WO2021140119A1

WO2021140119A1 - A nestable rack for supporting carcasses inside refrigerated intermodal containers

Info

Publication number: WO2021140119A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/050129
Authority: WO
Inventors: João LEMUS
Original assignee: Maersk A/S
Priority date: 2020-01-06
Filing date: 2021-01-06
Publication date: 2021-07-15
Also published as: DK202170398A1; DK180864B1; AU2021205609A2; DK202070009A1; AU2021205609A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rack 100, adapted to be arranged inside the interior of an intermodal container 400, comprising a top portion 4, a bottom portion 3, and two opposite first bars 1, 1', each of the first bars 1, 1' connecting a respective outward side S1, S1' of the top portion 4 with a respective outward side S2, S2' of the bottom portion 3.

Description

A nestable rack for supporting carcasses inside refrigerated intermodal containers

The present invention relates to a rack suitable for carrying carcasses while being stored or transported inside an intermodal container, and adapted to be nested within another, similar rack when not in use.

Meat is sensitive to physical impact. Therefore, when transporting meat in the form of carcasses, it is often desirable or even necessary to hang them.

This is particularly relevant, when the carcasses are transported by ships across oceans, due to the harsh conditions at sea. Here it is further necessary to chill the carcasses inside refrigerated intermodal containers, hereinafter re ferred to as reefer containers.

However, standard reefer containers do not have hooks, and constructing or modifying such reefer containers to support the transport of hanged carcasses, is expensive and may mean the reefer container cannot be used for other types of goods.

Therefore, when transporting carcasses, racks having hooks hanging from their top are used. The racks for supporting the carcasses may be loaded into reefer containers using forklifts.

One such rack is disclosed in US3506136, showing a rack having hooks for the transport of carcasses, being loaded into an intermodal container using a forklift.

Generally, container racks that are not in use occupy much space, and it is therefore desirable that the racks have provisions that allow them to be stored without occupying too much space. Today, in order to reduce the space occupied by stored racks, some racks are made to be collapsible. One such rack is disclosed in W018136994, showing a collapsible rack, which further can be stored on top of another similar rack, when not in use.

However, this disclosure requires the rack to be collapsed before it can be stored in a way that reduces the occupied space, and thus requires time and effort by one or more operators to collapse the rack. Furthermore, the dis- closed rack in the WO document is not suitable for storing or transporting car casses, since it has no provisions for hanging carcasses, but is intended for storing and transporting liquids.

Therefore, there is a need for a rack that is inter alia suitable for storing and transporting carcasses inside reefer containers, and that is further adapted to allow for stored racks to be occupy a reduced space, without the need for col lapsing the rack, when not in use, such as for when returning the rack to the place of origin of the meat, for another transporting cycle. The object of the present invention is inter alia to provide a such a rack.

Summary

In view of this object, a rack is provided as described in the following, accom- modating the needs mentioned above.

According to the invention, the rack is adapted to be arranged inside the inte rior of an intermodal container, the rack comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, and two opposite first bars, each of the first bars connecting a respec- tive outward side of the top portion with a respective outward side of the bottom portion. Thereby, space is provided for a second, similar rack to be placed with its bottom portion resting at least partly on top of the bottom portion of the first rack, thereby nesting one of the two racks within the other.

In another embodiment, the two opposite first bars are parallel and spaced apart by a first distance larger than or equal to the distance between the re spective outward sides of the top portion and/or between the respective out ward sides of the bottom portion.

In another embodiment, each of the top portion and the bottom portion has a rear end and a front end, and each of the two opposite first bars has an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper ends of the two opposite first bars are connected to the top portion at a position closer to the rear end of the top portion than to the front end of the top portion, and wherein the lower ends of the two opposite first bars are connected to the bottom portion at a position closer to the front end of the bottom portion than to the rear end of the bottom portion.

Thereby, a highly rigid configuration of the rack is achieved, with a minimal amount of structural elements.

In another embodiment, the top portion comprises one or more third bars adapted to carry one or more hangers for hanging goods from the top portion.

In another embodiment, the one or more hangers are hooks pivotally mounted to the third bars, nesting of two racks giving rise to a turning movement of the hangers towards a horizontal plane.

Such hangers or hooks are suitable for hanging carcasses during storage or transport thereof. In another embodiment, the rack comprises two opposite second bars con necting the top portion with the bottom portion and extending within the foot print of the top portion and/or the bottom portion.

In another embodiment, each of the aforementioned two opposite second bars comprises an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper ends of the two opposite second bars are connected to the top portion at a position closer to the front end of the top portion than to the rear end of the top portion, and wherein the lower ends of the two opposite second bars are connected to the bottom portion at a position closer to the rear end of the bottom portion than to the front end of the bottom portion.

Thereby, the rigidity of the rack is improved.

In another embodiment, the rack comprises a bracket mounted to each corner of the top portion, for sideways support of the top portion of a second one of the rack which is placed on top of the top portion of a first one of the rack.

