DE20111561U1 - Containers for the transportation of goods - Google Patents

Description

SCHIFFKO GmbH Multifunctional engineering office as a maritime innovation center, Stubbenhuk 10, 20459 Hamburg

Containers for transporting goods Description bunq

The invention relates to a container for transporting goods with a substantially cuboid-shaped external structure, which comprises a base part, a ceiling part substantially parallel to the base part, two substantially parallel side parts and two substantially parallel front parts, wherein the container can be transferred into an empty transport position to reduce its empty transport volume.

A container for transporting goods of this type is known (DE-OS 40 00 854). Containers of this type are used as containers for transporting almost all goods, especially in shipping, i.e. both on cargo ships designed for container transport and on ships designed for general and bulk cargo transport.

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and cargo ships designed for themselves in the hold or as deck load. The generic containers, which are also generally referred to as containers, have a considerable dead weight, as they are usually made of steel, as they have to withstand the rough transport and stowage operations and therefore have to be sturdily constructed. They therefore pose a major problem in principle when transported on ships, but also on other means of transport, when these containers have to be transported with these means of transport, unloaded, i.e. empty. It is very often necessary to transport these containers empty, as there are often no suitable goods available at the destination of the goods that can be transported back with the containers, but the containers have to be transported back because they are needed as transport containers at other locations. Since the containers themselves represent a relatively expensive facility for storing goods for transport, it is not possible to increase the number of containers infinitely for economic reasons, i.e. to forego the immediate return transport of containers for which there is no corresponding goods available at the destination. For this reason, the containers have so far been returned empty from ships or other means of transport to the corresponding point of departure or destination, which is very disadvantageous because, for example, other goods, be they general cargo, bulk goods or other containers, cannot be picked up at other transshipment points that may be called at during the journey. The very high costs associated with this for the transport company are reflected on the one hand in the earnings of the transport company and on the other hand in an unavoidably long transport time for other goods, which is due to the

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Due to the circumstances set out above, the means of transport cannot be loaded because it is filled with other containers, even though the transport route would allow this.

The generic container mentioned at the beginning could in itself solve the problems listed above in a satisfactory manner, but it has turned out that the known container has not progressed beyond the experimental stage due to its very complex folding mechanism, because it has been shown that in particular the many hinge connections between the foldable individual parts of the container cannot withstand the rough transport conditions that occur during container operation, i.e. during transport, stowing, unloading and reloading, so that in many cases folding or transferring the container into an empty transport position with a smaller empty transport volume or into a transport position from an empty transport position was not possible due to the sensitive hinge parts jamming. A further disadvantage of the known foldable transport container is that it consists of a very large number of individual parts that have to be manufactured with high precision, so that such containers could only be manufactured at great expense.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to create a container of the type mentioned at the outset which is able to withstand the rough transport and handling operations which normally occur when transporting these containers by ship, rail or road, which is simple in construction and can be manufactured and provided as inexpensively as normal transport containers which cannot be changed in their volume, which can be

Handling devices or container loading devices can be transferred from its empty transport position with a small empty transport volume to its transport position and vice versa, and this transfer can be carried out with only minimal manual intervention by an operator, possibly only to support these processes.

The object is achieved according to the invention in that the container has four post elements, each positioned in the corners of the cuboid, the base part is non-positively connected to the lid part, which can be positioned essentially at right angles to the base part and the lid part in the transport position of the container and can be transferred to a position essentially parallel to the base part in order to assume the empty transport position of the container.

The advantage of the solution according to the invention is essentially that the construction according to the invention is relatively simple, as required by the task, and the construction elements of the container can be designed in such a way that they can actually withstand rough transport and handling operations. The large number of hinges and connections between the individual container parts, as are found in the generic container, could be avoided with the invention. In addition, the container according to the invention can be easily transferred from its empty transport position to its transport position and vice versa using standardized container handling devices, as are available almost everywhere or worldwide at the individual handling locations, without the need for manual intervention by operators, apart from a few assisting processes.

Thanks to the selected construction, the container according to the invention can be manufactured with almost the same investment volume as is to be expected for normal, standardized and non-collapsible containers. Finally, the construction proposed in the solution is selected in such a way that repairs can be carried out without a large infrastructure at the individual destinations where the containers are stored or handled if the collapsible mechanism and/or parts of the container have been damaged due to improper handling or external influences.

