U.S. patent application number 10/115155 was filed with the patent office on 2002-08-15 for stud for retaining insulating panels.
Invention is credited to Bernard, Pierre, Julien, Marc, Trottier, Carl.
Application Number | 20020108319 10/115155 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46279030 |
Filed Date | 2002-08-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020108319 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bernard, Pierre ; et
al. |
August 15, 2002 |
Stud for retaining insulating panels
Abstract
The retention stud is used to retain insulating panels in
upright condition. The retention stud comprises elongated first and
second spaced-apart side walls each defining in cross-section a
front end and a rear end; at least one transverse wall integrally
linking the first and second side walls spacedly from each other;
elongated spaced-apart first front and rear flanges attached to the
first side wall and extending away from the first and second side
walls, with the first front flange being located frontwardly of the
first rear flange along the first side wall; and elongated
spaced-apart second front and rear flanges attached to the second
side wall and extending away from the first and second side walls,
with the second front flange being located frontwardly of the
second rear flange along the second side wall. The first front and
rear flanges and the first side wall define a first opened side
channel for inserting the edge portion of a first insulating panel
therein. The second front and rear flanges and the second side wall
define a second opened side channel for inserting the edge portion
of a second insulating panel therein.
Inventors: |
Bernard, Pierre;
(Pierrefonds, CA) ; Trottier, Carl; (St-Thomas-d'
Aquin, CA) ; Julien, Marc; (Montreal, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LESPERANCE & MARTINEAU
1440 WEST
STE-CATHERINE ROOM 700
MONTREAL
QC
H3G1R8
CA
|
Family ID: |
46279030 |
Appl. No.: |
10/115155 |
Filed: |
March 29, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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10115155 |
Mar 29, 2002 |
|
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09664791 |
Sep 19, 2000 |
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6378252 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/79.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B61D 17/185 20130101;
B65D 90/00 20130101; B61C 17/04 20130101; B62D 33/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/79.1 |
International
Class: |
E04H 001/00; E04H
003/00; E04H 005/00; E04H 006/00; E04H 009/00; E04H 014/00 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A retention stud for retaining insulating panels in upright
condition, said stud comprising: elongated first and second
spaced-apart side walls each defining in cross-section a front end
and a rear end; at least one transverse wall integrally linking
said first and second side walls spacedly from each other;
elongated spaced-apart first front and rear flanges attached to
said first side wall and extending away from said first and second
side walls, with said first front flange being located frontwardly
of said first rear flange along said first side wall; and elongated
spaced-apart second front and rear flanges attached to said second
side wall and extending away from said first and second side walls,
with said second front flange being located frontwardly of said
second rear flange along said second side wall; wherein said first
front and rear flanges and said first side wall define a first
opened side channel for inserting the edge portion of a first
insulating panel therein, and said second front and rear flanges
and said second side wall define a second opened side channel for
inserting the edge portion of a second insulating panel
therein.
2. A retention stud for retaining insulating panels in upright
condition, said stud comprising: an elongated generally
cross-sectionally C-shaped main body having a pair of side walls
defining front and rear ends, a transverse wall integrally linking
said rear ends of said side walls, and an inner opened channel
between said side walls and frontwardly of said transverse wall; a
pair of elongated front flanges each attached at the front end of a
corresponding said side wall and extending away from said side
walls; and a pair of elongated rear flanges each attached at the
rear end of a corresponding said side wall and extending away from
said side walls; wherein each side wall together with its
corresponding front and rear flanges, forms a side opened channel
for receiving an insulating panel edge portion therein.
3. A retention stud as defined in claim 2, wherein said front
flanges further protrude in said inner opened channel.
4. A retention stud as defined in claim 2, wherein said main body
further comprises elongated reinforcement plates linking said side
walls and said transverse wall.
