Storage system for liquid building material

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a container (1) for containing a volume of at least 200 liters of liquid, the container (1) comprising-a support tray (2),-a box structure (7) arranged on top of an upper support surface of the support tray (2), the box structure (7) comprising side walls (8, 9, 10, 11) extending substantially vertically from the upper support surface of the support tray (2), -a flexible bladder (4) for containing said volume of liquid, said flexible bladder (4) being arranged inside said box structure (7), said flexible bladder (4) comprising at least an inner liner arranged for enclosing and in contact with said volume of liquid and an outer liner arranged for contact with an inwardly facing surface (13) of said box structure (7), and-an outlet fitting (5) disposed in the flexible bladder (4) for connecting the volume of liquid to a sprayer, where the outlet fitting (5) has an opening with an inner cross-sectional area of at least 30 cm2, such as at least 35 cm2. A system comprising a spray coater and such a container filled with spray putty and the use of such a system are also disclosed.

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a container for storing and transporting liquid building material, such as spackling, adhesive and paint, which is suitable for being sprayed onto a building surface directly from the storage container by means of a sprayer. The present disclosure further relates to a system comprising such a container with spackling and a sprayer, and the use of such a system for providing spackling onto a building surface directly from the storage container by means of a sprayer. BACKGROUND

[0002] The building industry has been seeking to reduce the physical strain on the body of the laborer and to increase productivity, in particular by reducing the number of working hours spent on a particular task and by reducing the amount of manual heavy lifting. One example of physical work requiring a substantial amount of time is the application of, for example, spackling, adhesive and paint to a wall. In the past 5 to 10 years, this type of task has increasingly been done by spraying the liquid building material onto the wall and other surfaces by means of a sprayer, and this is possible even in the case of high viscosity building materials such as spackling. The sprayer generally has a container, and the liquid building material has to be supplied to this container. Spackling is generally supplied in pre-mixed form in 10-20 kg spackling sacks, generally 15 kg sacks, so that the sack can be handled by one person, including lifting, opening with a sharp instrument and pouring the spackling into the container of the sprayer. Alternatively, spackling is provided in powder form in sacks of similar weight, wherein the spackling powder has to be supplied to a mixing container and mixed with water to provide the sprayable spackling, which can then be supplied to the container of the sprayer. Less viscous liquids, such as adhesive and paint, are usually supplied in 15 liter drums, which need to be manually poured into the container of the sprayer. Thus, a spraying job requires two people: one person operating the spray gun while the liquid is being applied to the wall or ceiling, and one person supplying the liquid to the sprayer, which involves manual heavy lifting, and the process generates a large amount of waste in the form of packaging material. Furthermore, depending on the type of liquid material, in particular depending on the viscous properties of the liquid material, the residue of the liquid material in the waste packaging material can amount to 5 to 10% of the total volume of the liquid material. SUMMARY

[0003] There is a need to reduce the physical work involved in using liquid building materials, in particular the manual lifting of heavy objects, and to reduce the amount of waste packaging material and also the amount of residual waste liquid material that is disposed of together with the waste packaging material.

[0004] The present disclosure therefore provides a device for storing and transporting at least 200 liters of liquid material, which is suitable for containing liquid materials of higher viscosity, in particular sprayable spackling, adhesive or paint, and which allows the liquid material to be removed from the container by suction, so that the amount of physical work, in particular heavy lifting, required can be avoided.

[0005] It is well known in the art to use larger flexible pouches, i.e. having a capacity of e.g. 200 to 400 liters, provided in a box (so-called box-in-bag) for containing and transporting larger amounts of liquids such as tomato sauce, mayonnaise and other dressings, sauces and other liquid food products. However, for liquids of higher viscosity, it has been shown problematic to use such flexible pouches, which require an application of suction to the outlet in order to empty the liquid from the pouch, as the effect of gravity on the liquid content is insufficient to drive the liquid out through the outlet. The inventors have tried to apply a significant suction to the outlet of known larger flexible pouches, which resulted in the material of the flexible pouch clogging the outlet before more than a portion of the liquid content of the flexible pouch had been drained through the outlet.

[0006] The inventors have decided to provide a modification to known box-in-bag with larger flexible pouches, such that it is suitable for containing liquid materials of higher viscosity and allows removal of the liquid material from the pouch by suction, and reduces the risk of the material of the pouch clogging the outlet of the flexible pouch during the emptying process.

