Patent Publication Number: US-2019185259-A1

Title: Modular Door Assembly

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a modular door assembly and, more particularly, to a modular door assembly for a storage container. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Storage containers commonly used for shipping large quantities of goods are useful in a wide variety of applications given their size, portability, and durable construction. Such storage containers have a door end enclosed by a pair of hinged doors. Although the hinged doors reliably retain goods inside of the storage container, the doors do not form a reliably air-tight seal when closed. 
     Further, the hinged doors are cumbersome to open and close and, consequently, an interior of the storage container is exposed to an environment external of the storage container for a long duration each time a user accesses the interior of the storage container. The standard hinged doors of a storage container thus limit the usefulness of the storage container in applications in which an interior environment must be maintained, such as in the transport of goods requiring temperature or humidity control or the use of the storage container as an indoor space for workers in harsh environments. 
     SUMMARY 
     A modular door assembly is provided and includes a storage container and a modular door. The storage container includes a body defining an interior storage space, a door opening positioned at a door end of the body that is communication with the interior storage space, and a pair of container doors each secured to the door end of the body by a container door hinge. The container doors are movable between a container closed position to cover the door opening and a container open position allowing access therein. The modular door is removably attachable to the door end of the body and closes the door opening with the container doors in the open position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a modular door assembly according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top sectional view of a storage container and a modular door according to the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of the storage container and the modular door; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a modular door according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. 
     The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. 
     A modular door assembly according to the invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The modular door assembly generally includes a storage container  100  and a modular door  200 . 
     The storage container  100  generally includes a body  110 , a plurality of corner castings  130 , and a pair of container doors  140 . In the shown embodiment, the storage container  100  is a type of commonly available storage container known to those with ordinary skill in the art. In other embodiments, the storage container  100  may be any container capable of receiving the modular door  200  as described herein. 
     The body  110 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , is formed as a rectangular parallelepiped with a top wall  112 , a bottom wall  114 , a pair of opposite side walls  116 , and a panel  118 . The top wall  112 , bottom wall  114 , side walls  116 , and panel  118  define an interior storage space  120  within the body  110 . In an embodiment, the panel  118  is a planar sheet removably attached to the top wall  112 , bottom wall  114 , and side walls  116  to define an end of the interior storage space  120 . In other embodiments, the panel  118  may be formed of a refrigeration unit or any other element known to those with ordinary skill in the art capable of enclosing an end of a storage container body  110 . 
     A door end of the body  110  opposite the panel  118  is open to an exterior of the body at a door opening  122 . The door opening  122  communicates with the interior storage space  120 . The body  110  may be formed from a metal such a steel, including COR-TEN or stainless steel, or aluminum, or may be formed of FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) or other composite material. The body  110  may alternatively be formed from any other material used in storage containers known to those with ordinary skill in the art. 
     The plurality of corner castings  130 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , are disposed on the body  110  around the door opening  122 . The embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  includes four corner castings  130 . One corner casting  130  is disposed at each of the four intersections of the top wall  112  and bottom wall  114  with the side walls  116  around the door opening  122 . The corner castings  130  protrude from a surface of the top wall  112 , bottom wall  114 , and side walls  116  about the door opening  122  along a longitudinal direction L of the body  110 . The corner castings  130  do not overlap the door opening  122 . Each of the corner castings  130 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , has a container fastener receiving passageway  132  extending through the corner casting  130  in the longitudinal direction L. Each corner casting  130  may be formed from a metal such a steel, including COR-TEN or stainless steel, or aluminum, or may be formed of a composite material. The corner casting  130  may alternatively be formed from any other material used in corner castings of storage containers known to those with ordinary skill in the art. In an embodiment of the invention, each corner casting  130  meets the standard ISO 1161 of the International Organization for Standardization for steel container corner castings. 
     Each of the pair of container doors  140 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , includes a container door panel  142  and a container door hinge assembly  144 . The container door panel  142  is a planar sheet and is sized to fit over half of the door opening  122  such that the container door panels  142  of the pair of container doors  140  can fully enclose the door opening  122 . The container door panel  142  may be formed from a metal such a steel, including COR-TEN or stainless steel, or aluminum, or may be formed of FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) or other composite material. The container door panel  142  may alternatively be formed from any other material used in storage containers known to those with ordinary skill in the art. 
