Re-usable flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) bag

Abstract

The re-usable flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) bag comprises a re-enforced aperture in the base / bottom panel. A sacrifical panel is placed upon the aperture inside the bulk bag. The sacrifi

Description

Title: Re-usable Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container (FIBC) Bag. Description: The invention presented, a Sacrificial Panel Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container (SPFIBC) Problem: Currently a large number of flexible Intermediate Bulk Container (FIBC) bags in production are single use items, fifty million being used annually in the UK alone, the current method of discharging these bags is to randomly pierce and slice open the suspended bag with a sharp implement (knife) leading to uncontrolled and hazardous discharge, and rendering the bag unfit for further use, subsequently a veiy large proportion are disposed of in landfill or burnt on-site, leading to the release of hazardous chemicals and microplastic pollutants into the soil, water table and air, greatly polluting the environment and damaging ecosystems over the veiy long term, and requiring costly clean up procedures to mitigate the consequences of this practice. Solution: The Sacrificial Panel Bulk Bag (SPFIBC) has been designed specifically to allow these single use designated (FIBC) bags to become a multi use item and to be discharged in a controlled manner each time, thus diminishing the personal exposure to harm / injury, whilst greatly reducing (IRO90% or more if the sacrificial panel is biodegradable) the amount of bags being produced today as single use / trip and immediately going to landfill for disposal, Other benefits of using the Sacrificial Panel Bulk Bag (SPFIBC) are a fostering of recycling within the industry as well as a much reduced demand for virgin plastic material used in production, with all the harm to the environment that creates (carbon footprint) The Sacrificial Panel Bulk Bag (SPFIBC) is constructed of any flexible woven or sheet material, stitched,bonded or welded together in a suitable method for the mass and type of material to be contained therein, incorporating sleeves and or loops for lifting the bag and contents therein, and may be lined and incorporate a cover for impermeability, and be of any shape or size commensurate with industry standards and needs, The Sacrificial Panel Bulk Bag (SPFIBC) functions by means of a re-enforced aperture in the base / bottom panel, of a size and shape commensurate with the mass, type of material and desired rate of discharge (see Fig 1) upon this, inside the bulk bag (SPFIBC) is placed the sacrificial panel of a shape and size commensurate with the material to be contained within the bulk bag (SPFIBC) which can be of the same material as the rest of the bag itself, or of a specified material commensurate with the material to be contained within the bulk bag (SPFIBC) This sacrificial panel being held in place by means of detachable fixations, this to primarily stop loss and movement / creep of the sacrificial panel whilst the bag is empty or in storage, prior to the charging of the bulk bag (SPFIBC) with material, and to facilitate the location of sacrificial panel in manufacture, Access to the sacrificial panel to enable piercing and discharge of the bulk bag (SPFIBC) is made within the confines of the re-enforced aperture, after the bulk bag (SPFIBC) is discharged in this manner the sacrificial panel is removed and a new panel fitted ready for the next use (see Fig 2 and 3) There may also by means of a tally grid (see fig 4) or fixed micro chip (semi-conductor) be a way of accounting for the number of times a bulk bag (SPFIBC) is used, this indicated or affixed to a readily accessible and visible part of the bulk bag (SPFIBC) when in use. The drawings below illustrate the embodiment of the invention, and a more detailed explanation of functionality accompanies these illustrations, Figures 1 to 4: 1, bottom panel of bag. 2, re-enforced aperture. 3, sacrificial panel. 4, detachable fixings. 5, lifting loops and sleeves. 6, re-use tally and certification grid. Figure 1: Plan view elevation of sacrificial panel bulk bag (SPFIBC) which may be of any size and shape commensurate with material to be contained therein, showing (2) re-enforced aperture for the prevention of accidental damage (slicing, tearing or piercing) of re-usable non sacrificial main body of bulk bag (SPFIBC) which may be of any shape and size depending on material to be contained therein , (4) detachable fixings which prevent slippage or displacement of (3) the sacrificial panel when empty or folded for storage purposes, the detachable fixings (4) also enable precise location of the (3) sacrificial panel in manufacture, also shown are the (5) lifting loops and sleeves of size and strength to enable the raising and transference of the bag and contents therein. Figure 2: Plan view elevation of (3) the sacrificial panel and (4) detachable fixings ( as hidden detail dashed lines) this sacrificial panel can be of any shape and size commensurate with the material to be contained and transferred within the bulk bag, it can be made of any flexible material commensurate with the material to be contained and transferred therein. Figure 3: Section on A-A, Through complete Sacrificial Panel Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container (SPFIBC) showing : (3) sacrificial panel in position, (2) re-enforced aperture, (4) detachable Fixings, (5) lifting loops and sleeves, (1) bottom panel of bulk bag (SPFIBC Figure 4: Isometric view showing loaded bulk bag (SPFIBC) (1) bottom panel of bulk bag (SPFIBC) (2) re-enforced aperture. (3) sacrificial panel as accessed through re-enforced aperture. (5) lifting loops and sleeves. (6) tally grid for usage record keeping

Claims

1, The Sacrificial Panel Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container (SPFIBC) bulk bag, comprising of a sacrificial panel which is releasably attached to the bottom panel (1) of the bulk bag (SPFIBC)by reusable detachable fixing or plurality of fixings (4) facilitates the controlled discharge of the material contained within the bulk bag (SPFIBC) when suspended and raised by the lifting loops and / or sleeves (5) through a re-enforced aperture (2) in the bottom panel of the bags main body,This sacrificial panel is then detached from the main body of the bulk bag for recycling or disposal, a new sacrificial panel (3) is then attached to the main body of the bulk bag (SPFIBC) by means of the reusable, detachable fixation (4) or plurality thereof, enabling the bulk bag to be reused for it’s original purpose.2, A Sacrificial Panel Flexible Intermediate Bulk container (SPFIBC) bulk bag according to claim 1, in which the sacrificial panel (3) is constructed in any flexible material, and of any shape and size commensurate to the mass and type of material to contained within the (SPFIBC) bulk bag, the sacrificial panel (3) incorporates a reusable, detachable fixation or a plurality of such, that enable temporary fixing and location of the sacrificial panel (3) for manufacture, whilst in storage (folded) and in use.3, A Sacrificial Panel Flexible Intermediate Bulk container (SPFIBC) bulk bag according to claim 1, in which the re-enforced aperture (2) in the bottom panel of the main body of the (SPFIBC) bulk bag, may be of any shape and size commensurate with the mass and type of material to be contained within the (SPFIBC) bulk bag,the re-enforced aperture (2) may be re-enforced using any material which reduces damage to the aperture, by implements used to discharge the (SPFIBC) bulk bag contents through the re-enforced aperture (2).4, A Sacrificial Panel Flexible Intermediate Bulk container (SPFIBC) bulk bag according to claim 1, in which the reusable, detachable fixation (4) or plurality of reusable, detachable fixation , may be of any type,shape or size commensurate to the mass and type of material to be contained within the (SPFIBC) bulk bag.5, A Sacrificial Panel Flexible Intermediate Bulk container (SPFIBC) bulk bag according to claim 1, in which the lifting loops and sleeves (5) may be constructed of any flexible material, and attached to the (SPFIBC) bulk bag by any means, commensurate with the lifting and transporting of the mass and type of material contained within the (SPFIBC) bulk bag,The lifting loops or sleeves (5) may be incorporated in the construction of the (SPFIBC) bulk bag, as loops and sleeves or individually, loops or sleeves commensurate with the lifting and transporting of the mass and type of material contained within the (SPFIBC) bulk bag.

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