WO2015071544A1

WO2015071544A1 - Method for manufacturing cargo container, and panel element for a cargo container

Info

Publication number: WO2015071544A1
Application number: PCT/FI2014/050859
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hannu WILÉN
Original assignee: Wimacor Oy
Priority date: 2013-11-15
Filing date: 2014-11-14
Publication date: 2015-05-21

Abstract

The invention is related to a method for manufacturing a cargo container (8) using pre-fabricated elements (10, 11, 12, 13), wherein the elements (10, 11,12, 13) are provided with connectable mating surfaces (9). The connectable mating surfaces (9) are equipped with guiding members (18, 19) for aligning the surfaces, and adhesive (14) is applied at least on one of these mating surfaces (9) and the mating surfaces (9) are pressed together for forming an adhesive bond (14.1) that functions as said fastening device. The invention is also related to a wall element realising the method.

Description

METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING CARGO CONTAINER, AND PANEL ELEMENT FOR A CARGO CONTAINER

The invention is related to a method for manufacturing a cargo container using pre-fabricated elements, which form the directions, such as the walls, ceiling and/or floor, of the complete cargo container, wherein the elements are provided with connectable mating surfaces, which are bonded together with fastening devices.

The invention is also related to a panel element designed for realising the method. Here, the term "cargo container" should be understood broadly, to generally cover different modular units, and more specifically, element assemblies, such as vehicle cargo containers, sales wagon containers and equipment rooms/shelters. The minimum size of these is generally in the class of 2 m³, while the largest ones are of size 20 m³. This also includes apartments and other facilities assembled of modules and, with special arrangements, modular units as large as 200 m³ are possible.

Patents FI94277 and EP1038074 set forth methods for manufacturing layer elements that are used in the manufacture of cargo containers. As such, this invention is not limited to the use of such layer elements in the assembly of a cargo container. The cages used in the elements are generally made of a tubular profile of aluminium or stainless steel. Through the tubular profile, vacuum can be applied between the insulation board and the surface board, wherein the insulation board is grooved throughout. The adhesive (PU) has been efficiently distributed over the entire surface area.

Patent publication US 4,093,389 proposes a method for a precise assembly of wooden elements. The mating surfaces of the ele- merits are equipped with openings each fitted with a friction sleeve, which is pressed down all the way to the bottom of the opening when pressing the elements against each other.

Today, pre-fabricated wall, floor and ceiling elements, or panels, are connected to each other with bolted joints, for which inserts must have been made in the elements. In modern technology, the anchoring members required by such an assembly constitute a factor that remarkably slows down production. The object of this invention is to simplify the assembly of a cargo container manufactured of elements, to decrease the number of fastening components and to accelerate the assembly. The characteristic features of the method according to the invention are set forth in the appended claim 1 and the fea- tures of the panel element for realising the method are set forth in claim 11.

Using guiding members set in connection with mating surfaces, the mating surfaces of the elements can be placed together quickly and precisely. Such a guiding member is advantageously formed of a rivet nut installed in one mating surface, a bolt fastened thereto, and a bore in the opposing mating surface, which is matched to the diameter of the bolt with a small tolerance. The sets of bores for the rivet bolts and counter- bores can be made using the same jigs. As alignment members, other types of members can be considered, such as pins welded to one component and a corresponding perforation in the opposing component. In the most advantageous embodiment, the mating surfaces are pressed together using a suction, which is applied to the mating surface via a transfer suction channel internal to the elements and through a cage profile. Advantageously, a vacuum is applied to the mating surface via a hollow cage, wherein openings have been arranged in the mating surface of the cage. For example, the counterbores for the guide bolts can function as these openings. Here, too, tape is applied at the edges during work, if necessary, to prevent the vacuum from escaping from the seam during the hardening of the adhesive. A PU adhesive, which has good adhesion properties and strength, is advantageously used. For a successful suction arrangement, it is advantageous that a fast-hardening adhesive is used at the edges of the mating surface, and a slower hardening adhesive is used at the centre, the hardening time thus being between 6 and 12 hours. Double-sided adhesive tape can be used at the edges to quickly create the adhesive bond.

The shape of the cargo container can also be other than a rectangular prism and the elements can be curved. The mating surface can also be curved, i.e. a concave-convex combination. However, the mating surfaces must be sufficiently large to endure the necessary load.

The other advantages and features of the invention become apparent in connection with the application examples.

