EP2186750A1

EP2186750A1 - Fluid transport container

Info

Publication number: EP2186750A1
Application number: EP08791983A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Seijiro Kanki
Original assignee: Kyoritsu Physical Distribution System Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kyoritsu Physical Distribution System Co Ltd
Priority date: 2007-12-26
Filing date: 2008-07-31
Publication date: 2010-05-19
Also published as: WO2009081612A1; JP2009154908A; JP4763675B2

Abstract

The invention provides a fluid shipping container, by which even a high-viscosity fluid can be discharged from not only a central portion thereof but also a peripheral portion thereof and can be discharged to the last while an interiorly mounted body does not close an entrance port portion thereof, and as means therefor, a container body 1 comprises a lower body 10 including a bottom portion 10a and a side, lower region 10b, and an upper body 20 made of a flexible sheet material as fixed in a sealed state, the lower body 10 being double-walled to comprise an inner wall 12 formed from a perforate body, through which a fluid can pass, and an outer wall 13 formed from a plate material, and retaining a gap S between the inner and outer walls 12, 13, and the outer wall 13 being provided at a bottom portion thereof with a fluid entrance port portion 11.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a fluid shipping container preferably used mainly for shipping of a high-viscosity fluid such as grease.

Background Arts

Conventionally, tanks made of metal or plastics are used as a container used for shipping of a high-viscosity fluid, such as fat such as grease, printing ink, adhesive, paint, liquid food such as mayonnaisse, which is a so-called highly-sticky substance.
However, a tank of such kind is considerably expensive, poor in efficiency in shipping of an empty container at the time of returning from a destination of shipping and in storage of an empty container, and takes a trouble in washing a tank inner surface and a discharge pipe for repeated use.
Therefore, in recent years, there is proposed a liquid container, washing of which is simplified by using a bag body, which is made of a flexible, synthetic resin film or the like, in combination with a foldable and decomposable, stiff outer frame and discarding the bag body after one time use (for example, Patent Document 1).
In this case, in shipping of a low-viscosity liquid, filling and discharging can be readily performed making use of fluidity of the liquid, but the high-viscosity fluid described above and being high in viscosity is hard to fill and discharge only relying on fluidity of the fluid itself. Therefore, a high-viscosity fluid is filled or discharged from, for example, an entrance port portion provided at a bottom by a pressure feed force of a pump.
By the way, in the case where a high-viscosity fluid is discharged from an entrance port portion provided at a bottom by a pressure feed force of a pump, the high-viscosity fluid is drawn and discharged from a portion close to the entrance port portion by the pump to cause an upper surface (liquid surface) of the fluid inside to sink at a central portion thereof, and in keeping with this, a central portion of a roof portion of the bag body is pulled to have a portion of the bag body drawn into the entrance port portion to close the entrance port portion with the result that discharge of the high-viscosity fluid is obstructed and in particular, there is a fear that the fluid is not discharged fully on a peripheral portion of the bag body and so remains.
Therefore, there is proposed an inner bag for containers, in which a flange cylinder having a slot for passage of a liquid therethrough is protrusively provided on a cylindrical-shaped discharge body mounted to an entrance port portion of an interiorly mounted body to be directed inwardly upward whereby a bag body is prevented from being drawn into the entrance port portion to completely close the port portion (see Patent Document 2).

Patent Document 1: Patent Specification No. 3769653
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2004-182275

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems that the Invention is to Solve

