Container loading and unloading system

Abstract

A container handling system comprises a container crane (6) configured to move a container (5) between a container yard (7) and a loading / unloading zone (8) configured to receive a transport vehicle (9) for transporting the container (5). The loading / unloading zone (8) further comprises a protective structure (10) configured to cover a predetermined section of the loading / unloading zone (8).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a container handling system, and in particular to loading / unloading containers using a crane. Background Art

[0002] Containers are used for land transport and sea transport between countries and continents. Container sizes are standardized, making them easy to load and unload by various vehicles. At ports, containers are loaded and unloaded by cranes (such as gantry cranes). Within the port area, containers are moved from one place to another or from one vehicle to another, such as from the port area to a transport vehicle used in internal or external traffic in the port area. For example, transport vehicles used in internal and external traffic in the port area include trucks and terminal tractors.

[0003] The typical container crane used to pick up and stack containers is called a gantry crane, which can move either on rails (RMG, rail-mounted gantry crane) or on rubber tires (RTG, rubber-tyred gantry crane). When using a gantry crane, the containers are loaded and unloaded between the legs of the gantry crane. Usually, there is a lane between the legs of the gantry crane to enable the containers to run along it under the gantry crane to be stacked in rows or moved to another carrier. Another type of rail-mounted gantry crane is the automatic stacking crane (ASC), which allows faster and continuous stacking, repositioning and retrieval of containers due to automation.

[0004] However, due to safety requirements, the driver of the transport vehicle is not allowed to stay in the cabin of the transport vehicle during loading / unloading operations, and usually must exit the cabin and leave the loading / unloading area to a safe area some distance away from the loading / unloading area.

[0005] This has an impact on the turnaround time of the transport vehicle. Leaving the loading / unloading area and returning to the cabin increases the time of the entire loading / unloading operation, because the container crane is not allowed to operate until the driver reaches the safety zone. This safety measure is usually supervised by a separate actuator, such as a pressure pad, for example. It can also be a lock or tag station with sensors or cameras to detect the presence of the driver in the designated area. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a better safety solution and reduce the operation time to alleviate the above mentioned problems. The independent claim defines a container handling system, characterized by what is disclosed in the independent claim. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims and the detailed description.

[0007] The invention is based on the idea of ​​utilizing a protective structure in the loading / unloading area. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail by way of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

[0009] Figure 1 An overview of the port area is shown;

[0010] Figure 2 shows a front view of a protective structure according to one embodiment;

[0011] Figure 3 shows a front view of a protective structure according to another embodiment;

[0012] Figure 4 A top view of the protective structure is shown;

[0013] Figure 5 shows a side view of an area with a protective structure according to one embodiment;

[0014] Figure 6 shows a top view of an area with a protective structure according to one embodiment;

[0015] Figure 7 A front view of a protective structure according to another embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] Figure 1 An exemplary overview of a port area is shown, which includes a container terminal area 1 where containers are moved from or to cargo ships 2 via ship-to-shore (STS) cranes 3. The container terminal area 1 is usually fenced and locked with high security measures. In order for trucks or other vehicles to enter the container terminal area 1, a marking area 4 is required.

[0017] The present invention relates to a container handling system when loading and unloading containers 5 on the water side or on the land side. During water side operations, containers are transported from an STS crane 3 to a container yard 7, for example using a terminal tractor, or vice versa. During land side operations, containers are transported from a container yard 8 to outside the port area, for example using trucks, which may have different lengths, or vice versa. The container handling system comprises a container crane 6, which is configured to move containers 5 between the container yard 7 and a loading / unloading area 8. In this context, the loading / unloading area 8 may refer to a loading / unloading area for water side operations, a loading / unloading area for land side operations, or both. The container crane 6 can lift containers 5 from the container yard 7 to the loading / unloading area 8, and vice versa.

