AU2011202196A1 - A Liner for a Shipping Container - Google Patents

Abstract

A liner (1) for a shipping container (3). The liner (1) includes a top portion (5) for covering a roof panel (7) of the shipping container (3), and a plurality of wall portions (9, 13, 15 and 21) for covering wall panels of the shipping container (3). The top portion (5) and plurality of wall portions are made of a sheet material which is permeable to vapour but substantially impermeable to liquid. The liner (1) enables cargo housed within the liner (1) to effectively breathe by allowing vapour to readily pass through the sheet material. The liner (1) also advantageously minimises condensation within the liner (1) and is thereby able to maintain the cargo in a relatively dry condition. The liner (1) also includes one or more fastening means for holding the liner (1) in contact with the internal walls of the shipping container (3). 3'7 !7 +S '57 Figure 2 3-7

Description

pool Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2) AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: A Liner for a Shipping Container The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: P111H#AU/0610 I A LINER FOR A SHIPPING CONTAINER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates a liner for lining the interior of a container, such as a shipping container, railway container, trucking container, storage 5 container, transport container or the like. Such containers are used for freight forwarding. In particular, the present invention relates to a container liner for use with a shipping container which is used for the transportation of cargo which is susceptible to moisture damage and mould, for example flour. It will therefore be convenient to describe the invention in relation to that type of cargo. 10 BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION When flour for export is packaged in bags at a flour mill it is common practice for the bags of flour to be immediately loaded into a shipping container. The flour is typically still hot when placed in the shipping container which results in the generation of water vapour. As the flour cools, humidity in the container 15 increases and condensation can begin to form, including on the outside of the flour bags. Although the flour is protected in the bags, there is often a residual layer of flour on the outside of the bags from the packaging process. The condensation can moisten the residual layer which can lead to the formation of mould on the outside of the bags by the time the shipping container reaches its 20 end destination months later. In such circumstances the packaged flour is considered soiled and disposed of. In the past, attempts have been made to control humidity by placing in the shipping container packets of desiccants such as silica gel and the like. Although this approach is of some assistance the flour bags continue to be exposed to 25 excessive moisture from condensation which leads to the formation of mould on the packaging. It would accordingly be desirable to provide a means for protecting the flour bags from exposure to excessive moisture during transportation inside a shipping container. 30 Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this specification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that any of the material formed part of the prior art base or 2 the common general knowledge in the relevant art in Australia or any other country on or before the priority date of the claims herein. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention there is provided a liner for a 5 shipping container. The liner includes a top portion for covering a roof panel of the shipping container, and a plurality of wall portions for covering wall panels of the shipping container, the portions are made of a sheet material which is permeable to vapour but substantially impermeable to liquid. The sheet material is preferably microporous and may be made of 10 synthetic fibres. In this regard, the synthetic fibres are preferably olefin fibres such as polypropylene or polyethylene fibres. The polyethylene fibres of the sheet material can be spunbonded and randomly distributed. The sheet material preferably has a thickness approximately in the range of 80 to 200 microns and a Gurley porosity approximately in the range of 2 to 20 seconds. In a particularly 15 preferred embodiment, the sheet material is a single, microporous layer of polyethylene spunbonded material, such as TYVEK* 1025D, TYVEK* 1025B, or the like manufactured by DuPont. The plurality of wall portions of the liner may include a rear wall portion for covering a rear panel of the shipping container, two side wall portions for covering 20 opposing side panels of the shipping container and a front wall portion for covering the front panel of the shipping container. The liner further preferably includes primary fastening means. In a first embodiment of the invention, the primary fastening means is for fastening each corner of the top portion to a corresponding corner of the roof panel. In this 25 embodiment, the primary fastening means preferably includes at each corner of the top portion, a support strap having an adjustable securing means positioned thereon, each securing means being engageable with a corresponding primary mounting device positioned at each corner of the roof panel. The securing means preferably includes a buckle through which the support strap may be threaded. 30 The buckle may include a hook member which is attachable to the primary mounting device. The liner may further include a secondary fastening means. In the first embodiment of the invention, the secondary fastening means are provided near 3 each corner of the top portion for providing additional fastening of the liner to the container. In this embodiment, the secondary fastening means may include a secondary support strap near each corner of the top portion. The secondary support strap preferably has an adjustable secondary securing means positioned 5 thereon, each secondary securing means being engageable with a corresponding secondary mounting device positioned near each corner of the roof panel. In this respect, the secondary securing means may include a secondary buckle through which the secondary support strap may be threaded. The secondary buckle preferably has a secondary hook member which is attachable to a secondary 10 mounting device. In second and third embodiments of the invention, the primary fastening means is provided around the periphery of the top portion. In these particular embodiments, the primary fastening means includes a side strap along a top edge of each opposing side wall portion, a rear strap provided along the 15 intersection of the top portion and the rear wall portion, and a front strap provided along the intersection of the top portion and the front wall portion. The primary fastening means further includes a plurality of fastening devices such as cable ties which are insertable through openings provided by said straps and into engagement with securing points around the peripheral edge of the roof panel. In 20 this respect, the straps are preferably stitched to the portions of the liner with said openings being provided between adjacent stitches in the straps. The openings may be approximately 7mm in length. The liner 1 of the present invention advantageously enables cargo housed within the liner 1 to effectively breathe by allowing vapour to readily pass through 25 the sheet material. At the same time the liner I advantageously minimises condensation within the liner 1 and is thereby able to maintain the cargo in a relatively dry condition. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become 30 apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention. The description should not be considered as limiting any of the statements in the previous section. The preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the following figures in which: 4 Figure 1 is a side perspective view of a liner for a shipping container in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a diagram representing a top view of the liner shown in Figure 1, detailing various fastening devices for facilitating attachment of the liner to the 5 shipping container; Figure 3 is an illustration of a hook member of a primary fastening means, of the liner shown in Figure 1, being attached to a metal ring positioned in a top corner of the interior of a shipping container; Figure 4 is an illustration showing a secondary hook member of a 10 secondary securing means, of the liner shown in Figure 1, being attached to a metal loop of a secondary mounting device positioned near a top corner of the interior of the shipping container; Figure 5 is an illustration of an auxiliary fastening means of the liner shown in Figure 1 being attached to a peripheral edge of the roof portion of the shipping 15 container via a plastic cable tie; Figure 6 is a side perspective view of a liner for a shipping container in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a diagram representing a top view of the liner shown in Figure 6, detailing various fastening devices for facilitating attachment of the liner to the 20 shipping container; Figure 7a is a diagram representing a top view of a modified version of the liner shown in Figure 6, in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is an illustration of a primary fastening means of the liner in the second or third embodiment, being attached to a metal ring positioned in a top 25 corner of the interior of a shipping container; Figure 9 is an illustration of a primary fastening means of the liner in the second or third embodiment, being attached to a peripheral edge of the roof portion of the shipping container; and Figure 10 is an illustration of a liner in accordance with any one of the 30 embodiments, installed in a shipping container with a door flap of the liner in a partially rolled up position.

