Abstract:
The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for securing an article in a transportable container. The apparatus includes a chock assembly that is adjustable and allows the chock assembly to be secured by friction forces between two opposite sidewalls of a transportable container. In one implementation, chock assemblies are provided to assist in securing the front and rear wheels of a vehicle within the transportable container. In a preferred aspect, the chock assemblies include spaced apart first and second frame members that are adjustable with respect to one another, thereby providing an adjustable substantially parallel distance therebetween. Methods according to the present invention are provided for securing an article in a transportable container including adjusting an adjustable frame into a secure position between two opposite sidewalls of a transportable container using friction forces and securing the article in a fixed position relative to the adjustable frame.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for securing an article in a containment chamber. In a particular implementation, the present invention relates to a chock assembly and a method for using the same.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     There are many known types of containment chambers. Certain types of containment chambers are used exclusively for holding certain types of goods—such a vehicle carriers that transport new cars by train or truck and have tracks along with other mechanisms to hold the vehicles in predetermined positions. Other types of containment chambers are of general purpose, being used to hold various types of articles. Examples of such containment chambers are shipping containers, railroad cars and all-purpose carriers, both closed i.e. having walls and a ceiling in addition to a floor) and open having opening on the sides, with or without a ceiling), which can be separate from or attached to, a vehicle, typically a truck.  
         [0003]     Certain containment chambers are manufactured in a manner that makes them adaptable to storing a greater variety of articles. In addition to having the appropriate structural supports that allow certain containment chambers to hold heavier loads than others, the number of internal fasteners can vary. Some containers have many different types of fasteners, such as D-rings and the like, to hold articles in place, whereas others will have almost no areas that can be used to hold articles in place.  
         [0004]     The types of goods that containment chambers will carry can also vary considerably. Certain articles are already palletized or placed in arrangements that allow them not only to be placed on the floor of the chamber, but also in relative positional relationships with other articles to assist in keeping them in place. Other articles, such as vehicles, must be positioned in a manner that ensures they do not touch each other, as any contact between them would damage them. Vehicles have additional issues that must be considered when being moved. In particular, vehicles have wheels, tracks or other movement mechanisms, in which only a small surface area the wheel bottom or the track bottom for instance) actually touches the floor of the containment chamber. With their typically excessive weight, vehicles are therefore more susceptible to undesired movements when being transported.  
         [0005]     When transporting vehicles in containment chambers, if the containment chamber has a variety of different fasteners, particularly D-rings on the floor of the chamber, it is known to use such fasteners to tie down a chock, which can then provide support to assist in keeping the vehicle in its desired position. While this method and system work in certain circumstances, the positional relationship of the D-ring fasteners must correspond with the positional relationship of the wheelbase of the vehicle in order to work effectively. Since wheelbases can vary considerably, as can the spacings of fasteners in containment chambers, this results in considerable logistics overhead to ensure that the correct containment chamber is in place where the particular vehicle is that needs transport.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, in order diminish this logistics overhead, to assist in securing articles of many different types in containment chambers, as well as to provide other advantages that are apparent herein, the present invention is provided.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention includes methods and apparatus for securing an article in a transportable container.  
         [0008]     According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus includes a chock assembly that is adjustable and allows the chock assembly to be secured by friction forces between two opposite sidewalls of a transportable container. The apparatus also preferably includes a strap fasteners and strap assemblies connected to the strap fasteners to assist in holding the article in position relative to the rigid member.  
         [0009]     According to another aspect of the invention, chock assemblies are provided to assist in securing the front and rear wheels of a vehicle within the transportable container. In a preferred aspect, the chock assemblies include spaced apart first and second frame members that are adjustable with respect to one another, thereby providing an adjustable substantially parallel distance there between.  
         [0010]     In yet another aspect of the invention, methods are provided for securing an article in a transportable container including adjusting an adjustable frame into a secure position between two opposite sidewalls of a transportable container using friction forces and securing the article in a fixed position relative to the adjustable frame,  
         [0011]     The present invention further includes methods of securing an article in a transportable container that does not include internal fasteners within the transportable container. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     These and other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures, wherein:  
         [0013]      FIG. 1   a  illustrates an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0014]      FIGS. 1   b  and  1   c  illustrate implementations of the  FIG. 1   a  embodiment according to the present invention; and  
         [0015]      FIG. 2   a - 2   g  illustrate another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0016]     A transport securing assembly  100  is provided for securing many different types of articles, and preferably many different types of vehicles, including cars, vans, trucks, construction equipment, farming equipment, and the like inside a container  170  The transport securing assembly  100  is comprised of an frame  110 , a side stop assembly  120 / 130  and a tie down strap assembly  140 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a simplified version of the assembly  100 . As illustrated, the frame  110  is made of rigid material, such as aluminum, composite, steel or the like, having a height “h” that is also sufficient to operate as a chock for a vehicle, or, alternatively, a support for an article placed against it. On each side of the frame  110  is a side stop assembly, shown as side stops  120  and  130 . The side stops operate to create friction against lower opposite sides of the containment chamber when the assembly  100  is fully set-up. The set-up includes adjusting the frame so that the side-stops are engaged by friction against each of the lower opposite sides of the containment chamber. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , this is accomplished by having the frame  110  have pieces  112  and  114 , with holes  116  formed through both, which allows the length of the frame to adjust, and then be kept in that position using a bolt or other fastener through some of the aligned holes  116 . Further, so that a contiguous and flat surface presents itself across the entire frame  110 , another piece (not illustrated) can be between the end of either pieces  112  and  114  and  130  and  120 , respectively.  