According to an advantageous design of the container, the post elements can be pivoted about an axis that is essentially parallel to the base, for example in the area of corner fittings arranged essentially at all lower corners of the cuboid. Corner fittings with standardized openings for the engagement of lashing devices and storage pieces of various types are usually present in all eight corners of containers. Containers or containers stacked on top of one another rest on the corner fittings with storage pieces in between. The corner fittings are therefore usually highly stable construction elements, so that it is extremely advantageous according to the invention to provide the folding axes for the post elements in these elements as well.

It is also advantageous that the post elements with their articulation points on the articulation areas of the cover part can be slidably accommodated in guides formed in the longitudinal edge areas of the cover part. A sliding joint is formed at the articulation points of the post elements on the cover part,

wherein when the container is folded or unfolded, the post element can slide back and forth in the guide.

The side parts of the container according to the invention preferably consist of two side elements that can be folded along a folding axis that runs essentially along the base part or the lid part, whereby the two associated side elements, which each form a side part, lie on top of one another in the manner of a folding wall when the container is folded up, and thus take up an extremely small volume of space. In addition, this construction is very simple to set up, since two side part elements of an identical design can form the respective side part of the container.

Preferably, the folding axis of the side elements is formed by a hinge element, which gives the side part elements additional mechanical strength among each other, whereby it is also possible to form the hinge element itself from an elastomeric, sealing material, so that in addition to the hinge effect, a sealing effect against external influences such as dust, water and other environmental contaminants is easily ensured. In principle, however, it is also possible to form plug connections on the side part elements in the area of the folding axis between the two side part elements, which ensure a suitable force-fitting engagement of the two side part elements.

Also advantageously, the side elements on the lid part and on the base part are each attached via a hinge element, whereby also for this hinge element

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the same design measures can be used as apply in connection with the hinge element described above between the two side elements.

The front parts of the container can be designed in any way, for example in the form of hinged doors such as those found on standard containers. However, it is particularly advantageous to design at least one front part with a closure in the manner of a rolling or folding door, which has the extraordinary advantage that the rolling or folding door can be accommodated in the lid part when the container is opened for loading or unloading goods. At the same time, this design measure makes it possible to facilitate the folding process of the container, since the rolling or folding door can be accommodated in the lid part for the folding process - and thus no provision has to be made for a storage space for the rolling or folding door.

The rolling or folding door can preferably be accommodated in a guided manner in the post elements and/or in the cover part, i.e. the cover part and the post elements are designed in such a way that they form guides for the rolling or folding door, so that separate guides are also not required, which means that, as desired, the simplest possible construction principles can be selected, so that a low weight of the container can be achieved with low manufacturing costs.

In another advantageous embodiment of the container, a recess in the post element extending in the longitudinal direction of the post element and inserted into the post element

A rod-shaped locking element is provided which can be folded in and out of the post element and which, when folded out, engages with the transverse side of the adjacent side part. This measure ensures in a simple way that when the container is unfolded, i.e. when it is used as intended for transporting goods, the side elements, which then span a common plane, are held laterally in a force-locking and form-locking manner. If the container is to be folded into its empty transport position, the locking element is brought out of engagement with the transverse end face of the side part, so that both side elements of the side part can then be folded over the hinge element or along the folding axis, as described above.

The rod-shaped locking element is preferably rotatable about a rotation axis arranged in the longitudinal direction of the post element for folding the locking element in and out, i.e. no separate fastening measures are required for the locking element in the post element, i.e. the locking element and the post element form a unit, which is also extremely advantageous for the process of folding the container together or unfolding the container, since no care needs to be taken for the storage of individual parts of the container. In principle, folding or snap locks, as are known today in truck operations, can also be used to lock the side wall elements.

The lid part is advantageously dimensioned in such a way that when both front parts of the container are provided with a rolling or folding door, both rolling or

Folding doors can be accommodated in the lid section. For containers that are shorter in length than the sum of the two end wall heights, the roller or folding doors are guided one above the other in the lid section.

The rolling or folding doors themselves can advantageously be releasably locked in the state in which the front part is closed, so that at least a largely similar, but in many cases superior, loading and unloading comfort of the container according to the invention is achieved, as is achievable as standard with standard containers that are not collapsible or foldable.

Preferably, in the container according to the invention, the previous design of containers made of heavy steel structures is at least partially abandoned, i.e. preferably the lid part is designed in the form of a lightweight sandwich construction, with thin metal sheets enclosing, for example, a PUR foam or a similar active substance.

The same preferably applies to the side parts, which are also designed in the form of a lightweight sandwich construction, with metal sheets also enclosing an intermediate layer, for example made of PUR foam.

