AU757623B2 - Modular freight container - Google Patents
Modular freight container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- AU757623B2 AU757623B2 AU31312/00A AU3131200A AU757623B2 AU 757623 B2 AU757623 B2 AU 757623B2 AU 31312/00 A AU31312/00 A AU 31312/00A AU 3131200 A AU3131200 A AU 3131200A AU 757623 B2 AU757623 B2 AU 757623B2
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- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- refrigeration unit
- container
- freight container
- inset
- box
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Description
r)fi P/00/011 Regulation 3.2
AUSTRALIA
Patents Act 1990
ORIGINAL
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Applicant: MODULAR FREIGHT CONTAINER FCL INTERSTATE TRANSPORT SERVICES PTY
LTD
The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 W:Nchris\work\complctrclintcrstate.doc 2 MODULAR FREIGHT CONTAINER This invention relates generally to modular freight containers, and more particularly to such freight containers for conveying perishable goods such as foodstuffs, the containers adapted to be mounted upon a railway flat car or wagon or the like.
Intermodal modular freight containers are very widely used in the transportation industry where different modes of transport (eg sea, air, road and railway) are used to ship the containers from one point to another. For example, cargo may initially be loaded into such a freight container at a factory, the container mounted on a truck chassis, the container carried over roads by the truck, transferred to a railway wagon bed for further transportation, and then transferred back onto a truck for conveying to a final destination such as a distribution warehouse. Such *oo 15 freight containers are usually secured to a truck chassis or railway wagon by means of twistlock mechanisms mounted on the chassis or flat car to engage complementary latching fittings on the bases of the containers.
oooo oooo Intermodal freight containers come in a variety of standard sizes. Industry standards, referred to as ISO standards, have been established for various dimensions of these freight containers, containers of length 20 feet (6.096m) and 40 feet (12.190m) being common sizes, whilst the 48 foot (14.630m) container is now becoming more widely used in Australia. These freight containers generally consist of a steel frame supporting corrugated steel walls to form a box-shaped housing defining an interior cargo receiving space, having a set of access doors at one end thereof.
When perishable goods such as foodstuffs need to be transported over long distances, some modification of the standard intermodal container is required.
For insulation purposes, lining is applied to the inside walls of the container to provide a cavity wall arrangement, and the resulting wall cavity space is then filled with curable insulation foam. For mechanical refrigeration, the container is fitted with a refrigeration unit, which can be provided either internally or externally of the W:krisnodeletemodulardoc container. The refrigeration unit is ideally self-powered, and comprises generally a diesel fuel tank, a diesel engine driving a compressor, and a cooling unit including an evaporator blower and a coolant circulation system. If the refrigeration unit is mounted within the container it occupies space that could otherwise be used for freight. If, on the other had, the refrigeration unit is mounted externally of the container, ie, on the outside of the container end wall, it extends the effective length of the container considerably. On a railway wagon of feet (18.286m), generally able to accommodate one 20 foot and one 40 foot container, say, the projection of an external refrigeration unit on the end of a foot container may rule out the loading of a 20 foot container, thus greatly increasing the cost of transporting the goods. If the container is mounted to the railway wagon such that the external refrigeration unit extends over the end of the wagon it can cause problems as the train corners, the lateral parts of a •refrigeration unit risking coming into contact with a neighbouring container or unit.
S It is an object of the present invention to address the existing problems in S. refrigerated freight containers, and to this end there is provided a modular freight container for the conveyance of goods to be refrigerated during transport, for cooperation with conventional container handling and locking equipment and apparatus, the container including an outer frame structure defined by a first and a second mutually opposed end stacking frame, each end stacking frame having two substantially vertical stacking posts and an upper and a lower transverse cross member, the end frames interconnected by longitudinal edge frame members such that the outer frame structure defines a box-shaped volume, this box-shaped volume enclosing an inner cargo-receiving space defined by a floor, a ceiling, two side walls and two end walls, a notional vertical centre plane passing longitudinally through the container substantially parallel to said side walls, the container having an opening for loading and unloading of goods, wherein an end wall is inset into said box-shaped volume with respect to the first stacking frame, and wherein a refrigeration unit is mountable on or adjacent to said inset end wall and a guard means is provided to at least partially protect the refrigeration unit against undesirable impacts, the refrigeration unit and the guard W:AchdisiodeteteVmodular.doc means projecting out of said box-shaped volume to a greater degree close to said notional vertical centre plane than in lateral regions spaced from said plane.
