WO2004080833A1 - A protective support for a load - Google Patents

A protective support for a load Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2004080833A1
WO2004080833A1 PCT/GB2004/001029 GB2004001029W WO2004080833A1 WO 2004080833 A1 WO2004080833 A1 WO 2004080833A1 GB 2004001029 W GB2004001029 W GB 2004001029W WO 2004080833 A1 WO2004080833 A1 WO 2004080833A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
base
platform
protective support
further characterised
support according
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2004/001029
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Peter James
Original Assignee
Cintec International Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cintec International Limited filed Critical Cintec International Limited
Publication of WO2004080833A1 publication Critical patent/WO2004080833A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D19/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D19/0004—Rigid pallets without side walls
    • B65D19/0006—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element
    • B65D19/0008—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface
    • B65D19/001—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface the base surface being made of a single element
    • B65D19/0014—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface the base surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces
    • B65D19/0018—Rigid pallets without side walls the load supporting surface being made of a single element forming a continuous plane contact surface the base surface being made of a single element forming discontinuous or non-planar contact surfaces and each contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00009—Materials
    • B65D2519/00014—Materials for the load supporting surface
    • B65D2519/00039—Agglomerates, i.e. different materials mixed together
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00009—Materials
    • B65D2519/00049—Materials for the base surface
    • B65D2519/00069—Plastic
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00263—Overall construction of the pallet
    • B65D2519/00273—Overall construction of the pallet made of more than one piece
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00283—Overall construction of the load supporting surface
    • B65D2519/00288—Overall construction of the load supporting surface made of one piece
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00313—Overall construction of the base surface
    • B65D2519/00318—Overall construction of the base surface made of one piece
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00258—Overall construction
    • B65D2519/00313—Overall construction of the base surface
    • B65D2519/00328—Overall construction of the base surface shape of the contact surface of the base
    • B65D2519/00338—Overall construction of the base surface shape of the contact surface of the base contact surface having a discrete foot-like shape
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00736—Details
    • B65D2519/0086—Protection against environmental hazards, e.g. humidity, bacteria, fire
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D2519/00—Pallets or like platforms, with or without side walls, for supporting loads to be lifted or lowered
    • B65D2519/00004—Details relating to pallets
    • B65D2519/00736—Details
    • B65D2519/00865—Collapsible, i.e. at least two constitutive elements remaining hingedly connected
    • B65D2519/0087—Collapsible, i.e. at least two constitutive elements remaining hingedly connected collapsible pallet

