Rail Freight Container Slide Plates for Residue-Free Unloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bulk goods containers require the use of shakers or vibrators for complete unloading due to protruding guide plates, which can lead to contamination and residue during unloading into deep bunkers, and lack stability for transporting heavy goods.
Innovation Solution
The container design features floor elements that extend as slide plates, inclined at a smaller angle than the floor elements, allowing for residue-free unloading without contaminating the container wagon, along with an operating mechanism for simultaneous side flap operation and V-shaped projections for increased loading volume, ensuring stability and efficient unloading.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If guide plates are pivoted outwards in the open position to enable unloading, then unloading capability is improved, but the guide plates protrude far outwards and require additional equipment (shakers or vibrators) for complete unloading
Solution Approach 1:
The slide plates are designed to be movable between a retracted position (during transport) and an extended position (during unloading). This dynamic configuration allows the container to adapt its structure for different operational phases, enabling complete gravity unloading without requiring additional shakers or vibrators when the slide plates are properly extended.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extends the floor elements into slide plates that protrude laterally beyond the container walls during unloading. This dimensional extension creates a gravity-assisted unloading path that allows bulk material to flow completely out into deep bunkers without residue, eliminating the need for supplemental unloading equipment.
2Productivity
If slide plates are extended for complete unloading, then residue-free emptying is achieved, but the container lacks stability for transporting heavy bulk goods
Solution Approach 1:
The slide plates are designed as movable extensions that can be retracted into the container during transport to maintain structural stability, and extended during unloading operations to enable complete emptying. This dynamic reconfiguration resolves the contradiction between stability during transport and residue-free unloading capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor structure is segmented into fixed floor elements and extendable slide plates. This segmentation allows the container to maintain its stable, compact structure during transport while enabling the slide plates to be extended separately when unloading is required, achieving both stability and complete emptying capability.
3Device complexity
If conventional floor elements are used, then container structure is simple, but the container cannot be emptied completely into deep bunkers without leaving residue
Solution Approach 1:
The floor elements are extended laterally beyond the container walls to form slide plates. This dimensional extension creates a gravity-assisted unloading path that allows bulk material to flow completely out into deep bunkers without residue, while the extended structure integrates seamlessly with the existing container framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended floor elements serve dual functions: they maintain the container's structural integrity during transport and provide a gravity-assisted unloading path during discharge operations. This multi-functionality achieves complete emptying capability without requiring entirely separate unloading mechanisms.
4Ease of operation
If slide plates are extended beyond container width for unloading, then complete unloading is enabled, but the container width increases beyond standard dimensions
Solution Approach 1:
The slide plates are designed as extendable elements that protrude laterally only during unloading operations. During transport, they are retracted to maintain standard container dimensions, and during unloading, they extend to provide the necessary overhang for gravity-assisted discharge into deep bunkers.
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 design enables stable transportation and residue-free unloading of heavy bulk goods into deep bunkers without contaminating the container wagon, enhancing operational efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
the floor elements extend beyond the lower side members and are continued as slide plates, which are designed in one piece with the floor elements and are inclined at a smaller angle to the vertical than the floor elements
Data Source
AI summary
Container for the transport of bulk goods, in particular on container wagons (32) in rail freight transport, with a container (9) for receiving the bulk goods, which has saddle-roof-like arranged bottom elements (16) and side walls with side flaps (19) which are hinged to the side walls in the area of their upper longitudinal edges and can be pivoted outwards into an open position.The container has a substantially cuboid steel frame construction (1) with two upper longitudinal beams (2), two lower longitudinal beams (3), upper and lower crossbeams (4, 5) and corner posts (6), wherein the container (9) is suspended from the upper longitudinal and crossbeams (2, 4) and supported externally by its bottom elements (16) on the lower longitudinal beams (3), wherein the bottom elements (16) extend beyond the longitudinal beams (3) and are continued as sliding plates (22) which are inclined at a smaller angle (β) to the vertical than the bottom elements (16) and whose ends are located just within the greatest container width (b) when the side flaps (19) are closed.