Loose fill dispensing and storage system

• US 4,167,235 A
• Filed: 02/17/1976
• Issued: 09/11/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Storopack H Reichenecker GmbH & Company Bachstrasse
• Original Assignee: Altainer Incorporated
• Inventors: Green, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scherbel, David A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handren, Frederick R.
• Application Number:
  US05/658,413
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 222/105, 222/181, 222/500, 222/193, 222/478, 150/1, 150/DIG. 1, 302/57, 229/DIG. 14
• US Class Current: 222/105
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 69/0083 using frames whereby the container is only suspended
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 383/906 Dispensing feature

Abstract

A storage, shipping and dispensing system for loose fill packaging material comprises a collapsible pliant, vented cylindrical bag having an upper and a lower end including a dispensing apertured neck. Rings are circumferentially spaced apart about the bag adjacent both the upper and lower ends. The rings adjacent the upper end are coupled to suspend the bag in a dispensing mode and the rings adjacent the lower end encircle at stiff resilient hoop encompassing and maintaining the lower end of the bag in a radially extended nominal shape. A vertically adjustable support arrangement includes a circular rim having a plurality of spaced-apart hooks to support the rings of the bag. The bag may be readily filled in an inverted position with a large volume, such as in excess of 100 cubic feet, of expanded plastic loose fill material. Despite its size, the filled container may be easily handled during shipping and storage. The dispensing apertured neck may be used at a single packaging station when coupled to a dispensing valve, or coupled to an air conveyor system comprising a blower driven transfer chute for duct feeding loose fill to multiple remote stations.

Claims

1. A dunnage container for storing, shipping and dispensing loose fill packaging material comprising:

a pliant, substantially static free elongated bag having a nominal extended shape when filled and comprising a cylindrical wall, a lower end providing a tapered lower hopper when extended and an upper end;

the upper end having means disposed circumferentially thereabout for attachment to plural circumferentially disposed support elements to suspend the bag in the nominal extended shape adjacent the upper end and comprising an upper group of spaced-apart rings coupled to the bag, the rings being supportable on a circumferentially spaced-apart group of hooks to suspend the bag in a dispensing mode;

a stiff hoop extending about the cylindrical wall adjacent the lower end and means coupling the hoop about the bag adjacent the lower end, the hoop comprising a resilient material and being coupled to maintain the bag adjacent the lower end radially extended to the nominal shape when the upper end is coupled to bag supports to thereby limit downward bag elongation and droop of the lower end even when the bag contains only a small quantity of loose fill packaging material, the means coupling the hoop about the bag adjacent the lower end comprising a lower group of spaced-apart rings disposed circumferentially adjacent the lower end and coupled to the bag, each ring encircling the hoop;

a conduit defining neck extending from the lower end including aperture means for dispensing loose fill packaging material, the bag thereby providing a lightweight portable loose fill packaging storage and dispensing container which substantially maintains its longitudinal shape during use, is collapsible for convenient transport when empty and may easily be positioned to dispense packaging material, the neck comprising a flexible material to enable the neck to conform to various conduit and coupling diameters and to be manually crimped to prevent packaging material from escaping when the bag is transported and when not in use;

at least one vent for allowing passage of air yet preventing passage of packing material to allow the bag to release air in a filling mode when suspended in an inverted vertical position in which the lower end is directed generally upward;

the vent comprising a mesh patch disposed on the lower end;

an upper group and a lower group of spaced-apart tabs, each tab being looped about a different ring of the upper group and the lower group of spaced-apart rings and fastened to the bag adjacent respective upper and lower ends to flexibly couple the upper and lower rings thereto; and

the bag further comprising means disposed on the outer cylindrical wall to manually grasp and carry the container when extended with packing material.

2. A dunnage container for storing and shipping loose fill packaging material, the container also for dispensing packing material in conjunction with an arrangement comprising an adjustable height, multiple coupling upper support arrangement, a conduit coupled transfer chute for distributing loose fill packing material to stations remote from the dispensing container and a blower coupled to the transfer chute to feed packing material through the conduit;

the container comprising;

a pliant cylindrical bag having a circular peripheral wall, an upper end and a lower end;

the lower end extending downwardly when the bag contains a quantity of packing material and a neck extending downwardly from the lower end, the neck including aperture means for releasing packing material under gravity to the conduit coupled transfer chute;

a stiff resilient hoop extending about the bag and concentric therewith adjacent the lower end and coupled thereto to maintain the bag adjacent the lower end in tension in a radially extended position, thereby preventing the lower end from collapsing about the conduit coupled transfer chute upon emptying of the bag;

means coupled to the bag adjacent the upper end for suspending the bag vertically in a dispensing mode from the upper support arrangement while maintaining the bag adjacent the upper end in a radially extended position;

