CONTAINER HANDLING AND FLOW SYSTEM, USE THEREOF AND METHOD OF HANDLING CONTAINERS

Abstract

A container handling and flow system comprising a plurality of base elements (1, 31) for mounting on top of containers and fasteners for locking the base elements on to corner fittings (14) of a container. The base elements are elongate and have a length corresponding to the width of the containers to be handled, said system possibly including base elements of different lengths corresponding to different container standards. The fasteners are arranged one at each end of the base element at a distance corresponding the distance between the corner fittings. The base elements have sufficient strength and stiffness for allowing the load of a second or more container(s) resting on top of or moving across a pair of base elements mounted on a first container.

Description

The present invention relates to a container handling, operation and flow system comprising a plurality of base elements for mounting on containers and fasteners for locking the base elements on to corner fittings of a container.

Such a system, which provides quick and easy container handling in container terminals as well as on board vessels, is described in PCT/DK2008/050245. These base elements are designed for resting on containers in terminals and on board vessels. Empty and loaded containers, such as ISO-shipment containers, can be transported or rolled over the base elements, which are preferably arranged to form a path, and the base elements can also be used for carrying equipment, particularly cranes, shuttles and other base elements.

It is expected that in the future container transportation will continue to rise globally. The ongoing trend to bigger and new container vessel design increase the importance of ports and transshipment hubs due to growing relevance of hub-and-spoke shipments. In addition, customers are demanding greener supply-chains, which is made possible enabled through a more efficient and advanced supply-chain with optimal exchange and direct transportation. Especially the productivity and functionality of terminals, warehouses and vessels are essential factors in this process to reach a higher level of efficiency in the entire chain which require new technology and methods.

Container terminal operations can be differentiated into four groups: Vessel berthing, crane operation, inner terminal transportation and optimal storage and stacking of containers. Ports generally strive to achieve shortest possible berth time for the demanded container exchange volume considering all these factors. For this very specific and complex operation ports sometimes require planning time of up to one month in advance because many limiting and conflicting variables need to be considered and managed to achieve best overall solutions. Containers need to be moved frequently in and out a terminal, warehouse, vessel etc. Therefore complex data calculations are executed to determine optimal storage places for containers and their transportation. To simplify port operations and as wind stability and stacking security can otherwise not be ensured container stacks in terminals are today often only stacked 3 to 5 floors high. But also currently employed equipment and the need for frequent restacking of containers to be able to get access to the one in demand in higher stacks would be too complex to organize and economically too inefficient. In addition, actual operations are usually slowed down because of overloaded areas in yards, crane interference, traffic congestion, equipment malfunctions or storage problems. Such problems quickly spread over to the whole system and affect all involved operations negatively. As a result, berth times of vessels are long, terminal investments are high and terminal operations are complex, loud, highly energy consumptive, difficult to organize and maintain, instable and limited.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a container handling and flow system, where the process is further optimized and simplified and where capabilities and functionality of the technology is increased and operation cost and emissions are reduced.

This is achieved with a container handling and flow system, where the base elements are elongate and have a length corresponding to the width of the containers to be handled, said system possibly including base elements of different lengths corresponding to different container standards, where the fasteners are arranged one at each end of the base element at a distance corresponding the distance between the corner fittings, and where said base elements have sufficient strength and stiffness for allowing transfer of the load of one or more container(s) resting on top of or moving across a pair of base elements.

As the base elements are now considerably smaller than in PCT/DK2008/050245 and thus easier to hand and store, the requirement for expensive cranes in container handling can be reduced. The base elements may even be installed on containers over its entire shipping time from an initial location A to a final location B along the entire or at least part of the transportation chain and storage. This flexibility guarantees the right handling and infrastructure capacity at actual points of demand. This is impossible today where many ports in the world are facing infrastructure bottlenecks, which, with todays technology it will take them years to overcome with very risky and cost intensive long-term investments. With the new invention an easy solution is provided, which can easily adjust to the handled volume.

It is also possible to provide base elements capable of spanning the width of two or more containers arranged side-by-side or close to each other in the same row, or within the pair of elements on same container. In this way the base elements may be used for providing increased stability, when containers are stacked, either on board a vessel or when stored in terminals or warehouses. The interconnection may, however, also be used for interconnecting two or more containers into a single unit, which may be handled as one. Particularly the latter use sets certain demands on the fasteners, which may be of any kind, including traditional twist-locks. The structural design of base elements may be specifically created to take high loads from goods and containers above on their own or in connection with others and transferring the loads to one or more containers located beneath in one or more stacks.

