Container Corner Locking Structure for Reduced Stacking Tilt
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional container-securing devices have gaps that lead to increased tilting of stacked containers during transportation, making it difficult to stack a large number of containers and resulting in higher transportation costs.
Innovation Solution
A container-securing device with a flange and support pillars that include a movable protrusion pivotally urged to contact the corner casting's far corner region, reducing the gap between the device and the corner casting, allowing for secure stacking and easy detachment, and optionally featuring a stopper for maintaining the locked state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional latch-lock container-securing device is used with a groove hole structure, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but a gap (play) F exists between the securing device and the corner casting, causing container tilting during transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The movable protrusion is designed to pivot on a horizontal shaft, transitioning from a retracted position during insertion to a protruding locked position upon engagement. This dynamic mechanism automatically reduces the gap F between the securing device and corner casting during the locking process, eliminating container tilting without requiring complex adjustable components
Solution Approach 2:
The groove hole is divided into distinct functional regions: a mouth vertical surface region A for initial engagement, an entrance corner region B for guidance, and a far corner region D for final locking. The movable protrusion sequentially interacts with these regions, allowing the device to maintain structural simplicity while achieving precise gap reduction through staged engagement
2Stability of the object's composition
If the gap F between the securing device and corner casting is reduced, then container stacking stability is improved, but the device requires more complex components like movable protrusions and horizontal shafts
Solution Approach 1:
The movable protrusion is spring-loaded and automatically pivots into the locked position against the far corner region D when the support pillar engages the groove hole. The device self-adjusts to eliminate gap F without external intervention, achieving improved stacking stability while maintaining operational simplicity through automatic self-locking
Solution Approach 2:
The pivotable movable protrusion provides dynamic gap compensation, transitioning from retracted to locked position as containers are stacked. This dynamic adjustment stabilizes container stacking by automatically adapting to slight variations in container positioning while using minimal additional components
3Reliability
If the movable protrusion is designed to pivot and contact the far corner region, then the gap is minimized and containers can be stacked securely, but the detachment operation becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring active engagement forces to lock, the movable protrusion uses spring pressure to maintain constant contact with the far corner region D, creating passive securing reliability. For detachment, simply lifting the container reverses the engagement sequence, allowing the movable protrusion to automatically retract from the groove hole without complex release mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded movable protrusion automatically retracts when the container is lifted for detachment, reversing the locking sequence without human intervention. This self-service mechanism maintains high securing reliability during normal operation while simplifying detachment to a simple lift action
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the secure stacking of multiple containers, reduces transportation costs, minimizes damage from tilting, and facilitates efficient loading and unloading by reducing the gap between the securing device and the corner casting.
Implementation Method 1
a movable protrusion (latch) 1043 which is provided on the side away from the fixed protrusion 1042. The movable protrusion is inserted into the groove hole of the corner casting automatically by an elastic force of an elastic member.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
An object is to decrease a gap between a container-securing device and a corner casting. The device includes a flange 2 located on an outer side of a groove hole 151 of a corner casting 101a of a container 101; a support pillar 4 provided in the flange 2 for fitting into a mouth 151b of the groove hole 151; and a fitting portion 41 provided in the support pillar 4 for fitting into a hollow 151a of the groove hole 151. The fitting portion 41 is provided with a movable protrusion 43 which is pivotable on a horizontal shaft and is urged to protrude laterally out of a vertical surface portion of the support pillar 4. The flange 2 comes in contact with an outer surface region C of the corner casting 101a, and the movable protrusion 43 comes in contact with a far corner region D which is at a far end of the mouth 151b, for making a locked state.