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US 2019/0375327 A1Published application
Cargo restraint system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsMax U. KISMARTON, Steven R. KENT
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus, a vehicle and a method for securing intermodal cargo containers is provided. Couplers include pins and bottom supports to engage apertures and bottom surfaces of corner fittings for intermodal cargo containers. The couplers may also include sidewall supports to engage forward facing side surfaces of the corner fittings. The pins, bottom supports, and sidewall supports hold an intermodal cargo container in place through a relatively large range of acceleration forces without damaging the corner fittings of the intermodal cargo containers. The couplers are selectively movable from a retracted position to an extended position to engage the corner fittings of the intermodal cargo containers.
Claims20
A method for securing an intermodal cargo container, comprising:
- aligning an intermodal cargo container relative to first and second rails of a support frame, wherein the first and second rails include respective first and second pin retention mechanisms thereon, each of the first and second pin retention mechanisms comprising:
- a housing attached to a respective rail;
- a coupler reciprocally actuatable between a retracted position and an extended position and comprising:
- a pin having a longitudinal axis, the pin being sized and oriented to enter an aperture in a sidewall of one or more corner fittings of the intermodal cargo container when the coupler is moved into the extended position;
- and
- a bottom support in a fixed, spaced apart relationship relative to the pin, thereby defining a vertical gap sized to receive a bottom surface of the one or more corner fittings when the coupler is moved into the extended position;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the housing and operable to move the pin and the bottom support of the coupler from the retracted position to the extended position and from the extended position to the retracted position along the longitudinal axis.
5 more elements
A method for securing an intermodal cargo container, comprising:
- aligning an intermodal cargo container relative a frame of a vehicle, wherein the frame includes first and second rails that are spaced apart to fit an intermodal cargo container there-between;
- a first pin retention mechanism arranged on the first rail, the first pin retention mechanism comprising:
- a first housing attached to the first rail;
- a first coupler reciprocally actuatable between a retracted position and an extended position and comprising:
- a first pin having a first longitudinal axis, the first pin being sized and oriented to enter an aperture in a sidewall of a first corner fitting of the intermodal cargo container when the first coupler is moved into the extended position;
- and
- a first bottom support in a fixed, spaced apart relationship relative to the first pin, thereby defining a first vertical gap sized to receive a bottom surface of the first corner fitting when the first coupler is moved into the extended position;
- and
- a first actuator coupled to the first housing and operable to move the first coupler between the retracted position and the extended position along the first longitudinal axis;
- and
- a sensor operable to detect alignment of the first coupler with the first corner fitting of the intermodal cargo container;
- and
- a controller in communication with the sensor, wherein the controller is operable to command the first actuator to move from the retracted position to the extended position upon the sensor detecting alignment of the first coupler with the first corner fitting of the intermodal cargo container.
10 more elements
A method for securing an intermodal cargo container, comprising:
- aligning an intermodal cargo container relative to first and second rails of a support frame, wherein the first and second rails include respective first and second pin retention mechanisms thereon, the first and second pin retention mechanisms comprising:
- a first housing attached to a respective rail;
- a first coupler reciprocally actuatable between a retracted position and an extended position and comprising:
- a first pin having a first longitudinal axis, the first pin being sized and oriented to enter an aperture in a sidewall of a first corner fitting or a second corner fitting of the intermodal cargo container when the first coupler is moved into the extended position;
- and
- a first bottom support in a fixed, spaced apart relationship relative to the first pin, thereby defining a first vertical gap sized to receive a bottom surface of the first corner fitting or the second corner fitting when the first coupler is moved into the extended position;
- and
- a first actuator coupled to the first housing and operable to move the first coupler between the retracted position and the extended position along the first longitudinal axis;
- and
- actuating the first actuator of the first and second pin retention mechanisms from the retracted position to the extended position such that the first pin and bottom supports of the first and second pin retention mechanisms engage respective first and second corner fittings on opposite sides of the intermodal cargo container.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.