Base elements may be mounted either at the top or at the bottom of the container or both at the top and the bottom. Such top base elements and bottom base elements need not be identical and it is preferred that least some of the top and/or bottom base elements are designed to come into engagement with each other so that the bottom base elements resting on top of top base elements of other containers can be kept in place. This may be achieved with fasteners, like twist-locks, locking the top and bottom base elements to each other in a stationary way, or by proving one of them with a groove and the other with a projection, so that the uppermost container is allowed to move across the lowermost container, but is prevented from moving in its length direction. These two types of interlocking may of course be combined.

Preferably, at least some of the base elements are equipped with rollers, wheels or conveyors, which may be either passive or driven by roller motors, conveyor drives, push/pull systems or the like capable of moving at least one container. Ideally the wheels or rollers of top base elements should be made such that a common standard ISO container can be moved over them from element to element without need of further elements or attachments, such as bottom base elements. This may be achieved by using wheels or rollers of small dimensions and/or sitting closely together and/or wheels in diagonal shape and/or wheels positioned with an overlap to each other. This further reduces the need for cranes and like equipment used for handling containers, particularly in terminals and warehouses, but also on board vessels. Ideally the driven units should have engines, such as electric, hybrid, fuel-cell, magnetic or the like, with enough power to move containers over a string of multiple elements and/or move more than one container. It is also advantageous to provide at least some of the base elements with brakes capable of stopping or at least slowing down a container or other unit moving across them and possibly being able to regain kinetic energy in doing so. Base elements should preferably contain vibration dampeners, which will optimize the dynamic load distribution on elements. Such vibration dampeners can be integrated along the entire base element or be found only at the points of connection to the container.

It is, however, possible to use simple bridges as top or bottom base elements if opposite base elements (bottom or top, respectively) have wheels or rollers or if wheels or rollers are integrated in the containers such as shown in PCT/DK 2009/050168.

The design details of the base elements will of course depend on the number of build in functional elements and its intended purpose, but base elements shaped as bridges with a curved side in the length direction provides excellent load-bearing abilities with or without comprising suspension or dampening means, while at the same time keeping the weight and required investment down.

The container handling and flow system may further comprising one or more functional element(s) chosen from the group consisting of: carriers, cranes, lashing, supply and/or stabilization elements, roof and/or sidewall systems for water, wind and sunlight protection, safety and security solutions, lights, lamps, closed-circuit television (CCTV) and control cameras, remote control units, wireless or Bluetooth systems, network solutions, RFID and/or memory and control chips, Gensets, Engines, Power Packs, fly wheels, batteries, capacitors, chargers, cooling systems, grooved tracks, weight balancing and trimming means for container, stacks and vessels, sensors for sensing e.g. distances, container and stacking stability, damages, motions, weather, etc. as well as supply of air/gas or electricity, said functional element(s) being either separate or connected and grouped unit(s) or integrated in the base elements. It needs to mentioned, that each functional element may instead also be mounted or integrated into a shuttle driving through or along the base elements and in this way even reducing the costs of standard base element or container. Due to such additional functions the container positioning on vessels, terminals or warehouses is simplified as containers can be stacked and served modularly anywhere and not only in special slots as has previously been the case without necessitating an additional ground space. Secondly, this solution avoids very expensive terminal layouts where such functions are integrated in the terminal infrastructure. Today such functional elements often have to be integrated in the foundation of the terminal, where heavy loads need to be transported above, which is costly to achieve or requires surface space, which is then lost and/or hampers the daily operations. Thirdly, monitoring containers and their movement can contribute to a well controlled operation.

It is particularly preferred to use a combination of differently equipped base elements and other units, just as it is possible to modularly equip base elements and other units with required features prior to use.

Containers equipped with top base elements can be arranged to form a path for other containers and/or be arranged in terminals or on vessels so that they form access paths for container and/or small box supply and exchange carriers and/or shuttles with or without functional elements

On board vessels it is usually necessary to lash at least some of the containers in the lower rows of container stacks on deck to keep them from sliding or tipping during hard weather and causing vessel instability, cargo losses and/or damages to the vessel structure, but according to the present invention lashing may also be used on shore to secure the containers against strong winds and against dynamic loads for example when moving a container stack. It is therefore preferred that the base elements are interconnected in a brick-mode or other kind to sufficiently lash and fix the container. Alternatively at least some of the base elements can include other types of lashing elements or tracks or connectors for attachment of lashing elements. Conventional lashing equipment is known e.g. from patent No. DE 10005887A1 and will therefore not be described in detail here.

