W02012/110400 1 PCT/EP2012/052236 CONVERTIBLE CONTAINER The present invention concerns a convertible container which in its non expanded configuration can be picked up, manipulated or secured like any transport container and which in its expanded configuration forms an autonomous floating structure. 5 Floating containers are known which when they are secured to each other enable a boat to be formed for fighting an accidental oil spill at sea, in rivers or lakes. These containers advantageously allow very rapid routing of means for fighting oil slicks by aircraft or by ship. In the latter case, and when the ship that has caused the accidental oil spill is a container ship, these floating maritime 10 containers may already be on board. However, this type of boat necessitates a plurality of different containers each having a specific function and the whole being indispensable to the formation and correct operation of the boat. Moreover, this type of boat has restricted buoyancy, especially in a heavy 15 sea, at the same time as having a relatively small storage capacity. The objective of the present invention is therefore to propose a floating transport device of simple design and mode of use, having the dimensions of a container for transporting goods in a non-expanded configuration, including fittings for holding, manipulating and fixing this device with standard harbour installations, 20 for example, and forming a boat in its expanded configuration. Another object of the present invention is to provide a floating transport device of this kind which from a given longitudinal dimension and a given transverse dimension in its non-expanded configuration, i.e. those of a container, has a maximized deck area in order significantly to increase the loading capacity 25 of the boat and a maximized hull volume in order to have the best possible buoyancy in its expanded configuration.
W02012/110400 2 PCT/EP2012/052236 The dimensions of this transport device in its non-expanded configuration, i.e. in its container configuration, are therefore advantageously small, allowing its transport by truck, ship or cargo aircraft. Another imperative for a container of this kind, as in all containers for 5 transporting goods, is then to have all of its structural components contained within, and consequently not projecting from, the parallelepiped defined by the free walls of this container so that a plurality of such containers can be stacked and/or juxtaposed. More generally, the present invention aims to minimize the space lost in the 10 parallelepiped defined by the contours of a container that can be converted into a boat so as to maximize the useful dimensions of the deck of this boat. To this end, the invention concerns a container including fittings for holding, manipulating and fixing this container, each of these fittings being placed at a corner of this container in a non-expanded configuration of the container, said 15 container having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension in this non expanded configuration. In accordance with the invention: - in said non-expanded configuration, said container is constituted by a stack of n boxes with n > 3, at least one of said boxes being placed between and 20 at least partly in contact with two others of said boxes, at least some of said boxes being connected to each other to form a rigid structure, at least part of said container being watertight, - in said non-expanded configuration, said boxes are at least partly in contact with each other, the number n of boxes and/or the dimensions of each of 25 said boxes being determined so that there exists a parallelepiped within which said container can be inscribed, the walls of this parallelepiped then being formed at least in part by the free walls of said stack, the cumulative percentage of empty spaces between said boxes on the one hand and the free walls of said stack and said parallelepiped on the other hand then being between 0.1% and 15% of the 30 interior volume of said parallelepiped, - at least some of said boxes are mobile between said non-expanded configuration and an expanded configuration in which the whole expanded in this way then forms a floating structure having a longitudinal dimension and/or a transverse dimension greater than said longitudinal and/or transverse dimension 35 of said container in its non-expanded configuration so as to have a maximized loading area greater than at least twice the area of said container in its non expanded configuration. In other words, a parallelepiped, and even better a right-angle W02012/110400 3 PCT/EP2012/052236 parallelepiped or a cube, can be found each of the walls of which is constituted at least in part by said container in its non-expanded configuration, this container being constituted in this non-expanded configuration of at least three boxes. The expression "free walls of the stack" refers to the exterior envelope of 5 the stack defined by all of the shapes of the boxes and their fitting in the non expanded configuration of the container. The expression "the cumulative percentage of empty spaces between said boxes at least partly in contact with each another on the one hand and the free walls