Iso tank container with increased usability

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ISO tank container comprising: a tank main body having at one side of the lower end thereof a first valve for discharging a product and having at the upper end thereof a second valve for controlling the internal environment; and a flexible bag formed as a tube-shaped pocket and installed in the tank main body to accommodate the product, wherein a first tank connector communicating with the first valve and a second tank connector communicating with the second valve are provided inside the tank main body, and a container bag is coupled to the tank main body by using the first tank connector and the second tank connector, such that the product can be discharged through the first valve and the internal environment can be controlled through the second valve, thereby improving usability.

Description

ISO tank containers with increased usability

[0001] The present invention relates to an ISO tank container, and more specifically, to an ISO tank container whose usability is enhanced by installing a flexibag inside the tank.

[0002] ISO tank containers are manufactured according to standards established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to safely transport various types of cargo, including liquids, gases, and powders. These containers are particularly useful for transporting hazardous materials due to their durability and corrosion resistance, and are widely used for transporting chemicals, food, and pharmaceuticals. However, conventional ISO tank containers often leave residues after discharge. Due to their internal structure, complete discharge of cargo is difficult. This makes cleaning, depending on the type of cargo, time-consuming and costly. In particular, when transporting different chemicals, thorough cleaning is necessary to prevent contamination from residues. Furthermore, containers often have to be returned empty upon return, reducing cost efficiency. Furthermore, the fixed structure of conventional ISO tank containers makes it difficult to easily load other cargo, resulting in costly and resource-intensive returns.

[0003] Meanwhile, Flexibag containers, equipped with a disposable bag-shaped liner used to transport liquid cargo, prevent contamination by preventing direct contact with the tank interior and eliminating the need for cleaning. However, Flexibag containers are also relatively durable and prone to damage during transport. If they are damaged by impact or pressure during transport, the cargo may spill, potentially causing environmental pollution.

[0004] Therefore, there is an industrial demand for a new type of ISO tank container that solves the problems of conventional ISO tank containers and flexibag containers and has improved usability by combining durability and economy.

[0005] As a prior art of the present invention, reference may be made to Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2351018 (January 10, 2022).

[0006] The present invention aims to provide an ISO tank container that possesses strong durability and corrosion resistance to enable the stable transport of cargo, including hazardous materials. Furthermore, it offers cost savings and flexibility in logistics management by facilitating the loading of new cargo upon return after transporting the cargo to its destination. Furthermore, it enhances usability by utilizing a flexibag or ISO tank to accommodate cargo depending on the nature of the cargo. The technical challenges described above are not limited to these, and additional technical challenges may be derived from the description below.

[0007] An ISO tank container according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a tank body formed in a cylindrical shape with an interior that is hollow, a first valve for discharging cargo on one side of the lower portion, and a second valve for controlling an internal environment on the upper portion; and a flexi bag formed in a tube-shaped pocket and installed within the tank body to accommodate the cargo, wherein a first tank connector communicating with the first valve and a second tank connector communicating with the second valve are provided on the inner side of the tank body, and the container bag is connected to the tank body using the first tank connector and the second tank connector, so that discharge of the cargo through the first valve and control of the internal environment through the second valve are possible.

[0008] The first tank connector includes a first fastening portion formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and the first fastening portion is installed inside the tank body so that the inner hollow portion surrounds at least a portion of the first valve hole of the tank body, so that the cargo contained in the flexi bag can move along the hollow portion of the first tank connector and be discharged through the first valve hole.

[0009] The first fastening portion is formed into a cylindrical shape with a hollow interior opened by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the length direction, and the first fastening portion is installed such that the open portion with the portion of the circumference removed faces the bottom surface of the tank body, thereby opening a path for the transported object to move from the lower side of the first valve hole toward the first valve hole.

[0010] The lower end of the above flexi bag is provided with a second fastening portion formed into a cylindrical shape with an open hollow interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the length direction, and the inner diameter and outer diameter of the second fastening portion are the same as the inner diameter and outer diameter of the first fastening portion, and the cut surfaces on both sides of the circumference of the second fastening portion contact and are joined with the cut surfaces on both sides of the circumference of the first fastening portion, so that a passage through which the cargo is transported can be formed inside the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion.