When lashing functionality is provided as part of the base elements, it is possible to lash and stabilize containers and stacks safely wherever needed, and this optionally also in an automatic way, providing high speed and flexible lashing on all rows of the stack and/or between them. Apart from the traditional lashing equipment, which may lock into openings in the base elements, an interconnection of top and bottom base elements or the use of extra long elements interconnecting adjacent containers may also provide the needed stabilisation or supplement traditional lashing. Alternatively, a lashing system may also be imagined, where a shuttle carrier provided with an arm is installing and demounting traditional or modified lashing means into the common container fittings and/or base elements.

In this way a simple and efficient system is created which can also be managed remotely without having a need for stevedores in dangerous locations. Additionally, such a system is not only much faster but also more flexible in operation than currently known lashing solutions. It can of course also be imagined that such solutions are used as flexible and automatically moveable stabilization embodiment in vessels, terminals or warehouses, for example for more fragile containers or open sided containers such as described in PCT/DK2009/050168 to provide further stiffness and safety.

A flexible lashing function may also be used to support container stacks in terminals, warehouses or the like, which rest on each others and are moving on base elements or tracks through the terminal or warehouse in a flow process. In a preferred container flow process all or many containers are moveable, which for the first time enables exchange of ISO containers in terminals or warehouses without lifting. Containers are just rolled/moved forward backward or sideways on the base elements whenever required. Container can so be moved from one stack to another or from one stack to a fixed shelf-system and/or be moved onto special carriers with or without lifting, driving or rolling means. Such a complete flow system generates a flexible solution, which efficiently allows containers to be removed and positioned, while still granting optimal space usage in restricted areas as container stacks can be placed as close as possible to each other and be moved apart when there is a need, which is more space efficient than today solutions in ports. Secondly, the need to lift containers is further reduced as container positions are frequently changed by using modern software and simulation flow solutions and so being frequently accessible and economically as well as timely more efficiently changeable.

In the ideal solution this process may be combined with an inclined supporting surface reducing the energy needs. The inclination may form a straight line from one end of the terminal or warehouse to the other with or without integrated sideways or may be build in lines and curves allowing the container to be rolled/moved back to the quay. A three dimensional inclination surface structure could be imagined too but will often be too costly to realize. Lifting thus only has to take place once or a few times and may be concentrated to one or a few places in the terminal or warehouse. To compensate the effect of inclination a bottom container carrier or bottom base elements may be made in a negative passive form to the inclination angle to ensure that the container stack itself has no or almost no angle, which has to be avoided for cargo security and operation safety. It is of course also possible to employ an active hydraulic device for the equalization of height level of stacks as integrated or separate unit to the base elements or bottom carriers. The negative element and/or the hydraulic devices may even be built in a shape bringing two or more container stacks to the same height level to ease the work of carriers and shuttles driving along the attachments for pick-up and exchange cargo. An inclination solutions would be of major benefit not only for transhipment hubs in terms of energy, emissions, operational planning complexity and time requirement. Such flexible concept does not only allow buffer paths of containers being build on its top level such as shown in PCT/DK2008/050245, but now also being enabled on all levels of container floors in case all stacked containers are moveable. So can entire ship loads now be moved and sorted optimally together over the time in the terminals and container loads be optimal exchanged for best possible shipment efficiency. This kind of new flexibility allows not only an improved inner terminal/warehouse transportation system and a faster vessel, truck and train loading and unloading process, but also an improved space optimized container stacking method in terminals/warehouses with reduced total operation times. Part of this invention is also the required software and controlling management systems, which ensures that the right ISO-container is at its required place in the terminal or warehouse at the desired time and with the right cargo loaded by keeping track of all moves and enabling a smooth and energy efficient operation. Such a system may be controlled from a central external system, possibly even remotely via network systems from other points in the world, but it is preferred that it is organized in a decentralised manner by autonomous systems included in the base elements, carriers and/or shuttles, which would improve the efficiency, maintenance and operational stability of the modular flow solution. However, such decentralized systems would of course also have interfaces for data and information exchanges with external networks for the satisfaction of customer demands and supervision in general.