5. An insulating panel assembly comprising: a) a number of aligned,
acoustically insulating panels defining opposite first and second
side edge portions; and b) a number of parallel, spaced-apart,
elongated retention studs comprising: elongated first and second
spaced-apart side walls each defining in cross-section a front end
and a rear end; at least one transverse wall integrally linking
said first and second side walls; elongated spaced-apart first
front and rear flanges attached to said first side wall and
extending away from said first and second side walls, with said
first front flange being located frontwardly of said first rear
flange along said first side wall and with said first front and
rear flanges and said first side wall defining a first opened side
channel; and elongated spaced-apart second front and rear flanges
attached to said second side wall and extending away from said
first and second side walls, with said second front flange being
located frontwardly of said second rear flange along said second
side wall and with said second front and rear flanges and said
second side wall defining a second opened side channel; wherein
each said insulating panel is disposed between two corresponding
successive said retention studs, with said first side edge portion
of each said insulating panel engaging said first opened side
channel of one of said two corresponding successive said retention
studs, and with said second side edge portion of said insulating
panel engaging said second opened side channel of the other of said
two corresponding successive said retention studs.
6. An insulating panel assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein said
front flanges further protrude in said inner opened channel.
7. An insulating panel assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein said
transverse wall links the respective rear ends of said side
walls.
8. An insulating panel assembly as defined in claim 7, wherein said
main body further comprises reinforcement plates linking said side
walls and said transverse wall.
9. An acoustically insulated container for use in housing a power
generating motor assembly, said container comprising: i) a
container structure comprising a peripheral wall, a floor and a
ceiling for enclosing said power generating motor assembly; and ii)
an insulating panel assembly mounted spacedly adjacent a wall
portion of said peripheral wall so as to define an air gap between
said insulating panel assembly and said wall portion, said
insulating panel assembly being fixedly attached to said container
structure and comprising: a) a number of co-extensive, acoustically
insulating panels defining opposite first and second side edge
portions; and b) a number of upright, spaced-apart, elongated
retention studs each comprising: elongated first and second
spaced-apart side walls each defining in cross-section a front end
and a rear end and a frontwardly opened channel between said side
walls; at least one transverse wall integrally linking said first
and second side walls; elongated spaced-apart first front and rear
flanges attached to said first side wall and extending away from
said first and second side walls, with said first front flange
being located frontwardly of said first rear flange along said
first side wall and with said first front and rear flanges and said
first side wall defining a first opened side channel; and elongated
spaced-apart second front and rear flanges attached to said second
side wall and extending away from said first and second side walls,
with said second front flange being located frontwardly of said
second rear flange along said second side wall and with said second
front and rear flanges and said second side wall defining a second
opened side channel; wherein each said insulating panel is disposed
between two corresponding successive said retention studs with said
first side edge portion of said insulating panel engaging said
first opened side channel of one of said two corresponding
successive said retention studs, and with said second side edge
portion of said insulating panel engaging said second opened side
channel of the other of said two corresponding successive said
retention studs.
10. An acoustically insulated container as defined in claim 9,
wherein said insulating panel assembly further comprises a number
of horizontally disposed retention studs each fixedly attached to
the container structure and each comprising: elongated first and
second spaced-apart side walls each defining in cross-section a
front end and a rear end; at least one transverse wall integrally
linking said first and second side walls; and elongated
spaced-apart front and rear flanges attached to said first side
wall and extending away from said first and second side walls in a
generally upward direction, with said front flange being located
frontwardly of said rear flange along said first side wall and with
said front and rear flanges and said first side wall defining an
opened side channel; wherein said horizontally disposed retention
studs support said insulating panels which sit in said opened side
channel of said horizontally disposed retention studs.
11. An acoustically insulated container as defined in claim 10,
wherein each said upright retention stud and each said horizontally
disposed retention stud define an inner channel therein and each
also have inturned flange portions integrally fixed to
corresponding stud side walls and protruding inside said inner
channel, said upright retention studs being attached to a
corresponding said horizontally disposed retention stud by means of
attachment members which engage the respective inner channels of
said horizontally disposed retention studs and said upright
retention studs and which abut against said inturned flange
portions.
