GB2433066A

GB2433066A - ISO container accessory

Info

Publication number: GB2433066A
Application number: GB0524848A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Michael Walsh
Original assignee: Trelleborg CRP Ltd; CRP Group Ltd
Current assignee: CRP Subsea Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-06
Filing date: 2005-12-06
Publication date: 2007-06-13
Also published as: GB0524848D0; WO2007065851A1; GB2445718A; NO20082889L; GB0809618D0

Abstract

An accessory for attachment to a corner socket (20) of an ISO container has a planar base portion (10) whose upper surface engages the undersurface of a corner socket (20) of an ISO container and a lower surface upon which the device rests. The base portion may be secured to the corner socket (20) by means of an enlarged head portion (24) which passes through the aperture (18) in the base of the corner unit or by means of two enlarged heads (58, 60) which pass through the apertures in the exposed upstanding side walls of the corner unit (20). When an ISO container fitted with the safety devices is lowered onto a planar surface (e.g. an oil production platform) the likelihood of metal-to-metal contact, and therefore of damage, is reduced. The accessory may also be made from anti-spark material, in which case spark formation is also greatly reduced. The accessory may be made of resiliently deformable insulating material, such as a polyurethane elastomer.

Description

1 2433066

DESCRIPTION

ISO CONTAINER ACCESSORY

The present invention relates to accessories for ISO containers.

On oil and gas related platforms and structures, it is frequently necessary to deliver a wide range of goods, both for purposes of oil/gas exploration and production and also for the personnel operating the platform or structure. it is conmion practice for all such goods to be delivered in ISO containers for ease of loading and unloading and also to facilitate storage on the facility. ISO containers are cuboidal containers of standard dimensions having a standarised connection socket at each of its eight corners, by means of which the container can be retained or by means of which two or more containers may be secured together.

The normal means of securing is achieved by a well-known twistlock mechanism, which does not form part of the present invention.

The metal-to-metal contact when loading containers onto oil and gas facilities can cause considerable damage to the containers, resulting in a shorter useful lifespan and sometimes necessitating repairs to the containers. More significantly, loading of the containers can result in damage to the facility onto which the containers are loaded, which can require costly repairs in difficult conditions. in addition, many oil and gas facilities are manned round the clock in shifis and the noise caused by the metal-to-metal contact between the containers and the loading surface of the facility during loading and unloading can cause considerable disturbance to off-duty personnel, particularly those who are asleep.

In addition, one of the requirements on oil and gas related facilities is that spark formation should be kept to an absolute minimum or, preferably, eliminated completely, in view of the potential consequences of spark formation in an area where volatile substances are potentially present in the atmosphere. Indeed, some facilities have so called "Ex-zones" where no spark formation at all is permitted.

In order to minimise the likelihood of spark formation as a result of discharge of static electricity between ISO containers and the metal of the facility during loading and unloading, the parts of the facility which are intended to receive the ISO containers are painted with an electrically insulating, anti-static epoxy paint.

However, it is necessary for such coatings to be regularly maintained in order for the anti-static effect to be effective. Other solutions, for example, the use of a polyurethane "mattress" have been tried, but none has produced an entirely satisfactory result.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to reduce the occurrence of damage and noise arising upon loading and unloading of ISO containers, particularly (but not exclusively) with reference to oil and gas related facilities. It is a further object to reduce or eliminate the formation of sparks when ISO containers are used with metal structures, such as metal oil and gas production platforms.

In accordance with the present invention, an accessory for an ISO container comprises a base portion having an upper surface for abutment with the undersurface of a corner socket of an ISO container and a lower surface upon which the device rests and further comprises means for securing the base to a corner socket of an ISO container.

By fitting an accessory of the present invention to each of the four corner sockets on the base of an ISO container, lowering the container onto, or lifting the container away from, a flat metal surface such as an oil production platform eliminates metal-to-metal contact, and therefore reduces the likelihood of damage to the container and/or the surface on which the container rests. By making the accessory from appropriate material, the noise generated when the container is lowered onto a supporting surface can be reduced considerably.

Preferably, the base portion is generally planar and may conveniently be rectangular. The base portion may also conveniently comprise an upper flat face for abutment with the undersurface of a corner socket of an ISO container. The lower surface of the base may comprise a flat face. Alternatively, the lower surface may be patterned or profiled, e.g. ribbed, to improve grip.

Preferably, the accessory further comprises means for inhibiting or preventing spark formation. By fitting such an accessory to each of the four corner sockets of an ISO container, metal-to-metal contact is eliminated as the container is lowered onto, or lifted from, a flat metal surface such as an oil production platform and thereby greatly reduces the likelihood of spark formation.

