Patent Publication Number: US-10322870-B1

Title: Enclosed container with removable sides

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     The present disclosure relates to containers and more particularly pertains to a new enclosed container with removable sides for permitting inspection of items within the container that may otherwise be difficult to inspect. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a container configured to contain at least one object in an interior, with the container having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side opposite of the first side, a first end side, and a second end side opposite of the first end. The container may comprise a support frame with sides corresponding to the sides of the container, with at least one of the sides being an open side defining an opening and the open side of the support frame comprising a perimeter frame including a plurality of frame members forming a substantially rectangular shape. The container may comprise a flexible panel configured to at least partially cover the open side of the support frame. The panel has a periphery and a peripheral section located adjacent and along the periphery, and the peripheral section may include a plurality of portions, with at least one portion of the peripheral section having a thicker thickness relative to a thickness of a remainder of the panel. The container may also include a panel mounting assembly configured to removably mount the panel over the opening of the open side of the support frame, and the panel mounting assembly may comprise at least one panel mounting element comprising a leverage structure configured to provide a fulcrum edge along at least a portion of the perimeter frame of the open side of the support frame, and the at least one portion of the peripheral section being tensionable over the fulcrum edge. The panel mounting element may also include a tensioning structure mountable on the leverage structure and configured to selectively apply tension to the at least one portion of the panel with the thicker thickness over the fulcrum edge of the leverage structure. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the more important elements of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional elements of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment or implementation in greater detail, it is to be understood that the scope of the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components, and well as the particulars of any steps set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and implementations and is thus capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present disclosure. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. 
     The advantages of the various embodiments of the present disclosure, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the disclosure, are disclosed in the following descriptive matter and accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and when consideration is given to the drawings and the detailed description which follows. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a new system having an enclosed container with removable sides according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic side view of support frame with a panel mounting assembly of the system, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic sectional view of a portion of the container taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 , according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the panel and panel mounting element, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic sectional view of the panel mounting element, according to an illustrative embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new enclosed container with removable sides embodying the principles and concepts of the disclosed subject matter will be described. 
     The applicants have recognized that some containers contain cargo or objects that do not need to be removed from the interior of the container that they occupy, and may be permanently mounted on the container interior. However, the objects may need to periodically be inspected and may also need to be repaired, requiring access to the objects. As an illustrative example, multiple natural gas or propane tanks may be mounted on a mobile base, such as a vehicle or a trailer towed by a vehicle, to permit easy portability of the tanks and their contents from site to site. A container may be provided to enclose the tanks to protect the tanks from the environment when moving on the road and when stationary on a site. Since the multiple tanks do not need to be removed from the container during normal use, the tanks are permanently mounted in the interior and are typically relatively closely packed together for efficient use of the interior space. However, the tanks and their associated apparatus do need to be inspected periodically, such as on an annual basis. Due to the close packing and permanent mounting of the tanks in the container, inspection of the tanks in the interior is difficult if not impossible to perform in a satisfactory manner. 
     The applicants have also recognized that the ability to temporarily “remove” one or more sides of the container would provide the ability to periodically inspect the tanks in a more effective and efficient manner. However, complex mechanisms for removing the sides which add weight and cost to the container simply for the purpose of enabling inspections that occur only at significant time intervals is not efficient. Moreover, the applicants understand that in applications such as the enclosure of permanently mounted tanks, the sides of the container are not provided to secure the contents in the container so much as to provide protection to the contents from environmental factors. Thus, panels may be used for the container sides that are not structural and do not secure the contents in the container but merely form an enclosure. While flexible panels formed of sheet material could provide this functionality, the applicants recognize that the panels would have to be maintained with sufficient tension so that air movement across and against the panels, whether the container is moving or stationary, would not cause disintegration of the panels. Maintaining sufficient tension on the panels, while facilitating easy removal during the time periods for inspection posed a problem. Panels formed of a sheet material not only wave under the influence of wind, but also tend to stretch once placed under tension and the stretching thus decreases the tension in the panel, thus requiring periodic readjustment of any structure supporting the panel to maintain sufficient panel tension. 
