Flexible freight bag and method of transferring cargo using the same

Abstract

A flexible freight bag includes a flexible base unit having first and second panel halves that are interconnected to form a flexible base panel, and a hanging strap assembly connected to the flexible base unit. The first and second panel halves have adjacent inner end portions that are fastened to each other to form a seam across the flexible base panel. A fastener unit is attached to the inner end portions of the first and second panel halves and is operable to be detached from at least one of the inner end portions so that the inner end portions are separable from each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flexible freight bag comprising:
 a flexible base unit including first and second panel halves that are interconnected to form a flexible base panel, said first and second panel halves having adjacent inner end portions that are fastened to each other to form a seam across said flexible base panel;   a hanging strap assembly connected to said flexible base unit; and   a fastener unit attached to said inner end portions of said first and second panel halves and being operable to be detached from at least one of said inner end portions so that said inner end portions are separable from each other.   
     
     
         2 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said fastener unit includes at least two fastener holes formed in said inner end portion of at least one of said first and second panel halves, and a fastening member threading through said fastener holes, said fastening member being removable from said fastener holes to unfasten said inner end portions of said first and second panel halves. 
     
     
         3 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein two said fastener holes are formed in said inner end portion of said second panel half, said fastening member being in the form of a cord that has a fixed section fixed to a bottom surface of said inner end portion of said first panel half and two cord sections extending from said fixed section and respectively passing through said fastener holes in said inner end portion of said second panel half and then tied into a knot, said inner end portions of said first and second panel halves being separable when said knot is untied. 
     
     
         4 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein one row of said fastener holes is formed in said inner end portion of each of said first and second panel halves. 
     
     
         5 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said fastening member is in the form of a cord that threads through said fastener holes in said inner end portions of said first and second panel halves, said inner end portions being separable when said cord is pulled out from said fastener holes. 
     
     
         6 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said fastening member is in the form of a rod that threads through said fastener holes in said inner end portions of said first and second panel halves, said inner end portions being separable when said rod is pulled out from said fastener holes. 
     
     
         7 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said fastener holes extend through said flexible base panel in a direction parallel to a thickness direction of said flexible base panel. 
     
     
         8 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said fastener holes extend through said flexible base panel in a direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of said flexible base panel. 
     
     
         9 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said fastener unit further includes a plurality of wear-resistant tubular sleeves respectively disposed in said fastener holes. 
     
     
         10 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said flexible base panel is rectangular, and said hanging strap assembly includes four hanging straps. 
     
     
         11 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said hanging straps are respectively connected to four corners of said flexible base panel. 
     
     
         12 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said hanging straps are respectively connected to four lateral edges of said flexible base panel. 
     
     
         13 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said flexible base unit further includes a plurality of reinforcing straps fixed to bottom surfaces of said first and second panel halves. 
     
     
         14 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a surrounding wall which includes two surrounding wall halves, each of said surrounding wall halves extending upwardly from an outer peripheral edge of a respective one of said first and second panel halves. 
     
     
         15 . The flexible freight bag as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said inner end portions of said first and second panel halves are overlapped with each other. 
     
     
         16 . A method of transferring cargo, comprising:
 lifting a flexible freight bag from a storage container using a lifting machine, the flexible freight bag being loaded with a cargo and including
 a flexible base unit including first and second panel halves that are interconnected to form a flexible base panel, the first and second panel halves having adjacent inner end portions that are fastened to each other to form a seam across the flexible base panel, 
 a hanging strap assembly connected to the flexible base unit, and 
 a fastener unit attached to the inner end portions of the first and second panel halves; 
   transporting the flexible freight bag from the storage container to a shipping container; and   detaching the fastener unit from the at least one of the inner end portions so as to separate the inner end portions and to permit falling of the cargo into the shipping container by gravity.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a worker or the machine is located at a position outside the range of the falling cargo when the step of detaching the fastener unit from the at least one of the inner end portions is performed. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the fastener unit includes at least two fastener holes formed in the inner end portion of at least one of the first and second panel halves, and a fastening member threading through the fastener holes, the fastening member being in the form of a cord that has two cord sections respectively passing through the fastener holes and then tied into a knot with two free end portions extending downwardly from the knot, the length of each of the free end portions being larger than a shortest distance between the knot and a lateral edge of the flexible base panel so that a worker or the machine can be located at a position outside the range of the falling cargo when performing the step of detaching the fastener unit from the at least one of the inner end portions, said inner end portions of said first and second panel halves being separable when the knot is untied. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the fastener unit includes one row of fastener holes formed in the inner end portion each of the first and second panel halves, and a fastening member threading through the fastener holes in the inner end portions of the first and second panel halves, said inner end portions being separable when the fastening member is pulled out from the fastener holes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the fastening member has two opposite ends each attached with a pull ring.