Container Window Framing With Corrugation Cap for Leak Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Installing windows in shipping containers is challenging due to substantial material usage, difficult installation procedures, and issues with water leakage and structural compatibility, particularly with traditional welding methods that can cause warping and rust.
Innovation Solution
A window framing system comprising a corrugation cap, header, footer, and side frame members, secured with rivets, that aligns with the corrugations of the shipping container wall, allowing for easy assembly and waterproof installation without welding, featuring a rain drip member for effective water management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional welding methods are used to install window frames, then the window frame can be securely attached to the container, but the welding process causes warping in the window frame and requires surface preparation and recoating which leads to rust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the welding process with a mechanical attachment system using angle iron brackets and fasteners. The window frame is attached to the container walls through mechanically secured brackets rather than welded joints, eliminating the warping and corrosion issues associated with welding while maintaining secure attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces angle iron brackets as intermediary components between the window frame and the container walls. These brackets serve as mediators that mechanically connect the frame to the container structure without requiring direct welding, thereby preventing corrosion at the connection points.
2Strength
If welding is used to attach the window frame to the container, then the frame can be securely mounted, but the process is complex and requires grinding to remove sharp edges and surface preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the complex welding and grinding process with a simple mechanical bracket system. The angle iron brackets are pre-formed with holes for fasteners, allowing the window frame to be attached through drilling and screwing without requiring welding equipment, grinding, or surface preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The angle iron brackets are pre-formed with predetermined hole patterns and geometric shapes that match the container wall geometry. This preliminary preparation of the bracket components eliminates the need for on-site welding, grinding, and surface preparation, simplifying the installation process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the window frame is made to match the container's corrugated structure, then structural compatibility is improved, but traditional frames do not account for the corrugations leading to water leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different structural characteristics to different parts of the window assembly. The angle iron brackets are designed with specific geometries that match the corrugated wall pattern, while the window frame itself maintains its structural integrity. This localized adaptation to the corrugated structure ensures both compatibility and waterproofing.
Solution Approach 2:
The angle iron brackets serve as intermediary components that bridge the gap between the window frame and the corrugated container walls. Their specific geometric design allows them to interface with the corrugations in a way that maintains structural compatibility while preventing water infiltration.
Data Source
AI summary
A window framing system for installation in a shipping container wall aperture, including a corrugation cap to cover a lower edge of the aperture and the adjacent corrugations, and the corrugation cap configured for supporting a lower portion of a window within the window framing system. The corrugation cap is a C-shaped channel with inner and/or outer downwardly-directed portions configured for positioning adjacent inner and/or outer surfaces of the wall, respectively. The system may also include a rain drip member mounted on an upper surface of the frame to receive water on an upper surface and redirect the water outwardly away from the wall. Tabs can be used to assemble the side frame members to the header and footer frame members, allowing assembly by a single person, and the tabs may further allow securing of the frame components using holes outside the container envelope for fasteners (thus reducing the risk of leakage inside the wall cavity).