Abstract: An intermediate bulk container (IBC) system including a base and walls, and having an interior space. The system comprises a drain in the base or in a wall, a liner bag having a liner bag drain couplable to the drain in the base or in a wall, and a door coupled to the wall by a hinge and shaped to cover an opening in the wall. The opening extends from a top of the wall. The hinge is coupled to the door to allow the door to rotate into the interior space. A stop prevents the door from rotating beyond the wall. The system may be used by rotating the door into the interior space to expose the opening, reaching through the opening and operatively coupling the liner bag drain at the drain in the base or in a wall, and rotating the door to cover the opening.

Abstract: A shipper bag having at least one fluid chamber to facilitate fluid-assisted container evacuation from a product discharge zone of a product chamber. The product chamber is formed by at least one inner ply, and the least one fluid chamber disposed between the at least one inner ply and at least one second ply. The at least one fluid chamber has at least one seam connecting the at least one inner ply to the at least one second ply such that, when in the inflated state, the at least one seam comprises a first seam that extends from a location proximate the product discharge zone to a location proximate a location opposite the discharge zone. The bag may have two or more fluid compartments.

Abstract: A disassembleable, reusable plastic container that can be used for the manufacture, storage and transportation of cheese products. The container may utilize wrap-around interlocks. The endwalls of the container may be flexible to allow the container to undergo minimal deformation when filled with cheese products. The container may also have a recessed pressboard that allows for increased capacity in the container. The container may also utilize positive corner interlocks that minimize unintentional disengagement.

Abstract: A shipper bag having at least one fluid chamber to facilitate fluid-assisted container evacuation from a product discharge zone of a product chamber. The product chamber is formed by at least one inner ply, and the least one fluid chamber disposed between the at least one inner ply and at least one second ply. The at least one fluid chamber has at least one seam connecting the at least one inner ply to the at least one second ply such that, when in the inflated state, the at least one seam comprises a first seam that extends from a location proximate the product discharge zone to a location proximate a location opposite the discharge zone. The bag may have two or more fluid compartments.

Abstract: Resin pallets having a deck and a base, where the deck and base are joined by an interlock, which is optionally reversible, are described. Methods of making such pallets by assembling the pallets by interlocking parts to form the pallets, in an optionally reversible method, are also described.

Abstract: Resin pallets having a deck and a base, where the deck and base are joined by an interlock, which is optionally reversible, are described. Methods of making such pallets by assembling the pallets by interlocking parts to form the pallets, in an optionally reversible method, are also described.

Abstract: A cheese box cover is shaped to be self-draining from any interior region of a top surface of the cover to a periphery of the cover. Corner foot projections extending upward from each corner of the cover help position pallet feet of a superposed cheese box. Links connected between corner projections and held in place by superposed pallet feet interconnect adjacent cheese boxes for security during stacking and storage.

Abstract: A disposable bag for a liquid shipping container has a multi ply region arranged to be inflated as the bag empties in such a way as to form a sump at the bag bottom for discharge of pumpable material from the sump.

Abstract: A bag is modified to include an air input port that allows inflation of an interply region of the bag. As the interply region inflates, an inner ply rises and becomes an advancing wall, raising the bulk material level in the bag and inclining the bottom of the bag, while pulling excess material away from a drain region of the bag. In another embodiment, the bag is made with half the initial number of layers folded in half to create the upper and lower plies and the non-fold edges are bonded. Where corner drain ports are used, the bag can be arranged so that an interlayer bond parallel to the fold is parallel to a diagonal of a tote in which the bag sits and so that the interlayer bond is opposite the drain port to enhance bag evacuation. An additional optional feature of the invention is the inclusion of an integral filling conduit or snout on the top of the bag, a mouth of which acts as a fill port to ease filling of the bag. Junctures can be created in the interply region to guide its inflation.

Abstract: A pillow bag is modified to include an air input port that allows inflation of an interply region of the bag. As the interply region inflates, an inner ply rises and becomes an advancing wall, raising the bulk material level in the bag, inclining the bottom of the bag, and pulling excess material away from the drain port all at the same time. In another embodiment, the pillow bag is made with half the initial number of layers folded in half to create the upper and lower plies and the non-fold edges are bonded. Where corner drain ports are used, the bag can be arranged so that an interlayer bond parallel to the fold is parallel to a diagonal of a tote in which the bag sits and so that the interlayer bond is opposite the drain port to enhance bag evacuation. An additional optional feature of the invention is the inclusion of an integral filling conduit or snout on the top of the bag, a mouth of which acts as a fill port to ease filling of the bag. The invention can also be applied to fitted bags.

Abstract: Layers of material are bonded together to include portions that yield an integral filling conduit or snout in a completed single or multiple-ply bag particularly useful in bag-in-box shipping containers. The layers are bonded to form the preferred shape of a trapezoid whose long base is parallel to and runs into the top of a rectangle, the bonds forming seams on the sides of the trapezoid and the sides and base of the rectangle. Alternatively, half the number of layers can be folded and bonded to yield the trapezoid/rectangle shape, in which case no base seal is required. The trapezoid's short base is the snout opening and, where necessary, interply bonds are formed around the opening circumference. The invention can also be formed with an evacuation enhancement system that uses an inflatable air chamber in an interply region to cause more of the bag contents to be discharged than would otherwise occur.

Abstract: An evacuator for a plastic bag containing viscous liquid within a rectangular, parallelepiped container having a drain positioned at a bottom edge region uses a windlass for drawing and winding an evacuated upper region of the bag to a region above the drain. A bag wall region diagonally opposite the drain is gripped, preferably with a noose; and a windlass positioned on the walls of the container above the drain draws the gripped region of the bag across the top of the container and then winds the evacuated upper regions of the bag onto the windlass to funnel the viscous liquid toward the drain in lower, unevacuated regions of the bag.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced resin wall of a collapsible shipping container large enough and strong enough for shipping about 300 gallons of liquid is made by compression molding a laminate formed of a glass fiber mat sandwiched between resin webs. This material is arranged in a central region of a compression mold cavity for a wall of the container so that the flow of material during compression molding runs laterally from a central region to side edge regions of the molded wall. Horizontal corrugations extend in the same direction as the lateral flow of material and are not intersected by any transverse ribs so that the flow along the horizontal corrugations is not deviated from the lateral direction. This laterally orients the fibers and optimizes the strength of the wall in the horizontal direction, which is important for bulk shipping requirements.

Abstract: A collapsible container for making and transporting cheese is made with four interlocking wall panels. Each of the panels is molded from a resin material with ribbed construction and with locking elements for engaging adjacent panels. The locking elements provide mechanical interlocks against relative movements of the panels along two axes that extend normal to the panels and frictional interlocks against relative movements of the panels along a third axis that extends normal to the other two axes. The mechanical interlocks also transmit a preload torque that resists angular diverging movements between the panels about the third axis. The preload torque bows the panels toward an interior space of the container before the container is filled with cheese.