     In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a vehicle system  10  which includes a mobile base  12  which is configured to move over the ground surface, such as a road surface, between different site locations. In some embodiments, the mobile base  12  comprises a semi trailer configured to be towed by a semi-tractor, and in some embodiments the mobile base comprises a truck with a cab and a frame. 
     A container  14  may be utilized as a part of the system  10 . For example, the container  14  may form a part of a semi trailer forming the mobile base, or the container may be mounted on the frame of a truck (or other vehicle) forming the mobile base. In other embodiments, the container  14  may be utilized independent of the elements of the system  10 . 
     The container  14  may be configured to contain, and enclose or at least substantially includes, one or more objects positioned within an interior of the container. In some embodiments, the container has a cuboid, or rectangular parallelepiped, shape with a top  16 , a bottom  17 , and sides that broadly include a first end (or end side)  18 , a second end (or end side)  19  located opposite of the first end, a first side  20 , and a second side located opposite of the first side. Illustratively, the top and bottom of the container may extend substantially horizontally while the ends and sides may be substantially vertically oriented. In the illustrative containers of this description, the top  16  and bottom  17  may be formed by rigid roof and floor panels that may be nonremovable. 
     The container  14  may also include a support frame  26  configured to support the top  16  and sides  20 ,  21  and ends  18 ,  19  with respect to the bottom. The support frame  26  may have sides that generally correspond to the sides and ends of the container. The support frame  26  may form a cuboid space frame with at least one of the sides  20 ,  21  or ends  18 ,  19  of the space frame being open and having an opening  30 . In some embodiments of the container, both ends and both sides of the frame  26  are open and are defined at their perimeters by portions of the support frame  26 . The support frame may be formed by a plurality of frame members  28  which are formed or assembled into the space frame and provide a perimeter about each opening  30  in a side or end of the container. The frame members  28  for a side or end may have their ends connected together to form sides of a rectangular perimeter frame  32 , and the corresponding opening  34  may also be substantially rectangular in shape. In greater detail, the perimeter frame of each side or end may include, for example, an upper frame member  34 , a lower frame member  35 , a left-sided frame member  36  and the right side frame member  37 . 
     The container  14  may include a panel  40  for selectively closing each of the openings  30  on the sides and/or ends of the support frame. The panel  40  may have a periphery  42 , and for substantially rectangular openings formed by a substantially rectangular perimeter frame, the periphery  42  may have a substantially rectangular shape. The panel  44  may have a peripheral section  44  located adjacent to and extending along the periphery  42 , and may extend inwardly from the periphery toward the center of the panel. 
     A pocket  46  may be formed along at least a portion of the periphery of the panel, and may be formed by part of the peripheral section  44  of the panel being folded over upon itself. The pocket  86  may be elongated and extend parallel to the portion of the periphery. The pocket  46  may be substantially closed but may have open ends  48 . The periphery of the panel may have a plurality of straight portions, and may include four straight portions arranged in a rectangular configuration. Correspondingly, some or all of the peripheral sections along the straight portions may each be formed into respective pockets  46  such that the panel may have four pockets positioned along the sides of the rectangular shaped panel. 
     In some embodiments, the panel  40  may be formed of a sheet material of relatively thin thickness that is able to be folded upon itself with the peripheral edge of the material being sewn or otherwise connected to an interior location on the panel to form the pocket. The panel may be flexible and may be formed of a flexible material that permits the folding and even rolling up of the material. While the material may exhibit some degree of stretchability, the most desirable materials may stretch only minimally in order to maintain a large degree of the tension applied to the panel. 