5 DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the accompanying drawings there is shown a liner 1 for a shipping container 3. The liner 1 includes a top portion 5 for covering a roof panel 7 of the shipping container 3. The liner I further includes a plurality of wall 5 portions for covering wall panels of the shipping container 3. In this regard, the liner 1 includes a rear wall portion 9 for covering a rear panel 11 of the shipping container 3, two side wall portions 13, 15 for covering opposing side panels 17, 19 of the shipping container 3, and a front wall portion which is preferably in the form of a door flap 21 for covering a front panel (not shown in the drawings) of the 10 shipping container 3. The top portion 5, wall portions 9, 13, 15 and door flap 21 are made of a flexible sheet material which is permeable to vapour, for example water vapour, but substantially impermeable to liquid. The liner 1 has a box-like configuration when mounted in the shipping container 3, which corresponds to the interior wall portions of the shipping container 3. As best seen in Figures 10, the 15 two side wall portions 13, 15 preferably each have a lower edge 22 which extends downwardly to partially cover a floor panel 23 of the shipping container 3. The sheet material advantageously permits vapour, such as water vapour, to pass through pores therein. Accordingly, when the shipping container 3 is loaded with, for example, bags containing flour that is still hot from production, 20 water vapour generated is able to pass through the sheet material. As the shipping container 3 is made of metal, any condensation which forms once the water vapour has passed through the sheet material will likely form inside the container 3 on the panels 7, 17 and 19 of the shipping container 3. However, as the sheet material is substantially impermeable to water, any condensation 25 formed on the panels 7, 17 and 19 is not able to subsequently pass through the sheet material of the liner 1 and into contact with the bags of flour. In a preferred embodiment the sheet material is microporous and made of synthetic fibres, for example, olefin fibres. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the olefin fibres are polyethylene fibres that are spunbonded with the sheet material having a 30 thickness approximately in the range of 80 to 200 micrometers, a Gurley porosity approximately in the range of 2 to 20 seconds, and a surface density of approximately 40 to 45 grams/m 2 . The sheet material may also be corona treated 6 to improve ink and coating adhesion. The sheet material may also be coated with an antistatic agent to reduce the generation of static electricity. The door flap 21 of the liner 1 is preferably provided with a plurality of desiccant holding pockets 25 sewn into a lower section of the door flap 21. 5 Desiccant bags containing a desiccant material can be inserted into the desiccant holding pockets 25. Any water vapour generated by the hot flour can be absorbed by the desiccant material, thereby reducing the likelihood of condensation being formed inside the shipping container 3. The desiccant holding pockets 25 are preferably provided on the outside of the liner 1. If 10 required, they can also be provided on the inside of the liner 1, as shown in Figure 1. The liner I includes a number of different fastening devices for ensuring that the top portion 5 of the liner 1 is retained in close proximity to the roof panel 7 of the shipping container 3. The liner 1 preferably includes a primary fastening 15 means. In the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5, the primary fastening means is for fastening each corner of the top portion 5 of the liner I to a corresponding corner of the roof panel 7 of the shipping container 3. In this embodiment the primary fastening means includes at each corner of the top 20 portion 5, a support strap 27 having an adjustable securing means which is preferably in the form of a buckle 29 through which the support strap 27 is threaded. The buckle 29 includes a hook member 31 which is attachable to a primary mounting device which is preferably in the form of a metal ring 33 on the roof panel 7. The support straps 27 are preferably elastic and the buckle 29 is 25 adjustable such that once the hook member 31 has been attached to the metal ring 33 the buckle 29 can be adjusted to ensure that the support strap 27 is made taunt. Strapping may also extend across the top portion 5 of the liner 1 from one support strap 27 of the primary fastening means to a diagonally opposite support strap 27 of the primary fastening means, thereby providing cross strapping 35 for 30 additional strength. The liner 1 may further include secondary fastening means. In the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5, the secondary fastening means is provided near each corner of the top portion 5 for providing additional fastening of the liner 7 1 to the shipping