Furthermore, such a system optimal is for use of open sided containers such as described in PCT/DK2009/50167 and the exchange of cargo between these or other means for transportation, such as trucks, trains, cars or the like, to enable efficient global transportation chains. For this purpose the container handling and flow system may further include attachment or adjustment members for being mounted directly on or integrated in containers. These may for example be rail elements attached to the upper corner fittings of containers and spanning their length, so that they may serves a bearings for load carriers, thus allowing the build of a fully functional warehouse system for allowing quick and easy exchange of container loads, for example for boxes such as described in PCT/DK2009/050167. Such attachment members may make use of the existing container profiles and/or forklift holes/depressions by suitable negative patterns to optimally distribute loads and granting higher flexibility.

As for the mounting of the base elements, this may be performed in several ways, but to keep labour cost at a minimum, it is preferred that base elements elements are mounted by a robotic or machine system, preferably at first point of contact in a warehouse or a container terminal. Storage facilities and/or supply systems for storing and delivering base elements, respectively, which are also advantageously part of the system according to the invention, may be provided in the vicinity of such a mounting facility or elsewhere. Mounting, storing or delivery equipment may include or be supplemented by one or more control units to ensure only installation of properly functioning ready-to-use elements.

Alternatively, or as a supplement, the container handling and flow system may further including mounting carriers for running onto or along other base elements, which has already been mounted, to mount or dismount base elements on other containers thereby allowing flexible installation at any point. This may, however, set certain limits on the design of the base element. As an example, it is preferred that the height of the base element is bigger than its width, when seen in the mounted position, so that when turned 90 degrees about its own length axis it may pass through the space between two containers mounted on top of each other with base elements interposed. In this way base elements may be taken to virtually any place in the array formed by the containers in a terminal or on board a vessel with minimal effort and equipment. For the same reasons the base elements may be specifically designed and comprise a grooved path, where spare elements can rest and/or be moved through by being pushed or pulled. Of course such grooved paths could also be used for modular designed functional elements, which have been described above.

Particularly if containers are to be transported to another location also using a container handling and flow system according to the invention, it may be advantageous that the base elements are left on the container, when it is transferred to a vessel, truck or train. This saves dismounting and subsequent remounting of base elements and if the base elements are for example provided with lashing functionalities, these may also be utilised during transportation. The mounting would provide the possibility to change the container load positions during a sea voyage and so prepare the vessel and/or the cargo inside the containers optimally for its next destination, which reduces berth times and handling needs by optimized supply chains. Part of this invention is hence also a suitable container vessel design, where containers can be moved by the invented elements or means from one row to another and/or one stack to another on deck as well as inside the hull in its north, south as well as west and east direction. For this purpose but not limited thereto, base elements are made connectable to additional vertical and horizontal strengthening members and being so able in a modular system to be build up as a fully functional shelf and storage system.

The base elements are preferably made with one or more materials chosen from the group consisting of: metal, such as steel, plastic and composites, including fibres reinforced materials. In any event the material should be suitable to transmit and/or absorb forces generated by moving goods and/or containers.

In the following, the invention will be described in closer detail with reference to the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container with a first type of top base element,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container with a second type of top base element,

FIGS. 3 and 4 are side views of a third and fourth type of top base element,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of two containers on top of each other and with a fifth type of top base element as well as bottom base element,

FIGS. 6a-6c are cross-sectional views of different types of cooperating top and bottom base elements,

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the mounting of a sixth type of top base element,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a series of containers with top base elements and adjustment members,

FIG. 9-11 are end views showing examples of lashing,

FIGS. 12a-12c are cross-sectional views of different types of attachment members,

FIGS. 13 and 14 are perspective views of three-dimensional arrays of containers,

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a warehouse solution, and

FIGS. 16a-16c are cross-sectional views showing the installation of a container in the warehouse of FIG. 15.

A container with top base elements 1 attached to its upper corner fittings 14 so that they span across the width of the container at each end is shown in FIG. 1. For this purpose fasteners (not visible), such as twist-locks, are provided, which are preferably but not necessarily integrated in the base elements.

At their upper surfaces the base elements 1 are provided with wheels 16. These may be passive, simply allowing another container to pass over without any substantial friction, or active so that a container sitting on top of the base element can be set into motion. In the latter case, the base element includes an internal motor (not shown) and is supplied with electrical power via suitable connector sockets and hitch 9 as shown in FIG. 1.

In this, whenever reference is made to a container resting on top of or moving across base elements, it is to be understood that this also applies to other objects such as lifting devices or other types of storage units.

