Carrier convertible from a sling carried vessel to a scoop and bag filler

[0002] The following invention relates generally to carriers that are convertible from a vessel to material handlers for filling bags. Particularly, the present invention relates to a container that is convertible from a sling type vessel to a scoop type filler for filling bags with fluent materials.

[0003] Devices to assist in the filling of fluent material, segmented material, particulate matter or the like into receptacles or containers have been known in the art for years. Common uses for such devices have included bagging grain or granuled material or segmented material from bulk lots into sacks for transporting to a destination.

[0004] Devices to carry a worker's tools to a work site have been in use and known in the art for many years. The worker removes the tools from the device and proceeds to work; sometimes utilizing a device, such as a bucket carrying tools. However, most the time the device is placed to the side while work is being undertaken. Thus, there is an underutilization of instrumentalities within the work environment. This leads to excess materials being transported to the work site and if the work site is at a remote location this can result in waste of resources and time which could result in loss of property or injury in an emergency situation.

[0005] Many early loading devices of the type described supra were concerned only with providing a device on which a bag or sack could be mounted in such a manner that the mouth or opening of the bag would be maintained in an extended or open position to receive the material from the bulk lot. Probably the most famous of these devices, used in a small scale environment, is U.S. Pat. No. 3,255,570, issued to Weiner on Jun. 14, 1966 and assigned to McDonalds's System, Inc. The device is the scoop that McDonald's restaurant employees use to fill french-fry orders. This device permits a uniform predetermined quantity of french-fries to be filled. However, this device when operated, produces a lot of waste because of the segmented material falling outside the bag when the device is lifted from the bulk lot of french-fries or the multiple number of times the device has to be inserted and lifted to fill a predetermined amount of french-fries for a standard bag or carton.

[0006] On a larger scale, the devices described supra contemplated a holding device operable by one person to position a sack or bag for receiving particulate or granular matter which was gathered and loaded by a second person employing a shovel, scoop or similar implement. In some instances, these devices were provided with projecting handles to facilitate manual gripping. And, sometimes these devices were provided with retainer means for temporarily holding or suspending a bag or sack. The problems with these types of devices is the requirement of two persons and the number of individual parts needed to make the device thus having a high cost of manufacture and a constant attention to check for and repair any damage.

[0007] Another class of bag loading device was directed toward operation of a single person rather than two people normally required with the conventional system of filling sacks or bags. These devices took the approach of combining a bag holding device with a scoop or shovel which could be manipulated by one person to gather and direct particulate or granular matter into a bag or sack mounted on the aforementioned device. These devices commonly had a portion of the structure shaped like a scoop or shovel which could be manipulated to gather and retain a quantity of particulate or granular matter and transfer it to the sack or bag mounted on the opposite end to the scoop or shovel. Normally, handles were positioned at two or more locations on the device to facilitate its manipulation for the gathering and bagging functions. Examples of such devices can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 571,513; 791,472; 1,167,782 and 1,182,412. Although these devices eliminate the extra worker to hold the bag, the problem of maintenance and repair and the high cost of manufacturing per unit did not offset any advantage achieved from the utilization of these devices.

[0008] The following prior art reflects the state of the art of which applicant is aware and is included herewith to discharge applicant's acknowledged duty to disclose relevant prior art. It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly nor render obvious when considered in any conceivable combination the nexus of the instant invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed.

[0009] The present invention incorporates a carrier convertible to a material handler for filling bags from a bulk lot of material. The front end of this unit is a scoop for gathering fluent, particulate, granular or loose material. The scoop is enclosed on its top by a hood that prevents spill out of any material when the present invention is raised into an upright position. The scoop tapers in longitudinal section into a flue. This tapering permits multiple units to nest into one another for storage purposes. The bottom side of the convertible carrier that leads to the scoop is flat for a distance prior to tapering into the flue in order to allow the scoop to act as a flat bottom shovel to shovel material against the ground, floor or flat surface or to have material swept into it like a dust pan. The flue ends at an opening and the opening is sized so that an industry-specific standard bag fits over the opening. The length of the flue is dimensioned so that, upon the bag being placed over the flue, a hand can grasp both the unit and bag easily. When grasped, the bag is tightened and secured to the device by the grasping hand. Other bags of different sizes can be accommodated by either gathering any slack with the gripping hand or making different size units. Above the hood are a pair of stanchions that have a handle traversing the pair. This handle allows for two-handed operation for heavy material, such as wet sand. The unit is sized such that the amount of material gathered from a single “scoop” would fill the bag to the appropriate level for the bag's particular purpose. Also, provided is a plug that when place in the flue inhibits material from passing through that flue. When the plug is placed adjacent the hood, a projection stores the plug out of the way during the bagging process and does not interfere with the flue opening.

