Container liner systems
OwnerArthur M. Townsendinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A shipping container liner system for use in the shipping of bulk flowable products is described. The system comprises a specially adapted shipping container liner that is self-supporting without the need of rear-mounted rigid supportive bars to retain the liner within the shipping container during filling and discharge. The system comprises an arrangement of interior support baffles operating in conjunction with a plurality of exterior anchor straps adapted to distribute the cargo load throughout the length of the liner. A specialized hopper for unloading the bulk material is also disclosed.
Claims32
An apparatus and system for containing and controlling a flowable material within the interior of a cargo container, said apparatus and system comprising:
- a separating enclosure adapted to separately enclose substantially an entire volume of an interior of the cargo container;
- wherein said separating enclosure comprises an interior chamber adapted to contain the flowable material within said separating enclosure;
- wherein said interior chamber comprises
- a substantially vertical rear-boundary-wall,
- a substantially vertical front-boundary-wall,
- a substantially vertical first sidewall,
- a substantially vertical second sidewall, and a deflection limiter adapted to limit deflection of said substantially vertical rear-boundary-wall under a load imposed by the flowable material during containment within said separating enclosure and further adapted to guide flowable material towards a center of the substantially vertical rear-boundary-wall during discharge;
- and
- wherein said deflection limiter comprises at least four load transfer members, a first load transfer member attached to said substantially vertical rear-boundary-wall and said substantially vertical first sidewall, a second load transfer member attached at a different angle than first load transfer member to said substantially vertical rear-boundary-wall and at least one of said substantially vertical first sidewall and said substantially vertical front-boundary-wall, a third load transfer member attached to said substantially vertical rear-boundary-wall and said substantially vertical second sidewall, and a fourth load transfer member attached at a different angle than third load transfer member to said substantially vertical rear-boundary-wall and at least one of said substantially vertical second sidewall and said substantially vertical front-boundary-wall.
An apparatus and system related to a flowable material liner adapted to separately enclose flowable material within a cargo container and further comprising:
- said flowable material liner comprising at least one tubular discharge passage,
- a discharge hopper structured and arranged to receive discharge flow of the flowable material from one or more tubular discharge passages and funnel the flow of flowable material into a single outlet;
- wherein said discharge hopper is removably attached to said flowable material liner and said cargo container;
- wherein said discharge hopper comprises a substantially rigid cabinet;
- wherein said substantially rigid cabinet comprises a plurality of substantially planer outer walls enclosing a hollow interior;
- wherein said plurality of substantially planer outer walls comprise
- a generally trapezoidal-shaped upper wall,
- a substantially trapezoidal-shaped lower wall,
- a first sidewall,
- a second sidewall,
- a forward wall;
- and,
- a discharge opening;
- wherein said forward wall comprises a forward aperture structured and arranged to receive the tubular discharge passage;
- wherein said forward aperture comprises a substantially continuous peripheral flange assembly structured and arranged to support the securing of the tubular discharge passage adjacent said forward aperture by coupler device;
- and
- wherein such securing of the tubular discharge passage to said forward aperture assists in maintaining the tubular discharge passage in position assisting the discharge flow of the flowable material during discharge from the interior chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.