A bulk material bag device

Abstract

A bulk material bag device comprising an open topped bag with one or more sides and a base, a plurality of lifting straps, wherein the straps extend above the bag, and the bag has a zipper to access t

Description

The present invention relates to a bulk material bag device, in particular a device for transporting and collecting bulk material; more particularly but not exclusively a reusable device for transporting and collecting bulk material. Background In many cases it is increasingly recognised that single-use items are ill-advised, particularly when they are plastics, and liable to take centuries to degrade and / or are difficult to recycle. Bulk material bags, as used in the fields of construction, agricultural and farming or the like are used to transport sand or soil for example, or on-site to collect waste for later collection and disposal. Typically such bags are opened by cutting their sides, so as to access the interior efficiently in time-pressured work situations. As a result such bags become unusable. Prior Art US 20 200 095 058 (O'NEILL) discloses a bulk material containment system comprising: a flexible intermediate bulk container comprised of a high strength, flexible fabric configured for storing bulk material, including a front wall, a rear wall, a top wall, a bottom wall, and two side walls; comprising a top opening configured for receiving said bulk material; being further configured to be lifted and tipped for deploying said bulk material at a selected location; a front opening located on said front wall, said opening configured for unloading said bulk material through a spout affixed to said front wall; a clamp configured for releasably sealing said spout; and a first horizontally-oriented strap wrapped configured for releasably confining said spout in a nondeployed orientation. KR 101 565 146 (PARK) discloses a sack which can be simply overturned using a forklift to easily discharge contents to the outside and does not require an additional outlet which is formed in a lower portion; comprises: a sack unit having an inner receiving space receiving contents and of which a lower portion is closed and the upper portion is opened; a towing ring member formed in the upper portion of the sack unit to lift the sack unit; and an overturning means installed in the sack unit to overturn the sack unit and pour the contents through the opened upper portion of the sack unit. EP 1 302 401 (DAVIES) discloses a reusable bulk packaging comprises a plastics bag having an opening which is closable by means of a zip fastener attached to the body of the bag, typically by means of an adhesive or by welding, wherein the plastics bag may be made out of bubble film, optionally laminated to aluminium foil. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a bulk material bag device comprising a bag with one or more side and a base, defining an open-topped internal volume, and a plurality of lifting straps, wherein the straps extend above the bag, and the bag has a zipper to access the internal volume. In this way the device of the present invention may be envisaged to provide an easy to empty bulk bag, such that a user is not required to cut the bag to allow exit of material, thereby enabling the device to be used again. In some embodiments of the device the bag comprises four sides, which may be envisaged to be largely square or rectangular and self-supporting so as to provide an open top at rest. In some embodiments of the device the bag comprises a square base, which may be envisaged to provide a flat base and / or form right-angles with the sides, so as to ensure a useful internal space and stability. In some embodiments of the device therefore the bag is substantially cuboid with an open top face, as known in the art, and may be waterproof fabric. In some embodiments of the device the bag comprises lifting straps in each corner, so as to allow the bag to be lifted mechanically, wherein such straps may be envisaged to continue from and provide side seams which distribute weight of the bag along the corners to the base. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a zipper across the base, which may be a zipper centrally across the base from side to side, so as to allow for the base to be opened and contents of the bag to fall under gravity, falling centrally and progressively. Other embodiments may have a plurality of zippers across the base, for example spaced apart along two sides. Such zippers may be connected to open at the same time in such embodiments. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a zipper from top to bottom of a side, such that the bag may be opened when o the ground, and contents accessed, for example for shovelling or the like. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a plurality of zippers on a side, such that the side may be fully opened and laid down, for example in order to access the bag easily with a barrow or the like. In some embodiments zippers may be interconnected to open and close together. In some other embodiment the zipper(s) may be provided with an opening tag and / or cord so as to enable opening from a distance. In some embodiments of the device the device comprises a flap which extends proximate the base, which flap may be substantially the size of the base so as to overlap it. In some such embodiments of the device the flap comprises one or more hanger, which hanger is adapted to extend alongside a lifting strap, so as to allow the hanger to be used to take strain and / or hung out of the way on the mechanical lifter. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of providing bulk storage comprising a device substantially as described herein with reference to the figures. Such method may combine with a machine-readable code, for example a barcode or QR code (quick response). Such code may be printed in one or more location on the device and may be used to track the use and re-use and disposal of the device, so as to ensure correct usage patterns and enforce fly-tipping rules. In some embodiments of the device the code may be invisible, not visible to a naked eye in natural light conditions, and / or printed throughout and across all material of the device, so as to avoid tampering. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the Figures in which: Brief Description of Figures Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in use, from below; Figure 2 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an isometric view of a second embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in use, from below; Figure 4 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows an isometric view of a third embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in use, from below; Figure 6 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device as shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 shows an isometric view of a third embodiment of the device according to the present invention, in use, from below; and Figure 8 shows a reverse isometric view of the embodiment of the device as shown in Figure 7. Detailed Description of Figures With reference to the figures there are shown embodiments of a bulk material bag device 99,199,299,399 generally comprising a bag with four sides 1 and a base 2, defining an open-topped internal volume, and four lifting straps 4, wherein the straps extend above the bag, and the bag has a zipper 5 to access the internal volume. In particular reference to the first embodiment as pictured in Figure 1 the embodiment comprises a heavy duty material such as Nylon (RTM) webbing, as known in the art, and which is formed into four sides and a base, the base being square, and the sides intersecting with the base at orthogonal corners such that the vertical corners between the sides are orthogonal and the embodiment has a substantially cuboid form with an openitop end. The corners comprise strips 3 of heavier duty material binding continuing from the lifting straps and supporting the joints between the sides. Four lifting straps 4 comprise loops at the top of these strips. Such lifting straps may therefore be used to lift the loaded bag with mechanical means, and are sufficiently robust for such. In the first embodiment 99 the base 2 comprises a single zipper 5 extending centrally between two opposing sides. The zipper comprises a stainless steel or nickel coil heavy duty zipper, with a large tag 6. The bag may be woven polypropylene or similar. It may be envisaged that above the zipper on the upper surface of the base there is provided a placket to prevent strain on the zipper. In some further embodiments the zipper tag may comprise a locking means. In the pictured embodiment the tag comprises an attached cord 7, which may be used to open the zipper from distance, such as when hanging. In this way it may be envisaged that in use the zipper may be opened so as to allow contents of the bag to drop from the base. In particular reference to the second embodiment 199 as pictured in Figure 3 the embodiment comprises a zipper on the base, and a flap 8 that extends from the intersection of the base and one of the sides. Such flap is formed of analogous material to the bag, is substantially the same size and shape as the base or a side and comprises two hangers 9 at the two distal corners. These hangers comprise heavy duty loops of material such as the corner strips, and may be hung on the mechanical lifting means. In this way the hangers may be used when the flap is not required, to keep the flap tidy, and / or may be used alongside the lifting straps when the flap is in use reinforcing the base, such that the flap extends below the base as required and takes strain on the zipper. In particular reference to the third embodiment 299 as pictured in Figure 5 the embodiment comprises two zippers on a side 10 of the bag, which zippers extends vertically proximate the corners of the side. In further embodiments the side may comprise a single central zipper, and / or the bag may comprise a plurality of sides having zippers. In particular reference to the fourth embodiment 399 as pictured in Figure 7 the embodiment comprises a flap extend from the intersection with the base on the side that comprises the two zippers, such flap having hangers in the distal corners in common with the second embodiment. The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of protection as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A bulk material bag device comprising a bag with one or more side and a base, defining an open-topped internal volume, and a plurality of lifting straps, wherein the straps extend above the bag, and the bag has a zipper to access the internal volume.

