초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a flexible, closed container with a bottom wall, a top wall and four side walls of a substantial rectangular configuration and made of a flexible plastic sheet material, said container comprising at least a first port, said bottom, top and side walls being provided b

The present invention relates to a flexible, closed container with a bottom wall, a top wall and four side walls of a substantial rectangular configuration and made of a flexible plastic sheet material, said container comprising at least a first port, said bottom, top and side walls being provided by four separate sheets which are joined together at their edges, wherein a first sheet forms said bottom wall, a second sheet forms said top wall and a third and a fourth sheet form a first and a second side wall at two opposite sides of the container, said four sheets each comprising in addition to the portions forming the bottom, top and first and second side walls integrally formed triangular or trapezoid shaped wall portions at opposite ends thereof, said triangular or trapezoid shaped wall portions form when joined together a third and a fourth side wall, respectively, wherein said bottom wall accommodates said first port in an off-center position. The inventive container requires minimal operator attention during set up and filling.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A flexible, closed container comprising a bottom wall, a top wall and four side walls of a substantial rectangular configuration and made of a flexible plastic sheet material, said container comprising at least a first port, said bottom, top and side walls being provided by four separate sheets w

1. A flexible, closed container comprising a bottom wall, a top wall and four side walls of a substantial rectangular configuration and made of a flexible plastic sheet material, said container comprising at least a first port, said bottom, top and side walls being provided by four separate sheets which are joined together at their edges, wherein a first sheet fully forms said bottom wall, a second sheet forms said top wall and a third and a fourth sheet form a first and a second side wall at two opposite sides of the container,said four sheets each comprising in addition to the portions forming the bottom, top and first and second side walls integrally formed triangular or trapezoid shaped wall portions at opposite ends thereof, said triangular or trapezoid shaped wall portions form when joined together a third and a fourth side wall, respectively, and wherein the first sheet fully forming the bottom wall has a flat face having first and second opposing edges joining the first and second side walls and opposing third and fourth edges each funning a base of triangular or trapezoid shaped wall portions at the opposite ends of the container, the flat face being free of seams between the first and second opposing edges of the bottom wall joining the first and second side walls, and free of seams between the opposing third and fourth edges of the flat face forming the bases of the triangular or trapezoid shaped wall portions at the opposite ends of the container;wherein said bottom wall accommodates said first port in an off-centre position; the port being manufactured from a plastic material compatible with the plastic material of the sheet material, wherein the port is bonded to the bottom wall,the container having an outer surface and further comprising a plastic supporting element attached to the container on the container's outer surface at the first port, the supporting element supporting a portion of the bottom wall of the container, wherein the supporting element comprises a recess and elastically deflectable legs and is attached to the container on its outer surface at the first port via a snap fit;wherein the first port has an end opening into the container, and the first port comprises, at the end opening into the container, a collar having a recess, an upper surface, a projection extending above the upper surface, and channels communicating with the recess. 2. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein said first port is located at a distance from an edge of said bottom wall corresponding to less than about half the height of the container. 3. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein said first port is located at a distance from an edge of said bottom wall corresponding to less than about one third of the height of the container in case the height of the container is larger than the depth of the container. 4. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein the container is laid flat, said first and the second side walls comprising fold lines at a position of about half height thereof; said first and said second side walls being folded inwards and said third and second side walls formed of the joined triangular or trapezoid shaped wall portions are folded outwards. 5. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein said first port is an outlet port and wherein said container comprises a further port as an inlet port, said inlet port being located at said top wall. 6. The flexible container of claim 1, wherein said sheet material forming the walls of the container is made of a multilayer plastic film. 7. The flexible container of claim 6, wherein the multilayer film comprises a first layer of a polyethylene material. 8. The flexible container of claim 7, wherein the multilayer film comprises a second layer of polyethylene material. 9. The flexible container of claim 6, wherein the multilayer film comprises a gas barrier layer. 10. The flexible container of claim 9, wherein the gas barrier layer constitutes a third layer and is interposed between a first and a second layer. 11. The flexible container of claim 9, wherein the gas barrier layer is made of an EVOH polymer material. 12. The flexible container of claim 6, wherein the multilayer sheet material has an inner most layer and said first port is made of a plastic material which is compatible with the inner most layer of the multilayer sheet material. 13. A set of a multiplicity of flexible containers according to claim 1, all containers of said set of containers having substantially identically sized bottom walls, but different holding volumes, said first ports of the individual containers of the set of containers being positioned in a substantially identical position of the bottom wall. 14. The flexible container of claim 12, wherein the inner most layer of the multilayer sheet material comprises polyethylene material, and the port is bonded to the inner most layer. 15. The flexible container of claim 14, wherein the multilayer sheet material further comprises an additional layer of polyethylene material. 16. A method of using a flexible container, the method comprising: placing the flexible container of claim 1 in a tote, the tote including a box shaped body with four side faces and a floor, the floor having a cut out in the form of a slot extending from an edge portion of the floor into the interior of the tote, the edge portion being part of an edge of the floor adjacent to a side face of the tote which comprises a door or a flap, wherein the floor of the tote has a slightly slanted configuration in the direction of the cut out which marks the lowest section of the floor, the cut out accommodating the supporting element and the first port at the bottom wall of the container, wherein the door or flap overlaps the edge portion of the floor which accommodates the cut out when the door or flap is in a closed position, andsliding the supporting element into the cut out. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising filling the container without disturbing positioning of the container within the tote. 18. A system comprising: the flexible container of claim 1, and a tote, the tote including a box shaped body with four side faces and a floor, the floor having a cut out in the form of a slot extending from an edge portion of the floor into the interior of the tote, the edge portion being part of an edge of the floor adjacent to a side face of the tote which comprises a door or a flap, wherein the floor of the tote has a slightly slanted configuration in the direction of the cut out which marks the lowest section of the floor, the cut out accommodating the supporting element and the first port at the bottom wall of the container, wherein the container is inserted in the tote with the support element in the cut out, wherein the door or flap overlaps the edge portion of the floor which accommodates the cut out when the door or flap is in a closed position. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein said supporting element includes parallel sides having chamfered faces, to cooperate with faces in the floor of the tote. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein said supporting element includes elements for providing an interference fit or force fit with the tote. 21. The system of claim 18, wherein the supporting element comprises a lower side with hooks, wherein the hooks are engageable with projections of the floor of the tote. 22. The system of claim 19, wherein the supporting element comprises a lower side with hooks, wherein the hooks are engageable with projections of the floor of the tote.