Liner for recycling barrels

Abstract

A container liner system includes a tubular filling and dispensing neck (10) sealingly attached to a flexible liner bag (14) and having a through hole (36) sealable by a neck closure (34). A radially outwardly projecting support (22) on the neck (10) is engageable in a container filling and dispensing opening (24) of a predetermined size, whereby the neck (10) can be externally inserted into the container filling and dispensing opening (24) and supported for filling the liner pouch with the container contents and for fitting the neck closure (34). The support (22) is configured to yield under a downward force applied to the neck (10), allowing it and the neck closure (34) to move downward. This causes the neck (10) to pass through and vacate the container filling and dispensing opening (24) in order to allow the assembly of the container closure (30). A strap (46) connects the container closure (30) to the neck closure (34). Various anti-tamper protection measures are described, as well as means for the orientation of the liner bag (14) within the container.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to removable liners, which are mainly used in industrial-sized drums and similar bulk containers for flowable materials, although the present invention has a more general applicability. Such removable liners make it easier to recycle and / or reuse the containers, especially when the used containers are contaminated with harmful material residues. They are also useful when very clean or sterile conditions must be maintained, such as for food or pharmaceutical products. Contaminated containers require special (and usually expensive) treatment and / or disposal to meet legal requirements and avoid environmental damage. Removable liners minimize the amount of material that requires special treatment and the associated costs, since only the liner needs to be treated in this way. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] US3215307 and US3167210 disclose liners for head-closed drums, i.e., liners for drums in which the top wall or head seat (which typically includes drum holes for filling and venting purposes) is crimped or otherwise permanently fixed to the drum body. (This is in contrast to head-open drums, in which the top wall is formed by a separate lid portion that is typically removably fixed to a reinforcing rim or end flange at the open upper end of the drum body using a clamping ring or the like). The disclosed liners have a fill and removal neck that projects through an opening in the drum top wall and remains in that opening. Before the drum top wall is fixed, the liner is blow-molded and inserted into the drum body. The blow-molded liner is substantially elastically rigid rather than flexible and thus cannot be inserted and withdrawn through the much smaller opening in the drum top wall.

[0003] US3756494 relates to a head-open fiber drum having a conventional inner wall shell portion and an outer wall shell portion and a flexible liner bag "locked" to the drum structure by a bottom disc captured under the inner wall shell portion. The bag has an open top for filling and is tied closed when full. Similar flexible liner bags are also known for head-open steel drums, which include an arrangement in which the bag is provided with a more rigid fill neck assembled in a flexible top wall. The fill neck is closed by a screw cap, which (like the tied bag) is then covered by a removable drum lid portion.

[0004] According to US5480056, polyethylene fittings are used to secure the top of a flexible liner bag spaced from the drum head. Before the drum head is crimped to the drum body, the fitting is inserted from the inside through an offset drum hole in the drum top lid. The fitting is fixed by an external nut and receives a drum closure plug, such as a conventional Tri- Closure plug. Tabs and slots are used to correctly orient the fitting in the offset barrel opening. Before filling with the final container contents, the bag is inflated to rest against the inner surface of the barrel. To collapse the used empty bag, first the residual gas etc. is emptied, then the closure plug is screwed into the fitting, the plunger tool is engaged with the closure plug, the nut is removed, and then the sealed fitting and bag are pushed to the bottom of the barrel using the plunger tool. Then the barrel head can be cut off to remove the bag. The polyethylene fitting and the corresponding barrel opening and fastening nut must have non-standard dimensions larger than the closure plug and are not certified to meet the applicable standards and performance tests of the "United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods" ("UNRTDG").

[0005] US3918605, US5154307, US5169019 and US5217138 also disclose a liner bag and a fitting for fixing the liner bag within the barrel opening of a head-closed barrel. These liner systems are similar to the liner system of US5480056, except that the fitting and the bag are inserted into the barrel from the outside. This allows the empty bag to be collapsed and removed from the barrel without cutting off the barrel head. In other respects, these barrel liner systems have similar drawbacks to the liner system of US5480056.

[0006] US5154308 discloses a detachable liner bag which, for recycling purposes and similar to the liner bag of US5480056, can be separated from the barrel head by a force provided from the outside of the barrel. The top wall of the barrel has a plug fitting which has a tubular support unit extending downwardly. A part of the collar forming an access opening to the liner bag is removably received in the lower end of the tubular support unit. In use, the collar is connected to the tubular support unit, the bag is placed in the barrel, and then the barrel cover is fixed to the barrel.

