Transportable container for bulk goods and method for forming the container

Abstract

A transportable container for bulk goods and a method for forming the container are disclosed. The transportable container is formed from a bag having a closed base and an open top. A fill material is filled into the bag and an outer wrap is spirally wrapped around the bag such that the outer wrap secures the fill material in the bag. The method for forming the transportable container includes the steps of securing the open top of the bag in an opened position and supporting a base of the bag. The bag is filled with a fill material and while being filled the fill level of the bag is monitored. Simultaneously with filling of the bag, an outer wrap is spirally wrapped around the bag in an upward direction coordinated with the fill level. Once the bag is filled the open top of the bag is released. In some embodiments the open top is then sealed and in others it is left open.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A transportable container for bulk goods comprising: 
 a bag having a closed base and an open top;    a fill material in said bag; and    an outer wrap spirally wound around said bag and securing said fill material in said bag.    
     
     
         2 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said open top is sealed.  
     
     
         3 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said open top is sealed by one of a sonic weld, a heat weld, a plastic pull tie, a wire, a rope, or a clamp.  
     
     
         4 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bag comprises a flexible plastic, a breathable plastic, a foil, a light blocking material, a laminate, a moisture barrier film, paper, or a food grade material.  
     
     
         5 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 1 , said closed base of said bag is gusseted.  
     
     
         6 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said outer wrap is slit into a series of strips prior to being spirally wound around said bag.  
     
     
         7 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said outer wrap is spirally wound around said bag in an upward direction.  
     
     
         8 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said outer wrap is additionally spirally wound around said bag in a downward direction.  
     
     
         9 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a support closely adjacent to said closed base.  
     
     
         10 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 9 , wherein said support comprises one of a slipsheet, a shroud, or a strip of corrugated material and wherein said outer wrap is spirally wound around said bag and said support.  
     
     
         11 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said fill material comprises an agricultural product, a chemical product, a plastic material, a machined material, a cereal, a wood product, a landscaping material, peat moss, dirt, sand, gravel, rocks, a prepared food, a partially prepared frozen food product, or a manufactured product.  
     
     
         12 . A transportable container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bag further comprises handling hoops secured to said bag.  
     
     
         13 . A method of forming a transportable container for bulk goods comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a bag having an opened top and a closed base; and    b) spirally wrapping an outer wrap around the bag while directing a fill material into the bag and maintaining a top edge of the outer wrap near a fill level of the fill material in the bag.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein step b) further comprises monitoring the fill level of the fill material in the bag while spirally wrapping the outer wrap around the bag.  
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the fill level is monitored by one of a sonic probe, an infrared detector, a weight of the fill material in the bag, or a timer.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising the further steps of stopping the directing of a fill material into the bag and then sealing the open top.  
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the step of sealing said open top comprises one of folding over said open top and spirally wrapping said outer wrap around said folded over open top, sonically welding said open top shut, heat welding said open top shut, closing said open top with a plastic pull tie, closing said open top with a wire, closing said open top with a rope, or closing said open top with a clamp.  
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein step a) further comprises providing a bag comprising a food grade plastic, a breathable plastic, a foil, a light blocking material, a laminate, a moisture barrier film, or a paper.  
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising the step of providing a removable support closely adjacent to said closed base while spirally wrapping an outer wrap around said closed base and then removing said removable support.  
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , comprising providing a plurality of retractable and extendable fingers as the removable support.  
     
     
         21 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , comprising the further step of providing a support material closely adjacent to said closed base wherein said support material comprises a slipsheet, a shroud, or a strip of corrugated material.