Patent Publication Number: US-2006016808-A1

Title: Composite support rack and associated method

Description:
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/591,197 which was filed Jul. 26, 2004 and is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE  
      The present disclosure relates generally to a support rack for supporting cargo inside of a transportation container.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE  
      Transportation containers are used to transport cargo from one place to another. Efficient use of space in the transportation containers can reduce associated transportation costs.  
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE  
      According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a transportation apparatus that comprises a transportation container (e.g., rail car, trailer, shipping container, or sea container) and a fiber-reinforced composite support rack positioned in the transportation container for supporting cargo on the support rack. An associated method is disclosed.  
      The support rack may take a variety of forms. Exemplarily, it has a cargo platform for supporting cargo and an underlying frame for supporting the platform. The platform has, for example, a pair of horizontal, parallel planks spaced-apart from one another to receive cargo thereon. The planks are made of fiber-reinforced composite material to provide the planks with a relatively high strength-to-weight ratio. The frame has one, two, or three legs to support the planks. The leg(s) may be made, for example, of metal or fiber-reinforced composite material.  
      The above and other features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description and the attached drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of a fiber-reinforced composite support rack mounted in a transportation container to support a cargo unit thereon and allow room for stowage of another cargo unit underneath the support rack;  
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a single-leg, fiber-reinforced composite support rack;  
       FIG. 3  is an end elevational view of a single-leg support rack;  
       FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of an intermediate portion of the single-leg support rack;  
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are side elevational views showing cargo units positioned on a cargo platform of the single-leg support rack and cargo units stowed underneath the platform;  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a three-leg, fiber-reinforced composite support rack;  
       FIG. 8  is a side elevational view showing the three-leg support rack supporting cargo in a container;  
       FIG. 9  is a side elevational view showing a two-leg, fiber-reinforced composite support rack supporting cargo in a container;  
       FIG. 10  is a side elevational view showing another three-leg, fiber-reinforced composite support rack supporting cargo in a container;  
       FIG. 11  is an enlarged side elevational view showing a retainer secured to a bottom portion of a leg of the support rack of  FIG. 10  and secured to an I-beam of a floor of the transportation container;  
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view showing yet another three-leg, fiber-reinforced composite support rack; and  
       FIG. 13  is an elevational view showing a leg of the support rack of  FIG. 12  configured as a slotted panel. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      While the concepts of the present disclosure are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives following within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is provided a transportation apparatus  10  for transporting cargo  12 . The apparatus  10  has a fiber-reinforced composite support rack  14  positioned in a transportation container  16  to support cargo unit(s)  18  on the support rack  14 . Other cargo unit(s)  20  may be stowed underneath the support rack  14 . The container  16  may be, for example, a rail car, a tractor trailer, a shipping container, a sea container, or the like. The support rack  14  may be used with a wide variety of cargo including, but not limited to, palletized cargo, fluid cargo, dry cargo, etc.  
      The support rack  14  has one or more components made of a fiber-reinforced composite material such that the support rack  14  is relatively light weight, relatively strong, and relatively moisture-impervious. The composite material thus enhances the strength-to-weight ratio of the support rack  14 .  
      The composite component(s) may be made of any suitable fiber-reinforced composite structure. An example of such a structure is a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite structure. Such an FRP structure may include a polymer matrix having a reinforcing element and a polymer resin. The FRP structure may be embodied as any type of FRP structure. Examples of such structures include, but are not limited to, a solid laminate, a pultruded or vacuum-infused sandwich panel (e.g., a panel having a pair of skins with a core therebetween), pultruded panel (e.g., a panel having a pair of sheets with vertical or diagonal webs therebetween), or TRANSONITE® available from Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. of Raleigh, N.C. In the case where the FRP structure is embodied as a sandwich panel, the core type may include, but is not limited to, wood, foam and various types of honeycomb.  
      The matrix includes, for example, a thermosetting resin, although thermoplastic resins are also contemplated for use. Examples of thermosetting resins which may be used include, but are not limited to, unsaturated polyesters, vinyl esters, polyurethanes, epoxies, phenolics, and mixtures and blends thereof.  
      The reinforcing element may include E-glass fibers, although other reinforcements such as S-glass, carbon, KEVLAR®, metal, high modulus organic fibers (e.g. aromatic polyamides, polybenzamidazoles, and aromatic polyimides), and other organic fibers (e.g. polyethylene and nylon) may be used. Blends and hybrids of such materials may be used for the reinforcing element. Other suitable composite materials may be used for the reinforcing element including whiskers and fibers such as boron, aluminum silicate, basalt, carbon nano-fibers, and other nano-fibers.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 2-6 , there is shown a single-leg fiber-reinforced composite support rack  114  for use as the rack  14  in the transportation apparatus  10 . Illustratively, the rack  114  has a pair of spaced-apart and parallel horizontal fiber-reinforced composite planks  116  and a centrally located leg  118  underlying the planks  116 . Intermediate portions  117  of the planks  116  are supported on and secured to the leg  118  by use of a pair of connector plates  119  and associated fasteners. End portions  120  of the planks  116  are supported on mounts  122  (e.g., angle plates) secured to opposite walls  24  of the container  16 . The leg  118  thus acts as a frame supporting the planks  116  which provide a cargo platform for supporting palletized cargo units  18  thereon and allowing stowage of palletized cargo units  20  underneath the planks  116 .  
