EP1611033A1

EP1611033A1 - Transportation container

Info

Publication number: EP1611033A1
Application number: EP04719477A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Anita Oy Web-cat Ltd JOKINEN
Original assignee: Web-Cat Ltd Oy
Current assignee: Web-Cat Ltd Oy
Priority date: 2003-03-11
Filing date: 2004-03-11
Publication date: 2006-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 2024-03-11
Also published as: FI20030363A0; FI20030363A; RU2005130864A; WO2004080846A1; ATE365137T1; DE602004007121D1; CA2518726A1; AU2004220368B2; US20060261059A1; CN1777551A; DE602004007121T2; AU2004220368A1; CN100343143C; RU2320524C2; EP1611033B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a transportation container including a container part (1), into which container part the goods to be transported and stored can be placed, the container part (1) including two ends (2) and two flanks (3) and a bottom (4) and a top (5) part. According to the invention, the transportation container is substantially foldable, and the container part (1) is made of a substantially shaping material, and the container part (1) includes at least one openable and closable hatch (13, 14) for unloading the goods; and arranged in conjunction with the container part (1), at its angles, are angle pieces (6); and arranged substantially about the container part (1) are supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c), at least part of the supporting means (7a-c) being arranged to pass via the angle pieces (6) for arranging the shaping material and supporting thereof into the desired container form.

Description

TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a transportation container as defined in the preamble of claim 1 preferably for storage and transportation of raw material such as charcoal, peat, timber, woodchips, grain, bio mass, sand or plastic pellets etc. or various products such as bulk products by sea, land, rail and air.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Previously, raw material and bulk products have been transported in fixed open-type cisterns and pickups of trucks, trains and ships. Typically, raw materials have not been transported in movable units such as containers as the unloading of previously known hard containers has been troublesome. Various hard containers have been used for the transportation of finished products and parcelled goods, as is well- known .

The problem with the previously known manner of transporting raw materials is the multi-phaseness of the transportation system, including several load- ing and unloading steps, and thus the complexity and non-cost-effectiveness of the system. It has been possible to use the known open-type cisterns and pickups in the transportation of raw materials only at a certain step of the transportation journey, not during the entire transportation or in the intermediate storage. Often, the raw material, such as charcoal, is first heaped up near the production site, from which it is transported in an open-type cistern of a waggon to the port, where it is again intermediate stored as a heap of charcoal. From the heap of charcoal at the port, the charcoal is loaded into the open-type cisterns of a ship and is transported by ship to the des- tination, where it is re-unloaded to form a heap of charcoal, after which it may be further transported e.g. in a pickup of a train or truck to a power plant. In that case the problem is the increase in the humid- ity and dust and particle emissions of the raw material, as well as the raw material loss.

One further problem has been the slowness of the unloading of the raw materials and bulk products and the long unloading time e.g. from ships and barges. Still one further problem has been the small number of suitable ship, barge and train unloading sites for particular products.

Moreover, known in prior art is to use various big sacks in the transportation of a bulk product, such as e.g. pellets, catalysts or the like. The problem with the usage of big sacks is their small size and low load-carrying capacity, wherein in the transportation of a bulk product one must use a quantitatively big number of sacks to transport the goods.

OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the invention is to eliminate the drawbacks referred to above . One specific objective of the invention is to disclose a new, more robust and better foldable transportation container for the transportation and storage of goods, raw material or a product in a more simple, advantageous and efficient manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The transportation container in accordance with the invention is characterised by what has been presented in the claims.

