DESC:As attached Transport or Shipping Containers have been used for transporting of goods from
one place to another since such containers were first invented in 1956. Over the years,
these transport containers have evolved to carry multiple different types of goods, for
example, containers with refrigeration facility are used to carry temperature sensitive
10 goods, containers with special arrangements are used for transport of vehicles, etc.
Some transport containers have also been fitted with multiple platforms or decks
to increase their carrying capacity for goods that cannot be staked or have limited
stacking capability. In some instances, these platforms are rigid and require special
trolleys or lifts to place goods in the upper platforms, while in some other instances,
15 one or more of the platforms of such transport containers are vertically movable to
accommodate different sizes of goods. Said vertically movable platforms have several
advantages, such as,significantly increased goods carrying capacity. In some instances,
the goods carrying capacity of the container may even be multifold the goods carrying
capacity of a container with a single platform/deck. However, most of these vertically
20 movable platforms require some kind of electrical or hydraulic lifting mechanisms that
lifts the movable platforms or decks vertically. These electrical and hydraulic lifting
mechanisms add considerably to both the weight and cost of the containers. In some
instances, the added weight and cost of the containers lead to additional cost of
transportation of goods and services that impacts the economics of several businesses
25 and the consumers.
Therefore, there is a continued need for improved, simplified, and cost-efficient
containers with vertically movable platforms for transportation of goods.
3
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide
a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an
5 extensive overview of the present invention. It is not intended to identify the
key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its
sole purpose is to present some concept of the invention in a simplified form as a
prelude to a more detailed description of the invention presented later.
Aspects of the present invention relates to a transport container comprising an
10 outer shell, an opening, a fixed platform, a vertically movable platform, and a
movement mechanism for moving the vertically movable platform, where the
movement mechanism includes at least four vertical members attached to the fixed
platform, at least four cables, at least eight support pulleys, a movable pulley, and a
means for moving the movable pulley, wherein at least two of the eight support pulleys
15 are attached to each of the four vertical members.
According to some aspects, a first support pulley is attached to the top of a first
of the four vertical members, and wherein a second support pulley is attached to the
bottom of the first vertical member.
According to some aspects, at least a first of the at least four cables is attached to
20 the vertically movable platform at its first end, and to the fixed platform at its second
end.
According to some aspects, the first cable loops over the first and the second
support pulleys and the movable pulley.
According to some aspects, a third support pulley is attached to the top of a
25 second of the four vertical members, and wherein a fourth support pulley is attached to
the bottom of the second vertical member.
4
According to some aspects, at least a second of the at least four cables is attached
to the vertically movable platform at its first end, and to the fixed platform at its second
end.
According to some aspects, the second cable loops over the third and the fourth
5 support pulleys and the movable pulley.
According to some aspects, a fifth support pulley is attached to the top of a third
of the four vertical members, and wherein a sixth support pulley is attached to the
bottom of the third vertical member.
According to some aspects, at least a third of the at least four cables is attached
10 to the vertically movable platform at its first end, and to the fixed platform at its second
end.
According to some aspects, the third cable loops over the fifth and the sixth
support pulleys and the movable pulley.
According to some aspects, a seventh support pulley is attached to the top of a
15 fourth of the four vertical members, and wherein an eighth support pulley is attached
to the bottom of the fourth vertical member.
According to some aspects, at least a fourth of the at least four cables is attached
to the vertically movable platform at its first end, and to the fixed platform at its second
end.
20 According to some aspects, the fourth cable loops over the seventh and the eighth
support pulleys and the movable pulley.
According to some aspects, the fixed platform comprises at least four fixed
platform support pulleys.
According to some aspects, a first fixed platform support pulley directs the first
25 cable towards the movable pulley in the horizontal direction
,CLAIMS:As attached A transport container (10) comprising:
an outer shell (12);
5 an opening (14);
a fixed platform (16);
a vertically movable platform (18); and
a movement mechanism (100) for moving the vertically movable platform
(18), wherein the movement mechanism (100) includes:
10 at least four vertical members (102A, 102B, 102C, and 102D) attached
to the fixed platform (16),
at least four cables (104A, 104B, 104C, 104D),
at least eight support pulleys (106A, 106B, 106C, 106D, 106E, 106F,
106G, 106H),
15 a movable pulley (108), and
a means for moving the movable pulley (110),
wherein at least two of the eight support pulleys are attached to each of the
four vertical members.
