Abstract:
A convertible storage container and methods are provided for the remediation of environmentally damaged articles. The container defines an interior chamber for receiving the environmentally damaged articles therein and has at least one container door for closing an access opening into the container. A conversion door is removably positionable with respect to the access opening so as to close the access opening with the container door in an opened condition. The conversion door includes a conversion door panel and a plurality of access ports through the door panel for connection of ducts to permit remediation of the environmentally damaged articles within the interior chamber. The conversion door may include a header assembly to permit vertical height adjustment of the conversion door to fit the conversion door to be fitted with respect to a vertical dimension of the access opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims domestic priority benefits under 35 USC §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/482,505 filed May 4, 2011, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated hereinto by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The disclosed embodiments herein relate to storage containers and methods that are especially adapted to permit remediation of environmentally damaged articles, e.g., articles that may have been damaged from fire, smoke, water and/or airborne contaminants. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    There are numerous instances where articles at a given site are damaged by environmental events, such as smoke related to an on-site fire and/or site flooding (either natural or man-made (e.g., potable or non-potable water conduit breaks). When exposed to these environmental events, it is oftentimes more cost-effective to the owners and/or insurers to remediate if at all possible the damaged articles to their original state prior to being damaged by the environmental event. 
         [0004]    The type of damage will dictate the remediation effort and the equipment involved in such remediation. Thus, for example, in the case of water-damaged articles, the remediation effort will likely include exposing the articles for a sufficient time to a controlled dehumidifying environment. Similarly, smoke-damaged articles may be remediated by exposing the damaged articles for a sufficient time to a controlled ozone environment. Suffice it to say, that remediation of such environmentally damaged must be conducted in a closed chamber space in which the interior environment can be controlled by suitable atmospheric inputs and outputs. 
         [0005]    Conventional remediation efforts for environmentally damaged articles typically involve a remediation specialist physically removing the damaged article from the damage site and then transporting them to a remote warehouse location equipped with static remediation chambers. Depending on type of environmental damage, the articles may then be remediated within the static chambers by controlling the atmosphere within the chamber and transported back to the damage site (after of course the site has itself been remediated) where they may be placed once more into active service. 
         [0006]    As can be appreciated, the removal and transport to/from the environmentally damaged site adds substantial costs to the remediation effort. It would therefore be especially desirable if mobile on-site remediation chambers could be provided so that environmentally damaged articles could be remediated at or near the damage site thereby avoiding the need to physically transport the damaged articles to a remote off-site location. Such on-site remediation would then translate into substantial cost savings for the remediation effort as transportation of many (if not all) of the damaged articles to/from the site of the environmental event could be eliminated. It is towards fulfilling such needs that the present invention is directed. 
       SUMMARY OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0007]    The present invention proposes a convertible storage container for the remediation of environmentally damaged articles. The container will define an interior chamber for receiving the environmentally damaged articles therein, the container having at least one container door for closing an access opening into the container. A conversion door is removably positionable with respect to the access opening so as to close the access opening with the container door in an opened condition. The conversion door includes a conversion door panel and a plurality of access ports through the door panel for connection of ducts to permit remediation of the environmentally damaged articles within the interior chamber. In some embodiments, the access ports will comprise flanges to accept connection of a respective duct thereto. 
         [0008]    The conversion door may include a header assembly to permit vertical height adjustment of the conversion door to fit the conversion door to be fitted with respect to a vertical dimension of the access opening. In some embodiments, the header assembly will have a pair of header boards and a spacer board therebetween. An upper edge region of the conversion door panel may thus be sandwiched between the pair of header boards, and wherein the header boards are vertically moveable with respect to the upper edge region to permit vertical height adjustment of the conversion door. A friction lock may be provided to positionally lock the header assembly relative to the conversion door panel. 
         [0009]    According to other embodiments, at least some of the access ports and the flanges have different sizes as compared to one another and/or flanges coaxially positioned with respect to such access ports and/or plug assemblies for removably closing the flange. In those embodiments where flanges are provided, it is presently preferred to have interior and exterior flanges coaxially aligned with one another and with the respective access port. In such a situation, interior and exterior plugs may be provided, in which case a closure assembly is also provided to close the plugs with respect to their respective flanges. The closure assembly may comprise a bolt and nut assembly. 
