Segmented Shipping Container for Oversized Cargo
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard shipping containers are inadequate for oversized cargo, leading to inefficient transportation and exposure to weather, as oversized goods must be individually loaded and re-loaded at each transfer point, and modified rail cars have limited application.
Innovation Solution
A shipping container design with a standard-width base section and a wider upper section, allowing it to interface with existing handling equipment while accommodating oversized cargo, maintaining fixed outer dimensions for efficient rail transportation and reducing the need for repeated clearance procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If standard shipping containers are used, then standardized handling and inter-modal transportation are achieved, but oversized cargo cannot be accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into a base section with standard width and an upper section with greater width. The base section maintains standard dimensions to interface with existing handling equipment, while the upper section provides the additional width needed for oversized cargo. This segmentation allows the container to simultaneously meet standardization requirements and accommodate larger cargo dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The container design transitions from a uniform width structure to a tapered structure where the width dimension changes from the base section to the upper section. This dimensional change allows the container to maintain standard width at the base for equipment compatibility while expanding the upper width to accommodate oversized cargo.
2Volume of moving object
If oversized containers are constructed to accommodate large cargo, then cargo capacity is increased, but compatibility with standardized handling equipment is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into a base section with standard width and an upper section with greater width. The base section maintains standard dimensions to interface with existing handling equipment, while the upper section provides the additional width needed for oversized cargo. This segmentation allows the container to simultaneously meet standardization requirements and accommodate larger cargo dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the container have different width characteristics. The base section has standard width for equipment compatibility, while the upper section has greater width for cargo capacity. This local differentiation of geometric properties allows each section to optimize for its specific function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If modified flat-bed rail cars with canopies are used for oversized cargo, then weather protection is provided, but the rail cars have limited application and cannot be used for general transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The container design with a standard-width base section and wider upper section allows it to be used for both oversized cargo and standard cargo transportation. The standard base section maintains compatibility with existing handling equipment and rolling stock, enabling the container to serve multiple transportation purposes while providing weather protection through its enclosed structure.
4Productivity
If oversized goods are individually loaded and re-loaded at each transfer point, then flexibility in loading is maintained, but transportation efficiency and time are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The container combines the base section and upper section into a single integrated unit that can be handled as one piece by standardized equipment. This merging allows the oversized cargo to be transported in a unified container that interfaces with existing handling systems, eliminating the need to individually unload and reload cargo at transfer points.
Data Source
AI summary
A transportation container includes an upper section having a plurality of sidewalls defining a space dimensioned to receive oversized cargo for transport and a base section adapted to mate with a standardized interface of a transportation vehicle for supporting the upper section.