Air cargo container.

The present invention relates to a freight container. The invention relates more particularly to a freight container for air transport, particularly for the transport of mail. Such a container is disclosed in<patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="US5377856A"><text>US-A-5377856</text></patcit>.

Air transport of mail is performed conventionally in bags or in boxes or stacking containers placed in containers, commonly called igloos. Such containers comprise a base support defining the floor of the container and on which is mounted a rigid framework formed of aluminum profiles and defining the lateral sides and the container roof. The container comprises an open side closable by a cover maintained by strapping, the other three sides and the roof being closed by rigid panels made of aluminum or plastic material fixed to the frame. The support base is formed conventionally of an aircraft pallet with standardized dimensions. Furthermore, the frame dimensions must comply with those in the cabin of aircraft, the height igloos generally of the order of 1.50 meters.

For loading and unloading of the letters by the open side, in particular in the case of stackable trays which will ultimately replace the bags, it is necessary a person enters the container. Because of the size of containers, handling mail in containers is carried out easily and in less ergonomic positions. Moreover, in the field of air cargo, the staff has little time for loading / unloading containers, and the dimensions of the container do not facilitate rapid execution of these operations.

The purpose of the present invention to provide a container for improving the working conditions of the staff responsible for loading / unloading of containers, allowing in particular to perform the loading and unloading within acceptable speed and ergonomic conditions while taking into account the dimensions imposed by the airline and increase the carrying tray.

To this end, the invention relates to a freight container comprising a supporting base on which is mounted a rigid frame, characterized in that said rigid frame comprises a lower frame, assembled with the support base, which defines the lateral sides of the container, and an upper roof frame movably mounted on the lower frame by assembly means capable of allowing a movement of said upper roof frame between a lowered position and a raised position in which said frame deviates at least partially the support base for easy loading and unloading of the container by at least one business side of the container.

According to the invention, the container comprises a liftable roof frame so that, in its raised position, a person can stand in the container, at least over part of the support base. Such a lifting roof frame allows easier handling and faster bags or boxes, in more ergonomic positions. It was established that the container according to the invention a time saving of the order of 10% for its filling. Furthermore, the lifting roof frame ensures optimum filling of the total internal volume of the container, to enable those of winning a stacking step in the case of boxes.

According to one feature, the roof frame is formed by a frame, said connecting means connecting two opposed sections of said frame to said lower frame.

In a first embodiment, the connecting means are such that said roof frame is moved translationally between its lowered position and its raised position. The assembly means are adapted to move said frame so that the lowered and raised positions of the frame are parallel, advantageously, said frame is substantially parallel to the supporting base in its two positions.

In a second embodiment, the connecting means are adapted to move said frame between its two positions by a rotational movement about an axis substantially parallel to the support base, so that, advantageously, said frame is inclined relative to the support base in its raised position.

According to another feature, the support base has a generally rectangular shape, the lower frame comprises four corner posts fixed to the support base, connected in pairs by at least one rigid bar, and the frame comprises two longitudinal profiles connected in end by two lateral sections, the connecting means connects the lateral sections to said rigid bars.

In the first embodiment, each side rail can then be connected to a rigid bar by two arms pivotally mounted at a first end to said lateral section and pivotally mounted by its second end on said distance bar of the corner posts, at least two arms disposed on the side of one longitudinal section being pivoted on a mobile skid mounted in translation on a slide assembly on the rigid bar. According to a particular embodiment, only two arms are slidably mounted on upper bar, the other two arms being pivoted on the upper bar by a fixed hinge so that, between its two positions, the roof frame is displaced in translation perpendicularly and parallel to the support base, the roof frame being laterally displaced above the support base in its raised position.

In the second embodiment, each side rail can be connected to an upper bar of the lower frame by an arm pivotally mounted by a first end to the lateral section near a first longitudinal section, and is pivotally mounted with its second end on the movable bar mounted in translation on a slide assembly on the rigid bar, at a distance from the corner posts, and by a hinge fixed near the second longitudinal section.

Advantageously, the freight container comprises elastic means, such as pneumatic cylinders for example, capable of elastically moving the upper roof frame towards its raised position, and the top chassis lock means in its closed down position.

