wherein a distance that the insert portion of the lifting platform rises under the desired amount of pressure for the desired amount of time is a measure of the amount of peel that occurs in the sealed areas on one or both of at least two sides of the unsealed area while the lifting platform is being raised and provides information as to whether the shear strength of the bond is adequate.
A lift assembly tester apparatus for testing strength of a lift assembly on a bulk bag, the testing apparatus comprising:
- a) a platform including an insert portion that is operable to be raised and lowered and having a shape adapted so that at least a portion of the insert portion is insertable into an unsealed area between flexible plastic fabrics of a lift loop patch and a bulk bag body;
- b) wherein the unsealed area has sealed areas at least partially around the unsealed areas;
- c) wherein the platform is operable to be raised while the insert portion is inserted in the unsealed area to test whether peeling occurs in the sealed area between the flexible fabrics while the platform is being raised;
- and
- d) wherein whether peeling occurs and/or the amount of peeling that occurs provides information on shear strength of the sealed area.
A bulk bag lift loop assembly test system, comprising:
- a) a lift assembly tester having a lifting platform that includes a lifting member that is sized so that at least a portion of the lifting member can be inserted into an unsealed area in between a lift loop patch of a lift loop assembly and a bulk bag body, wherein the unsealed area has sealed areas of flexible plastic fabric of the lift loop patch and bulk bag body on at least two sides of the unsealed area, the sealed areas formed by heat sealed bonds between the flexible plastic fabrics of the lift loop patch and bulk bag body;
- b) the lifting platform operable to be raised for a designated amount of time under a designated amount of pressure while the lifting member is in the unsealed area to lift the lift loop patch and apply pressure to the heat sealed bonds in the sealed areas on the at least two sides of the unsealed area;
- c) a marker assembly that is operable to be raised and lowered for marking the lift loop patch when a test is successful;
- d) a sensor that can sense when the lifting member is inserted in the unsealed area;
- e) a control panel in electric communication with the lift assembly tester which is operable to record data on the amount of lift of the lift loop patch under the designated pressure and designated time;
- f) wherein the sensor is operable to send a signal to the lift assembly tester to automatically start a test when the sensor senses fabric when the lifting member is inserted in the unsealed area;
- g) wherein a distance that the lifting platform rises under the designated pressure for the designated time is a measure of the amount of peel that occurs in the sealed areas on one or both of the at least two sides of the unsealed area;
- h) wherein the control panel is programmed to send an error signal to the lift assembly tester to enter an error state if the lifting platform rises above the designated distance and/or if the pressure deviates from set parameters;
- and
- i) wherein the control panel is programmed to send a success signal to the lift assembly tester to lower the marker assembly to mark the bag if the test is successful and the lifting platform does not rise above a designated distance while under the designated pressure and designated time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.