The side surfaces of the base elements facing away from the container are provided with longitudinal projections 17, which may serve for interconnection with other base element or as rails for supplementary equipment as will be explained later. Finally, the end surfaces of the base elements are provided with connector 9 for interconnection with other base elements. These connectors may be simple projections to be used only for a mechanical connection or they may be electrical connectors, for example for supplying energy to an internal motor, fluid connectors or the like depending on any functional elements included in the base elements as will be explained later. Here the connectors 9 are visible only at one end of the base elements, but it is to be understood that the opposite end surfaces may also be provided with connectors. These may be identical to the ones shown, but it is preferred that the connectors at opposite ends of a base element are made to cooperate, e.g. as plug and socket.

A second embodiment, where the top base elements 1 are provided with grooved tracks 18 in stead of the longitudinal projections 17, is shown in FIG. 2. Moreover, the base elements are here made with a curved underside 1′, giving is the shape of a simple bridge, in order to provide the best possible balance between strength and weight of the base element.

Another difference from FIG. 1 is that adjustment members 19 are spanning the length of the container along its sides, interconnecting the ends of the base elements 1 so that a frame is formed on the top of the container. This not only provides strength and stiffness to a stack of containers, the adjustment members also having a curved underside 19′, but also allows other containers etc. to move across in the length direction of the container. For this purpose adjustment members are also provided with wheels 16 and in this case all wheels, both on base elements and adjustment members should preferably be made retractable or turnable to avoid friction when movement is perpendicular to their direction as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the top base element 1, but still with wheels 16 and connectors 9 for connection to other base elements. This base element is further provided with fasteners 20 for connection both to the container on which it is mounted and to a container, which may potentially be arranged on top of it. Moreover, connectors 20′ are provided for interconnection with bottom base elements or carriers as will be described later. Finally, the base element in FIG. 3 is provided with brakes for blocking or stopping the wheels in order to keep a container arranged on top of the base element still or stop a container moving across the base element. It is also possible to provide for collection and storing of the kinetic energy of a container or the like, when it is stopped or slowed down by means of the brakes, and the base element may then include a battery or other appropriate hardware (not visible). The energy collected may be used for driving an internal motor or for supplying other functional elements as will be described later.

The embodiments of the top base element 1 shown in FIGS. 1-3 are very well suited for transporting containers mounted with bottom base elements, which provide a relatively smooth underside. If transporting containers without bottom base elements, however, a design more like that in FIG. 4 will be expedient. As is well known to the skilled person, most cargo containers are built for transferring all loads via the corner fittings 14, while the walls and edges there between have limited load bearing capability. Therefore the corner fittings project slightly over the sides, bottom and roof of the container so that the corner fittings are the only points of contact when the container is resting on a level surface or on top of another container. When passing over a series of wheels 16 as on the base elements in FIGS. 1-3, where the distance between the points of contact with the wheels are relatively large, the corner fittings may, however, loose contact and the load on the container will then be on a point on the bottom, which then comes into contact with wheels. To avoid this, the centre distance D between the wheels, rollers or balls should therefore be smaller than the width of the corner fittings of the containers to be handled, depending of course of the direction of movement. For ISO containers the distance should thus be smaller than 162 mm when movement is across the container and smaller than 178 mm when movement is in the length direction. In this respect it is noted that FIGS. 3 and 4 are not made to measure, but are only intended as illustrative sketches.

An alternative would of course be to use belts or chains, which provide a wholly or substantially continuous support, but wheels or rollers generally tend to demand less maintenance. Particularly since a base elements can often be used even if there is a failure on one or a few wheels.

A fifth type of top base element 1, which is also provided with adjustment members as in FIG. 2, is shown in FIG. 5. These base elements 1 too have a curved underside 1′, but have neither a longitudinal projection nor a groove and may therefore be considered a simplified version. The wheels are here replaced with balls 16′, thereby avoiding the potential directional problems associated with wheels or rollers having a fixed axis as described above.

The uppermost container shown in FIG. 5 further comprises a set of bottom base elements 31 corresponding to the top base elements 1 with regards to structure and mode of attachment but without balls or wheels. Like the top base elements, the bottom base elements too are supplemented with adjustment members 32 so that a frame is formed underneath the container, but it is to be understood that adjustment members need only be present either at the top or at the bottom to enable containers to move over each other in the length direction as described above.

