OA16535A - Conteneur transformable. - Google Patents

Abstract

L'invention concerne un conteneur comportant des aménagements pour la préhension, la manipulation et la fixation dudit conteneur, chacun desdits aménagements (8) étant placé à un coin de ce conteneur dans la position non déployée de ce conteneur. Selon l'invention, dans ladite position non déployée dudit conteneur, ledit conteneur est constitué d'un caisson central (1) ayant une dimension longitudinale et une dimension transversale, et de deux blocs d'extension (2, 3) reliés audit caisson central (1), une partie au moins de la structure du caisson central (1) et des blocs d'extension (2, 3) étant étanche, chacun desdits blocs d'extension (2, 3) ayant une longueur, ou largeur, dans ladite position non déployée supérieure à la moitié de la dimension longitudinale, respectivement transversale, dudit caisson central (1), lesdits blocs d'extension (2, 3) étant mobiles entre ladite position non déployée dans laquelle lesdits blocs d'extension et ledit caisson central (1) sont placés au moins en partie l'un au dessus de l'autre, et une position déployée dans laquelle chaque bloc d'extension forme une extension longitudinale ou transversale dudit caisson central (1), l'ensemble ainsi déployé formant alors une structure flottante ayant une surface de chargement accrue.

Description

TRANSFORMABLE CONTAINER

The present invention relates to a transformable container which in its non-deployed position can be picked up, handled or even stowed like any other transport container, and which in its deployed position, forms an autonomous floating structure.

There are known floating containers, or containers, which when stowed together make it possible to form a boat to fight against an accidental spill of oil at sea, in rivers or lakes. These containers advantageously allow very rapid transport of means for combating oil slicks, by plane or by ship. In the latter case, and when the ship causing the accidental oil spill is a container ship, these floating sea containers may already be on board.

However, this type of boat requires a plurality of separate containers, each having a specific function and the whole being essential for the formation and proper functioning of the boat.

In addition, the time required to assemble the various containers constituting the boat is particularly long, arduous and even impossible when the sea is rough, while the intervention of control means must be as fast as possible to limit as much as possible. early on in the oil-contaminated area.

There is, moreover, a need for amphibious vehicles which can be brought easily to areas of operation by sea or air.

In the case of transporting these amphibious vehicles by ship, they can be used for unloading equipment and / or goods on board the ship. Conversely, they can still be used for loading the ship.

To carry out these operations, these amphibious vehicles can then perform shuttles between the land and the ship.

Amphibious vehicles should finally be able to be loaded aboard these ships using conventional port infrastructures, and therefore without the need for dedicated facilities.

The objective of the present invention is therefore to provide a floating transport device, simple in its design and in its operating mode, having the dimensions of a freight transport container in an undeployed position, comprising arrangements for gripping. , handling and fixing this device with, for example, standard port installations, and forming a boat in its deployed position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a floating transport device which from a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension given in its non-deployed position, that is to say those of a container, features an increased deck area in order to significantly increase the boat's loading capacity and a maximized hull volume in order to have the best possible buoyancy in its deployed position.

This maximization of the hull volume and of the deck area of the boat must however be sought with the minimum possible kinematic connections in order to maintain a floating transport device which is simple and rapidly deployable.

In fact, the more moving parts the transport device has, the more its weight and complexity increase.

The dimensions of this transport device in its non-deployed position, that is to say as a container, are thus advantageously reduced, allowing it to be transported by truck, ship or even cargo plane.

Another requirement for such a container, as in all freight transport containers, is then to have all of its structural elements included in, and therefore not protruding 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 maximize the longitudinal and / or transverse dimensions of the boat obtained by deploying a transport container having standard ISO dimensions while ensuring good buoyancy for this boat.

Yet another object of the present invention is a self-propelled amphibious vehicle which can be transported by sea or by air being very easily loadable and unloadable.

To this end, the invention relates to a container comprising arrangements for gripping, handling and securing this container, each of these arrangements being placed at a corner of this container in the non-deployed position of the container.