The lower surface of the base material may comprise anti-spark material.

Alternatively, the entire outer surface of the accessory may comprise anti-spark material.

Preferably, the base portion is formed from anti-spark material. More preferably, the whole of the accessory is formed from anti-spark material.

The anti-spark material preferably comprises an insulating material.

The accessory is preferably resiliently deformable. This facilitates fitting the accessory onto a rigid corner socket of an ISO container.

Preferably, the accessory further comprises means for releasably securing the base unit to a corner unit of an ISO container.

Preferably, the securing means comprises engagement means adapted to pass through an aperture in a corner socket of an ISO container. Preferably, the engagement means comprises an enlarged head portion.

Preferably, the upper surface of the base portion is adapted to engage the undersurface of a corner socket of an ISO container when the engagement portion secures the base to the corner socket.

In one embodiment, the accessory comprises an enlarged head portion adapted to pass through an aperture in the base of a corner socket of an ISO container.

Preferably, the enlarged head portion is adapted to engage the upper, inner face of the base of the corner socket of the ISO container.

Preferably, the enlarged head portion is elongate and the length of the head portion exceeds the width of the aperture in the base of the corner socket of the ISO container, whereby rotation of the head secures the base in position.

The elongate head portion is preferably fixedly secured to the base, such that the base portion and the head portion move together, Preferably, the accessory further comprises a portion projecting from the upper surface of the base portion which is shaped to engage with the aperture in the base ola corner socket of an ISO container when the enlarged head portion is in its securing position.

In another embodiment, the accessory comprises an enlarged head portion adapted to pass through an aperture in a side of a corner socket of an ISO container.

Preferably, the enlarged head portion is adapted to engage an inner face of the corner socket.

Preferably, the accessory comprises two enlarged head portions, each adapted to pass through and engage an aperture in a respective side of a corner socket of an ISO container.

Preferably, the enlarged head portion is adapted to pass through the aperture by resilient deformation. The head portion is preferably mounted on an upstanding wall portion extending upwardly from the base. Preferably, the wall portion extends upwardly from the periphery of the base.

Preferably, the head portion is attached to the upstanding wall portion by means of a connection of smaller cross-sectional area than the head portion.

Preferably, the accessory further comprises an aperture in the base portion corresponding to the aperture in the base of a corner socket of an ISO container.

Preferably, the aperture in the base portion is substantially the same size and shape as the aperture in the base of the corner socket of an ISO container.

By way of example only, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a protective and anti-spark attachment for an ISO container in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attachment of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of the attachment of Fig. 1, shown attached to a corner socket of an ISO container; Fig. 4 is a perspective view from below of the attachment of Fig. I, shown attached to a corner socket of an ISO container; Fig. S is a cross-section of the attachment when connected to a corner socket of an ISO container, looking in the direction of arrows V-V in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a protective and anti-spark attachment for an ISO container in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the attachment of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a cutaway perspective view of the attachment of Fig. 6, shown attached to a corner socket of an ISO container; Fig. 9 is a perspective view from below of the attachment of Fig. 6, shown attached to a corner socket of an ISO container; and Fig. 10 is a cross-section of the attachment when connected to a corner socket of an ISO container, looking in the direction of arrows X-X in Fig. 8.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 5, a first embodiment of a protective and anti-spark attachment for an ISO container comprises a rectangular planar base 10 having four rounded corners 12 and a continuous upstanding peripheral rim 14 which defines a region for receipt of the lower portion of a standard corner unit of an ISO container. In this embodiment, the lower face of the base portion is planar (i.e. smooth) but it may instead be patterned or profiled (e.g. ribbed), for example to improve grip. The centre of the upper face of the planar base 10 is provided with a raised planar elongated plateau region 16 which, as will be explained, is shaped complementarily with the standard aperture 18 in the base of a standard corner unit 20 of an ISO container (see Figs. 3 and 5).

A short post 22 projects from the upper face of the plateau 16 and an elongate retaining head 24, which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the plateau region 16, is located at the top of the post 22. As will be explained, the post 22 and retaining head 24 are intended to be very similar in size and shape to the engagement portion of a standard twistlock which is used to engage with and secure the corner units of ISO containers.

The attachment is made from polyurethane elastomer but may be made from any suitable resilient insulating material which has the required protective andlor anti-spark properties. The attachment of the first embodiment is moulded in one piece, but it may be manufactured using other techniques.