[0007] This object has been achieved by the present disclosure, which relates to a container for containing a volume of at least 200 liters, such as at least 400 liters, such as in the range of 300 to 1000 liters, such as in the range of 400 to 800 liters, of liquid, the container comprising: a support tray; a box structure arranged on top of an upper support surface of the support tray, the box structure comprising a side wall extending substantially vertically from the upper support surface of the support tray; a flexible pouch for containing the volume of liquid, the flexible pouch being arranged inside the box structure, the flexible pouch comprising at least an inner liner arranged for enclosing the volume of liquid and being in contact with the volume of liquid, and an outer liner arranged for being in contact with an inner surface of the box structure; and an outlet fitting provided in the flexible pouch for connecting the volume of liquid to a spray machine, wherein the outlet fitting has an opening with an inner cross-sectional area of at least 30 cm 2 , such as at least 35 cm 2 . The inner cross-sectional area can be chosen in the range of 30 cm 2 to 75 cm 2 , such as in the range of 35 cm 2 to 70 cm 2 .

[0008] The inventors' tests show that the level of suction applied to the outlet fitting of the flexible bladder in order to get a satisfactory flow of liquid material to the spray machine depends on the viscous properties of the liquid, so that the higher the viscosity, the higher the level of suction at the outlet fitting should be. However, the risk of the bladder material clogging the outlet of the flexible bladder also increases with the level of suction during the emptying process. The inventors have found that by choosing an outlet fitting with a very large inner cross-sectional area of at least 30 cm 2 , such as at least 35 cm 2 , a satisfactory flow of liquid material can be obtained at moderate levels of suction, which significantly reduces the risk of the bladder material clogging the outlet of the flexible bladder during the emptying process, which makes the container according to the present disclosure practically usable for liquids within a much wider range of viscous properties. In comparison, the largest outlet of a known flexible bladder of this volume range known to the inventors is a 2 inch outlet fitting with an inner opening of about 16 cm 2 .

[0009] The terms "viscosity" and "high viscosity" are used herein. Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to deformation at a given rate. However, the liquids the present invention is intended for are typically non-Newtonian, so that the viscosity of the liquid depends largely on the applied shear stress. Spray putty, for example, is a high viscosity, non-Newtonian fluid with a non-zero yield stress, which means that the fluid will not start to flow unless a shear stress higher than the yield stress is applied. Such a fluid can meet the requirements of a Bingham fluid, a Bingham plastic or a Herschel-Bulkley fluid. Adhesives and paints are typically pseudoplastic fluids, i.e. shear thinning fluids, and for this reason no simple specific value for the viscosity of the liquid can be provided. However, the present container is particularly advantageous for use with high viscosity liquids, such as spray putty, spray adhesives and paints, with a viscosity higher than 800 cP (centipoise), such as higher than 1,000 cP, for example in the range of 800 cP to 1,600 cP, such as in the range of 1,000 cP to 1,400 cP, at a low shear rate of about 60 s -1 , and a temperature and atmospheric pressure of 20°C.

[0010] The container can comprise a separate inlet fitting provided in the flexible bladder for inputting the volume of liquid into the flexible bladder. Since the problem addressed by providing an outlet fitting with a large inner opening does not apply to the inlet fitting, a smaller open area of the inner opening of the inlet fitting can be chosen, such as 10 cm 2 to 20 cm 2 , but alternatively an inlet fitting corresponding to the outlet fitting can be chosen, such as for reducing the number of different components of the container.

[0011] The outlet fitting can in particular have a substantially circular cross-sectional inner opening with a diameter of at least 65 mm, such as at least 70 mm.

[0012] It has also been found that in order to meet the above-mentioned objects of the present application, it is advantageous to provide one or more fasteners between parts of the outer liner of the bladder and the inwardly facing surfaces of at least some of the side walls of the box structure, thereby fastening the outer liner of the bladder to the inwardly facing surfaces of the side walls of the box structure, which fasteners allow the outer liner to be pulled away from the inwardly facing surfaces without damaging the outer liner. Thus, during the process of emptying the flexible bladder through the outlet fitting, the fasteners will provide resistance to the movement of the bladder material towards the outlet fitting, thereby obstructing the outlet of the flexible bladder, while at the same time, the fasteners will not prevent the flexible bladder from being pulled away from the inner surfaces of the box walls to empty the bladder, e.g. by using a twist-off, which twist-off as such is known in the art in connection with emptying larger flexible bladders.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the fasteners are provided by an adhesive connection, such as by applying a length of double-sided adhesive tape to the inwardly facing surfaces of the walls of the box structure and possibly also to the bottom wall of the box structure. According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, the fasteners are provided by hook-and-loop fasteners. In an alternative embodiment, snap fasteners can be provided as the fasteners in the function of the present application.