[0018] The container 5 is a box-type transport unit with standard dimensions. A typical container is about 2.43 meters (8 feet) wide and 6.06 meters (20 feet) or 12.2 meters (40 feet) long and 2.59 meters (8.5 feet) or 2.89 meters (9.5 feet) high. The container 5 is provided with standardized corner castings so that the container 5 can be lifted and transported by different container cranes. The container crane 6 is usually provided with a sling suspended on a lifting rope or chain, wherein the sling is adjusted by a telescopic mechanism according to the length of the container to be picked up. The container crane 6 can be a gantry crane that can move on rails (RMG) or on rubber tires (RTG). It can also be an end-feed ASC.

[0019] The container yard 7 is typically a long storage area in which the containers 5 are stacked and stored. Typically, the container yard 7 is located at a quay or dry port and is used to align the containers 5 for loading on the ship 2, and to store unloaded containers until they are transported elsewhere. The layout is typically a block layout, where up to five containers 5 stacked on top of each other are called a block. This enables a large number of containers to be stored in a small area, such as in a container port.

[0020] The loading / unloading area 8 is usually located at the end of the container yard 7 and is configured to receive a transport vehicle 9 for transporting containers 5. In this context, a transport vehicle may refer to any vehicle suitable for transporting one or more containers. The loading / unloading area 8 may have a plurality of parking lanes 80 for the transport vehicles 9 to park. The designated parking lanes 80 depend on where the containers are retrieved from or stored. The loading / unloading area 8 on the water side is usually used for terminal tractors staying within the port area (internal traffic), and the loading / unloading area 8 on the land side is usually used for trucks arriving from outside the port area (external traffic).

[0021] Figure 2 1 shows a front view of a protective structure according to an embodiment when looking at a parking lane 80 where a transport vehicle 9 of a loading / unloading area 8 is parked. Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the loading / unloading area 8 also includes a protective structure 10, which is configured to cover a predetermined section of the loading / unloading area 8. The purpose of the protective structure 10 is to protect the driver from falling or shaking the container 5 during the loading / unloading process. The protective structure 10 can be fixed to the ground in a strong and supporting manner (for example, by fasteners) so that it can remain stable even if a heavy load falls on it or hits it from the side. However, in some embodiments, the protective structure 10 can be movable and fixed using rails or toothed guides or having mounting holes, which may be helpful when handling containers or carriers of different lengths.

[0022] The protective structure 10 may include two sides 11, which may be parallel to each other and support a top 12 between them, so that the transport vehicle 9 can pass between the two sides 11 and under the top 12. When viewed from the end of the parking lane 80, the protective structure 10 can be an inverted U-shape. Each side 11 may include a pillar and / or a wall, which is connected to the top 12, for example, by fasteners, welding or other known methods. For example, the pillar can be a metal rod or a concrete pillar. For example, the wall can be made of steel or concrete or concrete with steel bars inside. However, other suitable materials or material combinations can be used to obtain a strong and robust structure. In some embodiments, the top 12 may be supported by only one pillar or one wall. In another embodiment, the side 11 and the top 12 can be an integral part, such as an arc portion.

[0023] The roof 12 may include a flat roof 120, which may be made of an impermeable material such as a solid steel plate. The steel plate may be, for example, 20 mm to 120 mm thick, in particular 40 mm to 80 mm thick. The roof 12 may also or alternatively include a metal grid or reinforcement, for example, to better absorb shock impact forces.

[0024] Figure 3 A front view of a protective structure 10 according to another embodiment is shown, wherein the roof 120 may be at least partially inclined (slope roof) with a slope for directing rainwater. The pitch of the roof 120 may vary between 1 and 15 degrees, and in particular between 1 and 10 degrees. The roof 120 may also be of at least partially curved shape.

[0025] Rainwater may be directed toward one side of the longitudinal boundary of parking lane 80, such as Figure 3 As shown, it can be directed towards the sides, for example with a gable roof, or towards the front of the cabin. Directing rain towards the rear of the cabin can cause possible interference with sensor activity. However, depending on the location of the sensor, it may also be possible to direct rain towards the rear of the cabin.

[0026] like Figure 3 As shown, each parking lane 80 of the loading / unloading area 8 may have one protective structure. However, in some embodiments, one unified protective structure 10 may cover more than one parking lane 80.