container 3. In this embodiment the secondary fastening means includes a secondary support strap 37 having an adjustable secondary securing means positioned thereon, which is preferably in the form of a secondary buckle 39 which includes a secondary hook member 41 which is attachable to a 5 secondary mounting device which is preferably in the form of a metal loop 43 which is positioned approximately 500 mm from the metal ring 33 at the intersection of the roof panel 7 and the side panels 17, 19. The secondary fastening means operates in the same manner as the primary fastening means. As shown in Figure 4, in order to attach the secondary fastening means, the 10 secondary hook members 41 are first attached to a corresponding metal loop 43 with the secondary buckles 39 then being adjusted to ensure that the secondary support straps 37 are taunt at each fastening point. In addition to the primary and secondary fastening means, the liner 1 in accordance with the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 5, further includes 15 auxiliary fastening means provided around the periphery of the top portion 5. In this respect, side straps 45 are provided along a top edge of each opposing side wall portion 13, 15 and extend between the secondary support straps 37 on each side panel 17, 19 of the liner 1. The auxiliary fastening means further includes a rear strap 47 which is positioned at the intersection of the top portion 5 and the 20 rear portion 9 of the liner 1. The rear strap 47 extends between the support straps 27 positioned at opposing corners of the rear portion 9. The auxiliary fastening means further includes a front strap 49 which is positioned at the intersection of the top portion 5 and the door flap 21. In a similar manner to the rear strap 47, the front strap 49 extends between the support straps 27 provided 25 at opposing corners of the top portion 5. The side, rear and front straps 45, 47 and 49 are preferably stitched to the sheet material of the liner 1 at spaced intervals in order to create a series of handle-like loops 51 through which fastening devices such as plastic cable ties 53 or the like can be inserted and tied to the shipping container 3 at appropriate points around the peripheral edge of the 30 roof panel 7, as can best be seen in Figure 5. In the second embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, the primary fastening means is provided around the entire periphery of the top portion 5. In this embodiment the primary fastening means includes side straps 145 which are 8 provided along a top edge of each opposing side wall portion 13, 15. The primary fastening means further includes a rear strap 147 which is positioned at the intersection of the top portion 5 and the rear portion 9 of the liner 1. The primary fastening means further includes a front strap 149 which is positioned at the 5 intersection of the top portion 5 and the door flap 21. The side, rear and front straps 145, 147 and 149 are preferably stitched to the sheet material of the liner 1. Between each stitch a small opening 151 is created by the stitching through which plastic cable ties 53 of the primary fastening means can be inserted and subsequently tied to the shipping container 3 at appropriate points around the 10 peripheral edge of the roof panel 7, as can best be seen in Figures 8 and 9. In the second embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, secondary fastening means may also be provided when necessary for fastening each corner of the top portion 5 of the liner 1 to a corresponding corner of the roof panel 7 of the shipping container 3. The secondary fastening means includes at each corner of 15 the top portion 5, a first support strap 127 which is attachable to a first mounting device which is preferably in the form of a metal ring 33 located in the container 3. When additional support for the liner 1 is required, the secondary fastening means may further include near each corner of the top portion 5, a second support strap 137 which is attachable to a second mounting device which is also 20 preferably in the form of a metal ring 33. The first and second support straps 127, 137 are preferably made of an elastic material. The liner in accordance with a third embodiment shown in Figure 7a is a modified version of the second embodiment of the liner 1 shown in Figure 7. In this respect, the liner 1 in the third embodiment includes the same primary 25 fastening means used in the second embodiment. However, the secondary fastening means in third embodiment only has a first support strap 127 at each front corner of the top portion 5 which are only used if additional support for the liner 1 is required. The liner 1 of both the first and second embodiments may further include 30 support ropes 55 at each corner of the top portion 5. The support ropes 55 provide an additional means by which the liner 1 can be fastened to the shipping container 3.