Definitions

  • a Protective Support for a Load The invention relates to a protective support for a load and in particular, to a protective support for loads which are made up of, or contain, hazardous materials, such as munitions or chemicals.
  • Known supports for loads usually comprise pallets or other solid bases onto which the load can be stacked prior to transportation by load lifting machinery such as forklift trucks. Pallets are usually formed of solid material such as wood or metal to provide adequate strength to support the weight of a stacked load. In the case of wooden pallets, the pallet comprises an open framework formed of layers of wood, the framework having openings into which the forks of a forklift truck can be inserted so that the load can be then lifted.
  • Such known supports are often bulky and difficult to manoeuvre and further, because they are formed entirely of solid materials, no additional protection is provided for the damaging results of a leak from or explosion of a hazardous load should it become unstable or be damaged.
  • a protective support for a load comprising a platform onto which a load can be placed and an inflatable support base positioned below the platform, the support base being formed of a flexible container having a fill port for introducing one or more fluid materials to inflate the base.
  • the flexible container may conveniently be rupturable so that should the load release hazardous material or explode, the material in the base may be released from the container to e.g. suppress or mitigate against the release of hazardous material or blast from an explosion.
  • the platform is formed of a lightweight material, for example fibreboard, a mineral wool such as rock wool or aluminium, or any combination of such. It is desirable to have a lightweight material forming the platform to keep the weight of the protective support to a minimum for ease of transport and reduction in cost of transporting a load.
  • the upper and/or the lower surfaces of the platform may be encased in a lightweight reinforced material such as Kevlar ®.
  • the reinforced material may be positioned at various points on the platform to provide protection at more vulnerable locations of the support, for example in the centre of the platform where the main part of the load may be seated and around the edges of the platform of fillable base.
  • the platform may have a support structure extending upwardly from the platform to provide a protective barrier around the perimeter of the platform so that a load may be stacked on the platform with a reduced risk of the load toppling.
  • the reinforcing barrier may be in the form of netting or possibly lightweight aluminium railings to maintain the load within the confines of the platform.
  • the platform and the fillable base are releasably attached or attachable to one another so that should either the platform or the fillable base become damaged, then one or both entities can be replaced independently of the other. This reduces costs rather than having to replace the whole protective support in its entirety.
  • the platform and fillable base may be attached to one another either by Velcro ® strappings or by a hook and eye arrangement whereby for example hooks on either of the platform or the fillable base are locked onto an adjacent surface of the corresponding platform or base.
  • a press-stud arrangement may be used whereby the platform and fillable base are joined to one another.
  • the underside of the platform or the upper surface of the fillable base may have a flame-retardant coating, or alternatively a flame- retardant layer is inserted between the platform and base to provide protection against fire should the hazardous material of the load be flammable.
  • the fillable base is filled with water although other materials such as air, foam, starch or a gel-based material can be used or even a combination of such materials.
  • the material used to fill the base could be selected in accordance with the properties of the materials which are to be carried on the platform. For example, if a flammable material is to be carried which could potentially ignite, then the material to fill the base may include a flame retardant, or a flame suppressing foam that can be released as a result of the fillable base rupturing by, e.g., catching fire.
  • the base is filled with water, again, this will have the benefit of providing a flood of liquid that can extinguish flames. Filling the base with water is particularly advantageous because in the case of transportation of materials on ships, water is a readily available commodity that can be used to fill the base as materials, such as munitions, are being stacked in the hold of a ship.
  • the base includes a fill port which ideally includes a valve for the introduction of fluid material into the base in a controlled manner.
  • the valves may be pressure sensitive fill valves, which can sense if the base is being filled to an unsafe level. If a high level of pressure is detected, which may cause the container to rupture, a cut off may be activated to prevent further filling.
