AU613883B2 - A method and means for controlling temperature of transportation containers - Google Patents

Description

S F Ref: 44626 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATI 4

(ORIGINAL)

FJR OFFICE USE: Class Int Class C 4

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Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name and Address of Applicant: Address for Service: New Zealand Express Transport Christchurch Limited 41 Chapmans Road Christchurch NEW ZEALAND Spruson Fe-guson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: A Method and Means for Controlling Temperature of Transportation Containers The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5845/3 The invention relates to the transportation of frozen or chilled products and more particularly to a means for chilling or maintaining chilled transportation containers of the type used on aircraft and the like.

At present in the cargo handling industry it has been a problem to maintain the quality of some cargoes, for example, fresh fruit, vegetables, meats and fish after they have been stowed and before they are shipped overseas. This is a problem for transportation by both air and sea. Large .oe0 shipping containers of the type used at sea are often provided with refrigerating units which although acceptable ••go are not always appropriate and they have never, to the applicants' knowledge, been fitted to the lightweight shipping containers used on aircraft.

15 The lightweight aircraft containers are normally manufactured from aluminium to save weight and some of these containers are insulated and therefore can be used for shipping perishable frozen or chilled products. These known lightweight containers have in one side wall a loading door closable by an insulated door or cover. A disadvantage of such containers is that unless they are loaded in a cool store there is a major difference in temperature between the empty container itself and the already frozen or chilled products being shipped. This naturally can cause a 2b deterioration in the quality of the product. In practice as airline containers are not removed from the confines of airports, because they are readily damaged, it is extremely costly for shippers to maintain separate coolstores at 2 -3airports or to require double handling in emptying from refrigerated trucks at airports into airport containers.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein a self-contained means for chilling or maintaining chilled transportation containers, the means including a refrigeration unit associated with an insulated shroud member dimensioned and shaped to completely cover a door opening of a transportation container, the shroud member being rectangular in elevation and constructed from an insulated panel material mounted on a frame movably positionable in juxtaposition with the container so that a seal around the periphery of the shroud member contacts the periphery of the door Sopening, the refrigeration unit when operating controls the temperature of the interior of the shroud member and through the door opening the 15 interior of the container.

The frame for the shroud member can be mounted on dolly wheels or at a point above ground level so that an open mouth region of the shroud member is at a standard height above ground which corresponds to the standard height of a transportation containers door opening when the 20 container is mounted on a transportation dolly.

The shroud can be rectangular in elevation and constructued from an insulated panel material with insulation foam therein.

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figurei: shows a cross section through an example of a means incorporating the present invention; and Figure. 2: is a view in the direction of arrows II-II of the means shown in Figure 1.

The example of the invention will now be described with reference to the use of the invention for chilling or r.V ri a 0 c4 maintaining chilled, prior to and subsequent to loading, of an insulated aircraft container. It is envisaged that with minor modifications the invention can be used in other situations with other types of transportation or shipping 5 containers.

The outline of part of a standard container is indicated in section by arrow 1 in Figure 1. Such containers are manually handled on transport dollies or conveyor rollers. In the example the container 1 is shown 0L mounted on a dolly 2 the upper surface of which consists of a plurality of longitudinal rollers 3.

The means according to the invention is mounted on a wheeled sub-frame 4. Alternatively the sub-frame can include channels 5 to allow the sub-frame 4 to be moved by a .15 forklift. The sub-frame 4 supports a rectangular frame 6 the shape and size of which is the same as or slightly larger than that of the standard door or loading opening of the container i. The frame 6 supports a shroud member 7 which in the example is a box shaped member formed from insulated panels which are supported by metal frame members 8.

Alternatively (not shown) the rear wall 9 of the shroud member 7 can support the refrigeration unit. In the example a refrigeration unit is generally indicated by arrow 10 and is supported beneath cross members 16 of the frame 6.

The refrigeration unit consists of an evaporator 11, a circulating fan 12, a condensing unit 13, a compressor 14 and a power unit. The compressor unit and condensing unit are linked by pipes (not shown) to the evaporating unit 11.

The refrigeration unit if mounted on the rear wall can have its rear protected by a roll cage (not shown) which protects the refrigeration unit.

The refrigeration unit is controlled by a control panel 20. The shroud member 7 has around its open mouth 21 a rubber or the like seal 22 of any suitable form.

In use the container 1 or the means is moved so that they abut each other with the seal 22 contacting the door 0..0 opening of the container i. The container and means can be linked together by suitable ties or connectors (not shown) oooe to lock them together while the refrigeration unit is "00. operating.

The refrigeration unit which may be driven by an electric motor or petrol motor driven generator is run to chill or maintain chilled the interior of the container 1 to either maintain the conditions of products already loaded therein or to control the temperature of the container in preparation for loading. The control unit 20 for the Srefrigeration unit can be adapted to automatically defrost the unit to thereby maintain a required temperature within the interior of the container. The temperature within the unit is sensed by control sensors (not shown) in the shroud member 7.

In use when the unit is being used to control the temperature of small or half size containers a proportion of the shroud can be blanked off by providing vertical channels 23 in the top and bottom of the shroud 7. The channels 23 have partitions 24 fitted therein. The front edges of the I partitions 24 having seals which contact the side walls of the smaller standard openings of small air cargo containers.

Thus by this invention there is provided a method and means for controlling the temperature of transporting containers of the type used in aircraft and the like transportation.

Particular examples of the invention have been described herein by way of example and it is envisaged that improvements and modifications can take place without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

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Claims (7)

1. A self-contained means for chilling or maintaining chilled transportation containers, the means including a refrigeration unit associated with an insulated shroud member dimensioned and shaped to completely cover a door opening of a transportation container, the shroud member being rectangular in elevation and constructed from an insulated panel material mounted on a frame movably positionable in juxtaposition with the container so that a seal around the periphery of the shroud member contacts the periphery of the door opening, the refrigeration unit when operating controls the temperature of the interior of the shroud member and through the door opening the interior of the container.

2. A means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame for the shroud S member is mounted on dolly wheels or at a point above ground level so that an open mouth region of the shroud member is at a standard height S above ground which corresponds to the standard height of a transportation container's door opening when the container is mounted on a transportation dolly.

3. A means as claimed in claim 2 wherein the refrigeration unit is mounted on the frame supporting the shroud member.

4. A means as claimed in claim 2 wherein the refrigeration unit is mounted in the frame beneath the level of an opening of the shroud.

A means as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the shroud is rectangular in plan and section and is in the form of an open sided box dimensioned to the same size as a door opening of a transportat n container.

6. ans as claimed in claim 5 wherein the shroud is divided by demountable panels to decrea3e the size of the open sided box. S"

7. A means for chilling or maintaining chilled transportation containers substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this THIRTIETH day of MAY 1991 New Zealand Express Transport Christchurch Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON H 961 -Yr Q{A