WO2021007631A1

WO2021007631A1 - Automatic container locking mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2021007631A1
Application number: PCT/BR2019/050422
Authority: WO
Inventors: Carlos EVARISTO PAULINO
Original assignee: Evaristo Paulino Carlos
Priority date: 2019-07-12
Filing date: 2019-09-27
Publication date: 2021-01-21
Also published as: BR102019014460A2

Abstract

The present patent application relates to an automatic container locking mechanism that will be applied to the field of mechanisms for securing cargo or shipping containers to transport vehicles. It is made up of a metal body (23) inside which is housed a cuboid structural base (1) with two lateral compartments (4 and 4a) aligned parallel to each other for housing the first electric motor (19) connected to the intermediate gear wheel (20) for raising and lowering the locking pin (5) and the second electric motor (22) for driving the intermediate gear wheel (20a) connected to the lower gear wheel (10) for rotating the rectangular head (6) of the locking pin (5) through 90° for locking and unlocking.

Description

“AUTOMATIC BRAKE MECHANISM FOR

CONTAINER ”.

APPLICATION FIELD

[001] Refers to the present application for a patent for an automatic container locking mechanism that will be applied to the field of mechanisms designed to fix and lock cargo or shipping containers in transport vehicles.

TECHNICAL STATUS

[002] Container is removable vehicle equipment, intended for cargo handling, consisting of a container made of resistant material, with dimensions, fixing fittings and other standardized characteristics, facilitating its mechanical movement between different modes of transport.

[003] Container Carrier Vehicle (VPC) is understood to be a vehicle specially manufactured or adapted for this type of transport.

[004] Container Fixing Device (DIF) means the rotating locking pin intended to secure the container to the frame of the VPC chassis.

[005] Corner devices are understood to be the receptacle in the corners of the container, intended to receive the fitting of the rotating locking pin on the DIF, ensuring the locking to the frame of the VPC chassis.

[006] The locking of a container on the floor of a container ship, semi-trailer truck, railway container train and the like, occurs by twisting the rotating locking pin with a standard length and shape mounted on the DIF.

[007] The Container Fixing Device (DIF) is equipped with a rotating locking pin also known as a “locking pin” for fixing the container for road transport in container vehicles that can be of the container body type platform for truck, trailer, semi-trailer or for combination of cargo vehicles.

[008] Container chassis are widely used to transport containers within port areas, storage yards, highways, companies and other locations.

[009] To keep a container properly secured and fixed in a container chassis preventing it from tipping over and causing accidents, it is locked by the rotating locking pins.

[010] These locking systems using rotating locking pins can be seen in the patent document W02001054945A1 of 2006, which describes an automatic container locking device on the chassis of a trailer, through a locking device with housing placed vertically to function as a vertically extendable and retractable actuator pressed by helical spring mounted inside the housing.

[01 1] Another document BRMU8700879-3U2 of 2007, by the author himself, describes a container locking system for trucks composed of 3/4 bars on the side of the trailer, the bar supports, lock pin lock, lever and lock lever on which when placing the container, the lever is lowered and the lever is lowered so that the container is placed in the correct position on the chassis of the correct container holder and when the lever is raised, it turns an endless screw by turning the locking pin so that it locks the container on the trailer chassis.

[012] Document BRPI1 105903-6A2 of 201 1 describes a locking mechanism formed by an inverted "J" lock articulated by a main screw developed to be installed in the chassis known as "bombcart", for locking the container, when it is placed on top of it. [013] Another patent document BR1020160186234-A2, 2016, by the author himself, describes a Container locking system for trucks capable of locking the Container on top of a truck body through its activation directly from the driver's cab through the activation of a hydraulic system.

[014] Patent documents W02001054945A1, BRPI1 105903-6, BRMU8700879-3U2 and BR1020160186234-A2 show mechanisms for locking a container next to a truck chassis, but all of them are engaged in their work of rising, turning and descending for locking and the entire reverse process of manually and very slowly unlocking, a problem that has been overcome in the present application, which uses a fully automatic mechanism driven by a pair of electric motors to raise, turn and lock the container on the chassis of a container vehicle. .

[015] The mechanism proposed here uses the same rotating lock pin models with their dimensions that are commonly standardized and used in the market.