The invention is based on a transportation container which includes a container part, into which container part the goods to be transported and stored can placed, the container part having two ends, two flanks and a bottom and a top part . According to the invention, the transportation container is substan- tially foldable, and the container part consists of a substantially shaping material. The container part includes at least one openable and closable hatch for unloading the goods; and arranged in conjunction with the container part, at its angles, are angle pieces; and arranged substantially about the container part are supporting means, at least part of them being arranged to pass through the angle pieces for arranging the shaping material and supporting thereof into the desired container form. In one preferred embodiment, the transportation container is elongated having the length e.g. of 6 m and width of about 2 to 3 m. In an alternative embodiment, the length of the transportation container is about 8 to 12 m. In one preferred embodiment, the container part consists of a substantially continuous casing. In an alternative embodiment, attached to the casing of the container part are predetermined components to form the total casing. In one embodiment, the casing of the container part consists of one material layer. In an alternative embodiment, the casing of the container part consists of one or more material layers. The material layers can consist of the same or different material. In one embodiment of the invention, the supporting means is substantially a flexible ribbon, strap, beam, cable wire or the like. Alternatively, the supporting means, which preferably is flexible, can be in the form of a tube, hose, rope, narrow plate or the like.

In one embodiment of the invention, the container part includes at least three types of support- ing means. In one preferred embodiment, the container part includes six types of supporting means, which are arranged about the container part for supporting thereof and for improving the load-carrying capacity thereof .

In one embodiment of the invention, the container includes eight angle pieces arranged at each angle of the container. In one alternative embodiment of the invention, the container includes twelve angle pieces, eight of which are arranged at each angle of the container, and four of which are arranged in the centre of the horizontal edges of the container part's flanks .

In one embodiment of the invention, the angle piece preferably includes a fastening element consistent with a standard, such as e.g. the ISO 1611, by means of which the angle piece can be attached, making the container better arrangeable into a transportation means consistent with the standard. Furthermore, the angle piece includes means through which the supporting means can be placed, preferably passed through the angle piece.

The invention has the advantage that the angle piece in accordance with the invention is inter- changeable, whereas the previous, so-called standard angle pieces were welded to the containers, and thus were not interchangeable .

In one embodiment of the invention, the container part includes at least three types of support- ing means arranged through the angle pieces, the first of them being arranged to encompass the end of the container part, encircling the edges of the end via four angle pieces, and the second of them being arranged to encompass the bottom or top part of the con- tainer part, encircling the edges of the bottom or top part via four angle pieces, and the third of them being arranged to encompass the flank of the container part, encircling the edges of the flank via four angle pieces .

In one embodiment of the invention, the means through which the supporting means can be placed to pass through the angle piece are passages or channels, and the supporting means that pass through the angle pieces are each arranged to pass through a predetermined channel or passage of their own in the angle piece without contacting the other supporting means. In one embodiment of the invention, part of the supporting means are arranged in conjunction with the container part without passage through the angle pieces. Advantageously, these supporting means are arranged to encompass the container part . In one embodiment of the invention, the container part includes at least three types of supporting means, which are arranged in conjunction with the container part without passage through the angle pieces, of which supporting means the first one is ar- ranged to encompass the entire container part in the horizontal direction, the second one is arranged to pass vertically at the ends and longitudinally in the bottom, and the third one is arranged to pass in parallel to the cross section of the container part about the flanks and the bottom.

In one embodiment, the supporting means, which is arranged to encircle the container in the flank-bottom-flank direction, has at both ends thereof a hoisting/supporting ring or the like, which prefera- bly is visible in conjunction with the upper edge of the container part's flank.

In one embodiment of the invention, the supporting means are arranged to pass in parallel at a distance from each other. In one embodiment of the invention, the supporting means are arranged to pass crosswise in such a manner that the first supporting means are arranged to pass into a first direction and the second supporting means are arranged to pass into a second direction in conjunction with the container part. In one embodiment, arranged at the crossing point of the supporting means is a fasting means, preferably e.g. a bonding lock, for attaching the supporting means to one another and for strengthening the supporting structure that consists of supporting means without breaking the supporting structure. Thanks to the fastening means, preferably a bonding lock, it is easy to change an individual strap.

In one embodiment of the invention, the container part includes at least one channel, which is arranged in conjunction with the casing. Advantageously, the channel is arranged inside or outside the casing in conjunction with the casing, or between the material layers of the casing.