Since that situation, in which a high-viscosity fluid inside is drawn by a pump to be discharged from a neighborhood of an entrance port portion, is not affected only by preventing a bag body from contacting closely with the entrance port portion to completely close the same, there is a fear that discharge of the fluid is obstructed in the case where a flexible bag body made of a synthetic resin film or the like is drawn to an outer peripheral surface of the discharge body. Besides, there is little effect on promotion of discharge of the fluid at a peripheral portion in the bag and there is a fear that the fluid remains at the peripheral portion. The higher in viscosity of a high-viscosity fluid, the more conspicuous such problem.
Also, since the inner bag for containers in the proposal comprises a bag body made of a synthetic resin film or the like as a whole, the bag body overlaps several times over to be put in a folded state as a high-viscosity fluid being a content is discharged and decreased, so that the fluid becomes more and more hard to discharge and is increased in residual quantity.
The invention has been thought of in order to solve the problem and has its object to provide a fluid shipping container, in which the structure of a container body for storage of a fluid being shipped, in particular, the structure of at least a lower body including a bottom portion is contrived to enable simultaneously discharging even a so-called high-viscosity fluid, which is high in viscosity and a fluid as stored, from not only a central portion near to an entrance port portion but also a peripheral portion and discharging the fluid to the last with little residual quantity.

Means for Solving the Problems

A fluid shipping container of the invention, which solves the problem described above, is a fluid shipping container including a container body for storage of a fluid and an outer frame that supports the container body, and wherein the container body includes a lower body having at least a bottom portion and an upper body fixed to an upper portion of the lower body in a sealed manner and made of a flexible sheet material, and the lower body has a double-walled structure including an inner wall formed from a perforate body, through which a fluid can pass over a whole region of at least the bottom portion, and an outer wall made of a plate material having a liquid impermeable property, a gap, through which a fluid can flow, being retained between the inner and outer walls, and an entrance port portion of a fluid being provided on the bottom portion of the outer wall.
The fluid shipping container is used mainly in storing and shipping a high-viscosity fluid being a so-called highly-sticky substance, such as grease, which is high in viscosity. In use, when a high-viscosity fluid inside is drawn and discharged from the entrance port portion of the lower body of the container body by a pressure feed force of a pump, the suction force applied by the pump is exerted on a whole region of at least the bottom portion through the gap between the inner and outer walls of the double-walled lower body of the container body, and the fluid inside is substantially simultaneously drawn over a whole region of the bottom portion through the inner wall, which is composed of a perforate body, to flow to the entrance port portion from the gap between the inner and outer walls to be discharged.
Also, since even when the fluid as stored is a high-viscosity fluid, it is decreased such that an upper surface (liquid surface) thereof is lowered as a whole, the upper body made of a flexible sheet material is not drawn locally and even when the fluid inside is decreased in residual quantity to bring the upper body into close contact with the inner wall, there is no fear of closing the entrance port portion formed on the outer wall, and the drawing and discharging action is surely performed to the last through the gap between the inner and outer walls from the entrance port portion. Besides, since only the upper body is made of a flexible sheet material, overlap is small even when the upper body is folded along the inner wall, so that the fluid adhering to the upper body is decreased in residual quantity.