  • There may also be in addition to the fill valves, separate drain off valve for release of fluid material from the fillable base once the support is to be deflated, for example if a load has been lifted off the platform and the support is no longer needed.
  • the fillable base is provided as an individual unit comprising a single chamber.
  • multiple units, each formed by an individual flexible container which can be inflated, may be joined one to another to provide a multi-chambered fillable base. This arrangement allows for the situation where should a single chamber rupture, for example if there has been a localised leak of a hazardous material, then as there are chambers that remain intact, a degree of support will still be provided for the remaining load.
  • the invention has the advantages of limiting damage to the surroundings that could otherwise be caused by dangerous materials.
  • hazardous materials such as munitions are transported, there is a risk that these materials may become unstable and possibly explode.
  • the structure of the protective support of the invention can limit the amount of damage to the surrounding area immediately beneath the load by containing some of the downward blast as a result of an explosion or in the case of a chemical leak, the potential for igniting or possibly corroding other surfaces.
  • foam or material such as water within the base structure can assist in damping down any blast or containing any release of hazardous material thereby confining the material of the load within a confined area.
  • the protective supports of the invention could also be placed in a substantially vertical orientation so that they are positioned around the perimeter of a protective support bearing a load.
  • the vertically positioned supports provide a cushioning wall around the load, and possibly, there could be a further support being on the upper ends of the vertically arranged supports to box in the load. If this structure is built, then the walls surround the load substantially in its entirety and if there is an explosion or leak, then the blast or leaked material are initially contained within the confines of the surrounding protective support structure to at least mitigate against damage caused thereby.
  • Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a protective support according to the invention.
  • a protective support according to the invention is generally shown as 1 and comprises a platform 2 onto which a load can be placed.
  • the platform 2 comprises a lightweight material, for example, a mineral-based material such as rock ® wool.
  • the platform 2 is generally a square configuration although any other configurations needed to support a load or positioning within a particular area in a storage facility may be used according to the dimensions used available for fitting the support in position.
  • a fire retardant layer 3 which preferably is of a lightweight carbon-based material such as Kevlar ®.
  • the layer 3 is shown as a generally even layer but it is envisaged that there may be thickening of the layer 3 in certain areas, for example where more hazardous loads are placed and also the layer can extend upwardly or downwardly around its perimeter to partially cover the sides of the platform to provide further protection against hazardous materials.
  • the fillable base is shown at 4 and takes the form of a layer beneath the fire retardant layer 3.
  • the base 2 has two channels 5 extending through the underside wall 6 of the base. These provide channels into which the forks of a forklift truck can be inserted to lift the support.
  • the underside wall 6 of the base 4 may again have a protective coating such as a reinforced layer of material or possibly a Kevlar ® based material to provide further resistance to puncturing or damage of the base should hazardous materials or munitions on the support become unstable and dangerous.
  • a fill port valve 7 Within one of the channels 5 there is a fill port valve 7 and in the other channel there is a cut-off valve 8. It is preferred that the valves 7, 8 are positioned within the channels so that they will be hidden away and consequently less likely to be tampered with, or accidentally turned on or off which could affect the inflation of the base.
  • a pressure relief valve 9 on an external wall of the fillable base 4 which can be operated to release pressure from the base should there be an increased load on the platform. This provides a facility whereby there is not an undue pressure built up with the base, which could lead to rupture of the base.
  • the walls of the base 4 are made of a flexible material with a degree of reinforcement, such as a drop-stitch material, so that a tough resilient base is provided, which can also allow for expansion.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Emergency Lowering Means (AREA)