[0014] In a particular embodiment, the outlet fitting extends through the front side wall of the box structure, and one or more fasteners can be provided between parts of the outer liner of the bladder and the inwardly facing surfaces of each of the two side walls of the box structure adjacent the front side wall. It appears that providing fasteners at these side walls to the right and to the left of the front side wall of the box structure has the greatest positive effect in preventing material of the flexible bladder from being sucked into the outlet opening and the outlet fitting and thus clogging the outlet.

[0015] The fasteners can be provided as strips extending in an oblique direction a shorter distance from the bottom wall of the box structure at a position close to the front side wall to a longer distance from the bottom wall of the box structure at a position further away from the front side wall. The longer distance can be at least 1½ times, such as at least 2 times, the shorter distance.

[0016] The bottom wall of the box structure can be a separate structure, or can be constituted by the upper support surface of the support tray.

[0017] Alternatively or additionally, one or more fasteners can be provided between parts of the outer liner of the bladder and the inwardly facing surface of the front side wall of the box structure.

[0018] Furthermore, one or more fasteners can be provided between parts of the outer liner of the bladder and the upwardly facing surface of the bottom wall of the box structure.

[0019] The one or more fasteners can allow the outer liner to be gradually pulled away from the inner facing surface of the side wall of the box structure and optionally the upward facing surface of the bottom wall of the box structure, such that the outer liner of the bladder closer to the side wall of the box structure opposite the front side wall of the box structure can be pulled away from the inner facing surface of the side wall of the box structure and optionally the upward facing surface of the bottom wall of the box structure to which it is fastened by means of the fastener, while the outer liner of the bladder closer to the front side wall of the box structure remains fastened to the inner facing surface of the side wall of the box structure and optionally the upward facing surface of the bottom wall of the box structure by means of the fastener. Thereby, it is achieved that the flexible bladder during its emptying can be released from the fastening to the inner side of the walls and possibly the bottom of the box structure at the end furthest from the outlet fitting and subjected to an emptying device such as a wringer, while the remaining flexible bladder closer to the outlet fitting remains constrained by the fastener to avoid that the material of the flexible bladder is sucked into the outlet fitting and clogs the outlet fitting.

[0020] The inner liner of the bladder can prevent a pattern of heat welding of the inner liner relative to the corresponding outer liner to the outer liner of the bladder before the liquid enters the flexible bladder.

[0021] The box structure can be provided in corrugated fiberboard.

[0022] The upper support surface of the support tray can extend 120 cm x 180 cm, such as the dimensions of a EUR pallet.

[0023] The outlet fitting can comprise a Storz connector, and the outlet fitting can comprise an internal removable plug, such as a threaded plug, to prevent leakage during transport and storage of the container.

[0024] The outlet fitting can be provided with an external removable cap, such as a threaded cap, which is removed when connected to a spraying machine.

[0025] The outlet fitting can further comprise a valve, such as a faucet valve, to prevent leakage from the outlet fitting during transport and storage of the container.

[0026] In one specific embodiment, the flexible bladder comprises a volume of spraying putty, the volume of spraying putty being at least 300 liters, such as at least 400 liters, such as in the range of 300 liters to 1000 liters, such as in the range of 400 liters to 800 liters.

[0027] The spray putty can have a plastic viscosity in the range of 800 cP to 1,600 cP, such as in the range of 1,000 cP to 1,400 cP, with the proviso that the shear stress on the spray putty exceeds the yield stress of the spray putty, wherein cP is an abbreviation for centiPoise. The viscosity of the spray putty can only be measured when the shear stress on the spray putty exceeds the yield stress of the shear putty, because at a shear stress lower than the yield stress the spray putty will behave as a rigid body. Furthermore, the plastic viscosity can vary at different shear stresses, i.e. the spray putty can behave as a non-Newtonian fluid at a shear stress higher than the yield stress, such as a shear thickening or shear thinning fluid.