In another feature, each pair of amounts connected by a rigid bar angle carries a rigid wall, said container comprising two opposing sides working defined by the pairs of unrelated corner posts, the roof frame and the two sides working being coated with a flexible wall held by a thread formed of a network of transverse and longitudinal straps.

In another feature, the container includes an internal partition substantially parallel to the lateral sides working, preferably slidably mounted between two rigid walls.

The invention will be better understood and other aims, details, features and advantages will emerge more clearly during the detailed explanatory description below of two particular embodiments of the invention currently preferred, with reference to the accompanying drawings .

On this drawing :<ul><li>1 shows a perspective view of an air cargo container in the closed position according to a first embodiment;</li><li>2 shows a perspective view of the container of Figure 1 in the open position and raised roof; </li><li>3 shows a side view of the Figure 2 container;</li><li>4 shows the container of Figure 2, in the absence of the net and the cover, illustrating the rigid frame of the container with the roof frame in its raised position; and,</li><li>5 shows a perspective view of a container according to a second embodiment, in the absence of the net and the cover.</li></ul>

Figures 1 to 4 show a container according to a first embodiment of the invention, intended in particular for air transport of mail in bags and / or boxes. The container C1 comprises a support base 1, a metal frame comprising a lower frame 3 on the two opposing rigid walls 5, and an upper roof frame 4.

The support base 1, which defines the floor of the container C1 is formed in known manner of a standard aircraft pallet consists of a rectangular aluminum plate having along its longitudinal edges 11 and transverse 12 a rail (not shown ) for the attachment of a net 10 for holding the tarpaulin by means of pin system, as described below.

As illustrated in particular in Figure 4, the frame comprises a lower chassis 3 comprising four amounts of 31-34 angle defining the lateral and longitudinal sides of the container C. The two corner posts said before referenced 31 and 32 define a longitudinal front side, the other two said rear corner posts referenced 33 and 34, defining a longitudinal rear side. The corner posts are attached vertically to the four corners of the support base by means of brackets 35, 36. The first bracket 35 formed an L-shaped profile is fixed along each transverse edge 12 of the support base 1 by a first wing. The two uprights (31, 33) and (32, 34) of a same lateral side are fixed to the second flange of a first bracket 35. The fixing of each corner post on the support base is completed by a second L-shaped bracket 36 fixed to the support base 1 and the face of the upright opposite to the first bracket 35.

The lateral sides are closed by rigid walls formed by the side panels 5 fixed between two corner posts, and along the second leg of the brackets 36. Each side panel includes a plate 51, for example in composite plastic material, assembled by riveting to a metal reinforcement formed of a lower bar 52 and an upper bar 53 interconnected by two vertical central bars 54. The upper and lower bars are joined by welding to the amounts corresponding angle, namely a corner post before and the amount of back angle, parallel to the support base.

The rigid frame further comprises an upper roof frame 4 comprising a frame 40 formed by two longitudinal sections 41 connected end by two side profiles 42. The longitudinal profiles have a central portion 41a extending through end portions 41b inclined downward relative to the central portion. The framework is stiffened by a central longitudinal channel 43 of the same shape that the longitudinal profiles of the frame, connecting the two side profiles 42. The part of the longitudinal profiles are connected to the central longitudinal section at their central portions by a set of transverse struts 44.

The roof frame, the corner posts and the various bars of the lower frame may be made of aluminum profiles, for example rectangular, or aluminum tubes.

The assembly means 6 of the roof frame on the lower frame include four 61-64 arm pivotally mounted at one end to the four corners of the frame 40, and their second end on the top bar 53 of the rigid panels. The arms are arranged transversely and rotated about rotation axes arranged longitudinally, parallel to the support base.

The two arms 61, 62, said before, disposed on the front longitudinal side are each pivotally mounted on a shoe 65 which is mounted movably in translation on a slideway 66 of linear guide assembly on the top bar of a rigid panel. The other two arms 63, 64, said rear, the rear longitudinal side, are pivotally mounted by a hinge 67 fixedly mounted on the top bar of the panels. As described hereinafter, the pivotal front and rear arms permit movement of the roof frame between a raised position as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 and a lower position, as illustrated in Figure 1.

