U.S. patent application number 14/368325 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-20 for freight container and methods of lifting a freight container.
The applicant listed for this patent is Nantong CIMC - Special Transportation Equipment Manufacture Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to James William Lawn.
Application Number | 20140339225 14/368325 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45755777 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140339225 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lawn; James William |
November 20, 2014 |
FREIGHT CONTAINER AND METHODS OF LIFTING A FREIGHT CONTAINER
Abstract
The present invention concerns a freight container. More
particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a
freight container with a length 45 ft or greater. A freight
container comprises a base, a first longitudinal side, a second
longitudinal side, and two end walls at opposite ends of the
freight container. A first pair of lifting points is located to the
first longitudinal side of the freight container and a second pair
of lifting points is located to the second longitudinal side of the
freight container. The first longitudinal side and second
longitudinal side are 45 ft or greater in length, and each pair of
lifting points is positioned inwardly spaced of the two end walls,
such that the lifting points of each pair are spaced no more than
33 ft apart from each other.
Inventors: |
Lawn; James William;
(Portskewett, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Nantong CIMC - Special Transportation Equipment Manufacture Co.,
Ltd. |
Nantong |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
45755777 |
Appl. No.: |
14/368325 |
Filed: |
December 20, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
December 20, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2012/053219 |
371 Date: |
June 24, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/1.5 ;
414/800 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 90/0033 20130101;
B65D 88/121 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/1.5 ;
414/800 |
International
Class: |
B65D 90/00 20060101
B65D090/00; B65D 88/12 20060101 B65D088/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 6, 2012 |
GB |
1200151.7 |
Claims
1. A freight container comprising a base, a first longitudinal
side, a second longitudinal side, two end walls at opposite ends of
the freight container, a first pair of lifting points located to
the first longitudinal side of the freight container and a second
pair of lifting points located to the second longitudinal side of
the freight container, wherein the first longitudinal side and
second 10 longitudinal side are 45 ft or greater in length, and
each pair of lifting points is positioned inwardly spaced of the
two end walls, such that the lifting points of each pair are spaced
no more than 33 ft apart from each other.
2. A freight container as claimed in claim 1, wherein each lifting
point is associated with a structural element extending from the
base of the container.
3. A freight container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting
points of each pair are equally spaced from the respective end
walls of the container.
4. A freight container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting
points of each pair are spaced approximately 30 ft apart from each
other.
5. A freight container as claimed in of claim 1, wherein the
lifting points of each pair are spaced approximately 20 ft apart
from each other.
6. A freight container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting
points are ISO twist-lock fittings.
7. A freight container as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one
of the first longitudinal side and second longitudinal side is
substantially open.
8. A freight container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a
roof, wherein the four lifting points 10 are integrated into the
roof.
9. A method of lifting a freight container, the freight container
with a length of 45 ft or greater, the method comprising the
following steps: engaging a lifting apparatus configured for
lifting 30 ft containers with lifting points located on said
freight container; and lifting the freight container using the
lifting apparatus.
10. A method of lifting a freight container, the freight container
with a length of 45 ft or greater, the method comprising the
following steps: engaging a lifting apparatus configured for
lifting 20 ft containers with lifting points located on said
freight container; and lifting the freight container using the
lifting apparatus.
11. (canceled)
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention concerns a freight container. More
particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a
freight container with a length 45 ft or greater.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Freight containers come in a number of a standard sizes,
commonly 20 ft, 40 ft, and 45 ft, and container handling apparatus
is designed such that such that they may lift these standard
containers by engaging load lifting apparatus with lifting points,
typically twist-lock lifting points, located at the corners of the
containers. In order to increase the load carrying capacity of a
container, larger freight containers may be provided, for example
48 ft, 51 ft, or 53 ft long. While such containers may provide
greater loading space than 40 ft and 45 ft containers, they may be
more difficult to handle. This may be because the lifting points
located at the corners of the containers are too fat apart to be
engaged by the usual load lifting apparatus designed to lift
shorter containers. Alternatively, or additionally, the base of the
container may have to be substantially strengthened to prevent
excessive bending of the container during lifting. Strengthening
the base of the container may make the container more expensive and
also increase the weight of the container.