The invention therefore provides a refrigerated container having an external recessed end space for accommodating a refrigeration unit, the refrigeration unit and associated guard means presenting only a low profile projection beyond the outer plane of the end of the container, this projection positioned as far as possible around the vertical centre plane. This enables the containers to be used in association with standard railway wagons while ensuring no risk of interference by projecting parts of adjacent containers during cornering manoeuvres.
In respect of road freight, there are established guidelines/regulations relating to 0° the maximum permitted horizontal distance between the truck kingpin and the 0* most distant forward part of a container mounted on the truck chassis (generally o 15 its forward end stacking frame vertical stacking posts, ie the front corners of the container when seen in plan view), to avoid any interference as the truck corners.
Unlike any existing refrigerated containers, the invention allows that these guidelines/regulations are still adhered to without changing the position of the container on the truck chassis, as the refrigeration unit and its associated guard S 20 means, mounted on the forward end of the container in transit, may be arranged to extend no further from the kingpin than the corners of the container. Put in another way, when seen in plan view, the entire projection from the outer plane of the end of the container can be arranged within the notional arc of the circle centred on the kingpin position with a radius equal to the horizontal distance between the kingpin position and the front corners of the container.
Preferably, the refrigeration unit and/or the guard means has a substantially arcuate form when seen in plan view. For this purpose, the guard means may comprise at least one substantially arcuate rail member attached to the vertical stacking posts of said first end stacking frame. Such guard rail or rails are preferably selectively detachable to allow installation and removal of the refrigeration unit and components thereof.
W:chrisViodeleteVnodular doc In a preferred form of the invention, the refrigeration unit includes an assembly of a fuel tank, an engine, a compressor, an evaporator and a coolant circulation system, the parts of said assembly intended to project out of said box-shaped volume having an outer shaping presenting a substantially similar form when seen in plan view. A lower transverse cross member may be provided with projecting support elements to support the fuel tank.
The inset end wall is preferably provided with a selectively openable portion to allow access to at least part of the refrigeration unit from within the container.
This openable portion may be a hinged panel mounted to fold downwardly and inwardly.
.i Preferably, an air transport passage means associated with said inset end wall air S• is provided to draw air from an upper or a lower part of said cargo-receiving space and drive air into another part of said space. In a preferred embodiment, said air transport passage means is provided by a cavity wall construction of a part of the inset end wall.
In a preferred form of the invention, an additional lower transverse cross member is provided spanning two lower longitudinal edge frame members adjacent to the first end stacking frame to provide support for said inset wall.
In one embodiment of the invention, a refrigeration unit is included effective to refrigerate the cargo-receiving space of a conventional 48 foot (14.63m) container, said inset wall being inset by approximately 200mm from the first end stacking frame, and said refrigeration unit presenting a projection of no more than about 300 mm out of said box-shaped volume.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of adapting a conventional modular freight container for use in the conveyance of goods to be refrigerated during transport, the container including an outer frame structure defined by a first and a second mutually opposed end stacking frame, each end stacking frame having two substantially vertical stacking posts and an W:chrisodeleteVnmodulardoc 6 upper and a lower transverse cross member, the end stacking frames interconnected by longitudinal edge frame members such that the outer frame structure defines a box-shaped volume, this box-shaped volume enclosing an inner cargo-receiving space defined by a floor, a ceiling, two side walls and two end walls, a notional vertical centre plane passing longitudinally through the container substantially parallel to said side walls, the container having an opening for loading and unloading of goods, said method including the steps of: cutting out at least a part of the end wall associated with the first end stocking frame; fixing an end wall in a position inset into said box-shaped volume with respect to said first end stacking frame to define an external recessed end space; introducing a refrigeration unit in said external recessed end space mounted on or adjacent to said inset end wall; and S•providing a guard means to at least partially protect the refrigeration unit 15 against undesirable impacts such that the refrigeration unit and the guard means project out of said box-shaped volume to a greater degree close to said notional S.vertical centre plane than in lateral regions spaced from said plane.
