SHIPPING CONTAINER

Abstract

An intermodal shipping container comprising: a container box that is 53-feet long and 8-feet wide and four first corner posts. Two of the four first corner posts are built into a right side of the container box and the other two are built into a left side of the container box, such that there are two left first corner posts and two right first corner posts. The two left first corner posts are spaced apart approximately 40-feet and the two right first corner posts are spaced apart approximately 40-feet, such that the four first corner posts are configured to match up with a placement of four corner posts of a 40-foot ISO container.

Claims

1. A shipping container comprising: a container box that is 53-feet long and 8-feet wide; and four first corner posts; wherein two of said four first corner posts are built into a right side of said container box and two of said four first corner posts are built into a left side of said container box, such that there are two left first corner posts and two right first corner posts; and wherein said two left first corner posts are spaced apart approximately 40-feet and wherein said two right first corner posts are spaced apart approximately 40-feet, such that said four first corner posts are configured to match up with a placement of four corner posts of a 40-foot ISO container.

2. The shipping container of claim 1, wherein each of said four first corner posts comprises a first corner fitting on a top end and a second corner fitting on a bottom end.

3. The shipping container of claim 1, wherein said container box comprises a gooseneck tunnel that is at a base portion of said container box at a front end of said container box.

4. The shipping container of claim 3, wherein said gooseneck tunnel runs along a length direction of said container box.

5. The shipping container of claim 4, wherein said gooseneck tunnel has a depth of approximately 79 mm.

6. The shipping container of claim 2, further comprising: two second corner posts; wherein said two second corner posts are at a front end of said container box.

7. The shipping container of claim 6, wherein each of said second corner posts have a third corner fitting on a bottom end.

8. The shipping container of claim 7, wherein an outer surface of said second corner fittings is flush with an outer surface of said third corner fittings.

9. The shipping container of claim 2, wherein each of said second corner fittings comprises a lifting hole and an end hole that are offset from each other; wherein a projection of said lifting hole of said second corner fittings and a projection of said end hole of said second corner fittings overlap each other.

10. The shipping container of claim 1, wherein each of said third corner fittings comprises a lifting hole and an end hole that are aligned with each other; and wherein a height of an opening of said end hole of said third corner fitting equals a height of an inner cavity of said third corner fitting.

11. The shipping container of claim 1, wherein said first corner fittings are standard shipping container corner fittings.

12. The shipping container of claim 1, further comprising a steel floor.

13. The shipping container of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of bottom crossmembers that are made of high-strength steel.

14. The shipping container of claim 1, wherein said four first corner posts are centered on said container box.

15. A shipping container comprising: a container box that is 53-feet long and 8-feet wide; four first corner posts; and two second corner posts; wherein said two second corner posts are at a front end of said container box; wherein two of said four first corner posts are built into a right side of said container box and two of said four first corner posts are built into a left side of said container box, such that there are two left first corner posts and two right first corner posts; wherein said two left first corner posts are spaced apart approximately 40-feet and wherein said two right first corner posts are spaced apart approximately 40-feet, such that said four first corner posts are configured to match up with a placement of four corner posts of a 40-foot ISO container; wherein each of said first corner posts comprises a first corner fitting on a top end and a second corner fitting on a bottom end; wherein each of said second corner posts have a third corner fitting on a bottom end; and wherein said four corner posts are centered on said container box.

16. The shipping container of claim 15, wherein said container box comprises a gooseneck tunnel that is at a base portion of said container box at said front end of said container box.

17. The shipping container of claim 16, wherein said gooseneck tunnel runs along a length direction of said container box.

18. The shipping container of claim 17, wherein an outer surface of said second corner fittings is flush with an outer surface of said third corner fittings.

19. The shipping container of claim 18, wherein each of said second corner fittings comprises a lifting hole and an end hole that are offset from each other; wherein a projection of said lifting hole of said second corner fittings and a projection of said end hole of said second corner fittings overlap each other; wherein each of said third corner fittings comprises a lifting hole and an end hole that are aligned with each other; and wherein a height of an opening of said end hole of said third corner fitting equals a height of an inner cavity of said third corner fitting.

20. The shipping container of claim 15, further comprising: a steel floor; and a plurality of bottom crossmembers that are made of high-strength steel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate all embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead. Details which may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all of the components or steps which are illustrated. When the same numeral appears in different drawings, it refers to the same or like components or steps.

[0028] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0029] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a side view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0030] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a partial cross-section view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a partial cross-section view of A-A in FIG. 3 of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0032] FIG. 5 is an illustration of front view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 6 an illustration of rear view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 7 is illustration of an end view of shipping containers of the present disclosure being tightly stacked on top of 40-foot ISO containers.

[0035] FIG. 8 is illustration of a side view of shipping containers of the present disclosure being stacked on top of two 40-foot ISO containers.

[0036] FIG. 9 is an illustration of a cross section view of one embodiment of the gooseneck tunnel.

[0037] FIG. 10 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the second corner fitting.

