Iso tank container with increased usability

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ISO tank container, comprising: a tank body provided with a first valve for discharging cargo at one side of the bottom and a second valve for controlling the internal environment at the top; and a flexitank formed as a tube-shaped bag and installed in the tank body to accommodate cargo, wherein the inside of the tank body is provided with a first tank connector communicating with the first valve and a second tank connector communicating with the second valve, and the container bag is coupled with the tank body using the first tank connector and the second tank connector, thereby enabling discharge of cargo through the first valve and control of the internal environment through the second valve, relating to an ISO tank container with enhanced usability.

Description

PRIORITY

[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Korean Application Serial Nos. 10-2024-0078382, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on June 17, 2024; 10-2024-0113442, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on August 23, 2024; and 10-2024-0113443, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on August 23, 2024, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Disclosure

[0002] The present invention relates to an ISO tank container, and more particularly, to an ISO tank container with enhanced usability by installing a flexitank inside the tank.2. Description of the Related Art

[0003] An ISO tank container is a container manufactured according to specifications established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to safely transport various types of cargo such as liquids, gases, and powders. These containers have strong durability and corrosion resistance, making them particularly useful for transporting hazardous materials, and are widely used for transporting chemicals, food products, pharmaceuticals, and the like. However, conventional ISO tank containers often have residues remaining when discharging cargo, making it difficult to completely discharge the cargo due to the internal structure of the tank, which causes problems of requiring considerable time and cost in the cleaning process depending on the type of cargo. Particularly, when transporting different chemicals, thorough cleaning is necessary to prevent contamination problems due to residues. Additionally, containers often need to be returned empty, which reduces cost efficiency, and conventional ISO tank containers have a fixed structure that makes it difficult to easily load other cargo, resulting in waste of cost and resources when returning empty containers.

[0004] Meanwhile, flexitank containers are containers equipped with disposable bag-type liners used to transport liquid cargo, which have the advantage of preventing contamination problems by preventing cargo from directly contacting the tank interior and eliminating the need for cleaning processes. However, flexitank containers also have relatively low durability and may be damaged during transport, and particularly if damaged by impact or pressure during the transport process, cargo may leak and cause environmental pollution.

[0005] Therefore, there is an industrial demand for a new type of ISO tank container that solves the problems of conventional ISO tank containers and flexitank containers and has enhanced usability by combining durability and economic efficiency.

[0006] Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2351018 (January 10, 2022) can be referenced as prior art of the present invention.SUMMARY

[0007] The object is to provide an ISO tank container with enhanced usability that has strong durability and corrosion resistance to stably transport cargo including hazardous materials, provides cost reduction and flexibility in logistics management by being easy to load new cargo even when returning after transporting cargo to the destination, and accommodates cargo using flexitank or ISO tank according to the nature of the cargo. The technical problems are not limited to those described above, and other technical problems may be derived from the following description.

[0008] An ISO tank container according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a tank body formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, provided with a first valve for discharging cargo at one side of the bottom, and provided with a second valve for controlling the internal environment at the top; and a flexitank formed as a tube-shaped bag and installed in the tank body to accommodate the cargo, wherein the inside of the tank body is provided with a first tank connector communicating with the first valve and a second tank connector communicating with the second valve, and the container bag is coupled with the tank body using the first tank connector and the second tank connector, thereby enabling discharge of cargo through the first valve and control of the internal environment through the second valve.

[0009] The first tank connector includes a first coupling part formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and the first coupling part is installed inside the tank body so that the internal hollow part surrounds at least a portion of the first valve hole of the tank body, thereby enabling cargo accommodated in the flexitank to move along the hollow part of the first tank connector and be discharged through the first valve hole.

[0010] The first coupling part is formed in a cylindrical shape with an open hollow interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, and the first coupling part is installed so that the opening where a portion of the circumference is removed faces the bottom surface of the tank body, thereby opening a path for the cargo to move from below the first valve hole toward the first valve hole.