     A portion of the panel along the periphery may have a relatively thicker thickness along a line substantially parallel to the periphery. An elongated element  50  may be removably positioned in the pocket  46  to increase a thickness of a portion of the panel, and each pocket  46  may have an individual elongated element. The elongated element  50  may be flexible but may also exhibit a degree of rigidity. In some embodiments, the elongated element  50  comprises a cord of twisted or braided strands, but may also comprise a relatively more rigid configuration such as a wire. An elongated element  50  may be removably positioned in the pocket  46 . Optionally, the material of the panel may be rolled and secured in the rolled condition to simulate the cord in the pocket providing the thicker thickness. 
     The container  14  may also include a panel mounting assembly  52  which is configured to removably mount one or more of the panels to the support frame for forming a portion of the enclosure or containment of the container. A plurality of the panel support assemblies  52  may be utilized with each being associated with a side or an end of the support frame to thereby removably mount a panel on the support frame in a location corresponding to the side or end of the container. The panel mounting assembly  52  may be mounted on a side or an end of the support frame, and each panel mounting assembly  52  may be comprised of one or more panel mounting elements  54 , with a panel mounting element being positioned along a portion of the periphery of the panel being removably mounted on the support frame. Each panel mounting element  54  may be elongated with opposite ends  56 ,  57 , and a length of the panel mounting element may be defined between the opposite ends. Each panel mounting element may be associated with one of the frame members of a perimeter frame of the support frame. Each panel mounting element may have an inboard side  58  for positioning toward the opening  30  of the side or end of the support frame, and each panel mounting element may have an outward side  59  for positioning away from the opening. 
     Each of the panel mounting elements may comprise a leverage structure  60  which is configured to provide leverage along at least a portion of the periphery of the panel to facilitate the application of tension to the panel. The leverage structure  60  may be elongated in the direction of the length of the panel mounting element. Illustratively, the portions of the leverage structure may be formed by a single extruded piece, although other configurations may be employed. The leverage structure  60  may include a base portion  62  which is configured to be positioned adjacent to the support frame, and may have an abutment face  64  for orienting toward and abutting against a frame member of the support frame. The base portions  62  may also have a base face  66  which is oriented opposite of the abutment face  64  for orienting outwardly away from the support frame. At least one hole  68  may be formed in the base portion  62  for receiving a fastener  72  to mount the leverage structure  62  to the corresponding frame member. 
     The leverage structure  60  may also include a fulcrum portion  72  which is configured to form a fulcrum edge  74  over which the peripheral section  44  of the panel  40  may be tensioned or otherwise held in a taut condition. The fulcrum portion  72  may include a lip  76  which may extend in the inward direction. The surface  78  of the fulcrum edge  74  may have a rounded cross sectional profile to facilitate sliding of the material the panel over the fulcrum edge. The fulcrum portion  72  may be positioned on the inward side of the mounting element  54 . The fulcrum portion may extend from the base portion  62  and may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the base portion. The fulcrum portion  72  may have a first guide face  80  extending from the fulcrum edge  74  toward the base portion  62  and may extend to the base face  66 . 
     The leverage structure  60  may also include a guide portion  82  which is positioned on the outward side of the mounting element  54 . The guide portion  82  may extend from the base portion, and may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the base portion. The guide portion may be oriented substantially parallel to the fulcrum portion  72 . The guide portion  82  may have a second guide face  84  which may be oriented in opposition to the first guide face  80  on the fulcrum portion. The second guide face  84  may be spaced from the first guide face, and may be oriented substantially parallel to the first guide face. The base portion, the fulcrum portion, and the guide portion may form a channel with a channel interior  86  being bounded by the base face  66  of the base portion, the first guide face  80  of the fulcrum portion, and the second guide face  84  of the guide portion. 
     The leverage structure  60  may also include a securing portion  88  which is configured to facilitate connection and alignment of the end of one leverage structure and the end of another adjacent leverage structure. The securing portion  88  may define a slot  90  which extends longitudinally with respect to the length of the mounting element  54  and I open at the ends of the leverage structure. A portion of a connecting pin  92  may be inserted into and extend between the slots of the securing portions  88  at the ends of adjacent leverage structures to help align the slots  90 , and thereby the ends of the structures  60 , with each other, particularly when the structures are attached to the same frame member of the support frame. 
