PNEUMATIC DOOR OPENING AND SECURITY SYSTEM

• US 20130042532A1
• Filed: 08/15/2012
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cold Chain LLC
• Original Assignee: Cold Chain LLC
• Inventors: Wachtell, Peter J., Aragon, Daniel M., Prehn, John T., Lindsey, Todd J., Cash, John C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,045,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/357
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0221 Vinyl resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/025 Polyolefin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/06 Open cell foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/08 Closed cell foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/304 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2419/00 Buildings or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/065 of foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/304 comprising vinyl halide (co)polymers, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/108 for load transporting vehicles or public transport, e.g. lorries, trucks, buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/12 slidable; foldable
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/10 Hydraulic or pneumatic hydraulic or pneumatic circuits E05B81/52
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/16 for wings sliding vertically more or less in their own plane
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/24 consisting of parts connected at their edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/50 using fluid-pressure actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/59 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/516 : for trucks or trailers
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2003/7044 : Garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2003/7051 : of layered construction involving different materials
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/4407 : Single-hung, i.e. having a single vertical sliding panel
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/80 : flexible upwardly folding flexible screens E06B9/262
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 5/00 : Doors, windows, or like closures for special purposes insulated compound frames specially adapted for sliding doors or windows E06B3/26347; Border constructions therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/021 : Sliding doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 : involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/11 : Magnetic

Abstract

A pneumatic door system and a method of using the same are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, a trailer may include a seamless main door and at least one side door. The doors may be configured to be locked shut with a system of pneumatic locks. The main door may be configured to open and close as controlled by pneumatic pressure applied to a door cylinder. The pneumatic system may be configured to be controlled by an interior control box. The pneumatic system may be configured to operate off of pneumatic pressure in an auxiliary air tank, the pressure being protected by a series of one-way check valves. The pneumatic system may also be configured to operate wirelessly using RFID or Bluetooth technology, among other things, to secure the cargo and facilitate ingress and egress to the trailer.

Claims

1. A supply chain apparatus comprising a pneumatic door system, the system comprising:

a main door;

a pneumatic lock positioned so as to be capable of locking the main door;

a pneumatic mechanism for opening the main door;

a tank and a system of valves and conduits configured to provide fluid communication between the tank, the pneumatic lock and the pneumatic door opening mechanism; and

an electronic controller configured to open and close the valves to allow pneumatically opening or closing of the main door and pneumatically locking or unlocking of the pneumatic lock.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the supply chain apparatus is chosen from a trailer or container.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the main door is a seamless overhead door.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus comprises a second door that is different from the main door, and a second pneumatic lock positioned so as to be capable of locking the second door.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second pneumatic lock comprises a magnetic proximity switch configured to automatically actuate the lock when the door closes.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the tank is used to supply air for pneumatic brakes, and further wherein the apparatus comprises an auxiliary air tank for supplying air to operate the first pneumatic lock and the pneumatic door opening mechanism.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising one or more one-way check valves for maintaining pressure within the auxiliary air tank.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a refrigeration unit for maintaining a desired temperature.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to allow wireless communication.

10. A method of operating a pneumatic door system, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless signal for opening an overhead door positioned on a delivery vehicle;

actuating a pneumatic mechanism to open the overhead door;

determining that it is time to close the overhead door; and

actuating the pneumatic mechanism to close the overhead door.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless signal is an RFID signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless signal is a Bluetooth signal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that it is time to close the overhead door comprises determining that the wireless signal is no longer being received.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that it is time to close the overhead door comprises determining that a set time period has expired.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining that it is time to close the overhead door comprises a wireless receiver being turned off.

16. A method of operating a pneumatic door system that includes a controller configured for receiving wireless signals, the method comprising:

activating a wireless transmitter to transmit a signal to the controller for opening an overhead door positioned on a delivery vehicle; and

closing the overhead door by one of a) carrying the wireless transmitter out of range of the controller, or b) causing the wireless transmitter to stop transmitting the signal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the signal is a pulsed signal.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitter continues sending the signal until a user pushes a button.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the transmitter continues sending the signal until a set time period has elapsed since the transmitter was first activated.