of said stack and said parallelepiped on the other hand" refers to the sum on 10 the one hand of the percentage of empty spaces between the walls of the boxes placed at least in part against each other relative to the interior volume of the parallelepiped, these walls therefore being placed entirely within the interior volume of this parallelepiped, and the percentage of empty spaces between the free walls of said stack and said parallelepiped relative to the interior volume of the 15 parallelepiped. Of course, this percentage does not take into account the empty spaces placed inside the boxes and resulting, for example, from hollow boxes intended to receive loads and/or a hydraulic feed circuit. For example, in the first case, the empty spaces may result from mobile 20 boxes having a truncated triangular shape leaving an empty space between two superposed mobile boxes. The interior volume of a parallelepiped is known to the person skilled in the art. By way of illustration only, for a right-angle parallelepiped, the interior volume is given by the formula V = L x I x H where L is the length, I is the width and H is 25 the height of this right-angle parallelepiped. These fittings for holding, manipulating and fixing said container are also known as corner fittings enabling holding, securing and transhipment of the container. These fittings being placed at the corners of the container, at least these 30 corners are solid in order to have sufficient stiffness to withstand the applied forces. In various particular embodiments of this container, each having its particular advantages and open to numerous possible technical combinations: - in the non-expanded configuration of said container at least some of the 35 vertices of the parallelepiped including one of the fittings for holding, manipulating and fixing said container, no element of this container is placed projecting from said parallelepiped. Thus the container is entirely inscribed within the parallelepiped. By way of W02012/110400 4 PCT/EP2012/052236 illustration only, the actuators enabling movement of the mobile boxes from the non-expanded configuration to the expanded configuration of this container are not placed projecting from the parallelepiped. - the cumulative percentage of empty spaces between said boxes on the 5 one hand and the free walls of said stack and said parallelepiped on the other hand is less than 10% of the interior volume of said parallelepiped, - in the expanded configuration of the container the hull of said floating structure has a longitudinal or transverse dimension greater than twice the longitudinal, respectively transverse, dimension of said container in its non 10 expanded configuration, Thus, and by way of example, in the expanded configuration of said container, the hull of said floating structure has a longitudinal dimension from the prow to the poop greater than twice the longitudinal dimension of said container in its non-expanded configuration. 15 - said mobile boxes are connected in an articulated manner to a fixed unit comprising one or more fixed boxes, These mobile boxes are advantageously connected in an articulated manner to the fixed unit by a hinge. This hinge is preferably a hinge with two axes. This hinge with two axes, also known as a biaxial hinge, includes two 20 articulated parts that are connected to an intermediate part carrying the two offset hinge pins. - the container being constituted only of mobile boxes, these boxes are connected in an articulated manner to each other, and, even better, are connected to each other by biaxial hinges, 25 - this container includes actuators for moving the mobile boxes from the non-expanded configuration to the expanded configuration of this container and vice versa, The mobile boxes preferably being connected in an articulated manner by hinges to a fixed unit comprising one or more fixed boxes, these actuators are 30 motorized hinges or hinges including means for opening and closing said hinges. By way of illustration only, these means for opening and closing said hinges include, for example, rotary actuators fed by a source of electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic power. This power source and its distribution circuit are preferably placed in one of the boxes of the container. 35 Alternatively, the means for opening and closing the hinges may be remotely sited, and thus not integrated into the hinges themselves. By way of illustration only, they may be linear actuators or a cable system or an external crane.