[0007] Then the bag is inflated with a low positive internal air pressure so as to adhere to the inner surface of the barrel. Then the barrel is filled with its contents and the bag plug is fitted in the collar. Finally, a conventional barrel plug is inserted into the fitting. Although the conventional barrel plug may be able to retain the barrel contents in a drop test, large barrel head deformations occurring in such tests (or when the barrel accidentally drops during use) can cause the bag to rupture, resulting in or not resulting in the separation of the collar from the tubular support unit. Or the collar and the tubular support unit may separate, but the bag plug may fail. This can all lead to leakage of the bag contents inside the barrel. Then, the barrel contents may eventually corrode the unprotected inner part of the barrel and leak into the environment. Contact with the unprotected inner part of the barrel also easily contaminates the barrel contents, as this is what the intact bag liner is intended to prevent. As with US5480056, the barrel itself cannot be directly reused even if not contaminated, because the barrel head must be cut off to remove the collapsed and disassembled liner bag.

[0008] Accordingly, in highly competitive fields, there remains a need for further improvements to lining systems for industrial-sized barrels or similar containers that allow the containers to be easily reused and recycled and are also more easily able to meet relevant integrity and safety standards, such as those specified by UNRTDG. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention provides a container lining system comprising: a tubular filling and dispensing neck that is sealingly attached to a flexible lining bag and has a through-hole that can be sealed by a neck seal; the tubular filling and dispensing neck further includes a radially outwardly extending support that can engage in a container filling and dispensing opening of a predetermined size, whereby the tubular filling and dispensing neck can be inserted into the container filling and dispensing opening so as to be supported and held in the container filling and dispensing opening by the radially outwardly extending support for filling the lining bag with the container contents and for fitting a neck closure to seal the through-hole; wherein the radially outwardly extending support is configured to yield under a downward force applied to the tubular filling and dispensing neck, thereby allowing the tubular filling and dispensing neck and the neck closure to move downward; characterized in that the tubular filling and dispensing neck can be inserted into the container filling and dispensing opening from the outside, and downward movement causes the tubular filling and dispensing neck to pass through and vacate the container filling and dispensing opening so as to allow a container closure to be fitted to the container filling and dispensing opening.

[0010] As with US5154308, the container closure can be a standard screw cap certified to meet relevant performance and safety standards (such as UNRTDG). Since the tubular filling and dispensing neck passes through the container filling and dispensing opening after the bag has been filled and sealed by the neck closure, the support function of the tubular filling and dispensing neck at the container filling and dispensing opening is subsequently weakened or even completely eliminated. Accordingly, the container filling and dispensing opening can also be formed as a standard plug flange set or a standard container neck that is certified to meet relevant standards such as UNRTDG. Since the mechanical connection between the container filling and dispensing opening and the tubular filling and dispensing neck is reduced or non-existent after the tubular filling and dispensing neck has passed through the container filling and dispensing opening, a large deformation of the container head, for example, in a drop test or an accident, does not impose a large strain on the lining bag. The tubular filling and dispensing neck and the lining bag can be more easily mechanically disconnected (or have been mechanically disconnected) from the container filling and dispensing opening and can therefore be moved more easily relative to the container filling and dispensing opening. Accordingly, the filled lining bag is less likely to rupture during drop tests and accidents.

[0011] To access and dispense the contents of the container, the container closure is removed, the fill and dispense neck is pulled back up through the container fill and dispense opening so as to be supported therein, and then the neck closure is removed. If desired, the end user can leave the container in this state, replacing the neck closure as necessary to re-close the liner bag, but with the container closure removed and the fill and dispense neck held in the raised position. When emptied, the used liner bag can also be retrieved through the container fill and dispense opening together with the fill and dispense neck for safe disposal. The container is then immediately ready for reuse, for example by fitting a new liner bag and fill and dispense neck where required.