Abstract

A protective support (1) for a load comprising a platform (2) onto which a load can be placed and a fillable support base (4) positioned below the platform (2), the fillable base (4) being formed of a flexible container having a fill port (7) for introducing one or more fluid materials to inflate the base (4), the flexible container being preferably rupturable so that should the load release hazardous material or explode, the material in the base may be released from the container to e.g. suppress or mitigate against the release of the hazardous material or the effects of blast from the explosion.

Description

A Protective Support for a Load The invention relates to a protective support for a load and in particular, to a protective support for loads which are made up of, or contain, hazardous materials, such as munitions or chemicals. Known supports for loads usually comprise pallets or other solid bases onto which the load can be stacked prior to transportation by load lifting machinery such as forklift trucks. Pallets are usually formed of solid material such as wood or metal to provide adequate strength to support the weight of a stacked load. In the case of wooden pallets, the pallet comprises an open framework formed of layers of wood, the framework having openings into which the forks of a forklift truck can be inserted so that the load can be then lifted. Such known supports are often bulky and difficult to manoeuvre and further, because they are formed entirely of solid materials, no additional protection is provided for the damaging results of a leak from or explosion of a hazardous load should it become unstable or be damaged.
According to the present invention, there is provided a protective support for a load comprising a platform onto which a load can be placed and an inflatable support base positioned below the platform, the support base being formed of a flexible container having a fill port for introducing one or more fluid materials to inflate the base.
The flexible container may conveniently be rupturable so that should the load release hazardous material or explode, the material in the base may be released from the container to e.g. suppress or mitigate against the release of hazardous material or blast from an explosion. Preferably, the platform is formed of a lightweight material, for example fibreboard, a mineral wool such as rock wool or aluminium, or any combination of such. It is desirable to have a lightweight material forming the platform to keep the weight of the protective support to a minimum for ease of transport and reduction in cost of transporting a load.
It is further envisaged that the upper and/or the lower surfaces of the platform may be encased in a lightweight reinforced material such as Kevlar ®. Alternatively, the reinforced material may be positioned at various points on the platform to provide protection at more vulnerable locations of the support, for example in the centre of the platform where the main part of the load may be seated and around the edges of the platform of fillable base.
It is further envisaged that the platform may have a support structure extending upwardly from the platform to provide a protective barrier around the perimeter of the platform so that a load may be stacked on the platform with a reduced risk of the load toppling. The reinforcing barrier may be in the form of netting or possibly lightweight aluminium railings to maintain the load within the confines of the platform.
In a preferred embodiment, the platform and the fillable base are releasably attached or attachable to one another so that should either the platform or the fillable base become damaged, then one or both entities can be replaced independently of the other. This reduces costs rather than having to replace the whole protective support in its entirety. The platform and fillable base may be attached to one another either by Velcro ® strappings or by a hook and eye arrangement whereby for example hooks on either of the platform or the fillable base are locked onto an adjacent surface of the corresponding platform or base. Alternatively, a press-stud arrangement may be used whereby the platform and fillable base are joined to one another.
It is envisaged that the underside of the platform or the upper surface of the fillable base may have a flame-retardant coating, or alternatively a flame- retardant layer is inserted between the platform and base to provide protection against fire should the hazardous material of the load be flammable.
Preferably, the fillable base is filled with water although other materials such as air, foam, starch or a gel-based material can be used or even a combination of such materials. The material used to fill the base could be selected in accordance with the properties of the materials which are to be carried on the platform. For example, if a flammable material is to be carried which could potentially ignite, then the material to fill the base may include a flame retardant, or a flame suppressing foam that can be released as a result of the fillable base rupturing by, e.g., catching fire. When the base is filled with water, again, this will have the benefit of providing a flood of liquid that can extinguish flames. Filling the base with water is particularly advantageous because in the case of transportation of materials on ships, water is a readily available commodity that can be used to fill the base as materials, such as munitions, are being stacked in the hold of a ship.
To facilitate filling of the base, the base includes a fill port which ideally includes a valve for the introduction of fluid material into the base in a controlled manner. The valves may be pressure sensitive fill valves, which can sense if the base is being filled to an unsafe level. If a high level of pressure is detected, which may cause the container to rupture, a cut off may be activated to prevent further filling. There may also be in addition to the fill valves, separate drain off valve for release of fluid material from the fillable base once the support is to be deflated, for example if a load has been lifted off the platform and the support is no longer needed. By having a base that can be deflated, this allows for ease of storage of the protective support.
Preferably, the fillable base is provided as an individual unit comprising a single chamber. However, it is envisaged that multiple units, each formed by an individual flexible container which can be inflated, may be joined one to another to provide a multi-chambered fillable base. This arrangement allows for the situation where should a single chamber rupture, for example if there has been a localised leak of a hazardous material, then as there are chambers that remain intact, a degree of support will still be provided for the remaining load.
Further, it is envisaged that there may be two or more channels in the lower wall of the base, with at least two of the channels being spaced from one another at a distance so that the standard forks of a forklift truck may be inserted into the base to lift the protective support plus its load. It is also envisaged that in addition to or instead of such channels, there may be indents on either side of the base or the platform to allow grab claws of a lifting device to abut the support so that a more secure grip on the protective support can be made for more secure lifting.
The invention has the advantages of limiting damage to the surroundings that could otherwise be caused by dangerous materials. When hazardous materials such as munitions are transported, there is a risk that these materials may become unstable and possibly explode. The structure of the protective support of the invention can limit the amount of damage to the surrounding area immediately beneath the load by containing some of the downward blast as a result of an explosion or in the case of a chemical leak, the potential for igniting or possibly corroding other surfaces. Further, if the base structure is punctured, foam or material such as water within the base structure can assist in damping down any blast or containing any release of hazardous material thereby confining the material of the load within a confined area.
