Logistics container intended to be fitted with at least one protection means

Abstract

The invention relates to a logistics container (1) intended to be fitted with at least one protection means, such as a weapon system (6). The container comprises at least one support (5) intended to support the protection means (6), which support (5) is secured to a first face (2a) of at least one movable panel (2) of the container (1). The container is characterised in that the movable panel (2) is able to revolve about a revolving axis (9) between a first position, called stowed position, and a second position, called service position, the movable panel (2) exposing, in its service position, its first face (2a) to the outside, which allows the protection means (6) to be placed so that it is projecting out of the container (1) in a position that is suitable for its operation, the movable panel (2), in its stowed position, exposing its second face (2b) to the outside to give the container (1) the appearance of a conventional logistics container (1), said container comprising a revolving means (20) capable of driving the revolving axis (9) over a half-revolution, to cause the movable panel (2) to transition from its stowed position to its service position.

Description

[0001] The technical field of the invention is that of logistics containers and in particular containers which can be equipped with protective means.

[0002] In order to transport remote-controlled weapons conveniently and discreetly, it is known to place them in logistics containers such as maritime containers. The weapon can be deployed from the container. Patent US20160252327 discloses a remote-controlled weapon that is contained in a container during storage or transport phases and that can then be erected outside the container after opening the upper panels using a vertically deployable mast comprising a series of deformable parallelograms.

[0003] Such a container has the disadvantage of requiring significant spatial clearance around it in order to allow the upper panels to be able to open until they are located outside the aiming and firing zone of the weapon, that is to say at least horizontally around the container.

[0004] The mast for erecting the weapon is rather slow to deploy and, moreover, it is not very rigid, which causes inaccuracy in shooting.

[0005] It is possible to replace the weapon with another type of protection means, for example a jamming means.

[0006] We can also cite patent EP2746715 A2 which discloses a metal barrel intended to support a missile and which is contained in a container during storage or transport phases and which can then be moved at least partially outside the container after opening the upper panels. However, such a container does not allow the deployment of the protective means without interfering with the space around the container.

[0007] It is also known from Nicolas Waugh's internet publication: "Directed Energy Weapons: a defense against emerging threats" (https: / / groundedcuriosity.com / directed-energy-weapons-a-defence-against-emerging-threats / #.XvB_yTozZaR) a container containing ballistic missile launchers, a container which is closed by a top cover attached to deployable launchers.

[0008] Opening the lid deploys the launchers. However, such a container does not allow the deployment of a protective means capable of pivoting in bearing to allow the aiming of the protective means. The only aiming guaranteed is the pointing in elevation which depends on the opening angle of the lid. Any attempt at aiming in bearing would lead to interference between the launchers and the container. Indeed, with the solution presented in this publication, the launchers are always partially inside the container.

[0009] The invention therefore aims to solve the problems of the prior art by proposing a container which can be provided with a means of protection, such as a weapon system, a container for which the means of protection can be quickly deployed, without interfering with the space around the container, the means of protection being able to be pivoted in bearing relative to the container.

[0010] The invention also makes it possible to provide greater rigidity to the means for maintaining the protection means.

[0011] Thus, the subject of the invention is a logistics container intended to be equipped with at least one means of protection, such as for example a weapon system, container comprising at least one support intended to carry the means of protection, support secured to a first face of at least one movable panel of the container, container characterized in that the movable panel is capable of turning around a turning axis between a first position, called retracted, and a second position, called service position, the movable panel exposing to the outside, in its service position, its first face, which makes it possible to place the means of protection projecting outside the container in a position suitable for its operation, the movable panel exposing to the outside, in its retracted position, its second face to give the container the appearance of a conventional logistics container, container comprising a turning means capable of driving the turning axis through a half-turn,to move the movable panel from its retracted position to its service position.,

[0012] According to one embodiment, the container may comprise at least two compartments, a first compartment whose upper wall is formed by the movable panel and a second compartment whose upper wall is formed by a fixed panel.

[0013] Advantageously, the container comprises locking means which make it possible to lock the support and the container in the service position and in the retracted position.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the turning axis may be oriented longitudinally to the container.

[0015] According to another embodiment, the turning axis may be oriented transversely to the container.

[0016] Advantageously, the container may include a flexible cable routing device which is intended to connect the protection means to the interior of the container and which allows the panel to turn over.

[0017] The invention also relates to an armed container characterized in that it comprises a container according to one of the preceding characteristics, a container whose movable panel carries at least one means of protection of the weapon system type.

[0018] Advantageously, the weapon system may include a turret that can be aimed in elevation and bearing, a turret equipped with at least one medium-caliber weapon.

[0019] The turret can also be equipped with at least one small caliber weapon.