         [0018]     Also included as part of the assembly  100  is a strap fastener  102 , which can be a hole or a ring attached to the member  110  or some other like fastening device, is disposed substantially at each of the two ends of the of the rigid member  110 . Each strap fastener  118  is provided for the insertion therein of a tie down strap assembly  140 , which can be used to attach to the article, such as a wheel of a vehicle. Thus, each strap assembly  140  is connectable to one of the strap fasteners  118  and adapted to assist in holding the article in position relative to the rigid member  110 .  
         [0019]     In the above described as well as all other embodiment, it is preferable to have a heavy duty rubberized material underside  150  on the underside of frame  110 , as well as the underside and sides of side stops  120 / 130 , in order to keep them in a stationary position once set-up in place.  
         [0020]      FIG. 1B  illustrates placement of two assemblies  100  inside a containment chamber, so that each operates to maintain one of the front and rear sets of wheels  60  of a vehicle  50  in position.  FIG. 1C  illustrates the usage of four assemblies  100  inside a containment chamber, so that a pair operate together to maintain one of the front and rear sets of wheels  60  of a vehicle  50  in position. It will be appreciated that the  FIG. 1C  implementation more closely replicates the embodiment described by the assembly  200  hereinafter, and that certain aspects of the assembly  200  described hereinafter can be used in the assembly  100 , and that not all of the specific aspects of the embodiment described by the assembly  200  are necessary in all instances.  
         [0021]     For smaller vehicles being secured, two vehicles with wheelbases that are the same could be secured side-by-side.  
         [0022]     Further refinements can be made to the system  100  that allow for further advantages in the ability to secure an article, preferably a vehicle with wheels, in place, as shown in  FIGS. 2   a - 2   g.    
         [0023]     As shown in  FIGS. 2   a - 2   c , a particular transport securing assembly  200  is constructed of two “U” pieces. One “U” piece is the receiving frame  204  and the other “U” piece is the adjustable frame piece  203 . Each “U” piece is comprised of a single main beam  201  and two arms. The arms  202  of the receiving frame  204  are preferably longer than the arms  208  of the adjustable frame piece  203 . The arms  202  and  208  are attached, typically by being fastened with a fastener of some type, like a bolt, though they could be a unitary piece formed by welding to the main beams  201 . With a substantially 90 degree angle formed on both ends, the arms  202  and  208  and the main beam  201  form a “U” shaped piece. Each “U” piece preferably has a heavy-duty rubberized material underside  250  to prevent the movement of the transport securing assembly  200 . The adjustable frame piece  203  slides into the receiving frame  204  and they are pinned together via a retaining pin  212  or some other type of fastening element that passes through the receiving frames&#39;  204 , alignment holes  211  into one of the adjustment holes  205  on the adjustable frame piece  203 . The retaining pin  212  is preferably secured to the receiving frame  204 , such as by means of a lanyard  207 , so it does not get lost. The use of the adjustment holes  205  allow for the width of the entire transport securing assembly  200  to be changed. This allows the transport securing assembly  200  to accommodate various sized articles (typically wheels)  206 . The main beams  201  of both the receiving frame  204  and the adjustable frame piece  203  are made out of a rigid material, preferably a material that is both strong and lightweight, such as 6061 Aircraft Aluminum tubes. The arms  208  on the adjustable frame piece  203  and the arms  202  of the receiving frame  204  are preferably made out of the same materials. The adjustment holes  205  are located on, preferably directly in the center of the middle, of both arms  208  of the adjustable frame piece  203 . The alignment holes  211  are located on, preferably directly in the center of the middle of, both arms  202  of the receiving frame  204 . The alignment holes  211  are located towards the end of the arms  202  of the receiving frame  204  in order to allow the adjustment capability of the transport securing assembly  200 .  
