CA2424669A1

CA2424669A1 - Reinforced bulk container liner

Info

Publication number: CA2424669A1
Application number: CA002424669A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Oswaldo Mino
Original assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Current assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc
Priority date: 2002-04-18
Filing date: 2003-04-08
Publication date: 2003-10-18
Also published as: EP1354823A3; EP1354823A2; BR0300956A; US20030197009A1

Abstract

A bulk container liner for use in conjunction with bulk material cargo containers comprises a woven reinforce-ment sheet integrally secured upon a rear wall surface of the bulk container liner for effectively forming a bulkhead structure therewith in order to provide the rear portion of the bulk container liner with enhanced strength and load re-sistance within the rear door region of the bulk material cargo container. Support ropes, straps, or cables are also operatively connected to upper regions of the bulk container liner so as to facilitate the erection and support of the bulk container liner within the bulk material cargo contain-er, particularly during cargo unloading operations which conventionally comprise the tilting of the bulk material cargo container around the lower rear edge portion thereof.
The unloading or discharge port of the bulk container liner also has operative associated therewith structure which var-iably constricts or expands the diametrical extent thereof so as to permit the unloading or discharge port of the bulk container liner to be universally useable with different bulk material receiver mechanisms.

Description

REINFORCED BULK CONTAIN~7R LINER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to bulk containers within which fluid-like or flowable cargo mater-ials, such as, for example, dry bulk chemicals, powdered and pelletized resins, flour, coffee beans, grain, and the like, are to be housed or contained while being shipped or trans-ported, and more particularly to a new and improved rein-inforced bulk container liner, for use in conjunction with such bulk containers, wherein the new and improved reinforc-ed bulk container liner exhibits substantially improved or enhanced strength characteristics as well as structural sup-port features which enable the bulk container liner to be fully expanded so as to facilitate the filling of the bulk container liner, and therefore the bulk container, with a maximum amount of cargo material.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bulk containers are conventionally used, at dif-ferent times, to house or contain different fluid-like or flowable cargo materials, such as, for example, dry bulk chemicals, powdered and pelletized resins, flour, coffee beans, grains, rice, sugar, and the like, while the cargo materials are being shipped or transported from one location to another by means of, for example, ship, truck, railroad, and the like. Since different materials are going to be shipped or transported within the containers at different times, it is imperative that the containers effectively be clean so as not to contaminate the materials Comprising a particular cargo load with residual materials which may re-main within the container from a previously shipped or transported cargo load.
Accordingly, in order to eliminate the necessary cleaning of each Cargo container hold after a particular cargo material load has been unloaded or discharged from a particular one of the cargo Container holds, it has become conventional within the industry to employ removable bulk container liners within the cargo holds of the bulk contain-ers wherein, after a particular cargo load is delivered to its destination and discharged or unloaded, the liner is simply removed from the bulk container whereby the bulk con-tainer is again useable, without a significant amount of cleaning, for carrying another cargo load of fluid or flow-able material. Examples of bulk container liners as used within bulk containers for shipping or transporting fluid or flowable materials may be found within United States Patent 5,489,037 which issued on February 6, 1996 to Stopper, United States Patent 5,293,710 which issued on March 16, 1993 to Podd, Sr. et al., and United States Patent 4,884,722 which issued on December 5, 1989 to Podd.

While the noted removable liners have obviously performed satisfactorily from an overall point of view in connection with the achievement of their primary objectives as noted hereinbefore, such removable bulk container liner have exhibited several operational difficulties. For examp-le, due to the various forces or loads which are normally impressed upon the liners during, for example, both 'the car-go material loading operation as well as the actual t rans-portation or shipping period, PRIOR ARZ' liners have been subjected to tearing or rupture. In addition, liners usually require the use of a structural bulkhead between the rear end portion of the liner and the rear end wall of the bulk container which is conventionally formed by means of a pair of pivotal doors such that the internal loads are not trans-(erred to the rear doors.
While removable bulkheads have been employed with-in conventional or PRIOR ART bulk containers, such bulkheads have not been deemed satisfactory in view of the fact that such bulkheads often comprise heavy, wall-like structures which require substantial support in order to withstand the loads inherent within the system. In addition, such bulk-heads add a significant amount of weight to the cargo load and do not enable the viewing of the interior of the liner and bulk container whereby, for example, monitoring of the inflation of the bulk container liner and the charging of the bulk materials into the bulk container liner is not able to be readily achieved. Still further, while the liners may be effectively erected within the bulk containers through means of known inflation techniques, such inflation tech-niques per se, that is, by themselves, have not proven to be sufficient for achieving the complete inflation or expansion of the liners so as to permit the maximum amount of the flu-id or flowabie materials to in fact be loaded, deposited, and accommodated within the liners and the bulk containers.
Lastly, the conventional or PRIOR ART bulk containers, and the bulk container liners incorporated therein, are often required to discharge their cargo loads at their destination points into receiver mechanisms which may vary in size, how-ever, such conventional or PRIOR ART bulk containers, and the bulk container liners incorporated therein, axe not readily adaptable for use in connection with different sized receiver mechanisms.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved bulk container liner which will be capable of pro-viding enhanced tear or rupture resistance, particularly un-der inflation and cargo load forces, which will be capable of facilitating the inflation, expansion, and erection of the bulk container liner within the bulk container so as to in turn facilitate the filling of the bulk container liner, with a predetermined cargo load or bulk material, to its maximum extent, which will be capable of effectively provid-ing a substantially rigid or semi-rigid bulkhead structure which is integrally incorporated within the existing bulk container liner structure so as to effectively prevent ex-tensive bulging of the bulk container liner and the impres-sion of the inflation and cargo load forces upon the rear doors of the bulk container, and which is capable of being diametrically adjustable so as to be capable of being used in conjunction with different cargo load receiver mechanisms having different diametrical extents or dimensions whereby the cargo loads from the particular bulk container can nevertheless be expeditiously unloaded or discharged.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present inven-tion to provide a new and improved bulk container liner for use within bulk containers to be filled with bulk material cargo loads.
Another object of the present invention is to pro-vide a new and improved bulk container liner, for use within bulk containers to be filled with bulk material cargo loads, which effectively overcomes the various structural and ope-rational drawbacks and disadvantages characteristic of PRIOR
ART bulk container liners.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bulk container liner for use within bulk containers to be filled with bulk material cargo loads wherein the new and improved bulk container liner has structural adjuncts operatively connected thereto so as to facilitate and ensure the properly desired inflation, expan-lion, and erection of the bulk container liner within the bulk container so as to in turn facilitate and ensure the proper and desired filling of the bulk container liner, with a predetermined bulk material cargo load, to its maximum ex-tent.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bulk container liner for use within bulk containers to be filled with bulk material cargo loads wherein the new and improved bulk container liner is structurally reinforced by means of a substantially rigid or semi-rigid bulkhead structure which is suitably attached to or incorporated within the rear surface portion of the bulk container liner so as to exhibit enhanced strength and tear or rupture resistance, particularly in connection with, but not limited to, the vicinity of, the loading, discharging, and venting ports, and in addition, which effectively pre-vents the cargo load and inflation forces from being unduly transmitted to or impressed upon the rear doors of the bulk container whereby such integrally incorporated bulkhead structure thereby exhibits the positive attributes of remov-able bulkheads without the aforenoted negative characterist-ics of such removable bulheads~
A last object of the present invention is to pro-vide a new and improved bulk container liner for use within bulk containers to be filled with bulk material cargo loads wherein the new and improved bulk container liner is provid-ed with diametrically adjustable discharge port structure which effectively enables the bulk container liner of the present invention to be used in connection with the unload-ing or discharge of cargo loads into, or in connection with, receiver structures or mechanisms which may have different diametrical extents or dimensions whereby the cargo loads can in fact be expeditiously unloaded or discharged from the bulk container within which the new and improved bulk con-tamer liner of the present invention is being employed.