at least one air vent aperture on the lower end and mesh material covering the air vent aperture, the mesh preventing escape of packing material yet permitting air to be released from the bag when the bag is filled in an inverted position;

a plurality of rings circumferentially spaced apart about the bag and joined thereto adjacent the lower end coupling the hoop to the bag;

a plurality of tabs coupled in spaced-apart relation to the bag adjacent the upper end, and in which

the means for suspending the bag comprises a different plurality of rings circumferentially spaced about the bag and joined to the tabs adjacent the upper end.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 and in which the bag has a fillable interior volume in excess of about 100 cu. ft. and comprises a fabric impregnated with a static charge resistant flexible material, the stiff hoop comprising a lightweight resilient split ring element and the bag comprising a strap disposed along the cylindrical wall for carrying the container when filled with packing material.

4. A dunnage system for storing, shipping and dispensing loose fill packaging material comprising:

a vertically adjustable upper support arrangement comprising a plurality of support elements disposed circumferentially about a support rim, the support elements comprising a plurality of support hooks and the upper support arrangement comprising a central support element for coupling the rim to a vertically adjustable pulley;

a flexible pliant cylindrical bag having a peripheral wall, an upper end and a lower end;

means extending circumferentially about the bag adjacent the upper end for suspending the bag from the support elements;

a neck extending from the lower end including aperture means for dispensing loose fill packaging material from the container;

a gravity fed transfer chute including a dunnage inlet for receiving packaging material from the neck of the container, an airstream inlet for directing an airstream to ducting and an outlet in fluid communication with the airstream inlet and the dunnage inlet for passing the packaging material in mixed flow relationship to the airstream, through ducting;

blower means coupled to the transfer chute airstream inlet for directing packaging material through the ducting;

means coupled to and encompassing the bag adjacent the lower end for maintaining the bag adjacent the lower end in a radially extended shape, thereby preventing the lower end from collapsing over the blower and the transfer chute when limited packing material remains in the bag, thereby providing a readily loaded loose fill dispensing system capable of feeding loose fill to stations remote from the bag, the means for maintaining the bag adjacent the lower end in a radially extended shape comprising a stiff hoop;

ventilation means for permitting air to enter and escape from the bag to facilitate the loading of packing material into the bag while preventing escape of packing material;

the hoop comprising a lightweight resilient material and the bag comprising a plurality of rings coupled thereto circumferentially spaced apart adjacent the lower end, each ring encircling the stiff hoop coupling the hoop in tensioning relationship to the bag;

the means for suspending the bag comprising a different plurality of rings circumferentially spaced apart about the bag adjacent the upper end, each of said last mentioned rings being supported by a different one of the depending hooks; and

at least one strap for manually carrying the container when filled with dunnage material.

5. A dunnage system for storing, shipping and dispensing loose fill packaging material comprising:

a pliant bag having a cylindrical wall, an upper end, a lower end and a neck including an aperture extending from the lower end;

the upper end having means disposed circumferentially thereabout for attachment to plural circumferentially disposed support elements;

a stiff hoop extending about the cylindrical wall adjacent the lower end, the cylindrical wall being radially extended when filled with loose fill packaging material, the hoop coupled to the bag to maintain the bag adjacent the lower end radially extended when the upper end is coupled to bag supports to thereby limit bag elongation and droop of the lower end even when the bag contains only a small quantity of loose fill packaging material;

means coupling the hoop circumferentially about the bag adjacent the lower end;

a dispensing valve coupled to the neck, the dispensing valve comprising

guide housing means defining a chamber therein for guiding the direction in which loose fill is dispensed;

gate means pivotally coupled to the housing and disposed within the chamber, the gate means defining one position blocking the flow of loose fill and another position allowing the flow of loose fill, the gate means being movable from the one position to the other;

means disposed external to the housing and coupled to the gate means for moving the gate means from the one position to the other position, the means disposed external to the housing comprising a weighted handle normally maintaining the gate means in the blocked flow position;

a collar joined to the housing;

a stiff flexible hose coupling the neck of the bag to the collar;

the stiff hoop comprising a resilient material;

the means disposed circumferentially about the upper end comprising an upper group of spaced-apart rings coupled to the bag, the rings being supportable on a circumferentially spaced apart group of hooks to suspend the bag in a dispensing mode;

the hoop coupling means comprising a lower group of spaced-apart rings disposed circumferentially adjacent the lower end and coupled to the bag, each ring encircling the hoop; and

an upper group and a lower group of spaced-apart tabs, each tab being looped about a different ring of the upper and lower groups and fastened to the bag adjacent respective upper and lower ends to flexibly couple the upper and lower rings thereto.