In another embodiment, the bottom portion comprises faces or guides adapted to be engaged by the tines of a forklift.

This enables the rack to be lifted and transported by a forklift, and easily loaded into an intermodal container.

In another embodiment, the faces or guides are defined by channels open at one or two ends.

This is particularly beneficial in allowing a forklift to carry several nested racks and also to shift one rack into a nested position within another rack during a nesting procedure, by the tines of the forklift being received by the faces or guides. In one embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of racks as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the plurality of racks are nestable within each other by the bottom portion of a first rack arranged partly on top of a bottom portion of a second rack, and the top portion of the first rack arranged partly on top of a top portion of the second rack.

Thus, when not in use, the rack can be nested within another similar rack, thereby reducing space occupied by the racks, without requiring tools or dis- assembling the rack.

In one embodiment, a method of nesting a plurality of racks as described in any of the above embodiments is provided, to form a group of nested racks, wherein, by raising and shifting a rack, the bottom portion of a first rack is ar- ranged partly on top of a bottom portion of a second rack, and the top portion of the first rack is arranged partly on top of a top portion of the second rack.

In another embodiment, the racks are nested either outside the intermodal container and then inserted as a group into the intermodal container, or wherein racks are inserted individually one after another into the intermodal container to form a nested group therein.

In this configuration, the nestable racks occupy a reduced amount of space inside the intermodal container, and are thus in a suitable configuration to be stored or transported.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective schematic view of an embodiment of the rack.

Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the rack shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the rack shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the bottom portion of the rack shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a schematic view of the hangers shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of several racks as the one shown in Fig. 1 , arranged inside an intermodal container.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of several racks as the one shown in Fig. 1 , nested within each other, and arranged inside an intermodal container. Detailed description

The invention will now be explained in more details below by reference to the figures. Figures 1 and 3 show schematically the claimed rack 100, comprising a top portion 4 having two outward sides S1, ST, a bottom portion 3 having two outward sides S2, S2’, and two opposite first side bars 1 , T that each connect rigidly with a respective outward side S1, ST of the top portion 4 and with a respective outward side S2, S2’ of the bottom portion 3.

Since the two opposite first side bars 1 , T are connected to the top portion 4 and to the bottom portion 3 at their two opposite outward sides S1 , ST, S2, S 2’ respectively, enough space is provided between the two opposite first side bars 1 , T to receive the bottom portion of a second similar rack, thereby allow- ing the second rack to be nested within the first rack, in a configuration as shown in Figure 7. As further seen in Figures 1 and 3, the distance d1 between the two first side structures 1 , 1’ is equal to or larger than the distance d2 be tween the two opposite outward sides S1 , S1’ of the top portion 4 and the two opposite outward sides S2, S2’ of the bottom portion 3.

Figure 1 further discloses an embodiment of the rack 100, wherein the two opposite first side bars 1 , 1’ are elongated and each comprise an upper end 1a, 1 ’a and a lower end 1 b, 1 ’b. In the shown embodiment, the upper ends 1 a, 1 ’a are rigidly connected to a rear end 4a of the top portion, such as by welding, and where the lower ends 1 b, 1 ’b are rigidly connected to a front end 3b of the bottom portion 3.

Figure 1 further discloses two opposite second bars 2, 2’ connecting the top portion 4 with the bottom portion 3 and extending within the footprint F of the top portion 4 or the bottom portion 3, see also Figure 4.

Figures 1-3 show that the two opposite second bars 2, 2’ each comprise a lower end 2a, 2’a and an upper end 2b, 2’b. In the shown embodiment, the lower ends 2a, 2’a of the two opposite second bars 2, 2’ are connected to the bottom portion 3 at a position closer to the rear end 3a of the bottom portion 3 than to the front end 3b of the bottom portion 3, and the upper ends 2b, 2’b of the two opposite second bars 2, 2’ are connected to the top portion 4 at a position closer to the front end 4b of the top portion 4 than to the rear end 4a of the front portion 4.

Figures 1 and 2 further show further support elements at the lower ends 1 b, 1’b, 2a, 2’a of each of the opposite side bars 1 , 1’, 2, 2’, between the two op posite first bars 1 , 1’ and the ground, and between the two opposite second bars 2, 2’ and the bottom portion 3, providing even more rigidity to the rack 100. Figure 1 further shows the top portion 4 comprising multiple third bars 12 each carrying multiple hangers 6. In the shown embodiment, the hangers 6 are hooks, pivotally mounted to the third bars 12. In an embodiment, the third bars 12 comprise brackets through which a tubular bar extends, to which tubular bar the hangers 6 are pivotally mounted, as shown in Figure 5, the third bar 12 not being shown therein.

Figures 1 and 3 show two faces or guides 5, adapted to be engaged by the tines of a forklift. The faces or guides 5 are shown as downwardly open chan nels which, however, may in another embodiment be downwardly closed, thereby increasing the rigidity of the rack 100.