sRY of Tx~ =xv~~,~orr The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved bulk container liner which, in accordance with a first major or primary unique and novel feature thereof, comprises a rein-forcing semi-rigid bulkhead, formed from woven polypropylene or woven polyethylene, which is secured to the rear surface of the bulk container liner so as to effectively reinforce the rear surface of the bulk container liner against tearing and rupture thereof, and more particularly, to effectively withstand the interior inflation and cargo load forces so as to thereby, in turn, effectively prevent the over-expansion or bulging of the bulk container liner whereby such infla tion and cargo load forces would otherwise be transmitted to the rear doors of the bulk container. In addition to the provision or integral incorporation of the reinforcing bulk-head structure upon or within the rear surface portion of the bulk container liner, the discharge port of the bulk container liner has structure integrally incorporated there-in which permits the discharge port to be varied in its dia-metrical extent. In this manner, the diametrical extent of the discharge port can effectively be predeterminedly varied in order to permit the discharge port to be used in conjune-tion with different receiver structures or'mechanisms, which may have different diametrical extents or dimensions, where-by the bulk material cargo load can be discharged or unload-ed without inordinate forces or pressures being placed upon the discharge port and the bulk container liner during a 3o particular bulk material unloading or discharging operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various other objects, features, and attendant ad-vantages of the present invention will be more fully appre-ciated from the following detailed description when consid-ered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a new and im-proved bulk container liner which is constructed in accord-ante with the teachings and principles of the present inven-tion and which shows the cooperative parts thereof such that the new and improved bulk container liner of the present in-vention can be effectively utilized within bulk containers for holding and transporting bulk materials; and FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a new and im-proved discharge port which is integrally incorporated in conjunction with the new and improved bulk container liner illustrated within FIGURE 1 and which is also constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention so as to have an adjustable or variable diametri-cal extent or dimension whereby the variably or adjustably sized discharge port can be readily and. easily utilized in a substantially universal manner in conjunction with different bulk material receivers characterized by different diametri-cal extents or dimensions sa as to readily and easily facil-itate the unloading or discharge of the bulk materials from the bulk container regardless of the diametrical size of the bulk material receiver.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TAE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, and more particu-larly to FIGURE 1 thereof, a new and improved bulk container liner, which is constructed in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention and which shows the cooperative parts thereof such that the new and improved bulk container liner of the present invention can be effect-ively utilized within bulk containers for holding and trans-porting bulk materials, is illustrated and is generally in-dicated by the reference character 10. As can be readily ap-preciated, the new and improved bulk cantainer liner 10 of the present invention is fabricated from a suitable materi-al, such as, for example, extruded polyethylene, and has a geometrical configuration which substantially comprises that of a rectangular parallelepiped. Accordingly, the bulk con-tainer liner 10 is seen to include, as viewed in FIGURE ~, a front or forward surface 12, a left side surface 14, an up-per or top surface 16, a right side surface 18, a lower or bottom surface 20, and a back or rear surface 22. More par-ticularly, the bulk container liner 10 has a width dimension W of ninety-two inches (92°') or approximately eight feet (8.00'), a length dimension L of two hwndred thirty-two inches or approximately nineteen and one-third feet (19.33'), and a height dimension H of ninety-four inches (94") or approximately eight feet (8.00'). Tn order to load the bulk container liner 10 with bulk material, the bulk container liner 10 is provided with a loading port or sleeve member 24 which is located upon or along a longitudinally extending central plane of the bulk container liner 10, and in order to unload the bulk material from t:he bulk container liner 10, the bulk container liner 10 is provided with a discharge part or sleeve member 26 which is likewise located upon or along the longitudinally extending central plane of the bulk container liner 10 at an elevational level which is beneath that of the loading port or sleeve member 24. As is conventional in the art, and as has been previously disclos-ed, for example, within the aforenoted United States Patent 5,89,037 which issued to Stopper on February 6, 1996, the lower rear corner regions of the bulk container liner 10 are provided with corner bag structures 28 for facilitating or expediting the discharge of the bulk materials from such lower rear corner regions of the bulk container liner 10 when the bulk material contained within the bulk container liner 10 is to be unloaded from the bulk container line 10.
Each one of the corner bag structures 28 comprises an in-flatable and deflatable structure and is therefore accord-ingly provided with a tube member 30 by means of which the corner bag structures 28 may be respectively inflated and deflated when such tube members 30 are fluidically connected to suitable inflation and deflation equipment, not shown.
When the corner bag structures 28 are inflated, it is noted further that each one of the corner bag structures 28 will have a substantially pyramidal geometrical configuration such that interior, inclined surface portions of such in-flated corner bag structures 28 will cause the bulk material contained within the bulk container liner 10 to effectively move toward the discharge port 26.
In order to ensure that the bulk container 10 is fully, completely, and properly inflated and erected by a suitable means, which is not shown but which is disclosed within the aforenoted United States Patent 5,489,037 which issued to Stopper on February 6, 1996, and in order to fur-ther ensure that the bulk container liner 10 is maintained in such inflated or erected condition or state in prepara-tion for and during a bulk material cargo load loading ope-ration, during the housing and transportation of the bulk material cargo load which has been loaded into the bulk con-tamer liner 10, and particularly during a bulk material cargo load discharging or unloading operation, the bulk con-to mer liner 10 of the present invention has been provided with additional novel and unique structural components. More particularly, it is noted that a first tubular sleeve member 32, which may be fabricated from a suitable fabric or other material, is fixedly secured to the rear surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 by suitable means, such as, for example, by being stitched or sewn thereto. The first tubular member 32 extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal extent of the bulk container liner 10 and is disposed at an elevational level which is immediately below that of the loading port or sleeve member 24. The tubular sleeve member 32 is adapted to have a steel bar or beam member, which is not shown but which comprises a structural member or component of the bulk container, inserted there-through.
In addition, a second tubular sleeve member 34 is fixedly secured within the vicinity of the lower rear edge or corner region of the bulk container liner 10 as defined at the intersection of the rear surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 and the lower or bottom surface portion 20 of the bulk container liner 10. Nailing straps, not shown, are adapted to be passed through the second tubu-lar sleeve member 34 and fixedly secured to the floor sec-tion of the bulk container so as to in turn fixedly secure the lower rear portion of the bulk container liner 10 to the floor section of the bulk container.
Still further, in order to similarly secure or fixedly support the upper portion of the rear surface 22 of the bulk container liner 10, which extends upwardly from the elevational level at which the first tubular sleeve member 32 and the steel bar or beam member are disposed, so as to thereby facilitate the proper and full erection of the bulk container liner 10, as well as to properly dispose and sup-port such upper portion of the rear surface 22 of the bulk container liner 10 during a bulk material discharge or un-loading pracedure, and still further in order to properly dispose and support the bulk material loading port or sleeve member 24 in conjunction with a bulk material loading opera-tion, a pair of ropes, straps, cables, or the like 36 are fixedly secured at first ends thereof to the bulk container liner 10 within the vicinity of the upper rear edge or corn-er region defined at the intersection of the rear surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 and the upper or top surface portion 16 of the bulk container liner 10. In this manner, when the other or second opposite ends of the support ropes, straps, or cables 36 are fixed to appropriate structure of the bulk container, the upper portion of the rear surface 22 of the bulk container liner 10, which ex-tends upwardly from the elevat.ional level at which the first tubular sleeve member 32 and the steel bar or beam member are disposed, can be effectively stretched tight or taut.

