Pallet container

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pallet container (10) for storing and transporting liquid or flowable contents, comprising a thin-walled rigid plastic inner container (12) made of thermoplastic material, a tubular grid frame (14) made of welded horizontal and vertical tubular bars (18, 20) tightly enclosing the plastic inner container (12) as a support shell, and a rectangular base pallet (16) on which the plastic inner container (12) rests and to which the tubular grid frame (14) is firmly connected.In order to keep the plastic inner container (12) free from adhering contents and to make the pallet container (10) usable for multiple reuses, the plastic inner container (12) is equipped with an easily replaceable closed module unit (58) consisting of an inliner (28) and a dispensing fitting (24), wherein the inliner (28) is rolled up in a rod shape and inserted into a tubular packaging sleeve (56).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a pallet container for the storage and transport of liquid or free-flowing filling goods, comprising a thin-walled, rigid inner container made of thermoplastic material, a tubular lattice frame made of welded-together horizontal and vertical tubular rods tightly enclosing the plastic inner container as a supporting casing, and a rectangular base pallet on which the plastic inner container rests and to which the tubular lattice frame is firmly connected. The rectangular plastic inner container has a bottom-side withdrawal nozzle with a closable withdrawal fitting, and a flexible inliner made of plastic film is inserted into the rigid plastic inner container, which in the bottom is in a gas- and liquid-tight connection with the withdrawal nozzle or with the withdrawal fitting of the rigid plastic inner container via an inliner nozzle. Problem:

[0002] In the chemical industry, pallet containers (hereinafter also referred to as "IBCs") are used extensively, primarily for the transport of liquid chemicals. These chemical products are largely classified as hazardous liquids because, in concentrated form, they pose a health and environmental threat to humans and animals. During storage and transport in IBCs, the chemicals can adversely affect the HDPE material of the plastic inner containers, for example, by discoloring, contaminating, or damaging them, so that the used plastic inner containers cannot simply be washed and reused. With the usual multiple use of used pallet containers, the only option is to replace the damaged plastic inner container with a new one. Considering that, depending on the requirements profile, a plastic inner container can last for approximatelyHowever, since the pallet container can weigh between 14 kg and 18 kg, this is a costly solution with a significant waste of plastic material. Another, more cost-effective solution is to protect the plastic inner container from contamination by the contents by inserting a thin liner or film bag, thus allowing multiple reuse of the plastic inner container. Then, only the contaminated liner needs to be disposed of and a new liner inserted for continued use of the pallet container.

[0003] The insertion of thin-walled film bags or liners into rigid, cuboid-shaped outer containers, such as large, rigid cardboard boxes or cardboard cartons (so-called bag-in-boxes), has been a common practice for years. For this purpose, simple cylindrical, cubic, or pillow-shaped liners are available for square or rectangular outer containers. These can be used without any problems for open containers that have an external removal system. However, for pallet containers with a rigid plastic inner container with an upper access opening and a lower removal opening, various problems arise. These arise, on the one hand, when inserting and connecting the film liner, and, on the other hand, when removing the liquid contents. This is because, at the end of the removal process, the collapsing liner often closes the removal opening on the inside, leaving large amounts of residue in the pallet container. State of the art:

[0004] EP 2 090 528 A1 discloses the use of a thin, film-like liner in a rigid plastic inner container of a standard pallet container. This involves, among other things, the secure fixation of the thin-walled liner dispensing nozzle to the rigid dispensing nozzle of the plastic inner container using the screwed-on dispensing fitting. The front edge of the thin film tube is clamped onto the rigid dispensing nozzle by the housing screw nut of the dispensing fitting. The fixation and anti-twist protection of the liner dispensing nozzle is achieved only by clamping after the housing screw nut has been fully tightened.

[0005] Publication WO 2016 / 124267 A1 describes an inliner with an adapter and connected removal fitting for a pallet container for bottom filling and removal, the enclosed area of ​​which is hermetically sealed against the environment. The inliner is connected on the inside to the disc- or cup-shaped adapter, and the adapter is fastened from the outside to the removal nozzle of the plastic inner container using a union threaded ring. The removal fitting, in turn, is fastened on the outside to the adapter pot. The disadvantage here is that, on the one hand, the adapter pot must be sealed and fixed to the removal nozzle of the plastic inner container, and, on the other hand, the removal fitting must be sealed and fixed to the outside of the adapter pot in a gas- and liquid-tight manner. In the known pallet container, the inliner is designed as a film tube that is open on one side.Inserting the unstable film tube liner through the lower discharge nozzle of the plastic inner container is likely to pose some problems. Furthermore, at the end of the emptying process, the film tube will inevitably clog the opening in the discharge nozzle of the plastic inner container, leaving large amounts of residual material in the pallet container. If pallet containers equipped with such an inliner are to be used for the transport of hazardous goods, with the sealing system modified by inserting an adapter disc, these pallet containers require a new approval test with a new approval number.