[0028] The container can comprise an adapter coupled with the outlet fitting (5) for coupling the outlet fitting to a spraying machine. In the present specification, the adapter can be referred to as an "inlet pipe".

[0029] The adapter can comprise a height adjustment portion.

[0030] In a second specific embodiment, the flexible bladder comprises a volume of spray adhesive, such as for fastening wallpaper, fabric or carpet, the volume of spray adhesive being at least 300 liters, such as at least 400 liters, such as in the range of 300 liters to 1000 liters, such as in the range of 400 liters to 800 liters. The spray adhesive can have a viscosity in the range of 800 cP to 1,600 cP, such as in the range of 1,000 cP to 1,400 cP. The viscosity can vary at different shear stresses, because the spray adhesive can behave as a non-Newtonian fluid, such as a shear thickening or shear thinning fluid.

[0031] The above-mentioned viscosities are measured at a temperature of 20°C and at atmospheric pressure.

[0032] The present disclosure further relates to a system for providing a spray putty or a spray adhesive to a surface of a building, the system comprising a container as disclosed herein and a spraying machine having a pump unit with an inlet side and an outlet side, the inlet side being connected to the outlet fitting of the container by means of an inlet pipe, the outlet side being connected to one or more spray guns, wherein the pump unit is adapted to provide a liquid, such as for example a spray putty or a spray adhesive, at the outlet side at a pressure of at least 120 bar, such as at least 150 bar, such as at least 200 bar, and wherein the pump unit is adapted to provide the liquid at the outlet side without mixing the liquid with additional air.

[0033] Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to the use of a system as disclosed herein for providing a liquid, such as for example a spray putty or a spray adhesive, to a surface of a building, such as a wall and a ceiling of the building. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] The present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The drawings are exemplary and are intended to demonstrate some of the features of the present method and system and should not be interpreted in a limiting sense.

[0035] Figure 1 a side view of a container according to the present disclosure is shown,

[0036] Figure 2 is a front side view of the container of Figure 1 ,

[0037] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the container of Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,

[0038] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the interior of the container of Figures 1 to 3 without a flexible bladder,

[0039] Figure 5 is a side view of the inwardly facing surface of the side wall of the container of Figure 4 , Figure 6 shows an exploded view of an adapter coupled to an outlet fitting, and

[0040] Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of an adapter coupled to an outlet fitting. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] An example of a container 1 according to the present disclosure is shown in the drawings, wherein Figures 1 to 3 is a view from the outside of the container 1. A support pallet 2, such as a EUR pallet of 120 cm length (L) and 80 cm width (W), is provided for supporting the liquid material in the container 1 and to facilitate transport and storage of the container 1. The support pallet 2 is provided with openings 3 along all sides for receiving forklift tines for transporting the container 1.

[0042] A box structure 7 is supported on the support pallet 2, which box structure comprises a front side wall 11 opposite a rear side wall 9, which rear and front side walls are connected with a left side wall 8 and a right side wall 10, as Figure 4 shown. The four side walls 8, 9, 10, 11 are made of corrugated fiberboard and extend 48 cm upwards (H) from the upper support surface of the support pallet 2, wherein the bottom wall 12 of the box can be constituted by the upper support surface of the support pallet 2 or by a piece of corrugated fiberboard on top of the upper support surface of the support pallet 2. Other board materials with suitable strength, such as plywood or fiber-reinforced composite boards, can be used for the side walls 8, 9, 10, 11 and possibly the bottom wall 12. However, board materials made of paper, such as paperboard and corrugated fiberboard, can be easily material recycled after use. The box structure 7 has a substantially rectangular cross-section from the support pallet 2 to the top of the box structure 7.