[0011] The bottom of the flexitank is provided with a second coupling part formed in a cylindrical shape with an open hollow interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, and the inner diameter and outer diameter of the second coupling part are the same as the inner diameter and outer diameter of the first coupling part, and by coupling in contact with the cut surfaces on both sides of the circumference of the second coupling part and the cut surfaces on both sides of the circumference of the first coupling part, a passage through which the cargo is transported can be formed inside the first coupling part and the second coupling part.

[0012] The central angle of the arc formed by the cross-section of the first coupling part may be 180 degrees to 270 degrees.

[0013] Airtight coupling grooves are formed along the longitudinal direction of each cut surface on both sides of the circumference of the first coupling part, airtight protrusions are formed along the longitudinal direction of each cut surface in a shape corresponding to the airtight coupling grooves on both sides of the circumference of the second coupling part, and by fitting the airtight protrusions into the airtight coupling grooves, the airtightness between the first coupling part and the second coupling part can be increased.

[0014] The internal capacity of the flexitank may be larger than the internal capacity of the tank body.

[0015] At least one spare hole is formed through the top of the tank body, and the flexitank is provided with a plurality of support ropes, each having one end fixed to the outer surface of the flexitank and the other end positioned outside the tank body through the spare hole at the top of the tank body, thereby enabling the flexitank to be lifted using each support rope from outside the tank body.

[0016] By including a tank body provided with a first valve for discharging cargo at one side of the bottom and a second valve for controlling the internal environment at the top, and a flexitank formed as a tube-shaped bag and installed in the tank body to accommodate cargo, with the inside of the tank body provided with a first tank connector communicating with the first valve and a second tank connector communicating with the second valve, and the flexitank being coupled with the tank body using the first tank connector and the second tank connector to enable discharge of cargo through the first valve and control of the internal environment through the second valve, separate valve installation for the flexitank is unnecessary, making it economical and improving usability.

[0017] Additionally, since the flexitank is coupled inside the tank body, the durability and safety of the flexitank can be improved, and the flexitank can be separated simply by releasing the connector after discharging cargo at the destination, making it very advantageous for additional transport during return. The effects are not limited to those described above, and other effects may be derived from the following description.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ISO tank container according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing the interior of the ISO tank container shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of the ISO tank container shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the ISO tank container shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view showing the first tank connector shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view showing the coupling of the first tank connector and the first bag connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a view showing the coupling of the first tank connector and the first bag connector according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a view showing the coupling of the container bag and tank body through a manlid according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 is a view showing a state using a plurality of support ropes according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The following detailed description of the present invention refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the present invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present invention. It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention are different but need not be mutually exclusive. For example, specific shapes, structures, and characteristics described herein may be implemented in other embodiments in relation to one embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0020] Additionally, it should be understood that the position or arrangement of individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention, if properly described, is limited only by the appended claims along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Similar reference numerals in the drawings refer to the same or similar functions throughout the various aspects.

[0021] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement the present invention.

[0022] The embodiment of the present invention described below relates to an ISO tank container with enhanced usability. Hereinafter, the ISO tank container with enhanced usability may be simply referred to as a "tank container." The ISO tank container (1) according to this embodiment can both transport cargo by directly putting it inside the tank body (10) or by installing a flexitank (20) inside the tank body (10) and then putting cargo in the flexitank (20), thereby enhancing usability. Hereinafter, the tank container (1) according to various embodiments will be examined with reference to the drawings of the present invention.

[0023] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tank container (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a view showing the flexitank (20) included inside the tank container (1) according to this embodiment by removing a portion of one side of the top of the tank body (10). Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the tank container (1) according to this embodiment comprises an outer frame (F), tank body (10), and flexitank (20).

[0024] The outer frame (F) is a frame woven in a rectangular parallelepiped shape to support the tank body (10), and is installed around the tank body (10) to support the tank body (10). Since such an outer frame (F) belongs to technology well-known to those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which this embodiment belongs, detailed description will be omitted to prevent the characteristics of this embodiment from being obscured.

[0025] The tank body (10) is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and cargo is accommodated inside. At this time, the cargo accommodated inside the tank body (10) may be liquids or gases, and may be solids such as grains depending on the situation.