[0003] The present invention seeks to mitigate the above-mentioned
problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A first aspect of the invention provides a freight container
comprising a base, a first longitudinal side, a second longitudinal
side, two end walls at opposite ends of the freight container, a
first pair of lifting points located to the first longitudinal side
of the freight container and a second pair of lifting points
located to the second longitudinal side of the freight container,
wherein the first longitudinal side and second longitudinal side
are 45 ft (13700 mm) or greater in length, and each pair of lifting
points is positioned inwardly spaced of the two end walls, such
that the lifting points of each pair are spaced no more than 33 ft
(10100 mm) apart from each other.
[0005] A freight container according to the first aspect of the
invention provides an over-length container that may be lifted
using standard lifting equipment. The longitudinal sides of the
freight container may be 45 ft (13700 mm), 48 ft (14630 mm), 51 ft
(15600 mm) or 53 ft (16150 mm). Providing the four lifting points
inwardly of the two end walls results in the stresses when lifting
the container being more evenly dispersed along the container than
if the four lifting points were located at the corners of the two
end walls. Such an arrangement may allow the base of the container
to be less heavily engineered than if the four lifting points were
located at the corners of the two end walls.
[0006] The freight container may have a width between 2438 mm and
2600 mm. The freight container may have a width of 2438 mm. The
freight container may have a width of 2550 mm. The freight
container may have a height between 2590 mm and 3500 mm. The
freight container may have a height such that, when the freight
container is placed on a road trailer, the height of the freight
container and road trailer does not exceed 4000 mm. The freight
container may have a height of approximately 2590 mm. The freight
container may have a height of approximately 2900 mm. The freight
container may have a height of approximately 3350 mm.
[0007] The location of the pairs of lifting points to respective
sides of the freight container may comprise the lifting points
being located at the very edges of the shipping container sides.
Alternatively, the pairs of lifting points may be located inside of
the edges of the shipping container sides.
[0008] Each lifting point may be associated with a structural
element extending from the base of the container. The structural
element may be directly aligned with and connected to the lifting
point in a vertical direction. The structural elements may transfer
at least a substantial portion of the lifting loads to the base of
the container. In an alternative embodiment, the lifting points may
be offset from the structural elements and joined to the structural
elements by a cantilever.
[0009] The lifting points of each pair may be equally spaced from
the respective end walls of the container. Such an arrangement will
improve the balance of the container during a lifting procedure. In
an alternative embodiment, there may be a degree of offset between
the lifting points of each pair, such that one pair of lifting
points is closer to the respective end wall than the other pair of
lifting points.
[0010] The lifting points of each pair may be spaced no more than
30 ft (9100 mm) apart from each other. When referring to the
spacing of the lifting points, measurements are to be taken from
the centre of each respective lifting point. The lifting points of
each pair may be spaced approximately 30 ft (9100 mm) apart from
each other. The centre to centre spacing of each pair of lifting
points may be 8918 mm. The lifting points of each pair may be
spaced such that standard lifting equipment for lifting 30 ft
containers may be engaged with the lifting points. The lifting
points of each pair may be spaced no more than 20 ft (6100 mm)
apart from each other. The lifting points of each pair may be
spaced approximately 20 ft (6100 mm) apart from each other. The
centre to centre spacing of each pair of lifting points may be 5853
mm. The lifting points of each pair may be spaced such that
standard lifting equipment for lifting 20 ft containers may be
engaged with the lifting points.
[0011] The lifting points may be ISO twist-lock fittings. The
lifting points may be substantially the same structurally as the
corner fittings by which freight containers may be conventionally
lifted, though the term corner fitting has not been used to avoid
confusion as the lifting points are not located at the corners of
the freight container. However, the skilled person will appreciate
that structurally the lifting points may correspond to a corner
fitting, despite the location of the lifting point. This structure
will allow the freight container to be handled by standard lifting
apparatus.
[0012] At least one of the first longitudinal side and second
longitudinal side may be substantially open or openable. The
freight container may be a curtain-sided freight container. The
freight container may comprise one or more side doors. The freight
container may comprise a plurality of bi-fold doors that, when
open, give a substantially open longitudinal side of the freight
container. A longitudinal side of the freight container may
comprise one or more sliding doors. In an alternative embodiment
the freight container may comprise closed sides.
[0013] The freight container may comprise a roof, wherein the four
lifting points are integrated into the roof. A lifting point on one
longitudinal side of the freight container may be structurally
connected to the corresponding lifting point on the opposite
longitudinal side of the freight container by a cross member. Such
an arrangement may improve the structural rigidity of the freight
container. The freight container may comprise a first longitudinal
side wall defining the first longitudinal side. The first pair of
lifting points may be structurally connected to the first
longitudinal side wall. The freight container may comprise a second
longitudinal side wall defining the second longitudinal side. The
second pair of lifting points may be structurally connected to the
second longitudinal side wall.
