FOLDABLE RCS CONTAINER

Abstract

A container may have a floor, a ceiling, a first side wall, and a second side wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall. The first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall, and the second end wall may be formed from a container wall for reducing an effective radar cross section of the container. The first side wall and the second side wall in a longitudinal direction of the container mid-height between the floor and the ceiling may be foldable inward into the interior of the container. The first side wall may include a first cladding board that is permeable to radar rays and reduces the effective radar cross section of the container. The first cladding board may have a reflective agent that reflects radar rays and can be aligned to be at least partially inclined relative to a plane of a main extent of the first cladding board.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A container comprising: a floor; a ceiling; a first side wall that includes a first cladding board that is permeable to radar rays and reduces an effective radar cross section of the container, the first cladding board having a reflective agent that reflects radar rays, wherein the reflective agent is embedded in the first cladding board and is aligned to be at least partially inclined relative to a plane of a main extent of the first cladding board; a second side wall; a first end wall; and a second end wall, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall in a longitudinal direction of the container mid-height between the floor and the ceiling are foldable inward into an interior of the container.

12. The container of claim 11 wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall, and the second end wall are formed from a container wall for reducing the effective radar cross section of the container.

13. The container of claim 11 wherein the second side wall includes a second cladding board that is permeable to radar rays and reduces the effective radar cross section of the container, the second cladding board having a reflective agent that reflects radar rays, wherein the reflective agent of the second cladding board is embedded in the second cladding board and is aligned to be at least partially inclined relative to a plane of a main extent of the second cladding board.

14. The container of claim 13 wherein the first end wall includes a third cladding board that is permeable to radar rays and reduces the effective radar cross section of the container, the third cladding board having a reflective agent that reflects radar rays, wherein the reflective agent of the third cladding board is embedded in the third cladding board and is aligned to be at least partially inclined relative to a plane of a main extent of the third cladding board.

15. The container of claim 14 wherein the second end wall includes a fourth cladding board that is permeable to radar rays and reduces the effective radar cross section of the container, the fourth cladding board having a reflective agent that reflects radar rays, wherein the reflective agent of the fourth cladding board is embedded in the fourth cladding board and is aligned to be at least partially inclined relative to a plane of a main extent of the fourth cladding board.

16. The container of claim 11 wherein the first end wall comprises a first door that is double-leafed with a first door leaf and a second door leaf, wherein the first door is foldable inward into the interior of the container, wherein the first door leaf includes a first upper door leaf and a first lower door leaf, wherein the second door leaf includes a second upper door leaf and a second lower door leaf, wherein the first upper door leaf, the first lower door leaf, the second upper door leaf, and the second lower door leaf extend across half of a height between the floor and the ceiling.

17. The container of claim 16 wherein the first upper door leaf and the first lower door leaf are connectable, wherein the second upper door leaf and the second lower door leaf are connectable.

18. The container of claim 16 wherein the first door of the first end wall is foldable inward into the interior of the container, wherein the first door of the first end wall can be opened outward.

19. The container of claim 11 wherein in an unfolded state the container is configured as a cuboid, the container further comprising post elements, which in the unfolded state are disposed on edges of the cuboid and connect the ceiling and the floor in a force-fitting manner.

20. The container of claim 19 wherein the post elements are connected to the floor by way of at least two threaded spindles, wherein by rotating the at least two threaded spindles the post elements are alignable so as to be parallel with the floor.

21. The container of claim 20 wherein the at least two spindles are driven manually, electrically, hydraulically, or pneumatically.

22. The container of claim 11 wherein the container complies with ISO 668.

23. The container of claim 22 wherein the container is a 20 feet container according to ISO 668.

24. The container of claim 11 wherein the container is secured to withstand ballistics.

25. The container of claim 11 wherein the reflective agent has a sawtooth profile.

Description

[0038] The container according to the invention is explained in more detail hereunder by means of an exemplary embodiment that is illustrated in the drawings in which:

[0039] FIG. 1: shows a schematic perspective view of a container according to the invention during folding;

[0040] FIG. 2: shows a schematic perspective view of a container according to the invention in the unfolded state;

[0041] FIG. 3: shows a schematic view of the first end side during folding;

[0042] FIG. 4: shows a schematic illustration of the folding mechanism;

[0043] FIG. 5: shows a schematic illustration of a cladding board.

[0044] The container 10 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 is a 20-ft container according to ISO 668. The container has the usual features of a standard container, in particular the standardized container corners for locking the container.

[0045] The container 10 in FIG. 1 is shown while the container is being unfolded. The container 10 has a floor 20 and a ceiling 30 and two side walls 40. The side walls 40, mid-height between the floor 20 and the ceiling 30, are foldable inward into the interior of the container 10 by means of a folding joint 42. The container 10 has post elements 50 for stabilizing the container 10 in the unfolded state. These post elements 50 are connected in a foldable manner to the container corners on the ceiling 30. The post elements 50 are connected to the floor 20 by way of threaded spindles 80 (shown in FIG. 4). On account thereof, the post elements 50 by rotating the threaded spindles 80 can be aligned so as to be parallel with the floor 20. The drive of the threaded spindles 80 is established by way of the crank 70. The container 10 on the first end wall has a double-leafed door which is composed of two upper door leaves 62 and two lower door leaves 64. The upper door leaves 62 and the lower door leaves 64 are folded inward into the interior of the container 10 and come to bear on the side walls 40. On account thereof, the container 10 can be completely folded in a compact manner.