[0006] Practice has shown that customers do not like and refuse to continue using thin-walled inliners in pallet containers if this frequently leads to disruptions in the removal of the remaining contents due to wrinkling of the inliner, which clogs the internal connection of the removal fitting. Task:

[0007] The present invention is based on the object of equipping a pallet container intended exclusively for - preferably aseptic - bottom filling and removal of liquid contents with an inliner in such a way that no changes to the conventional sealing system, such as additional seals, are necessary, thus eliminating the need for a new approval test for the use of hazardous liquid contents. Furthermore, the possibility of upgrading used - possibly even discolored - plastic inner containers of reused pallet containers for reuse with high-quality contents by means of a single- or multi-layer inliner with a diffusion barrier should be created. The insertion of the inliner should be simplified so that the process can, in principle, be carried out by anyone.Furthermore, the residual quantities of filling material remaining in the inliner after a removal process should be reduced to a minimum. Solution:

[0008] This object is achieved with the special features of patent claim 1. The features in the subclaims describe further advantageous design options for the pallet container according to the invention. The proposed technical teaching according to the present invention consists in the inliner nozzle of the inliner being directly connected, namely welded, to the cylindrical pipe nozzle of the dispensing fitting housing facing the inside of the plastic inner container. The inliner and dispensing fitting thus represent a closed unit, which is preferably intended for aseptic bottom filling. By welding the inliner nozzle directly to the dispensing fitting housing, no changes are made to the previously conventional sealing system, so that no new approval test is required for the use of hazardous liquid filling materials.

[0009] In an advantageous embodiment, the liner nozzle is welded radially from the inside to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle of the tapping valve housing via a cylindrical welding area. This eliminates the need for intermediate connecting elements such as adapter discs or similar.

[0010] To realize this design, it is provided in a very unusual way that the inliner nozzle is welded to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle of the extraction valve housing by means of a pin-shaped welding device introduced from the outside of the extraction valve into the extraction valve housing.

[0011] In another variant, the inliner nozzle is welded to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle of the extraction valve housing by means of a pin-shaped welding device introduced from the inside of the inliner into the extraction valve housing.

[0012] This eliminates the need for any additional adapter components (such as flange sleeves or similar), resulting in no changes or expansion of the sealing chain, neither in the outer area of ​​the plastic inner container nor in the inner liner system. Due to the direct, integral connection between the liner and the housing of the extraction fitting, the outer shell relevant for BAM approval is not altered, and thus the existing hazardous goods approvals for numerous pallet container designs can be used even with the inventive liner without requiring a new approval test.

[0013] In a practical embodiment of the invention, a drainage pipe is firmly inserted into the inside of the tapping device housing and extends partially through the liner nozzle into the liner. This prevents the collapsing liner from interfering with the inner opening of the tapping device during the remaining filling material removal.

[0014] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the tapping fitting is designed as a 3" tapping fitting (3 inch tapping fitting) and a base plate is firmly inserted into the tapping fitting housing of the tapping fitting for the insertion or for the fixing of the drainage pipe. Since the drainage pipe has a smaller diameter, i.e. only about half the diameter of the tapping fitting housing of the 3 inch tapping fitting, a perforated base plate is inserted to fix it. The base plate has an eccentric bore close to its outer edge, into which the drainage pipe is inserted and fixed. The perforations in the base plate serve to ensure a large and unhindered flow of liquid when filling and emptying the plastic inner container.

[0015] The drainage pipe is conveniently integrated directly into the base plate, and both are manufactured as a single-piece component using the injection-molded process. This makes accidental detachment of the drainage pipe from the base plate impossible and impossible.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment of the pallet container according to the invention, the inliner welded directly to the removal fitting is designed as a simple rectangular cushion liner, with the corners of the inliner film facing the removal fitting folded toward the center. The inliner film is rolled up from both sides toward the center into a comparatively rigid, rod-shaped film roll and covered with a tubular packing sleeve. This allows the rod-shaped rolled inliner to be easily inserted into the interior of the rigid plastic inner container through the bottom-side removal nozzle.

[0017] The tubular packaging sleeve is conveniently made of a thin plastic film and features a longitudinal, easily tearable dividing line. When the plastic inner container is filled through the bottom discharge nozzle, the pressure of the inflowing liquid bursts the easily tearable dividing line of the tubular packaging sleeve, allowing the rolled-up liner film to unroll sideways and unfold smoothly.

[0018] In keeping with this innovative design, the extraction fitting with a welded inliner, a drainage pipe with a base plate inserted into it, and a packing sleeve pulled over it is designed as an easily replaceable modular unit that unfolds itself when filled and can, in principle, be installed very easily and ready for use by anyone in a clean plastic inner container of a pallet container.