[0012] The radially outwardly projecting support member can simply be friction-fitted into the container fill and dispense opening, for example with an interference fit with the crest of the plug receiving threads in the container fill and dispense opening and / or with an interference fit with the washer seat in the container fill and dispense opening. However, in order to accommodate possible variations in the predetermined dimensions of the fill and dispense opening and / or the radially outwardly projecting support member, for example due to manufacturing tolerances, the radially outwardly projecting portion is capable of significant movement between an expanded state for holding the fill and dispense neck securely in the fill and dispense opening and a contracted state allowing the fill and dispense neck to pass through the fill and dispense opening. In principle, any suitable expansion / contraction mechanism can be used - for example: · Forming the radially outwardly projecting support member from a suitable elastically deformable material such as an elastomeric foam material; or · Forming the radially outwardly projecting support member to include inclined elastically deformable fingers or similarly deformable annular flanges which include inclined cross-sections; or · Forming the radially outwardly projecting support member as an annular brush-like structure which includes stiffly bendable substantially radially projecting bristles; or · Forming the radially outwardly projecting support member as a radially expandable / contractible elastic plug actuated by axial pressure according to Poisson's effect, or · Forming the radially outwardly projecting support member in any other suitable form, structure, feature or mechanism allowing the required radial deformation or movement, as will be apparent to the person skilled in the art; or any suitable combination of such forms, features, structures or mechanisms.

[0013] For example, the radially outwardly extending support member may simply comprise one or more radially outwardly extending flexible flanges which are integrally moulded with the remainder of the fill and dispense neck, for example by injection moulding from PCR or other suitable plastics material. The one or more flanges may include radially extending, axially oriented fins. However, for ease of moulding, they may alternatively comprise one or more radially projecting, circumferentially extending fins or ribs. In either case, the tips of the fins may be placed along a complementary profile which matches or is slightly larger than the nominal internal profile of the container fill and dispense opening. Thus, when in the upper or raised position, the fill and dispense neck is stably and firmly supported within the container fill and dispense opening. The one or more fins also provide a firm resistance to downward movement of the fill and dispense neck to prevent it from accidentally dropping out and falling into the container during the assembly and filling of the liner bag. However, the resistance may also be designed or selected (e.g., by controlling the number, radial extent and lateral thickness of the fins according to the Young's modulus of the material of the fill and dispense neck) such that the force required to push the fill and dispense neck into the container after the assembly of the liner bag and neck closure is not excessive; for example, it can be generated by a strong downward hand pressure.

[0014] The neck closure may comprise any suitable removable seal closure, such as a screw cap or screw plug. A screw plug may potentially allow the through-hole in the fill and dispense neck to have a larger diameter for a given predetermined size of the container fill and dispense opening. However, a screw cap can better accommodate optional anti-tamper features and provide more space for the radially outwardly extending support member on the fill and dispense neck. However, any anti-tamper features present preferably have a low radial profile so as not to unduly restrict the hole diameter of the fill and dispense neck as they must be able to pass through the container fill and dispense opening together with the remainder of the neck closure. Thus, the fill and dispense neck may be formed at its upper end with the necessary profile for accommodating a suitable standard screw cap or screw plug. Thus, the neck closure can be easily certified as meeting the relevant performance and safety standards, including anti-tamper safety requirements.

[0015] The container closure can be connected to the neck closure and / or to the filling and dispensing neck by a flexible strap or a similar grippable flexible handle device, by which the filling and dispensing neck can be more easily pulled back upward by the end user through the container filling and dispensing opening when needed. The upper end portions of the strap or handle device can be attached to the bottom surface of the container closure by a connecting member that allows them to rotate relative to each other. Thus, the strap or handle device can help prevent the loss of the container closure and also help prevent the filling and dispensing neck from being pushed downward into a partially emptied container and getting lost therein. The neck closure can similarly be provided with an additional strap or a similar grippable handle device rotatably connected to its upper surface for securing it to the filling and dispensing neck. When the neck closure is in place on or in the upper end portion of the filling and dispensing neck, the additional strap or handle device can form an upwardly projecting loop that can be used to guide the neck closure as well as the upper end portion of the filling and dispensing neck into the container filling and dispensing opening, e.g., into the inner mouth portion of the container closure flange.