It is envisaged that the protective supports of the invention could also be placed in a substantially vertical orientation so that they are positioned around the perimeter of a protective support bearing a load. In such an arrangement, the vertically positioned supports provide a cushioning wall around the load, and possibly, there could be a further support being on the upper ends of the vertically arranged supports to box in the load. If this structure is built, then the walls surround the load substantially in its entirety and if there is an explosion or leak, then the blast or leaked material are initially contained within the confines of the surrounding protective support structure to at least mitigate against damage caused thereby.
For a better understanding of the invention, a preferred embodiment will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a protective support according to the invention.
A protective support according to the invention is generally shown as 1 and comprises a platform 2 onto which a load can be placed. The platform 2 comprises a lightweight material, for example, a mineral-based material such as rock ® wool. As shown, the platform 2 is generally a square configuration although any other configurations needed to support a load or positioning within a particular area in a storage facility may be used according to the dimensions used available for fitting the support in position.
Beneath the platform 2, there is a fire retardant layer 3, which preferably is of a lightweight carbon-based material such as Kevlar ®. The layer 3 is shown as a generally even layer but it is envisaged that there may be thickening of the layer 3 in certain areas, for example where more hazardous loads are placed and also the layer can extend upwardly or downwardly around its perimeter to partially cover the sides of the platform to provide further protection against hazardous materials.
The fillable base is shown at 4 and takes the form of a layer beneath the fire retardant layer 3. The base 2 has two channels 5 extending through the underside wall 6 of the base. These provide channels into which the forks of a forklift truck can be inserted to lift the support. The underside wall 6 of the base 4 may again have a protective coating such as a reinforced layer of material or possibly a Kevlar ® based material to provide further resistance to puncturing or damage of the base should hazardous materials or munitions on the support become unstable and dangerous.
Within one of the channels 5 there is a fill port valve 7 and in the other channel there is a cut-off valve 8. It is preferred that the valves 7, 8 are positioned within the channels so that they will be hidden away and consequently less likely to be tampered with, or accidentally turned on or off which could affect the inflation of the base. There may also be a pressure relief valve 9 on an external wall of the fillable base 4 which can be operated to release pressure from the base should there be an increased load on the platform. This provides a facility whereby there is not an undue pressure built up with the base, which could lead to rupture of the base.
It is envisaged that the walls of the base 4 are made of a flexible material with a degree of reinforcement, such as a drop-stitch material, so that a tough resilient base is provided, which can also allow for expansion.
It is to be understood that the above detailed description is an embodiment of the invention and is provided by way of example only. Various details of the invention may be modified without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims
1. A protective support for a load comprising a platform onto which a load can be placed and an inflatable fillable support base positioned below the platform, the support base being formed of a flexible container having a fill port for introducing one or more fluid materials to inflate the base.
2. A protective support according to claim 1 further characterised in that the flexible container is rupturable so that should the load release hazardous material or explode, the material in the base may be released from the container to e.g. suppress or mitigate against the release of the hazardous material or blast from the explosion.
3. A protective support according to claim 1 or claim 2 further characterised in that the platform is formed of a lightweight material, for example, fibreboard, a mineral wool or aluminium.
4. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that the upper and/or the lower surfaces of the platform are encased in a lightweight reinforced material such as Kevlar ®.
5. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that reinforced material is positioned at various points on the platform to provide protection at more vulnerable locations of the support.
6. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that a support structure extends upwardly from the platform to provide a protective barrier around the perimeter of the platform so that a load may be stacked on the platform with a reduced risk of the load toppling.
7. A protective support according to claim 6 further characterised in that the reinforcing barrier is in the form of netting.
8. A protective support according to claim 6 further characterised in that the reinforcing barrier is in the form of lightweight aluminium railings to maintain the load within the confines of the platform.
9. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that the platform and the fillable base are releasably attached or attachable to one another.
10. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that the underside of the platform or the upper surface of the fillable base may have a flame-retardant coating.
11. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that a flame-retardant layer is inserted between the platform and base to provide protection against fire should the hazardous material of the load be flammable.
12. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that a valve for the introduction of fluid material into the base in a controlled manner.
13. A protective support according to claim 12 further characterised in that the valve is a pressure sensitive fill valve, which senses if the base is being filled to an unsafe level.
14. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that a drain off valve is provided for the release of fluid material
from the fillable base.
15. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that the fillable base is provided as an individual unit comprising a single chamber.
16. A protective support according to any one of claims 1 to 13 further characterised in that the fillable base is provided as multiple units, each formed by an individual flexible container which can be inflated, and joined one to another to provide a multi-chambered fillable base.
17. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in the provision of two or more channels in the lower wall of the base, with at least two of the channels being spaced from one another at a distance so that the standard forks of a forklift truck may be inserted into the base to lift the protective support plus its load.
18. A protective support according to any preceding claim further characterised in that indents are provided on either side of the base or the platform to allow grab claws of a lifting device to abut the support so that a more secure grip on the protective support can be made for more secure lifting.
19. A protective support substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawing.
PCT/GB2004/001029 2003-03-13 2004-03-12 A protective support for a load WO2004080833A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0305727.0 2003-03-13
GBGB0305727.0A GB0305727D0 (en) 2003-03-13 2003-03-13 A protective support for a load

