Self-Supporting Spherical IBC Tank Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) face issues with access difficulties due to their cuboid shape, deformation under liquid stress leading to leaks and waste, and challenges in stacking and storage due to metal cages warping or corroding, resulting in inefficiency and safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
A reusable, cageless molded container assembly with a pallet and molded container design featuring connection systems, leg supports, and buttresses that allow for secure attachment to a pallet, easy access, and efficient stacking, while minimizing stress-induced deformation and providing a self-supporting structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a cuboid shaped molded tank is used in conventional IBCs, then the container can be manufactured with simple geometry, but access to fill openings and outlets becomes difficult when another IBC is stacked on top
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a cuboid tank geometry to a spherical tank geometry. This dimensional change in shape allows fill openings and outlets to be positioned at the top and bottom of the sphere, making them accessible even when stacked, while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through rotational molding processes.
2Device complexity
If a cuboid shaped molded tank is used in conventional IBCs, then the container structure is simple, but the tank undergoes warping and deformation due to uneven stresses from enclosed liquids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a spherical tank geometry instead of a cuboid shape. The spherical form distributes liquid pressure evenly across the tank walls, eliminating stress concentration points that cause warping and deformation in angular structures. This curved geometry inherently resists deformation while maintaining structural integrity.
3Strength
If metal reinforcement cages are used to support molded tanks, then the container gains structural strength, but the metal cages become warped or bent making stacked IBCs a collapsing hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the metal reinforcement cage entirely from the IBC structure. The spherical molded tank is designed to be self-supporting, utilizing its geometric strength and material properties to bear loads without requiring external metal framing, thereby eliminating warping and corrosion issues associated with metal cages.
4Strength
If metal reinforcement cages are used to support molded tanks, then the container gains structural support, but the metal cages may rust or corrode
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the metal reinforcement cage that is susceptible to corrosion and rust. The spherical molded tank structure is designed to provide all necessary structural support through its geometry and material composition, removing the harmful metal components that degrade over time through corrosion.
5Strength
If conventional IBCs with metal cages are used, then the container provides structural support, but the molded tank has to be removed and replaced causing waste and inefficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical molded tank is designed as a self-supporting structure that does not require metal cage reinforcement. This integrated design allows the tank to be reused multiple times without degradation, eliminating the need for disposal and replacement, thereby reducing waste and improving efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A molded container assembly includes a pallet, a molded container, and a plurality of connection systems. The pallet supports the molded container thereon and includes stacking alignment structure for stacking the pallet on another molded container assembly. The molded container includes a tank portion, several leg supports, and several buttresses. The tank portion includes several curved sidewalls and a fill opening. The leg supports include lower sections and upper sections that extend above the fill opening for spacing a pallet stacked on top of the molded container above the fill opening. The upper sections include pallet engaging structure for engaging pallets of at least two different types. The buttresses extend between the tank portion and the leg supports. The connection systems include washers that allow for shrinkage and expansion between the molded container and the pallet in a number of directions.