Inflatable Wedging Cushions for Flexible Liquid Bag Compression Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flexible containers for transporting liquid or quasi-liquid substances face challenges in vertical compression resistance, making it difficult to stack them efficiently, which leads to the need for additional weighty boxes for support during transport.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating wedging cushions made of polyethylene films with inflation/deflation valves into the bag's reserves, which are inflated to increase vertical resistance and allow for stacking without external support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If flexible containers are used to reduce volume when empty, then transport efficiency improves, but vertical compression resistance deteriorates making stacking difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by using inflatable wedging cushions that can change their volume and rigidity state. The cushions are deflated during filling to allow bag collapse, then inflated during transport to provide vertical compression resistance for stacking, and deflated again during unloading. This dynamic state change resolves the contradiction between maintaining small empty volume and providing sufficient stacking strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the support structure from solid/permanent to gaseous/temporary by using inflatable cushions. The cushions transition from a compact deflated state (low volume) to an inflated state (high volume, high rigidity) to provide vertical compression resistance. This parameter change allows the flexible container to achieve both small empty volume and sufficient stacking strength at different times.
2Strength
If wooden boxes are used to provide vertical support for stacking, then stacking capability improves, but transport weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy solid wooden boxes with lightweight inflatable pneumatic cushions to provide vertical compression resistance. The cushions use compressed air to generate the necessary support force, eliminating the need for heavy solid structures. This pneumatic solution provides equivalent or superior vertical support capability while dramatically reducing the weight added to the transport load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical support system (solid wooden boxes) with a pneumatic system (inflatable cushions). Instead of relying on the structural strength of solid wood to resist compression, the system uses pressurized gas within the cushions to provide the necessary vertical support. This substitution maintains stacking capability while eliminating the excessive weight of traditional wooden box solutions.
3Strength
If rigid containers are used to provide stacking support, then vertical compression resistance improves, but volume efficiency deteriorates as they occupy same volume when empty as when full
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by using inflatable wedging cushions that can change their volume and rigidity state. The cushions are deflated during filling to allow bag collapse, then inflated during transport to provide vertical compression resistance for stacking, and deflated again during unloading. This dynamic state change resolves the contradiction between maintaining small empty volume and providing sufficient stacking strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the support structure from solid/permanent to gaseous/temporary by using inflatable cushions. The cushions transition from a compact deflated state (low volume) to an inflated state (high volume, high rigidity) to provide vertical compression resistance. This parameter change allows the flexible container to achieve both small empty volume and sufficient stacking strength at different times.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enhances the bag's vertical resistance to compression, enabling efficient stacking and reducing transport costs by eliminating the need for additional boxes, while maintaining minimal weight and volume during both filled and empty trips.
Implementation Method 1
Method for temporarily increasing the resistance to vertical compression of a bag
Implementation Method 2
the wedging cushions comprise two films, for example of polyethylene, welded to each other
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for temporarily increasing the resistance to vertical compression of a bag for transporting and holding liquids and quasi-liquids, intended for a bag having the general shape of a cube and including receptacles at each of the corners thereof. The method consists in choosing four inflatable cushioning pouches for each bag, said pouches being elongate and having length, width and extension dimensions corresponding to the length, width and internal volume of the receptacles in the bag. Next, the four cushioning pouches are introduced into the four receptacles and are subsequently inflated, thereby trapping same in a vertical position in which they can resist compression along the vertical axis thereof. The resulting bag is characterised in that the receptacles in the four corners of the bag are each provided internally with a cushioning pouch which is optionally rigidly secured to the bag.