[016] We can highlight that the mechanism proposed here is designed to be mounted in the same locations as the current container fixing devices.

[017] That is, the container fixing devices are mounted at the standard points of a container vehicle chassis, perfectly positioned to coincide with the vertical alignment of the corner devices existing in the container, allowing the assembly of the mechanism required here for its ready operation.

[018] The mechanism designed here is activated by means of two electric motors, one being responsible for the raising and lowering of the locking pin body and the other responsible for the 90 ° rotation of the locking pin head. [019] This automatic drive up, turn 90 ° and go down for locking during the container loading operation, and vice versa at the time of unloading with the rise, 90 ° turn and descent of the pin locks until the end of the its course, occurs automatically and simultaneously in all container fixing devices.

[020] In this way, in the conventional model, in order to fix a container with four corner devices, it is necessary that the operator manually perform the individual rotation in each of the four container fixing devices by means of a crank for the ascent of the container. pin, then the pin rotation locks and then the reverse rotation so that the pin presses and locks the container in the container vehicle chassis.

[021] In order to unlock the process, it occurs in reverse, however the entire operation is manual, resulting in a loss of time that, added to the locking operation at the time of loading and unlocking at the time of unloading, the sum of the times spent may vary in average between 5 to 10 minutes.

[022] In the model proposed here, all corner devices are activated simultaneously and the operation of raising, turning and lowering the locking pin at the time of loading is carried out automatically, as well as in the reverse operation at the time of unloading for the ascent. , turning and lowering for the disengagement of the rotating lock pin of the corner device of the container, performed on average between 1 to 2 minutes.

[023] Another important detail is that after the automatic locking of the rotating locking pin it does not run the risk of unlocking or loosening regardless of the vibrations or swing that the container vehicle undergoes during the journey between the cargo location to its destination discharge.

[024] We can highlight that the mechanism claimed here is able to reduce the time spent on the operation considerably when compared to the current technique, as well as ensuring greater safety when locking.

[025] The mechanism has been designed to be compatible with the layout of all container ship floor models, railway container train and container vehicle chassis, to be mounted directly on the current existing corners of the fixing devices. container.

[026] In this way, its installation for ready operation does not need adaptations or different models of container vehicle chassis.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

[027] Its objective is for the mechanism to automatically rotate the locking pin in order to reduce the time spent to lock and unlock a container during loading, unloading and transhipment operations between the different modalities of container transport.

[028] The objective is for the mechanism to be efficient in its access for fitting, locking and unlocking during the loading and unloading of containers.

[029] Another objective is for the mechanism to have a safety system that prevents the pin from falling out or falling off.

[030] Its objective is that the mechanism is designed with mechanical resistance to resist the efforts resulting from its application.

[031] Another objective is for the mechanism to prevent the involuntary rotation of the locking pin, providing greater security for the transport of containers in vehicles classified according to the cargo species. [032] Another objective is to improve agility in handling when loading, locking and unlocking containers on the chassis of container vehicles.

[033] It is also an objective to replace the conventional manual model of fixing the container in the container vehicles for an automatic system for fitting / locking and detaching / unlocking the rotating locking pin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[034] The mechanism is formed by a metallic body closed by side walls and bottom, maintaining the upper part with the passage opening of the rectangular head of the locking pin in its up and down movement.

[035] Inside the metallic body, the set of parts responsible for triggering the raising, lowering and turning of the rectangular head of the locking pin with thread is formed, formed by a structural base in the shape of a cube with two lateral compartments parallel aligned with each other that serve for the accommodation of the first electric motor responsible for the upward and downward rotation of the locking pin and the second electric motor responsible for the 90 ° rotation of the rectangular head for locking during transport and unlocking to allow free movement of the container.

[036] The structural base in the shape of a cube has in the central part a hollow compartment for accommodation and passage of the locking latch internally equipped with a tuning tunnel of the driving pin fixed to the turning hub, which is fixed to the lower gear that has a central hole of housing on the flanged bushing with circular through hole that rests on the square plate with central through hole spaced by a top gear washer. [037] The upper gear has an internal thread that serves to receive the fitting of the thread of the locking pin in this way when the first electric motor is driven by the interlocking gear interlocked in the upper gear that will perform the upward rotation or lowering of the pin hangs.

