EP3315696B1

EP3315696B1 - Closing system for semi-trailer box doors with lock bolts

Info

Publication number: EP3315696B1
Application number: EP17199049.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nuno Luis Santos Ferreira
Original assignee: Barrinho Transportes SA
Current assignee: Barrinho Transportes SA
Priority date: 2016-10-28
Filing date: 2017-10-27
Publication date: 2019-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 2037-10-27
Also published as: ES2739218T3; PT3315696T; PT109704A; EP3315696A1

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hidden closing system for semi-trailers box doors, allowing the safe transport of goods and not allowing their access by unauthorized persons.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a closing system which can be applied to semi-trailers box doors with internal lock bolts actuated by a pneumatic cylinder remotely controlled. The lock bolts that lock the doors and prevent access to the interior of the compartments latch inside the doors, thus making it impossible to access with the doors closed. All parts of the mechanism are in a closed box to prevent acts of vandalism. Even if the electric current and air supply are cut off, the system will not unlock.
In fact, the transport of goods in semi-trailers is an extremely important activity in the logistics chain, allowing the exchange of goods between companies, institutions and people, and thus the present invention arises from seeking the objective of transporting goods safely and of preventing access to it by unauthorized persons.
The closing systems located outside the doors are installed in the semi-trailers at the factory, allowing the door to be closed but not locked. There are external door locks available in the market to aid the latches installed in the semi-trailers at the factory, but these are exposed and rely on the original latches and thereby may be subjected to acts of vandalism.
There is also available in the market a locking system installed inside the door, which presents as its great fragility the resistance to the break-in. The assembly is made only on a leaf of the semi-trailer rear door, and its fixation is made inside the door and not to a chassis or to a crossbar of it. This system also has as a negative point the fact that, for its activation, it is necessary to connect electric cables between the walls of the trailer and the door, thus causing the cables to be exposed to twisting and leading to its break by fatigue. This connection mode greatly reduces the reliability of its activation, shortening its life time for a large number of loading and unloading operations, i.e. opening or closing the doors.
In addition to the existing simple latches which lock and prevent the doors from unintentionally opening, it is sometimes necessary to implement other locking systems which are not simple to manipulate or to break into. On the other hand, they have to allow a simple access to the respective controller.
The present invention has its closest background in the patent applications with the following publication numbers:

US 6050116 A discloses a closing system in which the driving system is pneumatic by means of an electro pneumatic valve, actuated by operator command. It differs from the present invention since the lock is mounted behind the door and the closure is made in the crossbar of the chassis; the stud of present invention locks in the door and not in the chassis;
US 4142390 A also discloses a door closing system included in the state-of-the-art, which is not relevant.

The fact that the system object of the present invention has a hidden lock makes the access difficult for third parties, not allowing its detection and its operation. As the lock is inside the door, this also has the advantage of being able to place the last row of pallets with the load. In each complete load of pallets to be placed on a semi-trailer, a load optimization next to the doors is achieved as the interior assembly allows gaining the space of this inner lock.
The goal of the invention is achieved by a hidden closing system according to claim 1. Preferential embodiments are further defined in the dependent claims 2-5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1 is a perspective representation of the major components of the latch mechanism, or first set of components of the present invention: the pin-shaped lock bolts (2), the rotation axis (4) in which are connected at least three supports (14) which have, at one end, means for insertion into the axis (4), preferably bores, and at the other end means, preferably slots (3), for securing the pin-shaped lock bolts (2) and/or the rod of a pneumatic cylinder (5) through the studs (11).
Fig.2 is a side view showing all the parts that constitute the latch already shown in Fig. 1, being now visible that it can be closed in a box (10) and that the rotation axis (4) is fixed to the semi-trailer structure (9), the doors (8) of the respective structure (9) being thereby locked. It is also shown that the pneumatic cylinder (5) is controlled by the authorized operator through a solenoid valve (6) via a wireless electronic system (7). In addition, the second set of components of the present invention is shown in cross-section: the vertical lock bolts (1) which are connected to a set of springs (12).
Fig. 3 is a perspective representation indicating the preferred use, in doors of boxes mounted on semi-trailers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hidden closing system for semi-trailer box doors, which, in order to achieve the aforementioned advantages and objectives, essentially comprises two main sets of components:

First set - latch:
- ∘ pin-shaped lock bolts (2) which move vertically in the studs (11) bushing, allowing the lock of the doors (8) against the semi-trailer structure (9) in the lower part of the doors;
- ∘ rotation axis (4) in which at least three supports (14) are connected, which receive the movement from the cylinder and transmit it to the pins. The central rod receives the movement from the pneumatic cylinder and transmits movement to the rods which are fixed at the end of the rotation axis (4). These rods are welded to the rotation axis (4) at one of its ends, and in the other end they do the connection to the pin-shaped lock bolts (2) where the slots (3) existing there adjust to the vertical movement of the pin-shaped lock bolts (2) and thus fix them;
Second set:
∘ vertical lock bolts (1), which are mounted inside the doors (8) if these are wide enough or, alternatively, inside the compartment to be protected and transported.

