Collapsible drum with reinforced ends

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a collapsible drum for transporting materials. The present invention solves problems associated with reusing and efficiently transporting shipping containers designed for retaining bulk materials, including hazardous substances, and insuring reliable structural integrity with every use. The collapsible drum of the present invention is adapted for integration with standard handling equipment, and has a permanently secured, collapsible drum floor and fluted sidewalls that enable an operator to collapse and roll the empty drum into a compact tube. The collapsible drum provides one or more removable, ribbed disc-shaped inserts for reinforcing the drum floor and/or drum lid.

1 ) A collapsible drum for handling materials, the collapsible drum comprising:
 a) a plurality of vertical ribs for supporting the wall of the drum in an erected state, the plurality of vertical ribs being connected or disconnected along the circumferential plane of the drum;   b) a flexible skin covering the external surfaces of the vertical ribs;   c) a flexible drum floor permanently secured to the flexible skin covering the external surfaces of the ribs;   d) one or more lifting features secured to a pair of diametrically opposed vertical ribs thereby facilitating lifting of a loaded or partially loaded drum by drum handling equipment; and   e) one or more removable ribbed disc-shaped reinforcement inserts layered upon the inside surface of the flexible drum floor such that the planar surfaces of the one or more removable disc-shaped reinforcement inserts are parallel to the drum floor and such that the entire circumferential edge of each of the one or more ribbed disc-shaped reinforcement insert is adjacent the inner surface of the wall of the drum in an erected state.   
     
     
         2 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein the pair of diametrically opposed vertical ribs having one or more lifting features thereon have higher shear strength than the remainder of the plurality of vertical ribs. 
     
     
         3 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein at least a subset of the vertical ribs is connected along the circumferential plane of the drum and this subset of ribs is produced from rigid fiberboard scored to form the ribs. 
     
     
         4 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 3  wherein the rigid fiberboard is scored evenly from both sides and to the same depth on both sides so that the compressed portion of the fiberboard is centered between the inner and outer surfaces of vertical ribs. 
     
     
         5 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein at least a subset of the vertical ribs is connected along the circumferential plane of the drum and this subset of ribs is produced by extrusion. 
     
     
         6 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1 , wherein at least a subset of the vertical ribs is connected along the circumferential plane of the drum and this subset of ribs is produced by injection molding onto the flexible skin. 
     
     
         7 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein at least a subset of the vertical ribs is connected along the circumferential plane of the drum and this subset of ribs is produced by pressing a deformable rigid material. 
     
     
         8 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1 , further comprising an inner lamination layer disposed on the internal surfaces of the plurality of vertical ribs and overlapping the top edges and bottom edges of the plurality of vertical ribs to adhere to the external surfaces of the plurality of vertical ribs. 
     
     
         9 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 8  wherein the flexible skin covering the external surfaces of the vertical ribs overlaps the top edges of the plurality of vertical ribs to securely adhere to the inner lamination layer and extends beyond the bottom edges of the plurality of vertical panels to create a free-hanging bottom margin. 
     
     
         10 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 9  wherein the free-hanging bottom margin of the flexible skin covering the external surfaces of the vertical ribs folds inward along the radius of the drum to lie parallel to the flexible drum floor during mating. 
     
     
         11 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 10  wherein the flexible drum floor is permanently attached to the bottom margin by stitching the two layers together in a continuous circumferential loop in the plane of the flexible drum floor. 
     
     
         12 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 10  wherein the flexible drum floor is permanently attached to the bottom margin by welding the two layers together in a continuous circumferential loop in the plane of the flexible drum floor. 
     
     
         13 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 10  wherein the flexible drum floor further comprises at least two parallel layers and wherein the bottom margin of the flexible skin covering the external surfaces of the vertical ribs is sandwiched between the two parallel layers prior to mating. 
     
     
         14 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein the flexible drum floor is made of the same material as the flexible skin covering the external surfaces of the vertical ribs. 
     
     
         15 ) The collapsible container of  claim 1  wherein the flexible drum floor is manufactured from a non-rigid woven material with a low modulus of elasticity. 
     
     
         16 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein the flexible drum floor is manufactured from a material chosen from the group consisting of woven polyurethane, reinforced polyethylene, woven fiberglass, and polymeric material. 
     