[038] The second electric motor is for driving the intermediate gear connected to the lower gear responsible for turning the turning hub that has a driving pin that is attached to the bottom of the locking pin is responsible for turning the rectangular head 90 ° either for locking or unlocking the container of the chassis of the Container-Carrier Vehicle.

[039] The raising, lowering and 90 ° rotation of the rectangular head for locking and unlocking the container of the Container Carrier Vehicle chassis is carried out automatically through the activation performed by the operator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[040] The attached drawings expose the automatic container locking mechanism, which together with the numerical references detailed below, is more easily understood, although this invention can vary in many different constructive forms, always customized for each application, not shown in the drawings which will be described in detail and forms for carrying out said invention here.

[041] Figure 1 shows an exploded front view in perspective showing the parts that make up the automatic container locking mechanism.

[042] Figures 2 and 3 show an exploded bottom view in perspective showing the parts that make up the automatic container locking mechanism. [043] Figure 4 presents a perspective view of the assembled container automatic locking mechanism.

[044] Figure 5 shows an exemplary view of the mechanism mounted on the corner of a Container Vehicle chassis with the locking pin in the resting position positioned the rectangular head aligned below the rectangular opening of the container receptacle.

[045] Figure 6 shows an exemplary view of the raised locking pin with the rectangular head inside the container receptacle in an unlocked position.

[046] Figure 7 shows an exemplary view of the locking pin raised with the rectangular head already rotating 90 ° inside the container receptacle in a position for locking.

[047] Figure 8 shows an exemplary view of the locking pin lowered with the rectangular head already with the 90 ° rotation inside the container receptacle in a final container locking position on the chassis of the Container Vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[048] According to the attached figures the present invention is comprised of a metallic body (23) closed on the sides and bottom by walls (24) forming an internal part that comprises in its interior in the form of a cube the structural base ( 1) with a central part formed by a hollow compartment (2) for accommodation and passage of the locking pin (5) with thread (3) and rectangular head (6) (fig. 6).

[049] The locking pin (5) is provided at its lower end of the tunnel (7) (figure 1) with insertion of the driving pin (8) of the turning hub (9) fitted and fixed on the lower gear (10) with central hole (11) for flanged bushing housing (12) with circular hole (13) through which is supported on the square plate (14) with central hole (15) through washer (16) of the upper gear (17) with internal thread (18) separated by washer (16a) from the structural base (1) (figures 1 and 3).

[050] The structural base (1) has two lateral compartments (4 and 4a) laterally parallel to each other, with the housing (4) housing and fitting of the first electric motor (19) responsible for transmitting the rotating driving force to the intermediate gear (20) that is engaged in the upper gear (17) with internal thread (18) of advance between 5 to 7 mm per revolution (figures 1 and 3).

[051] The thread (3) of the locking pin (5) is fitted to the internal thread (18) in this way with each rotation advance of the upper gear (17) the locking pin (5) goes up or down.

[052] The side compartment (4a) is for housing and fitting the second electric motor (22) responsible for transmitting the rotating driving force of the intermediate gear (20a) which is engaged with the lower gear (10) together with the hub of rotation (9) (figures 1 and 3).

[053] The turning hub (9) has an actuation pin (8) that projects upwards if it fits inside the tunnel (7) of the locking pin (5) (figure 1), this way when the lower gear (10 ) and the turning hub (9) rotate, they cause the pin to lock (5) also rotate by 90 °.

[054] The rectangular head (6) follows the same direction of rotation of the locking pin (5) by 90 °, precisely because it is fixed to it.

[055] If the direction of rotation of the first electric motor (19) to drive up the locking pin (5) and the second electric motor (22) for 90 ° rotation of the rectangular head (6) is clockwise , the opposite movement to lower the locking pin (5) by the first electric motor (19) and 90 ^Q unlocking rotation of the rectangular head (6) by the second electric motor (22) will be performed in a counterclockwise direction. [056] The locking actuation occurs only after the complete rise of the locking pin (5) with thread (3) which at this moment has already raised the rectangular head (6) to the point of crossing the rectangular opening (25) and positioning itself inside the receptacle (26) of the container (figures 6 and 7).