[0026] The tank body (10) is manufactured according to specifications established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). According to these specifications, a first valve hole (11) for introducing or withdrawing cargo accommodated inside the tank body (10) is formed at one side of the bottom of the tank body (10), and a first valve (12) for opening and closing the first valve hole (11) is provided outside the tank body (10). Meanwhile, a manhole (13) for accessing the inside of the tank is formed at the top of the tank body (10), and a manlid (14) for sealing the manhole is installed in the manhole. Additionally, at least one control valve for controlling the inside of the tank is provided at the top of the tank body (10). For example, at least one of a pressure relief valve for releasing pressure when overpressure occurs inside the tank and an airline valve for adjusting pressure inside the tank through air injection or discharge may be installed at the top of the tank body (10), and additional valves may be installed at the top of the tank body (10) in addition to these. Furthermore, spare holes (17) for additionally installing valves may be formed at the top of the tank body (10) in addition to pre-installed valves. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that a second valve (15) and a third valve (16) are installed at the top of the tank body (10), but it will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that the types and number of valves installed at the top of the tank body (10) may vary depending on the environment.

[0027] The tank body (10) according to this embodiment is formed by adding several components inside a tank manufactured according to ISO specifications. Accordingly, workers can use it familiarly, improving work efficiency, and it is economical because the tank body (10) according to this embodiment can be manufactured using existing tanks without the need to newly manufacture tanks. Additionally, since the appearance is the same as existing ISO tank containers, existing loading and transport systems can be used as is, making it convenient.

[0028] Fig. 3 is a top view of the tank container (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 omits the manlid (14), second valve (15), and third valve (16) to more clearly show the plurality of holes formed at the top of the tank body (10). Referring to Fig. 3, the manhole (13), second valve hole (18), third valve hole (19), first spare hole (17a), and second spare hole (17b) are formed at the top of the tank body (10) according to this embodiment. The manlid (14) is installed in the manhole (13), the second valve (15) is installed in the second valve hole (18), and the third valve (16) is installed in the third valve hole (19). The first spare hole (17a) and second spare hole (17b) can have necessary valves installed as needed, and unused spare holes (17) are maintained in a sealed state using caps to control pressure inside the tank body (10) and prevent cargo leakage. In this embodiment, support ropes (23) can be drawn out from the tank body (10) through each spare hole (17). The use of support ropes (23) through each spare hole (17) will be described later.

[0029] Meanwhile, Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the tank body (10) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 4, a first tank connector (110) that surrounds at least a portion of the first valve hole (11) and protrudes is provided at the bottom of the inner wall of the tank body (10) according to this embodiment. Referring to Fig. 5 showing the first tank connector (110) according to this embodiment, the first tank connector (110) according to this embodiment comprises a sealing plate (112), first coupling part (111), and inflow prevention mesh (113). Figs. 5a and 5b show the structure of the first tank connector (110) according to this embodiment in more detail, and to prevent the characteristics of the present invention from being obscured, a portion of the first valve (12) visible inside the tank body (10) is omitted.

[0030] Referring to Fig. 5a, the sealing plate (112) is formed in a plate shape having elasticity, with the rear surface closely contacting the inner wall of the tank body (10) and the front surface closely contacting the lower surface of the first coupling part (111), thereby enabling the first coupling part (111) and the inner wall of the tank body (10) to be more airtightly coupled. In this embodiment, the sealing plate (112) may be formed in a circular plate shape with a hole (112a) formed at the center having the same size as the first valve hole (11) formed at the bottom of the tank body (10). The sealing plate (112) is installed inside the tank body (10) so that the hole (112a) formed at the center overlaps with the first valve hole (11). In this embodiment, the cargo accommodated inside the tank body (10) may be a corrosive liquid, and since the sealing plate (112) installed to surround the first valve hole (11) has its front surface in direct contact with the cargo, the sealing plate (112) is preferably manufactured using a material with strong corrosion resistance. In this embodiment, the sealing plate (112) may be made of silicone and may have a thickness of about 4mm.

[0031] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sealing plate (112) is formed with a circular band-shaped close contact protrusion (112b) centered on the center of the sealing plate (112). The close contact protrusion (112b) increases the contact area between the lower surfaces of the first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211) and the sealing plate (112), thereby improving the airtightness of the coupling.