[0010] The present invention also incorporates a process for using the unit of the present invention. The first step is to load a bag onto the unit and grip the bag and unit together as one. The next step is to scoop material into the unit. Then, the unit is lifted upright. Finally, the grasp on the bag is released and a new bag is loaded to repeat the process.

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide a single person system for filling containers with fluent material that would have required two people.

[0012] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system for filling containers that saves time, money and manpower.

[0013] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that increases yield of fluent material entering into a container when filling the container.

[0014] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system to mitigate back and hand trauma from filling containers.

[0015] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system that is easy to use.

[0016] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device that is durable.

[0017] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device that stores easily.

[0018] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device with a strap and a removable cap to permit the carrying of objects to a work site.

[0019] Viewed from a first vantage point, it is an object of the present invention to provide a convertible carrier comprising, in combination: a scoop converging to a chute; and a damper that regulates material in said chute.

[0020] Viewed from a second vantage point, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of filling at least one container with fluent material comprising the steps of: loading a container onto a chute; scooping the fluent material with a scoop diverging from the chute; and lifting the scoop by a handle attached thereto in order to pass the fluent material from the scoop, through the chute and into the container.

[0021] These and other objects will be made manifest when considering the following detailed specification when taken in conjunction with the appended drawing figures.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a side cut away view showing the two positions the cap can be placed when the device is in different modes of operation.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a section view showing utilization of the strap to carry the device.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a side cut away view showing the device ready for operation.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a side section view of the device in its operation mode.

[0026] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the device and bag.

[0027] FIG. 6 is a view showing multiple devices in a stacked position.

[0028] FIG. 7 is a front view without the straps for clarity.

[0029] FIG. 8 is a rear view without the straps for clarity.

[0030] FIG. 9 is a side view without the straps for clarity.

[0031] FIG. 10 is a top view without the straps for clarity.

[0032] FIG. 11 is a bottom view without the straps for clarity.

[0033] Considering the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the various drawing figures, reference numeral 10 is directed to the convertible carrier according to the present invention.

[0034] In its essence, the carrier 10 has a large inlet 70 and a smaller outlet 80. The outlet 80 can receive a bag 40 to act as a bag filler. Outlet 80 can be closed using a plug 8 to act as an open topped vessel. Strap 30 and elastic cable 34 facilitates use.

[0035] As seen in the figures, the convertible carrier 10 preferably is formed as a conduit converging from its inlet 70 to its outlet 80 with interior side walls that are smooth to reduce friction in order for material to slide without sticking to the interior sides. The convertible carrier 10 is preferably made from recyclable linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) by a roto-molded technology for resilience, uniform thickness, light weight, and one-piece strength. Also, the shape of the convertible carrier 10 permits self-stacking (FIG. 6) thus yielding minimal floor or wall space for off-season storage. FIG. 11 shows a hole H located on a bottom scoop side wall 2 adjacent outlet 80 to allow hanging on a wall.

[0036] Fluent material enters the convertible carrier 10 via inlet through scoop 2. Through a scooping motion (FIG. 4 arrow A) and then a raising up (arrow B) of the scoop 2, the fluent material 50 passes into a flue portion 6. Then the fluent material 50 is dispensed into a container 40 configured as a bag, see FIG. 4.

[0037] The scoop 2 defines one bottom side wall of a four walled construct which includes parallel side walls 5 and a hood 4 which serves as a platform for facilitating the single person operation for filling containers 40 and for the carry feature of the convertible carrier 10. The scoop 2 has a tapered “chisel” leading edge 2awhich slopes from its inner surface to the outer surface. Each side wall 5 has a leading edge 5awhich curves upwardly and rearwardly away from the chisel edge and towards the hood 4. Flue 6 includes a wall 7 which leads from switch back 12b. The cross-sectional area of the carrier's interior decreases from the inlet 70 to the outlet 80. Rising above hood 4 and integral with side walls 5 are two stanchions 22, that terminate at a predetermined length in order to provide a balanced ergonomic design. A handle 20 extends between the stanchions 22. The hood 4 melds into a projection 12 while the scoop 2 and side walls 5 converge into the flue 6. The projection 12 provides two salient features. The first feature utilizes the exterior portion of the projection 12 as a grip for a hand to grasp when the convertible carrier 10 is being used to fill containers 40 with the fluent material 50. See FIG. 5. In cooperation with the handle 20, the projection 12 provides a balanced ergonomic design that enables a user of the convertible carrier 10 to use good body mechanics (e.g., lower body leverage) when utilizing the convertible carrier 10 to fill containers 40. The second feature is the interior of projection 12 being a cavity 14 sized to accommodate a plug 8. See FIG. 1.

