Flexible container, bulk bag and material discharge assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a flexible container. In an embodiment, the flexible container incudes an outer bag and a liner positioned within in the outer bag. The liner substantially corresponds to the outer flexible bag. The outer bag and the liner each include (i) a body having a sidewall, (ii) a top panel, and (iii) a bottom panel. The sidewall has a height, a top end, and an opposing bottom end. The top panel extends from the sidewall top end and an inlet extends from the top panel. The bottom panel extends from the sidewall bottom end and an elongated discharge spout extends from the bottom panel. The outer bag elongated discharge spout and the liner elongated discharge spout each have a length from 0.40 times to 1.0 times the height of the respective outer bag sidewall and the liner sidewall. The present disclosure also provides a material discharge assembly for removing flowable granular material from the flexible container.

1 . A flexible container comprising:
 an outer bag;   a liner positioned within the outer bag and substantially corresponding to the outer flexible bag;   the outer bag and the liner each comprising
 (i) a body having a sidewall, the sidewall having a height, a top end, and an opposing bottom end, 
 (ii) a top panel extending from the top end and an inlet extending from the top panel, 
 (iii) a bottom panel extending from the bottom end and an elongated discharge spout extending from the bottom panel, each elongated discharge spout having a respective distalmost edge, a distal stitching attaches the outer bag distalmost edge to the liner distalmost edge; and 
   the outer bag elongated discharge spout and the liner elongated discharge spout each having a length from 0.40 times to 1.0 times the height of the respective outer bag sidewall and the liner sidewall.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the liner is attached to the outer bag. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the outer bag inlet and the liner inlet each has a respective topmost edge;
 a top stitching attaching the outer bag topmost edge to the liner topmost edge. 
 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The flexible container of  claim 1  comprising
 an adhesive material located between the outer bag sidewall and the liner sidewall; and 
 the adhesive material adhering a portion of the outer bag sidewall to a portion of the liner sidewall. 
 
     
     
         6 . The flexible container of  claim 1  comprising
 an adhesive material located between the outer bag bottom panel and the liner bottom panel; and 
 the adhesive material adhering a portion of the outer bag bottom panel to a portion of the liner bottom panel. 
 
     
     
         7 . The flexible container of  claim 1  comprising
 an adhesive material located between the outer bag top panel and the liner top panel; and 
 the adhesive material adhering a portion of the outer bag top panel to a portion of the liner top portion. 
 
     
     
         8 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the outer bag inlet and the liner inlet each has a length; and
 the length of the outer bag elongated discharge spout and the length of the liner elongated discharge spout is greater than the length of each respective outer bag inlet and liner inlet. 
 
     
     
         9 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the outer bag comprises a plurality of lift loops. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible container of  claim 1  wherein the elongated discharge spout for each of the outer bag and the liner has a length from 25 inches to 60 inches. 
     
     
         11 . An assembly comprising:
 a support frame;   a hoist support engaged with the support frame;   a hoist movably engaged with the hoist support;   a container transport component engaged to the hoist and adapted to engage a flexible container having an elongated discharge spout;   a container support surface attached to the support frame, the container support surface having a receiving aperture;   an access chamber located below the container support surface, the access chamber having a ceiling and an opposing floor, the access chamber having   (i) a port in fluid communication with the receiving aperture,   (ii) a discharge tube extending through the floor, the discharge tube having a top rim in the access chamber and a bottom rim below the floor;   the elongated discharge spout extends into and through the receiving aperture, the port, and the discharge tube; and   a sealing device movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, the sealing device securing a distal end of the elongated discharge spout to the bottom rim and an affixing member when the sealing device is in the closed position.   
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the elongated discharge spout has a length from 0.4 times to 1.0 times a height of the flexible container. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the elongated discharge spout has a length greater than an extent selected from the group consisting of (i) a height of the access chamber, (ii) a length of the discharge tube, and (iii) a combined extent of the height of the access chamber and a length of a lower portion of the discharge tube. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the elongated discharge spout has a diameter and the discharge tube has a diameter; and
 the diameter of the elongated discharge spout is less than the diameter of the discharge tube. 
 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein an outer surface of the elongated discharge spout contacts an inner surface of the discharge tube at an upper portion of the discharge tube and at a lower portion of the discharge tube. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 11  comprising a discharge gate at the ceiling of the access chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the container support surface comprises a vibration plate. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 11  comprising a pair of opposing massage paddles on opposing sides of the container support surface. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 11  comprising a slide valve in operative communication with the sealing device. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 11  comprising a vacuum system in fluid communication with an interior volume of the access chamber.