Finally, the container preferably has coupling elements on its front sides and/or long sides, by means of which two or more than two containers can be detachably connected lengthwise and/or crosswise to one another. This means that containers can also be connected in the horizontal plane

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to form larger volume units both longitudinally and transversely.

When connected lengthwise, an FEU unit can be formed from two so-called TEU lengths. The two rolling or folding doors of the TEU containers on the connected end sections preferably remain in the open position or behind the cover section.

Coupling two containers in the transverse direction by omitting or simply removing the side panels on the connecting sides results in container interior dimensions that also allow the loading of specific pallet dimensions such as the Euro pallet.

Such container or bin packages can also be transported as a package. Appropriate coupling frames or coupling elements ensure that the new external dimensions of container packages again result in multiples of a standard grid or basic grid.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the following schematic drawings using an exemplary embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a container according to the invention, with construction details omitted for a better understanding of the invention,

Fig. 2 in detail a post element with adjacent side part, consisting of two

Side elements, in the opened position of the container (goods transport position),

Fig. 3 is a representation according to Fig. 2, but in which the container takes an intermediate step during the transfer to the empty transport position,

Fig. 4 is a representation according to Figures 2 and 3, but with the container in an empty transport position,

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged view of a section through a post element with an adjacent side part in the cutout, showing the mechanism for locking and unlocking the side part,

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged scale in section through a portion of a rolling door, the rolling door being lockable in the position shown in this figure,

Fig. 7 a detail in the side view of the front of the container with partially closed roller door,

Fig. 8 in a highly schematic form showing the lid part of the container in side view with rolling doors incorporated in the lid part and

Fig. 9 is a representation according to Fig. 8, in which the rolling doors have been moved from their position in the cover part into their closed position.

Reference is first made to the illustration of the container 10 in Fig. 1. The container 10, for transporting goods, has an essentially cuboid-shaped outer structure. The structure of the container 10 is in principle independent of its size, i.e. it can in principle be a 20' or a 40' container, as used internationally in transport traffic, but the container 10 can also have a different size in order to be adapted to certain means of transport in terms of its size, for example.

The container 10 has a base part 11, a lid part 12 and two essentially identical front parts 13, 14. In the cuboid corners 100, 101, 102 and 103, respective post elements 104, 105, 106 and 107 are provided, which run essentially at right angles to the base part 11 and lid part 12 when the container 10 is in the transport position, i.e. for receiving goods and products received in the container 10. So-called corner fittings 17 are arranged in the upper and lower corners of the cuboid corners 100, 101, 102 and 103, which, when it is a container 10 designed as a standard container, have openings into which container connecting elements, so-called twistlocks and the like, can be inserted in order to be able to connect the containers to one another when they are stacked on top of one another and to the base of a means of transport, for example a deck of a ship. These corner fittings 17 are also intended so that container barges specially designed for lifting and lowering can engage with their corresponding holding devices in the holes in the corner fitting openings and can raise and lower the container 10 for loading via the corner fittings 17.

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The two essentially identical side parts 15, 16 are each designed in two parts, i.e. the side part 15 consists of the side element 150, 151 and the side part 16 consists of the side element 160, 161. Both pairs of side elements 150, 151 and 160, 161 are essentially identical and are connected on their adjacent side via a hinge element 21, which forms the respective folding axis 152, 162, see Figures 2, 3 and 4. The cover part 13 and the base part 12 are essentially identical in terms of their size. The cover part 12 has a longitudinal edge 19 designed as a guide 20 on its long sides, see also Figures 2 to 4.

The base part 11 is designed similarly, i.e. it has

longitudinal beams 112, 113 on both sides of its longitudinal sides,

which, however, do not have a guide 20 like the upper longitudinal edge 19 of the cover part 12.

The post elements 104, 105, 106, 107, which force-fit the base part 11 to the cover part 12, are provided with an axis 18 in the area of the lower cuboid corners 100, 101, 102, 103, which is formed, for example, in the corner fittings 17 present there, in such a way that the post elements 104, 105, 106 and 107 can pivot about the axis 18 which is aligned essentially parallel to the base part 11, cf. Figures 2 to 4.

The post elements 104, 105, 106 and 107 are slidably displaceable at their articulation areas to the cover part 12 in the guides 20 formed in the longitudinal areas 19 of the cover part 12, starting from the orientation at right angles to the base part 11 and

to the lid part 12, as shown in Fig. 1, in such a position in which the post elements 104, 105, 106 and 107 lie flat on the base part 12, cf. Fig. 4, i.e. in such a position in which the container 10 has been transferred to the empty transport position in order to reduce its empty transport volume.