In accordance with another unique structural fea-ture characteristic of the new and improved bulk container liner 10 constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, the entire rear surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 is reinforced by means of a sheet of woven polypropylene, or woven polyethyl-ene, 38 which is secured or affixed to the rear surface por-tion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 by suitable means, such as, for examples two-sided adhesive tape or the like which is disposed upon interior surface portions of the wov-en reinforcement sheet 38 which correspond to the peripheral edge portions of the rear surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10. The woven reinforcement sheet 38 there-fore effectively structurally cooperates with the underlying rear surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 so as to effectively define a substantially semi-rigid bulkhead structure for the rear surface portion 22 of the bulk con-tainer liner 10.
Consequently, as can readily be appreciated from FIGURE I, when the steel bar or beam member, not shown, is inserted through the first tubular sleeve member 32 and fix-ed in position within the bulk container, when the nailing strips are inserted through the second tubular sleeve member 34 and are likewise fixed to the floor section of the bulk container, and when the second ends of the ropes or straps 36 are fixed to the bulk container, the bulkhead structure 38, comprising the reinforced rear wall surface portion 22, is effectively secured or fixed within the bulk container.
Accordingly, such bulkhead structure 38 effectively presents or defines a reinforced, rigidified wall structure for the bulk container liner 10 which not only advantageously serves or promotes several functional objecti~Ves with respect to or for the bulk container liner 10 per se, but in addition, serves or promotes additional functional objectives with re sped to or in conjunction with the rear door members of the bulk container, not shown.
More particularly, such reinforced, rigidified rear wall surface structure 38 serves to, in part, properly maintain the rear surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 in its inflated and erected state or condition, the reinforced, rigidified rear wall surface structure 38 also enables or facilitates the proper disposition of the bulk material loading port or sleeve member 24 in connection with a bulk material cargo loading operation or procedure, and the reinforced, rigidified rear wall surface structure 38 also enables or facilitates the proper disposition of the bulk material unloading or discharge port or sleeve member 26 in connection with a bulk material cargo unloading opera-tion or procedure. xn addition, and just as or even more im-portantly, the rigidified rear wall surface structure 38 serves to reinforce the rear end portion of the bulk con-tainer liner 10, and in conjunction therewith, to uniformly withstand and distribute the cargo load forces and stresses, whereby such load forces and stresses are not conveyed to or 25. impressed upon the rear doors of the bulk container, not shown. Still further, the rigidified rear wall surface structure 38 serves to reinforce the rear end portion of the bulk container liner 10, and in conjunction therewith, to uniformly withstand and distribute the cargo load forces and stresses, particularly those attendant a bulk material cargo unloading or discharge operation or procedure which conven-tionally comprises the tilting of the cargo bulk container around the lower rear edge portion of the bulk container. As can be appreciated from F2GURE Z, the woven reinforcement sheet 38 is applied over the entire expanse of the rear sur-face or wall section 22 and the first tubular sleeve member 32 is affixed upon the exterior surface of the reinforced bulkhead structure 38 such that load forces and stresses are properly distributed and accommodated.
It is to be further appreciated that when the wov-en reinforcement sheet 38 is applied or adhered to the rear surface 22 of the bulk container liner 10, it necessarily extends beyond the peripheral edge regions of the rear sur-face 22 of the bulk container liner 10. There are several reasons for incorporating such structure into the the new and improved bulk container liner 10 of the present inven-tion in this particular integrated manner. Firstly, it is to be appreciated that all of the wall sections of the bulk container liner 10, other than the rear surface wall section 22, that is, the front or forward surface or wall section 12, the left side surface or wall section 14, the upper or top surface or wall section 16, the right side surface or wall section 18, and the lower or bottom surface or wall section 20, are effectively continuously supported by the respective wall sections of the bulk container when the bulk container liner 10 is installed within the bulk container, inflated to its erected state, and loaded with the bulk ma-terial cargo. The rear surface wall section 22 of the bulk container liner 10, however, is not similarly supported by a corresponding wall section of the bulk container because the rear wall section of the bulk container is provided with the openable and closable rear access doors. Consequently, the rear surface or wall section 22 of the bulk container liner must effectively independently self-support, or self-re-5 silt, the various load forces and stresses impressed there-on. This state or condition is also true of the sealed re-gions defined between each one of the peripheral edges of the rear surface or wall section 22 and the corresponding rear edge regions of the left side surface or wall section 10 14, the upper or top surface or wall section 16, the right side surface or wall section 18, and the lower or bottom surface or wall section 20.
Accordingly, not only does the woven sheet 38 pro-vide reinforcement to the rear surface or wall portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10, but in addition, and secondari-1y, the extension of the woven reinforcement sheet 38 onto the left side surface or wall section 14, the upper or top surface or wall section 16, the right side surface or wall section 18, and the lower or bottom surface or wall section 20, effectively forms reinforcement regions 40,42,44,46 upon the left side surface or wall section 14, the upper or top surface or wall section 16, the right side surface or wall section 18, and the lower or bottom surface or wall section 20, respectively, so as to integrally reinforce the afore-noted sealed peripheral edge regions defined between each one of the peripheral edges of the rear surface or wall sec-tion 22 and the corresponding rear edge regions of the left side surface or wall section 14, the upper or top surface or wall section 16, the right side surface or wall section 18, and the lower or bottom surface or wall section 20. Thirdly, it is also noted that the woven reinforcement region 42 se-cured or attached to the rear portion of the upper surface or wall section 16 of the bulk container liner 10 has an ax-ial extent or length which is somewhat greater than those of the other woven reinforcement regions 40,44,46, and the rea-son for this is that when, for example,. the bulk container liner 10 is being loaded or charged with powder-type bulk material cargo through means of the loading port or sleeve member 24, dust collector equipment, not shown, is fluidic-ally connected to vent port structure 48 which is also form-ed or integrally incorporated within the rear surface or wall section 22 of the bulk container liner 10. A closed-loop or recirculation flow path is thus effectively opera-tively or fluidically created in conjunction with the inter-for of the bulk container liner 10, particularly within the upper rear region thereof, thereby requiring additional or extended reinforcement in order to withstand or accommodate the additional load forces, pressure, and stresses attendant the powder bulk material loading and dust collection proce-dures.