Moving now to FIGS. 6a-6c, three possible combinations of top base elements 1 and bottom base elements 31 are shown, the top base element of FIG. 6a corresponding to that in FIG. 1 and the top base element in FIG. 6b corresponding to that in 2. The top base element in FIG. 6c corresponds to that in FIG. 5 except for having wheels 16 in stead of balls 16′. As may be seen, the bottom base elements 31 are all provided with a groove serving as a track for the wheels, thus contribution to keeping the uppermost container in place, but it may suffice to provide a raised edge on one side of the wheels. Moreover, the functionality of the top and bottom base elements may be exchanged so that the wheels or balls are provided in the bottom base elements in stead of in the top base elements and vice versa for other functional elements, including those to be described later.

A more complex embodiment of the top base elements 1 is shown in FIG. 7, where the one to the left is shown in the mounted state, while the one to the right is shown prior to mounting by means of a remote operating carrier 13. In the version shown here both the carrier and the base element itself is constructed so slim that the carrier can pass between two containers mounted on top of each other, even while carrying a base element. For this purpose the base element has to be either expandable, possibly telescopic, or have a width smaller than its height so that it can be transported in a lying position as shown in FIG. 7 and then turned around its length axis as indicated by the arrow M for mounting.

Further to the construction of the base element in FIG. 7, it may be seen that this base element has no wheels or the like, but is provided with a projecting edge 2 for keeping wheels of a bottom base element of another container on track. The base elements further include tracks 18 as in FIGS. 2 and 6b, fasteners 20 for connection to the container corner fittings 14, here twist-locks, and connectors from base element to base element, here in the form of an induction unit 8 for data and electricity transfer and a separate connector 9 for cooled air exchange.

Additional functional elements found on the base elements in FIG. 7 are a power supply socket 5, cooling fluid sockets 6, particularly for Porthole or Conair containers, manual handle bars 7 for disconnecting the base element from the container, locking or lashing holes 15, and grooves 10 and 12 on the side surface facing the container in the mounted state for keeping additional elements in position, here in form of a twistlock negative, and for enabling a remote carrier to drive along the elements, respectively. Finally, CCTV equipment 4, possibly supplemented by satellite surveillance equipment, RFID chips, camera and/or a remote operating control unit, is provided for enabling efficient electronic monitoring and handling of the containers. Moreover, with integrated functional elements like CCTV and/or satellites for example in the base element, containers can be constantly controlled and monitored via network or web-based solutions worldwide. A solution which is today often not possible as different container solutions exists in the market or remote operating units are not offering this functionality yet. Such systems could in principle have been fitted into the actual containers, but this is neither economical nor operationally feasible. However by integrating such solutions into the base elements such services can be offered without changing the standards of known container, ISO or other.

As indicated in FIG. 7 the base element may be provided with grooved tracks both on the exterior side, i.e. the side surface facing away from the container in the mounted state, and on the opposite interior side. An example of the use of these grooves is shown in FIG. 8, where adjustment elements 33 and 34 provided with projecting buds 35 on their sides, which buds are inserted in the grooves. The adjustment elements 33, 34 shown here also have grooves in their sides intended to serve as tracks for other equipment, and since they overlap two base elements they contribute to stabilising the group or array formed by the containers.

Another example of the use of grooved tracks facing away from the container in shown in FIG. 9, where such grooves 18 in both a top base element 1 and a bottom base element 31 is used for attachment of a lashing device 21. This lashing provides extra stiffness to the container and thus increased stability when other containers are subsequently arranged on top. The element shown at the bottom of the container may, however, also represent a top base element of an underneath container (not shown), in which case the lashing device 21 keeps the two containers together as a unit. Likewise the element shown at the top of the container might be a bottom base element of an above container (not shown).

The embodiment shown in FIG. 10 is slightly different from FIG. 9 in that the lashing device 22 is here attached to the corner fittings 14 of the container. Here it is the top corner fittings, but it could also have been the bottom corner fittings. Moreover, the lashing device 22 shown here is much slimmer than the lashing device 21 in FIG. 9, which is intended to illustrate that several different types of device, particularly having different strength, may be employed depending on demand. If made from materials, which allow very slim, foldable designs, the lashing devices may be housed in grooves or depression in top and/or bottom base elements, when not in use.