12. An acoustically insulated container as defined in claim 11,
wherein said insulating panel assembly further comprises a number
of horizontally disposed channel members each fixedly attached to
the container structure and located over and attached to
corresponding said upright retention studs.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE DATA
[0001] This is a Continuation-in-Part of co-pending U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/664,791 filed on Sep. 19, 2000, allowed on
Dec. 10, 2001 and naming the same inventors as the present
application.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to acoustic wall insulation,
and more particularly to a stud for retaining insulating panels,
especially adapted for acoustic insulating panels provided in
mobile power generator units.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] High output mobile power generator units are used to provide
electricity to electric grids which suffer from temporary power
failure, which do not have access to the usual power lines, or as a
fall-back option for electric grids to compensate temporary power
insufficiencies.
[0004] A conventional mobile power generator unit includes a mobile
container, usually in the form of a semi-trailer container which
can be hitched to a tow truck for carrying the mobile generator
unit. The mobile container carries in its inner chamber a power
generating motor assembly including a motor, a flywheel, a drive, a
radiator, a fuel tank, cooling fans, and other elements known in
the art. Openings are present in the walls of the container, for
example for providing fresh air intake ports for cooling the
radiator and for feeding air to the motor combustion chamber, and
for providing warm air outlet ports. Most, if not all, of the air
intake and air outlet openings are covered with acoustic louvers,
which allow the required air circulation, while preventing a
significant portion of the sound emitted by the power generating
motor assembly from exiting the container. The power generating
motor assembly being a very loud device, it is desirable to control
the sound emissions coming out of the container, especially when
the power generator unit is installed in a residential area.
[0005] To help reduce the sound levels outside of the container, it
is known to install acoustically insulating panels on the inner
walls of the container. The louvers are also acoustically
insulated, and thus sound emissions can be significantly
reduced.
[0006] However, the acoustically insulated panels for the container
walls have the disadvantage of being fragile, and difficult to
install. One example of a known acoustically insulated panel which
is used to insulate power generator unit container walls is a
semi-rigid panel comprising a first and a second foam layer
separated by a plastic sheet. The first foam layer is provided with
a glue film on its outer surface opposite the plastic sheet, and a
removable protective paper sheet is applied on the glue film to
prevent the foam layer from sticking to other objects before it is
installed. The second foam layer is provided with a perforated
fabric layer on its outer surface opposite the plastic sheet, which
acts as a protective layer for the underlying foam material. The
plastic sheet is preferably made of vinyl, while the foam layer is
preferably made of resin melamine foam sold under the registered
trademark Basotect by the company BASF PLASTICS.
[0007] To install such an acoustically insulated panel against a
wall of the power generator unit container, the protective paper
sheet is removed, and the panel is flatly abutted and pressed
against the container wall. The glue sets, and the insulated panel
then theoretically remains attached to the container wall.
[0008] A problem with the attachment of the panel to the wall, is
that it is difficult to keep the panel in a vertical position
against the wall before the glue sets. Indeed, applying pressure on
large insulated panels can be a complicated task. Moreover, the
Basotect foam panels are fragile, and thus concentrated pressure
points can damage the panel. Also, even if glue is used, the
insulated panel may be prone to accidentally being removed from the
container wall when the power generating motor assembly is moved
inside the container, e.g. when the motor is changed. Indeed, the
insulating panels are usually installed between spaced-apart
channel vertical studs provided along the container wall, and
although every effort is made to ensure that the insulating
acoustic panel will be flatly attached to the wall, it is likely
that the side edge portions of some panels will protrude slightly
beyond the studs. When the machinery located inside the container
is moved about, it may accidentally catch the protruding side edge
portions of the insulating acoustic panels, thus possibly damaging
them or removing them from the container walls.
[0009] Also, the inner wall of many containers is corrugated, and
thus the panel is not applied against a continuous flat surface,
which reduces the area of adhesion of the panel.
[0010] Moreover, wires, tubing or other elements will be
advantageously installed between the insulating panels and the
container wall. In such a case, the insulating panels may not be
flatly applied against the container wall due to the obstructing
elements located therebetween. To circumvent this problem, the
wires will often pass within the vertically extending channelled
studs, but this increases the installation time, and may require
longer wires, since they cannot simply be positioned for example
diagonally behind the insulating panel.
