Shipping container handling systems and methods
AssigneeThe Richard C. Lydle Revocable Trust
InventorRichard C. Lydle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided shipping container handling systems and methods that maximize the number of containers that can be stored on a predetermined property, as well as increasing the efficiency of the transfer of containers between transshipment vehicles, such as cargo ships/barges, trucks, airline, rail systems and the like.
Claims21
A system for handling shipping containers comprising,
- a facility having a length and a width, and a plurality of aisles having a plurality of storage areas at different levels on either side of the aisle, the plurality of storage areas having a length for positioning multiple containers, with at least some storage areas configured to accommodate first sized containers and at least some storage areas configured to accommodate at least second different sized containers, at least one wheeled container elevator system (WCE) provided in each of the plurality of aisles, and a shuttle system for supporting a container and being controlled to move a container to and from a WCE and one of the storage areas on one of the plurality of levels at a predetermined position along the length of the storage area,
- each of the shuttle systems configured to move the first size and at least one second different sized containers, and a control system to operate the WCE's and shuttle systems to receive a container coming into the facility via a container transport system or transfer a container exiting the facility via a container transport system and transfer the container to or retrieve the container from the predetermined position in a storage area, wherein a WCE is positioned on either side of the length of the storage areas to allow containers to be loaded or unloaded from the predetermined position from both sides of the storage area.
A system for handling shipping containers comprising,
- a facility having a length and a width, and a plurality of aisles having a plurality of storage areas at different levels on either side of the aisle, the plurality of storage areas having a length for positioning multiple containers, with at least some storage areas configured to accommodate first sized containers and at least some storage areas configured to accommodate at least second different sized containers, at least one wheeled container elevator system (WCE) provided in each of the plurality of aisles, and a shuttle system for supporting a container and being controlled to move a container to and from a WCE and one of the storage areas on one of the plurality of levels at a predetermined position along the length of the storage area, each of the shuttle systems configured to move the first size and at least one second different sized containers, and a control system to operate the WCE's and shuttle systems to receive a container coming into the facility via a container transport system or transfer a container exiting the facility via a container transport system and transfer the container to or retrieve the container from the predetermined position in a storage area, wherein multiple WCE are provided in each aisle to move containers onto or from a level.
A method of handling shipping containers to transfer such containers between transshipment systems, comprising off-loading a plurality of shipping containers from a first transshipment system and moving the off-loaded containers to a predetermined storage position in a facility with a plurality of container storage areas configured for multiple containers formed on either side of aisles in the facility with at least one wheeled container elevator (WCE) configured to move in each aisle, a shuttle system configured to support and move a first sized and at least one second different sized container to and from the WCE and to and from a predetermined position in a storage area in relation to any other containers in the storage area including shifting of the position of other containers in the storage area if needed to position a particular container at a desired position in a storage area along the length of the storage area, and moving the containers to at least one second transshipment system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.