9 To prevent the top portion 5 of the liner I sagging away from the roof panel 7, one or more magnets 57 can be used. In the first and second embodiments, five magnets are preferably evenly spaced along an imaginary centre line dividing the top portion 5 along its length. A further magnet may also be provided towards 5 each corner of the top portion 5 with the magnet configuration for the first embodiment of the liner 1 being as shown in Figure 2, and for the second embodiment of the liner I being as shown in Figure 7. In the third embodiment of the liner 1 shown in Figure 7a, up to twelve magnets 57 can be provided in the configuration shown. In some instances, the magnets 57 can be used as the sole 10 means for fastening the liner 1 to the shipping container 3. In all embodiments of the liner 1, fabric hook and loop fastening strips 59, for example Velcro@ fastening, can be provided along each side edge of the door flap 21. Corresponding fastening strips can also be provided along each front edge of the two side wall portions 13, 15 such that the door flap 21 can be sealed. 15 Flap 21 can also be rolled or folded up, as shown in Figure 10. In this regard, an elastic door strap 61 is preferably sewn into the liner 1 such that when the door flap 21 is rolled up the door strap 61 can be used to hold the door flap 21 in the rolled or folded up position by engaging with lugs 63 provided on the shipping container 3. The various straps of the liner I are preferably sewn to the sheet 20 material or can alternatively be attached by some other means. The present invention advantageously provides a liner 1 which is able to minimise the possibility of damage occurring to cargo contained within a shipping container 3. In this regard, as the sheet material from which the portions of the liner 1 are made are substantially impermeable to liquid, the liner 1 25 advantageously minimises the possibility of condensation within the shipping container 3 from passing through the liner 1 and into contact with the cargo of the shipping container 3. The sheet material of the liner 1 advantageously enables the cargo housed within the liner 1 to effectively breathe by allowing vapour to readily pass through the sheet material. 30 As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the essential characteristics of the invention it should be understood that the above described embodiment should not be considered to limit the present invention but should rather be construed broadly. Various 10 modifications and equivalent arrangements are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. A liner for a shipping container, said liner including a top portion for covering a roof panel of the shipping container, and a plurality of wall portions for covering wall panels of the shipping container, wherein the portions are made of a 5 sheet material which is permeable to vapour but substantially impermeable to liquid.