In use, the attachment is orientated so that the longitudinal axis of the retaining head 24 is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the receiving aperture 18 in the base of a standard corner unit 20 which is secured to an ISO container. The attachment is then displaced upwardly, causing the retaining head 24 to pass through the aperture 18 in the base of the corner unit so that the retaining head 24 is received within the corner unit. The attachment is then rotated through 90 into the position shown in Figs. 3 to 5, whereupon the longitudinal axis of the retaining head is oriented to lie perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aperture 18 in the base of the corner unit. In this orientation, as best seen in Fig. 5, the undersurface of the retaining head 24 bears upon the upper, inner face of the lower wall of the corner unit, the plateau portion 16 is received complementarily within the aperture 18 in the base wall of the corner unit and the lower face of the lower wall of the corner unit abuts the upper face of the base 10 of the attachment.

The resilience of the polyurethane elastomer from which the attachment is made allows it to be manipulated into position with respect to the corner unit 20 of the ISO container.

A separate attachment is secured to each of the four corner units 20 of the ISO container. As a consequence, when an ISO container having four such corner units attached is lowered onto a planar surface (e.g. the surface of an oil production platform) the likelihood of metal-to-metal contact, and hence the occurrence of damage and sparking, is greatly reduced, since the insulating, anti-spark protective attachments (and not the metal corner units of the ISO container) abut the planar surface.

However, the attachment can easily be removed when no longer needed, simply by twisting the attachment through 90 into alignment with the longitudinal axis of the aperture 18 in the lower wall of the corner unit and withdrawing the attachment downwardly through the aperture.

A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 6 to 10. The second embodiment comprises a rectangular, planar base portion 50 having four rounded corners 52. In this embodiment, the lower face of the base portion is planar (i.e. smooth) but it may instead be patterned or profiled (e.g. ribbed), for example to improve grip. l'he planar base 50 is also provided with an aperture 54 which corresponds very closely in size and shape to the aperture 18 in the lower wall of a standard corner unit of an ISO container.

An upstanding peripheral wall 56 projects perpendicularly to the plane of the base 50 from the periphery of the base around one corner. The wall extends for approximately 3/4 of the length of each of one of the longer and shorter edges of the base 50. As best seen in Figs. 6 and 7, two identical securing lugs 58, 60 project inwardly from either end of the upstanding peripheral wall 56. The lugs 58, 60 are attached to the wall by means of thinner connecting neck portions 62, thereby forming a "mushroom" shape. As will be explained, the lugs 58, 60 are designed to be a press-fit through the retaining apertures 64 in the exposed side faces of a standard corner unit of an ISO container.

As for the first embodiment, the attachment is made from polyurethane elastomer and is moulded in one piece. However, other insulating, protective and/or anti-spark materials and/or other manufacturing techniques may be used.

In use, the attachment is offered to a standard corner unit 20 of an ISO container and is manipulated so that the retaining lugs 58, 60 are forced through the apertures 62 in the exposed side faces of the side walls of the corner unit of the ISO container. The resilience of the polyurethane elastomer and the thinner connecting portions 62 of the lugs 58, 60 facilitate this operation. As best seen in Fig. 8, when the lugs 58, 60 have passed through the apertures 62, they bear against the inner face of the wall of the corner unit adjacent the apertures 62 and thus prevent inadvertent disengagement of the attachment from the corner unit.

When the retaining lugs 58, 60 are in their securing positions, the inner wall of the upstanding peripheral wall 56 is in contact with the outer face of the corner unit in the region of the outermost corner. In addition, the attachment is shaped and sized so that when the lugs 58, 60 are passed through the apertures 62 into engagement with the corner unit, the aperture 54 in the base 50 of the attachment is precisely aligned with the aperture 18 in the base wall of the corner unit with the lower face of the corner unit 20 in abutment with the upper face of the base 50. As illustrated in Fig. 8, this allows an ISO container fitted with the attachment in accordancewith the second embodiment to receive the locking head 70 of a conventional twistlock device without the need to remove the anti-spark attachment.

As for the first embodiment, an attachment would be fitted to each of the four corner units of an ISO container. As a consequence, when an ISO container fitted with the attachments is lowered onto a planar surface (e.g. an oil production platform) the likelihood of metal-to- metal contact and therefore of damage and spark formation is greatly reduced, since the protective, insulating, anti-spark attachments (and not the metal corner units of the iSO container) abut the planar surface.

However, and as best seen in Fig. 8, an ISO container unit fitted with the anti-spark attachments in accordance with the second embodiment still allows the Iso container to receive the securing head 70 of a conventional twistlock securing device without first requiring removal of the anti-spark attachments.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments.