[0038] FIG. 11 is an illustration of another perspective view of one embodiment of the second corner fitting.

[0039] FIG. 12 is an illustration of a partial cross-section view of one embodiment of the second corner fitting.

[0040] FIG. 13 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the third corner fitting.

[0041] FIG. 14 is an illustration of a partial cross-section view of one embodiment of the third corner fitting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] In the following detailed description of various embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of the embodiments. However, these embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and/or components have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

[0043] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still others will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. As will be realized, these embodiments are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of protection. Accordingly, the graphs, figures, and the detailed descriptions thereof, are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Also, the reference or non-reference to a particular embodiment shall not be interpreted to limit the scope of protection.

[0044] Before the present methods and systems are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that the methods and systems are not limited to specific methods, specific components, or to particular implementations. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

[0045] As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms a, an, and the include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from about one particular value, and/or to about another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent about, it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are signify both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.

[0046] Optional or optionally means that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

[0047] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word comprise and variations of the word, such as comprising and comprises, means including but not limited to, and is not intended to exclude, for example, other components, integers or steps. Exemplary means an example of and is not intended to convey an indication of a preferred or ideal embodiment. Such as is not used in a restrictive sense, but for explanatory purposes.

[0048] Disclosed are components that may be used to perform the disclosed methods and systems. These and other components are disclosed herein, and it is understood that when combinations, subsets, interactions, groups, etc. of these components are disclosed that while specific reference of each various individual and collective combinations and permutation of these may not be explicitly disclosed, each is specifically contemplated and described herein, for all methods and systems. This applies to all embodiments of this application including, but not limited to, steps in disclosed methods. Thus, if there are a variety of additional steps that may be performed it is understood that each of these additional steps may be performed with any specific embodiment or combination of embodiments of the disclosed methods.

DRAWINGS LEGEND

[0049] 1container box [0050] 1afront-end panel [0051] 1brear-end panel/doors [0052] 1cbottom crossmembers [0053] 2first corner posts [0054] 3first corner fittings [0055] 4second corner fittings [0056] 4alifting hole of second corner fitting [0057] 4bend hole of second corner fitting [0058] 4cholding cavity of second corner fitting [0059] 4dside hole of second corner fitting [0060] 5third corner fittings [0061] 5alifting hole of third corner fitting [0062] 5bend hole of third corner fitting [0063] 5dside hole of third corner fitting [0064] 6second corner posts [0065] 7steel floor [0066] 8gooseneck tunnel [0067] 9-40foot ISO container

Embodiment 1

[0068] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 9, Embodiment 1 discloses one embodiment of a shipping container for both ocean and land freight that comprises a container box 1 and four first corner posts 2. The container box 1 has a front-end panel 1a and a rear-end panel 1b, the front-end panel 1a may preferably be sealed and the rear-end panel 1b is the door/s of the container box 1. The four first corner posts 2 may preferably be built into the container box 1 and the distance between each of the four first corner posts 2 is equal to the distance between each of the four corner posts of a 40-foot ISO container 9, that is, the distance between the two first corner posts 2 on the left and right sides of the container box 1 is preferably 8 feet, and the distance between the two first corner posts 2 on the length direction of the container box 1 is preferably 40 feet.

[0070] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a side view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 8, the distance between each first corner post 2 and the wall of the corresponding side of the container box 1 is preferably the same. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the distance between the first corner post 2 on the left and the rear-end panel 1b is the same as the distance between the first corner post 2 on the right and the front-end panel 1a. When a shipping container for both ocean and land freight of this construct is fully loaded and stacked on top of the 40-foot ISO container 9, the centers of both containers are in the same vertical line.

[0072] In other specific embodiments, the distance between the first corner posts 2 and the wall of the corresponding side of the container box 1 can be unequal. FIG. 2 shows that the posts 2 are centered between the ends 1a and 1b, but in other embodiments they may not be centered.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the top ends of the first corner posts 2 may be equipped with the first corner fittings 3 while the bottom end of the first corner posts 2 are equipped with the second corner fittings 4.

[0074] The second corner fittings 4 may be configured to securely lock to the top corner fittings of the 40-foot ISO container 9 during, for example, maritime transport. The length of the container box 1 may preferably be equal to that of the 53-foot container, i.e. the length of the container box 1 is 636 inches; and the width of container box 1 is equal to that of the 40-foot ISO container 9, i.e. the width of container box 1 is 8 feet.

[0075] The first corner fitting 3 may preferably be a standard corner fitting, that is, the height of the first corner fitting 3 is preferably 118 mm.