The function of the lashing devices 21, 22 in FIGS. 9 and 10 is illustrated in FIG. 11. As may be seen, it has the overall shape of an X, where the angles between the legs may be varied as indicated by the arrows a and where end members 23 may be telescoped in and out of the legs to adjust their length as indicated by the arrows b. In this way the size of the lashing device may, within certain limits, be adjusted to different container standards, but more importantly, it may be stored and moved into its intended position of use in a folded state and then expanded for attachment. For this purpose the end members 23 are provided with connectors 24 and wheels 25 for engaging base elements and/or corner fittings, the connectors 24 preferably being moveable between an advanced engagement position and a retracted position as indicated by the arrows c. It is preferred that the movement of the different parts of the lashing device is automated and preferably even remote controlled, so that lashing may be done with little or no operator involvement.

Lashing of containers may, however, also be achieved by a simple overlapping brick arrangement and interlocking of top and/or bottom base elements, so that one container is arranged with its middle above the gap between two neighbouring containers. The connectors 20′ shown on the base element in FIG. 3 may be used for this purpose.

An alternative to the adjustment elements 33 shown in FIG. 8 is attachment elements as those shown in FIGS. 12a-12c, which are used for stabilization, strengthening, lashing or supply means which may be active, even self-driven units, or pure passive attachments. These attachment elements 36, 37, 38 differs from the adjustment elements in being connected directly to the side of the corner fittings 14 of container and thus in principle being independent of the top base elements 1, which are attached to the upper sides of the corner fittings. However, also a combined solution of such attachment with a base element could well be imagined. The attachment element 36 in FIG. 12a constitutes a groove 18 corresponding to that in FIGS. 2 and 6b and the attachment element 37 in FIG. 12b constitutes a projection 17 corresponding to that in FIGS. 1 and 6a, while the attachment element 38 in FIG. 12c constitutes a ledge 39. Distance keeper 40 made out of rubber or the like ensure a minimum space between containers and serve as protection and stopping members in container flow storage solutions. However, such distance keepers can also be build as connectors or power supplies.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a three-dimensional array of containers with top base elements 1, bottom base elements 31 and attachment elements 38 as that shown in FIG. 12c. As may be seen the attachment elements 38 span from one corner fitting to another, having substantially the same length as the container and is provided with small reinforcements 41 at intervals along their length. In the example shown in FIG. 13 the common or modified base element is directly mounted to the supporting surface, i.e. the ground, a floor or a deck. Accordingly, negative locking holes, such as known from standard integrated container fittings, are provided in the supporting surface. Such a system is very flexible and adjustable to various container sizes and volumes.

FIG. 14 shows an example of the use of ledge type attachment members, where pick-up carriers 29 run on the attachment elements along alleys or paths formed between the containers, taking cargo 3 in and out of open-sided containers. The carrier having approximately the same height and width as the base elements 1, 31 used on the containers in the array means that the carriers may also be used for transporting or storing entire containers, but the attachment elements and their connection to the containers of the array should then of course be dimensioned accordingly. Carriers may also run on the ground or other supporting surface or rest on the top of the stack of containers, and any of these carriers may including means for lifting and lowering entire containers or other loads.

The basic idea behind the use of base elements for housing functional elements and transferring loads may also be employed in a warehouse solution as shown in FIG. 15. Here containers are stored on a rack 50 made from shelf elements 51 resembling the base elements in FIGS. 2, 6b, 7 and 8, pillars 52 and bracing 53, which may advantageously be lashing device as shown in FIGS. 9-11. The shelf elements are provided with wheels 56, allowing containers to rest thereon and be easily moved into and out of the rack, even if not being provided with wheeled bottom base elements. The shelf elements 51 further comprises grooves 58, which, in this embodiments, may serve as tracks for equipment running in between the containers, for holding proper shelves in spaces not occupied by containers, etc.

FIGS. 16a-16c show different embodiments of the detail marked E in FIG. 15. The embodiment in FIG. 16a corresponds to the one shown in FIG. 15, where the shelf elements 51 are provided with wheels 56 and where the container 55 is mounted with a bottom base element 31, interconnected to the corner fittings 14 and serving to distribute loads from the points of contact with the wheels.

FIG. 16b really shows two different embodiments, namely one on the right, where the bottom base element 31 is provided with wheels 46 for running in the groove of the shelf element 51, and another on the left, where the shelf element 51 is provided with one or more wheeled runners for carrying containers.

Finally, FIG. 16c shows what may be said to be a hybrid solution, where wheels are 56 are provided on an insert member 59 inserted in the groove of the shelf element. This provides increased flexibility of the warehouse system, as such insert members can easily be removed and possibly replaced by others having different functionality.