The faces or guides may be defined by channels open at one or two ends.

Figures 1 and 2 show brackets 10 mounted to each corner of the top portion 4, suitable for sideways support of another rack positioned on top of the rack 100.

Figure 4 shows the bottom portion 3 comprising the faces or guides 5. The figure further shows a footprint F of the bottom portion 3, defined between the lines I.

The top portion 4 and/or the bottom portion 3 may have a length of between 2 and 3 meters, a distance between the respective sides of the top portion 4 and/or the bottom portion 3 of between 2 and 2,5 meters, and a height of be tween 1 ,8 and 2,3 m.

Figure 6 shows an intermodal container 400, which may be a reefer container, accommodating several racks 100. The racks 100 are loaded into the inter modal container 400 and ready to support carcasses hanging from their top portions 4. Figure 7 shows an intermodal container 400, accommodating several racks 100, that are nested within each other, by having their bottom portion 3 placed partly on top of a bottom portion 3’ of another similar nestable rack 100’, thereby defining a system 300 of groups 250 of nested racks 100, 100’.

Claims

1. A rack (100), adapted to be arranged inside the interior of an intermodal container (400), comprising a top portion (4), a bottom portion (3), and two opposite first bars (1 , 1 ’), each of said first bars (1 , 1 ’) connecting a respective outward side (S1 , S1’) of said top portion (4) with a respec tive outward side (S2, S2’) of said bottom portion (3).

2. The rack (100) of claim 1 , wherein said two opposite first bars (1 , T) are parallel and spaced apart by a first distance (d1 ) larger than or equal to the distance (d2) between said respective outward sides (S1, ST) of said top portion (4) and/or between said respective outward sides (S2, S2’) of said bottom portion (3).

3. The rack (100) according to claim 2, wherein each of said top portion (4) and said bottom portion (3) has a rear end (4a, 3a) and a front end (4b, 3b), and wherein each of said two opposite first bars (1, T) has an upper end (1 a, 1 ’a) and a lower end (1 b, 1 ’b),

- said upper ends (1a, Ta) of said two opposite first bars (1, T) being connected to said top portion (4) at a position closer to said rear end (4a) of said top portion (4) than to said front end (4b) of said top portion (4), and

- said lower ends (1b, Tb) of said two opposite first bars (1, T) being connected to said bottom portion (3) at a position closer to said front end (3b) of said bottom portion (3) than to said rear end (3a) of said bottom portion (3).

4. The rack (100) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said top portion (4) comprises one or more third bars (12) adapted to carry one or more hangers (6) for hanging goods from said top portion (4).

5. The rack (100) according to claim 4, wherein said one or more hangers (6) are hooks pivotally mounted to said third bars (12).

6. The rack (100) according to any of the previous claims, comprising two opposite second bars (2, 2’) connecting said top portion (4) with said bottom portion (3) and extending within the footprint (F) of said top por tion (4) and/or said bottom portion (3).

7. The rack (100) according to claim 6, wherein each of said two opposite second bars (2, 2’) comprises an upper end (2b, 2’b) and a lower end (2a, 2’a),

- said upper ends (2b, 2’b) of said two opposite second bars (2, 2’) being connected to said top portion (4) at a position closer to said front end (4b) of said top portion (4) than to said rear end (4a) of said top portion (4), and

- said lower ends (2a, 2’a) of said two opposite second bars (2, 2’) being connected to said bottom portion (3) at a position closer to said rear end (3a) of said bottom portion (3) than to said front end (3b) of said bottom portion (3).

8. The rack (100) according to any of the previous claims, comprising a bracket (10) mounted to each corner of said top portion (4), for sideways support of another one of said rack (100) placed on top of said top por tion (4).

9. The rack (100) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said bottom portion (3) comprises faces or guides (5) adapted to be engaged by the tines of a forklift.

10. The rack (100) according to claim 9, wherein said faces or guides (5) are defined by channels open at one or two ends.

11. A system (300) comprising a plurality of racks (100, 100’) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said plurality of racks (100, 100’) are nestable within each other by said bottom portion (3) of a first rack (100) arranged partly on top of a bottom portion (3’) of a second rack

(100’), and said top portion (4) of said first rack (100) arranged partly on top of a top portion (4’) of said second rack (100’).

12. A method of nesting a plurality of racks (100, 100’) according to any of claims 1-10, to form a group (250) of nested racks (100, 100’), wherein, by raising and shifting a rack (100’), said bottom portion (3) of a first rack (100) is arranged partly on top of a bottom portion (3’) of a second rack (100’), and said top portion (4) of said first rack (100) is arranged partly on top of a top portion (4’) of said second rack (100’).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said racks (100, 100’) are nested ei ther outside the intermodal container (400) and then inserted as said group (250) into the intermodal container (400), or wherein racks (100, 100’) are inserted individually one after another into the intermodal con- tainer (400) to form a nested group (250) therein.