W02012/110400 5 PCT/EP2012/052236 - the mobile boxes have complementary profiles so as to cooperate in the non-expanded configuration of the container to form with a fixed unit comprising one or more fixed boxes an assembly the free walls of which define a parallelepiped or substantially a parallelepiped and even better a right-angle 5 parallelepiped or a cube, By way of illustration only, the mobile boxes may therefore have a triangular or truncated triangular profile. The triangular shape of the mobile boxes ensures that there is no preferential direction of movement of the floating structure, which is then 10 advantageously double-ended. - the external surface of said container in its expanded configuration is plane or substantially plane so that the deck of the floating structure is plane or substantially plane, - the container includes at least one propulsion system so that said 15 floating structure is self-propelled, This propulsion system preferably allows at least movement of the floating structure in a direction transverse or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the floating structure. - at least one of said boxes is hollow to receive loads, 20 - said fittings for holding, manipulating and fixing said container being at least eight in number, said fittings are placed at the extreme corners of said container in its non-expanded configuration, said fittings being intended to cooperate with standard ISO infrastructures for holding, manipulating and fixing said container, 25 - the container is connected to interconnection means allowing two or more containers to be connected edge-to-edge or end-to-end to form a unitary shipping assembly at the extreme corners of which are placed fittings for holding, manipulating and fixing said unitary assembly, - the container includes elements inflatable independently or otherwise, 30 allowing the buoyancy of said floating structure to be improved, These inflatable elements are advantageously received in housings provided for this purpose in the lateral edges of this container. Accordingly, in an emergency, the container may pass from its expanded configuration to its non expanded configuration without having to deflate these inflatable elements. 35 Alternatively or additionally, these inflatable elements may be deployed from housings placed in the bottom of one or more boxes, the inflatable elements then being placed under these elements when they are deployed. These inflatable elements are preferably sized to ensure the stability and W02012/110400 6 PCT/EP2012/052236 the buoyancy of the floating structure. As a minimum, these inflatable elements will have an elementary section of circular type. However, in order to improve stability (increase buoyancy inertia), resistance to forward movement (reduce hydrodynamic drag) and buoyancy (limit 5 lost buoyancy volumes), these inflatable elements will have an elementary section derived from the trapezium or the rectangle, having edges with very rounded corners and continuous faces minimizing ruptures of shape. The interior face of these inflatable elements will advantageously have a small slope oriented facing the flows. 10 Alternatively, and with the aim of reducing the hydrodynamic drag of juxtaposed circular section inflatable elements, a flexible wall could be held tangentially to their lower part, this feature therefore enabling some continuity of shape to be restored. The container preferably includes a feeder circuit for inflating these 15 inflatable elements independently or otherwise from a power source, for example a pneumatic power source. By way of illustration only, these inflatable elements are inflatable pudding fenders. This power source may be placed in one of the boxes, for example. In order to compensate the pressure losses that may result from leaks or 20 from variations of temperature, the inflation pressure of the inflatable elements is controlled and adjusted thanks to servocontrol of the power source by probes such as pressure sensors verifying the pressure to which each inflatable element is inflated. - the container includes wheels, retractable or not, 25 This container preferably includes at least two wheels, retractable or not, per extension unit. Of course, the central box can include at least one pair of wheels, retractable or not, for movement of the container in its non-expanded configuration by road. At least two of the wheels of the container are advantageously steerable. 30 Moreover, at least two of said wheels are preferably driving wheels. This container then forms an amphibious vehicle in its expanded configuration. - said container includes locking means, These locking means may comprise locks designed to cooperate with two 35 or more fittings for holding, manipulating and fixing said container placed face-to face. By way of illustration, these locks may be rotary double locks (also known as "twist-locks"), mounted tips facing, and disposed between two holding fittings placed face-to-face and put into place before complete expansion of the container.
W02012/110400 7 PCT/EP2012/052236 In accordance with another embodiment, or additionally, the locking means may include attachments such as pins or bolted fixing lugs. Alternatively, the container may be self-lockable in its expanded configuration, the self-locking being assured by the force resulting from the 5 expansion actuators. By way of illustration only, the self-locking may be assured by load maintaining valves on the hydraulic actuators for expanding the container. - this container has the dimensions of an ISO 10-feet, 20-feet, 30-feet, 40-feet or 45-feet transport container, or a standard container of any other size as 10 defined by the ISO standards 668 and 1496-1 or any other authority or standard used in multimode transport by sea, river, road, rail or air, - the container in its non-expanded configuration