     Each container door panel  142  is permanently connected to one side wall  116  of the body  110  at a door end of the side wall  116  adjacent the door opening  122  by one container door hinge assembly  144 . The container door hinge  144  permits the container door panel  142  to move with respect to the body  110  between a container closed position, in which the container doors  140  are positioned to extend along a width direction W transverse to the longitudinal direction L and abut the top wall  112 , bottom wall  114 , and side walls  116  to fully enclose the door opening  122 , and a container open position, in which the container doors  140  extend substantially along the longitudinal direction L and abut the side wall  116 , exposing the door opening  122 . As in known storage containers, in the container closed position, the container doors  140  are capable of being secured in place by an attachment mechanism The container doors  140  are shown at a position between the container closed position and the container open position in  FIG. 1  and are shown in the container open position in  FIG. 2 . 
     In the shown embodiment, the container door hinge  144  includes one or more known hinges and, more particularly, a plurality of known swing door hinges that secure to the sidewall  116  and door panel  142 . One skilled in the art should appreciate that other known hinged systems can be used to allow the door panel  142  to pivot from a closed position to an open position up against the sidewall  116 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, a modular door  200 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , generally includes a frame  210 , an outer panel  220 , and a door panel  230 . The frame  210 , the outer panel  220 , and the door panel  230  may be manufactured from a metal, such a steel, including COR-TEN or stainless steel, or aluminum, or may be formed of FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic) or other composite material. The elements of the modular door  200  may alternatively be formed from any other material used in storage containers known to those with ordinary skill in the art. 
     The outer panel  220  is a planar sheet member sized to cover the plurality of corner castings  130 . In the shown embodiment, the outer panel  220  is square shaped to match the shape of the storage container  100  on the door end having the door opening  122 . In other embodiments, in which the storage container  100  has other shapes, the outer panel  220  is shaped to fit an end of the storage container  100  and similarly cover the corner castings  130 . The outer panel  220  includes a plurality of modular door fastener receiving passageways  222  and a door panel passageway  224  extending through the outer panel  220 . The modular door fastener receiving passageways  222  are positioned about a perimeter of the outer panel  220  and, in the shown embodiment, are disposed at each of the four corners of the square-shaped outer panel  220 . The door panel passageway  224  is generally centrally positioned about the outer panel  220 . 
     The frame  210 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , extends from an interior side of the outer panel  220  and around the door panel passageway  224 . The frame  210  is sized to fit in the door opening  122  of the body  110  and, consequently, is spaced from the outer edges of the outer panel  220 ; the frame  210  has a smaller perimeter than the outer panel  220 . The frame  210  includes a frame gasket  212  extending around an outer perimeter of the frame  210 . 
     The door panel  230 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , is positioned in the door panel passageway  224  of the outer panel  220 . The door panel  230  is permanently connected to the outer panel  220  by a modular door hinge assembly  236 . A handle  234  is disposed on an exterior side of the door panel  230  opposite the interior side of the outer panel  220  and a door panel gasket  232  extends around an outer perimeter of the door panel  230 . To move the door panel  230 , a user grasps the handle  234  and rotates the door panel  230  about an axis extending along a height direction H perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and the width direction W between a door closed position, in which the door panel  230  is flush with the outer panel  220  as shown in  FIG. 1 , and a door open position permitting access through the modular door  200 . The door panel gasket  232  is compressed between the door panel  230  and the frame  210  in the door closed position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , sealing the interior side of the modular door  200  from the exterior side of the modular door  200 . 