[0032] The first coupling part (111) is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, with the lower surface closely coupled to the front surface of the sealing plate (112) and the upper surface protruding toward the inside of the tank body (10). The first coupling part (111) is coupled with the flexitank (20) so that cargo accommodated inside the flexitank (20) moves through the hollow part inside the first coupling part (111) and is discharged to the outside through the first valve hole (11) of the tank body (10).

[0033] In this embodiment, the first coupling part (111) may be formed in a cylindrical shape with an open hollow interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction. Accordingly, the cross-section of the first coupling part (111) forms an arc. By cutting a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, the first coupling part (111) has two cut surfaces (1111) perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces. In an embodiment of the present invention, the central angle of the arc formed by the cross-section of the first coupling part (111) may be 180 degrees to 270 degrees.

[0034] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first coupling part (111) may be formed with a semicircular cross-section having a central angle of 180 degrees by removing half of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, as shown in Fig. 5a. Meanwhile, the first coupling part (111) according to this embodiment is installed so that the opening where a portion of the circumference is removed faces the bottom surface of the tank body (10). This can minimize residues remaining inside the tank body (10) or flexitank (20) by opening the path for cargo to move from below the first valve hole (11) toward the first valve hole (11).

[0035] More specifically, when the first coupling part (111) is manufactured in the shape of a complete pipe without removing the lower portion, when the tank body (10) is tilted to discharge remaining cargo without leaving any residue, the lower circumferential surface of the first coupling part (111) blocks cargo from the bottom of the tank body (10) from flowing into the first valve hole (11), making smooth discharge of cargo difficult. According to the first coupling part (111) of this embodiment, since a portion of the lower circumferential surface is removed, when the tank body (10) is tilted, remaining cargo from the bottom surface of the tank body (10) can immediately move to the first valve hole (11), making the treatment of remaining cargo very easy.

[0036] Meanwhile, as shown in Fig. 5b, airtight coupling grooves (1112) are formed along the longitudinal direction on each cut surface (1111) of the first coupling part (111) according to this embodiment. Threads are formed on the circumferential surface of the first coupling part (111), enabling the first coupling part (111) to be thread-coupled with a nut.

[0037] The inflow prevention mesh (113) is formed in a plate shape where a plurality of horizontal lines and a plurality of vertical lines are woven together in a grid pattern, and is coupled to one end of the first coupling part (111) protruding inside the tank body (10) so that the front surface is parallel to the upper surface of the first coupling part (111). Cargo consisting of liquid or gas inside the tank body (10) passes through the inflow prevention mesh (113) through holes (1131) formed between adjacent horizontal and vertical lines of the inflow prevention mesh (113), passes through the first coupling part (111), and is discharged to the outside. However, the flexitank (20) cannot pass through the holes (1131) formed between adjacent horizontal and vertical lines of the inflow prevention mesh (113). Therefore, by installing the inflow prevention mesh (113) at one end of the first coupling part (111), the flexitank (20) can be prevented from being sucked into the inside of the first coupling part (111) by the strong pump pressure for discharging cargo, which prevents failures and ensures continuous operation.

[0038] In this embodiment, the inflow prevention mesh (113) may be formed in a plate shape having the same cross-section as the cross-section of the passage through which cargo is transported formed inside the coupled first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211). For example, the inflow prevention mesh (113) may be formed in a circular plate shape, thereby enabling the inflow prevention mesh (113) to completely block the passage formed when the first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211) are coupled.

[0039] Meanwhile, a second tank connector (120) protruding and surrounding the second valve hole (18) and a third tank connector (130) protruding and surrounding the third valve hole (19) are provided at the top of the inner wall of the tank body (10). The second tank connector (120) communicates with the second valve (15), and the third tank connector (130) communicates with the third valve hole (19). The second tank connector (120) and third tank connector (130) may be male connectors, and their diameters are determined corresponding to the outer diameters of the second valve hole (18) and third valve hole (19), respectively.