[057] At this moment the rectangular head (6) is already rotated 90 ° in the position that allows the locking pin to go down to lock the receptacle (26) against the chassis of the Container Carrier Vehicle (27) (figure 7).

[058] This locking operation occurs with the activation of the first electric motor (19) that turns the intermediate gear (20) transferring the rotation to the upper gear (17) with internal thread (18) of advance between 5 to 7 mm per revolution , causing the locking pin (5) with thread (3) together with the guide (21) to go down to the rectangular head (6) forcing the locking of the receptacle (26) against the chassis of the Container Carrier Vehicle (27) ( figure 8).

[059] After the above step the container is already with its receptacle (26) locked in the chassis of the Container-Carrier Vehicle (27) by the rectangular head (6) of the locking pin (5) allowing its transport.

[060] The automatic unlocking operation of the rectangular head (6) of the receptacle (26) occurs in an inverse way through the activation of the first electric motor (19) responsible for transmitting the rotating driving force to the intermediate gear (20) that rotates the upper gear (17) with internal thread (18) of advance between 5 to 7 mm per turn in relation to the thread (3) of the locking pin (5) which rises to the limit position (maximum height) together with the guide (21).

[061] After the rectangular head (6) rises to the limit position (maximum height), it remains in a free position to be rotated again by 90 ° inside the receptacle (26). [062] In the sequence for the complete release of the container, the second electric motor (22) is activated again, responsible for transmitting the rotating driving force to the intermediate gear (20a) that is fitted to the lower gear (10) that is coupled on the turning hub (9) with the driving pin (8) fitted on the locking pin (5) thus turning 90 ° to align the geometry of the rectangular head (6) with the geometry of the rectangular opening (25) of the receptacle ( 26) of the container.

[063] After turning 90 ° to align the geometry of the rectangular head (6) with the geometry of the rectangular opening (25) of the receptacle (26) of the container, the locking pin (5) descends through the actuation of the first electric motor (19) that turns the intermediate gear (20) transferring the rotation to the upper gear (17) with internal thread (18) of advance between 5 to 7 mm per turn, making the thread (3) of the locking pin (5) rotate together by lowering the rectangular head (6) until it completely disengages from the receptacle (26), releasing the container from the Container Carrier Vehicle chassis (27), so that it can be moved freely.

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A TIONS

1) “AUTOMATIC CONTAINER LOCK MECHANISM”, comprising a metallic body (23) closed by walls (24) that contains a locking pin (5) with thread (3) and a rectangular head (6) on the top that it is characterized by having a structural base (1) with two lateral compartments (4 and 4a) parallel to each other, and the central part formed by a hollow compartment (2) for accommodation and passage of the locking pin (5) with end formed by a tunnel (7) for driving the driving pin (8) attached to the turning hub (9) fitted to the lower gear (10) with central hole (11) housing in the flange bushing (12) with hole circular (13) through supported on square plate (14) with central hole (15) through through washer (16) from upper gear (17) with internal thread (18) mounted and separated by washer (16a) from the structural base (1 ) with housing (4) for accommodation and fitting of the first electric motor (19) connected to gear intermediate gear (20) engaged in the upper gear (17) with internal thread (18) and side compartment (4a) for housing and fitting the second electric motor (22) for driving the intermediate gear (20a) connected to the lower gear (10) .

2) “AUTOMATIC LOCKING MECHANISM FOR

CONTAINER ”, according to claim 1, characterized in that the second electric motor (22) is for driving the intermediate gear (20a) connected to the lower gear (10) of turning the turning hub (9) provided with the driving pin (8 ) fitted inside the tunnel (7) of the locking pin (5) with guide (21) for 90 ° rotation of the rectangular head (6) for locking and unlocking.

3) “AUTOMATIC LOCKING MECHANISM FOR

CONTÊINER ”, according to claim 1, understood by the ascent and descent of the rectangular head (6) of the locking pin (5) is characterized by being carried out automatically by advancing between 5 to 7 mm by turning through the thread (3) fitted between the internal thread (18) of the upper gear ( 17) engaged in the intermediate gear (20) driven by the first electric motor (19).