     At least one post  94  may be mounted on the leverage structure  60  to extend into the channel interior  86  of the structure  60 . The post  94  may be mounted on the base portion  62  of the leverage structure, and may extend substantially perpendicular to the base face  66 . The post  94  may extend generally parallel to the first  80  and second  84  guide faces. At least a portion of the exterior surface of the post  94  may be threaded, and a nut  96  may be threadedly mounted on the threaded portion of the post so that rotation of the nut in a first rotational direction advances the nut toward the base portion  62  and rotation of the nut in a second (and opposite) rotational direction moves the nut away from the base portion. A plurality of the posts  94  may be provided on the leverage structure at substantially uniformly longitudinally spaced locations on the base portion  62 . 
     Each of the panel mounting elements may also include a tensioning structure  100  which is configured to selectively apply tension to a portion of the panel in cooperation with the leverage structure  60 . The tensioning structure may be configured to adjust a degree of tension applied to the panel, and may be movably mounted on the leverage structure  60  in order to vary to the degree of pulling force applied to the panel. The tensioning structure  100  may comprise a grip portion  102  which is configured to releasably gripping a portion of the periphery  42  or peripheral section  44  of the panel. The grip portion may define a passage  104  which may have an interior which is configured to receive a portion of the panel having an increased thickness, such as a portion of the peripheral section of the panel and a portion of the elongate element  50 . The passage may extend longitudinally along at least a portion of the length of the tensioning structure. A slit  106  may be defined by the grip portion  102  and may extend from the interior of the passage to a location on and on the exterior of the tensioning structure to thereby permit a portion of the peripheral section of the panel to extend through the slit  106  while the pocket and the elongated element are positioned in the interior of the passage. The slit  106  may have a width that is less than the thickness of the portion of the panel having the relatively increased thickness, such as the thickness of the pocket  46  with the elongate element  50 . At least part of the peripheral section  44  of the panel and the elongate element  50  are effectively trapped in the interior of the passage  104  to secure the tensioning structure  100  to the panel  40 . In some embodiments, the grip portion  102  may comprise a substantially cylindrical wall  108  with a gap in the wall extending longitudinally along the length of the panel mounting element to thereby form the slit  106 . 
     The tensioning structure  100  may also include a primary guide flange portion  110  for abutting against the fulcrum portion  72  of the leverage structure. The primary guide flange portion  110  may have a first abutment face  112  for abutting against the first guide face  80  of the fulcrum portion such that movement of the tensioning structure relative to the leverage structure generally occurs along a straight path parallel to the first guide face. The primary guide flange portion  110  may be at least partially integrated with the grip portion  102  of the tensioning structure, and in some embodiments may comprise a tab  114  which extends from the substantially cylindrical wall  108  of the grip portion. 
     The tensioning structure  100  may further include a mounting portion  116  which is configured to be mounted on the post  94 . The mounting portion  116  may have an aperture  118  for receiving the post  94 , and may include a plurality of apertures in a longitudinally spaced relationship such that each aperture receives one of the plurality of posts  94 . The mounting portion  116  may be positioned between the nut  96  mounted on the post and the base portion  68  of the leverage structure such that rotation of the nut in the first rotational direction presses or urges the mounting portion of the tensioning structure to move toward the base portion to thereby increase tension in the panel. Conversely, rotation of the nut in the second rotational direction decreases pressure applied by the nut to the mounting portion  116  and as a result permits the mounting portion to move away from the base portion to thereby decrease tension in the panel area. In some embodiments, the mounting portion  116  is substantially planar and extends substantially parallel to the base portion  68  of the leverage structure. 