In order to further detail the first set of components, it should be referred that the supports (14) have the following location along the rotation axis (4):

two at each end of the axis (4), in which the pin-shaped lock bolts (2) are fixed;
one in the center of the axis (4), in which the rod of a pneumatic cylinder (5) is fixed.

The pin-shaped lock bolts (2) and the rod of the pneumatic cylinder (5) are fixed to the supports (14), preferably by means of studs (11) which, at one end, are fixed to the slots (3) of the supports (14) and, at the other end, receive the rod of the cylinder (5) or the pin-shaped lock bolts (2).
Once explained the part regarding the first set of components of the invention, it should now be referred the way how these components are interconnected and function together in order to achieve the objects of the present invention.
The pin-shaped lock bolts (2) move vertically due to the rotation of an axis (4), since they are connected perpendicularly thereto through the two supports (14) which are positioned at the ends of the axis (4) and studs (11), thereby the rotation of the shaft (4) is integral with the vertical movement of the pin-shaped lock bolts (2).
The rotation of the shaft (4) is driven by the rod of a pneumatic cylinder (5), through the support (14) positioned in the center of the axis (4), since the bores where it is fixed to the axis and the slots (3), in which the studs are fixed, have clearances in order the horizontal movement of the cylinder (5) is integral with the rotational movement of the axis (4), and consequently with the vertical movement of the pin-shaped lock bolts (2) . It should be noted that the rotation axis (4) is fixed to the semi-trailer structure (9), the doors (8) being thereby locked to this structure (9) in the lower part of the doors (8).
The pneumatic cylinder (5) is controlled by the authorized operator using a solenoid valve (6) via a wireless electronic system (7).
In addition, and not less essential, it is important to characterize how the interaction of this part of the present invention, which allows the vertical movement of the pin-shaped lock bolts (2), with the second set of components of the present invention - the vertical lock bolts (1) - is performed in order the closure of the doors or compartment is reached.
The upward movement of the pin-shaped lock bolts (2), which allows the lock of the doors (8) against the semi-trailer structure (9), simultaneously pulls the vertical lock bolts (1), thus allowing the closure of the doors at the top. In order to reverse this situation and to open the latch, the vertical lock bolts (1) are connected to a set of springs (12), which pulls the rods or tubes downwards, corresponding to the open condition.
Thus, it is not necessary to connect the pin-shaped lock bolts (2) to the vertical lock bolts (1) in order to unlock and open the doors (8).
The first set of components of the present invention are closed and sealed in a box (10) in order to prevent acts of vandalism. Even if the air and the electric current supply are cut off, the system is not activated due to the existence of a solenoid electro-valve (6), with the null position corresponding to the absence of movement of the cylinder.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, horizontal lock bolts can be coupled, which are activated by the same upward movement of the pin-shaped lock bolts (2).
As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described herein and a number of changes are possible which remain within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

Hidden closing system for semi-trailer box doors comprising
a) pin-shaped lock bolts (2) which move vertically;

b) vertical lock bolts (1) which can be located inside doors (8);

c) rotation axis (4) fixable to the semi-trailer structure (9) at the lower part of the doors (8), in which at least three supports (14) are connected perpendicularly, each one having:
i. at one end, insertion means (11) on the rotation axis (4); and

ii. at the other end, fixation means (3) for pin-shaped lock bolts (2) or for a rod of a pneumatic cylinder (5);

d) at least two of the supports (14) are located at the ends of the rotation axis (4) with the pin-shaped bolts (2) fixed thereon, and at least one support (14) is located at the center of the axis (4) with the rod of the pneumatic cylinder (5) fixed thereon, this one driving the rotation movement of the axis (4), which is integral with the vertical movement of the pin-shaped lock bolts (2) in order to lock the doors (8) against the structure (9) and simultaneously pushing the vertical lock bolts (1).
System according to claim 1, characterized in that the pneumatic cylinder (5) is controlled by a solenoid valve (6) via a wireless electronic system (7).
System according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the pin-shaped lock bolts (2) and the rod of the pneumatic cylinder (5) are fixed to the supports (14) by means of studs (11), which at one end are fixed to the slots (3) of the supports (14), and at the other end receive the rod of the cylinder (5) and/or the pin-shaped lock bolts (2).
System according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the vertical lock bolts (1) can be mounted inside the compartment to be protected and transported.
System according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the vertical bolts (1) are connected to a set of springs (12) for opening the latch.