[0019] A process for the production of a modular unit consisting of a withdrawal fitting with a welded inliner, a drainage pipe with a base plate inserted into it and a packing sleeve pulled over it for insertion into a pallet container is characterized by the following process steps: Inserting the inliner nozzle into the part of the cylindrical pipe nozzle of the extraction fitting housing facing the plastic inner container, inserting a pin-shaped welding device into the inliner nozzle from the inside of the inliner or from the outside of the extraction fitting housing, welding the inliner nozzle using the pin-shaped welding device from the inside in a radial direction to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle of the extraction fitting housing, removing the pin-shaped welding device and, if necessary, welding the still open bottom seam of the inliner, folding and rolling up the inliner into a rod-shaped film roll and pulling a tubular, thin-walled packing sleeve over the rolled up inliner.

[0020] This simple manufacturing process allows a modular unit as described above to be easily manufactured and prepared for insertion into the plastic inner container of a new or used pallet container without any modifications to the standard sealing system. This eliminates the need for a new approval test when used for hazardous goods.

[0021] The invention is explained and described in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown schematically in the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows a front view of an IBC according to the invention with an inserted inliner. Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a 3-inch extraction fitting with an inserted welding device for welding the flexible inliner nozzle. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the 3-inch extraction fitting fully assembled with the inliner nozzle fully welded in. Figure 4 shows a top view of an inliner in the form of a rectangular cushion liner. Figure 5 shows a side view of a drainage pipe with a base plate. Figure 6 shows a front view of the drainage pipe with a base plate. Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the drainage pipe with a base plate. Figure 8 shows a top view of the half-folded cushion liner with extraction fitting. Figure 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view through the rolled-up cushion liner with the packing sleeve attached. Figure 10 shows a fully commissioned inliner-extraction fitting module unit.Figure 11: The inliner extraction fitting module unit in the inserted state in the plastic inner container with the packing cover attached, and Figure 12: The inserted inliner extraction fitting module unit with the packing cover opened in the unrolled partial state before full deployment.

[0022] In Figure 1Reference numeral 10 designates a pallet container according to the invention for the storage and transport of, in particular, dangerous liquid or free-flowing filling materials. For the use or application of dangerous filling materials, the pallet container 10 meets special test criteria and is provided with a corresponding official approval. The main components of the pallet container 10 consist of a thin-walled, rigid plastic inner container 12 made of thermoplastic material using a blow-molding process, a tubular grid frame 14 tightly enclosing the plastic inner container 12 as a supporting shell, and a base pallet 16 on which the plastic inner container 12 rests and to which the tubular grid frame 14 is firmly connected. The outer tubular grid frame 14 consists of welded horizontal and vertical tubular bars 18, 20.

[0023] In the version shown, the floor pallet 16 is designed as a composite pallet with a sheet steel upper support plate, a tubular steel support frame underneath, and plastic corner and center feet. However, any other standard floor pallet made of wood, steel, or plastic could also be used.

[0024] A labeling plate 22 made of thin sheet steel is attached to the front of the tubular lattice frame 14 to identify the respective contents. The top of the plastic inner container 12 has a comparatively large container opening with a diameter of 150 mm or 225 mm, which can be closed by means of a screw cap 26. A corresponding withdrawal fitting 24 for withdrawing the liquid contents is connected centrally to the lower edge of the front wall of the plastic inner container 12 in a protected position in a recessed wall recess.To protect the rigid plastic inner container 12 from direct contact and permanent adhesion by the filled contents, and to enable multiple reuse of the valuable plastic inner container 12, a thin-walled, flexible inliner 28 or, as previously designated, a film bag is inserted into the rigid plastic inner container 12 before each refill of the pallet container 10. This bag is connected at the bottom to the discharge nozzle of the rigid plastic inner container 12 or to the discharge fitting 24. Sensitive contents are often transported and stored in a closed system with the exclusion of air and without oxygen ingress, in containers with a diffusion barrier (aroma protection) or under aseptic conditions. Filling and discharge takes place exclusively via the bottom-side filling and discharge fitting.Since the blow-molded plastic inner containers made of HD-PE (high-density polyethylene) of the large-volume pallet containers generally have very little or no diffusion barrier properties, multi-layer inliners with high diffusion barrier properties are regularly used for high-quality, sensitive filling materials and inserted into the rigid blow-molded plastic inner containers.

[0025] In the present embodiment, the plastic inner container 12 of the pallet container 10 is equipped with a 3" discharge nozzle with an external thread (coarse thread DN 80) in the bottom-side discharge area. A 3" discharge fitting 24 with an integrated threaded flange 36 (coarse thread DN 80) is firmly screwed onto this discharge nozzle.