In the fluid shipping container, the lower body of the container body includes a bottom portion and a side, lower region and is of a double-walled structure to comprise an inner wall formed from a perforate body, through which a fluid can pass over a whole region of the bottom portion and the side, lower region, and an outer wall made of a plate material having a liquid impermeable property, and to retain a gap, through which a fluid can flow, between the inner and outer walls.
In this case, when a high-viscosity fluid is drawn and discharged, the suction force applied by the pump is exerted not only on the bottom portion but also on the side, lower region, so that the fluid inside is drawn over a whole region of the bottom portion and the side, lower region and the fluid is fairly drawn and discharged also around a peripheral portion distant from the entrance port portion. Therefore, the fluid in the container body is uniformly discharged as a whole, an upper surface of the fluid is evenly lowered as the fluid is decreased, and the upper body made of a flexible sheet materials is not partially drawn into the fluid.
In the fluid shipping container, the perforate body constituting the inner wall of the lower body comprises a perforate plate, over a whole region of which a multiplicity of holes enabling passage of a high-viscosity fluid therethrough are formed, or a meshy body. Thereby, even when the fluid inside is a high-viscosity fluid, the fluid can be discharged simultaneously over a whole region of the bottom portion, or over a whole region of the bottom portion and the side, lower region. Also, when the inner wall formed from a perforate body is provided detachably on the outer wall, the inner and outer walls of the lower body can be readily washed by removing the inner wall.
In the fluid shipping container, preferably, a bottom portion of the outer wall of the lower body is in the form of a funnel inclined toward the entrance port portion and the inner wall is shaped to correspond to the outer wall and provided to cover the entrance port portion. That is, when the fluid inside is discharged, the fluid fed from the holes present on a substantially whole surface of the inner wall of the lower body can be led to the entrance port portion and discharged surely and efficiently by drawing the fluid from the entrance port portion by a pressure feed force of the pump.
Also, in the fluid shipping container, preferably, the lower body is born and supported at a peripheral edge thereof by a lower bottom bearing frame of an outer frame whereby the container body is supported. Thereby, it is possible to stably support the container body in a predetermined height position in the outer frame and it becomes readily possible to provide the container body detachably on the outer frame.
In the fluid shipping container, preferably, a cylindrical-shaped port member enabling a fluid filling and discharging pipe to be connected thereto is mounted to the entrance port portion of the outer wall of the lower body. Thereby, it is possible to readily connect the fluid filling and discharging pipe. Also, washing is made easy by removing the fluid filling and discharging pipe.
In the fluid shipping container, preferably, the upper body is fixed so that a lower end of the flexible sheet material retains a state of being sealed through a packing to a frame member provided at an upper end of the lower body. Thereby, it is possible to surely fix the upper body made of the flexible sheet material to the lower body in a sealed state to use the same. Also, when the upper body is damaged, only the upper body is exchanged to thereby enable the lower body to be used semipermanently.
In the fluid shipping container, the outer frame is provided with side plates, which cover at least four sides of the upper body of the container body. Thereby, it is possible to support and protect that upper body of the container body, which is made of a flexible sheet material, from outside.