[0011] The central angle of the arc formed by the cross section of the first fastening portion may be 180 to 270 degrees.

[0012] An airtight fastening groove is formed along the longitudinal direction of each cut surface on each cut surface on both sides of the circumference of the first fastening portion, and an airtight protrusion is formed along the longitudinal direction of each cut surface on each cut surface on both sides of the circumference of the second fastening portion in a shape corresponding to the airtight fastening groove, and the airtightness between the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion can be increased by fitting the airtight protrusion into the airtight fastening groove.

[0013] The internal capacity of the above flexiback may be greater than the internal capacity of the tank body.

[0014] At least one spare hole is formed through the upper part of the tank body, and the flexi bag is provided with a plurality of support ropes, each one end of which is fixed to the outer surface of the flexi bag and the other end of which is positioned outside the tank body through the spare hole in the upper part of the tank body, so that the flexi bag can be lifted from the outside of the tank body using each support rope.

[0015] A tank body having a first valve for discharging cargo on one side of the lower portion and a second valve for controlling the internal environment on the upper portion, and a flexibag formed as a tube-shaped bag and installed inside the tank body to accommodate cargo, wherein a first tank connector communicating with the first valve and a second tank connector communicating with the second valve are provided on the inside of the tank body, and the flexibag is connected to the tank body using the first tank connector and the second tank connector, so that the cargo can be discharged through the first valve and the internal environment can be controlled through the second valve, and therefore, a separate valve for the flexibag is unnecessary, so that it is economical and usability is improved.

[0016] Furthermore, since the Flexibag is secured within the tank body, its durability and safety can be enhanced. Furthermore, after the cargo is discharged at the destination, the Flexibag can be detached simply by releasing the connector, greatly facilitating further transport upon return. The above-described effects are not limited to these, and other benefits may be derived from the description below.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ISO tank container according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 is a drawing showing the interior of the ISO tank container illustrated in Figure 1.

[0019] Figure 3 is a top view of the ISO tank container illustrated in Figure 1.

[0020] Figure 4 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the ISO tank container illustrated in Figure 1.

[0021] Figure 5 is a drawing illustrating the first tank connector illustrated in Figure 4.

[0022] FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating the combination of a first tank connector and a first back connector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating the combination of a first tank connector and a first back connector according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating the connection of a container bag and a tank body through a man-lead according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating a state using a plurality of support ropes according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] The detailed description of the present invention, which follows, refers to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate 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, while different from each other, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, specific shapes, structures, and characteristics described herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0027] Furthermore, it should be understood that the location or arrangement of individual components within each disclosed embodiment may be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not intended to be limiting, and the scope of the present invention, if properly described, is defined solely by the appended claims, along with the full scope equivalents thereof. Similar reference numerals in the drawings designate the same or similar functions throughout.

[0028] Hereinafter, in order to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to easily practice the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0029] The embodiment of the present invention described below relates to an ISO tank container with increased usability. Hereinafter, the ISO tank container with increased usability may be simply referred to as a “tank container.” The ISO tank container (1) according to the present embodiment can transport cargo by directly placing it inside the tank body (10) or by placing the cargo in the flexi bag (20) after installing it inside the tank body (10) and then transporting it, so that usability is increased. Hereinafter, a tank container (1) according to various embodiments will be examined with reference to the drawings of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tank container (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a state in which a portion of the upper side of the tank body (10) is removed to express a flexibag (20) included inside the tank container (1) according to the present embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the tank container (1) according to the present embodiment is composed of an outer frame (F), a tank body (10), and a flexibag (20).

[0031] The outer frame (F) is a frame formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape to support the tank body (10), and is installed around the perimeter of the tank body (10) to support the tank body (10). Since this outer frame (F) is a technology known to those with ordinary skill in the art to which the present embodiment belongs, a detailed description thereof will be omitted to prevent the features of the present embodiment from being obscured.

[0032] The tank body (10) is formed in a cylindrical shape with an interior that is hollow, and the cargo is accommodated inside. At this time, the cargo accommodated inside the tank body (10) may be a liquid or a gas, and depending on the situation, may also be a solid such as grain.