[0026] The Figure 2The 3" tapping fitting 24 shown in more detail is designed as a DN 80 tapping fitting with a butterfly valve and a DN 100 / DN 80 coarse thread, is made of polyethylene (PE) and is highly resistant to a wide variety of liquids. To protect it from contamination and damage, the front of the 3" tapping fitting 24 is closed with a DN 80 coarse thread screw cap screwed onto the cylindrical tapping fitting housing 32. Approximately centrally in the cylindrical tapping fitting housing 32 is a disc-shaped rotary flap (not visible here) on a rotary shaft 38 with an upper handle 40.

[0027] To explain the technical manufacturing process for welding the flexible inliner nozzle 30, a pin-shaped welding device 42 with a cylindrical welding area 44 is inserted into the cylindrical extraction fitting housing 32 for demonstrative purposes; for this purpose, the disc-shaped rotary flap and the rotary shaft 38 with handle 40 are removed.

[0028] In Figure 2It can be seen that the inliner socket 30 of the inliner 28 according to the present invention is welded directly to the cylindrical pipe socket 34 of the extraction fitting housing 32 of the extraction fitting 24. The inliner socket 30 is welded radially from the inside via a cylindrical welding area 44 directly to the inner surface of the side of the cylindrical pipe socket 34 of the extraction fitting housing 32 facing the inside of the plastic inner container 12. In a special manufacturing feature, the inliner socket 30 is welded to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe socket 34 of the extraction fitting housing 32 by means of a pin-shaped welding device 42 inserted into the extraction fitting housing 32 from the outside of the extraction fitting 24.

[0029] The welding device 42 is equipped on the front with an expandable welding head, which presses the plastic film of the inliner nozzle 30 against the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle 34 of the tapping fitting housing 32 in the designated welding area 44 with a predefined pressure and heat application over a specific period of time, and welds it firmly to the pipe nozzle. After the welding process, excess film material of the inliner nozzle 30 is cut off directly behind the welding area 44.

[0030] Another manufacturing option for welding the inliner nozzle 30 into the extraction fitting housing 32 is to weld the inliner nozzle 30 to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle 34 of the extraction fitting housing 32 using the pin-shaped welding device 42 inserted from the inside of the inliner 28. The cushion liner 28 is still open on its rear side upon delivery, since the welding tool 42 is inserted from the inside through the film bag, which is still open at the rear, into the inliner nozzle 30 or into the cylindrical pipe nozzle 34 of the extraction fitting housing 32. Only after this process step of welding the inliner nozzle is the bottom seam of the cushion liner 28 welded and sealed.

[0031] After completing the welding process for the inliner nozzle 30 on the 3-inch tapping valve 24, a drainage pipe 46 is inserted into the inliner 28 or the tapping valve housing 32 using a base plate 48. A grounding cable with a grounding screw 52 is then screwed to the tapping valve housing 32, and the rotary shaft 38 with the disc-shaped rotary valve and handle 40 is reinstalled. Finally, the tapping valve housing 32 is sealed gas- and liquid-tight with a screw cap screwed on the outside. Figure 3 the fully assembled filling and removal fitting 24 with welded inliner nozzle 30 is shown.

[0032] As in Figure 4As can be seen, the thin-walled, flexible inliner 28 in a preferred embodiment is designed as a simple rectangular cushion liner 28 and is made from a tubular film with a large diameter, while the bottom-side flexible inliner nozzle 30 is made from a tubular film with a small diameter, both always consisting of the same multi-layer composite film material with the same barrier properties; this rules out disadvantageous diffusion processes penetrating the plastic material. In the present case, the inliner 28 and inliner nozzle 30 consist of transparent LDPE film with a film thickness of 100 µm. The film thickness can also be between 100 µm and 250 µm, preferably approximately 150 µm, particularly in the case of multi-layer films with a diffusion barrier. The dimensions, for example, for a 1000 l pallet container are approximately 2140 x 2200 mm. The inliner nozzle 30 is spaced at a distance of approximatelyWelded 490 mm from the edge, centered in the inliner 28. The cut length of the inliner socket 30 should be approximately 250 mm and the diameter approximately 90 mm.

[0033] The drainage pipe 46 with open grid structure and the base plate 48 are in Figure 5 The drainage pipe 46 is a stable, rigid lattice pipe with numerous openings that allow for optimal drainage of residual liquid. The length of the drainage pipe 46 should be at least 250 mm with a diameter of approximately 45 mm. As shown in Figure 6 As can be seen, the base plate 48 has a large bore for the drainage pipe and at least two further large openings 54 for unhindered liquid flow. Figure 7shows the base plate 48 and the drainage pipe 46 once again in perspective view. On the outside, the base plate 48 is provided with a diameter graduation 50 (larger than the inside diameter step) and, together with the drainage pipe 46, is inserted into the extraction fitting housing 32 from the outlet side of the extraction fitting 24 until it stops at a corresponding diameter graduation at the inner end of the inside pipe socket 34.