         [0024]     At one of the receiving frame&#39;s  204  main beam  201  is a fixed stop side stopper assembly  230 . The fixed side stop stopper  230  is comprised of a base support piece  231  manufactured of rigid material, typically the same material used for the member  210  Attached on the outside of the base support piece  231  is a rubberized surface material  232 . The rubberized surface material  232  will push up against the side/walls of the container  270  and create friction to keep the assembly  200  in place. The rubberized surface material  232  thus supplies both friction and suction to the side/walls of the container  270  wall to prevent movement of the transport securing assembly  200 .  
         [0025]     Opposite to the fixed stop assembly  230  on the receiving frame&#39;s  204  main beam  201  is an adjustable side stop assembly  220 . The adjustable side stop assembly  220  can be adjusted in a variety of manners, such as using a threaded rod  221 , an adjustment nut  222 , a rigid, such as aluminum but even more preferably steel plate  223 , a rubberized end plate  224 , an internal stopper plate  225 , a guide pipe  226 , and an end plate  227 .  
         [0026]     At the end of the threaded rod  221  that is not inside the receiving frame  204  is the plate  223  that is affixed to the threaded rod  221 . On the other outside side of the plate  223 , a heavy duty rubberized material is used to push up against the side/wall of the container  270 . The threaded rod  221  is guided inside the receiving frame&#39;s  204  main beam  201  by the guide pipe  226  to keep it perpendicular to the side/wall of the container  270 . The end plate  227  is affixed to the outside of the receiving frame  204  and to the guide pipe  226  to add stability to the guide pipe  226 . As the adjustment nut  222  is turned on the threaded rod  221  it will eventually rest up against the exposed part of the guide pipe  226 . As the adjustment nut  222  keeps the extended threaded rod  221  in position. Once the desired tension is reached between the plate  223  (including the heavy rubberized material  232 ) against the container&#39;s side/wall  271 , the transport securing assembly  200  will be stabilized to prevent movement of the transport securing assembly  200  The internal stopper plate  225  is affixed to the threaded rod  221  on the end that is inside the receiving frame  204 . The internal stopper plate  225  stops the threaded rod  221  from totally coming out of the receiving frame  204 .  
         [0027]     As also shown in  FIGS. 2E and 2F , rather than have chocks that are essentially the rigid member, there exists individual, adjustable chocks  260  made out of a rigid, preferably lightweight, material, such as 6061 Aircraft Aluminum that are used to allow the vehicle/equipment to drive into the transport securing assembly  200 , drive out of the transport securing assembly  200 , and keep the vehicle/equipment inside the transport securing assembly  200  during transport and therefore secure the vehicle/equipment during transport. If it is not a vehicle, but instead an article, the chocks  260  can be configured to have a shape that corresponds to the article of interest. For example, a smooth side surface for a flat sided article.  
         [0028]     The individual adjustable chocks  260  are manufactured by welding a rigid lightweight material, such as 6061 Aircraft cleated aluminum cleats  261  at some angle, (such as 45 degrees) in the front and rear and above two structure tubes  262 , which are made of a rigid material such as lightweight 6061 Aircraft Aluminum. The structure tubes  262  are preferably cut diagonally across the length of the tube. Further, grit may be disposed on the cleats  261  for added traction The assembly of the components that make up an individual, adjustable chock  260  creates an inside pocket  263  that allows the chocks  260  to slide laterally along the main beams  201  of the adjustable frame piece  203  and the receiving frame  204  to accommodate for different distances, particularly for different distances between wheels of a vehicle.  
         [0029]     A tie down strap assembly  240  is attached to the arm  202  of the frame  204 , as shown in  FIG. 2G . This assembly  240  includes a tie down plate  241  that that has a tie down opening  242  through which tie down straps  243  can be affixed to secure the article, such as the wheel  206  of the vehicle in place and therefore also help secure the vehicle/equipment during transport.  
         [0030]     Usage of the system  200  within a containment chamber for purpose of securing a vehicle with wheels therein is the same as that illustrated in  FIG. 1   c . It is understood that other articles could be secured therein, but that the present invention has certain specific advantages to securing vehicles in containment chambers that do not have any other internal fasteners therein. As such, the wheels rest within the frame, with the chocks being used to assist in allowing the wheels to initially position, stay in place during transport, and then exit when transport is finished.  
         [0031]     Although the present invention has been particularly described with reference to embodiments thereof, it should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes, modifications and substitutes are intended within the form and details thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that in numerous instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Further, those skilled in the art will understand that variations can be made in the number and arrangement of components illustrated in the above figures. It is intended that the scope of the appended claims include such changes and modifications.