In one embodiment of the invention, the con- tainer part may contain a number of channels. In one embodiment, the channels are arranged at a distance from one another. In an alternative embodiment, the channels are arranged substantially side by side. Separate channels may have been formed by welding, sewing, hot melting, etc.

In one embodiment, the channels are arranged substantially horizontally or vertically in the casing. In one embodiment, the channels are arranged to pass crosswise. In one embodiment, the channel that passes into the first direction is arranged to pass into the channel that passes into the second direction. In an alternative embodiment, the channel that passes into the first direction is arranged to be discontinuous at the point at which it intersects the continuous channel that passes into the second direction. In another alternative embodiment, the channels that pass into the first and second directions are arranged between different material layers.

In one embodiment of the invention, at least one supporting means is arranged in the formed chan- nel, preferably inside it. The supporting means can have the width of the channel or be narrower.

In one embodiment of the invention, the casing is made of polymer fibre, synthetic fibre or mixtures thereof. The casing may consist of e.g. polyes- ter, polyamide, polyurethane, polyethylene teraphtha- late or other suitable strong polymer fibres or mixtures thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the casing consists of polyester which has a carefully predetermined shock resistance and tensile strength. Advanta- geously, the material of the casing is woven-type, and its surface can be smooth or alternatively e.g. soft, bubble-like, bellows-like, frictional or the like, depending on the purpose of use of the transportation container. A non-smooth surface may have been obtained by treating the surface structure or by arranging on the surface different material to obtain the desired surface, or by arranging between the uppermost material layers a filling such as e.g. cellular plastic, foam rubber or the like. In one preferred embodiment, the casing has seams or joints as few as possible.

In one embodiment, the casing of the container consists of single-use material, e.g. in conjunction with a transportation application of messy agents. In that case, the casing part can be easily changed.

In one embodiment of the invention, the supporting means consists of polymer, synthetic fibre, plastic, aluminium, other metal, carbon fibre, steel cable or the like. As the polymer material it is pos- sible to use the corresponding materials that were mentioned above in conjunction with the materials for casing. The material of the supporting means can be recycling material. Alternatively, it is possible to use e.g. gas such as air, or silicone or polystyrene at least as a part of the supporting means. In that case, the channels have been filled with the material in question, thus supporting the transportation container structure. A combination of different materials can also function as the supporting means.

By the selection of the supporting means and the material of the casing as well as by arranging the supporting means in a particular manner, e.g. at a distance from one another or in a latticed form, it is possible to affect the load-carrying capacity of the transportation container. In one embodiment, the load- carrying capacity of the transportation container can be up to about 60 tonnes.

In one embodiment of the invention, the openable and closable hatch is arranged in the bottom part . Advantageously, the hatch of the bottom part functions as the unloading hatch of goods. In one em- bodiment, arranged in conjunction with the hatch is a funnel-shaped structure for facilitating the unloading of goods .

In one embodiment, the hatch consists of the material of the casing. In an alternative embodiment, the hatch is of a different material than the casing. In one embodiment, the hatch is arranged in conjunction with the casing, either as being a part of the continuous casing material or as being combined with the casing material . In one embodiment of the invention, the top part of the container is a lid. In one embodiment of the invention, the upper edges of the container part's casing flanks and ends are so shaped that they can be folded to form a lid in the top part of the container part, preferably on top of the hatch therein. In one preferred embodiment, the filling of the transportation container is performed via the opening in the top part. In an alternative embodiment, the container part includes a separate lid for covering the opening in the top part, which lid can be arranged substantially in conjunction with the casing. The lid can consist of the same or different material than the casing of the container part. The lid can be rigid or flexible, e.g. fixed, tarpaulin-like, bellows-like, rollable or padded.

In one embodiment of the invention, the con- tainer part's casing flank and/or end is arranged to be openable and/or closable for loading and/or unloading the container.