     
         17 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein the inner lamination layer is manufactured from a material chosen from the group consisting of woven polyurethane, reinforced polyethylene, woven fiberglass, and polymeric material. 
     
     
         18 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein the flexible skin covering the external surfaces of the vertical ribs is manufactured from a material chosen from the group consisting of woven polyurethane, reinforced polyethylene, woven fiberglass and polymeric material. 
     
     
         19 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein the a plurality of vertical ribs are made from a material chosen from the group consisting of fiberboard, cardboard, high density polyethylene, wood, metal, composite and polymeric material 
     
     
         20 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1 , further comprising a retaining element secured to the inner surface of the flexible drum floor for retaining a disposable liner disposed within the containment cavity. 
     
     
         21 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 20  wherein the retaining element is Velcro® and a mating Velcro® portion is attached to an outer surface of the disposable liner. 
     
     
         22 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein the one or more ribbed disc-shaped reinforcement inserts further comprise an outer skin layer. 
     
     
         23 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 22  wherein the outer skin layer is adhered to the outer surfaces of the one or more disc-shaped reinforcement inserts. 
     
     
         24 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 22  wherein the outer skin layer is shrink wrapped around the one or more disc-shaped reinforcement inserts. 
     
     
         25 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 22  wherein the one or more disc-shaped reinforcement inserts are injection molded onto the outer skin layer. 
     
     
         26 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 22  wherein the outer skin layer is manufactured from a material chosen from the group consisting of woven polyurethane, reinforced polyethylene, woven fiberglass, and polymeric material. 
     
     
         27 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein at least a subset of the ribs of the one or more disc-shaped reinforcement inserts are parallel and connected, and wherein this subset of ribs is produced from rigid fiberboard scored to form the ribs. 
     
     
         28 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 27  wherein the rigid fiberboard is scored evenly from both sides and to the same depth on both sides so that the compressed portion of the fiberboard is centered between the top and bottom surfaces of the ribs. 
     
     
         29 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein at least a subset of the ribs of the one or more disc-shaped reinforcement inserts are parallel and connected, and wherein this subset of ribs is produced by extrusion. 
     
     
         30 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  wherein at least a subset of the ribs of the one or more disc-shaped reinforcement inserts are parallel and connected, and wherein this subset of ribs is produced by pressing a deformable rigid material. 
     
     
         31 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1 , further comprising two ribbed disc-shaped reinforcement inserts wherein the ribs on each insert are parallel. 
     
     
         32 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 31  wherein the two ribbed disc-shaped inserts are inserted into the drum such that the parallel ribs of one ribbed disc-shaped insert are aligned at an angle between 0 and 180 degrees relative to the parallel ribs of the other ribbed disc-shaped reinforcement insert. 
     
     
         33 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 31  wherein the two ribbed disc-shaped inserts are inserted into the drum such that the parallel ribs of one ribbed disc-shaped insert are aligned at an angle at or between 30 and 150 degrees relative to the parallel ribs of the other ribbed disc-shaped reinforcement insert. 
     
     
         34 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 31  wherein the two ribbed disc-shaped inserts are inserted into the drum such that the parallel ribs of one ribbed disc-shaped insert are aligned at an angle of 90 degrees relative to the parallel ribs of the other ribbed disc-shaped reinforcement insert. 
     
     
         35 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 1  further comprising an integrated lid attached to the collapsible drum and manufactured from a flexible material. 
     
     
         36 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 35  wherein the flexible material is a material chosen from the group consisting of woven polyurethane, reinforced polyethylene, woven fiberglass, and polymeric material. 
     
     
         37 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 35  further comprising a buckle closure extending between the integrated lid and the external surface of the collapsible drum. 
     
     
         38 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 35  further comprising Velcro® extending between the integrated lid and the external surface of the collapsible drum. 
     
     
         39 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 35  further comprising one or more snaps extending between the integrated lid and the external surface of the collapsible drum. 
     
     
         40 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 35  further comprising one or more ties extending between the integrated lid and the external surface of the collapsible drum. 
     
     
         41 ) The collapsible drum of  claim 35  further comprising a ribbed disc-shaped insert disposed on and parallel to an inside surface of the integrated lid.