Effect of the Invention

As described above, with the fluid shipping container according to the invention, the lower body including a bottom portion of the container body, or the lower body including a bottom portion and a side, lower region is of a double-walled structure to comprise an inner wall formed from a perforate body, through which a fluid can pass, and an outer wall made of a plate material having a liquid impermeable property, a gap, through which a fluid can pass, is retained between the inner and outer walls, and an entrance port portion of a fluid is provided on the bottom portion of the outer wall, whereby even when the fluid as stored inside is a high-viscosity fluid, the fluid can be discharged simultaneously from not only a central portion near to the entrance port portion but also a peripheral portion and the fluid can be discharged smoothly. Besides, as the fluid inside is decreased, an upper surface of the fluid is substantially evenly lowered as a whole, and even when the upper body made of a flexible sheet material is folded along the lower body keeping therewith, it is not drawn into the entrance port portion, thus enabling the fluid to be discharged to the last with little residual quantity.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

A best mode for carrying out the invention will be described below on the basis of an embodiment shown in the drawings.
Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view showing the outline of a state, in which a fluid shipping container A according to the invention is assembled, Fig. 2 is an enlarged, cross sectional view showing the neighborhood of an entrance port portion of the shipping container, Fig. 3 is an enlarged, cross sectional view showing a connection of a lower body and an upper body of a container body and a portion that bears and supports the lower body, Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing, in cross section, the container body with a part thereof cut out, Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an outer frame with a part thereof cut, and Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view showing a state, in which discharge of a fluid is just before termination.
The fluid shipping container A according to the invention comprises a container body 1 that stores a fluid, for example, a high-viscosity fluid being shipped, and an outer frame 3 that supports the container body 1, and a pallet section 4 is usually provided integrally on a lower portion of the outer frame 3.
As shown in Fig. 4, the container body 1 comprises a lower body 10 formed from a raw material, metal or the like, being rigid and including at least a bottom portion 10a, preferably, a lower body 10 including a bottom portion 10a and a side, lower region 10b contiguous thereto, and an upper body 20 made of a flexible sheet material having a liquid impermeable property and fixed to an upper end of the lower body 10 in a sealed manner, and an entrance port portion 11 is provided on the bottom portion 10a of the lower body 10. The reference numeral 5 denotes a liquid filling and discharging pipe connected to the entrance port portion 11.
The upper body 20 is roofed and cylindrical-shaped to include a side, upper region 20b and a roof portion 20a, and an air relief port 21 with a cap is provided on a part of the roof portion 20a. For a flexible sheet material having a liquid impermeable property and constituting the upper body 20, it is possible to use a sheet of a single layer or plural layers of a synthetic resin film such as polyethylene film, waterproof sheet, such as tarpaulin, in a configuration, in which the sheet is reinforced with fiber, a composite sheet, in which the sheets described above are combined with other raw material sheets, or sheet materials of various kinds, such as a bag material made of rubber, which are impermeable and flexible, and in particular, it is preferable to use a sheet material, which stands repeated use.
The lower body 10 is of double-walled inside and outside structure, an inner wall 12 comprises a perforate body, through which a high-viscosity fluid being shipped can pass over a whole region of the lower body composed of at least the bottom portion 10a, that is, the lower body 10 preferably composed of the bottom portion 10a and the side, lower region 10b as shown in the figure, that is, a perforate body having a multiplicity of holes, through which a fluid can pass, an outer wall 13 is fluid-tightly formed by a plate material, such as stainless steel sheet, other metallic plate material, having an appropriate stiffness, and a predetermined gap S, through which a high-viscosity fluid can pass, is provided between the inner and outer walls 12, 13. While the gap S is varied according to porosity of that perforate body, which constitutes the inner wall 12, the viscosity of a fluid, or the like, it is set in the order of, for example, 10 to 30 mm, preferably, 15 to 25 mm.
The inner wall 12 is mounted detachably to an inner surface of the outer wall 13 to retain the gap S. As means therefor, nut members 14 serving as spacers are fixed to a bottom portion and in predetermined locations in the side, lower region on the inner surface of the outer wall 13 by means, such as welding, the inner wall 12 is fixed by screw members 15, such as bolts, which extend through the inner wall 12 to be threaded into the nut members 14, and the inner wall 12 can be separated from the outer wall 13 by removing the screw members 15. While the inner wall 12 can be formed integrally from a perforate body, it is desirably divided into and constituted by a plurality of portions, such as a bottom portion, four side, lower regions, in order to facilitate separation from the outer wall 13.