The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompany drawings, in which: *Fig. 1 shows an intermodal container according to the invention, for use with a refrigeration unit; Fig. 2 shows in partial cutaway view a side elevation of the end of the container with a refrigeration unit installed; Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the container; Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of the end of the container through plane 4-4 of Fig.
3; and Figs 5a-c show various views of the modified end of a container according to the invention, before installation of the refrigeration unit.
The container of Fig. 1, generally indicated at 10, is a modified version of a conventional 48 foot intermodal container having a frame 11 of hollow tubular W:rchisVodetetemodular.doc steel members and corrugated steel walls 12 to define an elongated box-shaped housing defining an interior cargo-receiving space. The corner castings of frame 11 feature twistlock receiving recesses for locking container 10 to another container or to the bed of railway wagon or the like. Walls 12 are lined with an internal skin and cavity filled with insulating foam for transport of goods to be kept cool or refrigerated during transport. At one end 13 of container 10 hinged cargo access doors are provided (not shown). At the other end, an end wall 20 is recessed 200 mm into the container to define a recessed space external to the cargo-receiving space for receiving a refrigeration unit (described further below).
End wall 20 is made of galvanised sheet steel and features a large rectangular upper aperture 21 and a large rectangular lower panel section 22 hinged in such i a way that it may be selectively hinged inwardly downward when required for access purposes. Two steel arcuate rectangular profile refrigeration unit guard rails 24 are provided, fixed to side vertical corner post members 23 by welding, S 15 bolting or otherwise and braced by two vertical steel struts 25 as shown. Two removable steel arcuate rectangular profile fuel tank guard rails 26 are similarly provided, braced by three vertical steel struts 27. Two tank support brackets 28 are welded to lower end rail 29 to serve as fuel tank support brackets.
Fig. 2 illustrates more clearly how the refrigeration unit is installed. Fuel tank is mounted on and supported by support brackets 28, and arcuate guard rails 26 protect it from inadvertent impacts. Diesel engine 41 (including a compressor) is mounted above the fuel tank and also attached to the lower of the arcuate guard rails 24. Diesel engine 41 is readily accessible for maintenance purposes from the inside of container 10 by folding down hinged panel 22. The cooling unit 42, including an evaporator blower and a coolant circulation system, is mounted above the diesel engine as shown and also attached to the upper of the arcuate guard rails 24. The guard rails 24 protect the cooling unit from inadvertent impacts. The air outlet of cooling unit 42 blows cooled air in through the upper part of aperture 21. To ensure adequate cool air circulation within the cargoreceiving space, all or part of end wall 20 is a two-skin galvanised sheet steel construction allowing air movement in a vertical direction. The air inlet of cooling unit 42 is positioned such that air to the cooling unit is drawn from the bottom of W:ch1ishmdeleteVrodular.doc the cargo-receiving pace, up through the cavity provided by the construction of end wall 20, and into the cooling unit. Air is thus circulated out across the top of the pallets occupying the cargo-receiving space and back through the bottom space of these pallets, resulting in a good circulation of the cool air.
Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 illustrate further the constructional detail of container 10. A 200 mm transverse strip section of each of the steel top and bottom walls of the container is cut out. The top rail 30 of the unmodified container is cut out, and a larger profile rail is welded into place, set back 200mm from the original position.
The corner post members of the unmodified container are shown by broken lines as 31 in Fig. 4, and these are cut out and replaced by new profile corner posts 23 welded into place, as shown. Original bottom rail 29 is left in place to support fuel tank 40, whilst an additional steel rectangular profile rail 32 (Fig. set back from the end of the container floor by 200mm, is welded into place to provide support o 15 for repositioned end wall 20. All the modified steel components of the container are protected by painting or other form of coating once fixed into position. As disclosed above, guard rail sets 24 and 26 are removable by way of bolts, allowing them to be fastened in place once the refrigeration unit has been installed and also allowing removal for subsequent maintenance work.