The side elements 150, 151 and 160, 161 are hinged to the cover part 12 and the base part 11 via respective hinge elements 22, 23, wherein these hinge elements 22, 23 can consist, for example, of an elastomeric material, but the hinge elements 22, 23 can also consist of conventional hinge elements.

The post elements 104, 105, 106, 107, one of which is shown as an example in cross-section in Fig. 5, not only have the task of serving as supports and supports in the cuboid corners 100, 101, 102, 103, but also form guides for the roller shutter 24, which can each form the front part 13 or 14. They also serve to accommodate a locking element 26 which passes through each post element 104, 105, 106 and 107 in the longitudinal direction 25. The locking element 26 is rotatable about a rotation axis 27 formed in the post element 104, 105, 106 and 107 axially to the longitudinal direction 25, see arrow 29, so that the rod-shaped locking element 26 can be transferred from a position in which it is accommodated in the post element 104, 105, 106 and 107 into a position lying outside the post element 104, 105, 106 and 107 and can thereby engage in an opening formed corresponding to the rod-shaped locking element 26 in the transverse end face 153 or 163 of the adjacent side part 15, 16 or the adjacent side elements 150, 151 or 160, 161 and in this external position the respective

Side part 15, 16 can be gripped with force. In this position, the container 10 is in the transport position for receiving goods and products.

When the locking element 26 is in a position pulled into or folded into the post element 104, 105, 106 and 107, the side parts 15, 16 or the side elements 150, 151 or 160, 161 can be folded in the direction of the arrow 30, see Figures 3 and 5, in order to lie on top of one another in the folded state as shown in Fig. 4.

As already mentioned, the front parts 13, 14 (see Figures 1 and 7, 8 and 9) are each closed off by a roller or folding door 24. The roller or folding door 24 can be of a conventional type, as is used in many areas in vehicles but also in stationary systems to close openings. The roller or folding door 24 is guided in the post elements 104, 105, 106 and 107 (see Figure 5), in the guides 28 formed there, and also in the cover part 12, as can be seen in particular in Figures 8 and 9. The roller door 24 can be moved in the direction of the arrow 31 to assume the closed position of the front part 14, 15 or to assume the open position of the front part 14, 15.

If the container 10 is to be transferred from its transport position for receiving goods and transported goods, as shown in Fig. 1, into its empty transport position and only takes up about 20% of its volume, cf. the partial illustration of the container 10, Fig. 4, the rolling doors 24 are first transferred to the position according to Fig. 8, in which the

both roller doors 24 are received essentially parallel to the cover part 12 in the latter or essentially adjacent to it. The loading gear held by means of a suitable crane or the like will then engage in the respective opening in the four upper corner fittings 17. The locking element 26 is then brought from its engagement position with the side parts 14, 15 into the disengagement position, see Fig. 5, in which the locking element 26 lies in the post elements 104, 105, 106 and 107. The post elements 104, 105, 106, 107 can then each be tilted, specifically about the axis 18, whereby the post elements 104, 105, 106 and 107 can slide along the guides 20 formed in the longitudinal regions 19 of the cover part 12, so that the positions of Fig. 2 via Fig. 3 can be passed through to the position according to Fig. 4. According to Fig. 4, the cover part 12 then rests on the base part 11 with a small distance. With the pivoting movement of the post elements 104, 105, 106 and 107, the side elements 15 and 16 are simultaneously folded around the axis 150, 160 between the respective side elements 150, 151 and 160, 161, so that in the empty transport position of the container 10 according to Fig. 4, the respective side elements 150, 151 and 160, 161 lie directly against one another or at a small distance from one another. In the position of Fig. 4, the container 10 only has an empty transport volume of less than 20% of its volume compared to that which it would have in the transport state for accommodating goods and products.

In order to transfer the container 10 from the state shown in Fig. 4 back into the transport state according to Figs. 1 and 2, the reverse path is carried out, as described above, in the reverse order of the steps listed above.

When a container 10 is loaded with goods and products, the roller doors 24 can be closed in the direction of arrow 31. The roller door 24 can then, in the closed position (see the partial illustration in Fig. 6), engage in a correspondingly designed opening in the lower cross members 110, 111, which extend between the two adjacent post elements 104, 105 and 106, 107, respectively, and be locked by a releasable locking device 32 and thus secured against unauthorized opening of the roller doors 24.