In one embodiment, arranged in the container part are preferably opening and locking means in con- junction with the container part for opening and closing of the hatch and/or lid, as well as for locking the fastening of the hatch and/or lid. The opening and locking means can be any locking means known per se and/or suitable for its purpose. In one embodiment, arranged at the ends, flanks, bottom and/or lid is a stiffener in conjunction with the shaping material, e.g. in between the material layers. The stiffener may have been arranged to have the form of the container part ' s end, lid, flank and/or bottom. In one embodiment, the ends are connected to one another with at least one rigid supporting beam for supporting the transportation container. The beam can be connected with the supporting means included in the container part. In one alterna- tive embodiment, the end, flank, bottom and/or lid may have been formed of a substantially rigid material .

Advantageously, the transportation container can be folded flat and/or so as to take up less space, depending on the fact of whether the container part includes a stiffener or not.

In one embodiment, the container part is coated, either wholly or partially, with e.g. a suit- able polymer such as e.g. polyurethane, Teflon or the like at least on one side for strengthening the material or for improving the properties of the material, e.g. for improving the resistance to rain. In one em- bodiment, the points of the transportation container that are subjected to a lot of stress, such as the angles and the bottom, are reinforced by coating.

In one embodiment, the transportation container includes rigid or flexible partitions for di- viding the container part's space into smaller parts.

In one embodiment, the transportation container includes external supporting beams arranged in conjunction with the container part of the transportation container outside the container, e.g. in the bot- tom of the container. Advantageously, the purpose of the supporting beams is, for their part, to support the transportation container, and for their part to facilitate its loading e.g. inside a hard transportation container or waggon. Beneath the supporting beams arranged in the bottom one may have installed e.g. wheels to facilitate the moving of the transportation container.

Furthermore, the transportation container in accordance with the invention can be used in a trans- portation in which the goods to be transported are kept in the same container during the entire transportation, but the transportation means can change.

The transportation container in accordance with the invention preferably fulfils the transporta- tion standards, e.g. the ISO 668 and ISO 1611, and the transportation regulations, e.g. No 1145/1998.

The invention enables one to achieve a manner more preferable, efficient and environmentally friendly than before for the transportation and inter- mediate storage of e.g. raw material or bulk product, such as charcoal, peat, timber, woodchips, grain, bio mass, sand or pellets or the like or finished products .

The invention has the advantage that one achieves a very light but nevertheless a very robust transportation container that is easy to handle and transport in a confined space. Several empty folded transportation containers in accordance with the invention can be transported at the same time, e.g. in one waggon, container or the like. The invention enables one to achieve a fold- able transportation container whose load-carrying capacity is considerably better than that of the previous transportation containers. Furthermore, the loading capacity of the transportation container of the invention in relation to the load-carrying capacity and vice versa is bigger than before. The transportation container of the invention is able to carry even up to 60 tonnes of goods, normally 35 tonnes of goods with a capacity of 35m³, whilst in the known hard transportation containers it is possible to carry about 28 tonnes with a capacity of 31m³. The load- carrying capacity of the previously known big sacks has been no more than 1 to 2 tonnes .

The transportation container of the invention is very simple and thus advantageous to implement. Similarly, the operating costs are low. The transportation container does not rust, and the container part is easy to patch.

The transportation container of the invention is applicable to the transportation and intermediate storage of various raw materials, bulk products and parcelled goods without several loading and unloading steps, which makes the loss of the goods being transported small, and the goods maintain their original properties. The same transportation container can be used during the entire transportation and transfer system. The loading of the transportation container and particularly the unloading thereof is fast and cost-efficient. The unloading time preferably is no more than about a fifth of the unloading time of known containers. Furthermore, when using transportation containers in accordance with the invention in the transportation of raw material or bulk goods, the unloading time compared e.g. to barge transportations is about 25 to 50% shorter. Furthermore, the transportation container can be unloaded anywhere with no need for a separate unloading place. Thus, the unloading place can be selected. The empty transportation containers can be returned from their destination back to the production site in different transportation means and packed in the minimum of space. This increases the utilisation ratio of the transportation means themselves .