[0043] The interior of the container structure 7 houses a flexible bladder 4 for containing the liquid material to be contained in the container 1. The flexible bladder 4 is made of two layers of plastic material: an inner liner to seal the volume of the liquid material and an outer liner to protect the inner liner and safeguard the liquid material in case of leakage. The inner liner may be made of a flexible, food-grade plastic material that protects the liquid material from the growth of bacteria, mold, and fungi during storage. The flexible bladder 4 is made of a rectangular four-layer sandwich structure consisting of two inner liners enclosed between two outer liners. All four layers are heat-welded together under pressure through seams along the outer edges of the rectangular shape, forming a closed, two-layer flexible bladder 4 with an internal volume of approximately 450 liters. Figure 1 In this diagram, the left side wall 8 of the housing structure 7 has been partially removed to provide a view of the flexible bladder 4 disposed within the housing structure 7. For illustrative purposes, the vertical side of the flexible bladder 4 is shown as being separated from the rear side wall 9 of the housing structure 7 by a horizontal distance, but when the flexible bladder 4 is filled with liquid material, the two are in abutment contact. In other embodiments of this disclosure, the flexible bladder 4 may be manufactured using a single-layer plastic sheet that encloses the internal volume.

[0044] The flexible capsule 4 may be provided with an outlet fitting 5 having a 70 mm inner diameter opening. This outlet fitting has a 3-inch connector for connecting the housing of the flexible capsule 4 to a receiver (e.g., a sprayer for applying paint, adhesive, or spray putty to an interior surface, such as a building wall). The outlet fitting 5 is provided with a device such as an external thread to establish a secure connection with the receiver, such as a secure connection established by means of a Storz connector. Additionally, the outlet fitting 5 may include an internal removable plug, such as a threaded plug, to prevent leakage through the outlet fitting 5 during storage and transportation. Alternatively or additionally, the outlet fitting 5 may be provided with an external removable cap, such as a threaded cap, for providing protection during transportation and storage and for removal before connection to the receiver. The outlet fitting may include a valve, such as a tap valve, to prevent leakage through the outlet fitting 5 during storage and transportation. Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, when the flexible bladder 4 is arranged in the box structure 7 of the container 1, the outlet fitting 5 extends through the lower part of the front side wall 11 of the box structure 7.

[0045] The flexible capsule 4 is also equipped with an inlet fitting 6, when... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the inlet fitting is positioned at the top of the container 1 when the flexible bladder 4 is arranged in the box structure 7 of the container 1 and the flexible bladder 4 is filled with liquid material. The inlet fitting 6 can correspond to the outlet fitting 5, or the inlet fitting can be provided with a smaller fitting, such as a 2 inch connector, since the problem of emptying the flexible bladder 4 solved with the inner opening of the outlet fitting 5 does not apply to the inlet fitting 6.

[0046] The fasteners 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 are arranged between the outer liner of the flexible bladder 4 and the various inwardly facing surfaces 13 of the side walls 8, 10, 11 and the top surface of the bottom wall 12 of the box structure 7. In the present example, the fasteners 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 are pieces of double-sided tape which are fastened to the inwardly facing surfaces 13 and the bottom wall 12 before the flexible bladder 4 is placed in the box structure 7. The function of the fasteners 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 is to prevent the flexible bladder 4 from being sucked into the outlet fitting 5 during emptying of the flexible bladder 4 by means of a pump of a spray machine or similar connected to the outlet fitting, while at the same time allowing the flexible bladder 4 to be released from the fastening to the inwardly facing surfaces 13 and the bottom wall 12 without damaging the flexible bladder 4, so that the flexible bladder 4 can be emptied more completely, for example by means of a wringer. Furthermore, the fasteners 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 are arranged and designed so that the flexible bladder 4 can be released gradually from the inwardly facing surfaces 13 and the bottom wall 12, so that the flexible bladder 4 can be emptied from the end close to the rear side wall 12 of the box structure 7, while the end of the flexible bladder 4 close to the front side wall 11 of the box structure 7 remains fastened to the inwardly facing surfaces 13 by means of the fasteners 15-20.

[0047] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the fasteners 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 are arranged in the box structure 7 so that the flexible bladder 4 is fastened to the inwardly facing surfaces 13 of the side walls 8, 10, 11 and the bottom wall 12 of the box structure 7 in such a way that the flexible bladder 4 is prevented from being sucked into the outlet fitting 5 during emptying of the flexible bladder 4 by means of a pump of a spray machine or similar connected to the outlet fitting, while at the same time allowing the flexible bladder 4 to be released from the fastening to the inwardly facing surfaces 13 and the bottom wall 12 without damaging the flexible bladder 4, so that the flexible bladder 4 can be emptied more completely, for example by means of a wringer. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the fasteners 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 are arranged in the box structure 7 so that the flexible bladder 4 is fastened to the inwardly facing surfaces 13 of the side walls 8, 10, 11 and the bottom wall 12 of the box structure 7 in such a way that the flexible bladder 4 is prevented from being sucked into the outlet fitting 5 during emptying of the flexible bladder 4 by means of a pump of a spray machine or similar connected to the outlet fitting, while at the same time allowing the flexible bladder 4 to be released from the fastening to the inwardly facing surfaces 13 and the bottom wall 12 without damaging the flexible bladder 4, so that the flexible bladder 4 can be emptied more completely, for example by means of a wringer.