The invention is described below using application examples, which are illustrated in the appended figures. Figure 1 is a partial cut-away drawing showing the connection between two wall elements.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate the operation of the guiding member in detail.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the connection construction in detail.

Figures 6a and 6b illustrate the construction of an element realised using an open profile.

Figure 7 illustrates a complete cargo container.

In Figures 1 to 5, reference numbers 10 and 11 illustrate wall elements to be connected to each other. These comprise a cage 21 made of tubular profiles, surface boards 23 on both sides of the cage, and a rigid insulation 22 within the cage between the surface boards. For example, these have been manufactured according to a prior art technique (see FI and EP patents above) . Typical sizes of the tubular profile vary in the range of 30 mm x 50 mm (s = 1 - 1.5 mm) up to 100 mm x 100 mm (s = 3 mm) . In profiles, in which a vacuum is not applied, the weight can be reduced with a perforation. In an enhanced manufacturing method of the element, the fixing of the surface boards 23 to the side wall 21.4 of the cage 21 (Figures 4 and 5) is secured with a set of holes, which are used to apply a vacuum all the way to the edge. Holes that are not used are plugged during each work step. When installing the surface boards of the element, the set of holes at the ends is plugged with adhesive tape. These will be used in the method according to this invention.

Elements 10 and 11 have mating surfaces 9, and in the wall element 10 of the end, this is positioned at the edge of the side, on top of the surface board 23. In this case, reliable and strong gluing of the surface board 23 to the side wall 21.4 of the tubular profile of the cage 21 is particularly important. The mating surface 9 of the opposing element 11 is posi- tioned at the end surface 21.3 of the cage, in which a counter- bore 21.2 is made (Figure 4) for each bolt 19 functioning as a guide.

Figure 1 shows a miniature compressor 30, located inside the element 11, which is advantageously installed within the tubular profile. For a discharge connection, a small hole is needed on the profile wall, as well as an energy supply from outside, such as an electrical connection. A possible compressor is model REC-TS-512-2508 manufactured by Reciprotor A/S (DK) , with which a vacuum of 0.8 bar is achieved with an output power of According to Figure 2, a set of holes is made in the first front wall 21.1 of the tubular profile of the cage 21 of the wall with a selected distribution, wherein each hole 21.2 receives a rivet nut 18, within which clenching 18.1 is pro- vided using specific drawing equipment. The rivet nut 18 remains firmly attached when the wall around the hole 21.2 remains between the flange 18.2 and the clenching 18.1. The bolt 19 is screwed in all the way to the bottom, whereby its head forms a stable guiding member. Since the rivet nut 18 does not necessarily seal the hole 21.2, an O-ring seal is advantageously used around it in position 32 (not shown) . In Figure 1, the purpose is to place a ceiling element 13 (Figure 6), which is provided with alignment holes corresponding to the bolts 19, on top of the wall elements 10 and 11 (not shown) . The bolts 19 are then screwed in all the way to the bottom. In these, too, the glue surface 14 comprises fast-hardening edge tapes 15 and a slower hardening centre part 16. Narrow intervals are provided between the glue strips to apply suction over the entire length. The ceiling element can be accurately aligned in place with the alignment bolts.

Advantageously, the adhesive is applied with a comb spatula, which leaves suitable air channels in the spreading pattern for extending suction over the entire length of the perforated range. A typical adhesive consumption is between 300 and 500 g/m². Excess adhesive may clog the suction channel and, on the other hand, a sufficient amount of adhesive must be provided over the entire mating surface. According to Figure 3, the mating surfaces 9 have been aligned using guiding members 18, 19 and pressed against each other, which takes place with suction 29, which is applied via one tubular profile. Here, suction 29 is applied to the mating surface 9 through the holes 17; however, for this, the wall is provided with a sufficient number of openings. The surface may also include grooves for leading out air from the joint. Conse- quently, the glue surface 14 creates the adhesive bond 14.1, once the adhesive has hardened.