[0034] After the base plate 48 with the drainage pipe 46 has been placed in the lowest position, the base plate 48 is secured against rotation by means of a grounding screw 52 screwed in from the outside. The position of the base plate 48 is thus secured against rotation or slipping in the tapping fitting housing 32 by the grounding screw 52.

[0035] The standard 3-inch (CCS 100 x 8) dispensing fitting 24 shown is equipped with a grounding cable connection intended for the EX antistatic versions, with the electrical connection to the liquid filling material being established by the screwed-in grounding screw 52. After all components are connected, the rotary shaft 38 with sealing flap and handle 40 are reinserted into the dispensing fitting 24, and the dispensing fitting housing 32 is closed with a screw cap screwed on the outside.

[0036] The cushion liner 28 is then first folded, then rolled up and finally packaged (wrapped in a cover). Figure 8shows the cushion liner 28 in a semi-folded state. To fold the cushion liner 28, any air is expelled from the liner. For complete deflation, a vacuum hose can be connected to the extraction fitting 24 and a vacuum can be drawn. This significantly simplifies folding, rolling, and commissioning. Completing the cushion liner 28 with the extraction fitting 24 into an easy-to-handle modular unit 58 comprises the following steps: Step 1: Laying out the finished cushion liner and folding down the upper section across the extraction fitting, Step 2: Fold the upper corners of the dispensing fitting to the center of the pillow liner, Step 3: Fold the lower section up to the horizontal center of the pillow liner, Step 4: Folding the outer wings to the vertical center, Step 5: folding the outer wings again to the vertical center, Step 6: Rolling the outer edges towards the center, Step 7: Pulling a tubular packing cover onto the rolled up inliner.

[0037] Figure 9shows a purely schematic representation of a cross-section through the rolled-up inliner 28 with tubular packing sleeve 56. The packing sleeve 56 has an easily tearable separating seam or perforated burst seam, as indicated above. The removal fitting 24 with directly welded and rolled-up inliner 28 and with the pulled-on tubular packing sleeve 56 represents a replaceable module unit 58 and is ready for use in any plastic inner container of a pallet container. Such a ready-picked inliner-removal fitting module unit 58 is in Figure 10shown. For storage and to protect the easily tearable packing sleeve 56, the prepared module units 58 can each be inserted into a thin-walled protective tube, e.g., a metal sleeve or a cardboard tube, which can be screwed into the threaded flange of the dispensing device housing. To equip a pallet container 10 with a module unit 58, the tubular packing sleeve 56 is inserted through the bottom-side dispensing nozzle into the plastic inner container 12. The inner diameter of the 3-inch dispensing nozzle is 83.2 mm. The tubular packing sleeve 56 of the rolled-up cushion liner 28 has a diameter of 75 mm. Inserting the hose package and screwing the dispensing device housing onto the 3-inch dispensing nozzle is therefore easy. A module unit 58 inserted into the plastic inner container 12 in this way is in Figure 11 shown.

[0038] There are also pallet container designs in which the bottom-side discharge nozzle of the plastic inner container is not designed as a screw nozzle with an external thread, but as a short pipe nozzle with a welding flange. Accordingly, the associated discharge fittings are also equipped with a welding flange on the container side and, if necessary, are welded to the discharge nozzle of the plastic inner container using the butt-welding process.When implementing the present invention for such container designs, it can be provided that the inliner nozzle 30 is welded in a simple manner by means of an adapted annular welding device from the outside via a cylindrical welding area onto the outer surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle 34 of the extraction fitting housing 32 and only after inserting the inliner into the plastic inner container is the extraction fitting provided with the inliner welded with its welding flange onto the corresponding welding flange on the lower rigid extraction nozzle of the plastic inner container.

[0039] The filling and emptying of the pallet container 10 takes place exclusively via the bottom-side 3-inch discharge fitting 24 of the plastic inner container 12. The filling material is usually fed into the container under pressure during filling, so that the cushion liner 28, after tearing open the packing sleeve 56 along a perforated burst seam, first completely unrolls, unfolds and finally lifts until it has reached its entire volume. For this purpose, Figure 12 When filling begins, the state is shown in which the packing sleeve 56 has opened and the inliner 28 rolls out to both sides.

[0040] During emptying, the cushion liner 28 collapses, retaining a residual volume of approximately 5 liters. The drainage tube 46 prevents the inliner film from clogging the outlet and leaving a large amount of filling material in the plastic inner container 12.

[0041] Using a suitable connection (separate or in an upper filler cap), the plastic inner container 12 can be pressurized to force additional filling material out of the cushion liner 28. A pressure of 0.1 bar is sufficient.