         [0010]    A conversion door for converting a storage container to a remediation unit is also provided. In some embodiments the conversion door will comprise a door panel and a plurality of access openings defined through the door panel. Flanges are attached to the door panel in coaxial relationship to respective access openings to accept connection of a duct thereto. A header assembly may be positioned at and vertically moveable with respect to an upper edge region of the door panel to permit for vertical height adjustment of the conversion door. 
         [0011]    According to some embodiments, the header assembly of the conversion door may comprise a pair of header boards and a spacer board therebetween. One edge of each of the header boards may also be interiorly recessed with respect to a lateral edge of the door panel (e.g., to permit one of the container doors to close upon the door panel to positionally retain the door panel in the access opening). 
         [0012]    A method of converting a storage container to a remediation unit for remediating environmentally damaged articles is also provided. Preferably, the method will include providing a storage container which defines an interior chamber for receiving environmentally damaged articles therein and having at least one container door for closing an access opening into the container; opening the container door to provide access to the interior chamber through the access opening; positioning a conversion door in the access opening, the conversion door having a conversion door panel and a plurality of access ports through the door panel; and connecting at least one of the access ports to a duct associated with remediation equipment to permit remediation of environmentally damaged articles within the interior chamber. 
         [0013]    These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more clear after careful consideration is given to the following detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The disclosed embodiments of the present invention will be better and more completely understood by referring to the following detailed description of exemplary non-limiting illustrative embodiments in conjunction with the drawings of which: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  depicts a front perspective view of a convertible storage container which embodies the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged front elevational view of an embodiment of a conversion door that may be employed in the convertible storage container depicted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is rear elevational view of the conversion door depicted in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional elevational view of the conversion door depicted in  FIG. 2  as taken along line  4 - 4  therein; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross-sectional elevational view of an exemplary access port and association closure plugs of the conversion door; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an elevational view of the conversion door as viewed from within the interior chamber of the storage container in which the conversion door is installed; and 
           [0021]      FIGS. 7-9  are front perspective views showing a sequence to convert the storage container for use in the remediation of environmentally damaged articles. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Accompanying  FIG. 1  depicts a storage container  10  that has been converted to an on-site remediation unit  20  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. As depicted, the storage container  10  is in and of itself conventional in that it includes opposed pairs of walls  10 - 1 ,  10 - 2  and a pair of hinged doors  10 - 5   a ,  10 - 5   b  opposing a rear wall (not shown). The container  10  thus defines an enclosed interior chamber space  10 - 7  (see  FIG. 8 ). 
         [0023]    When placed into service as a remediation unit  20 , a conversion door  30  will removably be positioned in the space otherwise occupied by the door  10 - 5   a . As is perhaps best shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , the conversion door  30  is provided with a door panel  30 - 1  having a plurality of access ports  32 ,  34  and  36  (see  FIG. 3 ) therethrough. In preferred embodiments, the ports  32  will be of larger diameter as compared to the ports  34  and the ports  34  will be of larger diameter as compared to the ports  36  so as to accommodate different sizes of ducts. For example as depicted in  FIG. 1  different sizes of ducts  12 - 1 ,  14 - 1  associated with a HEPA filter unit  12  for removing and filtering air from the unit  20  and a dehumidifier  14  for introducing a dehumidified environment within the unit  20  are connected to respective ones of the access ports  42  and  44 , respectively. 
         [0024]    The door  30  is also provided with a vertically adjustable header assembly  40  comprised of a pair of header boards  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2  and an upper spacer board  40 - 3  therebetween (see  FIG. 4 ). The spacer board  40 - 3  thus fixes the separation distance between the boards  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2  so as to permit the upper edge region of the conversion door panel  30 - 1  to be sandwiched therebetween. A series of friction locks  41  cooperates with vertically oriented slots  41 - 1  (see  FIG. 3 ) to allow for vertical movement of the header boards  40 - 1 ,  4 - 2  and thereby permit the header assembly  40  to be adjusted in a vertical direction to fit the conversion door  30  to the vertical dimension of the space previously occupied by the container door  10 - 5   a  and then locked in place. 