A pneumatic cylinder 68 is associated with each arm to resiliently bias the roof frame towards its raised position. Each piston is connected pivotally to a corner post by its cylinder and the end of the piston rod is assembled pivotably on a side rail 42 of the frame, near a corner of the frame.

Locking means 7 are provided to hold the roof frame in its lowered position. In this embodiment, these locking means comprise a projecting pin 71 on each corner post adapted to be inserted into the hole of a tongue 72 fixed by one end to the corresponding inclined portion of the frame. The free end of the tab is advantageously provided with a loop 73 to facilitate locking / unlocking operation.

C1 container further comprises a rigid intermediate wall 8 disposed longitudinally between the two side panels 5. The intermediate wall is preferably slidably mounted between the two side panels to be moved translationally in the transverse direction and is maintained at the desired position by suitable positioning means. This partition, of similar structure to that of the side panels, can be used for separating the internal volume of the container into two compartments, for example one for the bags and the other for the boxes, or as a rigid bottom wall to close the rear longitudinal side of the container. The top 81 of the intermediate partition board is adapted to the shape of the longitudinal profiles of the roof frame to ensure proper separation of the two compartments in the lower position of said frame.

Referring to Figure 1, the roof frame 4, and the two longitudinal sides are covered with a flexible coating or sheet 9. The sheet comprises a main portion 91 covering the roof frame, which is extended by the longitudinal sides 92 extending beyond the longitudinal sections 41 to close the longitudinal sides of the container in the lower position of the roof frame. The tarpaulin is extended further beyond the lateral sections 42 of the side panels 93 that overlap the side panels in order to ensure sealing at the junction between the roof frame and said side panels in the lower position of roof frame. Peripheral rings are provided along the lateral and longitudinal sections of the frame to protect the cover. These rods are for example heat-sealed or glued on the internal face of the sheet.

The sheet is held on the roof frame by a thread 10 comprising a longitudinal straps network 101 and transverse 102 sewn onto the sheet, the ends can be connected to peripheral rail above the base support 1.

The transverse straps 102, the number of 5 of the embodiment of the figures, extend along the longitudinal sides 92 and are each provided with a tensioning system 103 receives the end of a strap assembly 104, the second end is provided with a standardized pin system 105 capable of being snapped into the peripheral rail to the support base. Each longitudinal pan comprises at least one longitudinal strap 110 attached transversely to the assembly of straps 104 and hook 106 provided at its ends for its connection to the corner posts by means of joining straps 107 into two parts. The two parts of this strap assembly 107 are interconnected by a tensioning system 108, one of the two parts being secured to a corner post, while the other is provided with a ring 109 from s' engage on a hook 106.

The longitudinal straps 101 of the main portion 91 of the sheet, three in number in the embodiment illustrated in the figures, extend beyond the side panels 93 and are provided at their end of tensioning systems 111 for assembly to the support or base pallet 1 by means of connecting straps 112 provided pin system assembly 105. These straps 112 are connected by a transverse strap 113 whose ends are fitted with rings or hooks to allow its assembly to the corner posts, as described above.

The junction of the longitudinal flaps 92 and the main portion 91 at the inclined end portions is provided by means of a Velcro-type assembly system, as schematically illustrated under reference number 94.

The container may further comprise a handle assembly 14 at the corner posts and the outer faces of the side panels 5 to facilitate the handling of the container, as well as pockets 13 of the outer faces of the panels to receive documents.

