Stackable and forklift positionable bulk bags

Abstract

A bulk bag includes a side wall, a bottom wall, and plurality of vertically extending pockets secured to the side wall and positioned at equally spaced locations around the periphery thereof. The pockets receive support members comprising hollow tubes which receive positioning cups at the lower ends thereof to facilitate the stacking of bulk bags one upon another. Spaced, parallel forklift tine receiving tunnels are located beneath the bottom wall and are secured either adhesively or by means of projections formed in the structure of the tunnels at spaced apart locations along the lengths thereof. The forklift tine receiving tunnels have either semicircular or inverted V-shaped cross sectional configurations.

1 . For use in conjunction with a bulk bag of the type comprising at least one side wall defining an exterior periphery and having a lower edge, a bottom wall secured to the lower edge of the side wall around the entire exterior periphery thereof, a plurality of nominally vertically extending pockets each secured to the side wall and located at equally spaced locations around the exterior periphery of the side wall, and a plurality of support members secured in the pockets for maintaining the bulk bag in an open configuration, the improvement comprising a plurality of positioning cups each secured to one of the support members at a location adjacent the bottom wall of the bulk bag for facilitating the stacking of bulk bags one upon the other.  
     
     
         2 . The improvement according to  claim 1  wherein each of the positioning cups comprises a downwardly facing cup portion and a tubular member extending upwardly therefrom, and wherein each of the support members comprises a hollow interior which receives the tubular member of one of the positioning cups therein.  
     
     
         3 . The improvement according to  claim 2  further including securing means for retaining the positioning cups in engagement with the support members.  
     
     
         4 . The improvement according to  claim 1  further including a pair of spaced, parallel forklift tine receiving tunnels extending under the bottom wall for facilitating the use of forklift trucks in lifting, transporting, positioning, and stacking the bulk bag.  
     
     
         5 . The improvement according to  claim 4  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has a semicircular cross sectional configuration.  
     
     
         6 . The improvement according to  claim 4  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has an inverted V-shaped cross sectional configuration.  
     
     
         7 . The improvement according to  claim 4  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels is adhesively secured to the bottom wall of the bulk bag.  
     
     
         8 . The improvement according to  claim 4  wherein each of the fork lift tine receiving tunnels has outwardly extending projections positioned at spaced apart locations along the length thereof for securing the forklift tine receiving tunnel against longitudinal movement when the bulk bag is filled.  
     
     
         9 . The improvement according to  claim 4  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has flanges located at the opposite ends thereof which extend adjacent to the side wall of the bulk bag.  
     
     
         10 . The improvement according to  claim 4  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has a bottom wall extending substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the bulk bag.  
     
     
         11 . A bulk bag comprising: 
 at least one side wall defining an exterior periphery and having a lower edge;    a bottom wall secured to the lower edge of the side wall around the entire exterior periphery thereof;    a plurality of nominally vertically extending pockets each secured to the side wall and located at equally spaced locations around the exterior periphery of the side wall;    a plurality of support members secured in the pockets for maintaining the bulk bag in an open configuration; and    a plurality of positioning cups each secured to one of the support members at a location adjacent the bottom wall of the bulk bag for facilitating the stacking of bulk bags one upon the other.    
     
     
         12 . The bulk bag according to  claim 11  wherein each of the positioning cups comprises a downwardly facing cup portion and a tubular member extending upwardly therefrom, and wherein each of the support members comprises a hollow interior which receives the tubular member of one of the positioning cups therein.  
     
     
         13 . The bulk bag according to  claim 12  further including securing means for retaining the positioning cups in engagement with the support members.  
     
     
         14 . The bulk bag according to  claim 11  further including a pair of spaced, parallel forklift tine receiving tunnels extending under the bottom wall for facilitating the use of forklift trucks in lifting, transporting, positioning, and stacking the bulk bag.  
     
     
         15 . The bulk bag according to  claim 14  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has a semicircular cross sectional configuration.  
     
     
         16 . The bulk bag according to  claim 14  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has an inverted V-shaped cross sectional configuration.  
     
     
         17 . The bulk bag according to  claim 14  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels is adhesively secured to the bottom wall of the bulk bag.  
     
     
         18 . The bulk bag according to  claim 14  wherein each of the fork lift tine receiving tunnels has outwardly extending projections positioned at spaced apart locations along the length thereof for securing the forklift tine receiving tunnel against longitudinal movement when the bulk bag is filled.  
     
     
         19 . The bulk bag according to  claim 14  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has flanges located at the opposite ends thereof which extend adjacent to the side wall of the bulk bag.  
     
     
         20 . The bulk bag according to  claim 14  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has a bottom wall extending substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the bulk bag.  
     
     
         21 . A bulk bag comprising: 
 at least one side wall defining an exterior periphery and having a lower edge;    a bottom wall secured to the lower edge of the side wall around the entire exterior periphery thereof;    a plurality of nominally vertically extending pockets each secured to the side wall and located at equally spaced locations around the exterior periphery of the side wall;    a plurality of support members secured in the pockets for maintaining the bulk bag in an open configuration; and    a pair of spaced, parallel forklift tine receiving tunnels extending under the bottom wall for facilitating the use of forklift trucks in lifting, transporting, positioning, and stacking the bulk bag.    
     
     
         22 . The bulk bag according to  claim 21  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has a semicircular cross sectional configuration.  
     
     
         23 . The bulk bag according to  claim 21  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has an inverted V-shaped cross sectional configuration.  
     
     
         24 . The bulk bag according to  claim 21  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels is adhesively secured to the bottom wall of the bulk bag.  
     
     
         25 . The bulk bag according to  claim 21  wherein each of the fork lift tine receiving tunnels has outwardly extending projections positioned at spaced apart locations along the length thereof for securing the forklift tine receiving tunnel against longitudinal movement when the bulk bag is filled.  
     
     
         26 . The bulk bag according to  claim 21  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has flanges located at the opposite ends thereof which extend adjacent to the side wall of the bulk bag.  
     
     
         27 . The bulk bag according to  claim 21  wherein each of the forklift tine receiving tunnels has a bottom wall extending substantially parallel to the bottom wall of the bulk bag.  
     
     
         28 . The bulk bag according to  claim 21  further including a plurality of positioning cups each secured to one of the support members that are located adjacent the bottom wall of the bulk bag for facilitating the stacking of bulk bags one upon the other.  
     
     
         29 . The bulk bag according to  claim 28  wherein each of the positioning cups comprises a downwardly facing cup portion and a tubular member extending upwardly therefrom, and wherein each of the support members comprises a hollow interior which receives the tubular member of one of the positioning cups therein.  
     
     
         30 . The bulk bag according to  claim 28  further including securing means for retaining the positioning cups in engagement with the support members.