20 2. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first support
pulley (106A) is attached to the top of a first (102A) of the four vertical
members, and wherein a second support pulley (106B) is attached to the
bottom of the first vertical member (102A).
25 3. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least a first
(104A) of the at least four cables is attached to the vertically movable
platform (18) at its first end, and to the fixed platform (16) at its second end.
4. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first cable
30 (104A) loops over the first and the second support pulleys (106A, 106B)
and the movable pulley (108).
20
5. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 4, wherein a third support
pulley (106C) is attached to the top of a second (102B) of the four vertical
members, and wherein a fourth support pulley (106D) is attached to the
bottom of the second vertical member (102B).
5
6. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least a second
(104B) of the at least four cables is attached to the vertically movable
platform (18) at its first end, and to the fixed platform (16) at its second end.
10 7. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second cable
(104B) loops over the third and the fourth support pulleys (106C, 106D) and
the movable pulley (108).
8. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 7, wherein a fifth support
15 pulley (106E) is attached to the top of a third (102C) of the four vertical
members, and wherein a sixth support pulley (106F) is attached to the
bottom of the third vertical member (102C).
9. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least a third
20 (104C) of the at least four cables is attached to the vertically movable
platform (18) at its first end, and to the fixed platform (16) at its second end.
10. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the third cable
(104C) loops over the fifth and the sixth support pulleys (106E, 106F) and
25 the movable pulley (108).
11. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 10, wherein a seventh
support pulley (106G) is attached to the top of a fourth (102D) of the four
vertical members, and wherein an eighth support pulley (106H) is attached
30 to the bottom of the fourth vertical member (102D).
21
12. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least a fourth
(104D) of the at least four cables is attached to the vertically movable
platform (18) at its first end, and to the fixed platform (16) at its second end.
5 13. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 12, wherein the fourth cable
(104D) loops over the seventh and the eighth support pulleys (106G, 106H)
and the movable pulley (108).
14. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fixed
10 platform (16) comprises at least four fixed platform support pulleys (112A,
112B, 112C, and 112D).
15. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 14, wherein a first fixed
platform support pulley (112A) directs the first cable (104A) towards the
15 movable pulley (108) in the horizontal direction.
16. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 15, wherein a second fixed
platform support pulley (112B) directs the first and the second cables
(104A, 104B) towards the movable pulley (108) in the horizontal direction.
20
17. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 16, wherein a third fixed
platform support pulley (112C) directs the third cable (104C) towards the
movable pulley (108) in the horizontal direction.
25 18. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 17, wherein a fourth fixed
platform support pulley (112D) directs the third and the fourth cables (104C,
104D) towards the movable pulley (108) in the horizontal direction.
19. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 18, wherein the means
30 (110) for moving the movable pulley (108) moves the movable pulley (108)
horizontally along the surface of the fixed platform (16), and wherein
movement of the movable pulley (108) moves the first, the second, the third,
and the fourth cables (104C, 104D) that moves the movable platform (18)
22
vertically along the length of the vertical members (102A, 102B, 102C, and
102D).
20. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 19, wherein the means for
5 moving the movable pulley (108) is at least one of an electrically actuated
mechanism, a manually actuated mechanism, and a pneumatically actuated
mechanism.
21. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 20, wherein the transport
10 container (10) comprises a means for locking the vertically movable
platform (18) with the at least four vertical members (102A, 102B, 102C,
and 102D) along a predetermined height of the at least four vertical
members.
15 22. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the means for
locking comprises at least four spring loaded pins attached to the vertically
movable platform and at least four corresponding locking ports in the at
least four vertical members at the predetermined height.
20 23. The transport container (10) as claimed in claim 22, wherein the means for
locking comprises at least four electric actuators configured to disengage
the at least four spring loaded pins from said at least four ports in the at least
four vertical members respectively.