IE20030182U1 - Composite insulated containers - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A container means (10) comprsing a base (1) comprising a vacuum formed plastics element and a plurality of side walls engageable with the base (1) and upstanding from the base (1) when engaged with the base, the side walls being formed from an insulating material. The insulated container according to the invention provides a thermally controlled or thermally insulated space for the transport of goods or for the housing of goods or people.

Description

Composite Insulated Containers Field of the Invention 3 0 1 e 2 The present invention relates to insulated containers, which provide a thermally controlled or thermally insulated space for the transport of goods or for the housing of goods or people.

Means of transporting goods in a thermally insulated environment arc -already known, and include refrigerated or air-conditioned lorries or containers. However, such means are complex, and expensive to maintain. In addition, they are unsuitable for use in certain environments because of poor road conditions and the lack of support to service sophisticated equipment e. g. deserts, third world countries or areas where natural disasters have occurred. However, these are all locations where there is a need to maintain food or medicines, surgical or radio equipment at a constant temperature.

In times of crisis there is also a need in these locations to provide temporary, insulated environment for people to shelter in, particularly in conditions which are very hot, or where the temperature falls significantly at night.

Even in less demanding physical conditions, there is a substantial economic advantage in providing a cheaper and less complex transport system that provides for thermal insulation, since it allows any vehicle or warehouse to be used to transport or store goods under thermally controlled conditions.

Object of the Invention It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a transport or storage means, which provides cheap and easy to assemble insulated containers. It is a further object to provide a lightweight, easy to assemble, thermally insulated and temporary shelter for people or goods. Such transport, storage or shelter means are herein termed container means.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a container means comprising a base comprising a vacuum formed plastics element and a plurality of side walls engageable with the base and upstanding from the base when engaged with the base, the side walls being formed from an insulating material. The container means is particularly adapted for the bulk transport or storage of goods.

The container means may further comprise a lid panel.

The insulating layer may be made of woven stone, foil, bubble-wrap, foam, wadding, hollow—f1lled fibre, air bags, woven fire-proof materials, coated styrene, impregnated fire-retardant materials of any other material with thermal insulating properties.

The insulating material may comprise an insulating layer sandwiched between a layer of reflective foil material and a water-resistant layer.

The side walls may be substantially rigid panels made of an insulating material. Alternatively, the side walls may be formed of a frame and a layer of insulating material, the insulating material being adapted to overlie the frame and define an internal, insulated space.

The insulating layer may be formed in a bag-like or tent—like shape which can be placed over the frame. Alternatively, the insulating layer may be formed in sheets, which can be draped over the frame and fastened in place with conventional fastening means.

The base may take the form of a platform, panel or pallet formed by thermoforming a polystyrene core with an outer therrnoplastics material. The polystyrene core may be formed with strengthening elements, to add strength and rigidity. Such strengthening elements may be formed from timber or metal. The base may be formed with channels on its in use underside which are engageable with the arms or prongs of a forklift truck, so that the container means can be easily lifted.

The platform may also be formed with attachment means, which allows a number of platform elements to be fastened together to create a larger sized base unit lE030132 and thus a larger sized container. The size of the container means can thus be adjusted by varying the size of the base unit and the side and lid panels.

The frame may be formed from tubular steel, elongate wooden elements or other rod-like elements. Such rod-like elements may be provided with means to fasten the elements to the base and to each other, so that they can be formed into a box-shaped frame unit. Alternatively, the frame may take the form of side—panels formed of polystyrene, other plastics materials, or other lightweight materials. They may also be provided with fastening means, to allow the panels to be fixed to the base and to each other to form the frame unit.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the invention provides a container as defined above together with a liner adapted to hold liquid or other fluids or flowable matter. The liner may take the form of a bag of plastics material.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in a box container form with a lid, Fig la shows an embodiment of the invention in a box container form with detachable sides and lid, Fig 2 shows an embodiment of the invention with a liner to contain liquid, fluids or other powdered or finely divided matter, and Fig 3 shows an embodiment of the invention as a shelter.

Detailed Description of the Invention One embodiment of the invention as shown in Fig l is a box container form.

The container means 10 comprises a base 1 that takes the form of a platform, a panel or a pallet. The base 1 supports four side panels 2 and a lid panel 3 that is attached to one of the side panels 2. The base 1 is provided with a number of feet elements 11 on the surface, which is external to the container means 10. The feet elements 1] define channels 12 into which the arms of a forklift vehicle can locate in order to lift the container means 10.

'E03oia2 Fig la shows an alternative but similar embodiment to that shown in Figure l, in which the side panels 2 and the lid panel 3 are detachable. In this embodiment the base takes the form of a flat panel without feet 1 1 or charmels 12.

Fig 2 shows another embodiment of the invention with a linerl 3 to contain liquid, fluids or other powdered or finely divided material. This container means ll also comprises a base 1 that may be a platform, a panel or a pallet supporting side panels 2 that may be detached. The liner 13 fits within the container means 11. This embodiment further comprises an input port 14 in the liner 13, for filling the liner 13 and thus the container ll and an output port 15 for emptying the container 11.

An embodiment of the invention constructed as a shelter is shown in Fig 3.

The base 1 is made up of a number of platforms, panels or pallets that are joined together. Many conventional means can be employed to join the panels, such as a retaining or a supporting frame into or onto which the panels can fit, or the panels may be provided with interlocking lip regions which allows them to be fixed together. This allows the size of the container means 11 to be varied.

There are two side panels 2 positioned at opposite sides of the shelter 11. The side panels 2 provide support for an insulating cover 15 that can be provided with openings such as doors 16 and windows 17 for access and light.

The words “comprises/comprising” and the words “having/including” when used herein with reference to the present invention are used to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

Claims (5)

Claims

1. A container means comprising a base comprising a vacuum formed plastics element and a plurality of side walls engageable with the base and upstanding from the base when engaged with the base, the side walls being formed from an insulating materi al.

2. A container means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the insulating material is selected from the group consisting of woven stone, foil, bubble-wrap, foam, wadding, hollow-filled fibre, air bags, woven fire—proof materials, coated styrene, impregnated fire-retardant materials or any other material with thermal insulating properties.

3. A container means as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the side walls are selected from the group consisting of substantially rigid panels made of an insulating material, or a frame and a layer of insulating material, the insulating material being adapted to overlie the frame, the rigid panels or the frame and layer of insulating material together defining an internal, insulated space.

4. A container as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a liner, which is adapted to hold water, liquids, powders or other flowable material.

5. A container means substantially as described herein with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.