For example, although in the embodiments described the entire attachment is formed from protective, anti-spark material, this need not be the case. Only part of the attachment need be made from protective and/or anti-spark material, for example, only the base portion might be made from protective and/or anti-spark material.

Indeed, the protective and/or anti-spark material may be in the form of a surface layer only, on a substrate of a different material. In such a case, the layer 0 ii of protective and/or anti-spark material may cover the entire outer surface of the attachment or may instead cover only part of the outer surface, e.g. only the base portion or even the lower surface of the base portion (i.e. that part of the attachment which is to contact a surface on which the ISO container is to rest).

Claims

CLAIMS

1. An accessory for an ISO container, comprising a base portion having an upper surface for abutment with the undersurface of a corner socket of an ISO container and a lower surface upon which the device rests and further comprising means for securing the base to a corner socket of an ISO container.

2. An accessory as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base portion is generally planar.

3. An accessory as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the base portion is generally rectangular.

4. An accessory as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the base portion comprises an upper flat face for abutment with the undersurface of a corner socket of an ISO container.

5. An accessory as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the lower surface of the base comprises a flat face.

6. An accessory as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the lower surface of the base is patterned or profiled.

7. An accessory as claimed in any of claims ito 6, further comprising means for inhibiting or preventing spark formation.

8. An accessory as claimed in claim 7, wherein the lower surface of the base material comprises anti-spark material.

9. An accessory as claimed in claim 8, wherein the entire outer surface of the accessory comprises anti-spark material.

10. An accessory as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the base portion is formed from anti-spark material.

11. An accessory as claimed in claim 10, wherein the whole of the accessory is formed from anti-spark material.

12. An accessory as claimed in any of claims 8 to 11, wherein the anti-spark material comprises an insulating material.

13. An accessory as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the accessory is resiliently deformable.

14. An accessory as claimed in any of the preceding claims, further comprising means for releasably securing the base unit to a corner socket of an ISO container.

15. An accessory as claimed in claim 14, wherein the securing means comprises engagement means adapted to pass through an aperture in a corner socket of an ISO container.

16. An accessory as claimed in claim 15, wherein the engagement means comprises an enlarged head portion.

17. An accessory as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the upper suriace of the base portion is adapted to engage the undersurface of a corner socket of an iSO container when the engagement portion secures the base to the corner socket.

18. An accessory as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, comprising an enlarged head portion adapted to pass through an aperture in the base of a corner socket of an ISO container.

19. An accessory as claimed in claim 18, wherein the enlarged head portion is adapted to engage the upper, inner face of the base of the corner socket of the ISO container.

20. An accessory as claimed in claim 18 or claim 19, wherein the enlarged head portion is elongate and wherein the length of the head portion exceeds the width of the aperture in the base of the corner socket of the ISO container, whereby rotation of the head secures the base in position.

21. An accessory as claimed in claim 20, wherein the elongate head portion is fixedly secured to the base wherein the base portion and the head portion move together.

22. An accessory as claimed in any of claims 18 to 21, comprising a portion projecting from the upper surface of the base portion which is shaped to engage with the aperture in the base of a corner socket of an ISO container when the enlarged head portion is in its securing position.

23. An accessory as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13, comprising an enlarged head portion adapted to pass through an aperture in a side of a corner socket of an ISO container.

24. An accessory as claimed in claim 23, wherein the enlarged head portion is adapted to engage an inner face of the corner socket.

25. An accessory as claimed in claim 23 or claim 24, comprising two enlarged head portions, each adapted to pass through and engage an aperture in a respective side of a corner socket of an ISO container.

26. An accessory as claimed in any of claims 23 to 25, wherein the enlarged head portion is adapted to pass through the aperture by resilient deformation.

27. An accessory as claimed in any of claims 23 to 26, wherein the head portion is mounted on an upstanding wall portion extending upwardly from the base.

28. An accessory as claimed in claim 27, wherein the wall portion extends upwardly from the periphery of the base.

29. A safety device as claimed in claim 27 or claim 28, wherein the head portion is attached to the upstanding wall portion by means of a connection of smaller cross-sectional area than the head portion.

30. An accessory as claimed in any of claims 23 to 29, further comprising an aperture in the base portion corresponding to the aperture in the base of a corner socket of an ISO container.

31. An accessory as claimed in claim 30, wherein the aperture in the base portion is substantially the same size and shape as the aperture in the base of a corner socket of an ISO container.

32. An accessory for an ISO container, substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 or Figs. 6 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.