[0027] Figure 4 A top view of the protective structure 10 is shown. Figure 5 A side view of the area of ​​a container yard 7 and a loading / unloading area 8 with a protective structure 10 is shown according to one embodiment. Figure 6 A top view of the area of ​​a container yard 7 and a loading / unloading area 8 with a protective structure 10 is shown according to one embodiment.

[0028] The protective structure 10 is configured to cover a section (shown as a strip area) larger than the cabin area of ​​the transport vehicle 9. For example, the cabin dimensions of a typical truck are 2.6 meters wide and 2.3 meters long. Therefore, the protective structure 10 should cover a section larger than 2.6 meters by 2.3 meters. In practice, due to the movement of the transport vehicle 9 in and out of the loading / unloading area 8, a wider coverage is preferred, such as as wide as the parking lane 80, such as up to 4 meters. The length of the protective structure 10 can also be up to 4 meters, so that the fuel tank and the sleeping cab are also protected under the roof 12. For terminal tractors, the dimensions are smaller than trucks. For example, the cabin dimensions of a typical terminal tractor are 2.2 meters wide and 1.6 meters long. Therefore, the protective structure 10 for the terminal tractor can be designed to cover a section larger than 2.2 meters by 1.6 meters. The length of the protective structure 10 can be a standard for the loading / unloading area 8, because the excess length is retained in front of the cabin due to the transport vehicle 9 reversing and driving through the protective structure 10.

[0029] The protective structure 10 is sized so that the sides 11 and the roof 12 do not restrict the movement of the transport vehicle 9 and the loading / unloading of the container 5. The transport vehicle 9 can reverse into and out of the loading / unloading area 8 loaded with the container 5 without contacting the protective structure 10. In some embodiments, the width of the roof 12 can cover more than one parking lane 80 and have support columns between the parking lanes 80. For example, it can be configured to cover all parking lanes 80 of the loading / unloading area 8 located below the container crane 6.

[0030] In some embodiments, the loading / unloading area 8 may also include a wheel stopper 14, which is used to indicate the correct place for the transport vehicle 9 to stop and prevent the transport vehicle 9 from moving beyond it. For example, such a wheel stopper 14 may be made of a rubber block or a concrete block. This helps the driver to park the transport vehicle 9 at the correct place for optimal loading / unloading operations.

[0031] In case the protective structure 10 is fixed to the ground, the distance between the wheel chock 14 and the protective structure 10 can be tailored to the transport vehicle 9 so that the length measured from the rear wheels to the cabin is substantially the same. This is usually applicable to terminal tractors that operate only in port areas. One of the advantages of these protective structures is high strength in order to withstand the movement of the container 5.

[0032] However, some transport vehicles 9 have different lengths. For example, Figure 5A transport vehicle configured to transport two containers at the same time is shown. In these cases, parking lanes 80 can be grouped with adjacent lanes so that the protective structures 10 can be arranged in parallel at the same position relative to the length of each parking lane 80. For example, a group of 4 to 5 lanes is used for 16 meter long trucks, and a group of 2 to 3 lanes is used for 12 meter long trucks. In this arrangement, the container crane 6 can utilize transport vehicles of different lengths.

[0033] If the system wants to take advantage of the length change of more than 2 to 3 trucks, the protective structures 10 can be made movable from the ground and repositioned longitudinally. If the protective structures 10 are in the wrong place, they can be moved to the correct place. Alternatively, if the driver has parked in the wrong parking lane 80 where the protective structure 10 has not been adjusted to the correct place, the protective structure 10 can be moved to the correct place. The movement and repositioning can be performed manually or automatically. When performed automatically, the protective structure 10 may include a device (such as a sensor or monitor) for identifying the longitudinal position of the cabin and moving the protective structure to the correct place. For example, the movement can be performed via tracks 17 or wheels 18 or lifting.

[0034] Manual repositioning can be performed by dragging or pushing with the vehicle, and the protective structure 10 can be locked in place, for example, by a track lock. For each vehicle length, there can be a ruler near the track. When repositioning rarely occurs, such manual repositioning can be implemented. However, when there are several parking lanes 80 in parallel, the desired length can be formed from them. The number of parking lanes 80 for each reserved length can be assigned to future vehicle lengths within the period.