Where FIG. 15 shows a complete container stack flow system with each container moveable, FIGS. 13 and 14 on the other hand show stacked systems, where no single container is moveable and where a moving element (not shown) would be mounted under the lowermost container or the containers simply stacked on the ground.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown on the drawing, only by the claims, and that the features described in each of these embodiments may thus be combined in other ways than those described without departing form the scope of the invention. For example features described above with reference to a top base element may also be employed in a bottom base element.

Claims

1. A container handling and flow system comprising; a plurality of base elements for mounting on containers and fasteners for locking the base elements on to corner fittings of a container, wherein base elements are elongate and have a length corresponding to the width of the containers to be handled, said system possibly including base elements of different lengths corresponding to different container standards, that the fasteners are arranged one at each end of the base element at a distance corresponding the distance between the corner fittings, and that said base elements have sufficient strength and stiffness for allowing transfer of the load of one or more container(s) resting on top of or moving across a pair of base elements.

2. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, further including base elements capable of spanning the width of two or more containers arranged side-by-side.

3. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, where at least some of the base elements are equipped with rollers, wheels or conveyors, which may be either passive or driven by roller motors, conveyor drives, push/pull systems or the like capable of moving at least one container, brakes, vibration dampeners and/or means for regaining/collecting kinetic energy.

4. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more functional element(s) chosen from the group consisting of: carriers, cranes, lashing, supply and/or stabilization elements, roof and/or sidewall systems for water, wind and sunlight protection, safety and security solutions, lights, lamps, CCTV and control cameras, remote control units, wireless or Bluetooth systems, network solutions, RFID and/or Memory and control chips, Gensets, Engines, Power Packs, fly wheels, batteries, capacitors, chargers, cooling systems, grooved tracks, weight balancing and trimming means for container, stacks and vessels, sensors for sensing distances, container and stacking stability, damages, motions, weather, etc. as well as supply of air/gas or electricity, said functional element(s) being either separate unites) or integrated in the base elements or carriers.

5. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, where at least some base elements can be interconnected or include lashing elements or tracks or connectors for attachment of lashing elements, the lashing elements or connectors preferably being automatically operable.

6. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, further including attachment or adjustment members for being mounted directly on or which are integrated in containers.

7. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, where the base elements are shaped as bridges with a curved side in the length direction.

8. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, further including storage facilities and/or supply systems for storing and delivering base elements, respectively, and/or an electronic control system, preferably with remote communication.

9. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, further including mounting and/or supply carriers for running onto or along other base elements, which has already been mounted, to mount or dismount base elements on other containers and/or deliver supplies.

10. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, where the height of at least one type of base element is bigger than its width, when seen in the mounted position.

11. A container handling and flow system according to claim 1, where the base elements are made with one or more materials chosen from the group consisting of: metal, such as steel, plastic and composites, including fibres reinforced materials.

12. A method for handling a container and flow system comprising the step of implementing the method and system in at least one of a container terminal, a warehouse or on board a vessel.

13. A method of handling containers comprising the steps of: a) arranging at least two base elements on a first container, b) locking the base elements to corner fittings of the first container using fasteners on the base elements, said corner fittings being located at opposite corners at the same end of the first container, c) arranging the first container in a stacks with at least one other container so that the load of one or more container(s) resting on top of or moving across a pair of base elements may be transferred via the base elements.

14. A method according to claim 13, further including the step of mounting base elements both at the top and at the bottom of containers before arranging them in a stack, said top and bottom base elements possibly being of different construction.

15. A method according to claim 13, where base elements are mounted by a robotic or machine system, preferably at first point of contact in a warehouse or a container terminal.

16. A method according to claim 13, where containers equipped with base elements are arranged to form a path for other containers.

17. A method according to claim 13, where containers equipped with base elements are arranged in terminals or on vessels so that they form access paths for container carriers.

18. A method according to claim 13, where two or more containers are interconnected using base elements to form a movable unit.

19. A method according to claim 13, where base elements are left on the container when it is transferred to a vessel, truck or train.

20. A method according to claim 13, where the containers are stacked onto carriers or base elements and moved on paths through the terminal, warehouse or vessel, substantially without being lifted.

21. A method according to claim 20, where the paths are inclined and the containers are preferably arranged on negative height equalization carriers.

22. A method according to claim 13, where containers to be relocated to other rows/stacks are moved onto carriers.

23. A method according to claim 13, where the handling and operating of containers within terminals, warehouses or vessels are controlled by software and an operational systems controlled centrally or autonomously to move and position containers optimally.