In conjunction with the free end portion of the upper surface woven reinforcement region 42, there is pro-vided a transversely oriented support strip 50 which is fix-edly attached thereto by any suitable means, such as, for example, by sewing or stitching, and opposite ends of the support strip 50 are provided with grommets 52 through which first end portions of suitable support ropes, straps, or cables 54 are passed, the opposite or second end portions thereof being connected to suitable structure comprising the bulk container. It is to be noted that while the upper sur-face woven reinforcement region 42 appears from the illus-trated drawing to extend axially forwardly so as to have an axial extent of approximately one-half the axial extent ar length of the bulk container liner 10, the illustrated draw-s ing is not in fact to scale and in reality 'the axial extent of the upper surface woven reinforcement region 42 comprises only a small fractional portion of the overall axial extent or length of the bulk container liner 7_0. Accordingly, it is to be appreciated and understoad further that the support ropes, cables, or straps 54 operatively cooperate with the support ropes, straps, or cables 36 for fixing and support-ing the entire rear region or portion of the bulk container liner 10 within the bulk container.
In a similar manner, it is likewise noted further that in order to facilitate the proper inflation, erection, and support of the bulk container liner 10 in its inflated and erected state, particularly in connection with the axi-ally central upper region of the bulk container liner 10, first ends of additional support ropesd straps, or cables 56 are fixedly attached to upper, axially central portions of each one of the left and right side surfaces 14,18 of the bulk container line 10 by means of suitable fixtures 58, and the second opposite ends of the support ropes, straps, or cables 56 are adapted to be fixedly connected to the bulk container. Still yet further, in order to facilitate the proper inflation, erection, and support of the bulk contain-er liner 10 in its inflated and erected state, particularly in connection with the upper forwardmost region of the bulk container liner 10, similar support rope, cable, or strap means are likewise utilized. The reason for this is that it is to be remembered that the bulk container liner 10 is in-Elated as a result of a suitable source of pressurized or compressed air, not shown, being fluidically connected to the interior portion of the bulk container liner 10 through means of, for example, the loading port or sleeve structure 24 provided within or upon the rear surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10. It can therefore be appreciated that the forwardmost region of the bulls container liner 10 is located furthest from the rear wall surface 22 of the bulk container liner 10 and, in turn, furthest from the source of pressurized or compressed air fluidically connect-ed to the loading port or sleeve structure 24. The lower forwardmost region of the bulk container liner 10 normally does not present any problems with inflation and erection because gravitational and bulk material Loads will serve to erect and expand the lower forwardmost region of the bulk container liner 10 into contact with the forward interior wall structures of the bulk container. However, such gravi-tational and bulk material loads are obviously unable to similarly erect and expand the upper forwardmost region of the bulk container liner 10.
Accordingly, it sometimes conventionally occurs that such upper forwardmost region of the bulk container liner is not in fact fully inflated, erected, and expanded into contact engagement with the interior wall portions of the bulk container whereby such region of the bulk container liner is not adequately supported by the interior wall por-tions of the bulk container. As a result of such a state or condition, internal pressure forces present within the bulk container liner can lead to tearing and rupture problems with a consequent compromise in the integrity of the seal located at the intersection defined between the upper edge portion of the front or forward surface portion 12 of the bulk container liner 10 and the rear edge portion of the upper or top surface portion 1~ of the bulk container liner 10, as well as with respect to the seals located at the rear corner regions of the bulk container line 10 as defined be-tween the upper horizontally disposed rear edge portion of each one of the left and right side surface portions 14,18 of the bulk container liner 10 and opposite axially oriented rear side edge portions of the upper or top surface portion 16 of the bulk container liner 10, and as defined between the upper vertically oriented rear edge portion of each one of the left and right side surface portions 14,18 of the bulk container liner 10 and opposite vertically oriented side edge portions of the front or forward Surface portion 12 of the bulk container liner l0.
In accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, the upper front region of the bulk container liner 10 is reinforced with woven reinforcement material which is similar to the woven reinforcement sheet 38 secured or adhered to the rear surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner. More particularly, a first woven rein-forcement strip 60 is secured at the intersection defined between the upper edge portion of the front or forward sur-face portion 12 of the bulk container liner 10 and the rear edge portion of the upper or top surface portion 16 of the bulk container liner 10 such that the woven reinforcement strip 60 encompasses or overlaps such upper edge or corner region of the bulk container liner 10 and extends onto and n is secured upon both the front or forward surface portion 12 of the bulk container liner 10 and the rear edge portion of the upper or top surface portion 16 of the bulk container liner 10. In this manner, the seal region defined between the front or forward surface portion 12 of the bulk contain-er liner 10 and the upper or top surface portion 16 of the bulk container liner 10 is fully reinforced. In addition, second and third woven reinforcement strips 62 and 64, which may actually be integral extensions of the first woven rein-forcement strip 60, are similarly provided at the upper rear corner regions of the bulk container liner 10 as defined be-tween each one of the side surface portions 14,18 of the bulk container liner 10 and the upper yr top surface portion 16 of the bulk container liner 10, as well as between each one of the side surface portions 14,18 of the bulk container liner to and the front or forward surface portion 12 of the bulk container liner 10. Each one of the second and third woven reinforcement strips 62,64 has a substantially L-shap-ed configuration wherein second woven .reinforcement strip 62 comprises a horizontally disposed leg member 66 and a verti-cally disposed leg member 68, while third woven reinforce-ment strip 64 comprises a horizontally disposed leg member 70 and a vertically disposed leg member 72.