According to the invention,

- in said non-deployed position of said container, said container consists of a central box having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, and two extension blocks connected to said central box, at least part of the structure of the central box and the extension blocks being waterproof,

- each of said extension blocks having a length, or width, in said non-deployed position greater than half of the longitudinal dimension, respectively transverse, of said central box,

- Said extension blocks being movable between said non-deployed position in which said extension blocks and said central box are placed at least in part one above the other, and a deployed position in which each block of extension forms a longitudinal or transverse extension of said central box, the assembly thus deployed then forming a floating structure having an increased loading surface.

Advantageously, the maximization of the length, respectively of the width, of the floating structure results in the improvement of the degree of speed of the hull, respectively the increase of the metacentric radius (and therefore of the initial stability), by intervening squared for the length (Reduction in the Froude number), respectively cubed for the width (increase in transverse inertia of flotation). These considerations are of course only valid for families of substantially identical hulls with equal displacement.

Arrangements for gripping, handling and securing said container are also called corner pieces allowing gripping, stowing and transshipment of the container.

These arrangements being placed in the corners of the container, at least these angles are full in order to have sufficient rigidity to ensure the absorption of the forces applied.

At least part of the center box and extension blocks are waterproof so that at least part of the hull is waterproof.

In various particular embodiments of this container, each having its particular advantages and capable of numerous possible technical combinations:

said extension blocks comprise a single box or two boxes preferably placed one against the other in said non-deployed position,

The extension blocks can thus each be made up of a single box. Alternatively, one of the extension blocks may include a single box forming an end box intended to move along the longitudinal axis of the central box while the other extension block is on the contrary made up of two boxes, advantageously. pressed against each other in the non-deployed position of the container, these boxes being intended to move transversely to the longitudinal axis of the central box.

in the deployed position of the container, the shell of said floating structure has a longitudinal dimension, or transverse, greater than twice the longitudinal dimension, respectively transverse, of said central box, Thus, and by way of example, in the deployed position of said container, the hull of said floating structure has a longitudinal dimension from the bow to the stern greater than twice the longitudinal dimension of the central box.

the extension blocks are hingedly connected to the central box,

Advantageously, the extension blocks are hingedly connected to the central box by a hinge. Preferably, this hinge is a two-axis hinge.

This two-axis hinge, also called a biaxial hinge, comprises two articulated parts which are connected to an intermediate part carrying the two offset axes of rotation.

this container includes actuators allowing the movement of the extension blocks from the non-deployed position to the deployed position of this container and vice versa,

Preferably, the extension blocks being hingedly connected to the central box by hinges, these actuators are motorized hinges or else hinges comprising means for opening and closing said hinges.

Purely by way of illustration, these means for opening and closing said hinges comprise, for example, rotary cylinders supplied by an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic power source. Preferably, this power source and its distribution circuit are placed in the central box or one of the extension blocks of the container.

Alternatively, the means for opening and closing the hinges can still be deported, and therefore not integrated into the hinges themselves. It can be purely illustrative, linear cylinders or a cable system or an external crane.

the extension blocks have complementary profiles so as to cooperate in the non-deployed position of the container to form with the central box an assembly whose free walls define a parallelepiped or substantially a parallelepiped, and even better a rectangular parallelepiped or a cube,

For illustrative purposes only, the extension blocks can thus have a triangular or truncated triangular profile.

Of course, this parallelepiped may not be solid when the extension blocks have, for example, a truncated triangular profile. It is in this sense that the free walls then substantially define a parallelepiped.

The triangular shape of the extension blocks ensures that a preferred direction of movement of the floating structure is not determined, which is then advantageously amphidromic.

the external surface of said container in its deployed position is flat or substantially flat so that the deck of the floating structure is flat or substantially flat, each of said extension blocks comprising a single extension box, a first of said extension boxes performs a rotation of 180 ° between the non-deployed position and the deployed position of said container while the other extension box performs a rotation of less than 180 °,

This first extension box is a right-angled triangle, whether or not truncated, while the other extension box has its side forming one end of the container in its non-deployed position, which is tilted inwardly of the container.

the container comprises at least one propulsion system so that said floating structure is self-propelled,

Preferably, this propulsion system allows at least one displacement of the floating structure in a direction transverse or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the floating structure.