The view of the container end before installation of the refrigeration unit, in Figs.
5a-5c, serve to illustrate in particular how hinged panel 22 may be folded down for access to the unit from the inside of container 10. Air to the cooling unit is drawn from the bottom of the cargo-receiving space, through aperture 33 (Fig.
5b), up through cavity 34 provided by the two-skin construction of end wall (Fig. 5c), and into cooling unit 42. In Fig. 5c hinged panel 22 is illustrated in its folded down position, whilst in Fig. 5b it is shown in its in-use closed position.
The refrigeration unit used by the inventor in tests was a ThermoKing SL300 (trade mark) slimline profiled unit with a four cylinder, liquid cooled direct injection diesel engine rated at 34.4 hp (25.7 kw) and a model X430 compressor using chlorine-free HFC refrigerant. The unit has a cross sectional shaping of generally segmental form, featuring an arcuate outer face which is accommodated within W:1zhdsdelete\moduar.doc 9 arcuate guard rails 24. A similarly shaped fuel tank 40 is used, sized to be accommodated within arcuate guard rails 26. Such a form, with in outer surface curved in plan view, ensures that the refrigeration unit projects from the end of the container only in the central portion thereof, thus avoiding any risk of interference between successive railway wagons when cornering. The recessing of wall uses only 200mm of the cargo-receiving space of container 10, and this volume of space has traditionally often been dead space in any case, due to the particular pallet sizes used in Australia in combination with ISO standard containers. The incorporation of the refrigeration unit and the modification of the container to accommodate it does not therefore reduce the pallet count Some of the dimensions of the embodiment of the invention described above and tested are shown in the drawings. The radii of curvature of guard rails 24 and 26 are, respectively, approximately 2305mm and 2915mm.
15 The container described above is a modification of a standard 48 foot intermodal container, but it is clear that the invention is equally applicable to other standard Ssizes of container. Equally the container may be manufactured as new according to the invention, rather than as a modification of a conventional container, to provide the same significant advantages.
The refrigeration unit described above is a diesel-powered one, but it is of course possible to carry out the invention with an alternative form of refrigeration unit.
For example, an electric motor can be used to drive the refrigeration compressor.
It should be understood that the above disclosure describes only preferred embodiments of the invention, and that various modifications, alterations and/or additions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
W:Mhrts'odeleternodular.doc
Claims (14)
1. A modular freight container for the conveyance of goods to be refrigerated during transport, for cooperation with conventional container handling and locking equipment and apparatus, the container including an outer frame structure defined by a first and a second mutually opposed end stacking frame, each end stacking frame having two substantially vertical stacking posts and an upper and a lower transverse cross member, the end frames interconnected by longitudinal edge frame members such that the outer frame structure defines a box-shaped volume, this box-shaped volume enclosing an inner cargo-receiving space defined by a floor, a ceiling, two side walls and two end walls, a notional vertical centre plane passing longitudinally through the container substantially parallel to said side walls, the container having an opening for loading and unloading of goods, wherein an end wall is inset into said box-shaped volume with respect to the first stacking frame, and wherein a refrigeration unit is mountable on or adjacent to said inset end wall and a guard means is provided to at least partially protect the refrigeration unit against undesirable impacts, the refrigeration unit and the guard means projecting out of said box-shaped volume to a greater degree close to said notional vertical centre plane than in lateral regions spaced from said plane.
2. A modular freight container according to claim 1, wherein the refrigeration unit and/or the guard means has a substantially arcuate form when seen in plan view.
3. A modular freight container according to claim 2, wherein the guard means includes at least one substantially arcuate rail member attached to the vertical stacking posts of said first end stacking frame.
4. A modular freight container according to claim 3, wherein said guard rail or rails are selectively detachable to allow installation and removal of the refrigeration unit and components thereof.
W:risnodeetemodular.doc 11 A modular freight container according to any preceding claim, wherein the refrigeration unit includes an assembly of a fuel tank, an engine, a compressor, an evaporator and a coolant circulation system, the parts of said assembly intended to project out of said box-shaped volume having an outer shaping presenting a substantially similar form when seen in plan view.