It can therefore be appreciated that horizontally disposed leg member 66 of second woven reinforcement strip 62 encompasses or overlaps the upper rear edge or corner re-gion of the bulk container liner 10, as defined between the left side surface portion 14 of the bulk container 10 and the upper or top surface portion 16 of the bulk container 10, and extends onto and is secured upon both the left side surface portion 14 of the bulk container 10 and the upper or top surface portion 16 of the bulk container 10 so as to re-inforce the sealed upper rear edge or r_orner region defined therebetween. In a similar manner, horizontally disposed leg member 70 of third woven reinforcement strip 64 encompasses or overlaps the upper rear edge or corner region of the bulk container liner 30, as defined between the right side sur-face portion 18 of the bulk container 20 and the upper or top surface portion 16 of the bulk container 10, and extends onto and is secured upon both the right side surface portion 18 of the bulk container 10 and the upper or top surface portion 16 of the bulk container ZO so as to reinforce the sealed upper rear edge or corner region defined therebe-tween.
In a like manner, it is appreciated that vertical-ly disposed leg member 68 of second woven reinforcement strip 62 encompasses or overlaps the upper rear edge or corner region of the bulk container liner 10, as defined between the left side surface portion 14 of the bulk con-tamer 10 and the front or forward surface portion 12 of the bulk container 10, and extends onto and is secured upon both the left side surface portion 14 of the bulk container 10 and the front or forward surface portion 12 of the bulk con-tamer 10 so as to reinforce the sealed upper rear edge or corner region defined therebetween. Still further, vertical-ly disposed leg member 72 of third woven reinforcement strip 64 encompasses or overlaps the upper rear edge or corner re-gion of the bulk container liner 10, as defined between the right side surface portion 18 of the bulk container 10 and, the front or forward surface portion 12 of the bulk contain-er 10, and extends onto and is secured upon both the right side surface portion 18 of the bulk container 10 and the front or forward surface portion 12 of the bulk container 10 so as to reinforce the sealed upper rear edge or corner re-gion defined therebetween.
In conjunction with the second and third woven re-enforcement strips 62,64, a pair of support ropes, straps, or cables 74,76 are respectively provided whereupon, when first ends of the ropes, straps, or cables 74,76 are re-spectively fixedly secured to the reinforcement strips 62, 64, and second ends of the support ropes, straps, or cables 74,76 are fixedly secured to suitable structure integrally incorporated upon the bulk container, the upper front or forwardmost regions of the bulk container liner 10 will be adequately supported so as to in fact facilitate the afore-noted inflation, erection, and expansion of the bulk con-tamer liner 10 in preparation for a bulk material cargo loading operation. In addition, it is further noted that the support ropes, straps, or cables 74,76 serve the additional-1y important function of maintaining the upper forwardmost region of the bulk container liner 10 suitably fixed in po-sition during bulk material cargo unloading operations, par-ticularly in view of the aforenoted conventional tilting o.f the bulk container around the lower rear edge portion there-of. In order to in fact secure the first ends of the support ropes, straps, or cables 74,76 to the woven reinforcement strips 62,64, it is further seen that each one of the verti-cally oriented leg members 68,72 of the reinforcement strips 62,64 is respectively provided with a vertically extending serial array of apertures 78,80 within which suitable grom-wets are adapted to be disposed. Snap-hook fasteners, fixed upon the first end portions of the support ropes, straps; or cables 74,7&, are adapted to be engaged within the apertures 78,80, the provision of the plurality of apertures 78,80 serving to accommodate different structural connections in-herent to or characteristic of different bulk containers.
Further in conjunction with the critically import-ant fixation of the lower forwardmost region of the bulk ma-terial container 10, particularly during the bulk material cargo unloading operation whereby it is again noted that the bulk container is conventionally tilted, tipped, inclined, or pivoted around the lower rear edge portion thereof, it is seen still further that the lower or bottom surface portion of the bulk container liner 10 is provided with a third 15 tubular sleeve member 82, which is similar in structure to the first tubular sleeve member 32, fixedly attached thereto within the vicinity of the front or forward surface portion 12 of the bulk container liner 10 by suitable means, such as, for example, sewing or stitching. The third tubular 20 sleeve member 82 is likewise adapted to have a steel bar or beam member, not shown but which is integrally or fixedly connected to or operatively associated with the floor struc-ture of the bulk container, passed therethrough so as to fixedly secure the lower or bottom and front regions of the bulk container liner 10 to the floor structure of the bulk container. In conjunction with such tubular sleeve member 82, and the steel beam or bar member adapted to be passed therethrough in connection with securing the lower or bottom and front regions of the bulk container liner 10 to the floor structure of the bulk container, the rear region of the lower or bottom surface portion or wall section 20 of the bulk container liner 10 is adapted to be reinforced by means of a woven reinforcement sheet 84 which has its upper or interior surface adhesively bonded ar otherwise fixedly secured to the lower or exterior face of the lower or bottom surface or wall section 20 of the bulk container liner 10.
As was the case with the reinforcement sheet 38 secured upon the rear surface or wall section 22 of the bulk container liner 10, the woven reinforcement sheet: 84 is applied over the entire rear region of the lower or bottom surface or wall section 22 of the bulk container liner 10 and the third tubular sleeve member 82 is affixed upon the exteriar sur-face of the woven reinforcement sheet 84 such that load forces and stresses are properly distributed and accommodat-ed.
With reference continuing to be made to FIGURE 1, it is seen that the loading port or sleeve member 24, the discharge or unloading port or sleeve member 26, and the vent port or sleeve member 48 are also respectively provided with woven reinforcement sheets 86,88,0 which are suitably secured or attached to the loading port or sleeve member 24, the discharge or unloading port or sleeve member 26, and the vent port or sleeve member 48 sa as to respectively circum-ferentially envelop the loading port o:r sleeve member 24, the discharge or unloading port or sleeve member 26, and the vent port or sleeve member 48. In this manner, the woven re-enforcement sheets 86,88,90 reinforce and support the load-ing port or sleeve member 24, the discharge or unloading port or sleeve member 26, and the vent port or sleeve member 48 when the loading port or sleeve member 24, the discharge or unloading port or sleeve member 26, and vent port or sleeve member 48 are moved to their axially extended posi-tions for respective use in conjunction with a bulk material loading operation, a bulk material unloading operation, and a venting operation. Tn order to in fact be able to respect-ively move each one of the loading port or sleeve member 24, the discharge or unloading port or sleeve member 26, and the vent port or sleeve member 48 from its axially recessed or collapsed position to its axially extended or expanded posi-tion, each one of the loading port or sleeve member 24, the discharge or unloading port or sleeve member 26, and the vent port or sleeve member 48 is respectively provided with a rope, strap, or cable 92,94,96 which may :be suitably se-cured to an inner peripheral wall portion of each port or sleeve member 24,26,48. In order to view or determine the height of or depth to which the bulk material has been load-ed into the bulk container liner 10, a view port 98 extends through or is effectively cut out from the reinforcement sheet 38 and is incorporated within the rear surface portion or wall section 22 of the bulk container liner 10.