[0046] The container 10 in FIG. 2 is shown so as to be unfolded, the door on the first end wall is closed, the post elements 50 are vertical and connect the floor 20 and the ceiling 30 in a force-fitting manner. The crank 70 is preferably removable in order for the container 10 to have external dimensions according to ISO 668 and to be stackable and transportable in a corresponding manner.

[0047] The container 10 in FIG. 3 is in a perspective front view. As opposed to FIG. 1, it can be more readily seen how the upper door leaf 62 and the lower door leaf 64 are folded inward into the interior of the container 10 so as to be against the side wall 40.

[0048] FIG. 4 schematically shows the mechanism of the container 10. The standardized container corners for locking the container can be seen at the corners of the cuboid. In order for the container 10 to be unfolded or folded, the post element 50 by rotation of the threaded spindle 80, the latter being rotated by way of the drive 82, is moved to a position that is parallel with the floor 20 or to a vertical position. The drive 82 is preferably drivable both by means of the crank 70 shown in FIG. 1 as well as by electric means.

[0049] A schematic sectional view of a cladding board 110 for reducing the effective radar cross section is illustrated in FIG. 5. The cladding board 110 is configured in the form of a rigid or semi-rigid sandwich board. To this end, the cladding board 110 comprises two cover layers 120 from a glass-fiber reinforced plastics material (GRP) and a core 130 which is disposed between the two cover layers 120. The core 130 comprises a foam core, preferably a polyurethane foam (PUR). A high load capacity and a high rigidity and at the same time a very low weight result on account of the composite of the cover layers 120 and the foam core. Moreover, the cladding board 110 is permeable to radar rays 150, such that no noteworthy radar echo emanates from the planar surface of the cladding board 110 which extends along a plane of main extent 160. The cladding board 110 furthermore has a reflective agent 140 which is integrated in or adhesively bonded into the foam core, respectively. The reflective agent 140 is configured in the form of a metal insert, on account of which radar rays 150 are reflected by the reflective agent 140. The reflective agent 140 is configured in the form of a sawtooth profile or configured in a stepped manner, respectively, such that the part-regions of the surface of the reflective agent 140 are at all times inclined in relation to the plane of main extent 160 of the cladding board 110. The reflective agent 140 alternatively comprises a woven fabric (gauze) and/or a carbon-fiber reinforced plastics-material insert (GRP). In order for the cladding board 110 to nevertheless be able to be configured as thin as possible along a direction that is perpendicular to the plane of main extent 160, the reflective agent 140 is constructed from a plurality of first and second reflective inclines 170, 180 which are disposed in an alternating manner along a direction of main extent 190 of the reflective agent 140 that is parallel with the plane of main extent 160. Herein, a first angle 200 is in each case configured between the plane of main extent 160 and the first reflective incline 170, and in each case a second angle 210 is configured between the plane of main extent 160 and the second reflective incline 180, wherein the first angle 200 is at all times smaller than the second angle 210. Furthermore, the face of the second reflective incline 180 is at all times smaller than the face of the first reflective incline 170. The reflective inclines 170, 180 which are inclined in relation to the plane of main extent 160 ensure that incident radar rays 150 that impact the reflective agent 140 along a direction of incidence that is substantially perpendicular are reflected by the reflective agent 140 in an outgoing direction that deviates from the antiparallel direction of incidence. In other words, radar rays 150 which are emitted by a radar source 220 and impact the cladding board 110 perpendicularly, are not reflected in a frontal manner back to the radar source 220 but are directed by the reflective agent 140 in other spatial directions having directional proportions that are parallel with the plane of main extent 160. This has the advantage that a radar apparatus that is connected to the radar source 220 receives a comparatively small radar echo, impeding the detection by radar. The effective radar cross section (RCS) is thus significantly reduced.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0050] 10 Container

[0051] 20 Floor

[0052] 30 Ceiling

[0053] 40 Side wall

[0054] 42 Folding joint

[0055] 50 Post element

[0056] 62 Upper door leaf

[0057] 64 Lower door leaf

[0058] 70 Crank

[0059] 80 Threaded spindle

[0060] 82 Drive

[0061] 110 Cladding board

[0062] 120 Cover layer

[0063] 130 Core

[0064] 140 Reflective agent

[0065] 150 Radar rays

[0066] 160 Plane of main extent

[0067] 170 Reflective incline

[0068] 180 Reflective incline

[0069] 190 Direction of main extent

[0070] 200 First angle

[0071] 210 Second angle

[0072] 220 Radar source