A perforate plate, such as punched metal, formed over a whole region thereof with holes 12a, through which a fluid being shipped, in particular, a high-viscosity fluid can pass, or a meshy body is preferably used as a perforate body, which constitutes the inner wall 12. Above all things, a metallic perforate plate such as punched metal is preferably used, on which circular holes and square holes are aligned at least in one of longitudinal and traverse directions, or aligned zigzag, slots are aligned, variable-shaped holes are aligned, or the like. Of course, it is possible to use a perforate plate of other raw materials, a meshy body made of metal, a meshy body in the form of a cord fabric, a meshy body formed from a synthetic resin material having a stiffness, perforate plates and meshy bodies of other various kinds.
Porosity, that is, hole diameter, array pitch, density of holes, etc. of the holes 12a of the perforate body can be appropriately set according to the viscosity of a fluid being shipped, etc. In case of, for example, a punched metal, holes 12a of which are circular holes having a diameter of 10 to 40 mm, an alignment pitch of 20 to 50 mm and a hole spacing of 5 to 30 mm are set. Of course, an arrangement with a hole diameter and alignment except those described above is also possible. The porosity of the perforate body is not necessarily the same over a whole surface of the lower body but it can be varied partially such that it is different between a central portion and peripheral portions, or the like.
The entrance port portion 11 is provided centrally of the bottom portion of the outer wall 13. In the case shown in the figure, the bottom portion of the outer wall 13 is funnel-shaped to be inclined toward the entrance port portion 11 from the four quarters in a manner of inverse quadrangular pyramid, and the inner wall 12 composed of the perforate body is provided to be shaped corresponding to the outer wall 13 and to cover the whole entrance port portion 11 with the gap S retained between it and the entrance port portion. That is, the bottom portion 10a of the lower body 10 is funnel-shaped to make it easy for a fluid, which passes through the inner wall 12, to flow into the entrance port portion 11 when the fluid is to be discharged. In addition, while an angle of inclination of the bottom portion 10a can be appropriately set taking account of the flowing effect of a fluid, etc., the larger the angle of inclination, the lower the efficiency of storage, and the smaller the angle of inclination, the less the flowing effect is produced, so that an angle of inclination to the central portion provided with the entrance port portion 11 is practically set to 15° to 45°, preferably, 20° to 30°. As shown, in enlarged scale, in Fig. 2, a cylindrical-shaped connection port member 16 for connection of the filling and discharging pipe 5 is provided integrally on the entrance port portion 11 by means, such as welding, and a cylindrical-shaped end portion of the port member 16 and a pipe end of the filling and discharging pipe 5 are fluid-tightly connected to each other by clamp-type connecting means 7 in a state of being butted against each other through a packing (not shown). The filling and discharging pipe 5 comprises an opening and closing valve 52 on an elbow-shaped pipe body 51 and a mouth ring 53, to which other pipe, hose, etc. (not shown) provided with a pressure feed pump can be connected. The filling and discharging pipe 5 is connected to the port member 16 to be fixed to the pallet section 4 by a fixture 6, which includes a holding member.
That height H, over which the side, lower region 10b of the lower body 10 stands, can be appropriately set so that the sheet material constituting the upper body 20 is put in a state of contacting with a whole inner surface of the inner wall 12 when a fluid inside is discharged substantially fully in the range of 1/2 or less a side height of the container body 1 in consideration of the discharged effect of a fluid on the periphery in the container body 1, but is preferably set practically in the range of at least 1/5 and at most 1/2 a side height of the container body 1 so as to eliminate an excessive overlap in a state, in which the sheet material of the upper body 20 contacts along the inner surface of the inner wall 12.
That is, since the holes 12a of the perforate body constituting the inner wall 12 of the lower body 10 enable simultaneous discharge over at least a whole region of the bottom portion 10a, the effect of uniform discharge of a fluid can be produced even when that height H, over which the side, lower region 10b of the lower body 10 stands from a peripheral edge of a bottom portion thereof, is smaller than 1/5 a side height of the container body 1, but the range described above is further preferable since the upper body 20 made of a flexible sheet material has an excessive margin to be increased in overlap in a state of coming into close contact with the inner wall as a fluid inside is discharged when the height H of the side, lower region 10b is too small.