[0040] The flexitank (20) is formed as a tube-shaped bag and installed inside the tank body (10), accommodating cargo inside. The inner skin of the flexitank (20) may be composed of multi-layered polyethylene, and the outer skin may be composed of polypropylene. In an embodiment of the present invention, the flexitank (20) has a accommodation capacity larger than the capacity of the tank body (10). In this embodiment, the capacity of the flexitank (20) may be about 105% of the capacity of the tank body (10). For example, when the internal capacity of the tank body (10) is 25,000L, the capacity of the flexitank (20) may be 26,250L. This is to improve the stability of the flexitank (20) by maximizing the contact area between the surface of the flexitank (20) and the inner wall of the tank body (10) when the flexitank (20), into which cargo is injected while coupled inside the tank body (10), expands to its maximum inside the tank body (10). The tank body (10) according to this embodiment is advantageous because it is formed in a cylindrical shape, thereby maximizing the contact area with the flexitank (20) that swells in a gentle circular shape as cargo is filled.

[0041] A hole is formed at one side of the bottom of the flexitank (20), and a first bag connector (210) is provided to communicate with this hole. The first bag connector (210) is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, with the upper surface coupled to one surface of the flexitank (20) and the lower surface protruding toward the outside of the flexitank (20). The first bag connector (210) of the flexitank (20) is coupled with the first tank connector (110) protruding from the bottom of the tank body (10) to couple the flexitank (20) and tank body (10), thereby enabling cargo accommodated in the flexitank (20) to be discharged to the outside through the first valve hole (11) of the tank body (10).

[0042] Fig. 6a shows the first bag connector (210) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 6a, the first bag connector (210) includes a second coupling part (211) and a tightening nut (212). In this embodiment, the second coupling part (211) is formed in a cylindrical shape with an open hollow interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, and the cross-section of the second coupling part (211) forms an arc. By cutting a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, the second coupling part (211) has two cut surfaces (2111) perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces. In an embodiment of the present invention, the central angle of the arc formed by the cross-section of the second coupling part (211) is 90 degrees to 180 degrees, and the central angle of the arc formed by the cross-section of the second coupling part (211) is determined as 360 degrees minus the central angle of the arc formed by the cross-section of the first coupling part (111). The inner diameter and outer diameter of the second coupling part (211) are the same as the inner diameter and outer diameter of the first coupling part (111), and threads are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the second coupling part (211). Therefore, when the second coupling part (211) is coupled to the opening of the first coupling part (111), the coupled first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211) form one threaded shaft with threads formed on the outer circumferential surface. In this way, by contacting and coupling the cut surfaces (2111) on both sides of the circumference of the second coupling part (211) with the cut surfaces (1111) on both sides of the circumference of the first coupling part (111), a passage through which cargo is transported is formed inside the first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211).

[0043] Airtight protrusions (2112) protruding to correspond to the airtight coupling grooves (1112) formed on each cut surface (2111) of the first coupling part (111) are formed on each of the two cut surfaces (2111) of the second coupling part (211). The second coupling part (211) is coupled to the first coupling part (111) by fitting the airtight protrusions (2112) formed on each cut surface (2111) into each airtight coupling groove (1112) of the first coupling part (111) from below the first coupling part (111). Accordingly, the first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211) are more airtightly coupled, enabling cargo including hazardous materials to be safely discharged to the outside of the tank body (10) without leaking to the outside of the flexitank (20).

[0044] The tightening nut (212) is formed in a ring shape with threads formed on the inner circumferential surface, and as shown in Fig. 6b, in a state where the airtight protrusions (2112) of the second coupling part (211) and the airtight coupling grooves (1112) of the first coupling part (111) are coupled together, the first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211) are coupled by thread-coupling the circumference of the first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211) using the threads on the outer circumferential surfaces of the first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211). Fig. 6b omits the illustration of the flexitank (20) to clearly show the coupled state of the first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211).

[0045] In this embodiment, the tightening nut (212) may form a plurality of curved portions (212a) on the circumference to facilitate coupling and uncoupling of the first coupling part (111) and second coupling part (211). Users can more effectively transmit force to the tightening nut (212) by putting their fingers between such curved portions (212a) and rotating the tightening nut (212).