[0016] When a tamper-evident closure cap or plug is used as the neck closure, it must be supplied to the customer (the container filler) separately from the filling and dispensing neck and its attached liner bag. To help ensure a sterile or at least adequately clean seal of the liner bag prior to use, a peelable closure foil can be adhesively bonded, ultrasonically or inductively welded, or otherwise hermetically sealed across the mouth of the filling and dispensing neck so as to be removed by the container filler immediately before the liner bag in the container expands to be ready for filling. The container filling and dispensing opening is typically positioned offset to one side towards the top of the container. Thus, the filling and dispensing neck must be connected to the top of the liner bag at a matching offset position and the filling and dispensing neck is inserted into the container filling and dispensing opening with the correct azimuthal orientation so that the liner bag expands concentrically within the container. To ensure that the liner bag is correctly oriented for the required concentric expansion, the closure foil can be provided with suitable markings (e.g., lines or arrows) that are aligned with suitable reference points on the container (such as the center or diameter of the top of the drum). For example, the markings can be aligned with a vent plug that is typically provided at a position diametrically opposite the container filling and dispensing opening in the top of the container. The filling and dispensing neck can similarly or alternatively be provided with orientation markings, e.g., visually or haptically distinct finger-gripping features among a plurality of such features circumferentially distributed around the filling and dispensing neck in the region between the upper end portion and a radially outwardly projecting support.

[0017] Container closures may be provided with safety features such as metal or plastic tamper-evident caps or cap seals to provide an additional level of security against unauthorized access to the contents of the container. The cap and / or neck closure may be provided with a frangible label secured across a tamper-evident band to provide yet another level of security and traceability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Some of the present invention and its additional alternative features and advantages are described below by reference to the illustrative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 A side elevation view showing the filling and dispensing neck and the top portion of the attached liner bag embodying the present invention; Figure 2 Is a sectional view through the filling and dispensing neck taken along line II-II in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 Is Figure 1 A perspective view of the filling and dispensing neck shown in Figure 4 Is similar to Figure 3 A perspective view showing an alternative form of the finger grip area; Figure 5A Is a perspective view showing the filling and dispensing neck inserted into the container filling and dispensing opening from above and the attached closure foil (the attached and folded liner bag hangs inside the container and is thus not visible); Figure 5B Shows a folded bag inserted through the container filling and dispensing opening (the filling and dispensing neck attached to the upper end of the liner bag is not visible); Figure 5C Shows the filling and dispensing neck fitted with a neck closure having a frangible label secured across a tamper-evident band (the liner bag is omitted for simplicity); Figure 6A Is a partially cut-away perspective view showing the filling and dispensing neck inserted into the container filling and dispensing opening, where the closure foil has been removed, ready to inflate the liner bag and then fill the bag with the contents of the container; Figure 6B Corresponds to Figure 6A But shows a neck closure fitted to the upper end of a tubular filling and dispensing neck and shows a strap (a grippable handle means) connecting the neck closure to the container closure; Figure 6C Is corresponding to Figure 6B A schematic view, but shows the filling and dispensing neck, the liner bag, the neck closure, the strap and the container closure assembly outside the container for illustrative purposes; Figures 7A to 7Eis a series of views, respectively showing additional steps of using the component to provide a fully enclosed container according to the UNRTDG, the container also having multiple levels of safety features, and Figure 8A and Figure 8B shows examples of alternative forms of a strap or a grippable handle device for securing both a neck closure and a container closure to a tubular filling and dispensing neck. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] As Figures 1 to 3 shown, the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 has an annular attachment flange 12 to which the top sheet of the flexible plastic liner bag 14 is attached and is sealed and fastened around the entire flange periphery by any suitable means, such as by ultrasonic welding. The axially projecting lower edge or rib 16 of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 can pass through a correspondingly sized hole in the bag top sheet to correctly position the liner bag 14 against the attachment flange 12. Alternatively, the hole can be cut after the top sheet has been fastened to the attachment flange 12. The tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 is provided with a flared region 18 and an anvil region 20, respectively disposed on opposite sides of the attachment flange 12 to accommodate ultrasonic welding equipment. The attachment position of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 in the bag top sheet is offset to match any offset in the container filling and dispensing opening in the head of the container, so that the bag 14 can be positioned to expand concentrically against the inner surface of the container, as explained above. To enable the user to easily achieve such concentric expansion and as further explained below, the bag top sheet and the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 should be fixedly oriented together at a predetermined relative angle about the longitudinal axis of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10. For this purpose, the attachment flange 12 can be provided with small peripheral notches or similar reference marks or features for alignment with corresponding reference marks or features in the top sheet of the liner bag 14.