6. A modular freight container according to claim 5, including a lower transverse cross member provided with projecting support elements to support the fuel tank.
A modular freight container according to any preceding claim, wherein the inset end wall is provided with a selectively openable portion to allow access to at least part of the refrigeration unit from within the container. o
8. A modular freight container according to claim 7, the openable portion being a hinged panel mounted to fold downwardly and inwardly.
9. A modular freight container according to any preceding claim, wherein an air transport passage means associated with said inset end wall air is provided to draw air from an upper or a lower part of said cargo-receiving space and drive air into another part of said space.
A modular freight container according to claim 9, wherein said air transport passage means is provided by a cavity wall construction of a part of the inset end wall.
11. A modular freight container according to any preceding claim, wherein an Sadditional lower transverse cross member is provided spanning two lower longitudinal edge frame members adjacent to the first end stacking frame to provide support for said inset wall. W:chisdedetett oduIlar.doc 12
12. A modular freight container according to any preceding claim, including a refrigeration unit effective to refrigerate the cargo-receiving space of a conventional 48 foot (14.63m) container, said inset wall being inset by approximately 200mm from the first end stacking frame, and said refrigeration unit presenting a projection of no more than about 300 mm out of said box-shaped volume.
13. A method of adapting a conventional modular freight container for use in the conveyance of goods to be refrigerated during transport, the container including an outer frame structure defined by a first and a second mutually opposed end stacking frame, each end stacking frame having two substantially S.vertical stacking posts and an upper and a lower transverse cross member, the end stacking frames interconnected by longitudinal edge frame members such that the outer frame structure defines a box-shaped volume, this box-shaped volume enclosing an inner cargo-receiving space defined by a floor, a ceiling, two side walls and two end walls, a notional vertical centre plane passing longitudinally through the container substantially parallel to said side walls, the container having an opening for loading and unloading of goods, said method including the steps of: 20 cutting out at least a part of the end wall associated with the first end °ooo stocking frame; afixing an end wall in a position inset into said box-shaped volume with respect to said first end stacking frame to define an external recessed end space; introducing a refrigeration unit in said external recessed end space mounted on or adjacent to said inset end wall; and providing a guard means to at least partially protect the refrigeration unit against undesirable impacts such that the refrigeration unit and the guard means project out of said box-shaped volume to a greater degree close to said notional vertical centre plane than in lateral regions spaced from said plane.
14. A container substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. W:%cns\deodeteVnodlar.doc 13 A method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 3 May, 2000 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: FCL INTERSTATE TRANSPORT SERVICES P/L 0. 0 S. W:%chris~Xnde~ete~modudar.doc
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU31312/00A AU757623B2 (en) | 1999-05-03 | 2000-05-03 | Modular freight container |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUPQ0085A AUPQ008599A0 (en) | 1999-05-03 | 1999-05-03 | Modular freight container |
| AUPQ0085 | 1999-05-03 | ||
| AU31312/00A AU757623B2 (en) | 1999-05-03 | 2000-05-03 | Modular freight container |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| AU3131200A AU3131200A (en) | 2000-11-09 |
| AU757623B2 true AU757623B2 (en) | 2003-02-27 |
Family
ID=25621717
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU31312/00A Ceased AU757623B2 (en) | 1999-05-03 | 2000-05-03 | Modular freight container |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU757623B2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN203959038U (en) * | 2014-05-16 | 2014-11-26 | 单位45有限公司 | Extraordinary land route deep freezer |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2726255A1 (en) * | 1994-10-26 | 1996-05-03 | Pigeaud Philippe | Refrigerated chamber for air transport of perishable food |
-
2000
- 2000-05-03 AU AU31312/00A patent/AU757623B2/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2726255A1 (en) * | 1994-10-26 | 1996-05-03 | Pigeaud Philippe | Refrigerated chamber for air transport of perishable food |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU3131200A (en) | 2000-11-09 |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FGA | Letters patent sealed or granted (standard patent) |