[0046] Fig. 7 is a view showing the first bag connector (210) according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 7, the first bag connector (210) according to this embodiment is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape. The first bag connector (210) is formed with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the first coupling part (111) of the first tank connector (110), and the first bag connector (210) and first tank connector (110) are coupled by inserting the first coupling part (111) into the hollow interior of the first bag connector (210). The first bag connector (210) may be coupled with the first coupling part (111) using various methods such as BSP screw method or Camlock mount method.

[0047] Meanwhile, a second bag connector (220) and a third bag connector (230) are provided at the top of the flexitank (20). The second bag connector (220) has a structure capable of coupling with the second tank connector (120), and the third bag connector (230) has a structure capable of coupling with the third tank connector (130). In this embodiment, the second bag connector (220) and third bag connector (230) may be female connectors. The second bag connector (220) and third bag connector (230) communicate with the inside of the flexitank (20).

[0048] The flexitank (20) couples with the second tank connector (120) communicating with the second valve (15) using the second bag connector (220), and couples with the third tank connector (130) communicating with the third valve (16) using the third bag connector (230), thereby enabling the second valve (15) and third valve (16) that operate to control the inside of the tank body (10) to operate to control the inside of the flexitank (20) installed inside the tank body (10). That is, the flexitank (20) according to this embodiment is installed in the tank body (10) to be connected with the first valve (12), second valve (15), and third valve (16) pre-installed in the tank body (10) using the first bag connector (210), second bag connector (220), and third bag connector (230), thereby enabling the existing valves of the tank body (10) to operate for the flexitank (20) without installing additional valves for the operation of the flexitank (20).

[0049] Therefore, workers can adjust the pressure inside the flexitank (20) using valves used in existing ISO tanks without needing to learn how to use separate valves, making adaptation to the ISO tank container (1) according to this embodiment very easy. Additionally, it is economical and convenient because the tank body (10) according to this embodiment can be used as an ISO tank container (1) simply by installing the first tank connector (110), second tank connector (120), and third tank connector (130) inside an existing ISO tank.

[0050] In this embodiment, the second bag connector (220) and third bag connector (230) may each be coupled with the flexitank (20) using tubes (not shown). That is, one end of the tube is coupled to the flexitank (20) and the other end is coupled to the bag connectors (220, 230), thereby connecting between the flexitank (20) and each bag connector (220, 230). In this way, each tube connects between the second bag connector (220) and flexitank (20), and between the third bag connector (230) and flexitank (20), thereby enabling stable coupling between the flexitank (20) and each bag connector (220, 230). More specifically, shaking occurs in the tank body (10) during transport of the ISO tank container, and when the cargo accommodated inside the flexitank (20) is liquid, strong pressure may act on the inner surface of the flexitank (20) due to the shaking of the liquid. If the flexitank (20) is fixedly coupled to the tank body (10), the inner surface of the flexitank (20) may not be able to disperse such pressure and may tear. For this purpose, the tube is preferably made of a flexible and elastic material. For example, in this embodiment, the tube may be manufactured using silicone.

[0051] Meanwhile, the flexitank (20) according to this embodiment has a top inlet (21) formed at the top as shown in Fig. 8a. The top inlet (21) is connected to the manhole (13) formed at the top of the tank body (10), and accordingly, cargo input through the manhole (13) of the tank body (10) is accommodated inside the flexitank (20). This is very advantageous for inputting solids such as grains that are difficult to input through the first valve (12) into the flexitank (20). To clearly show the top inlet (21), it will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that the illustration of the first bag connector (210), second bag connector (220), and third bag connector (230) has been omitted. It is advantageous for the area of the top inlet (21) according to this embodiment to be formed equal to or larger than the area of the manhole (13) so that cargo can be smoothly input.