[0033] The tank body (10) is manufactured according to the standards set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). According to these standards, a first valve hole (11) is formed on one side of the lower portion of the tank body (10) to allow the loading or unloading of cargo contained within the tank body (10), and a first valve (12) for opening and closing the first valve hole (11) is provided on the outside of the tank body (10). Meanwhile, a manhole (13) is formed on the upper portion of the tank body (10) to allow access to the interior of the tank, and a manlid (14) is installed in the manhole to seal the manhole. In addition, at least one control valve is provided on the upper portion of the tank body (10) to control the interior of the tank. For example, at least one of a pressure relief valve for releasing pressure when overpressure occurs inside the tank and an airline valve for controlling the pressure inside the tank by injecting or discharging air may be installed on the upper part of the tank body (10), and additional valves may be installed on the upper part of the tank body (10). In addition, spare holes (17) for installing additional valves in addition to the valves already installed may be formed on the upper part of the tank body (10). In the following, for the convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the second valve (15) and the third valve (16) are installed on the upper part of the tank body (10), but it will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that the types and numbers of valves installed on the upper part of the tank body (10) may vary depending on the environment.

[0034] The tank body (10) according to this embodiment is formed by adding several components to the interior of a tank manufactured according to ISO standards. Accordingly, workers can use it with familiarity, thereby improving work efficiency. Furthermore, the tank body (10) according to this embodiment can be manufactured using an existing tank without the need for a new tank, thereby improving economic efficiency. Furthermore, since its exterior is identical to that of an existing ISO tank container, existing loading and transport systems can be utilized, thereby providing convenience.

[0035] Fig. 3 is a top view of a tank container (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention. In order to more clearly illustrate the plurality of holes formed at the top of the tank body (10), Fig. 3 omits the manhole (14), the second valve (15), and the third valve (16). Referring to Fig. 3, a manhole (13), a second valve hole (18), a third valve hole (19), a first reserve hole (17a), and a second reserve hole (17b) are formed at the top of the tank body (10) according to the present embodiment. A manhole (14) is installed in the manhole (13), a second valve (15) is installed in the second valve hole (18), and a third valve (16) is installed in the third valve hole (19). The first spare hole (17a) and the second spare hole (17b) can be equipped with necessary valves, etc., as needed, and the unused spare hole (17) is kept sealed using a cap to control the pressure inside the tank body (10) and prevent leakage of the transported material. In this embodiment, a support rope (23) can be withdrawn from the tank body (10) through each of the spare holes (17). The use of the support rope (23) through each of the spare holes (17) will be described later.

[0036] Meanwhile, Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of a tank body (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 4, a first tank connector (110) protruding from the lower end of the inner wall of the tank body (10) according to the present embodiment and surrounding at least a portion of the first valve hole (11) is provided. Referring to Fig. 5, which illustrates the first tank connector (110) according to the present embodiment, the first tank connector (110) according to the present embodiment is composed of a sealing plate (112), a first fastening portion (111), and an inflow prevention net (113). Figs. 5a and 5b illustrate the structure of the first tank connector (110) according to the present embodiment in more detail, and in order to prevent the features of the present invention from being obscured, a portion of the first valve (12) visible from the inside of the tank body (10) is omitted.

[0037] Referring to FIG. 5a, the sealing plate (112) is formed in an elastic plate shape, and the rear surface is in close contact with the inner wall of the tank body (10), and the front surface is in close contact with the lower surface of the first fastening portion (111), thereby allowing the first fastening portion (111) and the inner wall of the tank body (10) to be more airtightly joined. In the present embodiment, the sealing plate (112) may be formed in a circular plate shape with a hole (112a) formed in the center of the plate having the same size as the first valve hole (11) formed at the lower end of the tank body (10). The sealing plate (112) is installed on the inner side of the tank body (10) such that the hole (112a) formed in the center and the first valve hole (11) overlap. In this embodiment, the cargo accommodated inside the tank body (10) may be a corrosive liquid, and the sealing plate (112) installed to surround the first valve hole (11) has its entire surface in direct contact with the cargo, so it is preferable that the sealing plate (112) be 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 4 mm.

