Sliding Hinged Cargo Barrier Panels for Flexible Load Restraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cargo containment solutions lack the necessary rigidity, strength, versatility, and accessibility to effectively secure and control access to cargo within containers, often requiring significant time for installation and adjustment, and can become tangled or require separate storage.
Innovation Solution
A barrier assembly with semi-rigid or rigid panels that can be hingedly and slidably connected to the cargo container, allowing for adjustable positioning and securement across the width and height of the container, featuring flexible materials that can bend around cargo and include adjustable straps for customizable fit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional cargo nets and straps are used to secure cargo, then cargo can be restrained from movement, but the containment lacks rigidity and strength
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier assembly is divided into multiple panels that can be independently positioned and adjusted. Each panel can be separately configured to match different cargo dimensions, providing both structural strength through rigid panel construction and adaptability through individual panel adjustment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier assembly incorporates movable panels with adjustable positioning mechanisms, allowing the structure to dynamically adapt to different cargo configurations. The panels can be repositioned along tracks or guides to accommodate varying cargo sizes and shapes while maintaining secure containment.
2Reliability
If conventional straps and ratcheting tie-downs are used, then cargo can be restrained, but significant time is required for installation and adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier panels are pre-configured with integrated attachment mechanisms and positioning features during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex on-site assembly and adjustment, allowing rapid deployment while ensuring reliable cargo securement through pre-engineered connection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier assembly incorporates self-aligning and self-latching mechanisms that automatically engage when panels are positioned, reducing the need for manual adjustment and tightening operations. The design enables operators to simply place panels into position rather than perform multiple adjustment steps.
3Reliability
If conventional cargo nets are used, then cargo movement can be prevented, but the nets can become tangled and require separate storage
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier panels utilize flexible yet rigid panel structures that can bend slightly to conform to cargo contours while maintaining their structural integrity. This flexible rigidity prevents the tangling issues associated with soft nets while allowing the panels to be stored in a compact, organized manner when not in use.
4Strength
If rigid panels are used for barrier assembly, then structural strength is improved, but flexibility to bend around cargo is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier is segmented into multiple rigid panels that can be independently positioned and angled. Each panel maintains its structural strength while the collective assembly can adapt to various cargo configurations through coordinated panel positioning, effectively combining rigidity with adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier system adds dimensional flexibility by allowing panels to be positioned at different heights, angles, and depths within the container. This multi-dimensional adjustment capability enables rigid panels to conform to irregular cargo shapes without compromising their structural strength.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure relates to a barrier assembly that can be selectively secured near an opening of a cargo container and selectively deployable near the opening of the cargo container (e.g., along the rear and/or side of the cargo container) to control access to the space therein and to help secure cargo contained within the space. The barrier assembly can include one or two panels that can permit the barrier assembly to wrap, bend, or flexibly extend around cargo. In at least some examples, at least one panel can be hingedly affixed to a side of the cargo container, such that the panel can rotate between a stowed position and a deployed position. In examples, the panel is also slidably connected to the side of the cargo container, such that a fore-aft position of the panel can be adjusted and customized to the cargo.