In accordance with a last unique and novel struc-tural feature characteristic of the present invention, and as be best appreciated as a result of additional reference being made to FIGURE 2, the bulk material unloading or dis-charge port or sleeve member 26 of the bulk container liner 10 of the present invention has operatively associated therewith structure or means for adjustably varying the dia-metrical extent of the bulk material unloading or discharge port or sleeve member 26 such that the bulk material unload-ing or discharge port or sleeve member. 26 is effectively un-iversally useable with different bulk material unloading re-ceiver mechanisms having different diametrical extents. More particularly, then, it is seen from FTG-'~RE ?. that in accord-ance with the principles and teachings of the present inven-tion, a substantially square-shaped portion 100 of the woven reinforcement sheet 38, which is disposed within the vicini-ty of or immediately surrounds the discharge port or sleeve member 2&, is cut or severed along both diagonal loci 102 thereof so as to effectively define four, triangularly shap-ed flap members 104. The axially central apex portion 106 of each flap member 104 is folded backwardly upon and is adapt-ed to be fixedly secured to itself, as at 108 by any suit-able means, such as, for example, adhesive means, sewing, stitching, and the like, such that an axially open region 110 is defined withan the woven reinforcement sheet 38 through which the discharge sleeve or port member 26 of the bulk container liner 10 can be extended.
In additian, as a result of the aforenoted, back-ward folding of the apex portions 106 of the flap members 104, an open loop region 112 is effectively defined intern-ally within each one of such folded regions of the flap mem-bers 104 such that a rope, strap, or cable member 114 can be serially threaded through the plurality of open loop regions 112 so as to define an enveloping or encircling rope, strap, or cable noose 116. In this manner, when the opposite free ends 118 of the rope, strap, or cable noose 116 are both pulled together in the direction C of the double arrowhead O-C, the diametrical extent of the rope, strap, or cable noose 116 will be constricted so as to effectively tend to correspondingly adjustably or variably close or constrict the diametrical extent of the axially open region 110, while conversely, when the free ends 118 of the rope, strap, or cable noose 116 are permitted to move in the direction O of the double arrowhead O-C, the diametrical extent of the rope, strap, or cable noose 11~ will be expanded so as to effectively tend to correspondingly adjustably or variably open or expand the diametrical extent of the axially open region 110. In order to ensure that the axially open region 110 is effectively closed during those periods when the bulk material discharge port~26 is axially retracted or collapsed and is not being used in conjunction with the performance of a bulk material discharge or unloading operation, it is seen further that a woven reinforcement flap member 120 is secur-ed along a linear locus 122 to the rear wall surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 by means of, for example, sewing, stitching, or the like.
Tn particular, the flap member 120 is illustrated within FIGURE 2 as being in a raised position, however, this is simply for clarity in connection with the same. Tn real-ity, the flap member 120, after being secured along the lin-ear locus 122 to the rear wall surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10, is disposed in a vertical oriented hanging mode so as to be interposed between the rear wall surface portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 and the square-shaped portion or region 100 of the woven reinforce-ment sheet 38. Therefore, when the bulls material discharge port 26 is axially retracted or collapsed and is not being used in conjunction with the performance of a bulk material discharge or unloading operation, the flap member 120 ef-festively covers and closes off the axially open region 110, however, when the bulk material discharge port 26 is to be axially extended so as to be used in conjunction with the performance of a bulk material discharge or unloading opera-tion, since the flap member 120 is only secured to the rear surface wall portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 along the linear locus 122 so as to effectively freely hang in a suspension mode between between the rear wall surface por-tion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 and the square-shaped portion or region 100 of the woven reinforcement sheet 38, the flap member 120 can be grasped by means of an operator and pulled axially through the axially open region 110 to as to effectively uncover and open the axially open region 110.
Thereafter, the discharge or unloading port or sleeve member 26 can be axially extended through the axially open region 110 so as to be readily accessible for fluidic connection to the bulk material receiver mechanism.
In conjunction with such fluidic connection, the rope, strap, or cable noose 116 can also be diametrically adjusted so as to variably adjust the diametrical extent of the axially open region 110 so as to in turn variably adjust the diametrical extent of the unloading or discharge port of sleeve member 26 to match the diametrical extent of the par-ticular bulk material receiver mechanism being employed in conjunction with the discharge or unloading of the bulk ma-terial from the bulk container liner 10. It is also to be noted that in conjunction with the pull-through of the flap member 120 through the axially central open region 110, the flap member 120 can be secured to the rear surface wall por-tion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 by removable stitch-ing whereby the flap member 120 can actually be detached from the rear surface wall portion 22 of the bulk container liner 10 and then removed from the bulk container liner as-sembly in lieu of remaining attached thereto along the lin-ear locus 122.
Thus, it may be seen that in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, there has been provided a new and improved bulk container liner assem-bly or structure wherein a woven reinforcement sheet is structurally secured to the rear wall surface portion of the l0 bulk container liner so as to effectively define a bulkhead structure which provides enhanced strength and reinforcement thereto within such rear surface wall portion thereof which faces and operatively cooperates with the rear door region of the bulk container. In addition, structure is integrally incorporated within the bulk container liner for facilitat-ing the inflation, erection, and support of the bulk con-tainer liner in order to in turn facilitate the proper load-ing and filling of the same with bulk material cargo, as well as for fixedly securing the bulk container liner within the bulk container, particularly during bulk material cargo unloading operations.
Obviously, many variations and modifications of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is noted, for example, that the elevational level, at which the first tubular sleeve member 32 is affix-ed upon the exterior surface of the reinforced bulkhead structure 38, as well as the corresponding elevational level at which the loading port or sleeve member 24 is located, can be varied depending upon the height or depth to which the bulk material cargo is to be loaded into the bulk con-tamer liner 10. It is therefore to be understood that with-in the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.