[0038] In one embodiment of the present invention, a sealing plate (112) is formed with a circular belt-shaped sealing protrusion (112b) centered on the center of the sealing plate (112). The sealing protrusion (112b) increases the contact area between the lower surfaces of the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211) and the sealing plate (112), thereby increasing the airtightness of the fastening.

[0039] The first fastening portion (111) is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, the lower surface of which is tightly coupled to the front surface of the sealing plate (112), and the upper surface protrudes toward the inside of the tank body (10). The first fastening portion (111) is fastened to the flexi bag (20), thereby allowing the cargo contained inside the flexi bag (20) to move through the hollow portion inside the first fastening portion (111) and be discharged to the outside through the first valve hole (11) of the tank body (10).

[0040] In the present embodiment, the first fastening portion (111) may be formed into 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 fastening portion (111) forms an arc. By cutting a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, two cut surfaces (1111) perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces of the first fastening portion (111) are formed. In the embodiment of the present invention, the central angle of the arc formed by the cross-section of the first fastening portion (111) may be 180 to 270 degrees.

[0041] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first fastening portion (111) may be formed in a semicircular cross-section with a central angle of 180 degrees by removing half of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, as illustrated in FIG. 5A. Meanwhile, the first fastening portion (111) according to the present embodiment is installed such that the open portion, from which a portion of the circumference is removed, faces the bottom surface of the tank body (10). This opens a path for the transported material to move from the lower side of the first valve hole (11) toward the first valve hole (11), thereby minimizing the presence of residues inside the tank body (10) or the flexi bag (20).

[0042] More specifically, when the first fastening portion (111) is manufactured in the shape of a complete tube without removing a portion of the lower side, when the tank body (10) is tilted to discharge the remaining cargo without leaving any residue, the lower circumferential surface of the first fastening portion (111) blocks the cargo from the lower end of the tank body (10) from flowing into the first valve hole (11), making it difficult to smoothly discharge the cargo. According to the first fastening portion (111) according to the present embodiment, when the tank body (10) is tilted by removing a portion of the lower circumferential surface, the remaining cargo from the bottom surface of the tank body (10) can immediately move to the first valve hole (11), making it very easy to handle the remaining cargo.

[0043] Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 5b, a sealing fastening groove (1112) is formed along the longitudinal direction on each cut surface (1111) of the first fastening portion (111) according to the present embodiment. Screw threads are formed on the circumferential surface of the first fastening portion (111), so that the first fastening portion (111) can be screw-connected with a nut.

[0044] The inflow prevention net (113) is formed in a plate shape in which a plurality of horizontal rows and a plurality of vertical rows are interwoven in a grid shape, and is fastened to one end of the first fastening portion (111) protruding into the inside of the tank body (10) so that the front surface is parallel to the upper surface of the first fastening portion (111). The transported material composed of a liquid or gas inside the tank body (10) passes through the inflow prevention net (113) through the holes (1131) formed between the adjacent horizontal rows and vertical rows of the inflow prevention net (113) and is discharged to the outside through the first fastening portion (111). However, the flexibag (20) cannot pass through the holes (1131) formed between the adjacent horizontal rows and vertical rows of the inflow prevention net (113). Accordingly, as the inflow prevention net (113) is installed at one end of the first fastening portion (111), the flexibag (20) can be prevented from being sucked into the interior of the first fastening portion (111) by the pressure of a strong pump for discharging the transported goods, which prevents breakdown and ensures continuous operation.

[0045] In this embodiment, the inflow prevention net (113) may be formed in a plate shape having the same cross-section as the cross-section of the passage through which the cargo is transported, which is formed within the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211) that are joined together. For example, the inflow prevention net (113) may be formed in a circular shape, and thus, the inflow prevention net (113) may completely block the passage formed when the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211) are joined.

[0046] Meanwhile, a second tank connector (120) protruding and surrounding a second valve hole (18) and a third tank connector (130) protruding and surrounding a third valve hole (19) are provided on the upper part of the inner wall of the tank body (10). The second tank connector (120) is connected to the second valve (15), and the third tank connector (130) is connected to the third valve hole (19). The second tank connector (120) and the 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 the third valve hole (19), respectively.