[0020] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, a description made in light of the attached drawings, drawings in which: [ Fig. 1 ] represents a three-quarter view of a container in the retracted position. [ Fig. 2 ] represents a longitudinal cutaway view of a container in the process of having a top panel turned over. [ Fig. 3 ] represents a three-quarter view of a container in the service position. [ Fig. 4 ] represents a longitudinal cutaway sectional view of a container according to the invention. [ Fig. 5a ] represents a detailed view of the locking means of the movable panel, panel in service position. [ Fig. 5b ] represents a detailed view of the locking means of the movable panel, panel in the retracted position. [ Fig. 6 ] represents a top view of the container, panel in service position. [ Fig. 7 ] represents a longitudinal cutaway view of a container according to a second embodiment, during the turning over of the movable panel.

[0021] According to the figure 1 , a container 1 of the maritime container type as defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) under standards ISO 668 and ISO 1496, has six walls which give it a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0022] The upper wall comprises a first panel 2 and a second panel 3, joined at an edge 4. The first panel 2 is thus placed in a so-called retracted position where it exposes to the outside of the container 1 a face 2b, called the second face 2b, which is indistinguishable from the rest of the walls of the container 1, thus contributing to the discretion of the container 1.

[0023] According to the figure 3 , the first panel 2 has been turned over, according to an operation which will be detailed later, and it exposes a first face 2a substantially parallel to the second panel 3. This first face 2a is then oriented towards the outside of the container and the panel 2 is said to be in the service position. The first face 2a is secured to a support 5 which is placed substantially in the center of the first face 2a.

[0024] This support 5 is used to fix a means of protection 6 which is here a weapon system 6 of small and / or medium caliber (calibers between 5.56 mm and 12.7 mm for the small caliber and between 12.7 mm and 40 mm for the medium caliber).

[0025] According to this embodiment, the weapon system 6 comprises a turret 6c comprising two weapons, a small caliber weapon 6a and a medium caliber weapon 6b (see figure 6 ). In a classic way, the 6c turret will include means of pointing in elevation and in bearing and means of aiming.

[0026] In the service position, the armed container 1, according to the invention, makes it possible to place the protection means or weapon system 6 projecting towards the outside of the container 1. The weapon system 6 thus placed is remotely operated to aim, point and fire and it can be pointed over 360 degrees in bearing and according to the capabilities of the weapons 6a, 6b in elevation, thus transforming a container 1 of any appearance into an effective firing position.

[0027] Still according to the figure 3 , container 1 is closed by the first panel 2, which advantageously prevents the return of shooting waste or other debris into container 1.

[0028] The low height of the weapon system 6 relative to the container 1 also provides it with stability that is favorable to its precision. This stability is increased by the fact that the container has a rigid frame 7 to which the panel 2 in the service position will lock as described below.

[0029] The transition from the retracted position of the figure 1 to the service position of the figure 3 is done by turning over the first panel 2 as shown by the figure 2 .

[0030] For this, the first panel 2 has a turning axis 9, transversely secured to the frame 7 of the container 1. For greater rigidity, the turning axis 9 is also secured to the support 5 and it is offset by a distance D parallel to the first face 2a and visible figure 6 This offset D places the turning axis 9 below the movable panel 2 when the device is in the retracted position, and has the effect of placing the movable panel 2 below the pivot axis 9 when it is in the service position.

[0031] A turning means 20 shown in the figure 6 allows the mobile panel 2 to make a half-turn around the turning axis 9 on command from an operator 13 ( figure 4 ) which can be housed in container 1. The remote control is not shown. The operator can choose to expose the first face 2a carrying the means of protection or weapon system 6 or the second face 2b, which is unmarked, outside container 1.

[0032] We note at the figure 2 that the container 1 is compartmentalized. A first compartment C1 houses the equipment 10 necessary to provide the power and the controls necessary for the operation of the container 1 according to the invention as well as the protection means or weapon system 6. The compartment C1 may also be organized as a control station for the protection means or weapon system 6.

[0033] A second compartment C2 may house boxes 11 of ammunition for the weapon system 6. The boxes 11 are here arranged along the side walls of the container 1 and in locations not on the turning path of the panel 2 and the weapon system 6.

[0034] Before any turning movement of the panel 2 from the service position to the retracted position or vice versa, the weapon system 6 is locked in a so-called rest position, so that its turning template G1 (volume swept by the weapon system during a turn) is contained in the turning template G2 of the panel 2, thus avoiding any interference of the weapon system with the container 1. In the rest position, the weapon system 6 will thus be aligned longitudinally with the container 1, with a horizontal elevation pointing.

[0035] According to the figure 4 , a door 12 located at one end of the container 1, on the side of the first compartment C1, allows an operator 13 to enter the container 1 to supply the weapon(s) 6a, 6b with ammunition when the first panel 2 is in the retracted position and also to carry out possible maintenance operations on the equipment 10 of the first compartment C1 or to reload the weapon(s) 6a, 6b with ammunition. An opening will allow passage from one compartment C1, C2 to the other to allow these reloading or maintenance operations.

[0036] For obvious safety reasons, multiple protections, by sensors for example, are put in place so that the weapon system 6 and the means of turning the mobile panel 2 are inoperative when personnel are inside compartment C2 of the container 1, or even the container itself if the weapon system is controlled from outside the container.