[0052] The flexitank (20) according to this embodiment may be provided with a manhole fitting member (22). The manhole fitting member (22) has higher rigidity than the flexitank (20) and extends upward along the circumference of the top inlet (21), thereby standardizing the entrance of the irregular top inlet (21). Accordingly, the top inlet (21) that easily changes shape can easily maintain an open state, enabling more stable accommodation of cargo. In this embodiment, the manhole fitting member (22) is made of synthetic resin such as plastic or silicone. The manhole fitting member (22) forms an engagement portion (221) by bending the terminal outward. The manhole fitting member (22) is coupled to the manlid (14) by fitting the engagement portion (221) into the protrusion (141) of the manlid (14) that protrudes along the circumference of the manhole (13) as shown in Fig. 8b.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 8c, as the manhole fitting member (22) is coupled to the manlid (14) from inside the tank body (10) through the manhole (13) using the engagement portion (221) of the manhole fitting member (22), the manhole (13) directly communicates with the inside of the flexitank (20). Therefore, cargo input through the manhole (13) can be easily transported to the flexitank (20). Meanwhile, as the manlid (14) is closed with the manhole fitting member (22) fitted between the cover (14a) and protrusion (141) of the manlid (14), the sealing power of the manlid (14) can be further increased.

[0054] The tank container (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention includes tank connectors (110, 120, 130) and bag connectors (210, 220, 230) corresponding to respective valves formed according to ISO specifications in the tank body (10) and flexitank (20), and by installing the flexitank (20) inside the tank body (10) through coupling of the tank connectors (110, 120, 130) and bag connectors (210, 220, 230), there is an effect of utilizing all the advantages of both the tank body (10) and flexitank (20).

[0055] Meanwhile, the flexitank (20) has an irregular shape that increases in volume as materials are accommodated inside, so it has a somewhat small volume when first installed inside the tank body (10). Accordingly, there may be difficulty in lifting the flexitank (20) upward to couple the second bag connector (220) and third bag connector (230) provided at the top of the flexitank (20) with the second tank connector (120) and third tank connector (130) provided at the top of the tank body (10), respectively.

[0056] A plurality of support ropes (23) may be fixed to the outer surface of the flexitank (20) according to this embodiment. One end of each support rope (23) is fixed to the outer surface of the flexitank (20), and the other end may be positioned outside the tank body (10) through the spare hole (17) formed at the top of the tank body (10). Accordingly, workers can lift the flexitank (20) by pulling the plurality of support ropes (23) from outside the tank body (10), and accordingly, each bag connector (210, 220, 230) and tank connector (110, 120, 130) become closer, making installation of the flexitank (20) easy.

[0057] Fig. 9a is a view showing a state where a plurality of support ropes (23) are installed in the flexitank (20) according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9a, to stably lift the flexitank (20), one end of each support rope (23) may be fixed to the bottom of the flexitank (20). Meanwhile, to prevent the flexitank (20) from tilting to one side while being lifted, each support rope (23) is preferably coupled to both left and right sides of the flexitank (20). Some of the plurality of support ropes (23) have one end fixed to the front side of the flexitank (20) and the other end positioned outside the tank body (10) through the spare hole (17) provided at the front top of the tank body (10). The remainder may have one end fixed to the rear side of the flexitank (20) and the other end positioned outside the tank body (10) through the spare hole (17) provided at the rear top of the tank body (10). Therefore, when installing the flexitank (20) inside the tank body (10), workers can facilitate coupling of the tank body (10) by pulling up the flexitank (20) by pulling each support rope (23) coming out through the spare holes (17) at the front and rear of the tank body (10) as shown in Fig. 9b.

[0058] Thereafter, when the tank container (1) reaches its destination and cargo accommodated in the flexitank (20) needs to be discharged, as shown in Fig. 9c, the rear end of the flexitank (20) can be lifted by pulling the support rope (23) coupled to the rear side of the flexitank (20) through the spare hole (17) at the rear top of the tank body (10). Accordingly, a slope is formed on the bottom of the flexitank (20) from the rear of the flexitank (20) toward the front where the first valve hole (11) is formed, and accordingly, cargo accommodated in the flexitank (20) is smoothly discharged through the first valve hole (11). This is advantageous because it can easily and simply produce the same effect compared to previously lifting and tilting the tank body (10) to discharge all remaining cargo.

[0059] The plurality of support ropes (23) according to this embodiment can be wound or unwound using a winch provided near the spare hole (17) outside the tank body (10), and when the spare hole (17) needs to be closed for movement of the tank container (1), they can be hung on hooks (not shown) provided inside the tank body (10) for storage.