The transportation container of the invention also quickens the turnover time of waggons, trucks, ships and barges because thanks to the transportation container of the invention, a waggon, truck, ship or barge is needed just during the transportation journey. The transportation container can be quickly and easily hoisted aboard a waggon, truck, ship or barge and away from them, in which case the transportation means need not be at a standstill in terminals, railway yards or unloading places. Furthermore, the transportation container of the invention can be filled in advance and just hoisted into the transportation means . The transportation container can be easily modified according to use. The transportation container of the invention can be arranged aboard any transportation means. Furthermore, the transportation container can be arranged inside a hard transportation container. Furthermore, the transportation container can be arranged inside a hard transportation container when necessary. LIST OF FIGURES

In the following, the invention will be de- scribed by means of detailed examples of its embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 represents one transportation container in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 represents an angle piece of the transportation container as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents the transportation container as shown in Fig. 1 in a situation in which the unloading hatches are opened; Fig. 4 represents a casing structure of the transportation container as shown in Fig. 1, the casing structure being foldable to form a lid; and

Fig. 5 represents a bonding lock to be used in the supporting structure of the transportation con- tainer as shown in Fig. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The transportation container as shown in Fig. 1 is designed for the intermediate storage of charcoal in a production site, for the transportation from the production site to the destination, e.g. to a power plant, and for the intermediate storage along the transportation journey. The charcoal is loaded into the transportation container already at the production site of the charcoal, and is disposed in the same transportation container all the way to the exploitation object. The transportation means, e.g. a combination train-ship-train, can sometimes change but the charcoal remains in the same transportation container during the entire transportation journey. The transportation container as shown in Fig. 1 includes a container part 1, inside which the charcoal to be transported and stored is placed. The container part includes two ends 2, two flanks 3, a bot- tom part 4 and a top part 5. The top part 5 is arranged to be open or openable, and the container can be filled via it.

Furthermore, the container part 1 as shown in Fig. 1 comprises eight angle pieces 6 (shown in Fig. 2) , which are arranged at each angle of the container part 1, and six flexible supporting ribbons 7a-c and 8a-c, which are arranged to encompass the container at different points and from different directions. The supporting ribbons 7a-c are arranged to pass via the angle pieces 6, and the supporting ribbons 8a-c are arranged to encompass the container without passage via the angle pieces 6.

The angle piece 6 contains a so-called standard part 9 for standardised transportation means, as well as three separate passages through which the supporting ribbons 7a-c can be passed. The passages are arranged to cross in a predetermined manner with respect to one another. The angle pieces 6 are formed of a light and durable material, preferably of aluminium or an aluminium mixture (AlZn5Mgl) .

Of the supporting ribbons 7a-7c that are arranged through the angle pieces, the first ones 7a are arranged to encompass both ends 2 of the container part 1, encircling the edges of the end 2 via four an- gle pieces 6 in the transverse direction of the container; the second ones 7b are arranged to encompass the bottom 4 and top part 5 of the container part 1, encircling "the edges of the bottom 4/top part 5 via four angle pieces 6 in the longitudinal direction of the container; and the third ones 7c are arranged to encompass the flanks 3 of the container part 1, encircling the edges of the flank 3 via four angle pieces 6. The supporting ribbons 7a-c that pass through the angle pieces 6 are arranged to pass through the angle pieces 6 each along a passage of their own without contacting each other. Arranged inside the passages in the angle piece 6 are accurately dimensioned shields, which extend a little outside the inlet and outlet ports of the passages of the angle piece 6, to protect the supporting ribbons 7a-c from wear and breakage in conjunction with the angle piece 6. The shields also seal up the supporting ribbons 7a-c in place in the angle piece, preventing excessive movement of the ribbons, e.g. a lateral movement. The angle pieces 6 stay in place by means of the supporting ribbons 7a-c, and vice versa the supporting ribbons 7a-c can be firmly placed to support the container structure by means of the angle pieces 6.