at least one of said extension blocks and / or said central box is hollow to receive loads, said arrangements for gripping, handling and fixing said container being at least eight in number, said arrangements are placed at the ends of the corners of said container in its non-deployed position, said arrangements being intended to cooperate with standard ISO infrastructures for gripping, handling and fixing said container, 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 ends of the corners of which arrangements are placed for gripping, handling and fixing said unit assembly, the container comprises inflatable elements independently or not, making it possible to improve the buoyancy of said floating structure,

These inflatable elements are advantageously received in housings provided for this purpose in the lateral edges of this container. Thus, in an emergency, the container can be made to pass from its deployed position to its non-deployed position without having to deflate these inflatable elements.

Alternatively or in addition, these inflatable elements can be deployed from housings placed in the bottom of the central box and / or extension blocks, the inflatable elements then being placed under these elements when they are deployed.

These inflatable elements are preferably sized to ensure the stability and buoyancy of the floating structure.

Preferably, the container comprises a supply circuit to ensure the inflation, independently or not, of these inflatable elements from a power source, for example pneumatic. Purely by way of illustration, these inflatable elements are inflatable tubes. This power source can for example be placed in the central box or one of the extension blocks.

In order to compensate for the pressure losses which may result from leaks or temperature variations, the inflation pressure of the inflatable elements is controlled and adjusted thanks to a servo-control of the power source by probes such as pressure sensors, checking the inflation pressure of each inflatable element.

at least one of these extension blocks comprises one or more extension ramps to lengthen the longitudinal and / or transverse dimension of the bridge of said floating structure,

Alternatively, these ramps may not be integrated into the volumetry of the extension block, but be removable for storage inside the extension blocks and / or the central box.

the container has retractable wheels or not,

This container preferably comprises at least two retractable wheels or not per extension block. Of course, the central box may include at least one pair of retractable wheels or not to ensure the movement on the road of the container in its non-deployed position.

Advantageously, at least two of the wheels of the container are directional. In addition, at least two of said wheels are preferably driving.

This container then forms, in its deployed position, an amphibious vehicle.

said container has locking means,

These locking means may comprise bolts intended to cooperate with two or more arrangements for gripping, handling and fixing said container placed opposite. They thus make it possible to secure the extension blocks and the central box in the deployed position of the container. By way of illustration, these locks can be double twist locks (also called twist-locks), mounted opposite points, and interposed between two arrangements for gripping placed opposite and put in place before the full deployment of the container.

According to another embodiment, or in addition, the locking means may comprise fasteners such as pins or bolted fixing lugs.

Alternatively, the container can be self-locking in its deployed position, the self-locking being provided by the force resulting from the deployment actuators.

Purely by way of illustration, the self-locking can be ensured by load-maintaining valves on the hydraulic cylinders ensuring the deployment of the container.

this container has the dimensions of an ISO transport container 10 feet, 20 feet, 30 feet, 40 feet or 45 feet, or any other dimension of a standard container defined by standard ISO 668 and ISO 1496-1 or any other reference , norm, or standard used in multimodal maritime, river, road, rail or air transport, the container in its non-deployed position is advantageously floating so that it can be dropped at sea and deployed for example automatically or remotely to form a ship.

When it deploys automatically, the container has one or more probes connected to a hydraulic supply circuit, for example, to supply the hinges and ensure their movement from their open position to their closed position. These probes detect the presence of the container in the water, they ensure its good stability and if so, send a message to the hydraulic power source to power the hinges for their activation. Activation of these causes the container to move from its non-deployed position to its deployed position.

When the container is remotely controlled, it comprises at least one receiver, or transmitter / receiver, connected to a control unit, the latter controlling the activation of the hydraulic source to supply the hinges and activate the latter.

The invention also relates to a floating vehicle comprising at least two containers in their deployed position as described above, these containers being interconnected to form a unitary floating structure.

These containers in their deployed position can be assembled end to end and / or edge to edge.