[0011] Finally, the channelled studs, since they abut against the
container wall, may cause vibration-induced sounds, which is not
desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention relates to a retention stud for
retaining insulating panels in upright condition, said stud
comprising:
[0013] elongated first and second spaced-apart side walls each
defining in cross-section a front end and a rear end;
[0014] at least one transverse wall integrally linking said first
and second side walls spacedly from each other;
[0015] elongated spaced-apart first front and rear flanges attached
to said first side wall and extending away from said first and
second side walls, with said first front flange being located
frontwardly of said first rear flange along said first side wall;
and
[0016] elongated spaced-apart second front and rear flanges
attached to said second side wall and extending away from said
first and second side walls, with said second front flange being
located frontwardly of said second rear flange along said second
side wall;
[0017] wherein said first front and rear flanges and said first
side wall define a first opened side channel for inserting the edge
portion of a first insulating panel therein, and said second front
and rear flanges and said second side wall define a second opened
side channel for inserting the edge portion of a second insulating
panel therein.
[0018] The invention also relates to a retention stud for retaining
insulating panels in upright condition, said stud comprising:
[0019] an elongated generally cross-sectionally C-shaped main body
having a pair of side walls defining front and rear ends, a
transverse wall integrally linking said rear ends of said side
walls, and an inner opened channel between said side walls and
frontwardly of said transverse wall;
[0020] a pair of elongated front flanges each attached at the front
end of a corresponding said side wall and extending away from said
side walls; and
[0021] a pair of elongated rear flanges each attached at the rear
end of a corresponding said side wall and extending away from said
side walls;
[0022] wherein each side wall together with its corresponding front
and rear flanges, forms a side opened channel for receiving an
insulating panel edge portion therein.
[0023] In one embodiment, said front flanges further protrude in
said inner opened channel.
[0024] In one embodiment, said main body further comprises
elongated reinforcement plates linking said side walls and said
transverse wall.
[0025] The present invention also relates to an insulating panel
assembly comprising:
[0026] a) a number of aligned, acoustically insulating panels
defining opposite first and second side edge portions; and
[0027] b) a number of parallel, spaced-apart, elongated retention
studs comprising:
[0028] elongated first and second spaced-apart side walls each
defining in cross-section a front end and a rear end;
[0029] at least one transverse wall integrally linking said first
and second side walls;
[0030] elongated spaced-apart first front and rear flanges attached
to said first side wall and extending away from said first and
second side walls, with said first front flange being located
frontwardly of said first rear flange along said first side wall
and with said first front and rear flanges and said first side wall
defining a first opened side channel; and
[0031] elongated spaced-apart second front and rear flanges
attached to said second side wall and extending away from said
first and second side walls, with said second front flange being
located frontwardly of said second rear flange along said second
side wall and with said second front and rear flanges and said
second side wall defining a second opened side channel;
[0032] wherein each said insulating panel is disposed between two
corresponding successive said retention studs, with said first side
edge portion of each said insulating panel engaging said first
opened side channel of one of said two corresponding successive
said retention studs, and with said second side edge portion of
said insulating panel engaging said second opened side channel of
the other of said two corresponding successive said retention
studs.
[0033] In one embodiment, said front flanges further protrude in
said inner opened channel.
[0034] In one embodiment, said transverse wall links the respective
rear ends of said side walls.
[0035] In one embodiment, said main body further comprises
reinforcement plates linking said side walls and said transverse
wall.