[0060] According to the tank container (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention, tank connectors connected to each of at least one valve provided for operation of the tank body (10) are provided, and the flexitank (20) is installed in the tank body (10) using bag connectors that couple with each tank connector, thereby enabling control of the inside of the flexitank (20) using valves pre-installed in the tank body (10) without the need to install separate valves for the flexitank (20), making it convenient to use and economical. Additionally, since installation and removal of the flexitank (20) is very convenient, it is possible to remove the flexitank (20) from inside the tank body (10) after transporting cargo using the flexitank (20), load other cargo directly into the tank body (10), and return to the starting point, resulting in very high productivity, and since separate cleaning of the tank body (10) is not necessary at this time, both time and cost are greatly reduced.

[0061] While the present invention has been described with specific details such as specific components and limited embodiments and drawings, these are provided only to help a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs can make various modifications and variations from such descriptions.

[0062] Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and not only the following claims but also all modifications equivalent or equivalent to these claims should be said to belong to the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tank container comprising: a tank body (10) formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, provided with a first valve (12) for discharging cargo at one side of the bottom, and provided with a second valve (15) for controlling the internal environment at the top; and a flexitank (20) formed as a tube-shaped bag and installed in the tank body to accommodate the cargo, wherein the inside of the tank body (10) is provided with a first tank connector (110) communicating with the first valve (12) and a second tank connector (120) communicating with the second valve (15), and the flexitank (20) is coupled with the tank body (10) using the first tank connector (110) and the second tank connector (120), thereby enabling discharge of cargo through the first valve (12) and control of the internal environment through the second valve (15).

2. The tank container according to claim 1, wherein the first tank connector (110) includes a first coupling part (111) formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and the first coupling part (111) is installed inside the tank body (10) so that the internal hollow part surrounds at least a portion of the first valve hole (11) of the tank body, thereby enabling cargo accommodated in the flexitank (20) to move along the hollow part of the first tank connector (110) and be discharged through the first valve hole (11).

3. The tank container according to claim 2, wherein the first coupling part (111) is formed in a cylindrical shape with an open hollow interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, and the first coupling part (111) is installed so that the opening where a portion of the circumference is removed faces the bottom surface of the tank body (10), thereby opening a path for the cargo to move from below the first valve hole (11) toward the first valve hole (11).

4. The tank container according to claim 3, wherein the bottom of the flexitank (20) is provided with a second coupling part (211) formed in a cylindrical shape with an open hollow interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, the inner diameter and outer diameter of the second coupling part (211) are the same as the inner diameter and outer diameter of the first coupling part (111), and by coupling in contact with the cut surfaces (2111) on both sides of the circumference of the second coupling part (211) and the cut surfaces (1111) on both sides of the circumference of the first coupling part (111), a passage through which the cargo is transported is formed inside the first coupling part (111) and the second coupling part (211).

5. The tank container according to claim 3, wherein the central angle of the arc formed by the cross-section of the first coupling part (111) is 180 degrees to 270 degrees.

6. The tank container according to claim 4, wherein airtight coupling grooves (1112) are formed along the longitudinal direction of each cut surface (1111) on both sides of the circumference of the first coupling part (111), airtight protrusions (2112) are formed along the longitudinal direction of each cut surface (2111) in a shape corresponding to the airtight coupling grooves (1112) on both sides of the circumference of the second coupling part (211), and by fitting the airtight protrusions (2112) into the airtight coupling grooves (1112), the airtightness between the first coupling part (111) and the second coupling part (211) is increased.

7. The tank container according to claim 1, wherein the internal capacity of the flexitank (20) is larger than the internal capacity of the tank body (10).

8. The tank container according to claim 1, wherein at least one spare hole (17) is formed through the top of the tank body (10), and the flexitank (20) is provided with a plurality of support ropes (23), each having one end fixed to the outer surface of the flexitank (20) and the other end positioned outside the tank body (10) through the spare hole (17) at the top of the tank body (10), thereby enabling the flexitank (20) to be lifted using each support rope (23) from outside the tank body (10).

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