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- Figure 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a container in its non-deployed position according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 is a front view of the container of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 schematically shows the container of Figure 1 in its deployed position;

- Figure 4 is a partial and enlarged view of the connection between the central box and one of the end boxes of the container of Figure 1;

- Figure 5 is a partial and enlarged view of the connection between the central box and one of the end boxes of the container of Figure 1, the stops being in place;

- Figure 6 is a perspective view from above of a container according to a second embodiment, this container being in its deployed position, the inflatable elements making it possible to improve the buoyancy of the floating structure also being deployed;

- Figure 7 schematically shows a floating vehicle comprising six containers in their deployed position, these containers being interconnected to form a unitary floating structure;

- Figure 8 is a perspective view from below of the floating structure of Figure 6 in its deployed position, the retractable wheels being visible;

- Figure 9 schematically shows a perspective view of a container in its non-deployed position according to a third embodiment of the invention;

figure 10 schematically shows the container of figure 9 in its deployed position;

- Figure 11 schematically shows a perspective view of a container in its undeployed position according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 schematically represents the container of FIG. 11 in its deployed position;

- Figure 13 schematically shows a perspective view of a container in its undeployed position according to a fifth embodiment of the invention;

- figure 14 is another perspective view of the container of figure

13;

FIG. 15 schematically represents the container of FIG. 13 during deployment;

FIG. 16 schematically represents the container of FIG. 13 in its deployed position;

Figures 1 and 2 show front and perspective views of a transformable container in its undeployed position according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

This container consists only of a central box 1 having a longitudinal dimension and at the ends of which are placed extension blocks 2, 3 which are connected to the central box 1 by biaxial hinges 4-

7.

Each extension block 2, 3 consists of a single box, also called end box hereinafter, which is hingedly connected to the central box 1 by a pair of biaxial hinges 4-7.

These hinges 4-7 here include hydraulic rotary cylinders. The container therefore comprises a hydraulic power source and a distribution circuit for this hydraulic fluid (not shown) to supply the various hinges 4-7 and thus allow their opening and closing. The container is therefore perfectly self-contained.

The end boxes 2, 3 which have a truncated triangular profile, are placed partly on top of each other by being superimposed on the central box 1. Each end box 2, 3 has a length greater than half of the longitudinal dimension of the central box 1.

At least one of these boxes 1 -3 is advantageously hollow to receive loads and / or devices or devices necessary for the proper functioning of the container.

Each box 1-3, which is waterproof, forms a floating box.

In the non-deployed position of the container, the free outer walls of the end boxes 2, 3 and of the central box 1 substantially define a rectangular parallelepiped. No structural element of the container is placed projecting from this parallelepiped so that this container can be stacked on and / or pressed against other containers for storage or transport.

This rectangular parallelepiped here has dimensions equal to those of a 20-foot ISO maritime transport container so that it can advantageously be picked up, transported, handled, transhipped or even stowed like any standard ISO container without the need for infrastructure or specific material.

This container comprises, at each of its angles, an arrangement 8 for gripping, handling and fixing the container. It thus comprises eight arrangements 8 which are placed at the ends of the corners of the container in its non-deployed position.

The activation of the biaxial hinges 4-7 ensures the passage from the non-deployed position of the container to its deployed position. In this last position, the end boxes 2, 3 form longitudinal extensions of the central box 1, said assembly thus deployed then forming a floating structure whose shell has a longitudinal dimension greater than twice the longitudinal dimension of this central box 1. .

While a first end box 2 rotates 180 ° between the non-deployed position and the deployed position of the container, the other end box 3 rotates less than 180 °, here equal to approximately 167 ° , between these two positions. These two different rotations ensure the realization of a plane or substantially plane bridge for the floating structure.

The angle of rotation being less than 180 °, the end wall 9 of the central box 1 intended to be pressed against the end box 3 in the deployed position of the container, has an inclined shape complementary to the inclined face 10 of this end box 3 coming into contact, so that the angle formed between these two inclined walls 9, 10 is equal to the value of the angle of rotation.

Each box 1-3 has aluminum walls forming its sealed outer envelope. Each box 1-3 thus formed is structured by a longitudinal and transverse network of stiffeners designed to take up the local stresses and the overall stresses undergone by the container, both in the non-deployed position and in the deployed position.

Each of these boxes 1-3 therefore forms a load-bearing structure capable of receiving significant loads such as a span, vehicles (truck, etc.), equipment and / or personnel. The triangular shape of the end boxes 2, 3 also ensures a good absorption of forces by the central box 1 allowing the use of the ends, or points, of these boxes 2, 3 for carrying loads. The loading surface of the supporting structure is thus advantageously significantly increased. Of course, the biaxial hinges 4-7 are sized to withstand significant loads both in the deployed position, that is to say in the configuration of a floating structure, and in the non-deployed position, that is to say in a container. .

Alternatively, these boxes 1-3 could be made of steel, stainless steel, cupronickel, polymer or more generally in composite materials.

Figures 4 and 5 show a partial and enlarged view of the container in its deployed position in which it forms a floating structure. The biaxial hinges 4, 7 are received in housings 11 provided for this purpose in the structure of the caissons 1-3 so that their upper surface is flush with the upper surface of the caissons 1-3 defining the bridge of the floating structure. Thus in this deployed position, the bridge of the floating structure is flat, which guarantees the stability of the goods, equipment and / or even vehicles received on the bridge of the floating structure.

Each hinge with two axes 4-7, also called biaxial hinge, comprises two fixed parts 12, 13, each subject to a box 1, 3, or being an integral part, and supporting one of the two axes 14, 15 of this hinge. These two axes are connected by one or more connecting rods 16, 17 ensuring the offset of the axes of rotation 14, 15.

Stops 18 limit the movement of each hinge when it arrives in one of its two extreme positions (open or closed). In these two positions, no element of said hinge protrudes from the faces of the container, respectively of the boat, left visible.

Preferably, the fixed elements comprise an actuator coaxial with the axes of rotation 14, 15 such as a rotary actuator, gear motor or the like, in order to allow the opening and closing of the container without other external actions. It can also be a drive such as a chain or belt, in order to be able to deport the actuator.

The container here comprises a propulsion system (not shown) so that this floating structure is self-propelled. This propulsion system preferably comprises at least one jet thruster such as a pump jet, the water jet expelled by the nozzle is orientable to ensure propulsion and direction of the floating structure in different directions. varied. Alternatively, this propulsion system may be propeller or paddle wheel.

This propulsion system is preferably placed in the central box 1 of the container and / or in the end boxes 2, 3. The appendages of this propulsion system are advantageously foldable by rotation, translation or disassembly to allow not only to be placed. comply with the ISO container template but also ensure the folding of the floating structure in an emergency.

The floating structure is here provided to move both in one direction and the other in a longitudinal manner (amphidromic), and also transversely to the longitudinal axis of the floating structure in both directions.

Figures 6 and 8 show perspective views of a container according to a second embodiment, this container being in its deployed position and forming a boat. The elements of Figures 6 and 8 bearing the same references as the elements of Figures 1 to 5 represent the same objects which will therefore not be described again below.

This boat includes inflatable tubes 19, here shown deployed, to improve its flotation and stability. These inflatable tubes 19 are made of a waterproof and resistant plastic material such as rubber.

Alternatively, and advantageously, these inflatable elements 19, which may have half-cone shapes, are made in one piece so as to increase their mechanical strength. Each inflatable element 19 is then a woven structure made from a single material which is then coated with a sealing material such as a material based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane and even better a material made from flame retardant plasticized PVC.

This one-piece woven structure can be obtained from a weaving process developed by the present applicant. Reference may usefully be made to patent applications W02009 / 095404 and W02009 / 095415 for further technical details.

As a reminder, this woven structure comprises at least two woven walls connected to each other by at least one unreported binding thread. The variation in the length between two consecutive leaves of said at least one binding thread, each of said left corresponding to a catch by a weft thread of a different wall, is continuous over at least a part of said structure in the direction of the warp and / or in the weft direction.

The end boxes of this container each have retractable wheels 20, 21 which are visible in Figure 8.

Advantageously, the pair of wheels 20 of the end box 2 placed in the non-deployed position of the container, between the central box 1 and the other end box 3, are positioned so as to allow the container to be folded up in the event of 'emergency even when these wheels 20 are not retractable. Indeed, the truncated triangular shape of the end boxes 2, 3 leaves a space allowing the passage of non-retractable wheels 20 while allowing compliance with the ISO container template.

These wheels 20, 21 are here directional and equipped with a braking system.

Alternatively, the container may have only two wheels, retractable or not, non-motorized. By adding a tractor or pusher vehicle, the container is thus used as a single-axle trailer. This type of configuration can in particular be implemented to carry out the launching (or water outlet) of the machine, or even its handling on a platform or storage area.

FIG. 7 diagrammatically represents a floating vehicle comprising six containers in their deployed position, these containers being interconnected to form a unitary floating structure. Large floating structures are thus obtained by the simple addition in the direction of the length and / or the width of other floating structures. Of course, locking elements (not shown) make it possible to secure all of these floating structures together in order to constitute such a unitary floating structure.

These locking elements are for example locks intended to cooperate with arrangements for the gripping, handling and fixing of different containers placed opposite. Alternatively, these locking elements can include bolted fasteners, fasteners such as pins or pins. It can also be considered to use flexible links, such as straps, rubber collars, brellages ...

Figures 9 and 10 show perspective views of a container according to a third embodiment of the invention. The elements of Figures 9 and 10 bearing the same references as the elements of Figures 1 to 5 represent the same objects which will therefore not be described again below.

The container of Figures 9 and 10 differs from that of Figures 1 to 5 in that the end boxes 2, 3 have a width, or transverse dimension, greater than half the width, or transverse dimension, of the central box

1. In the deployed position of the container, the floating structure has an increased deck area in the direction of the width of the central box 1.

The deployment of the end boxes 2, 3 of the container being made laterally to the central box 1, the biaxial hinges 4-7 are arranged on the lateral edges of the central box 1. These biaxial hinges 4-7 are received in housings 11 provided for this purpose in the side edges 22, 23 of the central box 1.

In order to provide a plane bridge to the floating structure in the deployed position of the container, one of the side edges 22 of the central box 1 is inclined towards the inside of this central box 1 while the wall 24 of the end box 3 is intended for to be pressed against this lateral edge 22 has an inclined shape complementary to this inclined lateral edge 22 of the central box 1 so that the angle formed between these two inclined walls 22, 24 is equal to the value of the angle of rotation of the end box 3 relative to the central box 1, here of the order of 167 °.

Figures 11 and 12 show perspective views of a container according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. The elements of Figures 11 and 12 bearing the same references as the elements of Figures 1 to 5 represent the same objects which will therefore not be described again below.

The container of Figures 11 and 12 differs from that of Figures 1 to 5 in that so that one of the end boxes 2, 3 has ramps 25, 26 which are integrated into the volume of this box. These ramps 25, 26 are here received in the non-deployed position of the container in a housing 27 of the corresponding end box 3 so that the outer surface of these ramps 25, 26 is flush with the surface of the free wall 28 of this end box 3 to respect the container template.

These ramps 25, 26 are mounted to rotate about an axis 29 so as to be able to be deployed in rotation in the deployed position of the container to increase the dimensions of the deck of the floating structure.

Figures 13 to 16 show a convertible container according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

Each extension block 30, 31 consists of a single end box, the dimensions of which are equal to those of the central box 32, these boxes 30-32 being superimposed on each other in the non-deployed position of the container in forming a stack of boxes.

These boxes 30-32 being articulated with respect to each other, two consecutive boxes are connected to each other by at least two connecting arms 33-38 mounted on the same lateral edge of these boxes, 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 they connect a regular deformable parallelogram so that the displacement of one of these boxes relative to an immediately lower box in the stack of said non-deployed position of said container, entails a circular translation of this box relative to the immediately lower box of the stack.

The link arms 34, 37 connecting the three boxes 30-32 advantageously ensure a simultaneous and uniform movement of all the boxes of the container between the non-deployed position and the deployed position and vice versa.

These link arms 33-38 are advantageously received in side housings 39 provided for this purpose so that no structural element of the container is 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 pressed against other containers for storage or transport. These side housings 39 correspond here to recesses in the side edges of the boxes 30-32.

The link arms 33-38 are mounted to be movable in rotation on the boxes 30-32 to allow the relative displacement of each of these boxes. These link arms 33-38 comprise, for example, connecting rods.