As means that fixes the upper body 20 to an upper end of the lower body 10 fluid-tightly, as shown, in enlarged scale, in Fig. 3, a mount frame member 18 is fixed to an upper end of the side, lower region 10b of the lower body 10, in particular, an upper end of the outer wall 13 by welding means, a sealing material 19 made of rubber or the like is arranged on an upper surface of the mount frame member 18, a lower end 22 of a flexible sheet material constituting the upper body 20 is interposed between the sealing material 19 and a holding frame member 23 to be clamped at predetermined pitch intervals (for example, interval of 50 mm) in a longitudinal direction by screw clamping means 24, and clamping by the screw clamping means 24 can be released to enable removal, thus enabling exchange of the sheet material constituting the upper body 20. In the case shown in the figure, as the screw clamping means 24, a threaded shaft portion 24a is protrusively provided on the mount frame member 18, and the sealing material 19, the lower end 22 of the sheet material, and the holding frame member 23 are fitted at engagement holes thereof onto the threaded shaft portion 24a and clamped by a nut 24b. Fixation is enabled making use of other various fixation means, for example, bonding means or rivet type securing means or the like.
The container body 1 can be provided detachably on the outer frame 3 by assembling a portion of the rigid lower body 10 integrally to the outer frame 3, and causing a lower bottom bearing frame 31 of the outer frame 3 to bear and support the peripheral edge of the lower body 10. The embodiment shown in the figure shows the case where the container body 1 is assembled to the outer frame 3 to be made detachable.
In embodiment shown in the figure, the outer frame 3 comprises the bottom bearing frame 31 that bears and supports the lower body 10 of the container body 1 on the pallet section 4, side plates 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d connected to the bottom bearing frame 31 to cover four sides of the upper body 20 of the container body 1, and an upper frame 33, as an upper lid, mounted detachably on the side plates assembled.
A bearing frame member 35 in the form of a crosspiece brides between support columns 34, which are provided upright at four corners of the pallet section 4, in predetermined height positions on the support columns 34 along the four sides to make the bottom bearing frame 31 frame-shaped. As shown, in enlarged scale, in Fig. 3, the bearing frame member 35 is substantially L-shaped in section to include a bearing plate portion 35a projecting obliquely and inwardly of an inner, lower side thereof and corresponding to inclination of the bottom portion 10a of the lower body 10, and the bearing plate portion 35a can bear and support the lower body 10 of the container body 1, which is dropped and set from above into the outer frame 3, at the peripheral edge thereof.
In the case shown in the figure, the support columns 34 are extended above the bearing frame member 35 and provided so that a side frame portion 36 provided at an upper end thereof is positioned in a substantially the same level as that of the lower body 10 of the container body 1 born and supported in the manner described above. While the bearing plate portion 35a can be provided to bear and support a substantially whole surface of the bottom portion 10a of the lower body 10 except the entrance port portion 11, it is not necessary to bear and support a substantially whole surface of the bottom portion 10a provided that the lower body 10 is made of a stiff raw material such as metal, and the bearing plate portion can be embodied to bear and support a peripheral edge of the lower body 10 as shown in the figure.
In any way, in the case where the lower body 10 of the container body 1 is born and supported on the bottom bearing frame 31 as described above, it is desirable to provide locking means (depiction thereof is omitted) capable of engagement and disengagement and latching the lower body 10 on the outer frame 3 in a manner to suppress shaking and floating of the lower body 10 as born and supported.
The side plates 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d on the four sides of the outer frame 3 comprise a panel body, an inner surface of which is formed by a stiff plate material such as metallic sheet, synthetic resin sheet, or various boards such as particle board stretched and provided inside a frame member, and are provided to serve to bear the upper body 20 of the container body 1 from outside. The side plates 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, respectively, are connected to and provided upright on an upper portion of the bottom bearing frame 31, and adjacent side plates are connected to each other and assembled in a rectangular shape as viewed in plan view. The respective side plates 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d are normally connected separably to the bottom bearing frame 31.
In the case shown in the figure, one, for example, the side plate 32b that is one of the left and right side plates as viewed in front view, out of the side plates 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d on the four sides is connected through a hinge portion 37 to the side frame portion 36 to be capable of folding outward and opening, so that the work of setting the container body 1, the work of washing the container body, or the work of exchanging the upper body 20 of the container body 1 can be performed from the opened portion described above.