[0020] The tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 also includes a radially outwardly projecting support 22 that can stably engage in a container filling and dispensing opening 24 of a predetermined size, such as for example Figure 5A 、 Figure 6A 、 Figure 6B and Figure 7A shown; but this also allows the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 to be pushed downward through the container filling and dispensing opening 24, as Figures 7B to 7EAs shown. The radially outwardly extending support member 22 can take any suitable form. In the example shown in the drawings, it includes a series of radially extending, generally planar annular fins or ribs 26. The top (outer edge) of the fin 26 abuts closely or slightly interference fits against the corresponding internal contour of the container filling and dispensing opening 24 to provide firm and stable support when the liner bag 14 expands within the container and then is filled with the material to be stored and transported in the container. In the particular arrangement shown, one of the uppermost fins 26a has a slightly enlarged diameter so as to rest in the recessed upper portion 28 of the container filling and dispensing opening 24, and the recessed upper portion 28 forms a gasket seat for a standard container closure plug 30. The tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 and the attached liner bag 14 are thus supported in the container filling and dispensing opening 24 with sufficient resistance to downward dislodgment to allow the necessary bag expansion, filling, and sealing operations to be carried out safely and conveniently before the liner bag 14 has been properly installed, filled, and sealed, without losing the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 inside the container. However, the larger diameter fin 26a (and the other fins 26) is flexible enough to distort and reduce its diameter, thus allowing the radially outwardly extending support member 22 to yield and the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 to be pushed downward under strong hand pressure after the neck closure 34 is assembled to seal the through-hole 36. Thus, the sealed tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 can be pushed into the interior of the container through the narrowest part of the container filling and dispensing opening 24. As Figure 4 illustrated, one or more of the lowermost fins 26b can have a larger diameter than the fins 26 of the intermediate portion including the radially outwardly extending support member 22. This allows the radially outwardly extending support member 22 to snap-fit "into" the flared portion of the standard closure flange 32 (see Figure 6A and Figure 6B ) or a similar component or structure forming the lower part of the container filling and dispensing opening 24 so as to hold the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 firmly and securely in its raised position. Thus, as shown, the radially outwardly extending support member 22 is adapted to generally conform to the internal shape of the container filling and dispensing opening 24, although this is not essential for the present invention. The same concept of a subductible tubular filling and dispensing neck can be readily applied to other types of containers and container filling and dispensing openings, the subductible tubular filling and dispensing neck being held in a raised position for filling an attached liner bag deployed within the container and applying a neck closure. The radially outwardly extending support member 22 can be suitably modified such that its outer contour complements and cooperates with the contour of the filling and dispensing opening as required, for example, in the case where the filling and dispensing opening 24 is an integral neck-like opening molded in a plastic drum.

[0021] The neck closure can be any suitable closure capable of sealing the through-hole 36 in the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10. For convenience, it can itself be a standard closure cap or plug that has been tested to meet appropriate standards such as UNRTDG and whose performance, integrity, and / or safety characteristics have been verified in use. The illustrated neck closure 34 is, for example, a Tri- Plasticap 50 mm screw cap having a low-profile, slit-type tamper-evident ring 38. The screw cap is assembled through the illustrated G2 drum closure flange 32 with only a small clearance and thus does not unduly restrict the diameter of the through-hole 36 in the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10. Thus, as shown, the upper end of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 is formed with external threads 40 to receive the screw cap 34. A “one-way” anchoring ring or rib 42 is provided around the outer side of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 below the threads 40, which has a complementary design to the tamper-evident ring 38 by having an upward-facing lead chamfer and a downward-facing retaining shoulder. When the screw cap 34 is first screwed to full closure, this ring 42 receives and anchors the tamper-evident ring 38 in a known and predictable manner. Similarly, the edge profile at the upper end of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 has a standard design complementary to the internal sealing features of the screw cap 34 to provide a reliable sealing performance that has been tested and verified. A frangible security label 44 can be applied across the slit separating the tamper-evident ring from the remainder of the screw cap 34 to provide an additional level of security and traceability for the container and its contents ( Figure 5C ). In the case of using other neck closures, these complementary features of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 can be readily adapted as appropriate.