[0035] In some embodiments, the protective structure 10 may also include an internal transmission motor that may be connected to wheels below the protective structure 10. The protective structure 10 may be directed to a desired position from a control device in the protective structure 10. Control may also be performed by a remote crane operator, while warnings may be given regarding remote controlled movements around the protective structure 10.

[0036] A marking or display 19 may be provided near the front of each parking lane 80 for indicating the correct vehicle length for each assigned protective structure 10. The display 19 may alternatively be attached to the front edge of the protective structure 10. The display 19 may show the type of truck suitable for the assigned parking lane 80 and protective structure 10, in which case the driver may select the correct parking lane 80.

[0037] Figure 7A front view of a protective structure 10 according to another embodiment is shown, wherein the protective structure 10 may further include a sensor 13 configured to detect movement of a predetermined section. The sensor 13 may be a motion sensor such as, for example, a passive infrared (PIR) sensor, a microwave sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a 2D or 3D laser scanner (LIDAR) or camera software.

[0038] In LIDAR in particular, laser light is emitted by a laser scanner at a spread angle of the scanner, which may be, for example, 180 degrees. The spread angle determines the width of the laser scanner fan. The range of a laser scanner is typically greater than 20 m, but the range may also be greater than 100 m, depending on the model of the laser scanner. The laser light emitted by the LIDAR is reflected from an object in the emission direction, whereby the distance to the object can be determined based on the emitted and reflected light beams, for example by determining the propagation time of the laser beam. The laser beam is emitted as a fan, the measurement direction of which is determined in degrees. Thus, the LIDAR gives, for each emission direction of the laser beam, the distance to an object positioned in the emission direction.

[0039] The sensor 13 may be attached to the underside of the roof 12 or to the inner surface of the side 11. In particular, the sensor 13 may be attached to the middle of the underside of the roof 12 behind the cabin area, so that the entire section covered by the protective structure 10 may be observed with a single sensor 13. In some embodiments, one sensor 13 may be attached to each side 11 of the protective structure for better coverage.

[0040] The sensor 13 is configured to detect movement within the protected section and send a signal wirelessly or by wire to a controller, which may be, for example, a terminal operating system (TOS). The sensor 13 may also be configured to observe the loading / unloading of the container 5 behind the cabin of the transport vehicle 9. The sensor 13 may also be configured to detect the correct detachment of the container 5 from the platform of the transport vehicle 9, so that the detachment is safe. If for any reason the container 5 is stuck on the platform and the lifting is also noticed when the platform and / or the vehicle is raised, the lifting will be stopped.

[0041] Figure 5 An additional sensor 130 is shown mounted on a column behind the transport vehicle 9. The column may be, for example, one of the columns used to support the container crane 6. The additional sensor 130 may be configured to observe the loading / unloading of the container 5 behind the cabin of the transport vehicle 9 and observe the correct position relative to the wheel chock 14.

[0042] Sensor 13 and / or additional sensor 130 can be configured to check the correct position of protective structure 10 relative to the vehicle cabin. If protective structure 10 is movable, protective structure 10 can be moved to a position corresponding to the vehicle cabin based on the measurements of sensors 13, 130 and by means of one or more transmission motors.

[0043] The sensor 13 together with the additional sensor 130 may further be configured to monitor the loading situation, i.e. the lowering and lifting of the container 5. During lowering, the sensors 13, 130 may be configured to detect the corner locks 20 of the transport vehicle 9 and based on the location of the corner locks 20, the container crane 6 may be controlled to lower the container 5 onto the corner locks 20.

[0044] The TOS is configured to control and supervise all loading / unloading operations of the container cranes 6 in the container yard 7 , such as keeping a record of all containers 5 passing through the port and communicating with the container cranes 6 .

[0045] If the sensor 13 detects movement under the protective structure 10, the TOS may be configured to stop all ongoing operations of loading / unloading of the current container crane 6. The movement may be, for example, the opening of a driver's door, another port worker passing by, movement of a transport vehicle, etc. The TOS may be configured to resume operation after a preset time has passed from the detection.