[0048] The distance H2 between the higher position and the bottom wall 12 can be at least 1½ times, such as at least 2 times, the distance H1 between the lower position and the bottom wall 12.

[0049] The outlet fitting 5 can be connected to the adapter 21.

[0050] Figure 6 An exploded view of the adapter 21 coupled to the outlet fitting 5 is shown. The adapter 21 can be referred to as an inlet pipe. The adapter 21 is operable to connect the outlet fitting 5 with a receiver (e.g., a spray machine for spraying paint, adhesive, or spray putty onto an interior surface, such as a wall of a building).

[0051] In Figure 6 , the adapter 21 can include a first connecting portion 22 for coupling with the outlet 5, an engagement portion 23, a second connecting portion 24, and a connecting sleeve 25.

[0052] As Figure 7 shown, the first connecting portion 22 is substantially annular in shape and is configured to extend in the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the outlet 5. The first connecting portion 22 can have a bore extending therethrough, but with an increased inner diameter size at both ends. That is, the first connecting portion has a first recess at a first end for receiving at least a portion of the outlet 5 and a second recess at a second end opposite the first end for receiving at least a portion of the engagement portion 23.

[0053] The engagement portion 23 can have an opening therethrough. In Figure 6 , the engagement portion has a bend of between 75 degrees to 90 degrees. A first end of the engagement portion 23 is configured to be received in the second recess of the first connecting portion 22. A second end of the engagement portion 23 is configured to receive the second connecting portion 24.

[0054] The second connecting portion 24 is substantially annular in shape and can include an outer flange on an outer diameter. The second connecting portion 24 is substantially longitudinal and a first end is configured to be received in the second end of the engagement portion 23. A second end of the second connecting portion is configured to be received in an opening of the connecting sleeve 25.

[0055] A first end of the connecting sleeve 25 is configured to fit over the second end of the second connecting portion 24 and abut the flange of the second connecting portion.

[0056] The second end of the connecting sleeve 25 is operable to connect to a receiver (not shown), such as the inlet side of a pump unit. The connecting sleeve 25 may be substantially annular. The inner diameter of the first end of the connecting sleeve may be larger than the inner diameter of the second end. That is, a taper may exist at least in a portion of the passage between the first and second ends of the connecting sleeve 25. The various components of the adapter may be joined together via threaded fittings or the like.

[0057] The first connecting portion 22 may have a length of at least 88 mm, such as 90 mm, and is designed to prevent air from being drawn into the adapter and / or receiver.

[0058] The adapter may optionally include a height adjustment section (not shown) to allow the use of receivers at different heights. In use, the height adjustment section may be engaged with the engagement portion 23, the second connecting portion 24, or the connecting sleeve 25. That is, in practice, the height adjustment section (not shown) may be located between the engagement portion 23 and the second connecting portion 24.

[0059] List of reference numerals

[0060]

Claims

1. A container (1) for containing a volume of at least 200 litres of liquid, the container (1) comprising - a support tray (2), - a box structure (7) arranged on top of an upper support surface of the support tray (2), the box structure (7) comprising side walls (8, 9, 10, 11) extending substantially vertically from the upper support surface of the support tray (2), - a flexible bladder (4) for containing the volume of liquid, the flexible bladder (4) being arranged inside the box structure (7), the flexible bladder (4) comprising at least an inner liner arranged for enclosing the volume of liquid and being in contact with the volume of liquid and an outer liner arranged for being in contact with an inner facing surface (13) of the box structure (7), and - an outlet fitting (5) provided in the flexible bladder (4) for connecting the volume of liquid to a spray machine, wherein the outlet fitting (5) has an opening with an inner cross-sectional area of at least 30 cm 2 .

2. The container (1) according to claim 1, wherein the outlet fitting (5) has a substantially circular cross-sectional inner opening with a diameter of at least 65 mm, such as at least 70 mm.