advantageously floats so that it may be launched at sea and expanded, for example, automatically or remotely, to form a ship. 15 If it is expanded automatically, the container includes one or more probes connected to a hydraulic power circuit, for example, for feeding the hinges and assuring their movement from their open position to their closed position. These probes, detecting the presence of the container in the water, assure its good stability and, in the affirmative, send a message to the hydraulic power source to 20 feed the hinges to activate them. Their activation causes the container to pass from its non-expanded configuration to its expanded configuration. If the container is remote-controlled, it includes at least one receiver, or transmitter/receiver, connected to a control unit, the latter controlling activation of the hydraulic source to feed the hinges and activate them. 25 The invention also concerns a floating craft including at least two containers as described above in their expanded configuration, these containers being connected to each other to form a unitary floating structure. These containers in their expanded configuration can be assembled end-to end and/or edge-to-edge. 30 The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings in which: - Figure 1 represents diagrammatically a front view of a container in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention in its non-expanded configuration; 35 - Figure 2 represents diagrammatically the container from Figure 1 in its expanded configuration; - Figure 3 represents diagrammatically a front view of a container in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention in its non-expanded W02012/110400 8 PCT/EP2012/052236 configuration; - Figure 4 represents diagrammatically the container from Figure 3 in the process of expansion; - Figure 5 represents diagrammatically the container from Figure 3 in its 5 expanded configuration; - Figure 6 represents diagrammatically a front view of a container in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention in its non-expanded configuration; - Figure 7 represents diagrammatically the container from Figure 6 in the 10 process of expansion; - Figure 8 represents diagrammatically the container from Figure 6 in its expanded configuration; - Figure 9 represents diagrammatically a perspective view of a container in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention in its non-expanded 15 configuration; - Figure 10 represents diagrammatically the container from Figure 9 in the process of expansion; - Figure 11 represents diagrammatically the container from Figure 9 in its expanded configuration; 20 - Figure 12 represents diagrammatically a view in section of a container with its inflatable elements in an expanded configuration; for simplicity, the container in the expanded configuration has been represented in the form of a single unit; Figures 1 and 2 show a convertible container in accordance with a first 25 embodiment of the invention in its non-expanded and expanded configurations. This container is constituted only of a central box 1 having a longitudinal dimension and at the ends of which are placed extension units 2, 3 that are connected to the central box 1 by biaxial hinges 4-7. Each extension unit 2, 3 is constituted of a single box, also referred to as an 30 end box hereinafter, which is connected in an articulated manner to the central box 1 by a pair of biaxial hinges 4-7. Alternatively, each extension unit 2, 3 could comprise two boxes placed in contact with each other. Here these hinges 4-7 include rotary hydraulic actuators. The container therefore includes a hydraulic power source and a circuit for distribution of this 35 hydraulic fluid (not represented) for feeding the various hinges 4-7 and thus enabling opening and closing thereof. The container is consequently perfectly autonomous. The end boxes 2, 3, which have a truncated triangular profile, are placed in W02012/110400 9 PCT/EP2012/052236 part one on the other, being superposed on the central box 1. Accordingly, one of the end boxes is placed in the non-expanded configuration of the container between the central box 1 and the other end box 3. Each end box 2, 3 has a length greater than half the longitudinal dimension of the central box 1. 5 At least one of these boxes 1-3 is advantageously hollow to receive loads and/or equipment or devices necessary for the correct operation of the container. Each box 1-3, which is watertight, forms a floating box. In the non-expanded configuration of the container, the free exterior walls of the end boxes 2, 3 and the central box 1 substantially define a right-angle 10 parallelepiped 8, i.e. this container can be inscribed in its non-expanded configuration within this regular right-angle parallelepiped 8 (shown in dotted outline). No structural element of the container is, by definition, placed projecting from this right-angle parallelepiped 8 so that this container can be stacked on and/or placed against other containers with a view to its storage or transport. 