Figure 4 shows a partial construction of Figure 1 before the assembly. When manufacturing the element 10, the set of holes 21.4 visible in the opposing profile has been advantageously used in its side wall 21.4; via these holes, suction is applied all the way to the edge for gluing the surface board 23 all the way to the edge of the element. In the element 10, stresses from one cage to another are namely transferred from the wall 21.3 via the surface board 23 to the wall of the opposing cage 21.1, which is why the reliable gluing of the surface board to the cage is of primary importance. According to Figure 5, in the complete assembly, the bolt 19 and the hole 17 for guiding the bolt have aligned the cages precisely in place. They also provide additional securing preventing a cross-directional offset. According to Figures 6a and 6b, open profiles can also be used as profiles, such as profiles manufactured of sheet metal, in which the sheet thickness is between 0.7 and 1.5 mm, advantageously between 0.9 and 1.2 mm. In Figure 6b, the profiles have been cut from detail VI-VI of Figure 6a. A perforation can be easily made in sheet metal, and the same applies to stiffening bends (not shown) . For the surface boards, the profiles are provided with specific perforations (not shown) in order to attach the surface boards all the way to the edges during the manufacturing stage of the elements. The transfer suction channel 31 is here composed of one or more grooves made in the insulation material 22, typically polystyrene, the grooves being limited by the inner surface 31.1 of the flange 21.4 of the profile 7. In a complete cargo container, Figure 7, blades 41, which are also glued in place, are advantageously used in a known way in the corners as impact protection. The elements comprise a desired number of openings and, for example, a door 40, lifting points 43, and other fastening accessories.

Naturally, the invention can be utilised even if only part of the mutual connections between the elements would be adhesive bonds or another connection would be used in addition to the adhesive bond.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a cargo container (8) using pre-fabricated elements (10, 11, 12, 13), which form the direc- tions, such as the walls, ceiling and/or floor, of the complete cargo container, wherein the elements (10, 11, 12, 13) are provided with connectable mating surfaces (9), of which at least one of each pair is provided with adhesive (14) and which are aligned relative to each other using specific alignment members and pressed against each other for forming an adhesive bond (14.1), characterised in that the pressing of the mating surfaces (9) takes place via suction (29) , which is applied between these from inside the elements and through transfer suction channels (31) arranged in the elements.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterised in that at least in one element, a profile (7, 8, 9) perforated towards the mating surface is used as a support frame, via the holes (21.2) of which profile suction is applied from the transfer suction channel (31) to the mating surface.

3. A method according to claim 2, characterised in that the profile (8, 9) is a tubular profile forming the transfer suction channel (31) in itself.

4. A method according to claim 2, characterised in that the profile (7) is an open profile, which has one wall (21.1, 21.3) as the mating surface and against which at least one elongated groove is provided in the insulation inside the profile wall to form said transfer suction channel together with the inner surface of the profile.

5. A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that a fast-hardening adhesive (15) is applied at the edges of the mating surfaces (9) and a slow hardening adhesive is applied at the centre (16) .

6. A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that at least part of the adhesive used is a PU adhesive.

7. A method according to claim 5, characterised in that the hardening time of at least one adhesive used is between 6 and

12 hours.

8. A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that at least part of the adhesive used is double-sided adhesive tape.

9. A method according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that at least one guiding member is a rivet nut-bolt (18, 19) in the first mating surface and a corresponding opening in the opposing mating surface.

10. A method according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that at least one element (11) is equipped with an internal miniature compressor (30) adapted to generate a vacuum in the transfer suction channel (31) and receive its driving energy from outside the element (11) .

11. A panel element for assembling a cargo container using a method according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the elements (10, 11, 12, 13) are designed to be connected to each other as pre-fabricated elements at their edge surfaces with an adhesive to form the walls, floor and/or ceiling of the cargo container, and wherein the element (10, 11, 12, 13) includes a cage (21) manufactured of the profile (8, 9, 7) while the profile wall (21.1, 21.3) functions as the mating surface against the mating surface of the adjacent element, characterised in that the wall (21.1, 21.3) functioning as the mating surface of the profile includes holes (21.2, 21.3) and a transfer suction channel (31) connected thereto inside the wall (31) for applying suction from the transfer suction channel via said holes (21.2, 21.3) to the mating surface.

12. An element according to claim 11, characterised in that the profile (8, 9) is a tubular profile adapted to form said transfer suction channel (31) .

13. An element according to claim 11, characterised in that the profile (7) is an open profile, one wall (21.4) of which functions as the mating surface, and the inner surface of said wall being limited with a gas-tight insulation, wherein the transfer suction channel (31) is adapted in the grooves formed in the insulation, which are limited to the inner surface (31.1) of the wall of the profile (87) .

14. An element according to any of claims 11 to 13, characterised in that the element (9) includes an internal compressor (30) connected to the transfer suction channel (31) .