[0022] As Figure 5C 、 Figure 6B 、 Figure 6C and Figures 7A to 7CAs shown in , the neck closure (screw cap 34) is provided with a grippable handle means in the form of a sturdy, flexible plastic strap 46. This is attached to the outer top of the screw cap 34 by a rotatable connector 48 which allows the screw cap 34 to be screwed on and off the fill and dispense neck 10 without causing the strap 46 to twist or rotate. The other end of the strap 46 is attached to the container closure plug 30 by a similar rotatable connector 50 so as not to interfere with screwing the container closure into the container fill and dispense opening 24. When the screw cap 34 has been applied to the tubular fill and dispense neck and the sealed tubular fill and dispense neck 10 is pushed down into the container to expose the container fill and dispense opening 24, the attached container closure cap 30 will prevent the strap 46 from disappearing and being completely lost inside the empty or partially empty container. Thus, the strap 46 can be used (if desired) to manipulate the cap 34 into the inner mouth of the container fill and dispense opening 24. The strap 46 can then be used to pull the tubular fill and dispense neck 10 back into the raised position in which the radially outwardly projecting support 22 firmly engages the inner profile of the container fill and dispense opening 24 to stably support the tubular fill and dispense neck 10 and the attached liner bag 14, for example for removing the neck closure 34 and dispensing the contents of the container.

[0023] Reference Figure 5A , a peel-seal foil 52 is glued (e.g., by an induction heat-activated adhesive layer or any other suitable means) across the mouth of the fill and dispense neck 10 to seal and maintain the cleanliness of the unused neck and liner bag assembly 10, 14 until used by the customer (the container filler). The container fill and dispense opening 24 is typically positioned offset to one side towards the top 54 of the container. Thus, the fill and dispense neck 10 is connected to the top sheet of the liner bag 14 at a matching offset position. To ensure that the fill and dispense neck 10 is inserted into the container fill and dispense opening at the correct azimuthal orientation to cause the liner bag to expand concentrically within the container, the seal foil is provided with suitable markings (e.g., lines or arrows 56) which are aligned with suitable reference points on the container, such as a vent plug (not shown) provided in the top 54 of the container at a diametrically opposite position to the container fill and dispense opening 24. The foil 52 itself may also or alternatively have orientation indicating points or similar features 58. The fill and dispense neck 10 may similarly or alternatively be provided with orientation markings, e.g., a distinctively differentiated finger-gripping feature 60a among a plurality of such features 60 circumferentially distributed around the fill and dispense neck 10 in the region between its upper end and the radially outwardly projecting support 22. In Figure 3 , the orientation finger-grip 60a has a knurled surface schematically indicated by cross-hatching. In Figure 4In [the above], the directional finger gripping portion 60a has a straight shape; while the remaining portion of the finger gripping portion 60 is chevron-shaped and "points" to the directional finger gripping portion 60a. Thus, the markings on the top of the liner bag and the axially extending lower edge or rib 16 ensure that the liner bag 14 and the filling and dispensing neck 10 are welded together in the correct relative orientation, whereby the directional features 56, 58, 60a can be reliably used to ensure the correct orientation of the liner bag 14 within the container. The finger gripping portions 60, 60a are used to grip the filling and dispensing neck 10 to prevent it from rotating within the container filling and dispensing opening 24 when the screw cap or other neck closure 34 is screwed on / into or unscrewed.