[0014] An additional aspect of the invention provides a method of
lifting a freight container, the freight container with a length of
45 ft or greater, the method comprising the following steps:
[0015] engaging a lifting apparatus configured for lifting 30 ft
containers with lifting points located on said freight container;
and
[0016] lifting the freight container using the lifting
apparatus.
[0017] An additional aspect of the invention provides a method of
lifting a freight container, the freight container with a length of
45 ft or greater, the method comprising the following steps:
[0018] engaging a lifting apparatus configured for lifting 20 ft
containers with lifting points located on said freight container;
and
[0019] lifting the freight container using the lifting
apparatus.
[0020] It will of course be appreciated that features described in
relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated
into other aspects of the present invention. For example, the
method of the invention may incorporate any of the features
described with reference to the apparatus of the invention and vice
versa.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described
by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic
drawings of which:
[0022] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a freight container according to
a first embodiment of the invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the freight container according
to the first embodiment of the invention; and
[0024] FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of the freight container
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a freight container 10 according to a
first embodiment of the invention. The freight container comprises
a base 12, a first longitudinal side 14 and second longitudinal
side 16, and two end walls 18, 20, at opposite ends of the
container 10. A pair of lifting points, 22, 24, are located to the
first longitudinal side 14 of the container 10 and a pair of
lifting points 26, 28, are located to the second longitudinal side
16 of the container 10. The lifting points are standard ISO
twist-lock fittings. Each of the lifting points 22, 24, 26, 28, is
located away from the end walls, 18, 20, of the container and
towards the longitudinal centre of the container. The container 10
further comprises a roof 30 into which each of the lifting points
22, 24, 26, 28, is integrated.
[0026] The container 10 is substantially open sided, also known as
a curtain sided container, such that the first longitudinal side 14
and second longitudinal side 16, is approximately open. FIGS. 1 and
3 show a cut-away of a curtain that may be used to close the sides
of the container 10.
[0027] Each lifting point 22, 24, 26, 28, is joined to a structural
element, with the side view of FIG. 1 showing the structural
elements 32 and 34, joined with the lifting points 26 and 28. The
structural elements 32 and 34 extend approximately perpendicularly
from the base 12 of the container 10 to the respective lifting
points 26 and 28. The structural elements 32 and 34 transfer the
lifting loads from the lifting points 26 and 28 to the base 12 of
the container 10. The corresponding members of each pair, 22 and
26, and 24 and 28, are also connected to each other by a transverse
beam 36, 38. The transverse beams 36, 38, also add stiffness and
strength to the container during a lifting procedure. The
corresponding members of each pair 22 and 26, and 24 and 28, are
located the same distance away from their respective end walls, 20,
18. Each member of the pairs is also located the same distance away
from their respective end wall, i.e. the lifting point 22 is
located the same distance from the end wall 20 as lifting point 24
is from end wall 18, The first longitudinal side and second
longitudinal side are approximately 51.35 ft (15650 mm) long. The
distance between the centre of lifting point 22 and the centre of
lifting point 24, and the centre of lifting point 26 and centre of
lifting point 28, is approximately 30 ft (8918 mm). That the
lifting points are "approximately 30 ft" apart from each other is
intended to encompass the lifting points being spaced such that the
freight container may be lifted with standard lifting equipment
configured for lifting 30 ft containers. The lifting points in this
embodiment will be approximately 10 ft away from the respective end
walls of the container. The freight container includes additional
structural elements 40, 42, to increase the strength of the
container during lifting. The freight container also includes a
plurality of standard ISO fittings, 44, in various locations
arranged to allow stacking/fixing of the container in a
conventional manner.
[0028] In the described embodiment, when the container is lifted,
substantially all of the vertical lifting force is transmitted via
the pairs of structural elements 32 and 34 to the base 12 and
applied to the base 12 where the elements 32 and 34 are connected
to the base 12. Since the connections are at a spacing of 30 ft
(8198 mm), the stresses in the middle of the base 12 of the
container 10 are reduced relative to those that would apply if the
container was lifted at its ends.
[0029] Whilst the present invention has been described and
illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be
appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the
invention lends itself to many different variations not
specifically illustrated herein.
[0030] Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are
mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents,
then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually
set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining
the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed
so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be
appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the
invention that are described as preferable, advantageous,
convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of
the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such
optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some
embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may
therefore be absent, in other embodiments.
* * * * *