     The tensioning structure  100  may also comprise a secondary guide flange portion  124  for abutting against the guide portion  82  of the leverage structure. The secondary guide flange portion  120  may have a second abutment face  122  for abutting against the second guide face  84  of the guide portion to further guide movement of the tensioning structure with respect to the leverage structure in the channel interior  86 . The second abutment face  122  may be oriented substantially parallel to the first abutment face  112  of the primary guide flange portion  110 . The secondary guide flange portion may be mounted on the mounting portion at a location opposite of the grip portion  102  and the primary guide flange portion  110 . In some embodiments, the secondary guide flange portion may include a flange wall  124  which may extend substantially parallel to the guide portion  82  of the leverage structure. 
     Illustratively, the leverage structure and tensioning structure may be formed of aluminum or other metal extrusion. 
     In use, the elements of the container may be manipulated in the following fashion in order to permit inspection of objects located in the interior of the container. The fastening nuts  96  may be removed from the corresponding posts  96  on the panel mounting elements  54  located on the horizontal lower frame member  35  as well as the vertical left  36  and right  37  frame members of the support frame  26  to release the tensioning structure  100  from the leverage structure  60  of each of these panel mounting elements. The tensioning structures  100  for the panel mounting elements corresponding to the left  36  and right  37  frame members may be removed from the panel  40  by sliding the tensioning structures in a longitudinal direction such that the pocket  46  and elongated element  50  are slipped or moved out of the interior of the passage  104 . Removal of the panel mounting elements from the vertical extents of the periphery  42  of the panel permits the panel to be rolled about the tensioning structure for the remaining horizontal panel mounting element and to be moved in an upward direction toward the panel mounting element corresponding to the upper frame member (if employed on the container). The tensioning structure with the panel rolled thereabout may be positioned on the top  16  of the container while inspection of the container contents is conducted through the opening  30  of the support frame that has been exposed by the partial removal of the panel. Optionally, the panel could be completely removed from the support frame by removal of the nuts  94  from the posts  96  located on the horizontal upper frame member  34  as well. This process may be repeated for each of the panels located on each of the sides and ends of the container as needed. 
     Reinstallation of the panel on the side of the container may be accomplished by reversing the steps of the process, including unrolling the panel from the tensioning structure, remounting the tensioning structures on the vertically extending sections of the panel periphery, and remounting of the nuts on the posts after the polls have been reinserted through the apertures  118  of the tensioning structure. Periodic monitoring of the tension on the panel  40  may reveal the need to further tighten the nuts on the posts to maintain sufficient tension on the panel to avoid excessive and possibly damaging movement of the panel by environmental factors such as wind. 
     It will be recognized that the mounting of the panel to the upper frame member  34  could be accomplished by structure other than a panel mounting element of the disclosure, although use of a panel mounting element along all portions of the periphery of the panel permits relatively easy and quick replacement of the panel  40  should it become damaged or worn or otherwise compromised. 
     Advantageously, the panels  40  of the container may be significantly lighter in weight and less expensive than conventional metal sides of a semi trailer while providing the desired ability to inspect objects permanently mounted in the interior of the container. Panels mounted with the panel mounting assembly  52  are also quickly and easily replaced. Moreover, panels with different graphics may be replaced with significantly greater ease than repainting the container, and may even be rotated among containers if desired. 
     It should be appreciated that in the foregoing description and appended claims, that the terms “substantially” and “approximately,” when used to modify another term, mean “for the most part” or “being largely but not wholly or completely that which is specified” by the modified term. 
     It should also be appreciated from the foregoing description that, except when mutually exclusive, the features of the various embodiments described herein may be combined with features of other embodiments as desired while remaining within the intended scope of the disclosure. 
     Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that steps set forth in the description and/or shown in the drawing figures may be altered in a variety of ways. For example, the order of the steps may be rearranged, substeps may be performed in parallel, shown steps may be omitted, or other steps may be included, etc. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the disclosed embodiments and implementations, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art in light of the foregoing disclosure, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosed subject matter to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that fall within the scope of the claims.