[0042] The excess pressure forces additional residual liquid out of the inliner 28, leaving a small residue of approximately 0.5 liters (approximately 0.05%). To achieve this conveyance and improve the residual emptying from the inliner 28, a corresponding container opening is arranged at a suitable location in the top of the plastic inner container 12 for connecting a compressed air pump. The container opening is preferably designed as a 2-inch bung opening in the center of the upper screw cap 26 of the filler opening of the plastic inner container 12, which can be sealed gas- and liquid-tight with a 2-inch bung plug. Replacing a used pillow liner 28:

[0043] Once the contents have been completely removed, the cushion liner 28 can be removed from the plastic inner container 12. To do this, the pallet container 10 is conveniently tilted onto its back so that the removal fitting 24 is facing upwards. The tightly sealed removal fitting 24 is unscrewed from the rigid removal nozzle and, together with the welded inliner nozzle 30 and cushion liner 28, is pulled out of the removal nozzle of the plastic inner container 12 until just beyond the drainage pipe 46. Directly behind the drainage pipe 46, the cushion liner 28 is squeezed off, e.g., with a cable tie or binding wire, and sealed drip-tight. The removal fitting 24 and cushion liner 28 are then separated from each other. The cushion liner 28 is removed using a gripper through the large filler neck in the top of the plastic inner container 12, i.e., pulled out sideways here.The cushion liner 28 and the withdrawal fitting 24 are then sent to a recycling process and, after any necessary external cleaning of the pallet container 10, a new inliner withdrawal fitting module unit 58 can be inserted into the plastic inner container 12 and the pallet container 10 is again prepared for cost-effective reuse for refilling with liquid contents. Conclusion:

[0044] The use of the modular unit 58 according to the invention with the extraction fitting 24 and inliner 28 welded directly together enables the value retention of high-quality, reusable plastic inner containers 12.

[0045] Inserting the module unit 58 or the inliner 28 is so simple that anyone can perform the process.

[0046] Since the modular unit 58 according to the invention does not require any modifications to the existing sealing system, no new approval tests are required for use with hazardous liquid contents. This creates the possibility of upgrading previously used – possibly even discolored – plastic inner containers of reused pallet containers for reuse with high-quality contents. Furthermore, with the aid of a drainage pipe 46 and by applying slight overpressure to the plastic inner container 12 during the emptying process of the pallet container 10, the residual quantities of contents remaining in the inliner 28 can be reduced to a minimum.

[0047] The present invention thus offers the customer a perfectly functioning solution for protection against the adhesion of residual filling material in the plastic inner container in new pallet containers and in the multiple reuse of used IBCs.