         [0025]    It will also be observed in  FIGS. 2 and 3  that the boards  40 - 1 ,  40 - 2  are laterally recessed from the lateral edge of spacer board  40 - 3  by a dimension D so as to permit an edge region of the door  10 - 5   b  to close onto the conversion door  30  and thereby positionally restrain the conversion door  30  against the upper and lower recessed container door channels  10 - 8   a ,  10 - 8   b  (see  FIG. 7 ). Pivotally moveable latche members  33  are provided with friction locks  33 - 1  along an outside lateral edge of the conversion door  30  (see  FIGS. 3 and 5 ). The latche members  33  are of sufficient length to span over the interior lateral door frame  10 - 8   c  and thereby assist in positionally locking the conversion door  30  relative to the container  10 . 
         [0026]    The conversion door  30  may also be provided with an electrical power distribution unit  50  on its interior surface (see  FIG. 3 ). The power distribution unit  50  may include a number of power receptacles  50   a  (preferably ground fault protected) adapted to be connected to electrically powered equipment (e.g., fans, dehumidifiers, ozone generators, etc.) that may be needed to be positioned within the chamber space  10 - 7  of the container  10 . The power distribution unit  50  is operatively connected via electrical cable  52  to an external electrical power receptacle  54  that may in turn be connected to an external source of electrical power (e.g., from an externally positioned generator or other on-site electrical power supply). 
         [0027]    In the embodiment depicted, the access ports  32  may be sized to accept 12-inch diameter ducts while the access ports  34  may be sized to accept 8-inch diameter ducts. A smaller diameter pair of ports  36  may also be provided which could, for example, be sized to accept 4-inch diameter ducts to allow input/discharge of ambient air, for example. As can be appreciated, the exact size of the ports  32 ,  34  and  36  is not critical and virtually any size could be provided in dependence upon the remediation equipment desired. However, it is presently preferred that a number of differently sized access ports be provided so as to provide the user with flexibility and universality of use with standard remediation equipment and its associated ducting. 
         [0028]    In order to permit coupling of the ducts, each of the access ports is provided with a pair of flanges  42 ,  44  and  46  positioned on the exterior and interior sides of the conversion door  30 . Each of the pair of flanges  42 ,  44  and  46  is coaxially positioned with respect to one another and with respect to its respective access port  32 ,  34  and  36  with which it is associated. 
         [0029]    Since not all of the access ports  32 ,  34  and  36  will necessarily be required to be placed into service for each remediation effort, the flanges  42 ,  44  and  46  are provided with paired exterior and interior plugs  42   a / 42   b ,  44   a / 44   b  and  46   a / 46   b , respectively. These plugs  42   a / 42   b ,  44   a / 44   b  and  46   a / 46   b  thus serve to effectively close the ports  42 ,  44  and  46 , respectively, when one or more is not needed for a particular remediation effort. 
         [0030]    The ports  32 ,  34  and/or  36  may be provided with a suitable grill (e.g., shown by reference numerals  44   c  in  FIG. 3 ) to prevent passage of relatively large solid objects therethrough. The relative size of the grill openings will of course determine the maximum size of solid objects that can pass through the ports  32 ,  34  and/or  36 . 
         [0031]    Each of the plugs  42   a / 42   b ,  44   a / 44   b  and  46   a / 46   b  will preferably be provided with an inner plug member, such as members  42   a - 1 / 42   b - 1  and  44   a - 1 / 44   b - 1  as shown in  FIG. 4 , sized and configured to be accepted within their respective ports  42  and  44 . (Although not depicted in the drawings, the plugs  46   a  and  46   b  could also likewise be provided with a similar plug member.) 