15 The container in its non-expanded configuration departs from this regular right-angle parallelepiped 8 by the hollows or empty spaces 9, 10 (shaded areas) between the boxes 1-3 and the walls of the regular parallelepiped 8. Here this right-angle parallelepiped has dimensions equal to those of an ISO 20-foot maritime transport container so that it can advantageously be picked 20 up, transported, manipulated, transhipped or secured like any ISO standard container without necessitating any specific infrastructure or equipment. There exists moreover an empty space 11 (shaded area) between the end boxes 2, 3 so that the interior volume of this regular right-angle parallelepiped 8 is not entirely filled by the container in its non-expanded configuration. 25 The cumulative percentage of empty spaces between said boxes 1-3 placed at least in part against each other on the one hand and the free walls of the stack formed by the boxes 1-3 and the regular right-angle parallelepiped 8 on the other hand is the sum of the shaded areas 9, 10 and 11 here, i.e. 8%. This container includes, at each of its corners, a fitting 12 for holding, 30 manipulating and fixing the container. It therefore includes eight fittings 12 that are placed at the extreme corners of the container in its non-expanded configuration. The activation of the biaxial hinges 4-7 assures the passage from the non expanded configuration of the container to its expanded configuration. In this latter configuration, the end boxes 2, 3 form longitudinal extensions of the central box 1, 35 said assembly expanded in this way then forming a floating structure the hull of which has a longitudinal dimension greater than twice the longitudinal dimension of this central box 1. Whereas a first end box 2 effects a rotation of 1800 between the non- W02012/110400 10 PCT/EP2012/052236 expanded configuration and the expanded configuration of the container, the other end box 3 effects a rotation of less than 1800, here equal to approximately 1670, between these two configurations. These two different rotations assure the production of a plane or substantially plane deck for the floating structure. 5 The angle of rotation being less than 1800, the end wall 13 of the central box 1 intended to be placed against the end box 3 in the expanded configuration of the container has an inclined shape complementary to the inclined face 14 of this end box 3 coming into contact, so that the angle formed between these two inclined walls 13, 14 is equal to the value of the angle of rotation. 10 Each hinge with two axes 4-7, also called a biaxial hinge, includes two fixed parts each connected to or forming an integral part of a box 1, 3 and supporting one of the two hinge pins of this hinge. These two hinge pins are connected by one or more links assuring the offsetting of the rotation axes. Each box 1-3 has aluminium walls forming its watertight exterior envelope. 15 Each box 1-3 formed in this way is structured by a longitudinal and transverse network of stiffeners designed to withstand the local forces and the overall forces to which the container is subjected as much in the non-expanded configuration as in the expanded configuration. Each of these boxes 1-3 therefore forms a load-bearing structure able to 20 receive heavy loads such as a hut, vehicles (truck, etc.), equipment and/or personnel. The triangular shape of the end boxes 2, 3 moreover assures good bearing of loads by the central box 1 allowing the use of the ends, or tips, of these boxes 2, 3 to carry loads. The loading area of the load-bearing structure is therefore significantly increased, which is advantageous. Of course, the biaxial 25 hinges 4-7 are sized to withstand high loads as much in the expanded configuration, i.e. in the floating structure configuration, as in the non-expanded configuration, i.e. in the container configuration. Alternatively, these boxes 1-3 could be made of steel, stainless steel, copper-nickel alloy, polymer or more generally composite materials. 30 Figures 3 to 5 show a convertible container in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention in its non-expanded configuration, in the process of expansion and in its expanded configuration. The elements of Figures 3 to 5 bearing the same references as elements of Figures 1 and 2 represent the same objects which will therefore not be described again hereinafter. 35 This container differs from that described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 in that in its non-expanded configuration its perimeter forms a regular right-angle parallelepiped. This embodiment is preferred because the cumulative percentage of empty spaces between the boxes 15-19 themselves on the one hand and W02012/110400 11 PCT/EP2012/052236 between the boxes 15-19 and the walls of the regular parallelepiped within which this container is inscribed is then close to zero. This ensures that the interior volume of this regular parallelepiped is occupied to the maximum by the material of the container in its non-expanded 5 configuration so that the area of the deck of the floating structure obtained by expanding this container is then maximized. Here this container includes five boxes 15-19 of which only one box 15 is fixed, the other boxes 16-19 being mobile. Two of these mobile boxes 16, 17 are placed between two other boxes 15, 18, 19, all of the boxes 15-19 being placed 10 against each other. By deploying the mobile boxes 15-19, a deck surface 20 is formed having a longitudinal dimension greater than twice the longitudinal dimension of the fixed box 15 on which the mobile boxes 16-19 are superposed in the non-expanded configuration of the container. 