[0048] The invention discloses the following embodiments: 1.) Pallet container (10) for the storage and transport of liquid or free-flowing filling materials, comprising a thin-walled, rigid plastic inner container (12) made of thermoplastic material, a tubular lattice frame (14) made of welded horizontal and vertical tubular rods (18, 20) tightly enclosing the plastic inner container (12) as a supporting shell, and a rectangular base pallet (16) on which the plastic inner container (12) rests and to which the tubular lattice frame (14) is firmly connected, wherein the cube-shaped plastic inner container (12) has an upper filler neck that can be closed by means of a screw cap (26) and a bottom-side discharge neck with a closable discharge fitting (24), and wherein a flexible inliner (28) made of plastic film is inserted into the rigid plastic inner container (12),which is connected at the bottom via an inliner nozzle (30) to the extraction nozzle and / or to the extraction fitting (24) of the rigid plastic inner container (12), characterized in that the inliner nozzle (30) of the inliner (28) is directly connected in a material-tight manner to the cylindrical pipe nozzle (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) of the extraction fitting (24), which pipe nozzle faces the inside of the plastic inner container (12). 2.) Pallet container according to embodiment 1, characterized in that the inliner nozzle (30) is directly connected in a material-tight manner from the inside to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) via a cylindrical welding area (44). 3.) Pallet container according to embodiment 1 or 2, characterized inthat the inliner nozzle (30) of the inliner (28) is welded directly to the cylindrical pipe nozzle (34) of the fitting housing (32) of the extraction fitting (24), which pipe nozzle faces the inside of the plastic inner container (12). 4.) Pallet container according to embodiment 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the inliner nozzle (30) is welded to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) by means of a pin-shaped welding device introduced from the outside of the extraction fitting (24) into the extraction fitting housing (32). 5.) Pallet container according to embodiment 1, 2 or 3, characterized inthat the inliner socket (30) is welded to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe socket (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) by means of a pin-shaped welding device introduced from the inside of the inliner into the extraction fitting housing (32). 6.) Pallet container according to one of the preceding embodiments 1 to 5, characterized in that a drainage pipe (46) is firmly inserted into the cylindrical pipe socket (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) of the extraction fitting (24) and projects a short distance through the welded inliner socket (30) into the inliner (28). 7.) Pallet container according to embodiment 6, characterized inthat the extraction fitting (24) is designed as a 3-inch extraction fitting, and for the insertion of the drainage pipe (46), a base plate (48) is inserted into the cylindrical pipe socket (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) of the extraction fitting (24). 8.) Pallet container according to embodiment 6 or 7, characterized in that the drainage pipe (46) and the base plate (48) are manufactured as a one-piece component by injection molding. 9.) Pallet container according to one of the preceding embodiments 6 to 8, characterized in that the base plate (48) is fixed in the extraction fitting (24) in a rotationally fixed manner by means of a metallic grounding screw (52) screwed through the cylindrical pipe socket (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32). 10.) Pallet container according to one of the preceding embodiments 1 to 9, characterized inthat the inliner (28) welded directly to the removal fitting (24) is designed as a simple rectangular cushion liner and the corners of the inliner film facing the removal fitting (24) are folded towards the middle and rolled up from both sides towards the middle to form a rod-shaped film roll and covered with a tubular packing sleeve (56). 11.) Pallet container according to one of the preceding embodiments 1 to 10, characterized in that the tubular packing sleeve (56) consists of a thin plastic film and is provided with a longitudinally extending, easily tearable dividing line. 12.) Pallet container according to one of the preceding embodiments 1 to 11, characterized in that the removal fitting (24) with welded inliner (28), inserted therein drainage pipe (46) with base plate (48) and pulled over the packing sleeve (56) as an easily replaceable,a modular unit (58) that unfolds itself upon filling. 13.) Pallet container according to one of the preceding embodiments 1 to 12, characterized in that the bottom-side flexible inliner nozzle (30) is made as a tubular film with a small diameter and the flexible inliner (28) is made as a tubular film with a large diameter from the same multi-layer composite film material with the same barrier properties. 14.) Pallet container according to one of the preceding embodiments 1 to 13, characterized in that a smaller bung opening, closable by means of a 2-inch or 1 / 4-inch bung plug, for connecting a compressed air pump is arranged in the screw cap (26) on the closable container opening in the top floor of the plastic inner container (12). 15.) Pallet container according to one of the preceding embodiments 1 to 14, characterized in thatthat the flexible inliner nozzle 30 of the inliner 28 - for an embodiment in which the lower extraction nozzle of the rigid plastic inner container is provided with a welding flange instead of an external thread and the extraction fitting on the container side is provided with a corresponding welding flange instead of a screw thread - is welded from the outside via a cylindrical welding area onto the outer surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle 34 of the extraction fitting housing 32 by means of an adapted annular welding device, wherein the extraction fitting provided with the inliner is only welded with its welding flange onto the corresponding welding flange on the lower rigid extraction nozzle of the plastic inner container after the inliner has been inserted into the plastic inner container. 16.) Method for producing a extraction fitting with a welded inliner,a drainage pipe with a base plate inserted therein and a packing sleeve pulled over it, for insertion into a pallet container according to at least one of the preceding exemplary embodiments 1 to 15, characterized by the following method steps: Inserting the inliner nozzle into the part of the cylindrical pipe nozzle of the extraction fitting housing of the extraction fitting facing the plastic inner container, Inserting a pin-shaped welding device into the inliner nozzle from the inside of the inliner, Welding the inliner nozzle by means of the pin-shaped welding device from the inside in a radial direction to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle of the extraction fitting housing, Removing the pin-shaped welding device and welding the still open bottom seam in the inliner,Folding and rolling the inliner into a rod-shaped film roll and pulling a tubular, thin-walled packing sleeve over the rolled-up inliner. 17.) A method for producing a modular unit consisting of a tapping fitting with a welded inliner, a drainage pipe with a base plate inserted therein, and a packing sleeve pulled over it, for insertion into a pallet container according to at least one of the preceding embodiments 1 to 15, characterized by the following method steps: Inserting the inliner nozzle - with the rotary flap removed - through the tapping fitting housing and externally turning the inliner nozzle over the outer tapping fitting housing of the tapping fitting, inserting a pin-shaped welding device from the outside through the tapping fitting housing and the inliner nozzle,Welding the inliner nozzle using the pin-shaped welding device from the inside in a radial direction to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle of the extraction valve housing, removing the pin-shaped welding device and trimming the excess length of the inliner nozzle, folding and rolling the inliner into a rod-shaped film roll and pulling a tubular thin-walled packing sleeve over the rolled-up inliner. List of reference numbers

[0049] 10Pallet container 12Plastic inner container 14Tubular grid frame 16Bottom pallet 18Horizontal tubular bars (14) 20Vertical tubular bars (14) 22Labeling plate (14) 24Tap fitting (3-inch) (12) 26Screw cap (12) 28Inliner (film bag) (12) 30Inliner nozzle (28) 32Tap fitting housing (24) 34Inside pipe nozzle (32) 36Threaded flange (24, 32) 38Rotary shaft (32) 40Handle (38) 42Welding device 44Cylindrical. Welding area (32) 46 Drainage pipe (48) 48 Base plate (32, 46) 50 Gradation (48, 34) 52 Grounding screw (34, 48) 54 Openings 56 Tubular packing cover (28) 58 Modular unit