In addition, the side plates 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d can be connected to the side frame portion 36 positioned in a substantially the same level as the upper end of the lower body 10 of the container body 1 to be able to fold inward in sequentially changed levels, and constructed to be folded with the container body 1 in a set state to be made low in size at the time of returning from a destination of shipping and in storage of an empty container. Also, the side plates 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d can be connected to the bearing frame member 35 to cover sides of the bottom bearing frame 31 while the side frame portion 36 on the bottom bearing frame 31 is omitted.
The fluid shipping container A constructed in the manner described above is used in shipping of various fluids such as grease, printing ink, adhesive, paint, liquid food such as mayonnaisse, in particular, a high-viscosity fluid being high in viscosity, and set so that the container body 1 comprising the lower body 10 being double-walled and the upper body 20 connected thereto and made of a flexible sheet material is charged into the outer frame 3 beforehand assembled in a predetermined configuration and the peripheral edge of the lower body 10 is born and supported on the bearing frame member 35 provided on the bottom bearing frame 31 of the outer frame 3. The filling and discharging pipe 5 is connected fluid-tightly to the port member 16 provided on the entrance port portion 11 of the bottom portion 10a of the lower body 10 by the clamp-type connecting means 7 and fixed to the pallet section 4 by the fixture 6.
A fluid, in particular, a high-viscosity fluid being shipped is pressure-fed by a pressure-feed pump (not shown) provided on a pipe connected to the filling and discharging pipe 5 to be filled and stored in the container body 1. At this time, the fluid being pressure-fed by the pump enters between the inner wall 12 and the outer wall 13, which are double-walled, from the entrance port portion 11 provided on the bottom portion 10a of the lower body 10 which is double-walled of the container body 1 to spread on a periphery through the gap S between the inner wall 12 and the outer wall 13 and is fed and filled through the holes 12a of the inner wall 12, which is composed of a perforate body, into the container body 1 over a whole region of the bottom portion 10a and the side, lower region 10b. In keeping with the filling action, the upper body 20 made of a flexible sheet material and put in a folded state expands following the side plates 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d on the four sides and is finally held in an expanded state shown in Fig. 1 by a fluid (not shown) as filled.
When a fluid being a content is to be discharged at a destination of shipping, it is forwarded by a suction force of a pressure-feed pump provided on a pipe connected to the filling and discharging pipe 5. At this time, when the fluid is drawn from the entrance port portion 11 provided on the lower body 10 of the container body 1 by the suction force of the pump, the suction force applied by the pump is exerted over a whole region of at least the bottom portion 10a through the gap S between the inner wall 12 and the outer wall 13, which are double-walled, and exerted over a whole region of the side, lower region 10b in the embodiment, so that the fluid inside is simultaneously drawn all together through the holes 12a of the inner wall 12, which is composed of a perforate body, to flow to the entrance port portion from the gap between the inner and outer walls to be discharged.
Therefore, even when the fluid as stored is a high-viscosity fluid, it is decreased such that an upper surface (liquid surface) of the fluid in the container body 1 is lowered substantially simultaneously as a whole due to the discharge, and the roof portion 20a of the upper body 20 made of a flexible sheet material is lowered following lowering of the upper surface of the fluid, but the upper body 20 made of a flexible sheet material is not drawn locally. Besides, as the upper surface of the fluid inside becomes lower in level than the side, lower region 10b of the lower body 10 to be decreased in residual quantity, the upper body 20 is drawn along inner surfaces of the side, lower region 10b and the bottom portion 10a of the lower body 10 to closely contact therewith, but it is drawn over a whole region of the inner wall 12 of the lower body 10 at this time, so that it will not close the entrance port portion 11 formed on the outer wall 13 even when a part thereof closely contacts with a part of the inner wall 12 to partially close the holes 12a. Therefore, the drawing and discharging actions are made from the remaining holes 12a through the gap S between the inner and outer walls 12, 13 from the entrance port portion 11 with the result that the fluid can be favorably discharged to the last and remains little.
In addition, in the case where the fluid shipping container A is used repeatedly, it is possible to wash an interior of the container body 1 for reuse according to a fluid being stored, or to reuse the container body without washing. For example, in case of grease or the like, repeated use is possible without washing an interior of the container body 1.