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2004080833A1 true WO2004080833A1 (en) 2004-09-23

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GB (1) GB0305727D0 (en)
WO (1) WO2004080833A1 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2913412A1 (en) * 2007-03-05 2008-09-12 Airbus France Sa Transport container for air freight, has intermediate layer covering floor pan, where container has internal wall placed on floor pan, where intermediate layer has lower and upper walls equipped with efforts allocating units
US8567150B2 (en) 2006-05-23 2013-10-29 Airbus Operations Sas Aircraft pressurized floor
DE102013105416B3 (en) * 2013-05-27 2014-09-25 Millenium Packaging GmbH Mobile in its form flexible protective device for explosive ordnance disposal as well as methods for the controlled detonation of an explosive device
DE102014017944A1 (en) * 2014-12-05 2016-06-09 Thyssenkrupp Ag Unterwasserschnellentladesystem

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1124850B (en) * 1959-06-05 1962-03-01 Karlheinz B Kindermann Packaging for rocket projectiles or missile-like missiles
DE1189861B (en) * 1962-08-04 1965-03-25 Westland Aircraft Ltd Pallet for carrying and transporting loads
US4036345A (en) * 1974-10-11 1977-07-19 Hydaroll Limited Conveyors
EP0775637A1 (en) * 1995-11-24 1997-05-28 Georg Utz Holding AG Fire-protected plastic storage or transport container
US6289816B1 (en) * 1999-11-08 2001-09-18 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Water-based apparatus to mitigate damage and injuries from a fully or partially confined explosion
DE10108426A1 (en) * 2001-02-21 2002-09-12 Siemens Production & Logistics Load carrier as tray or shell has housing space hollowed out and filled with thinwall bagged or sleeved extinguishant in gas powder or fluid form for emission when ruptured.

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1124850B (en) * 1959-06-05 1962-03-01 Karlheinz B Kindermann Packaging for rocket projectiles or missile-like missiles
DE1189861B (en) * 1962-08-04 1965-03-25 Westland Aircraft Ltd Pallet for carrying and transporting loads
US4036345A (en) * 1974-10-11 1977-07-19 Hydaroll Limited Conveyors
EP0775637A1 (en) * 1995-11-24 1997-05-28 Georg Utz Holding AG Fire-protected plastic storage or transport container
US6289816B1 (en) * 1999-11-08 2001-09-18 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Water-based apparatus to mitigate damage and injuries from a fully or partially confined explosion
DE10108426A1 (en) * 2001-02-21 2002-09-12 Siemens Production & Logistics Load carrier as tray or shell has housing space hollowed out and filled with thinwall bagged or sleeved extinguishant in gas powder or fluid form for emission when ruptured.

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US8567150B2 (en) 2006-05-23 2013-10-29 Airbus Operations Sas Aircraft pressurized floor
FR2913412A1 (en) * 2007-03-05 2008-09-12 Airbus France Sa Transport container for air freight, has intermediate layer covering floor pan, where container has internal wall placed on floor pan, where intermediate layer has lower and upper walls equipped with efforts allocating units
US8672265B2 (en) 2007-03-05 2014-03-18 Airbus Operations Sas Container for air freight transport and fuselage of an aircraft for freight transport
DE102013105416B3 (en) * 2013-05-27 2014-09-25 Millenium Packaging GmbH Mobile in its form flexible protective device for explosive ordnance disposal as well as methods for the controlled detonation of an explosive device
DE102014017944A1 (en) * 2014-12-05 2016-06-09 Thyssenkrupp Ag Unterwasserschnellentladesystem

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