Systems and methods for packaging and transporting bulk materials

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods for housing a bulk material within a flexible container are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes maintaining a flexible container in an expanded configuration to define an interior volume. A bulk material is conveyed into the interior volume of the expanded flexible container. The flexible container is then moved from the expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration, such that movement of the bulk material within the interior volume is limited.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 maintaining a flexible container in an expanded configuration to define an interior volume;   conveying a bulk material into the interior volume of the flexible container via an opening defined by the flexible container; and   moving the flexible container from the expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration such that movement of a first portion of the bulk material within the interior volume relative to a second portion of the bulk material within the interior volume is limited.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the maintaining includes conveying a gas from a volume outside the flexible container into the interior volume. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the maintaining includes removably coupling a portion of the flexible container to a rigid structure outside of the interior volume; and   the moving includes decoupling the portion of the flexible container from the rigid structure.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a portion of the flexible container is in contact with a rigid structure outside of the interior volume when the flexible container is in the expanded configuration; and   the portion of the flexible container is spaced apart from the rigid structure when the flexible container is in the collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the moving includes reducing a pressure within the interior volume. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the maintaining includes forming a magnetic coupling between a portion of the flexible container and a rigid structure disposed outside of the interior volume; and   the moving includes reducing a pressure within the interior volume such that a pressure differential between the interior volume and a volume outside of the interior volume is sufficient to overcome the magnetic coupling.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the flexible container has a first portion and a second portion;   the maintaining includes placing the first portion of the flexible container into contact with a rigid structure disposed outside of the interior volume; and   the moving includes reducing a pressure within the interior volume such that the first portion of the flexible container is spaced apart from the rigid structure,   the first portion configured to deform a first amount when the flexible container is moved from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration, the second portion configured to deform a second amount when the flexible container is moved from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration, the second amount different than the first amount.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the moving the flexible container from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration is performed such that the bulk material is in a substantially non-flowable state. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bulk material is at least one of a granular substance or a powdered substance, the bulk material forming a substantially solid block when the flexible container is in the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 forming a magnetic coupling between a portion of a flexible container and a rigid shipping container to define an interior volume within the flexible container;   conveying a bulk material into the interior volume of the flexible container; and   reducing a pressure within the interior volume such that a pressure differential between the interior volume and a volume outside of the interior volume is sufficient to overcome the magnetic coupling.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the reducing the pressure includes moving the flexible container from and expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration, that movement of a first portion of the bulk material within the interior volume relative to a second portion of the bulk material within the interior volume is limited when the flexible container is in the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the bulk material is at least one of a granular substance or a powdered substance, the bulk material forming a substantially solid block when the flexible container is in the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the flexible container includes a plurality of magnets. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the flexible container defines a plurality of sleeves, each of the plurality of sleeves containing a magnet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 coupling the container within the rigid shipping container via a non-magnetic coupling.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 coupling the container within the rigid shipping container via a tether, a first portion of the tether coupled to the flexible container, a second portion of the tether configured to be coupled to the rigid shipping container, a length of the tether configured to change when the container body and the cover are moved from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 contacting a magnetic portion of a flexible container to a side wall of a rigid shipping container to define an interior volume within the flexible container;   conveying a bulk material into the interior volume of the flexible container; and   moving the flexible container from an expanded configuration to a collapsed configuration such that the magnetic portion of the flexible container is spaced apart from the side wall.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the moving includes reducing a pressure within the interior volume such that a pressure differential between the interior volume and a volume outside of the interior volume is sufficient to move the magnetic portion of the flexible container apart from the side wall. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the bulk material is a powdered substance, the powdered substance forming a substantially solid block as a result of the moving.