Industrial Applicability

The invention can be preferably used for shipping of grease, printing ink, adhesive, paint, liquid food such as mayonnaisse, and other high-viscosity fluids being high in viscosity.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view showing the outline of a state, in which a fluid shipping container according to the invention is assembled.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is an enlarged, cross sectional view showing a neighborhood of an entrance port portion of the fluid shipping container.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is an enlarged, cross sectional view showing a connection of a lower body and an upper body of a container body and a portion that bears and supports the lower body.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing, in cross section, the container body with a part thereof cut out.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing an outer frame with a part thereof cut.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view showing a state, in which discharge of a fluid is just before termination.

Description of Reference Numerals and Signs

A: fluid shipping container, 1: container body, 3: outer frame, 4: pallet section, 5: liquid filling and discharging pipe, 6: fixture, 7: connecting means, 10: lower body, 10a: bottom portion, 10b: side, lower region, 11: entrance port portion, 12: inner wall, 12a: hole, 13: outer wall, 14: nut member, 15: screw member, 16: port member, 18: frame member, 19: sealing material, 20: upper body, 20a: roof portion, 20b: side, upper region, 21: air relief port, 22: lower end of flexible sheet material, 23: holding frame member, 24: screw clamping means, 24a: threaded shaft portion, 24b: nut, 31: bottom bearing frame, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d: side plate, 33: upper frame, 34: support column, 35: bearing frame member, 35a: bearing plate portion, 36: side frame portion, 37: hinge portion, 51: pipe body, 52: opening and closing valve, 53: mouth ring

Claims

A fluid shipping container comprising a container body for storage of a fluid and an outer frame that supports the container body, wherein
the container body includes a lower body having at least a bottom portion and an upper body fixed to an upper portion of the lower body in a sealed manner and made of a flexible sheet material, and
the lower body has a double-walled structure including an inner wall formed from a perforate body, through which a fluid can pass over a whole region of at least the bottom portion, and an outer wall made of a plate material having a liquid impermeable property, a gap, through which a fluid can flow, being retained between the inner and outer walls and an entrance port portion of a fluid being provided on the bottom portion of the outer wall.
The fluid shipping container according to claim 1, wherein the lower body of the container body includes a bottom portion and a side, lower region and is of a double-walled structure to comprise an inner wall formed from a perforate body, through which a fluid can pass over a whole region of the bottom portion and the side, lower region, and an outer wall made of a plate material having a liquid impermeable property, and to retain a gap, through which a fluid can flow, between the inner and outer walls.
The fluid shipping container according to claim 1, wherein the perforate body constituting the inner wall of the lower body comprises a perforate plate, over a whole region of which a multiplicity of holes enabling passage of a high-viscosity fluid therethrough are formed, or a meshy body.
The fluid shipping container according to claim 2, wherein the perforate body constituting the inner wall of the lower body comprises a perforate plate, over a whole region of which a multiplicity of holes enabling passage of a high-viscosity fluid therethrough are formed, or a meshy body.
The fluid shipping container according to claim 3, wherein the inner wall formed by the perforate body is provided detachably on the outer wall.
The fluid shipping container according to claim 4, wherein the inner wall formed by the perforate body is provided detachably on the outer wall.
The fluid shipping container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a bottom portion of the outer wall of the lower body is in the form of a funnel inclined toward the entrance port portion and the inner wall is shaped to correspond to the outer wall and provided to cover the entrance port portion.
The fluid shipping container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lower body is born and supported at a peripheral edge thereof by a lower bottom bearing frame of an outer frame whereby the container body is supported.
The fluid shipping container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a cylindrical-shaped port member enabling a fluid filling and discharging pipe to be connected thereto is mounted to the entrance port portion of the outer wall of the lower body.
The fluid shipping container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the upper body is fixed so that a lower end of the flexible sheet material retains a state of being sealed through a packing to a frame member provided at an upper end of the lower body.
The fluid shipping container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the outer frame is provided with side plates, which cover at least four sides of the upper body of the container body.