[0024] The use by the customer (the container filler) is as follows. The liner bag 14 with the closure foil 52 still in place on the filling and dispensing neck 10 is inserted through the container filling and dispensing opening 24 ( Figure 5B ), and is brought into the correct orientation by aligning the directional features 56, 58, 60a with the corresponding reference feature(s) on the container. Then the closure foil 52 is peeled off ( Figure 5A ). The container vent plug is removed, and a low-power vacuum pump (e.g., a vacuum cleaner) is applied to the container vent opening to cause the liner bag 14 to unfold and expand against the inner surface of the container; the bag 14 is inflated by the atmospheric pressure acting through the hole 36 in the filling and dispensing neck 10. The closely fitting radially outwardly extending support 22 in the container filling and dispensing opening 24 allows a sufficient pressure differential to be generated to achieve this. Then the liner bag can be filled with the desired contents, the vacuum source is removed and the vent plug is reinstalled. Next, as Figure 7A shown, the neck closure 34 is assembled onto the filling and dispensing neck 10; the filled liner bag 14 is sealed and the tamper-evident ring 38 is enabled. The filling and dispensing neck 10 can be gripped by the finger gripping feature 60 to prevent it from rotating when the screw cap 34 or other screw closure is screwed onto / into the filling and dispensing neck 10. The joint 48 allows the screw cap 34 to be screwed on without rotating or twisting the strap 46. (For illustrative purposes, Figure 6B the neck closure 34 shown in place to seal the filling and dispensing neck 10 is also shown, but with the liner bag 14 not inflated. Typically, the liner bag 14 will have been inflated before the neck closure 34 is first applied so as to be placed closely against the inner surface of the barrel and then filled with the container contents, as explained above). Figure 7B Shown is that the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 is partially recessed into the container such that the radially outwardly extending support 22 has moved downward to pass through the container filling and dispensing opening 24, but the neck closure 34 still protrudes above the container filling and dispensing opening 24. Figure 7CShows the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 and the neck closure 34 fully recessed into the container to free up the container filling and dispensing opening 24. Figure 7D Shows a container closure plug 30 assembled (screwed) into the container filling and dispensing opening 24 to provide a closed container according to UNRTDG. The connector 50 allows the plug 30 to be screwed in (or out) without twisting the strap 46. An additional layer of security can be added by applying a suitable metal or plastic top cap or cap seal ( Figure 7E illustrated by way of non-limiting example a crimped metal cap seal) to the plug 30 and the container filling and dispensing opening 24. The sealed container is then ready for delivery to the end user. Removal of the closure plug 30 by the end user pulls out the strap 46 which can then be used to pull out the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 for re-engaging the radially outwardly extending support 22 in the container filling and dispensing opening 24. The neck closure cap 34 can then be unscrewed to access the container contents.

[0025] Figure 8AShows an alternative strap or handle device configuration. The strap or handle device 46a is cut or stamped from a sheet of tough, flexible plastic material such as PET. It includes a central ring portion 62 having a central aperture sized to snap onto an anchor ring or rib 42 of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 so as to be held captive between the ring 42 and the finger grips 60, 60a. The strap or handle device 46a further includes a short arm 64 extending from the ring portion 62 and having a tab 66 with an aperture at its distal end. A headed pin formed on the top face of the neck closure cap 34 snaps through the central aperture in the tab 66 to form a rotatable connection 48. The strap or handle device 46a further includes a pair of opposed long arms 68, each long arm having a tab 70 with an aperture at its distal end. In use, the arms 68 are bent so that the apertured tabs 70 are superimposed. Then a headed pin formed on the bottom face of the container closure plug 30 is snapped through the apertures in the two tabs 70 to form a rotatable connection 50. Thus, even when the neck closure 34 is not screwed onto the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10, the closure plug 30 is permanently attached to the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 and can thus be used to prevent the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 from falling deeply into the container where it cannot be retrieved using the strap or handle device 46a. The long arms 68 may include crease lines 72 to assist in folding the closure plug 30 to one side to expose the upper end of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 for fitting the neck closure 34. Screwing the neck closure 34 onto the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 bends the short arm 64 into an upright loop shape which can be used, if necessary, together with the long arms 68 to manipulate the neck closure cap 34 into the lower mouth of the container filling and dispensing opening 24 from below when pulling the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 back to the raised position. The unscrewed container closure plug 30 can then be grasped to pull the ring portion 62 upwardly with equal force on either side via the long arms 68 to cleanly pull the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 upwardly through the container filling and dispensing opening 24 without jamming. When the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10 is pushed into the depressed position, the long arms 68 fold upwardly and can then be further folded to bring the container closure plug 30 to a position above the container filling and dispensing opening 24 for screwing in. When the container closure plug 30 is screwed into the container filling and dispensing opening 24, the looped short arm 64 attached to the top of the neck closure 34 is also folded and is further pushed downwardly into the container interior together with the folded long arms 68.

[0026] In Figure 8BIn a variation of the strap or handle device 46b shown, instead of the pair of long arms 68 connected to the loop portion 62, a single long arm 68 can be used to connect the tab 70 with an aperture (or other container closure swivel joint 50) to the tab 66 with an aperture (or other neck closure swivel joint 48). In this variation, the tab 66 with an aperture (or neck closure swivel joint 48) is still connected to the loop portion 62 by the short arm 64.