         [0032]    The pairs of plugs  42   a / 42   b ,  44   a / 44   b  and  46   a / 46   b  are retained in a closed relationship with respect to their respective access ports  32 ,  34  and  36  by means of a nut and bolt closure assembly  50 . An exemplary closure assembly  50  is depicted in  FIG. 5 . As shown, the assembly is generally comprised of an elongate bolt  52  which is of sufficient length to span the plugs  42   a  and  42   b . One end of the bolt includes a bolt head  52   a  which is positioned against the plug  42   a  while the other end includes a nut  54  threaded thereon. A washer (not shown) may be interposed between the head  52   a  and the plug  42   a  and/or the nut  54  and the plug  42   b . Threaded tightening of the nut  54  will in turn forcibly press each of the plugs  42   a ,  42   b  against their respective flange  42  so as to close the access port  32 . When it is desired to open the access port  32  for use, one may threadably remove the nut  54  from the bolt  52  to thereby disengage the closure assembly  50  at which time the plugs  42   a  and  42   b  may be removed from the flanges  42 . A flexible cord or chain (represented generally by reference numeral  60 ) may be attached to the plugs  42   a ,  42   b  so as to tether the same to the conversion door  30 . The structures discussed above are also preferably provided with the plug pairs  44   a / 44   b  and  46   a / 46   b.    
         [0033]    As shown by  FIGS. 7-9 , a conventional storage container  10  may in use be delivered to and positioned at an appropriate location of a remediation site. One possible storage container and means of transporting it to a remediation site is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,074,004 (the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference). In the embodiment depicted, the door  10 - 5   b  will include a handle  10 - 6  which serves to operate a conventional internal door latching mechanism  10 - 9  (see  FIG. 8 ). When latched by the latching mechanism, the door  10 - 5   b  will thus secure the opposite door  10 - 5   a  against the door frames  10 - 8   a  and  10 - 8   b . Such a closed and latched condition is depicted in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0034]    When it is desired to covert the container  10  to a remediation unit  20 , door  10 - 5   a  is unlatched by means of the handle  10 - 6  so the door  10 - 5   a  can be pivoted about its hinges to an opened condition. Once opened, door  10 - 5   b  may likewise be pivoted about its hinges in an opposite direction to the door  10 - 5   a  so as to assume its opened condition. With both doors  10 - 5   a  and  10 - 5   b  being in their opened conditions as shown in  FIG. 8 , the entire interior chamber  10 - 7  will then be accessible to receive environmentally damaged articles in need of remediation. If needed the interior chamber  10 - 7  can also then receive placement of suitable remediation equipment (e.g., fans, dehumidifiers, ozone generators, etc.). 
         [0035]    The conversion door  30  may be transported within the interior chamber  10 - 7  of the container  10  as shown in dashed line in  FIG. 8 . Alternatively the conversion door  30  may be transported separately of the container  10  to the remediation site. However it may be transported the conversion door  30  will be assembled upright so it occupies the space that was originally occupied by the door  10 - 5   a  when the latter is in its closed condition. The header assembly  40  is adjusted vertically to ensure that the vertical dimension of the conversion door  30  fits within the vertical dimension of the door frames  10 - 8   a ,  10 - 8   b . Once the vertical height of the door  30  is adjusted by means of the header assembly  40 , the interior latches  33  may be pivoted into their latched condition (see  FIG. 6 ). The door  10 - 5   b  may remain in its opened condition until all remediation equipment and/or environmentally damaged articles are positioned within the internal chamber  10 - 7 , following which the door  10 - 5   a  may be pivoted into its closed and latched condition as shown in  FIG. 9  to thereby establish the conversion of the container  10  into the remediation unit  20 . The various ports  32 ,  34  and/or  36  may then be coupled to ducts and appropriate remediation equipment in the manner previously described. 
         [0036]    Following remediation, the door  10 - 5   b  may again be opened to allow the remediated articles to be removed from the internal chamber  10 - 7 . Additional articles may then be placed within the chamber  10 - 7  and the process repeated. Once all articles have been remediated, the remediation unit  20  may be converted back to the storage container  10  by removal of the conversion door  30  (i.e., generally reversing the steps described above with reference to  FIGS. 7-9 ). 
         [0037]    While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope thereof.