[0047] The flexi bag (20) is formed as a tube-shaped pouch and is installed inside the tank body (10) to accommodate cargo therein. The inner shell of the flexi bag (20) may be composed of polyethylene having a multi-layer structure, and the outer shell may be composed of polypropylene. In an embodiment of the present invention, the flexi bag (20) has a larger capacity than the capacity of the tank body (10). In this embodiment, the capacity of the flexi bag (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 25,000 L, the capacity of the flexi bag (20) may be 26,250 L. This is to improve the stability of the flexibag (20) by maximizing the area where the surface of the flexibag (20) and the inner wall of the tank body (10) are in close contact when the flexibag (20), into which the cargo is injected while being fastened inside the tank body (10), is fully expanded inside the tank body (10). The tank body (10) according to the present embodiment is advantageous in that it can maximize the contact area with the flexibag (20) that swells to form a gentle circle as the cargo is filled by being formed into a cylindrical shape.

[0048] A hole is formed at the bottom of one side of the flexibag (20), and a first back connector (210) is provided to communicate with this hole. The first back connector (210) is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and the upper surface is fastened to one surface of the flexibag (20), and the lower surface protrudes toward the outside of the flexibag (20). The first back connector (210) of the flexibag (20) is fastened to the first tank connector (110) protruding from the lower side of the tank body (10), thereby connecting the flexibag (20) and the tank body (10), thereby allowing the cargo contained in the flexibag (20) to be discharged to the outside through the first valve hole (11) of the tank body (10).

[0049] Fig. 6a illustrates a first back connector (210) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 6a, the first back connector (210) includes a second fastening portion (211) and a tightening nut (212). In this embodiment, the second fastening portion (211) is formed into a hollow cylindrical shape with an open interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, and the cross-section of the second fastening portion (211) forms an arc. By cutting a portion of the circumference along the longitudinal direction, two cut surfaces (2111) are formed on the second fastening portion (211) that are 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 fastening portion (211) is 90 to 180 degrees, and the central angle of the arc formed by the cross section of the second fastening portion (211) is determined by subtracting the central angle of the arc formed by the cross section of the first fastening portion (111) from 360 degrees. The inner and outer diameters of the second fastening portion (211) are the same as those of the first fastening portion (111), and screw threads are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the second fastening portion (211). Therefore, when the second fastening portion (211) is fastened to the open portion of the first fastening portion (111), the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211) that are coupled to each other form a single screw shaft having screw threads formed on the outer circumferential surface. In this way, the cut surfaces (2111) on both sides of the circumference of the second fastening portion (211) and the cut surfaces (1111) on both sides of the circumference of the first fastening portion (111) come into contact with each other and are joined to each other, thereby forming a passage through which the cargo is transported within the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211).

[0050] A sealing projection (2112) is formed on each of the two cut surfaces (2111) of the second fastening portion (211) to correspond to the sealing groove (1112) formed on each cut surface (2111) of the first fastening portion (111). The second fastening portion (211) is coupled to the first fastening portion (111) by having the sealing projection (2112) formed on each cut surface (2111) on the lower side of the first fastening portion (111) fit into each sealing groove (1112) of the first fastening portion (111). Accordingly, the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211) are coupled more sealingly, which allows the transported goods including the hazardous materials to be safely discharged to the outside of the tank body (10) without leaking out of the flexibag (20).

[0051] The tightening nut (212) is formed in a ring shape with threads formed on the inner surface, and when the sealing projection (2112) of the second fastening portion (211) and the sealing fastening groove (1112) of the first fastening portion (111) are fastened to each other, the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211) are fastened by screwing the peripheries of the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211) using the threads on the outer surfaces of the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211), thereby connecting the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211). In order to clearly show the fastened state of the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211), the illustration of the flexiback (20) is omitted in FIG. 6b.

[0052] In this embodiment, the tightening nut (212) may be formed with a plurality of curved portions (212a) around its periphery to facilitate fastening and releasing of the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211). A user can more effectively transmit force to the tightening nut (212) by inserting a finger between such curved portions (212a) and rotating the tightening nut (212).