Claims

1. A pallet container (10) for storing and / or transporting liquid or free-flowing contents, comprising: - a thin-walled, rigid plastic inner container (12) comprising a thermoplastic, - a tubular grid frame (14) tightly enclosing the plastic inner container (12) and comprising welded-together horizontal and vertical tubular rods (18, 20), and - a bottom pallet (16) supporting the plastic inner container (12) and to which the tubular grid frame (14) is firmly connected, wherein the plastic inner container (12) has an upper filler neck configured to be closed by means of a screw cap (26) and a bottom-side removal neck with a removal fitting (24), wherein the removal fitting (24) is configured to close the removal neck, wherein a flexible inliner (28) comprising a plastic film is disposed in the rigid plastic inner container (12) is arranged,wherein the inliner (28) is connected on the bottom side via an inliner nozzle (30) to the extraction nozzle and / or to the extraction fitting (24) of the rigid plastic inner container (12) in a gas- and liquid-tight manner, wherein the inliner nozzle (30) of the inliner (28) is directly connected in a material-to-material manner to a cylindrical pipe nozzle (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) of the extraction fitting (24), and the inliner nozzle (30) of the inliner (28) is directed towards the inside of the rigid plastic inner container (12), and a drainage pipe (46) is firmly inserted into the cylindrical pipe nozzle (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) of the extraction fitting (24).

2. Pallet container according to claim 1, characterized in that the inliner nozzle (30) is materially connected radially from the inside to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) via a cylindrical welding area (44).

3. Pallet container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the inliner nozzle (30) of the inliner (28) is welded directly to the cylindrical pipe nozzle (34) of the fitting housing (32) of the extraction fitting (24) facing the inside of the plastic inner container (12).

4. Pallet container according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the inliner socket (30) is welded to the inner surface of the cylindrical pipe socket (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) either by means of a pin-shaped welding device introduced from the outside of the extraction fitting (24) into the extraction fitting housing (32) or by means of a pin-shaped welding device introduced from the inside of the inliner into the extraction fitting housing (32).

5. Pallet container according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the drainage pipe (46) extends a little way through the welded inliner socket (30) into the inliner (28).

6. Pallet container according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the extraction fitting (24) has an extraction fitting, in particular a 3-inch extraction fitting, and for the use of the drainage pipe (46) a base plate (48) is inserted into the cylindrical pipe socket (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32) of the extraction fitting (24).

7. Pallet container according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the drainage pipe (46) and the base plate (48) are manufactured as a one-piece component by injection molding.

8. Pallet container according to one of the preceding claims 6 to 7, characterized in that the base plate (48) is fixed in the extraction fitting (24) in a rotationally fixed manner by means of a metallic earthing screw (52) screwed through the cylindrical pipe socket (34) of the extraction fitting housing (32).

9. Pallet container according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in thatthe inliner (28) welded directly to the extraction fitting (24) is designed as a simple rectangular cushion liner and the corners of the inliner film pointing towards the extraction fitting (24) are folded in towards the middle and rolled up from both sides towards the middle to form a rod-shaped film roll and covered with a tubular packing sleeve (56).

10. Pallet container according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the tubular packing sleeve (56) consists of a thin plastic film and is provided with a longitudinally running, easily tearable dividing line.

11. Pallet container according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the extraction fitting (24) with welded inliner (28), drainage pipe (46) inserted therein with base plate (48) and packing sleeve (56) pulled over it is designed as an easily replaceable modular unit (58) which unfolds itself when filled.

12. Pallet container according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the bottom-side flexible inliner nozzle (30) as a tubular film with a small diameter and the flexible inliner (28) as a tubular film with a large diameter are made of the same multi-layer composite film material with the same barrier properties.

13. Pallet container according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 12, characterized in that in the screw cap (26) on the closable container opening in the top of the plastic inner container (12) there is arranged a bung opening for connecting a compressed air pump, which can be closed by means of a bung plug, in particular a 2-inch or %-inch bung plug.

14. Pallet container according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 13, characterized in thatthe flexible inliner nozzle (30) of the inliner (28) - for an embodiment in which the lower withdrawal nozzle of the rigid plastic inner container is provided with a welding flange instead of an external thread and the withdrawal fitting on the container side is provided with a corresponding welding flange instead of a screw thread - is welded by means of an adapted annular welding device from the outside via a cylindrical welding area onto the outer surface of the cylindrical pipe nozzle (34) of the withdrawal fitting housing (32), wherein the withdrawal fitting provided with an inliner is only welded with its welding flange onto the corresponding welding flange on the lower rigid withdrawal nozzle of the plastic inner container after the inliner has been inserted into the plastic inner container.

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