GB2116148A - Inflatable partition - Google Patents

Abstract

A partition 1 offering a dividing wall for temporary and adjustable subdivision of a transport container or vehicle body has a rectangular structure formed by a flexible outer skin and flexible webs 3 joining opposing inner surfaces 4,5 of the skin. On inflation of the partition through valve, the partition 1 rigidifies with the webs 3 limiting expansion of the partition 1 perpendicular to its plane. The edges of the partition 1 are rounded and, on expansion, press against the walls of the container or vehicle body to seal the partition in place. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Partition The present invention relates to partitions for temporary and adjustable sub-division of a body used for cargo transportation. The body concerned is the interior of a road or other freight vehicle or freight container or the like.

In our UK Patent Application No.

2064440A we disclose a partition with a periphery formed by inflatable tubular portions and a central part formed by two flexible sheets. When the inflatable portions are expanded they form a rectangular structure which contacts the walls of the body in which the partition is being used. The sheet is stretched between the portions so that a barrier is formed between one part of the body and another. However, if the flexible tubes do not match closely the internal dimensions of the body in which the partition is being used the centre part of their length tends to bow away from the walls. This creates a gap between the partition and the wall, defeating the purpose of the partition.

The present invention seeks to overcome this problem, and yet provides a partition which preserves the advantages of ease of erection and dismantling, of collapsability to a small volume for storage, and of acting as an efficient thermal barrier when erected.

In essence the present invention proposes a partition with a continuous outer wall defining a space within it, and a plurality of webs extending across the space within the wall.

The partition is made entirely of flexible material. When the partition is inflated, by pumping air into the enclosed space in the wall, the partition expands but its expansion in one direction is limited by the webs running across the space. Thus the partition forms a rectangular volume, the whole of which is inflated, with the webs limiting expansion perpendicular to the plane of the rectangle.

It has been found according the present invention that the partition can adapt to a greater variation in the internal dimensions of the body which it is dividing, without gaps forming between the partition and the inner walls of the body.

The partition may be made entirely of polyurethane/nylon materials as these may be bonded using high frequency (r.f.) techniques.

In this way manufacturing costs may be kept low.

The webs may be provided to extend in only one direction of the plane of the partition, or webs may be provided in two mutually perpendicular directions. This latter arrangement is thought to limit convection currents within the interior of the partition.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a partition according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a section along the line X-X in Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a partition 1 is formed by one or more sheets of polyurethane/nylon material r.f.-welded at their edges to form a continuous skin with an internal cavity 2 (see Fig. 2) within it. The sheets of material forming the outer skin are shaped so that they form a substantially rectangular shape as seen in Fig. 1. Webs 3 are provided inside the skin and extending to join opposing internal surfaces 4 and 5 of the partition. These webs 3 may be arranged in one direction only (as shown in Fig. 1) or may be arranged in any direction, to create a network of webs within the partition.The network arrangement limits convection currents between the inner surfaces 4 and 6 of the partition, but has the difficulty that apertures must be provided in the web to ensure that air may reach all parts of the interior of partition 1. The webs do not extend the full length of the partition, but instead channels 6 and 7 are formed at two opposite ends. These channels 6 and 7 enable air to pass through out the partition.

The partition is inflated through an inlet valve 8 and the partition inflates. The webs 3 limit expnasion of the partition in a direction perpendicular to its plane so that the partition forms a rectangular sheet of thickness determined by the width of the webs 3. As can be seen from Fig. 2, the ends 110 and 11 of the partition and also the channels 6 and 7, are rounded and these round surfaces seal against the inner surfaces of the body which the partition is intended to divide and fix the partition in position. The result is that the partition has a quilted or rnattress-iike appearance due to the inflation pressure on the parts of the partition between the webs 3.

The partition may also be provided with a safety (pressure relief) valve 1 2 to prevent over-inflation of the partition 1. Handles 1 3 enable the partition to be moved when partly inflated.

Separate filler parts may be provided when the walls of the body are interrupted, for example by beams or corrugations.

Such a partition can accommodate variations in the internal dimensions of the body which it divides, and it has been found that a partition according to the present invention can accommodate 2 variation in dimension five times greater than the partition disclosed in UK 2064440A. The use of polyurethane/ nylon has the advantage that a smooth sur face is achieved, which can therefore be kept clean easily, and this feature is important when the partition is to divide a body contain ing foodstuffs. Polyurethane is preferable be cause it has a better bond to the nylon and it has a better low temperature flexibility than PVC.

Claims (6)

11. A partition offering a dividing wall for dividing the interior of a body of a freight container or road or other freight vehicle, the partition being a rectangular structure made substantially of flexible material with a continuous outer wall defining a space within it and a plurality of webs extending in the space to join opposing internal surfaces of the wall, inflation of the partition causing it to rigidify into

2 plane so that the external space has a cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of the body and the body limits expansion of the partition in its plane to hold the partition in the body, the webs limiting expansion of the partition in a direction perpendicular to its plane 2.A partition according to claim 1, wherein the webs extend parallel to the plane of the partition for a part only of the transverse clirnension of the partition.

3. A partition according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the partition has two sets of webs, the webs of each set extending parallel to each other in the plane of the partition, the webs of one set extending substantially perpendicularly to the webs of the other set.

4. A partition substantially as herein de scribed with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

5. A freight container, road or other freight vehicle having an enclosed body with a floor, side walls and a roof, which body is separated by a rectangular partition into compartments, the partition being removably positioned across the body intermediate along it length substantially to prevent air flow between the compartments, the partition being made substantially of flexible material with a continuous outer wall defining a space within it and a plurality of webs extending in the space to join opposing internal surfaces of the wall, inflation of the partition causing it to rigidify, into a plane so that the internal space has a cross-section corresponding to the crosssection of the body, the body limiting expan- sion of the partition in its plane, the webs limiting expansion of the partition in a direc tional perpendicular to its plane, the edges of the inflated partition pressing against the floor, side walls and roof of the body to hold the partition in place and forming a thermal barrier between the compartments.

6. A freight container, road or other freight vehicle according to claim 5 wherein the partition is fitted against spacer members on the floor, side walls and/or roof of the body, the spacer members offering on one face a substantially continuous contact surface with the partition and and on an opposite face having a shaped complementary to an interrupted surface of the body.