2. A liner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sheet material is microporous.

3. A liner as claimed in claim 2 wherein the sheet material is made of synthetic fibres. 10

4. A liner as claimed in claim 3 wherein the synthetic fibres are olefin fibres.

5. A liner as claimed in claim 4 wherein the olefin fibres are polyethylene.

6. A liner as claimed in claim 5 wherein the polyethylene fibres are spunbonded.

7. A liner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the sheet 15 material has a thickness approximately in the range of 80 to 200pm.

8. A liner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the plurality of wall portions include a rear wall portion for covering a rear panel of the shipping container, two side wall portions for covering opposing side panels of the shipping container and a front wall portion for covering the front panel of the 20 shipping container.

9. A liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 further including primary fastening means provided around the periphery of the top portion.

10. A liner as claimed in claim 9 wherein the primary fastening means includes a side strap along a top edge of each opposing side wall portion, a rear strap 12 provided along the intersection of the top portion and the rear wall portion, and a front strap provided along the intersection of the top portion and the front wall portion.

11. A liner as claimed in claim 10 wherein a plurality of openings are provided 5 by said straps via which the liner can be attached to the shipping container.

12. A liner as claimed in claim 11 wherein the primary fastening means further includes a plurality of fastening devices which are insertable through said openings and into engagement with securing points around the peripheral edge of the roof panel. 10

13. A liner as claimed in claim 12 wherein the straps are stitched to said portions with said openings being provided between adjacent stitches.

14. A liner as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein said fastening devices are cable ties.

15. A liner as claimed in claim 8 further including primary fastening means for 15 fastening each corner of the top portion to a corresponding corner of the roof panel.

16. A liner as claimed in claim 15 wherein the primary fastening means includes at each corner of the top portion, a support strap having an adjustable securing means positioned thereon, each securing means being engageable with 20 a corresponding primary mounting device positioned at each corner of the roof panel.

17. A liner as claimed in claim 16 wherein the securing means includes a buckle through which the support strap is threaded, said buckle having a hook member which is attachable to the primary mounting device. 25

18. A liner as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 17 further including a secondary fastening means near each corner of the top portion for providing 13 additional fastening of the liner to the container, said secondary fastening means including a secondary support strap near each corner of the top portion, the secondary support strap having an adjustable secondary securing means positioned thereon, each secondary securing means being engageable with a 5 corresponding secondary mounting device positioned near each corner of the roof panel.

19. A liner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further including a plurality of magnets, wherein the top portion of the liner is positionable between the magnets and the roof panel to thereby prevent the top portion from sagging 10 away from the roof panel.

20. A liner in accordance with any one of the embodiments substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings. ALL ABOUT SHIPPING PTY LTD WATERMARK PATENT & TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS P32948AU00