     The modular door  200 , as will be described below with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , is removably attachable to the door end of the storage container  100  having the door opening  122  to seal the interior storage space  120  without removing the container doors  140 . The modular door  200  is shown attached to the storage container  100  in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
     The container doors  140  are first moved from the container closed position to the container open position shown in  FIG. 2  in which the container doors  140  abut the side walls  116  and expose the door opening  122 . The frame  210  of the modular door  200  is then inserted into the door opening  122  of the storage container  100  along the longitudinal direction L until the outer panel  220  abuts the corner castings  130 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The modular door  200  is capable of being inserted into the door end of the storage container  100  without abutting or otherwise interfering with the open container doors  140 . When the modular door  200  is positioned at the door end of the storage container  100 , the door opening  122  is closed. The outer panel  220  covers an entire width of the body  110  at the door end in the width direction W, as shown in  FIG. 2 , and covers an entire height of the body  110  at the door end in the height direction H, as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     A plurality of removable fasteners  300  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  are positioned to extend through the modular door fastener receiving passageways  222  and the container fastener receiving passageways  132  to removably attach the outer panel  220  to the corner castings  130  and secure the modular door  200  to the storage container  100 . In an embodiment, the removable fasteners  300  are threaded bolts that is positioned through a modular door fastener receiving passageway  222  and then engages with a threaded nut (not shown) positioned in corner casting  130 . In other embodiments, the removable fasteners  300  may be a latch, screw, or any other removable fastener known to those with ordinary skill in the art. In yet another embodiment, the threaded modular door fastener receiving passageway  222 is a threaded passageway that engages with the fastener  300  for a secure fit. support. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the corner casting  130  includes a threaded container fastener receiving passageway  132  that engages the fastener  300  in order to secure a corner of the modular door  200  with the container  100 . 
     When the modular door  200  is removably attached to the storage container  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an entire perimeter of the frame gasket  212  is compressed between the frame  210  and the top wall  112 , the bottom wall  114 , and the side walls  116 , sealing the interior storage space  120  from an area exterior of the modular door assembly. To access the interior storage space  120  with the modular door  200  attached to the storage container  100 , a user grasps the handle  234  and moves the door panel  230  between the closed position and the open position of the door panel  230 . The door panel gasket  232  is compressed between the door panel  230  and the frame  210  in the closed position, as shown in  FIG. 2 , sealing the interior side of the modular door  200  from the exterior side of the modular door  200 . 
     The modular door  200  fully seals the interior storage space  120  of the storage container  100 , while permitting access via the door panel  230 , without requiring removal of the container doors  140 . In an embodiment, a refrigeration unit (not shown) may be used to set an atmosphere in the interior storage space  120  and the modular door  200  provides a seal for the door opening  122  to more efficiently control that environment of the interior storage space  120 . The modular door  200  may be used to seal a temperature and/or humidity-controlled interior storage space  120  in military applications, transport or storage of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, oil, gas, and other chemicals, or any other applications known to those with ordinary skill in the art. 
     A modular door  200 ′ according to another embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 4 . Like reference numbers indicate like elements and only the differences with respect to the modular door  200  shown in  FIGS. 1-3  will be described in detail. 
     The modular door  200 ′, as shown in  FIG. 4 , includes a frame  210 , an outer panel  220 , and a door panel  240 . The door panel  240  is positioned in the door panel passageway  224  of the outer panel  220 . The door panel  240  has a plurality of door sections  242  hinged together and movable together; as is known in sectional doors, the door sections  242  are permanently disposed within the door panel passageway  224  of the outer panel  220  and are movable along a plurality of rollers (not shown) in the height direction H. A handle  244  is disposed on an exterior side of the door panel  240  opposite the interior side of the outer panel  220  and a door panel gasket  246  extends around an outer perimeter of the door panel  240 . In an embodiment, a plurality of windows  248  are disposed on the door sections  242  to permit the passage of light through the door panel  240 . 
     To move the door panel  240 , a user grasps the handle  244  and moves the door sections  242  along the height direction H between a closed position, in which the door panel  240  fully encloses the door panel passageway  224  as shown in  FIG. 4 , and an open position permitting passage of the user through the modular door  200 ′. The door panel gasket  246  is compressed between the door panel  240  and the frame  210  in the closed position, as shown in  FIG. 4 , sealing the interior side of the modular door  200 ′ from the exterior side of the modular door  200 ′. The modular door  200 ′ is removably attached to the door end of the storage container  100  having the door opening  122  to seal the interior storage space  120  in the same way as the modular door  200  described above. The modular door  200 ′ thus also fully seals the interior storage space  120  of the storage container  100 , while permitting access via the door panel  240 , without requiring removal of the container doors  140 . 
     The foregoing illustrates some of the possibilities for practicing the invention. Many other embodiments are possible within the scope and spirit of the invention. It is, therefore, intended that the foregoing description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that the scope of the invention is given by the appended claims together with their full range.