Reference symbol

10 containers

100 cuboid corner

101 cuboid corner

102 cuboid corner

103 cuboid corner

104 Post element

105 Post element

106 Post element

107 Post element

11 Base part

110 Cross beams

111 Cross member

112 Longitudinal beams

113 Longitudinal beams

12 Lid part

13 Front part

14 Front part

15 Side part

150 page element

151 Page Element

152 Folding axis

153 short side

16 Side part

160 page element

161 Page Element

162 Folding axis

163 short side

17 Corner fitting

18 Axis

19 Longitudinal edge area

20 Guide

21 Folding hinge element

22 Hinge element

23 Hinge element

24 Rolling door

25 Longitudinal direction (post element)

26 Locking element

27 Rotation axis

28 Guide (roller door)

29 Arrow (locking element pivoting)

30 Arrow (page element)

31 Arrow (rolling door)

32 Locking device

Claims (15)

1. Container ( 10 ) for transporting goods with a substantially cuboid-shaped outer structure, which comprises a base part ( 11 ), a lid part ( 12 ) which is substantially parallel to the base part ( 11 ), two substantially parallel side parts ( 15 , 16 ) and two substantially parallel front parts ( 13 , 14 ), wherein the container ( 10 ) can be transferred into an empty transport position in order to reduce its empty transport volume, characterized in that the container ( 10 ) has four post elements ( 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 ) which are positioned at the cuboid corners ( 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 ) and which connect the base part ( 11 ) to the lid part ( 12 ) in a force-fitting manner, which in the transport position of the container ( 10 ) are substantially can be positioned at right angles to the base part ( 11 ) and to the lid part ( 12 ) and can be transferred into a position substantially parallel to the base part ( 11 ) to assume the empty transport position of the container ( 10 ). 2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that the post elements ( 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 ) are pivotable about an axis ( 18 ) aligned substantially parallel to the base part ( 11 ) in the region of corner fittings ( 17 ) arranged in at least all lower cuboid corners ( 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 ). 3. Container according to one or both of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the post elements ( 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 ) can be received in a sliding manner at their articulation areas on the cover part ( 12 ) in guides ( 20 ) formed in the longitudinal direction ( 19 ) of the cover part ( 12 ). 4. Container according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the side part ( 15 , 16 ) consists of two side parts ( 150 , 151 ; 160 , 161 ) which can be folded over a folding axis ( 152 , 162 ) running essentially along the base part ( 11 ) or the lid part ( 12 ). 5. Container according to claim 4, characterized in that the folding axis ( 152 , 162 ) of the side elements ( 150 , 151 ; 160 , 161 ) is formed by a hinge element ( 21 ). 6. Container according to one or both of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the side elements ( 150 , 151 ; 160 , 161 ) are articulated to the lid part ( 12 ) and to the base part ( 11 ) via a hinge element ( 122 , 123 ). 7. Container according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one end part ( 13 , 14 ) is formed by a closure in the manner of a rolling or folding door ( 24 ). 8. Container according to claim 7, characterized in that the roller door ( 24 ) can be accommodated in a guided manner in the post elements ( 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 ) and/or in the cover part ( 12 ). 9. Container according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a rod-shaped locking element (26) is provided in the post element ( 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 ) which runs in the longitudinal direction ( 25 ) of the post element ( 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 ), can be folded into the post element ( 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 ) and can be folded out of the post element ( 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 ), and which , in the folded-out state, is in engagement with the transverse end face ( 153 ; 163 ) of the adjacent side part ( 15 , 16 ). 10. Container according to claim 9, characterized in that the rod-shaped locking element ( 26 ) is rotatable about a rotation axis ( 27 ) arranged in the longitudinal direction ( 25 ) of the post element ( 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 ) for folding in and out the locking element ( 26 ). 11. Container according to one or more of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the roller door ( 24 ) is guided in the lid part ( 12 ). 12. Container according to one or more of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the roller door ( 24 ) can be releasably locked in the state closing the front part ( 13 ; 14 ). 13. Container according to one or more of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that at least the lid part ( 12 ) is designed in the form of a lightweight sandwich construction. 14. Container according to one or more of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the side parts ( 13 , 14 ) are designed in the form of a lightweight sandwich construction. 15. Container according to one or more of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it has coupling elements on its end faces and/or longitudinal sides, by means of which a plurality of containers ( 10 ) can be detachably connected to one another lengthwise and/or transversely.