      Each plank  116  is made of the composite material and comprises a tubular outer wall  126  and a number (e.g., three) of vertical (or diagonal) reinforcement walls  128 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Outer wall  126  has, for example, a rectangular cross-section. The walls  128  are positioned within and secured to outer wall  126  to promote strength of the plank  116 . The walls  128  extend along the length of outer wall  126  and are parallel to one another. Anti-skid material in the form of, for example, a tape or spray may be applied to the top surface of outer wall  126  to limit skidding of cargo located thereon. Anti-abrade material in the form of, for example, a tape or spray may be applied to the bottom surface of outer wall  126  at each end portion  120  to limit chafing of the composite material of the plank  116  upon vibration between the end portion  120  and the mount  122 . A number of end caps (not shown) may be to each end portion  20  to cover openings formed in the plank  116 .  
      Illustratively, the leg  118  has a pair of vertical tubular bars  130 , a lower horizontal tubular bar  132 , a pair of longer upper horizontal tubular bars  134 , and a shorter upper horizontal tubular bar  136 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The bars  130 ,  132 ,  134 ,  136  are made of fiber-reinforced composite material. The bar  132  is secured to the bars  130  by use of a pair of lower gussets  138  and associated fasteners. The bars  134 ,  136  are stacked one on top of the other and secured to the bars  130  by use of a pair of upper gussets  140  and associated fasteners. The gussets  138 ,  140  may be made of, for example, a metal material such as stainless steel or a fiber-reinforced composite material. Anti-skid material in the form of, for example, a tape or spray may be applied to the bottom surface of the bar  132  to limit skidding of the bar  132  on a floor  42  of container  14 .  
      The leg  118  may be secured to the planks  116  at a variety of locations along the length of the planks  116  depending on the cargo loading configuration employed (among other possible factors). For example, the leg  118  may be secured to the planks  116  at their midpoint, as shown in  FIG. 5 , or may be secured to the planks  116  at a location different from the midpoint, as shown in  FIG. 6 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , there is shown a three-leg fiber-reinforced composite support rack  214  for use as the rack  14  in the transportation apparatus  10 . Illustratively, the rack  214  has the two planks  116  which provide the cargo platform of the rack  214  and has three legs  118  underlying the planks  116  to provide the frame of the rack  214  such that the rack  214  is a stand-alone device. In particular, two end legs  118  are located at the end portions  120  of the planks  116  for support thereof and an intermediate leg  118  is secured to and supports the intermediate portions  117  of the planks by use of the plates  119  and associated fasteners.  
      All the components of the rack  214  may be made of a fiber-reinforced composite material or, in some embodiments, there may be components (e.g., the gussets  138 ,  140 ) which are made of a material other than a fiber-reinforced composite material such as metal. In either case, the components may be configured as shown in  FIG. 7  except that, in the case of metal gussets, an edge of the lower gussets  138  may have the shape shown in dashed lines.  
      Referring to  FIG. 9 , there is shown a two-leg fiber-reinforced composite support rack  314  for use as the rack  14  in the transportation apparatus  10 . The rack  314  is similar to the rack  214  except that it omits the intermediate leg  118 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 10 , there is shown another example of a three-leg fiber-reinforced composite support rack  414  for use as the rack  14  in the transportation apparatus  10 . The rack  414  is similar to the rack  214  except that the end legs  118  are spaced slightly inwardly from the end portions  120  and are secured thereto by use of connector plates  119  and associated fasteners so that a leg retainer  450  secured to a bottom portion of each of the end legs  118  is positioned to be secured to an I-beam  454  of a floor  442  of the container  16  to retain the leg  118  in place.  
      Referring to  FIG. 11 , each retainer  450  exemplarily has a hook  452  that hooks onto a top wall  456  of one of the I-beams  454 . The I-beams  454  are spaced apart slightly to define an air gap therebetween for air to flow through the air gaps. Each hook  452  fits through one of the air gaps to grip the top wall  456  of the associated I-beam  454  to hold the leg  118  in place relative to the floor  442 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 12 , there is shown yet another example of a three-leg fiber-reinforced composite support rack  514  for use as the rack  14  in the transportation apparatus  10 . The rack  514  has the two planks  116  to provide the rack  514  with a cargo platform for supporting cargo thereon and allowing stowage of cargo underneath the planks  116 . The rack  514  has three legs  518  that provide the rack  514  with a frame for supporting the planks  16 . The legs  518  are configured, for example, as panels made of a fiber-reinforced composite. In other embodiments, the legs  518  may be made of a material than a fiber-reinforced composite material such as metal.  
      Each leg  518  defines a pair of open slots  520 . Each slot  520  receives a portion of a plank  116 . A retainer  522  of the leg  518  inhibits inadvertent removal of the plank portion from the associated slot  520 . Illustratively, the retainer  522  is configured as a lip cantilevered to extend over the plank portion.  
      Exemplarily, the fiber-reinforced composite material of each plank  116  used in any of the racks disclosed herein is a glass fiber-reinforced polymer with urethane resin. In such a case, the plank  116  is moisture impervious and weighs less than 3.2 pounds per foot. Exemplarily, each plank  116  weighs about 2.7 pounds per foot. The other components of the racks may be made of a glass fiber-reinforced polymer with polyester resin.  
      While the concepts of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such an illustration and description is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the illustrative embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.  
      There are a plurality of advantages of the concepts of the present disclosure arising from the various features of the systems described herein. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of each of the systems of the present disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of a system that incorporate one or more of the features of the present disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.