Reefer Container Climate Control Testing During Transit

Solution Overview

Problem

Current pre-trip inspection methods for intermodal freight containers with climate control systems are time-consuming and inefficient, as they rely on traditional scheduled or demand-based defrosting cycles and do not effectively identify containers that need maintenance or repair until they reach a destination, potentially leading to cargo deterioration and increased costs.

Innovation Solution

In-service diagnostic testing automatically evaluates the climate control system's components and performance during transportation, storing results for a fresh PTI report, which can be wirelessly transmitted to a central facility for timely identification of containers requiring maintenance, allowing for proactive planning and ensuring the system's functionality for subsequent journeys.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional scheduled or demand-based defrosting cycles are used, then the climate control system operates with simple control logic, but the inspection process becomes time-consuming and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinspection efficiencyVSAvoiddowntime for inspection

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs diagnostic testing and generates PTI reports during in-service operation before the container reaches its destination. This preliminary action allows inspection to be completed while the container is still in transit, eliminating the need for separate inspection downtime and enabling proactive identification of maintenance needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The climate control system automatically performs self-diagnostics and generates inspection reports without external intervention. The controller continuously monitors system parameters, executes diagnostic routines, and produces PTI reports autonomously, transforming the inspection process from a manual external task to an automated self-service function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If in-service diagnostic testing is performed automatically during transportation, then the PTI report freshness is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePTI report freshnessVSAvoidtesting system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The existing climate control system controller is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it continues to regulate temperature and humidity while simultaneously executing diagnostic tests and generating PTI reports. This multi-functionality allows the same hardware to serve both operational and inspection purposes, minimizing additional device complexity while improving report freshness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops where the controller monitors system parameters, compares them against expected ranges, and automatically adjusts operations or generates alerts. This feedback mechanism enables automatic diagnostic testing and real-time assessment of climate control system health without requiring complex external monitoring equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional pre-trip inspection is performed at destinations, then the inspection process is simple and straightforward, but cargo deterioration risk increases due to delayed identification of maintenance needs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecargo deterioration riskVSAvoidmaintenance response time

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs diagnostic testing and generates PTI reports during in-service operation before the container reaches its destination. This preliminary action allows inspection to be completed while the container is still in transit, eliminating the need for separate inspection downtime and enabling proactive identification of maintenance needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The climate control system automatically performs self-diagnostics and generates inspection reports without external intervention. The controller continuously monitors system parameters, executes diagnostic routines, and produces PTI reports autonomously, transforming the inspection process from a manual external task to an automated self-service function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS9097456B2Method for in-service testing a climate control system for a container

Publication Date: 2015.08.04 THERMO KING CORP

AI summary

In-service diagnostic testing of containers with a climate control system used in intermodal freight transport includes automatically testing the functioning of the climate control system at a possibly pre-scheduled time which may depend on the period of time since the latest pre-trip inspection. According to the invention in-service diagnostic testing is performed with cargo in the container during transportation from origin to destination at a suitable time before expected arrival to the destination so that the approval resulting from the in-service diagnostic testing is fresh and up-to-date. Results of the in-service diagnostic testing are transmitted wirelessly to a receiver at a central facility where managing and allocating a large number of containers to individual transport tasks is performed, and containers which have not passed the in-service diagnostic testing can be taken out of service for maintenance and repair.