[0046] The TOS may also be configured to alert the remote crane operator using a visual display (such as a camera feed) or / and an audible alarm if such detection is observed. The remote crane operator may assess the situation and decide subsequent actions accordingly.

[0047] The cargo handling system may also include an emergency stop switch 15, which is communicatively connected to the TOS for stopping all crane operations when activated. The emergency stop switch 15 may be a physical button mounted on the side 11 of the protective structure 10 or an emergency cable suspended on the lower side of the top 12. The emergency stop switch 15 should be accessible to the driver sitting in the cabin. In another embodiment, the emergency stop switch 15 may be integrated in a vehicle-mounted terminal (VMT) device, which may be easily installed in the cabin of the transport vehicle 9 or received by the driver when entering the container terminal area 1 at the identification area 4. The VMT device is configured to be communicatively connected to the container crane 6. The container crane 6 may have its own operating system, thereby allowing it to operate as a separate entity, but it may also communicate with and belong to the TOS. Therefore, the VMT device may also be communicatively connected to the TOS via the container crane 6.

[0048] In some embodiments, the system also includes an indicator 16, such as a signal light from a light source attached to the protective structure 10 or a sign on the VMT, that turns on or flashes when the emergency stop switch has been activated or movement has been detected by the sensor 13. The indicator 16 indicates to the driver that all crane operations have been interrupted and that the driver should wait for further instructions from the remote crane operator.

[0049] The present invention provides a protective structure 10 for the driver of a transport vehicle 9 so that the driver can stay in the cabin during the loading and unloading process. If a lifted container 5 falls from the spreader of a container crane 6, or if the rope of the container crane 6 fails, the protective structure 10 prevents the container 5 from hitting or falling on the cabin where the driver is waiting.

[0050] The present invention makes the safety zone outside the loading / unloading area 8 redundant, as the driver no longer needs to leave the cabin and walk to the safety zone and back, which shortens the turnaround time of the loading / unloading process and makes the container handling system a highly automated process. This also reduces the workload of the remote crane operators, as they no longer need to ensure that the driver has left the cabin and the loading / unloading area 8 and therefore receive fewer warnings related to safety issues.

Claims

1. A container loading and unloading system, comprising: a container crane (6) configured to move containers (5) between a container yard (7) and a loading / unloading area (8), The loading / unloading area (8) is configured to receive a transport vehicle (9) for transporting the container (5), Characterized in that the loading / unloading area (8) further comprises a protective structure (10), which is configured to cover a predetermined section of the loading / unloading area (8).

2. A container handling system according to claim 1, wherein the protective structure (10) is configured to cover a section larger than a cabin area of ​​the transport vehicle (9).

3. A container handling system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the loading / unloading area (8) comprises a plurality of parking lanes (80), and the protective structure (10) is configured to cover a section having a width of one parking lane (80) among the plurality of parking lanes (80).

4. A container handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protective structure (10) is fixed to the ground.

5. A container handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the protective structure (10) comprises two sides (11) and supports a roof (12), wherein the transport vehicle (9) can pass between the two sides (11) and under the roof (12).

6. The container handling system according to claim 5, wherein the roof (12) comprises a roof (120) made of metal plates and metal grids or reinforcements.

7. The container handling system according to claim 6, wherein the roof (120) is at least partially inclined.

8. The container handling system according to claim 7, wherein the pitch of the roof (120) varies between 1 degree and 15 degrees, and in particular between 1 degree and 10 degrees.

9. The container handling system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the roof (120) is configured to direct rainwater towards a longitudinal boundary of the parking lane (80).

10. A container handling system according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the side surfaces (11) comprise pillars and / or walls.

11. A container handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the protective structure (10) comprises a sensor (13) configured to detect movement within the predetermined section.

12. Container handling system according to claim 11, wherein the sensor (13) is a 2D or 3D laser scanner.

13. The container handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the loading / unloading area (8) further comprises a wheel stopper (14) for indicating the correct place for the transport vehicle (9) to stop.

14. The container handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the cargo handling system further comprises an emergency stop switch (15) for stopping all crane operations when activated.

15. The container handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the container crane (6) is an automatic stacking crane or a rubber-tyred gantry crane.

Images