[0053] Fig. 7 is a drawing illustrating a first back connector (210) according to another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Fig. 7, the first back connector (210) according to the present embodiment is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape. The inner diameter of the first back connector (210) is formed to be larger than the outer diameter of the first fastening portion (111) of the first tank connector (110), and the first back connector (210) and the first tank connector (110) are coupled by inserting the first fastening portion (111) into the hollow interior of the first back connector (210). The first back connector (210) can be coupled to the first fastening portion (111) using various methods, such as a BSP screw method or a Camlock mount method.

[0054] Meanwhile, a second back connector (220) and a third back connector (230) are provided on the upper side of the flexiback (20). The second back connector (220) has a structure that can be coupled with the second tank connector (120), and the third back connector (230) has a structure that can be coupled with the third tank connector (130). In the present embodiment, the second back connector (220) and the third back connector (230) may be female connectors. The second back connector (220) and the third back connector (230) are connected to the inside of the flexiback (20).

[0055] The flexiback (20) is connected to the second tank connector (120) that is connected to the second valve (15) using the second back connector (220), and to the third tank connector (130) that is connected to the third valve (16) using the third back connector (230), thereby allowing the second valve (15) and the third valve (16) that operate to control the interior of the tank body (10) to operate to control the interior of the flexiback (20) installed inside the tank body (10). That is, the flexiback (20) according to the present embodiment is installed in the tank body (10) so as to be connected to the first valve (12), the second valve (15), and the third valve (16) already installed in the tank body (10) using the first back connector (210), the second back connector (220), and the third back connector (230), thereby enabling the valves of the existing tank body (10) to be operated for the flexiback (20) without installing additional valves for the operation of the flexiback (20).

[0056] Therefore, workers can control the pressure inside the flexibag (20) using valves used in existing ISO tanks without having to learn how to use separate valves, making it very easy to adapt to the ISO tank container (1) according to the present embodiment. In addition, simply installing the first tank connector (110), the second tank connector (120), and the third tank connector (130) inside an existing ISO tank can be used as the tank body (10) of the ISO tank container (1) according to the present embodiment, which is economical and convenient.

[0057] In the present embodiment, the second back connector (220) and the third back connector (230) can be connected to the flexiback (20) using tubes (not shown). That is, one end of the tube is connected to the flexiback (20), and the other end is connected to the back connector (220, 230), thereby connecting the flexiback (20) and each back connector (220, 230). In this way, by connecting the second back connector (220) and the flexiback (20), and the third back connector (230) and the flexiback (20), the flexiback (20) and each back connector (220, 230) can be stably connected. More specifically, when transporting an ISO tank container, the tank body (10) is subject to shaking, and at this time, if the cargo contained inside the flexi bag (20) is liquid, strong pressure may be applied to the inner surface of the flexi bag (20) due to the shaking of the liquid. If the flexi bag (20) is fixedly connected to the tank body (10), the inner surface of the flexi bag (20) may not be able to disperse this pressure and may be torn. For this purpose, the tube is preferably made of a flexible and elastic material. For example, in the present embodiment, the tube may be manufactured using silicone.

[0058] Meanwhile, the flexibag (20) according to the present embodiment has a top inlet (21) formed at the top as illustrated in FIG. 8A. The top inlet (21) is connected to a manhole (13) formed on the upper side of the tank body (10), and thus, cargo loaded through the manhole (13) of the tank body (10) is accommodated inside the flexibag (20). This is very advantageous for loading solids such as grains, which are difficult to load through the first valve (12), into the flexibag (20). It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the first back connector (210), the second back connector (220), and the third back connector (230) are omitted in order to clearly illustrate the top inlet (21). The area of ​​the top inlet (21) according to the present embodiment is advantageously formed to be equal to or larger than the area of ​​the manhole (13), so that cargo can be loaded smoothly.

[0059] The flexi-bag (20) according to the present embodiment may be provided with a manhole fitting member (22). The manhole fitting member (22) has higher rigidity than the flexi-bag (20) and extends upward along the perimeter of the upper inlet (21) to form a regular shape at the entrance of the irregular upper inlet (21). Accordingly, the upper inlet (21), which is easily shaped, can be easily maintained in an open state, thereby allowing for more stable acceptance of cargo. In the present embodiment, the manhole fitting member (22) is made of a synthetic resin such as plastic or silicone. The manhole fitting member (22) forms a catch (221) by having its end bent outward. The manhole fitting member (22) is connected to the manhole (14) by having the hook (221) fitted into the protrusion (141) of the manhole (14) protruding along the perimeter of the manhole (13) as shown in Fig. 8b.