3. The container (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more fasteners (15-20) are provided between a portion of the outer liner of the flexible bladder (4) and an inner facing surface (13) of at least some of the side walls (8, 9, 10, 11) of the box structure (7), thereby fastening the outer liner of the flexible bladder (4) to the inner facing surface (13) of the side walls (8, 9, 10, 11) of the box structure (7), the fasteners (15-20) allowing the outer liner to be pulled away from the inner facing surface (13) without damaging the outer liner.

4. The container (1) according to claim 3, wherein the outlet fitting (5) extends through a front side wall (11) of the box structure (7), and wherein the fasteners (15-18) are provided between a portion of the outer liner of the flexible bladder (4) and an inner facing surface (13) of each of two side walls (8, 10) of the box structure (7) adjoining the front side wall (11).

5. The container (1) according to claim 4, wherein fasteners (15, 17) are provided as strips extending in an inclined direction a shorter distance (H1) from a bottom wall (12) of the box structure (7) at a position close to the front side wall (11) to a longer distance (H2) from the bottom wall (12) of the box structure (7) at a position further away from the front side wall (11).

6. The container (1) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein one or more fasteners (19) are provided between a portion of the outer liner of the flexible bladder (4) and an inner facing surface (13) of the front side wall (11) of the box structure (7).

7. The container (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein one or more fasteners (20) are provided between the portion of the outer liner of the flexible bladder (4) and the upwardly facing surface of the bottom wall (12) of the box structure (7).

8. The container (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein the one or more fasteners (15-20) allow the outer liner of the flexible bladder (4) to be gradually pulled away from the inwardly facing surface (13) of the side walls (8, 9, 10, 11) of the box structure (7) and optionally the upwardly facing surface of the bottom wall (12) of the box structure (7), so that the outer liner of the flexible bladder (4) closer to the side wall (9) of the box structure (7) opposite the front side wall (11) of the box structure (7) can be pulled away from the inwardly facing surface (13) of the side walls (8, 9, 10, 11) of the box structure (7) and optionally the upwardly facing surface of the bottom wall (12) of the box structure (7) to which it is fastened by means of the fasteners (15-20), while the outer liner of the flexible bladder (4) closer to the front side wall (11) of the box structure (7) is still fastened to the inwardly facing surface (13) of the side walls (8, 9, 10, 11) of the box structure (7) and optionally the upwardly facing surface of the bottom wall (12) of the box structure (7) by means of the fasteners (15-20).

9. The container (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein the fasteners (15-20) are provided by an adhesive connection.

10. The container (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inner liner of the flexible bladder (4) is heat welded to the outer liner of the flexible bladder (4) in a pattern that prevents displacement of the inner liner relative to the corresponding outer liner before liquid enters the flexible bladder (4).

11. The container (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the box structure (7) is provided in corrugated fiberboard.

12. The container (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper support surface of the support pallet (2) extends 120 cm x 180 cm, such as a EUR pallet.

13. The container (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible bladder (4) comprises a volume of spray putty, the volume of spray putty being at least 300 liters, such as at least 400 liters, such as in the range of 300 liters to 1000 liters, such as in the range of 400 liters to 800 liters.

14. The container (1) according to claim 13, wherein the plastic viscosity of the spray putty is in the range of 800 cP to 1,600 cP, such as in the range of 1,000 cP to 1,400 cP, provided that the shear stress on the spray putty exceeds the yield stress of the spray putty.

15. The container (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising an adapter (21) coupled with the outlet fitting (5) for coupling the outlet fitting (5) to the spray machine.

16. The container (1) according to claim 15, wherein the adapter (21) comprises a height adjustment portion.

17. A system for providing a sprayed putty to a surface of a building, the system comprising a container (1) according to claim 13 or 14 and a putty spraying machine having a pump unit with an inlet side and an outlet side, the inlet side being connected to the outlet fitting (5) of the container (1) by means of an inlet pipe, the outlet side being connected to one or more spray guns, wherein the pump unit is adapted to provide sprayed putty at the outlet side at a pressure of at least 120 bar, such as at least 150 bar, such as at least 200 bar, and wherein the pump unit is adapted to provide sprayed putty at the outlet side without mixing the sprayed putty with additional air.

18. Use of the system according to claim 17 for providing a sprayed putty to a surface of a building, such as a wall and a ceiling of the building.

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