[0027] Gas venting versions of both the G2 container closure plug and the Plasticap 50mm screw caps are available as standard and can be used where required for the contents of the container. The G2 plug is also available as standard in plastic or steel, with a variety of sealing washer options to suit the container contents as required. Other variations and modifications are readily achievable within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. For example, some of the safety features can be omitted where not necessary; or additional or alternative safety or hygiene features can be provided, such as keeping intact a portion of the liner bag that maintains a seal at the lower end of the tubular filling and dispensing neck 10, such that it acts as a secondary hygiene membrane that must be cut after removal of the closure foil 52 to inflate and then fill the liner bag 14. The neck closure cap can be a snap-on or crimp-on or other type of cap rather than a screw cap, or can be an internal plug (snapped in / pulled out or threaded) rather than an external cap. Similarly, the container closure 30 can be fixed by means other than a threaded connection, and / or can be an external cap connected to an upright boss or neck on the container rather than connected to the container filling and dispensing opening 24 as shown in the drawings.

[0028] Accordingly, the present invention is capable of providing a super-clean tamper-evident bag in a drum development form having food and pharmaceutical applications and reducing contaminated waste that requires special handling and processing to avoid environmental hazards. UN Group I certification is possible. Three or more tamper-evident barriers can be provided, with optional traceability. After removal of the used liner bag assembly, the drum or other container shell is 100% reusable.

Claims

1. A container lining system, comprising: a tubular filling and dispensing neck that is sealingly attached to a flexible lining bag and has a through-hole that can be sealed by a neck closure; the tubular filling and dispensing neck further includes a radially outwardly extending support member that can be engaged in a container filling and dispensing opening of a predetermined size, whereby the tubular filling and dispensing neck can be inserted into the container filling and dispensing opening so as to be supported and held in the container filling and dispensing opening by the radially outwardly extending support member for filling the lining bag with the container contents and for fitting a neck closure to seal the through-hole; wherein the radially outwardly extending support member is configured to yield under a downward force applied to the tubular filling and dispensing neck, thereby allowing the tubular filling and dispensing neck and the neck closure to move downward; characterized in that the tubular filling and dispensing neck can be inserted into the container filling and dispensing opening from the outside, and the downward movement causes the tubular filling and dispensing neck to pass through and vacate the container filling and dispensing opening so as to allow a container closure to be fitted to the container filling and dispensing opening.

2. The container lining system according to claim 1, wherein The radially outwardly extending portion can move significantly between an expanded state for supporting and holding the filling and dispensing neck in the filling and dispensing opening and a contracted state for allowing the filling and dispensing neck to pass through the filling and dispensing opening.

3. The container lining system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The radially outwardly extending support member includes one or more radially outwardly extending flexible flanges.

4. The container lining system according to claim 3, wherein, The one or more flanges include one or more radially extending, circumferentially extending fins or ribs.

5. The container lining system according to claim 4, wherein, The tips of the fins are placed along a complementary profile that matches or is slightly larger than the nominal inner profile of the container filling and dispensing opening.

6. The container lining system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The neck closure includes a screw cap or a screw plug.

7. The container lining system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The container closure is connected to the neck closure and / or to the filling and dispensing neck by the flexible strap or a similar grippable flexible handle device through which the filling and dispensing neck can be pulled back upward through the container filling and dispensing opening.

8. The container lining system according to claim 7, wherein, The upper end of the strap or handle device is attached to the bottom surface of the container closure by a connecting member, thereby allowing relative rotation of the strap and the container closure.

9. The container lining system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein, The neck closure is provided with an additional strap or a similar grippable handle device that can be rotatably connected to its upper surface for fixing the neck closure to the filling and dispensing neck.

10. The container lining system according to claim 9, wherein, When the neck closure is in place on or in the upper end of the filling and dispensing neck, the additional strap or handle device forms an upwardly extending loop.

11. The container lining system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a peel-seal foil that seals airtight across the mouth of the filling and dispensing neck.

12. The container lining system according to claim 11, wherein, The seal foil is provided with a mark that can be aligned with a reference point on the container.

13. The container lining system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The filling and dispensing neck is provided with a mark that can be aligned with a reference point on the container.

14. The container lining system according to claim 13, wherein, The filling and dispensing neck marking includes a visually or tactilely distinct finger-gripping feature among a plurality of such features distributed circumferentially around the filling and dispensing neck.

15. The container lining system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The neck closure is provided with a frangible label secured across a tamper-evident band.

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