The advantage associated is that the supporting ribbon can be passed continuously through the angle pieces, with no breaks. In that case there is no need to arrange additional joints in the supporting ribbon.

The supporting ribbons 8a, 8b and 8c, which do not pass through the angle pieces 6, are each arranged to pass in parallel at a distance from another similar supporting ribbon. The supporting ribbons 8a, i.e. the safety ribbons, are arranged to horizontally encompass the entire container. In this application, there are three pieces of supporting ribbons 8a. The supporting ribbons 8b, i.e. the longitudinal support- ing ribbons of the bottom hatches, are arranged to pass vertically at the ends 2 and longitudinally in the bottom 4. The supporting ribbons 8b are fastened at their upper edges either to the supporting ribbon 7a or 7c. In this application, there are two pieces of supporting ribbons 8b. The supporting ribbons 8c, i.e. the so-called transverse supporting ribbons of the container part and bottom hatches, are arranged to pass in parallel to the cross section of the container part 1 about the flank 3 and bottom 4 of the container. An extension 8d of the supporting ribbon 8c extends over the top part 5. Arranged at the top ends of the supporting ribbons 8c are securing hoisting rings 11, and the top ends of the supporting ribbons in question are attached to the supporting ribbon 7b. There are six pieces of supporting ribbons 8c in this application. The supporting ribbons 8a-c are arranged to pass crosswise in such a manner that arranged to pass at the very bottom are supporting ribbons 8b, on top of them are disposed supporting ribbons 8a, and topmost are disposed supporting ribbons 8c. Arranged at the crossing points of the supporting ribbons 8a-8c are bonding locks 10 (Fig. 5) for attaching the supporting ribbons 8a-c to one another and for strengthening the supporting structure that consists of the supporting ribbons. In that case, the supporting ribbons are not slipping with respect to one another. Fig. 5 represents one bonding lock in accordance with the invention. The bonding locks can be any bonding locks known per se in which two crossing supporting ribbons 8a-c pass from different directions without contacting each other. The bonding locks are not described more fully herein.

The advantage associated with the use of angle pieces and bonding locks is that the supporting ribbons can be fastened or tied to each other without breaking the structure of the supporting ribbons and preventing the supporting ribbons from rubbing against each other. Thus, the supporting ribbons will withstand better without breaking in conjunction with a heavy load.

The container part 1 is formed mainly of a continuous casing 12. The casing is formed mainly of a flexible polyester, which has been heat treated to be inelastic and which has a high breaking load. Un- folded, the casing is a carpet-like article which consists mainly of one material layer. Arranged in the casing are pockets, or the places for the angle pieces 6 are otherwise marked. Arranged in conjunction with the casing 12 are a number of channels (not shown in the figures) inside which the supporting ribbons 7b-c and 8a-b can be placed either wholly or partially. In that case, the supporting ribbons can be made to more firmly bond with the casing 12, and vice versa, the casing 12 can be made to bond with the supporting structure. Furthermore, the channels protect the supporting ribbons. Near the channels, the casing 12 is formed of two material layers between which the channels have been formed.

Arranged in the bottom part 4 of the casing 12 of the container part 1 are five openings 13 for the unloading hatches 14 (Fig. 3) . Attached to the bottom part 4 of the casing are hatches 14 made of the same material to cover the openings 13 of the hatches in the bottom 4. The unloading hatches 13, 14 are supported with supporting ribbons 8b and 8c, and the attachment of the unloading hatches 14 to the casing 12 is arranged between the casing 12 and the supporting ribbons 8b-c. The hatches 14 are arranged to be openable and closable separately. Naturally, all the hatches 14 can be opened simultaneously. Conventionally, the hatches 14 are opened one by one, which enables one to control the emptying of the container. The shape of the unloading hatch 13, 14 can naturally vary, e.g. from a quadrangular one to a round one. In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 1, the hatch 13 of the unloading opening and the hatch part 14 thereof are quadrangular. The hatches 14 are ar- ranged such that whilst opened, in conjunction with the hatch 14, a downwards tapering funnel-shaped structure 15 is formed for facilitating the unloading of the charcoal . Arranged in the lower edge of the funnel part 15 is a separate securing ribbon for preventing unscheduled opening of the hatch 14. Thanks to the funnel part, the emptying of the container part is not performed with a terrible force.