[0036] The invention further relates to an acoustically insulated
container for use in housing a power generating motor assembly,
said container comprising:
[0037] i) a container structure comprising a peripheral wall, a
floor and a ceiling for enclosing said power generating motor
assembly; and
[0038] ii) an insulating panel assembly mounted spacedly adjacent a
wall portion of said peripheral wall so as to define an air gap
between said insulating panel assembly and said wall portion, said
insulating panel assembly being fixedly attached to said container
structure and comprising:
[0039] a) a number of co-extensive, acoustically insulating panels
defining opposite first and second side edge portions; and
[0040] b) a number of upright, spaced-apart, elongated retention
studs each comprising:
[0041] elongated first and second spaced-apart side walls each
defining in cross-section a front end and a rear end and a
frontwardly opened channel between said side walls;
[0042] at least one transverse wall integrally linking said first
and second side walls;
[0043] elongated spaced-apart first front and rear flanges attached
to said first side wall and extending away from said first and
second side walls, with said first front flange being located
frontwardly of said first rear flange along said first side wall
and with said first front and rear flanges and said first side wall
defining a first opened side channel; and
[0044] elongated spaced-apart second front and rear flanges
attached to said second side wall and extending away from said
first and second side walls, with said second front flange being
located frontwardly of said second rear flange along said second
side wall and with said second front and rear flanges and said
second side wall defining a second opened side channel; wherein
each said insulating panel is disposed between two corresponding
successive said retention studs with said first side edge portion
of said insulating panel engaging said first opened side channel of
one of said two corresponding successive said retention studs, and
with said second side edge portion of said insulating panel
engaging said second opened side channel of the other of said two
corresponding successive said retention studs.
[0045] In one embodiment, said insulating panel assembly further
comprises a number of horizontally disposed retention studs each
fixedly attached to the container structure and each
comprising:
[0046] elongated first and second spaced-apart side walls each
defining in cross-section a front end and a rear end;
[0047] at least one transverse wall integrally linking said first
and second side walls; and
[0048] elongated spaced-apart front and rear flanges attached to
said first side wall and extending away from said first and second
side walls in a generally upward direction, with said front flange
being located frontwardly of said rear flange along said first side
wall and with said front and rear flanges and said first side wall
defining an opened side channel; wherein said horizontally disposed
retention studs support said insulating panels which sit in said
opened side channel of said horizontally disposed retention
studs.
[0049] In one embodiment, each said upright retention stud and each
said horizontally disposed retention stud define an inner channel
therein and each also have inturned flange portions integrally
fixed to corresponding stud side walls and protruding inside said
inner channel, said upright retention studs being attached to a
corresponding said horizontally disposed retention stud by means of
attachment members which engage the respective inner channels of
said horizontally disposed retention studs and said upright
retention studs and which abut against said inturned flange
portions.
[0050] In one embodiment, said insulating panel assembly further
comprises a number of horizontally disposed channel members each
fixedly attached to the container structure and located over and
attached to corresponding said upright retention studs.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0051] In the annexed drawings:
[0052] FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a mobile power generator
unit;
[0053] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the power generator unit of
FIG. 1, with the ceiling panel being removed for schematically
illustrating the interior of the container;
[0054] FIG. 3 is an enlarged cut-away perspective view of a
container portion of the power generator unit of FIGS. 1 and 2,
including an insulated wall portion, a ceiling portion and a floor
portion thereof;
[0055] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line
IV-IV of FIG. 3;
[0056] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side elevation of the lower end
of the container wall equipped with an insulating panel assembly,
together with a container floor portion;
[0057] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side elevation of the upper end
of the container wall portion equipped with an insulating panel
assembly, together with a container ceiling portion; and
[0058] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a retention
stud according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0059] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a mobile power generator unit 10
comprising a movable semi-trailer container 12 carried over ground
by a number of wheels 14 mounted by pairs to axles 16. A pivotable
front foot member 18 allows container 12 to be maintained in a
horizontal condition when it is motionless to operate as a power
generator, while a front hitch (not shown) allows releasable
attachment of container 12 to a tow truck for carrying container 12
when it is inoperative. Container 12 defines a reinforced floor 20;
a peripheral wall comprising first and second side walls 22, 24, a
front wall 26 and a rear wall 28 in the form of a pair of access
doors; and a ceiling 30.
[0060] A power generating motor assembly generally referred to by
numeral 32 is carried inside the inner chamber enclosed inside the
container 12, the power generating motor assembly comprising
conventional elements, among them a motor, a drive, a flywheel, a
cooling air fan assembly 34, and a radiator assembly 36. Fresh air
intake ports 38, 40, 42 are provided in the container side walls
22, 24, and a warm air outlet port (not shown) is provided on the
container ceiling 30 above cooling air fan assembly 34, with a trap
door (not shown) selectively closing the outlet port.
[0061] Acoustic louvers 44 are provided on fresh air intake ports
38, 40, 42 (only the louvers 44 covering intake port 38 are shown,
the others being concealed in the drawings).