Claims

1. A bulk container liner for use within a bulk material cargo container having rear door structures, comprising:
a bulk container having a substantially rectangu-lar parallelepiped structure when erected for disposition within a bulk material cargo container and therefore com-prising a front wall surface, a pair of side wall surfaces, a top wall surface, a bottom wall surface, and a rear wall surface; and reinforcement structure fixedly secured over sub-stantially the entire expanse of said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner so as to integrally form with said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner a bulkhead structure for reinforcing said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner disposed opposite the rear door struc-tures of the bulk material cargo container.

2. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 1, where-in:
said reinforcement structure comprises a woven re-enforcement sheet bonded to said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner.

3. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 2, where-in:
said woven reinforcement sheet comprises woven polypropylene.

4. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 2, where-in:
said woven reinforcement sheet comprises woven polyethylene.

5. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 2, where-in:
said woven reinforcement sheet extends beyond each one of edge regions defined between said rear wall surface and said pair of side wall surfaces, between said rear wall surface and said top wall surface, and between said rear wall surface and said bottom wall surface so as to reinforce seal regions defined between said rear wall surface and said pair of side wall surfaces, between said rear wall surface and said top wall surface, and between said rear wall sur-face and said bottom wall surface.

6. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 2, where-in:
at least one tubular sleeve member fixedly secured upon said bulkhead structure for accommodating a structural member of the bulk container in order to fixedly secure said bulk container liner within the bulk container when the structural member of the bulk container is fixedly disposed within said at least one tubular sleeve member of said bulk container liner.

7. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 6, where-in said at least one tubular sleeve member of said bulk container comprises:
a first tubular sleeve member fixedly secured upon said bulkhead structure of said bulk container liner at an elevational level which is interposed between an upper edge region defined between said rear wall surface and said top wall surface, and a lower edge region defined between said rear wall surface and said bottom wall surface; and a second tubular sleeve member fixedly secured up-on said bulk head structure within the vicinity of said low-er edge region defined between said rear wall surface and said bottom wall surface.

8. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 7, further comprising:
a third tubular sleeve member fixedly secured upon said lower wall surface of said bulk container liner within the vicinity of a lower edge region defined between said front wall surface and said bottom wall surface.

9. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 8, fur-ther comprising:
a woven reinforcement sheet, bonded to said lower wall surface of said bulk container liner and upon which said third tubular sleeve member is attached, for reinforc-ing a front region of said bulk container liner and for dis-tributing stress forces impressed upon said bulk container liner during bulk material cargo unloading operations.

10. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 1, where-in:
said bulk container liner having said substantial-ly rectangular parallelepiped has a predetermined longitud-inal extent; and support structure is fixedly secured to upper re-gions of sand bulk container liner within the vicinity of said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner, within the vicinity of said front wall surface of said bulk con-tainer liner, and at longitudinally central regions of said bulk container liner so as to facilitate the erection and support of said bulk container liner within the bulk mater-ial cargo container so as to enable filling of said bulk container liner with bulk material cargo.

11. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 10, wherein:
said support structure fixedly secured to said up-per regions of said bulk container is selected from the group comprising ropes, straps, and cables.

12. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 10, fur-they comprising:
a reinforcement strip fixedly secured to said bulk container liner at the edge portion defined between said front wall surface and said top wall surface of said bulk container liner for sealing said edge portion defined be-tween said front wall surface and said top wall surface of said bulk container liner.

13. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 12, wherein:
said reinforcement strip comprises integrally con-nected side extensions for sealing upper rear edge portions of said bulk container liner as defined between each one of said side wall surfaces rear end portions of said top wall surface.

14. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 13, wherein:
each one of said side extensions of said reinforce-ment strip is provided with a plurality of arrayed grommets to which said support structure for said front wall surface of said bulk container liner can be adjustably connected depending upon the structure of the particular bulk contain-er within which said bulk container liner is to be disposed.

15. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 2, fur-ther comprising:
a view port defined through said woven reinforce-ment sheet for viewing the depth to which bulk material car-go has been loaded into said bulk material liner.

16. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 1, fur-ther comprising:
a bulk material tubular loading port operatively connected to said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner;
a bulk material tubular unloading port operatively connected to said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner; and reinforcement sleeves respectively secured around each one of said bulk material tubular loading and unloading ports in an enveloped manner for respectively reinforcing each one of said bulk material tubular loading and unloading ports.

17. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 16, wherein:
each one of said bulk material tubular loading and unloading ports is axially collapsible and extensible; and a manually-operable member is operatively secured to an interior surface portion of said each one of said bulk material tubular loading and unloading ports so as to permit an operator to move said each one of said bulk material tub-ular loading and unloading ports from its axially collapsed position to its axially extended position.

18. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 2, fur-they comprising:
an axially collapsible and extensible bulk mater-ial tubular unloading port; and means operatively associated with said bulk mater-ial tubular unloading port for adjusting the diametrical ex-tent of said bulk material tubular unloading port such that said bulk material tubular unloading port can be universally useable with different bulk material receiver structures.

19. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 18, wherein said means for adjusting said diametrical extent of said bulk material tubular unloading port comprises:
loop regions defined within said woven reinforce-ment sheet and defining an axial open region through which said bulk material tubular unloading port can be disposed when said bulk material tubular unloading port is disposed in its axially extended state whereby said loop regions sur-round said extended bulk material tubular unloading port;
and means disposed within said loop regions for achieving variable diametrical constriction and expansion of said loop regions around said bulk material tubular unload-ing port.

20. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 19, wherein:
a region of said woven reinforcement sheet sur-rounding said bulk material tubular unloading port comprises a plurality of flap members; and said loop regions comprise portions of said flap members folded back upon and secured to themselves.

21. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 19, wherein:
said means disposed within said loop regions for constricting and expanding said loop regions comprises a member selected from the group comprising ropes, straps, and cables.

22. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 19, fur-they comprising:

a reinforcement flap member fixedly attached to said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner and in-terposed between said rear wall surface of said bulk con-tainer liner and said woven reinforcement sheet for closing said axial open region when said bulk material tubular un-loading port is disposed in its axially collapsed state.

23. A bulk container liner for use within a bulk material cargo container having rear door structures, comprising:
a bulk container having a substantially rectangu-lar parallelepiped structure when erected for disposition within a bulk material cargo container and therefore com-prising a front wall surface, a pair of side wall surfaces, a top wall surface, a bottom wall surface, and a rear wall surface;
an axially collapsible and extensible bulk mater-ial tubular unloading port operatively connected to said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner; and means operatively associated with said bulk mater-ial tubular unloading port for adjusting the diametrical ex-tent of said bulk material tubular unloading port such that said bulk material tubular unloading port can be universally useable with different bulk material receiver structures.

24. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 23, fur-ther comprising:
a woven reinforcement sheet bonded to said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner so as to inte-grally form with said rear wall surface of said bulk con-tainer liner a bulkhead structure for reinforcing said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner disposed opposite the rear door structures of the bulk material cargo contain-er.

25. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 24, wherein said means for adjusting said diametrical extent of said bulk material tubular unloading port comprises:
loop regions defined within said woven reinforce-ment sheet and defining an axial open region through which said bulk material tubular unloading port can be disposed when said bulk material tubular unloading port is disposed in its axially extended state whereby said loop regions sur-round said extended bulk material tubular unloading port;
and means disposed within said loop regions for achieving variable diametrical constriction and expansion of said loop regions around said bulk material tubular unload-ing port.

26. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 25, wherein:
a region of said woven reinforcement sheet sur-rounding said bulk material tubular unloading port comprises a plurality of flap members; and said loop regions comprise portions of said flap members folded back upon and secured to themselves.

27. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 25, wherein:
said means disposed within said loop regions for constricting and expanding said loop regions comprises a member selected from the group comprising ropes, straps, and cables.

28. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 25, fur-ther comprising:
a reinforcement flap member fixedly attached to said rear wall surface of said bulk container liner and in-terposed between said rear wall surface of said bulk con-tainer liner and said woven reinforcement sheet for closing said axial open region when said bulk material tubular un-loading port is disposed in its axially collapsed state.

29. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 23, fur-ther comprising:
a manually-operable member is operatively secured to an interior surface portion of said bulk material tubular unloading part so as to permit an operator to move said bulk material tubular unloading part from its axially collapsed position to its axially extended position.

30. The bulk container liner as set forth in Claim 23, wherein:
a reinforcement sleeve is secured around said bulk material tubular unloading port in an enveloped manner for respectively reinforcing said bulk material tubular unload-ing port.