[0060] As illustrated in Fig. 8c, the manhole fitting member (22) is connected to the manhole lid (14) through the manhole (13) from the inside of the tank body (10) by using the catch (221) of the manhole fitting member (22), so that the manhole (13) is directly connected to the inside of the flexibag (20). Therefore, the transported goods introduced through the manhole (13) can be easily transported to the flexibag (20). Meanwhile, the sealing force of the manhole lid (14) can be further increased as the manhole lid (14) is closed while the manhole fitting member (22) is inserted between the cover (14a) and the protrusion (141) of the manhole lid (14).

[0061] A tank container (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention has a tank connector (110, 120, 130) and a back connector (210, 220, 230) corresponding to each valve formed in accordance with ISO standards in a tank body (10) and a flexiback (20), and by installing the flexiback (20) inside the tank body (10) through the combination of the tank connector (110, 120, 130) and the back connector (210, 220, 230), it is possible to utilize the advantages of both the tank body (10) and the flexiback (20).

[0062] Meanwhile, the flexiback (20) has an irregular shape that increases in volume as materials are accommodated therein, so it has a rather small volume when first installed inside the tank body (10). Accordingly, in order to connect the second back connector (220) and the third back connector (230) provided on the upper side of the flexiback (20) to the second tank connector (120) and the third tank connector (130) provided on the upper side of the tank body (10), there may be a difficulty in that the flexiback (20) must be lifted upward.

[0063] According to the present embodiment, a plurality of support ropes (23) can be fixed to the outer surface of the flexi-bag (20). One end of each support rope (23) is fixed to the outer surface of the flexi-bag (20), and the other end can be positioned outside the tank body (10) through a preliminary hole (17) formed on the upper side of the tank body (10). Accordingly, a worker can lift the flexi-bag (20) by pulling the plurality of support ropes (23) from the outside of the tank body (10), and accordingly, each back connector (210, 220, 230) and the tank connector (110, 120, 130) become closer, so that the installation of the flexi-bag (20) is easy.

[0064] Fig. 9a is a drawing showing a plurality of support ropes (23) installed on a flexi-bag (20) according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9a, in order to stably lift the flexi-bag (20), one end of each support rope (23) can be fixed to the lower end of the flexi-bag (20). Meanwhile, in order to prevent the flexi-bag (20) from tilting to one side while being lifted, it is preferable that each support rope (23) be fastened to both left and right sides of the flexi-bag (20). Some of the plurality of support ropes (23) have one end fixed to the front side of the flexi-bag (20), and the other end is positioned outside the tank body (10) through a spare hole (17) provided on the upper front side of the tank body (10). The remainder is fixed to the rear side of the flexiback (20) at one end, and the other end can be positioned outside the tank body (10) through a spare hole (17) provided on the upper rear side of the tank body (10). Therefore, when installing the flexiback (20) inside the tank body (10), the worker can pull each support rope (23) that comes out through the spare hole (17) on the front side and the spare hole (17) on the rear side of the tank body (10) as shown in Fig. 9b to pull up the flexiback (20) and facilitate the connection to the tank body (10).

[0065] Thereafter, when the tank container (1) reaches its destination and the cargo contained in the flexibag (20) needs to be discharged, the rear end of the flexibag (20) can be lifted by pulling the support rope (23) fastened to the rear side of the flexibag (20) through the reserve hole (17) on the upper rear side of the tank body (10), as illustrated in FIG. 9c. Accordingly, a forward-facing slope is formed on the bottom of the flexibag (20) at the rear of the flexibag (20), whereby the cargo contained in the flexibag (20) is smoothly discharged through the first valve hole (11). This is advantageous in that the same effect can be achieved very easily and simply compared to the previous case where the tank body (10) was lifted and tilted to discharge all remaining cargo.

[0066] A 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) must be closed for movement of the tank container (1), they can be hung on a hook (not shown) provided inside the tank body (10) and stored.