[0062] Several maintenance or access doors or panels 46 are also
provided on container 12.
[0063] As shown in FIGS. 3-6, each one of the side wall panels 22,
24 of container 12, for example side wall panel 22, is made from a
corrugated sheet of metal 60 which is supported 10 by and attached
to a horizontally disposed cross-sectionally C-shaped beam 62.
Corrugated sheet 60 is attached at its top end to a horizontally
disposed tubular corner beam 64 which is integrally linked to the
container ceiling 30. C-shaped beam 62 is integrally linked to the
container floor 20.
[0064] FIGS. 3 and 4 show that a number of upright, flat,
semi-rigid, acoustically insulating panels 66 are provided along
the container peripheral wall, for example along side wall 22. Each
insulating panel 66 comprises a bottom edge portion 66a, a top edge
portion 66b, and first and second side edge portions 66c, 66d.
Insulating panels 66 are spaced apart and retained against tilting
away from their vertical position by vertical retention studs 68
which extend for substantially the whole height of insulating
panels 66 at each side edge portions 66c, 66d thereof, as detailed
hereinafter. Each insulating panel can be made for example of a
pair of foam layers separated by a plastic sheet, with a fabric
envelope covering the foam layers to help prevent the latter from
being damaged.
[0065] FIG. 7 shows that each retention stud 68 has a generally
C-shaped main body in cross-section comprising a transverse back
wall 70 and two side walls 72, 74. Side walls define in
cross-section front and rear ends. Three longitudinally extending
reinforcement plates 76, 78, 80, namely a transverse intermediate
plate 80 and two plates 76, 78 parallel to side walls 72, 74,
integrally link back wall 70 and side walls 72, 74. Side walls 72,
74 extend beyond the frontmost transverse intermediate plate 80,
defining an inner frontwardly opened channel 82. A pair of rear
flanges 84, 86, slightly elbowed, extend away from side walls 72,
74 at the rear end thereof, and a pair of front flanges 88, 90
extend away from side walls 72, 74 at the front end thereof. Front
flanges 88, 90 further have an inwardly hooked edge portion 88a,
90a that protrudes within channel 82, to allow attachment of
different elements to stud 68, as detailed hereinafter. Walls 70,
72, 74, reinforcement plates 76, 78, 80 and flanges 84, 86, 88, 90
are all integrally attached to one another to form a monolithic
stud 68.
[0066] In one alternate embodiment (not shown), none of the
reinforcement plates 76, 78, 80 is provided on stud 68.
Furthermore, a single transverse wall 70 or 80 could link side
walls 72, 74 at a desired position between the front and rear ends
of wide walls 72, 74. This single transverse wall would need to be
spaced from the front end of side walls 72, 74 for the frontwardly
opened channel 82 to exist.
[0067] Front and rear flanges 88 and 84, together with side wall
72, form a first side opened channel 92, and front and rear flanges
90 and 86, together with side wall 74, form a second side opened
channel 94. As shown in FIG. 3, insulating panels 66 are positioned
between two successive upright studs 68, with the panel side edges
66c, 66d being inserted in corresponding opened side channels 92,
94. Thus, panels 66 are retained by the studs front and rear
flanges 88, 90 and 84, 86 from tilting away from their vertical
positions. Also, the slightly elbowed shape of rear flanges 84, 86
provides slightly diverging opened side channels 92, 94, which
facilitates the insertion of panels 66 into a tight fit within
channels 92, 94, with the panel side edges being slightly squeezed
between the corresponding stud flanges for a secure engagement
therebetween.
[0068] FIGS. 3 and 5 further show that a horizontally disposed
lower retention stud 68', that is structurally identical to stud 68
and which includes primed reference numbers in the annexed
drawings, is attached (e.g. bolted) to an elbowed bracket plate 96
which is in turn attached (e.g. welded) to the side wall corrugated
sheet 60. The bottom edge portion 66a of each insulating panel 66
can thus be inserted into the upwardly facing opened side channel
94' formed between the corresponding first front and rear flanges
86', 90'.