Arranged in conjunction with the unloading hatches 13, 14 are opening and locking means 16 (Figs. 1 and 3) for opening and closing each unloading hatch 14, as well as for locking the hatch independent of each other. In this application, as the opening and locking means 16, locking ribbons 16 are used, the first ends 17a of them (Figs. 1 and 3) being attachable to the one flank 3 of the container part by means of locks 18 included in the opening and locking means whilst the unloading hatch is closed; and the second ends 17b (Fig. 4) are fixedly attached to the other flank 3 of the container part. The second ends 17b of the locking ribbons 16 are attached to the lowermost supporting ribbon 8a on the one flank of the container part; and the locks 18 are attached to the lowermost supporting ribbon 8a on the other flank of the container part . For each unloading hatch 14 there are two locking ribbons 16, which are arranged on both sides of the unloading hatch in the cross section of the un- loading hatch and inside two adjacent supporting ribbons 8c near them. Arranged at the first ends 17a of the locking ribbons 16 are bolts 19, which can be attached to the locks 18.

In the embodiment of the container as shown in Fig. 1, the unloading hatches always open from the side, in which case the person performing the opening does not need to go under the heavy container for opening purposes .

Furthermore, the transportation container as shown in Fig. 1 comprises a lid 20 (Figs. 1 and 4) for protecting the charcoal from humidity or dust etc. The lid 20 is formed by folding the upper edges of the casing 12 to form a lid on top of the top part 5 of the container part after filling the container. The upper edge of the casing 12 is preshaped so that by folding it in a predetermined manner a lid structure is achieved. The extensions 8d of the supporting ribbons 8c are arranged on top of the formed lid structure 20 for attaching and locking it. The locking mechanism of the lid 20 by means of the supporting ribbons 8d is arranged in the same manner as the lock- ing of the unloading hatches described above.

The transportation container as shown in Fig. 1 is elongated having a length of about 6m and width of about 2m. The load-carrying capacity of the transportation container is about 60 tonnes; as the fill- ing, a load of 35 tonnes is usually used. The container is foldable whilst empty.

In one alternative embodiment, the container part can be open at the end or side, in which case the loading and unloading can be performed e.g. using a fork-lift truck. In that case, the structure of the supporting structure formed of the supporting ribbons and that of the loading/unloading hatches changes in a corresponding manner.

The transportation container of the invention is easily and advantageously suited for the transportation and/or long- or short-termed storage of various goods and raw materials in various embodiments.

The embodiments of the invention are not limited to the examples presented above, instead they can vary within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A transportation container including a container part (1) , into which container part the goods to be transported and stored can be placed, the container part (1) including two ends (2) and two flanks (3) and a bottom (4) and a top part (5) , c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the transportation container is substantially foldable, and that the con- tainer part (1) is formed of a substantially shaping material (12) , and the container part (1) includes at least one openable and closable hatch (13, 14) for unloading the goods; and arranged in conjunction with the container part (1) , at its angles, are angle pieces (6) ; and arranged substantially about the container part (1) are supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) , and at least part of the supporting means (7a-c) are arranged to pass via the angle pieces (6) for arranging the shaping material and for supporting thereof into the desired container form.

2. The transportation container (1) as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the container part (1) is formed of a substantially continuous casing (12) .

3. The transportation container as defined in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) is a substantially flexible ribbon, strap, beam, cable wire or the like.

4. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-3, c ha r a c t e r i s e d in that the container part (1) includes at least three types of supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) .

5. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the container part (1) includes at least six types of supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) .

6. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-5, c ha ra c t e r i s e d in that the container includes eight angle pieces (6) , which are arranged at each angle of the container.

7. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-5, c ha ra c t e r i s e d in that the container includes twelve angle pieces (6) , eight of which are arranged at each angle of the container, and four of which are arranged in the centre of the horizontal edges of the flanks (3) of the container part .

8. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-7, charac t e r i s ed in that the angle piece (6) includes a fastening element (9) by means of which the angle piece (6) can be attached to a standardised transportation means, and means through which the supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) can be placed to pass in the angle piece (6) .

9. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-8, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the container part (1) includes at least three types of supporting means (7a-c) arranged through the angle pieces (6) , the first (7a) of them being arranged to encompass the end (2) of the container part, encircling the edges of the end via four angle pieces, and the second of them (7b) being arranged to encompass the bottom (4) or top part (5) of the container part, encircling the edges of the bottom or top part via four angle pieces (6) , and the third of them (7c) being arranged to encompass the flank (3) of the container part, encircling the edges of the flanks via four angle pieces (6) .

10. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-9, c ha ra c t e r i s e d in that the means through which the supporting means (7a- c, 8a-c) can be placed to pass in the angle piece (6) are passages or channels, and the supporting means (7a-c) that pass through the angle pieces (6) are arranged to pass each along their own predetermined passage or channel in the angle piece (6) without contacting the other supporting means (7a-c) .

11. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-10, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that some of the supporting means (8a-c) are arranged in conjunction with the container part (1) without passage through the angle pieces (6) .

12. The transportation container as defined in claim 11, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the container part (1) includes at least three types of supporting means (8a-c) , which are arranged in conjunction with the container part without passage through the angle pieces (6) , the first (8a) of which supporting means (8a-c) is arranged to horizontally encompass the entire container part (1) , the second (8b) of which is arranged to pass vertically at the ends (2) and longitudinally in the bottom (4) , and the third (8c) of which is arranged to pass in parallel to the cross section of the container part (1) about the flanks (3) and the bottom (4) .

13. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-12, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the supporting means (8a-c) are arranged to pass in parallel at a distance from each other.

14. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-13, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) are arranged to pass crosswise.

15. The transportation container as defined in claim 14, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that arranged at the crossing point of the supporting means

(7a-c, 8a-c) is a fasting means (10) for attaching the supporting means to one another and for strengthening the supporting structure that consists of supporting means .

16. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-15, c hara c t e r i s e d in that the container part (1) comprises at least one channel which is arranged in conjunction with the cas- ing (12) .

17. The transportation container as defined in claim 16, chara c t e r i s e d in that the channel is arranged inside or outside the casing (12) in conjunction with the casing or in between the material layers of the casing (12) .

18. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-17, c ha ra c t e r i s e d in that at least one supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) is arranged in the formed channel .

19. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-18, chara c t e r i s e d in that the supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) consists of polymer, synthetic fibre, plastic, aluminium, other metal, carbon fibre, steel cable or the like.

20. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-19, c hara c t e r i s e d in that the casing (12) is made of polymer fibre, synthetic fibre, or mixtures thereof.

21. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-20, c hara c t e r i s e d in that the openable and closable hatch (13, 14) is arranged in the bottom part (4) .

22. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-21, c hara c t e r i s e d in that arranged in conjunction with the hatch (13,

14) is a funnel-shaped structure (15) for facilitating the unloading of the goods .

23. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-22, c ha ra c t e ri s e d in that the top part (5) is a lid.

24. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-23, cha ra c t e r i s e d in that the upper edges of the flanks (3) and ends (2) of the casing of the container part are so shaped that they can be arranged to form a lid in the top part (5) of the container part .

25. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-24, c ha ra c t e r i s e d in that the flank (3) and/or end (2) of the container part is arranged to be openable and/or closable for loading and/or unloading of the container.

26. The transportation container as defined in claim 1 for use in transportation, in which the goods to be transported are kept in the same container during the entire transportation, but the transportation means can change.