[0038] Plug 8 facilitates the conversion of the convertible carrier 10 between a vessel and a bag filler. Plug 8 is formed from the parting of the solid end of the convertible carrier 10 during the roto-mold process for manufacturing the convertible carrier 10 as shown in FIG. 1. As a result, plug 8 is able to be inserted into the flue 6 to inhibit materials from passing through the flue 6. This permits the convertible carrier 10 to be used as a carrier vessel for materials, such as tools, pliable bags, or sacks, that will become the containers 40 to be filled when the convertible carrier 10 is in use. When the convertible carrier 10 is being used as a means to fill containers 40 the plug 8 is placed within cavity 14 so that it is out of the way yet readily ascertainable in location and available in order to avoid loss of the plug 8. Moreover, with the plug 8 inserted into the flue 6, the convertible carrier 10 could be used to “bail out” fluid materials, such as water, or it could be used to move material from one lot to another lot.

[0039] The projection 12 has a finger hole 16 (or holes or an oval for several fingers) passing therethrough. Notice a tab 18 on plug 8. The tab 18 frictionally secures the plug 8 into the cavity 14 without having an entire bottom wall 9 of the plug 8 frictionally engage surface 12a. The plug 8 can be released from the cavity 14 by a user's finger(s) applying pressure on plug side wall 11 thus displacing the plug along arrow C.

[0040] The projection 12 and flue 6 meet at a switch back. Depression 15 of the switch back is defined by end wall 12b, adjacent surface 12 a and flue wall 7. The depression 15 is sized to accommodate a user's fingers in order to provide a firm grasp of the projection 12. The depression 15 also permits the user's fingers to anchor any container bag 40 to the flue 6 as shown in FIG. 4. In other words, a container bag 40 is mounted so that the bag mouth is over the flue 6 and a user's fingers would then grasp and if needed gather excess material of the container's 40 open end and wedge the container's 40 surplus material into the depression 15 in order to secure the container over the outlet 80 of convertible carrier 10.

[0041] Along the hood 4 and projection 12 are a plurality of guide holes for running three loops of material 24 therethrough. The guide holes define slots preferably 2″×¼″ to accommodate the strapping. Clearly dimensions may vary Attached to each loop of material 24 is a metal or plastic ring 26 that are used as points of attachment. Two “C” clasps 28 releasably secure strapping 30 onto the hood 4 and projection 12 at distal extremities.

[0042] Strapping 30 is adjustable in length via its strap adjuster 32. The strapping 30 is preferably wide and padded. Also as part of the strapping 30 there is elastic cabling 34. The cabling 34 and the strapping 30 allow two positions. The first position is as a hands-free, over the shoulder carrying pack. Here, the convertible carrier's 10 shape fits comfortably against the body, see FIG. 2. The second position is the “bagging” position, see FIG. 4. The strapping 30 is preferably wide and padded. Thus, in the scoop and filling container (bagging) position, the wide padded shoulder strap allows two hands to grasp the container 40 (bag) and provides relief from fatigue by supporting the unit, and encourages use of the legs. The unique elastic recoil action from the elastic cable 34 “energizes” the bagging motion. The strap 30 rests over the neck of the user and terminates in the resilient cabling 34 which has free ends attached to the strap ends and a medial portion connected to the hood 4 intermediate the distal connecting extremities. Thus, central location provides good balance and pivoting use whether one is left or right handed. When squatting and filling this scoop (arrow A, FIG. 4), then standing and rotating the device (arrow B, FIG. 4) the elastic cable helps lift the device higher when the elastic contracts. The device also benefits from hole 78 (FIG. 11) to allow storage thereat.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows multiple devices 10 in a “stacked” configuration. In essence the inlet 80 is inserted into the outlet 70, which provides for easy stacking and transporting of multiple devices.

[0044] Moreover, having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims.