TW201623117A - Method and system for securement of shipping containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A locking device for securing shipping containers is provided. The locking device includes an S-hook disposed within a cavity formed into a housing. A first end of the S-hook includes a first hook for gripping an interior portion of a corner casting of an upper shipping container. A second end of the S-hook includes a second hook that extends from the S-hook in a direction that is opposite from the first hook. The second hook grips an interior portion of a corner casting of a lower shipping container. The housing may also include an upper hook and/or a lower hook for gripping an upper or lower corner casting, respectively. The S-hook and the housing may include surfaces that interact with an edge of a corner casting's ISO hole to prevent fall-out of the locking device and/or to prevent the locking device from slipping out of a corner casting during use.

Description

Method and system for securing shipping containers Cross-references to related applications

This application is based on US Provisional Patent Application No. 62/068,836, filed on Oct. 27, 2014, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/208,279, filed on Aug. The priority interest of each of these provisional patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety herein in its entirety in its entirety herein.

Field of invention

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for securing shipping containers during transportation, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to fully automatic locking devices.

Background of the invention

In the shipping industry, goods are often loaded into large metal containers called shipping containers. Shipping containers are usually stacked on top of each other, above and below the deck, to assemble more shipping containers onto the shipping vessel to maximize cargo handling. In order to enhance the stability of the shipping containers on the stack (above the deck) and to enhance the safety of the stacked shipping containers, a locking device, often referred to as a twist lock, is used to interconnect the two shipping containers.

Each shipping container contains eight corner castings, each of which is located at each of the eight corners of the shipping container. The corner casting is a standardized pocket that includes an opening called an ISO hole. When stacking shipping containers, the locking device is inserted into each of the four bottom corner castings of the shipping container, which is stacked on top of the previously placed shipping container. With the locking device inserted into each of the four bottom corner castings, the shipping container is then lowered onto the previously placed shipping container. There are three general types of locking devices: manual, semi-automatic and fully automatic. The manual locking device requires the user to manually lock and unlock the locking device. The semi-automatic locking device automatically closes by loading the shipping container onto another shipping container, but must be manually unlocked for unloading. The fully automatic locking device does not require the user to lock or unlock the device during loading and unloading.

The size of the corner casting of the shipping container can vary. Often, corner castings can become deformed over time due to wear from repeated use and/or high loads, thereby changing the size of the corner casting. These dimensions may also vary to some extent based on inconsistent manufacturing processes. The result of these changes is that these changes can affect the ability of the twist lock to satisfactorily secure the two shipping containers together. If the size of the corner casting has changed significantly, the twist lock may not secure the two shipping containers under overload. The locking device disclosed herein is capable of working with a wide range of corner casting sizes. This is due, in part, to the "floating" S-hook design that allows the S-shaped hook to move back and forth within the housing to place itself in an advantageous grip position within the upper corner casting and the lower corner casting.

Summary of invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for securing two structures, such as shipping containers, together. The device is a locking device that includes an S-shaped hook. The S-shaped hook includes a body portion that can include one or more hooks. For example, the body portion can include: a first hook disposed at the first end of the body portion and extending in the first direction; and a second hook disposed at the second end of the body portion and opposite the first direction The second direction extends. The locking device also includes a housing that can include an internal cavity that is shaped to accommodate one or more internal components such as an S-shaped hook and handle assembly. The housing may also include a load pad. The internal cavity allows the S-shaped hook to be movably secured within the housing. In some embodiments, the housing can include a first upper hook disposed on the first end of the housing and extending in the second direction. In some embodiments, the housing can include a second lower hook disposed on the lower end of the housing and extending in the first direction. In some embodiments, the S-shaped hook includes an upper hook member and a lower hook member movably secured to the upper hook member to permit relative movement between the upper hook member and the lower hook member. In some embodiments, the upper hook member includes a recess disposed on a lower end of the upper hook member, and the lower hook member includes a channel portion adapted to receive the recess to movably secure the upper hook member to Lower hook member. In some embodiments, the locking device can include a hook that is pivotally secured to the housing and extends in the second direction.

A method of using the above locking device includes inserting a first portion of the device into a corner casting of an upper container; thereafter, the upper container can be Lowered to the lower container so that the second part of the device enters the corner casting of the lower container. The method can further include placing the locking device in the vertical column lift mode by sliding the pin into locking engagement with the S-shaped hook to prevent opening or loosening movement of the S-shaped hook. After the S-shaped hook has been set into the vertical column lift mode, the upper container can be lifted, which also raises the lower container.

T~Z‧‧‧Width

(1), (2), (3) ‧ ‧ stages

1~4‧‧‧ arrow

10‧‧‧Upper shipping container

14, 202‧‧‧ corner castings

16, 26‧‧‧ long side

18, 28‧‧‧ Short side

20‧‧‧Lower shipping container

100, 200, 300 (1), 300 (2), 400, 500, 600 (1) ~ 600 (3), 600, 700 ‧ ‧ locking device

102(1), 102(2), 602(1), 602(2)‧‧‧ ‧ housing parts

102, 222, 326, 426, 502, 602, 712‧‧‧ housing

103, 603‧‧‧ internal cavity

104, 427, 504, 710‧‧‧ load pads

106‧‧‧ upper surface

108‧‧‧Lower surface

110, 112, 220, 324, 424, 430‧‧‧ linked pairs

114‧‧‧Upper neck

116, 118, 122, 124‧‧‧ surface pairs

120‧‧‧ Lower neck

126‧‧‧ screws

130, 530, 630‧‧‧Handle components

132, 632‧‧‧ handles

134, 634‧‧‧ parts

136, 638‧‧ spring

138, 640‧‧ ‧ pin

150, 212, 322, 422, 550, 650‧‧‧ S-shaped hooks

152‧‧‧ body part

154, 210, 320, 420, 554, 664‧‧‧

156, 328, 428, 556, 666‧‧‧

158, 160‧‧‧stops

162, 164, 332, 334, 362, 364, 432, 434, 438 ‧ ‧

204, 304, 305‧‧‧ External surface

206, 306, 307, 406, 407, 706, 707‧‧ ‧ ISO holes

208, 308, 309‧‧‧ internal surfaces

303, 403, 703‧‧‧ corner castings

330‧‧‧Under the hook

402, 702‧‧‧Upper corner castings

404, 405, 704, 705‧‧ ‧ outer wall

408, 409, 708, 709‧‧ ‧ inner wall

436‧‧‧Uphill

512, 660, 720, 724, 728‧‧‧ hooks

616, 618‧‧‧ surface

635‧‧‧ slot

641‧‧‧ recess

642‧‧‧Wire

643‧‧ an anvil

646‧‧‧ recessed pair

652, 722‧‧‧ hook components

654, 730‧‧‧ hook components

656‧‧‧ notch

658‧‧‧With channel section

662, 673‧‧‧Adjustment

670, 726‧‧‧ hooks

672‧‧‧Adjustment

674‧‧‧ Bag Department

732‧‧‧First Cam

734‧‧‧second cam

736‧‧‧ cam

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood from the description of the appended claims appended claims < 2 is a perspective view of a locking device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3A is an exploded assembly of a locking device of a first perspective view according to an embodiment of the present invention; 3B is an exploded assembly of the locking device of FIG. 3A in accordance with a second perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 illustrates a loading/unloading process of the locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Side view of two locking devices mounted in an upper corner casting and a lower corner casting of an embodiment of the present invention; FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a container unloading process of a locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 shows three views of a locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 shows two perspective views of a locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 9 shows the locking device of Figure 8 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 illustrates three modes of a locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and FIGS. 11A, 11B, 11C, and 11D illustrate a container unloading process of a locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, shipping containers are of a standardized size and contain standardized corner castings. For the sake of convenience, the figures discussed herein do not show the structure of the shipping container itself, but instead only depict corner castings. It should be understood that the corner casting shown in the drawings is part of a shipping container. For the purposes of this disclosure, the terms "short side" and "long side" are used to describe the relative position of a shipping container. For example, the "short side" of a shipping container refers to one of the two ends of the shipping container. "Long side" means one of the two sides of a shipping container, which are typically much longer in length (typically 20 or 40 inches long) than the end of the shipping container. When observing the short side of the shipping container, the lower left corner casting is commonly referred to as the left corner casting and the lower right corner casting is commonly referred to as the right corner casting. The opposite short side of the shipping container also has a left corner casting and a right corner casting. Because of symmetry, can see It is discussed that a left corner casting necessarily describes the left side corner casting of the relatively short side of the shipping container. The same is true for right corner castings. For the sake of simplicity, the following description will be directed to one short side of the shipping container unless otherwise stated.

In the following description, reference is made to directions (eg, left, right, up, down, clockwise, and counterclockwise). Such references are referenced to the figures discussed unless otherwise stated. Fig. 5 includes arrows 1 to 4 indicating left, right, up, and down directions. Although not included in other figures, these arrows 1 through 4 can be used with reference to other figures to reference relative directions. Arrow 1 generally indicates "first direction". Arrow 2 generally indicates the "second" direction. Arrow 3 generally indicates "upward direction". Arrow 4 generally indicates "downward direction".

Referring to Figure 1, the upper shipping container 10 is shown above the lower shipping container 20. The upper shipping container 10 and the lower shipping container 20 each include a corner casting 14 at each of its eight corners. The upper shipping container 10 includes a long side 16 and a short side 18. The lower shipping container 20 includes a long side 26 and a short side 28. To secure the upper shipping container 10 to the lower shipping container 20, a locking device (eg, locking device 100 of FIG. 2) is inserted into each of the bottom corner castings 14 of the upper shipping container 10. The upper shipping container 10 can be secured to the lower shipping container 20 by lowering the upper shipping container 10 to the lower shipping container 20 such that the lower portion of the locking device enters the upper corner casting 14 of the bottom shipping container 20. If the locking device is a manual locking device, the user must manually lock each locking device to secure the two shipping containers to each other. Likewise, the user must manually unlock the device to unlock the two shipping containers. If the locking device is a semi-automatic locking device, the locking device is The movement of the upper shipping container 10 onto the lower shipping container 20 is automatically locked, but the semi-automatic locking device must be manually unlocked for unloading. If the locking device is a fully automatic locking device, the user does not need to lock or unlock the fully automatic device during the loading or unloading process.

Referring now generally to Figures 2 and 3A and 3B, an embodiment of the locking device 100 is shown in accordance with two perspective views. The locking device 100 includes a housing 102 and an S-shaped hook 150. The housing 102 includes an internal cavity 103, a load pad 104 having an upper face 106 and a lower face 108. When the locking device 100 is installed between the upper shipping container and the lower shipping container, the load pad 104 acts as a spacer with the upper shipping container placed over the spacer (see, for example, Figure 5A). The load pad 104 bears all of the weight of the upper shipping container so that the S-shaped hook 150 does not load the weight of the upper shipping container.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 and 3A and 3B, the housing 102 includes a pair of hooks 110 and a pair of hooks 112. The hook pair 110 extends from the neck 114 above the housing 102. The upper neck 114 includes a surface pair 116 and a surface pair 118 that help limit the movement of the upper shipping container. In the exemplary embodiment, the distance between the surface pair 116 and the surface pair 118 is set to be slightly narrower than the width of the ISO hole of the corner casting. The hook pair 112 extends from the lower neck 120 of the housing 102. The lower neck 120 includes a surface pair 122 and a surface pair 124 that help limit the movement of the upper shipping container. In the exemplary embodiment, the distance between the surface pair 122 and the surface pair 124 is set to be slightly narrower than the width of the ISO hole of the corner casting. In some embodiments, the surfaces 116, 118, 122, and 124 are generally perpendicular to the upper face 106 of the load pad 104.

The hook pair 110 extends from the housing 102 in a first direction (see, for example, arrow 2 of FIG. 5), and the hook pair 112 is from the housing 102 in a direction relative to the first direction Extending in a second direction in the opposite direction (eg, arrow 1 of Figure 5). The hook pair 110 and the hook pair 112 interact with the interior of the upper corner casting and the lower corner casting, respectively, to help secure the two shipping containers together. The function of the hook pair 110 and the hook pair 112 will be discussed in more detail below. In other embodiments, the locking device 100 can include a housing that does not include any of the pair of hooks 110 or hooks 112 (see, for example, FIG. 8). In other embodiments, the locking device 100 can include a housing that includes any of the pair of hooks 110 or pairs of hooks 112 (see, for example, FIG. 7). In other embodiments, a single hook 110 and/or a single hook 112 can be used.

In the exemplary embodiment, housing 102 includes a handle assembly 130. The handle assembly includes a handle 132, a port member 134, a spring 136, and a pin 138 (as best seen in Figures 3A and 3B). Pulling the handle 132 causes the pin 138 to slide with the housing recess 139, which changes the mode of operation of the locking device 100. When the handle 132 is in the first position (i.e., the position shown in Figure 2), the locking device is in the automatic mode. In the automatic mode, the pin 138 limits the rotational movement of the S-shaped hook 150 within the housing 102. In the automatic mode, the pin 138 is located in the pin recess of the S-shaped hook 150, which is formed between the upper hook 154 and the stop 160. As shown in FIG. 3A, when the pin is located in the pin recess, the range of motion of the S-shaped hook 150 is limited. Limiting the movement of the S-shaped hook 150 may desirably provide a fallout protection such that when the upper shipping container is being moved by, for example, a crane, the locking device cannot fall out of the corner casting below the upper shipping container.

In some embodiments, a spring 136 can be included to bias the handle 150 in the first position. In some embodiments, the handle 132 can be placed in the second mode by pulling the handle 132 away from the housing 102. In order to The locking device 100 remains in the second mode and the user must grip the handle 132, otherwise the spring 136 will retract the handle into the automatic mode. In the second mode, the pin 138 has been retracted from the pin recess and no longer limits the rotational movement of the S-shaped hook 150 within the housing 102. In the second mode, the S-shaped hook 150 is allowed to perform a greater range of motion within the housing 102, thereby allowing the locking device 100 to be removed from the lower corner casting of the upper shipping container.

In some embodiments, the handle 132 can be placed in the third mode by pulling the handle 132 away from the housing 102; and securing the anvil in the recess of the mouthpiece 134 to hold the handle 132 back Shrinkage (similar to handle assembly 630 discussed below). In the third mode, the pin (similar to the pin 640) greatly limits the movement of the S-shaped hook 150. The third mode effectively locks the locking device 100 such that, for example, by applying a uniformly distributed vertical force by the crane, the locking device 100 will not be disengaged from the lower shipping container. In this way, two shipping containers can be raised simultaneously.

The S-shaped hook 150 includes a body portion 152 that resides within the housing 102 (as best seen in Figures 3A and 3B). The upper hook 154 extends from the first end of the body portion 152 and the lower hook 156 extends from the second end of the body portion 152. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper hook 154 generally extends in a direction opposite the pair of hooks 110, and the lower hook 156 extends in a direction opposite the pair of hooks 112. When the upper hook 154 is inserted into the upper corner casting, the upper hook 154 contacts the inner surface of the upper corner casting to help secure the locking device 100 to the upper corner casting. When the lower hook 156 is inserted into the lower corner casting, the lower hook 156 contacts the inner surface of the lower corner casting to help secure the locking device to the lower corner casting.

In some embodiments, the S-shaped hook 150 includes a first stop 158 And a second stop 160 (as best seen in Figure 3B). The first stop 158 and the second stop 160 are positioned to contact the outer surface of the upper corner casting and the outer surface of the lower corner casting, respectively, to prevent the S-shaped hook 150 from rotating under certain conditions (eg, when transporting the upper portion) The container experiences a shear force that will cause the S-shaped hook 150 to rotate or tilt in a counterclockwise direction). The function of the first stop 158 and the second stop 160 will be discussed in more detail below.

In some embodiments, it is desirable to increase the width of the upper hook 154 and the lower hook 156 to increase the size of the point of contact between the upper hook 154 and the lower hook 156, respectively, and the inner surfaces of the upper corner casting and the lower corner casting. Increasing the size of the contact points helps distribute the force applied to the corner casting by the upper hook 154 and the lower hook 156, which reduces the likelihood that the corner casting will be plastically deformed by the S-shaped hook 150. In other embodiments, the contact points can be increased by optimizing the shape of the upper hook 154 and the lower hook 156. For example, the upper hook 154 can include a flat or nearly flat flat portion that contacts the inner wall of the corner casting. In other embodiments, the panels may be pivotally or hingedly mounted to the upper hook 154 and the lower hook 156. Regardless of the change in the size of the corner casting, the sheet is allowed to pivot to ensure that the sheet contacts the inner wall of the corner casting at right angles.

In some embodiments, it may be desirable to maximize the length or reach of the upper hook 154 and the lower hook 156. Maximizing the reach of the upper and lower hooks allows the upper and lower hooks to be gripped further into the corner casting and away from the edge of the ISO hole. It is desirable to grasp the inner wall of the corner casting away from the edge of the ISO hole because the strength of the inner wall increases as the distance between the ISO hole and the upper and lower hooks increases.

In some embodiments, the housing 102 does not include a load pad 104. in In an embodiment where there is no load pad 104, the upper shipping container may alternatively be placed on a flange that extends from the body portion 152 of the S-shaped hook 150. For example, the stops 158 and 160 can be used in place of the load pad 104. In such an embodiment, the interface between the chamfered edge of the ISO hole of the lower corner casting and the chamfered edge of the ISO hole of the upper corner casting is used by the interface between the stop member 158 and the lower corner casting. Support the upper shipping container. In another embodiment, an additional stop can be added to the body portion 152 to provide additional contact points between the S-shaped hook 150 and the upper shipping container and the lower shipping container.

Referring now to Figures 3A and 3B, the locking device 100 of Figure 2 is shown as an exploded assembly of a first perspective view and a second perspective view, respectively. As shown in Figures 3A and 3B, the housing 102 is comprised of a housing component 102(1) and a housing component 102(2). Dividing the housing 102 into the housing components 102(1) and 102(2) makes it possible to place the S-shaped hooks 150 within the housing 102. In one embodiment, the housing components 102(1) and 102(2) can be secured to each other with screws 126. In other embodiments, the housing components 102(1) and 102(2) can be secured to each other by other known fastening mechanisms such as, for example, welding, mating recesses, and the like. In another embodiment, the housing 102 can be divided into different components as desired.

The S-shaped hook includes a face 162 disposed over the first stop 158 and a face 164 disposed below the second stop 160. Faces 162 and 164 interact with the ISO holes of the upper corner casting and the lower corner casting, respectively, to limit the amount of movement of the S-shaped hook 150 when the locking device 100 encounters a vertical load. The interaction of faces 162 and 164 will be discussed in more detail below.

Referring now to Figure 4, three exemplary stages (1) through (3) of the unloading process of the locking device 200 are illustrated. Starting at stage (1), the locking device 200 is shown Installed or "loaded" in the upper corner casting 202. The upper corner casting 202 is part of an upper shipping container (eg, upper shipping container 10). The upper corner casting 202 includes an outer surface 204, an ISO aperture 206, and an inner surface 208. In the stowed position, the hook 210 above the S-shaped hook 212 contacts the first side of the interior surface 208 and the hook pair 220 of the housing 222 contacts the second side of the interior surface 208. In this position, the upper hook 210 and the pair of hooks 220 have a width W that is greater than the width of the ISO aperture 206, thereby maintaining the locking device 200 within the upper corner casting 202.

Referring now to stage (2) of Figure 4, in order to remove the locking device 200, the user pulls the handle (e.g., handle 132 of Figure 2) to move the pin (e.g., pin 138) out of the restricted engagement with the S-shaped hook 212. Once the pin has been moved, the S-shaped hook 212 is allowed to rotate or tilt in a clockwise direction relative to the housing 222. The rotation of the S-shaped hook 212 reduces the width W between the upper hook 210 and the hook pair 220.

Referring now to stage (3) of Figure 4, when the width W has decreased to a value less than the width of the ISO aperture 206, the locking device 200 can be removed from the upper corner casting 202 (see, for example, Figure 4C). Once the locking device 200 has cleared the ISO aperture 206, the user can release the handle. The load lock device 200 operates in substantially the same manner but in reverse order. The user pulls the handle and retracts the hook 210 relative to the hook pair 220 to reduce the width W by a sufficient amount to insert the hook 210 and the hook pair 220 into the ISO aperture 206. Once the hook 210 and hook pair 220 have been pushed into the ISO aperture 206, the user can release the handle to allow the hook 210 and hook pair 220 to become secured within the upper corner casting 202.

Referring now to Figure 5, the locking device 300(1) is shown secured to the upper corner casting 302 and the lower corner casting 303. As those familiar with the art will understand, The upper corner casting 302 is part of an upper shipping container (eg, shipping container 10) and the lower corner casting 303 is part of a lower shipping container (eg, lower shipping container 20). The upper corner casting 302 includes an outer surface 304, an ISO aperture 306, and an inner surface 308. The lower corner casting 303 includes an outer surface 305, an ISO aperture 307, and an inner surface 309. The locking device 300(1) is secured to the upper corner casting 302 by a hook pair 320 of the S-shaped hook 322 and a hook pair 324 of the housing 326. The upper hook 320 and the hook pair 324 have a width X that is wider than the width of the ISO hole 306. Similarly, the locking device 300(1) is secured to the lower corner casting 303 by a lower hook 328 of the S-shaped hook 322 and a lower hook pair 330 of the housing 326. The lower hook 328 and the hook pair 330 have a width Y that is wider than the width of the ISO hole 316.

When transporting containers across, for example, ocean transportation, the ship may encounter varying degrees of sea water that cause the ship to encounter forces such as, for example, roll, pitch, wave, head roll and undulation. When the ship experiences, for example, roll and pitch, the shipping containers on board will experience different load conditions. The basic situation that can be encountered is that one side of the shipping container will experience lifting force and the opposite side of the shipping container will experience compressive forces. When such a situation is encountered, the locking device 300(1) prevents the container side experiencing lifting forces from separating from the lower container.

Still referring to FIG. 5, arrow 3 indicates the direction of the force applied to the upper corner casting 302. For the purposes of this discussion, it is assumed that the opposite side corner castings are under compression. The locking device 300 (2) located in the opposite side corner casting acts as a pin that limits the lateral movement of the upper shipping container relative to the lower shipping container. The locking device 300 (2) does not limit the lateral movement of the upper shipping container depending on the presence of the compressive force. If the force to raise the upper corner casting 302 is sufficiently strong, the upper corner casting 302 will begin to move upward relative to the lower corner casting 303. This direction The upper movement is limited by the locking device 300(1). When the upper corner casting 302 begins to move upward, the movement attempts to tilt the S-shaped hook 322 in a clockwise direction. If the S-shaped hook is allowed to continue to tilt, the widths X and Y can be reduced enough to allow the locking device 100 to slide out of the ISO apertures 306 and 316. However, this rotation is blocked by faces 162 and 164. When the S-shaped hook 322 is caused to tilt in the clockwise direction, the face 362 abuts against the right side of the ISO hole 306 and the face 364 abuts against the left side of the ISO hole 316. Similarly, if the housing 326 is not stopped, the housing 326 will attempt to tilt in a counterclockwise direction. The counterclockwise tilt of the housing 326 is limited to the load pad 328, face 332 (similar to face 118), and face 334 (similar to face 122). When the housing 326 begins to tilt, the load pad 328 abuts against the outer surface 304, the face 332 abuts the left side of the ISO hole 306, and the face 334 abuts against the right side of the ISO hole 307. In this manner, the locking device 300 can maintain a fixed connection to the upper corner casting 302 and the lower corner casting 303.

The above process with reference to FIG. 5 is completed by way of example. As the ship travels across the ocean, various conditions can be encountered to allow the shipping containers stored on the ship to encounter various combinations of loads. The locking device discussed herein is designed to maintain a fixed connection between the upper shipping container and the lower shipping container, as long as at least one corner of the upper shipping container does not experience an elevation of the one corner relative to the corresponding corner casting of the lower shipping container The load can be.

Referring now to Figures 6A and 6B, the unloading sequence of the upper shipping container is shown. For example, the four stages (1) through (4) of the unloading sequence are shown. Stage (1) of Figure 6A shows a side view of the locking device 400 in an automatic mode with the upper corner casting 402 and the lower corner casting 403 installed. The upper corner casting 402 is associated with an upper shipping container (eg, the upper shipping container 10 of Figure 1), And the lower corner casting 403 is associated with a lower shipping container (eg, the lower shipping container 20 of Figure 1). The upper corner casting 402 includes an outer wall 404, an ISO aperture 406, and an inner wall 408. The lower corner casting includes an outer wall 405, an ISO aperture 407, and an inner wall 409.

The process of unloading the shipping container is accomplished by attaching a lifting device, such as a crane, to the upper shipping container and utilizing an upward force lift that raises each of the corner castings of the upper shipping container. This upward movement of the upper shipping container is different from the upward movement of the upper shipping container discussed in Figure 5, as the upward movement discussed in Figure 5 occurs only on one side of the upper shipping container. In contrast, the upward movement of the upper shipping container shown in Figures 6A and 6B occurs at each of the four corner castings of the upper shipping container. Thus, none of the locking devices 400 acts as a pin that limits the lateral movement of the upper shipping container. Since the lateral movement of the upper transport container relative to the lower transport container is no longer prevented, the width V of the locking device 400 decreases as the upper transport container continues to move upward. As the upper shipping container continues to move upward, the width V decreases to a value less than the width of the ISO aperture 407 and the upper shipping container has been removed from the lower shipping container. As shown, the geometry of the S-shaped hook 422 and the housing 426 are formed to enable this movement. This process will be discussed in more detail below. As the upper shipping container moves up, each locking device 400 located in each of the four lower corner castings of the upper shipping container reacts in a similar manner. To simplify the discussion of the unloading process, only one of the four locking devices 400 will be discussed.

Referring now to stage (1) of Figure 6A, the locking device 400 just prior to raising the upper shipping container upward is shown. In this parked position, the upper corner casting 402 is placed on the load pad 427 of the housing 426. Above the S-shaped hook 422 The hook 420 is shown in contact with the inner wall 408 of the upper corner casting 402, and the hook pair 424 of the housing 426 is shown in contact with the inner wall 408 on the opposite side of the ISO aperture 406. The width Z indicates the reach or span of the upper hook 420 and the hook pair 424. The width Z is shown to be wider than the width of the ISO aperture 406. The lower hook 428 of the S-shaped hook 422 is shown in contact with the inner wall 409, and the hook pair 430 of the housing 426 is shown in contact with the inner wall 409 on the opposite side of the ISO aperture 407. The width V indicates the reach or span of the lower hook 428 and the hook pair 430. The width V is shown to be wider than the width of the ISO aperture 407.

Referring now to stage (2) of Figure 6A, it is shown that the locking device 400 has just occurred after the upper shipping container has moved upward from the lower shipping container. Once the upper shipping container begins to move upward relative to the lower shipping container, the width Z between the hook 420 and the hook pair 424 is slightly reduced. The reduction in width Z is produced by the counter-movement of the S-shaped hook 422 and the housing 426. When the upper corner casting 402 is moved upward, (2) of FIG. 6A shows that the hook 420 has moved closer to the left edge of the ISO hole 406 and the hook pair 424 has moved closer to the right edge of the ISO hole 406. However, the movement of the hook 420 and the hook pair 424 is limited by the interaction of the face 432 of the S-shaped hook 422 (similar to the face 162) with the right side of the ISO aperture 406, and the face 434 (similar to face 164) and the lower ISO aperture 407. The interaction on the left side ensures that the width Z remains greater than the width of the ISO aperture 406. In contrast to the width Z, the width V has been reduced by a larger amount. This is due in part to the movement of the hook pair 430 relative to the ISO aperture 407. As the upper corner casting 402 moves upward, the lower hook pair 430 above the ramp 436 contacts the bottom edge of the lower ISO aperture 407, causing the lower hook pair 430 to retract inwardly relative to the bottom edge of the lower ISO aperture 407. Contact between the upper ramp 436 and the bottom edge of the lower ISO aperture 407 also causes the upper container to be displaced to the right (preferably shown in stage (1)).

Referring now to stage (3) of Figure 6B, the locking device 400 is shown after continuing to move the upper shipping container upward. As the upper shipping container continues upwards, the upper shipping container also continues to move to the right. Once the face 438 of the housing 426 (similar to the face 122) has cleared the right edge of the lower ISO aperture 407, the upper shipping container can move to the right far enough to allow the S-shaped hook 422 to continue to pivot in a clockwise direction. The S-shaped hook 422 substantially pivots about a point of contact between the hook 420 and the inner wall 408. This rotational movement causes the lower hook 428 to move laterally toward the lower ISO aperture 407.

Referring now to (4) of Figure 6B, the locking device 400 is shown exiting the lower corner casting 403. As the upper shipping container continues its upward and lateral movement in accordance with (3) above, the S-shaped hook 422 continues to pivot about the point of contact with the inner wall 408, and the lower hook 428 continues to move toward the lower ISO aperture 407 until the width V It has been reduced enough to allow the locking device 400 to exit the lower ISO aperture 407. As mentioned above, a similar process occurs on the opposite side of the upper shipping container. Due to the symmetry of the reaction, the opposite side of the upper transport container moves to the left, causing the upper transport container to rotate in its counterclockwise direction about its vertical axis in this case.

Still referring to stage (4) of Figure 6B, it can be seen that a loading process operates in a similar manner. As the upper shipping container is lowered toward the lower ISO aperture 407, the cone 440 is directed toward the lower ISO aperture 407. The cone 440 includes an angled surface to help guide the upper shipping container into the lower ISO aperture 407.

Referring now to Figure 7, a plurality of views of the locking device 500 are shown. The locking device 500 is similar to the locking device 100 and includes similar features such as, for example, similar surfaces disposed on the housing 502 and the S-shaped hooks 550. The locking device 500 includes an S-shaped hook 550 that is movably secured within the housing 502. S-shaped hook The 550 includes an upper hook 554 and a lower hook 556. The housing 502 includes a load pad 504, a hook 512, and a handle assembly 530. In contrast to the locking device 100, the pair of hooks 112 have been replaced by a single hook 512. The hook pair 114 has been removed. The housing 502 is configured to allow the S-shaped hook 550 to be hinged within the housing 502 such that the upper hook 554 and the lower hook 556 are allowed to engage and disengage the inner portion of the corner casting, similar to the discussion of the locking device 300 of FIG. In one aspect, the tolerance within the housing allows the S-shaped hook to tilt/rotate and "float" within the housing. The term "floating" is used to generally mean that the S-shaped hook 550 has some degree of freedom to move vertically within the housing.

As shown in Figure 7, the locking device 500 is in an automatic mode. In the automatic mode, the handle is in the position shown. In the exemplary embodiment, handle assembly 530 operates in substantially the same manner as handle assembly 130 to enable a user to select an automatic mode, a second mode for loading/unloading, and a vertical column lift mode.

Referring now to Figure 8, two views of a locking device 600 in accordance with one embodiment are shown. The locking device 600 includes a housing 602, an S-shaped hook 650, and a hook 670. Housing 602, similar to housing 102 and housing 502, can include first housing component 602(1) and second housing component 602(2) to facilitate assembly of locking device 600. The housing 602 forms an internal cavity 603 that accommodates, for example, an S-shaped hook 650 and a handle assembly 630. In contrast to the housing 102 and the housing 502, the housing 602 does not include an upper housing hook or a lower housing hook. Housing 602 includes a load pad 604 that is similar to load pad 104 and load pad 504. The housing 602 further includes a surface 616 and a surface 618 that are similar to faces 116 and 118, respectively. Faces 616 and 618 interact with ISO holes in a manner similar to faces 116 and 118 use. The housing 602 also includes a handle assembly 630 that is similar to the handle assembly 130.

The S-shaped hook 650 includes an upper hook member 652 and a lower hook member 654. The upper hook member 652 includes a recess 656 that is movably coupled to the belt channel portion 658 of the lower hook member 654 (as best seen in FIG. 9). The coupling of the upper hook member 652 to the lower hook member 654 allows the upper hook member 652 to move independently of the lower hook member 654, and vice versa. The upper hook member 652 includes a hook 660 that extends in a first direction (as best seen in FIG. 9). The hook 660 is similar to the upper hook 152. The upper hook member 652 also includes a tab 662 that interacts with the handle assembly 630 to control the range of motion of the S-shaped hook 650. The lower hook member 654 includes an upper hook 664 that extends in a direction opposite to the hook 660, and a lower hook 666 that extends in the same direction as the hook 660. The lower hook member 654 also includes a cone portion 668 that facilitates guiding the locking device into the corner casting of the lower shipping container.

The hook 670 includes a tab pair 672 that engages a pair of corresponding pocket portions 674 into the housing 602 to allow the hook 670 to pivot about the tab pair 672. The hook 670 also includes a hook 674 that extends in a direction opposite the hook 660. The hook 674 is adapted to engage the inner wall of the upper corner casting. In some embodiments, a torsion spring can be used to bias the hook 670 such that the hook 674 is biased to rotate or tilt away from the hook 660. Biasing the hook 670 can help ensure good contact between the hook 674 and the inner wall of the upper corner casting.

Referring now to Figure 9, an exploded assembly of the locking device 600 is shown. The locking device 600 includes a handle assembly 630 that includes a handle 632, a mouth member 634, a spring 636, a spring 638, and a pin 640. The handle 632 is coupled to the pin 640 via a wire 642. Port component 634 includes tab pair 644, adjustment The pair of tabs 644 cooperate with a pair of recesses 646 formed in the housing 602. Port member 634 also includes a slot 635 adapted to receive an anvil 643 of wire 642. The operation of the handle assembly 630 will be discussed in more detail below.

Referring now to Figure 10, three user selectable modes for locking device 600(1) are illustrated. The locking device 600(1) illustrates an automatic mode. In order to provide a better view of the interior of the locking device 600(1), the housing component 602(1) has been omitted. In the automatic mode, the locking device 600(1) is configured such that the user does not need to lock or unlock the locking device 600(1) during loading and unloading of the shipping container. The handle 632 is shown in its preset position. When the handle is in the preset position, the pin 640 is positioned as shown, with the recess 641 aligned with the tab 662 of the upper hook member 652 that allows the upper hook member 652 to pivot but prevents the hook 670 from surrounding the tab Pivoted to 672. Due to the interference between the tab 673 and the pin 640, the hook 670 is prevented from moving. The locking device 600(1) is secured in the upper corner casting by preventing the hook 670 from rotating. This is especially important when loading a shipping container into a position above another shipping container by a crane. If the locking device is dropped from the shipping container when it is moved into position, it is possible that the locking device hits the worker or causes other damage. Locking the hook 670 provides drop protection.

The locking device 600 (2) illustrates the loading/unloading mode. In order to provide a better view of the interior of the locking device 600(2), the housing component 602(1) has been omitted. As shown, the handle 632 is in an extended position. In this mode, the pin 640 is retracted. When the pin 640 is retracted, the tab 673 is no longer blocked and the hook 670 is free to pivot into the open position, as shown. In the case where the hook 670 is retracted, the locking device 600 (2) can be inserted into the corner casting or from the corner Casting removed. In order to place the fully automatic twist lock in the loading/unloading mode, the operator grasps the handle and pulls the handle away from the housing 602. For loading, the operator pulls the handle and then pushes the locking device 600(2) into the upper corner casting, with the handle pointing away from the interior portion of the shipping container. In this manner, the position of the handle 632 helps identify the proper orientation for mounting the locking device 600(2), thereby reducing the likelihood that the operator can install the locking device 600(2) in the wrong orientation. When the locking device is pushed into the upper corner casting, the hook 670 can contact the edge of the ISO hole of the upper corner casting. However, because the pin 640 does not limit the movement of the hook 670 in the loading/unloading mode, the hook 670 can pivot away from the edge of the ISO hole to allow the complete locking device 600(2) to be inserted into the upper corner casting. . Once the upper hook member 652 and the hook 670 have been pushed up into the upper corner casting, the hook 670 will be rotated or tilted back into its preset position by the spring biased in the preset position. Next, the operator releases the handle 632, causing the pin 640 to move back into the automatic position, thereby preventing the slit-hanger from escaping from the upper corner casting.

The locking device 600 (3) illustrates a vertical column elevation mode. In order to provide a better view of the interior of the locking device 600(3), the housing component 602(1) has been omitted. The vertical tandem lift mode allows the locking device 600(3) to lock the upper shipping container to the lower shipping container. When it is locked, the upper transport container and the lower transport container can be lifted simultaneously by the crane. To engage the vertical column lift mode, the user pulls the handle 632 outward and downward. The anvil 643, which is a wider portion of the wire, interacts with the slot 635 in the mouthpiece 634 to hold the handle 632 in the position shown. With the handle 632 held in the position shown, the pin 640 remains in a position in which The centering prevents the upper hook member 652 and the hook 670 from pivoting because the tab 662 and the tab 673 are blocked by the pin 640. The upper hook member 652 and the hook 670 are thus locked into the closed position. In the vertical column lift mode, the locking device 600(3) cannot be separated from the corner castings of the upper and lower shipping containers. To return the locking device 600 to the automatic mode, the user pulls the handle 632 to release the anvil 643 from the mouth member 634.

Referring now to Figures 11A, 11B, 11C and 11D, the unloading sequence of the locking device 700 is illustrated. Similar to the above discussion of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the unloading sequence will be discussed with respect to a single locking device 700, but it should be understood that the same discussion applies to the other three locking devices 700. Figure 11 shows the four phases of the unloading sequence. In order to provide a better understanding of the movement of the components of the locking device 700, next, a cross-sectional view of the locking device 700 will be shown in a non-sectional view.

Referring generally to Figure 11A, the locking device 700 is shown mounted in the upper corner casting 702 and the lower corner casting 703. The upper corner casting 702 is associated with an upper shipping container (eg, the upper shipping container 10 of Figure 1), and the lower corner casting 703 is associated with a lower shipping container (eg, the lower shipping container 20 of Figure 1). The upper corner casting 702 includes an outer wall 704, an ISO aperture 706, and an inner wall 708. The lower corner casting includes an outer wall 705, an ISO aperture 707, and an inner wall 709.

It is shown that the locking device 700 has just occurred before the upper shipping container is lifted up. In this parked position, the upper corner casting 702 is placed on the load pad 710 of the housing 712. The hook 720 of the upper hook member 722 is shown in contact with the inner wall 708, and the hook 724 of the hook 726 is shown in contact with the inner wall 708 on the opposite side of the ISO aperture 706. The width T indicates the reach or span of the hook 720 and the hook 724. The width T shown is wider than the width of the ISO aperture 706. Lower hook member 730 Hook 728 is shown in contact with inner wall 709. The width U indicates the cross-sectional width of the lower hook member 730 with respect to the lower ISO hole 707. The width U shown is wider than the width of the lower ISO aperture 707.

Referring now to Figure 11B, it is shown that the locking device 700 has just occurred after the upper shipping container begins to move upward from the lower shipping container. Once the upper shipping container begins to move upward relative to the lower shipping container, the width T between the hook 720 and the hook 724 is slightly reduced. The reduction in width T is produced by the counter-movement of the upper hook member 722. When the upper corner casting 702 is moved upward, FIG. 11B shows that the hook 720 has moved slightly closer to the left edge of the ISO aperture 706 because the vertical load has caused the upper hook member 722 to tilt in a clockwise direction. The lower hook member 730 has begun to tilt in a clockwise direction. When the lower hook member 730 is tilted, the cam 736 located above the lower hook member 730 is guided by the first cam 732 of the housing 712. This rotation is caused by the interaction of the hook 728 with the inner wall 709 of the lower corner casting 703.

The first cam 732 is also used to determine that the hook 728 of the lower hook member 730 remains engaged with the inner wall 709 as the upper shipping container undergoes a side lift (eg, a roll event). During the roll event, the locking device 700 that does not experience an elevated upper shipping container side acts as a pin and prevents lateral movement of the upper shipping container relative to the lower shipping container. When the lateral movement is limited, the lower hook member 730 will not be able to rotate or tilt far enough in the clockwise direction to move the cam 736 from the first cam 732 to the second cam 734 of the housing 712. The orientation of the first cam 732 is such that the hook 728 remains in contact with the inner wall 709 to maintain a fixed connection between the upper shipping container and the lower shipping container.

Referring now to Figure 11C, it is shown that the upper portion continues to move upwards. A locking device 700 after transporting the container. As the upper shipping container continues upward, the upper shipping container also continues to move to the right, and the lower hook member 730 continues to rotate in a clockwise direction. However, in FIG. 11C, the cam 736 has now slipped from the first cam 732 and then slipped off the second cam 734. The second cam 734 allows the lower hook member 730 to continue to rotate to move the hook 728 out of engagement with the inner wall 709.

Referring now to Figure 11D, the locking device 700 is shown exiting the lower corner casting 703. In FIG. 11D, the lower hook member 730 has been rotated far enough in the clockwise direction to reduce the width U to a value less than the width of the ISO aperture 707, and the locking device 700 can be pulled out from the lower corner casting 703.

Still referring to Figure 11D, it can be seen that a load process operates in a similar manner. When the upper shipping container is lowered toward the lower ISO hole 707, the lower hook member 730 is directed to the lower ISO hole 707. The lower hook member includes an angled surface to help guide the upper shipping container into the lower ISO aperture 707.

While various embodiments of the methods and systems of the present invention have been illustrated and described in the foregoing description, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments There are many rearrangements, modifications, and alternatives in the context of the spirit and scope set forth herein. The description and examples are to be regarded as illustrative only. For example, although the dimensions of the corner castings are standardized, the actual corner castings may vary in size due to manufacturing tolerances and/or because of wear from repeated use. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the embodiments disclosed herein can be modified to work with corner castings of different sizes. Such changes may include changing one or more of the size or shape of one or more components.

100‧‧‧Locking device

102‧‧‧ housing

104‧‧‧Load pad

106‧‧‧ upper surface

108‧‧‧Lower surface

110, 112‧‧‧ linked pairs

114‧‧‧Upper neck

116, 118, 122, 124‧‧‧ surface pairs

120‧‧‧ Lower neck

130‧‧‧Handle assembly

132‧‧‧handle

134‧‧‧ mouth parts

150‧‧‧S-shaped hook

152‧‧‧ body part

154‧‧‧ hooked

156‧‧‧ hook

158‧‧‧stops

Claims (20)

A device comprising: a housing comprising an inner surface forming an inner cavity; an S-shaped hook movably secured within the inner cavity of the housing and comprising: a body portion; a first hook disposed at a first end of the body portion and extending along a first direction; and a second hook disposed at a second end of the body portion and along the first direction The opposite second direction extends. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a first upper hook disposed on the first end of the housing and extending in the second direction. The device of claim 2, wherein the housing further comprises a second lower hook disposed on a lower end of the housing and extending in the first direction. The device of claim 3, wherein the housing further comprises: an upper neck disposed at an upper end of the housing; and a lower neck disposed at a lower end of the housing. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a first housing surface adapted to contact a sidewall of an upper ISO aperture to limit lateral movement of an upper shipping container. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a second housing surface, The second housing surface is adapted to contact a side wall of the ISO aperture to limit lateral movement of the lower shipping container. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises: a slidable pin disposed within the housing; wherein the slidable pin does not limit the S in response to the slidable pin being in a first position Movement of the hook within the housing; and wherein the slidable pin limits movement of the S-shaped hook within the housing in response to the slidable pin being in a second position. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a load pad. The device of claim 1, wherein the S-shaped hook further comprises: a first stop extending from the body portion in the second direction; and a second stop from the body portion along the first Extend in one direction. The device of claim 9, wherein: the first stopper further comprises a first stopper surface for contacting an outer wall of one of the first corner castings; and the second stopper further comprises a second stopper The movable surface is for contacting an outer wall of one of the second corner castings. The device of claim 1 further comprising a hook pivotally secured to the housing and extending in the second direction. The device of claim 1, wherein the body portion comprises: an upper hook member; and a lower hook member movably secured to the upper hook member to allow the Relative movement between the upper hook member and the lower hook member. The device of claim 12, wherein: the upper hook member includes a recess disposed on a lower end of the upper hook member; and the lower hook member includes a belt passage portion adapted to receive the recess The mouth is configured to movably fix the upper hook member to the lower hook member. The device of claim 1, wherein the S-shaped hook further comprises a cone disposed on the second end of the body portion. The device of claim 1 further comprising a hook pivotally secured to the housing. The device of claim 1, wherein the S-shaped hook includes an upper surface disposed on the first end of the body portion and adapted to contact a sidewall of an upper ISO aperture. The device of claim 1, wherein the S-shaped hook includes a lower surface disposed on the second end of the body portion and adapted to contact a sidewall of the ISO aperture. A method of securing two containers, the method comprising the steps of: inserting a first portion of a device into a corner casting of an upper container, the device comprising: an S-shaped hook comprising: a body portion; a first a hook disposed at a first end of the body portion and extending along a first direction; and a second hook disposed in the body portion a second end extending in a second direction; a housing comprising an inner surface forming an inner cavity; and wherein the S-shaped hook is movably secured within the inner cavity such that the S-shaped hook Tiltable relative to the housing; and lowering the upper container to the lower container such that a second portion of the device enters a corner casting of the lower container. The method of claim 18, wherein the device further comprises: an upper hook member; and a lower hook member movably secured to the upper member to permit relative movement between the upper member and the lower member. The method of claim 18, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a first upper hook disposed on the first end of the housing and extending along the second direction; and a second lower hook disposed on the housing One of the lower ends of the body extends in the first direction.