[0067] According to the tank container (1) according to an embodiment of the present invention, a tank connector is provided that is connected to each of at least one valve provided for the operation of the tank body (10), and a flexibag (20) is installed inside the tank body (10) using a back connector that is coupled with each tank connector, so that a separate valve for the flexibag (20) does not need to be installed, and the inside of the flexibag (20) can be controlled using the valve already installed in the tank body (10), which is convenient to use and economical. In addition, since the installation and removal of the flexibag (20) is very convenient, after transporting the cargo using the flexibag (20), it is possible to remove the flexibag (20) from the inside of the tank body (10), load another cargo onto the tank body (10) as it is, and return to the starting point, so that productivity is very high. In this case, since there is no need to separately clean the tank body (10), both time and cost are greatly reduced.

[0068]

[0069] Although the present invention has been described above with specific details such as specific components and limited examples 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 examples, and those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains can make various modifications and variations from this description.

[0070] Therefore, the idea of ​​the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above, and all things that are modified equally or equivalently to the following claims as well as the claims are considered to fall within the scope of the idea of ​​the present invention.

[0071]

Claims

1. A tank body (10) formed in a cylindrical shape with an empty interior, having a first valve (12) for discharging cargo on one side of the lower part, and a second valve (15) for controlling the internal environment on the upper part; and It includes a flexi bag (20) formed in a tube-shaped pouch and installed within the tank body to accommodate the transported goods, On the inside of the tank body (10), a first tank connector (110) communicating with the first valve (12) and a second tank connector (120) communicating with the second valve (15) are provided. A tank container characterized in that the above flexiback (20) is connected to 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. In paragraph 1, The above first tank connector (110) includes a first fastening portion (111) formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, A tank container characterized in that the first fastening portion (111) is installed inside the tank body (10) so that the internal hollow portion surrounds at least a portion of the first valve hole (11) of the tank body, so that the cargo contained in the flexi bag (20) moves along the hollow portion of the first tank connector (110) and is discharged through the first valve hole (11).

3. In paragraph 2, The above first fastening portion (111) is formed into a cylindrical shape with an open hollow interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the length direction, A tank container characterized in that the first fastening portion (111) is installed so that the open portion with a portion of the circumference removed faces the bottom surface of the tank body (10), thereby opening a path for the transported goods to move from the lower side of the first valve hole (11) toward the first valve hole (11).

4. In paragraph 3, The lower part of the above flexback (20) is provided with a second fastening part (211) formed into a cylindrical shape with an open hollow interior by cutting and removing a portion of the circumference along the length direction. The inner and outer diameters of the second fastening portion (211) are the same as the inner and outer diameters of the first fastening portion (111). A tank container characterized in that a passage through which the cargo is transported is formed inside the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211) by contacting and joining the cut surfaces (2111) on both sides of the circumference of the second fastening portion (211) and the cut surfaces (1111) on both sides of the circumference of the first fastening portion (111).

5. In paragraph 3, A tank container, characterized in that the central angle of the arc formed by the cross section of the first fastening portion (111) is 180 to 270 degrees.

6. In paragraph 4, On each cut surface (1111) on both sides of the circumference of the first fastening portion (111), a sealing fastening groove (1112) is formed along the length direction of each cut surface (1111). On each cut surface (2111) on both sides of the circumference of the second fastening portion (211), a sealing protrusion (2112) is formed in a shape corresponding to the sealing fastening groove (1112) along the length direction of each cut surface (2111). A tank container characterized in that the airtightness between the first fastening portion (111) and the second fastening portion (211) is increased by the airtight protrusion (2112) being fitted into the airtight fastening groove (1112).

7. In paragraph 1, A tank container, characterized in that the internal capacity of the above flexiback (20) is greater than the internal capacity of the above tank body (10).

8. In paragraph 1, At least one spare hole (17) is formed through the upper part of the tank body (10). A tank container characterized in that the flexibag (20) is provided with a plurality of support ropes (23), each end of which is fixed to the outer surface of the flexibag (20) and the other end is positioned outside the tank body (10) through a spare hole (17) at the top of the tank body (10), so that the flexibag (20) can be lifted from the outside of the tank body (10) using each support rope (23).

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