[0069] According to one embodiment, lower retention stud 68' could
be devoid of any second front and rear flanges 84', 88'.
[0070] Each vertically extending stud 68 is also fixed at its lower
end portion to the lower retention stud 68'by means of vertical
fixing plates 98 that are bolted to the inwardly protruding
portions of the front flanges 88, 90 and 88', 90' of vertical stud
68 and horizontal stud 68'. More particularly, bolts 99 equipped
with rotatable attachment blocks that are engageable in channels 82
and 82' of vertical and horizontal studs 68 and 68' and that abut
against the inwardly protruding portion 88a, 90a and 88a', 90a' of
front flanges 88, 90 and 88', 90' are used to attach fixing plates
to both studs 68 and 68'. As shown in the drawings, vertical studs
68 further rest on the upwardly oriented front and rear flanges
86', 90' of horizontal stud 68'. Since rear flange 86' is slightly
longer than front flange 90', rear flange 86' can be slightly cut
where vertical stud 68 rests, to prevent vertical stud from being
frontwardly inclined.
[0071] According to an alternate embodiment, the front and rear
flanges of studs 68, 68' would have a same length.
[0072] Each vertically extending stud 68 is further fixed at its
upper end portion to a horizontally disposed cross-sectionally
C-shaped channel member 100 by means of vertical fixing plates 102
bolted to both channel member 100 and stud 68. More particularly,
additional bolts 99 equipped with rotatable attachment blocks that
are engageable in channels 82 and 82' of vertical stud 68 and
horizontal channel member 100 and that abut against the inwardly
protruding portion of front flanges 88, 90 and against inturned
flanges 103, 105 of channel member 100, are used to attach fixing
plates to both studs 68 and 68'. Channel member 100 is fixed (e.g.
welded) to an L-shaped bracket plate 104 which is in turn fixed
(e.g. welded) to the upper portion of the wall corrugated plate
60.
[0073] It is understood that other fixing means could be used to
secure the vertical retention studs 68 in their vertical position,
for example other suitable bracket members attached to the floor 20
and to the ceiling 30 to which the vertical retention studs 68
would be attached.
[0074] FIGS. 3 and 4 show that an electric relay box 106 (or any
other desired element necessary to the operation of the power
generating motor assembly 32) may be attached to the vertical
retention stud 68. Relay box 106 is attached by means of a
rotatable spring loaded attachment block 108 engaged in the channel
82 of stud 68 and to which box 106 is bolted. Attachment block 108
is retained against disengagement from channel 82 by its abutment
against the inwardly protruding portion of front flanges 88, 90 of
stud 68.
[0075] Generally, the opened channel 82 can be used to install
wires or other elongated elements therein, to install electric
relay boxes or other known elements which are advantageously
readily accessible inside container 12, and to attach studs 68 to
the upper horizontal channel member 100 and to the lower horizontal
stud 88' as detailed hereinabove. The inwardly protruding flange
portions 88a, 90a of front flanges 88, 90 are used in combination
with bolts equipped with attachment blocks to attach different
elements to studs 68.
[0076] According to one embodiment, studs 68 are not equipped with
inwardly protruding flange portions in their channel 82.
[0077] FIGS. 3 and 4 show that the insulating panels 66 are thus
retained by the retention studs 68 in the desired vertical
position, spacedly from side wall 22. This position is obtained
through the instrumentality of the pairs of spaced apart front and
rear flanges 88, 84 and 90, 86 which retain panels 66 on both its
front and rear surfaces. A gap 110 thus exists between panels 66
and wall 22. This gap 110 is desirable since it allows wires and
other elements to be installed between insulating panels 66 and
wall 22, and also since no vibrations can be transmitted between
studs 68 and wall 22, thus reducing the overall noise emissions
from container 12.
[0078] It is understood that throughout the present specification,
the front and rear ends and the front and rear flanges of the
retention stud side walls have been so called with reference to
their intended positioning in the container, i.e. the front flange
of the retention stud faces inside the container and the rear
flange of the retention stud faces in the opposite direction
towards the container side wall.
[0079] Any modifications to the present invention, which do not
deviate from the scope thereof, are considered to be included
therein.
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