2. A bulk material bag device according to claim 1 wherein the bag comprises four sides.

3. A bulk material bag device according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the bag comprises a square base.

4. A bulk material bag device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the bag is substantially cuboid with an open top face.

5. A bulk material bag device according to any preceding claim comprises rightangles between base and sides.

6. A bulk material bag device according to claim wherein the bag comprises lifting straps in each corner.

7. A bulk material bag device according to claim wherein the lifting strap continue from and provide side seams.

8. A bulk material bag device according to any preceding claim comprises a zipper across the base.

9. A bulk material bag device according to any preceding claim comprises a zipper centrally across the base from side to side.

10. A bulk material bag device according to any preceding claim comprises a zipper from top to bottom of a side.

11. A bulk material bag device according to claim 10 comprises a plurality of zippers.

12. A bulk material bag device according to claim 11 wherein the zippers are connected so as to open together.

13. A bulk material bag device according to any preceding claim wherein the zipper comprises an opening tag and / or cord so as to enable opening from a distance14. A bulk material bag device according to any preceding claim wherein the bag is formed of waterproof fabric.

15. A bulk material bag device according to any preceding claim comprises a flap which extends proximate the base.

16. A bulk material bag device according to claim 15 wherein the flap is substantially the size of the base so as to overlap it.

17. A bulk material bag device according to claim 15 or 16 wherein the flap comprises one or more hanger.

18. A bulk material bag device according to claim 17 wherein the hanger is adapted to extend alongside a lifting strap.

19. A method of providing bulk storage comprising a device according to any of the preceding claims.

20. A method of providing bulk storage comprising a device according to any of preceding claims 1 to 18 comprising a machine readable code.

21. A device for a method according to claim 20 wherein the code is printed in a plurality of locations.

22. e for a method according to claim 20 wherein the code is not visible to a naked eye in natural light conditions.

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