[0076] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a partial cross-section view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 9, a gooseneck tunnel 8 may be built into the base close to the front-end panel 1a of the container box 1. The gooseneck tunnel 8 recesses into the interior of the container box 1 and extends along the length direction of the container box 1. The depth of the gooseneck tunnel 8 may preferably be 79 mm.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in order to enable the connection and lock between the shipping container for both ocean and land freight and the 53-foot container semi-trailer for land transport in this embodiment, both sides of the front-end panel 1a of the container box 1 are equipped with the second corner posts 6. The bottom end of the second corner posts 6 are equipped with the third corner fittings 5 whose height is the same as that of the second corner fittings 4, and the top surface of both corner fittings are flush. The height of both the second corner fitting 4 and the third corner fitting 5 is 21 mm shorter than that of a standard corner fitting, that is, the height of both the second corner fitting 4 and the third corner fitting 5 is 97 mm, wherein, as shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, the lifting hole 5a and the end hole 5b of the third corner fitting are aligned; and there is also the side hole 5d on the third corner fittings 5; and the size of the end hole 5b of the third corner fitting is smaller than that of the corresponding end hole of a standard corner fitting. The height of the opening of the end hole 5b of the third corner fitting is the same as the height of the inner cavity of the third corner fitting 5.

[0079] In other embodiments the container of the present disclosure includes all of the same corner fittings as a standard 53-foot long container, such that it can be contactably stacked with other containers of the present disclosure (53-feet long and 8-feet wide).

[0080] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a partial cross-section view of A-A in FIG. 3 of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0081] FIG. 5 is an illustration of front view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0082] FIG. 6 an illustration of rear view of one embodiment of the shipping container of the present disclosure.

[0083] FIG. 7 is illustration of an end view of shipping containers of the present disclosure being tightly stacked on top of 40-foot ISO containers.

[0084] FIG. 8 is illustration of a side view of shipping containers of the present disclosure being stacked on top of two 40-foot ISO containers.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the container box 1 can be tightly arranged on top of many 40-foot ISO containers 9. The two ends of the container box 1 extend beyond the two ends of the 40-foot ISO containers 9, and the top corner fittings of the 40-foot ISO containers 9 are locked to the second corner fittings 4 by twist locks. FIG. 7 demonstrates that the shipping container for both ocean and land freight in this embodiment can be tightly stowed on the 40-foot ISO containers 9, making full use of the cargo space of a container marine vessel.

[0086] FIG. 9 is an illustration of a cross section view of one embodiment of the gooseneck tunnel. The height of the gooseneck tunnel 8 in FIG. 9 in the vertical direction is the depth of the gooseneck tunnel 8.

[0087] FIG. 10 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the second corner fitting.

[0088] FIG. 11 is an illustration of another perspective view of one embodiment of the second corner fitting.

[0089] FIG. 12 is an illustration of a partial cross-section view of one embodiment of the second corner fitting.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, the lifting hole 4a and the end hole 4b of the second corner fitting 4 may be placed offset. There may also be a side hole 4d on the second corner fitting 4. The projections of the lifting hole 4a and the end hole 4b of the second corner fitting 4 along the longitudinal direction of the container may preferably overlap each other. The size of the end hole 4b of the second corner fitting may be the same as that of the end hole of a standard container corner fitting, making it convenient to secure containers for sea transport with common lashing bars. Additionally, in order to accommodate the head of a lashing bar, a holding cavity 4c of the second corner fitting may be created on the bottom wall of the second corner fitting 4, and the shape of the holding cavity 4c of the second corner fitting 4 may be a quarter sphere.

[0091] FIG. 13 is an illustration of a perspective view of one embodiment of the third corner fitting.

[0092] FIG. 14 is an illustration of a partial cross-section view of one embodiment of the third corner fitting.

Embodiment 2

[0093] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 9, a floor may be laid on the base of the container box 1 in Embodiment 2 and it may preferably be a steel floor 7. The top surface of the steel floor 7 may preferably be flush with that of the second corner fittings 4. Because the thickness of the steel floor 7 is thinner and the height of the second corner fittings 4 is shorter compared with that of a standard corner fitting, the interior height is increased, which results in the capacity of the container box 1 being increased.

[0094] In order to eliminate the problem of diminished strength caused by the lowered height of the steel floor 7 and the reduced height of the bottom crossmember 1c, as shown in FIG. 4, the container box 1 is equipped with a bottom crossbeam 1c on top of which the steel floor 7 is installed; and the bottom crossbeam 1c is made of high-strength steel which increases the strength of the bottom of the container.

[0095] Furthermore, the height of the door sill and the door header may be reduced so that the height of the door opening is equal to the interior height of the container box lin order to make it more convenient for loading large/tall goods.

[0096] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the present disclosure that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the present disclosure can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

[0097] Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, locations, and other specifications which are set forth in this specification, including in the claims which follow, are approximate, not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range which is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain.

[0098] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the above detailed description. As will be realized, these embodiments are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the protection. Accordingly, the detailed description is to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. Also, although not explicitly recited, one or more embodiments may be practiced in combination or conjunction with one another. Furthermore, the reference or non-reference to a particular embodiment shall not be interpreted to limit the scope of protection. It is intended that these embodiments not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims that are appended hereto.

[0099] Except as stated immediately above, nothing which has been stated or illustrated is intended or should be interpreted to cause a dedication of any component, step, feature, object, benefit, advantage, or equivalent to the public, regardless of whether it is or is not recited in the claims.