The mode of use of the container will now be described. To open the container initially in the closed position, as shown in Figure 1, the transverse straps 102 and longitudinal 101, 110 of the thread are initially relaxed by releasing tensioning systems 108 and 111 of the four lateral sides of the container. 105 of the pin assembly of straps systems 104 of both longitudinal sides can then be disengaged from the rail and the ring 109 removed from the hooks 106. The longitudinal sides 92 of the cover with the connecting straps with the pin systems are raised , preferably to two operators, and the assembly is placed on the roof frame, as shown schematically in figures 2 and 3. the four tabs 72 are then désenclenchées their respective pads 71 by pulling the loops 73. preferably, operating in a first time the arranged tabs on the corner posts of the front side 31, 32, namely the side of the arms 61, 62 slidably mounted on the lower frame and the other two tabs arranged on the side of the amounts of rear corner 33, 34. the roof frame 4 thus released automatically rises to its raised position under the effect of the pneumatic cylinders 68. figures 2 and 3 show the container as a whole in the open position, with the ba che raised , the roof frame in the raised position. During this deployment, the shoe 65 moves from the inside to the outside along the rail 66, roof frame making a translational movement upwards, perpendicularly to the support base 1, and forward parallel to the support base 1, so that the roof frame is slightly offset relative to the support base. The longitudinal straps 101 will be sufficiently relaxed to allow full deployment of the roof frame to its raised position.

In this raised position, the roof frame is sufficiently removed from the support base to allow a person P to stand, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. For example, the height of the container, defined by the distance between the longitudinal profiles of the frame and the support base is about 1.50 meters in the low position of the roof frame, and about 1.85 meters in its raised position. Thus, the unloading / loading of the container can be performed in more ergonomic positions and more quickly. In the case of using the intermediate partition 8 to form two compartments, each compartment is accessible from the one longitudinal side open, one of the compartments can for example be used for bags, one for trays or boxes. As noted above, the container according to the invention, provided with a raisable roof frame, allows a time saving of the order of 10% for its filling. Furthermore, the carriage bins may be increased in the order of 7% compared to conventional containers.

After loading and / or unloading finished, the container closure is as rapid as it opened. The roof frame is returned to its lower position by pulling it down by the loops 73 of the tabs and snap the tabs on the pads 71, preferably those arranged on the side of the rear arm pivotally mounted on the top bar, but without possibility of transverse sliding, and the other two disposed on the corner posts of the front side 31, 32. the longitudinal sections 92 are lowered, assembled to the main portion 91 at the portions inclined with velcro ®-type system, systems pin assembly of straps engaged on the support base 1, the hooks 106 engaged on the rings 109 and all tensioning systems 103, 111 are actuated to tension the longitudinal and the transverse straps.

In the case of air transport, the use of a pallet and a normalized net in the development of the container according to the invention can meet the security standards for air freight transport. The metal frame of the container must be rigid enough to carry the sheet and ensure the movement of the roof frame between its two positions. The sheet carried by the frame enables a completely sealed container. Furthermore, the container may be hermetically sealed, without its contents are visible from the outside, and therefore guarantees safe transportation.

Alternatively, only the two longitudinal sides are covered by a covering, the roof frame is covered with a rigid coating, such as aluminum or plastic panels. In another variant, the longitudinal sides are also covered with rigid panels, said panels being so movably mounted on the frame, for example on the uprights by means of hinges, to allow access to the container interior.

5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the assembly of the roof frame on the lower frame, wherein the identical elements bear the same reference numerals. In this variant, the assembly means 16 do not include rear arm, the latter being replaced by simple hinges 163, 164 mounted on the upper end of the uprights rear corner 33, 34. During its movement between its two positions, the upper roof frame 4 merely performs a rotational movement around the rotational axis of the two hinges disposed parallel to the support base. As above, the pneumatic cylinders 68 are associated with the arms 61, 62 before slidably mounted on the side panels 5 via pad 65 of slide 66, to automatically raise the roof frame in its raised position illustrated in Figure 5. access to the container is then carried out preferably only the front longitudinal side, the rear longitudinal side being closed by a longitudinal rigid panel 150, of similar structure to that of the side panels described above, mounted between two rear uprights. The longitudinal panel 150 comprises a plate 151 mounted on a frame formed of an upper bar 152 and lower bar 153 connected by three struts 154. The upper bar whose shape corresponds to that of the longitudinal profiles 41 of frame 40, has a central portion 152a extending through end inclined portions 152b. The sheet (not shown) thus comprises a first identical longitudinal pan to that described above, to close the front longitudinal side and a second longitudinal segment of sufficient length to ensure recovery of the junction zone between the roof frame and the panel back.