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US 11,932,481 B2Granted
End-closure for a flexible tank
AssigneeOdyssey Logistics & Technology Corporation
InventorsRoger G. Goose, Douglas B. Postek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible tank has one or more inner layers and one or more outer layers enclosing the inner layers. It has an improved structure to prevent leakage and rupture when making a long multi-modal shipment of large quantities of a liquid, including when the flexible tank is not supported by the end or side walls of a shipping container.
Claims19
A flexible tank for transporting bulk liquids or semi-liquid materials, comprising:
- an interior tank made of a flexible water-proof polymeric material, said interior tank being generally rectangular in shape with a width of at least one end of the interior tank being less than the length of the interior tank, the interior tank enclosing within it the bulk liquid or semi-liquid materials being transported;
- a first exterior layer made of a flexible polymeric material in a generally rectangular shape, the first exterior layer having longitudinal sides and a first end in a widthwise direction;
- a second exterior layer made of a flexible polymeric material in a shape and size substantially similar to the first exterior layer, the second exterior layer having longitudinal sides and a first end in the widthwise direction of the second exterior layer, the longitudinal sides of the first and second exterior layers being connected to form an open ended tube, the first end of the second exterior layer being matched up with the first end of the first exterior layer;
- an end closure connecting the first ends of the first and second exterior layers to each other, the end closure not being watertight;
- and
- an end flap, a first end of the end flap is attached to the inside of one of the first and second exterior layers, the length of the end flap being greater than the distance from its point of attachment to the first end of the open ended tube, the interior tank being constrained within the first and second exterior layers by the end flap such that, when the inner tank is filled, the inner tank expands pushing against the end flap and against the end closure connecting the first and second exterior layers to each other, and the end flap provides protection against leakage with additional strength provided by the end closure connecting the first ends of the first and second exterior layers.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing a flexible tank for the transport of bulk liquids or semi-liquid materials, comprising:
- folding over the ends of rectangular shaped first and second layers of flexible polymeric material to form a continuous loop over the entirety of the width of said ends of said first and second layers;
- connecting the longitudinal sides of the first and second layers to form an open ended tube;
- attaching a first end of a first end flap to the inside of one of the first and second layers near a first end of the open ended tube and a first end of a second end flap to the inside of one of the first and second layers near a second end of the open ended tube, the length of the first end flap being greater than the distance from its point of attachment to the first end of the open ended tube and the length of the second end flap being greater than the distance from its point of attachment to the second end of the open ended tube;
- cutting portions from each one of the continuous loops of said ends of said first and second layers so as to become a sequence of alternating hollow loops and spaces, the hollow loops and spaces of the first layer interlacing with the hollow loops and spaces of the second layer;
- inserting an inner liner into the interior space of the open ended tube formed by connecting the longitudinal sides of the first and second layers, the inner liner made of a flexible water-proof polymeric material so as to enclose within it the bulk liquid or semi-liquid materials being transported;
- moving the respective second ends of the first and second end flaps to cover the ends of the inner liner;
- and
- closing the first and second ends of the flexible tank with the inner liner and end flaps constrained therein by threading a rope between the interlaced hollow loops of the first and second layers.
5 more elements
A method of manufacturing a flexible tank for the transport of bulk liquids or semi-liquid materials, comprising:
- folding over the ends of rectangular shaped first and second exterior layers of flexible polymeric material to form a continuous loop over the entirety of the width of said ends of said first and second exterior layers;
- connecting the longitudinal sides of the first and second exterior layers to form an open ended tube;
- attaching a first end of a first end flap to the inside of one of the first and second exterior layers near a first end of the open ended tube and a first end of a second end flap to the inside of one of the first and second exterior layers near a second end of the open ended tube, the length of the first end flap being greater than the distance from its point of attachment to the first end of the open ended tube and the length of the second end flap being greater than the distance from its point of attachment to the second end of the open ended tube;
- inserting an inner liner into the interior space of the open ended tube formed by connecting the longitudinal sides of the first and second exterior layers, enabling the inner liner to enclose within it the bulk liquid or semi-liquid materials being transported;
- moving the respective second ends of the first and second end flaps to cover the ends of the inner liner;
- and
- closing the first and second ends of the flexible tank with the inner liner and end flaps by an end closure that is not watertight, the end flaps being constrained therein by the end closures.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.