The face or faces 41-43 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 deployed position of the container, each have a shape complementary to the face with which it is intended to cooperate in the deployed position of the container. In this way, the faces of two consecutive boxes thus coupled are locked in position.

Claims (20)

1. Container comprising arrangements for gripping, handling and securing said container, each of said arrangements (8) being placed at a corner of said container in an undeployed position of said container, characterized in that - in said non-deployed position of said container, said container consists of a central box (1) having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, and two extension blocks (2, 3) connected to said central box (1), at least part of the structure of the central box (1) and of the extension blocks (2, 3) being waterproof, - each of said extension blocks (2, 3) having a length, or width, in said non-deployed position greater than half of the longitudinal dimension, respectively transverse, of said central box (1), - said extension blocks (2, 3) being movable between said non-deployed position in which said extension blocks (2, 3) and said central box (1) are placed at least partly one above the l 'other, and a deployed position in which each extension block (2, 3) forms a longitudinal or transverse extension of said central box (1), the assembly thus deployed then forming a floating structure having an increased loading surface. 2. Container according to claim 1, characterized in that said extension blocks (2, 3) comprise a single box or two boxes preferably placed one against the other in said non-deployed position, 3. Container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in said deployed position, the shell of said floating structure has a longitudinal dimension, or transverse, greater than twice the longitudinal dimension, respectively transverse, of said central box (1) , 4. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said extension blocks (2, 3) are hingedly connected to said central box (1). 5. Container according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises actuators allowing the movement of the extension blocks (2, 3) from the non-deployed position to the deployed position of said container and vice versa. 6. Container according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that said extension blocks (2, 3) are connected to said central box (1) by hinges (47), and even better by two-axis hinges. 7. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said extension blocks (2, 3) have complementary profiles so as to cooperate in said non-deployed position to form with the central box (1) an assembly of which the free walls define a parallelepiped or substantially a parallelepiped. 8. Container according to claim 7, characterized in that each of said 5 extension blocks (2, 3) has a triangular or truncated triangular profile. 9. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the bridge of the floating structure is flat or substantially flat. 10. Container according to claim 9, characterized in that each of said extension blocks (2, 3) comprising a single box, a first of said boxes to rotate 180 ° between the non-deployed position and the deployed position of said container. while the other box performs a rotation of less than 180 °. 11. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each extension block (2, 3) consists of a single box 15 of extension, the longitudinal dimension of which is equal to that of said central box (1), said boxes (1-3) being superimposed on each other in the non-deployed position of said container forming a stack of boxes. 12. Container according to claim 11, characterized in that said boxes (1-3) being articulated with respect to each other, two boxes 20 consecutive are connected to each other by at least two connecting arms mounted on the same lateral edge of said boxes, one of said connecting arms being common to the three boxes, and in that - two consecutive connecting arms form with the two consecutive boxes that they connect a regular deformable parallelogram so that the displacement of one of said boxes relative to an immediately lower box in the stack of said non-deployed position of said container, causes a circular translation of said box relative to the immediately lower box of the stack. 13. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 12, 30 characterized in that at least one of said extension blocks comprises one or more extension ramps (25, 26) for lengthening the longitudinal and / or transverse dimension of the deck of said floating structure. 14. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises a propulsion system so that said 35 floating structure is self-propelled. 15. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that said extension blocks (2, 3) and said central box (1) are hollow to receive loads. 16. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that said arrangements for gripping, handling and fixing (8) of said container being at least eight in number, said arrangements (8) are placed at ends of the corners of said container in its non-deployed position, said arrangements (8) being intended to cooperate with standard Iso infrastructures for gripping, handling and fixing said container. 17. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that said 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 assembly. shipping at the ends of the corners of which are placed arrangements for gripping, handling and fixing said unit assembly. 18. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that it comprises inflatable elements (19) independently or not, making it possible to improve the buoyancy of said floating structure. 19. Container according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that said container comprises wheels (20, 21) retractable or not. 20. A floating craft comprising at least two containers in their deployed position according to any one of claims 1 to 19, said containers being interconnected to form a unitary floating structure. 1/8