[0037] A locking means 8, visible at the figure 2 , is positioned on a crossbar of the frame 7, approximately in the middle of the latter, and it is intended to cooperate with bars of the support 5 which extend to the edge 4 of the second panel 3 when the first panel is in the retracted position.

[0038] As visible to the figures 5a And 5b , the locking means 8 comprises a jack 14 capable of pivoting an upper bolt 15a and a lower bolt 15b. According to the figure 5b , when the device 1 is in the retracted position, weapon system 6 inwards, the movable panel 2 is above the locking means 8, the upper bolt 15a can engage on action of the jack 14 in a housing 16 of the support bar 5, thus locking the movable panel 2 and the weapon system 6 in the retracted position.

[0039] Conversely, as visible in the figure 5a , when the mobile panel 2 has made a turnaround so as to place itself in the service position, the mobile panel 2 is located under the locking means 8 and it is the lower bolt 15b which is able to be engaged in another housing 16 of the support bar 5 (housing located at the other end of this bar), thus locking the mobile panel 2 and the weapon system 6 in the service position.

[0040] It is noted that the locking means 8 is located on the rotating path of the movable panel 2 and therefore limits its movement. The movable panel 2 and the weapon system 6 can therefore only pivot 180 degrees to move from one position to another.

[0041] According to the figure 6 , the rotation of the movable panel 2 from the service position to the retracted position or vice versa is done by means of a turning means 20 comprising a motor 21a and geared motor 21b assembly secured to the chassis 7 of the container 1. The geared motor 21b is connected by a transmission chain 22 to a pinion 23 secured to the support 5 and centered on the turning axis 9. Thus, the rotation control of the motor 21a causes the turning of the movable panel 2 and of the weapon system 6. It is noted that the movable panel 2 is located under the turning means 20 when it is in the service position as in figure 6 . Conversely, the turning means 20 will be concealed under the movable panel 2 when the latter is in the retracted position. To avoid any mechanical interference, the turning means 20 and the locking means 8 must be located on the same side of the turning axis 9.

[0042] The 180 degree rotation limitation of the movable panel 2 makes it possible to avoid having to resort to a complex rotating joint device of the type described in patent EP3103688 in order to transmit the electrical power and the control signals to the weapon system 6.

[0043] A simple flexible sheath 30, for example of the type described in patent GB1142149, and containing cables (cables not visible) is sufficient to connect the weapon system 6 to the first compartment C1 and can accompany the turning movements of the mobile panel 2 in a satisfactory, reliable and economical manner.

[0044] There figure 7 shows a second embodiment of the invention, in which the turning is carried out around a longitudinal axis 9 (oriented along the length of the container). The turning around a transverse axis 9 (oriented along the width of the container) as described in figures 1 à 4is however preferred because it is more convenient for integrating the turning means 20 and locking means 8.

[0045] It is of course possible to define a container carrying protective means of different nature. For example, optical or electromagnetic jamming systems. It is also possible to have several protective systems on the mobile panel, for example an armed turret (as described above) but also close defense systems, such as smoke or tear gas grenade launchers.

[0046] The turret will be able to carry several medium-caliber weapons and / or several small-caliber weapons.

Claims

1. - A logistics container (1) intended to be fitted with at least one protection means, such as a weapons system (6) for example, container comprising at least one support (5) intended to carry the protection means (6), support (5) secured to a first face (2a) of at least one movable panel (2) of the container (1), container characterized in that the movable panel (2) is able to turn about a turnover shaft (9) between a first position, called retracted position, and a second position, called service position, the movable panel (2) exposing its first face (2a) to the outside in its service position, which makes it possible to place the protection means (6) projecting out of the container (1) in a position suitable for its operation, the movable panel (2) exposing its second face (2b) to the outside in its retracted position to give the container (1) the appearance of a conventional logistics container (1), container comprising a turnover means (20) capable of driving the turnover shaft (9) over a half-turn, to move the movable panel (2) from its retracted position to its service position.

2. - The container (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two compartments (C1, C2), a first compartment (C1) whose upper wall is formed by a fixed panel (3) and a second compartment (C2) whose upper wall is formed by the movable panel (2).

3. - The container (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises locking means (8) which allow the support (5) to be locked with the container (1) in the service position and in the retracted position.

4. - The container (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the turnover shaft (9) is oriented longitudinally to the container (1).

5. - The container (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the turnover shaft (9) is oriented transversely to the container (1).

6. - The container (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a flexible cable routing device (30) which is intended to connect the protection means (6) to the inside of the container (1) and which authorizes the turnover movement of the panel (2).

7. - An armed container, characterized in that it comprises a container (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, container (1) whose movable panel (2) carries at least one protection means of the weapons system type (6).

8. - The armed container according to claim 7, characterized in that the weapons system (6) comprises a turret (6c) pointable in elevation and relative bearing, turret (6c) equipped with at least one medium caliber weapon (6a).

9. - The armed container according to claim 8, characterized in that the turret (6c) is also equipped with at least one small caliber weapon (6b).

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