15 Here a box is connected in an articulated manner to another box by a pair or biaxial hinges 4-7, 21, 22 allowing movement of one of these two boxes relative to the other. Figures 6 to 8 show a convertible container in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention in its non-expanded configuration, in the process of 20 deployment and in its expanded configuration. The elements from Figures 6 to 8 bearing the same references as elements from Figures 1 and 2 represent the same objects which will therefore not be described again hereinafter. This container differs from that described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 in that in its non-expanded configuration its perimeter forms a regular right-angle 25 parallelepiped. Here this container includes six boxes 23-28 which during expansion of the container are mobile so as to form in the expanded configuration of the container a floating structure the longitudinal dimension of which is greater than the longitudinal dimension of the container in its non-expanded configuration. This 30 floating structure therefore has an increased plane deck area. These boxes 23-28 are connected to each other in an articulated manner by biaxial hinges 4-7, 21, 22, 29 already described above. Figures 9 to 11 show a convertible container in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention. 35 This container includes in its non-expanded configuration a stack of three boxes 30-32 having equal dimensions, which are therefore superposed on each other. These boxes 30-32 are moreover articulated relative to each other so that W02012/110400 12 PCT/EP2012/052236 two consecutive boxes are connected to each other on each of their lateral edges by at least two connecting arms 33-38, one of these connecting arms 34, 37 being common to the three boxes 30-32. Two consecutive connecting arms form with the two consecutive boxes that 5 they connect a deformable regular parallelogram so that the movement of one of these boxes relative to an immediately lower box in the stack from said non expanded configuration of said container leads to circular translation of that box relative to the immediately lower box of the stack. The connecting arms 34, 37 connecting the three boxes 30-32 10 advantageously assure simultaneous and uniform movement of all of the boxes of the container between the non-expanded configuration and the expanded configuration and vice versa. These connecting arms 33-38 are advantageously received in lateral housings 39 provided for this purpose in order for no structural element of the 15 container to be placed projecting from the parallelepiped 40 defined by the free walls of the boxes 30-32 so that this container can be stacked on and/or placed against other containers for its storage or its transport. These lateral housings 39 correspond here to recesses in the lateral edges of the boxes 30-32. The connecting arms 33-38 are mounted to be mobile in rotation on the 20 boxes 30-32 to allow relative movement of each of these boxes. These connecting arms 33-38 include links, for example. The face or faces 40, 41 of the boxes 30-32 intended to come into contact with a face of another box when these boxes are placed end-to-end in the expanded configuration of the container each have a shape complementary to the 25 face with which it is intended to cooperate in the expanded configuration of the container. As a result, the faces of two consecutive boxes coupled in this manner cooperate to lock the floating structure in position. This container in its non-expanded configuration can be inscribed within a right-angle parallelepiped 42 from which the container in its non-expanded 30 configuration departs by virtue of the empty spaces between the boxes 30-32 and the walls of this regular parallelepiped 42. The walls of this right-angle parallelepiped 42 are then formed at least in part by the free walls of the stack formed by the boxes 30-32. The cumulative percentage of empty spaces between these boxes 30-32 on the one hand and the free walls of the stack and the 35 parallelepiped 42 on the other hand is of the order of 15% of the interior volume of this parallelepiped. Figure 12 shows diagrammatically a view in section of a container with its inflatable elements in an expanded configuration on the water; for simplicity, the W02012/110400 13 PCT/EP2012/052236 container in the expanded configuration has been represented in the form of a single unit 43. One of these inflatable elements 44 has an elemental section derived from the trapezium having edges with highly rounded corners and continuous faces 5 minimizing ruptures of shape while the other inflatable elements 45, 46 have a circular section. These latter two inflatable elements 45, 46 are connected to each other by a web 47 so that there is a continuous surface between these inflatable elements minimizing ruptures of shape.