FREIGHT CONTAINER WITH FIRE SUPPRESSION

• US 20200130927A1
• Filed: 10/31/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Nordisk Aviation Products AS (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Nordisk Aviation Products AS (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Evensen, Mats Frydenlund, Arnesen, Christian
• Application Number:
  US16/176,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20200130927A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 2/065 having as the main closure device materials, whose characteristics undergo an irreversible change under high temperatures, e.g. intumescent
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 2/20 at 90 degrees to the plane of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/002 for warehouses, storage areas or other installations for storing goods
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/08 in aircraft A62C3/0207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/14 in connection with doors, windows, ventilators, partitions, or shutters, e.g. automatic closing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2590/542 special sealing means or means for improving sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2590/664 actuating mechanism other than manual, e.g. pneumatic, electropneumatic, hydraulic, electromagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/127 open-sided container, i.e. having substantially the whole side free to provide access, with or without closures B65D88/129, B65D90/008 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/14 by air
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/008 Doors for containers, e.g. ISO-containers locking E05B83/12
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/22 Safety features floating covers B65D88/34; arrangements of indicating or measuring devices B65D90/48; fire-fighting A62C
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/587 having a linear motion

Abstract

A freight container (1) has a frame to which a bottom (2), a roof (3), and sides (5-7) are attached, one side having a door opening closeable by a folding door (12) made of flexible, fire resistant material. The door (12) is supported from runners (13) moveable along a rail (14) combined with a top member (9) of a frame delimiting the door opening. A gap (15) is formed between the top frame member (9) and the top of the door (12) in its closed condition. The top member (9) is provided with a depending support (16) having a surface facing the inside of the door (12) and having attached thereto a strip of heat intumescent material (20). A flow passage (18) is formed between the strip (20) and the door (12) for gasses attempting to escape from the container through the gap (15) in a fire inside the container. The heat intumescent material (20) is arranged to swell and close the flow passage (18) when subjected to hot gasses from the fire inside the container.

Claims

1. A freight container having a frame to which a bottom, a roof, and sides are attached, at least one side having a door opening closeable by a folding door made of flexible fire resistant material, the door being supported from runners moveable along a rail combined with a top member of a frame delimiting the door opening, a gap being formed between the top frame member and the top of the door in its closed condition, wherein the top member is provided with a depending support having a surface facing the inside of the door and having attached thereto a strip of heat intumescent material, a flow passage being formed between the strip and the door for gasses attempting to escape from the container through the gap, the heat intumescent material being arranged to swell and close the flow passage when subjected to hot gasses from a fire inside the container.

2. A freight container according to claim 1, wherein the freight container is an air freight container.

3. A freight container according to claim 1, wherein the heat intumescent material has a swelling temperature in a range of about 130°

C. to about 170°

C.

4. A freight container according to claim 1, wherein the heat intumescent material has a swelling temperature in a range of about 140°

C. to about 160°

C.

5. A freight container according to claim 1, wherein the nominal swelling temperature of the heat intumescent material is about 150°

C.

6. A freight container according to claim 1, wherein at least 50% is made from one of aluminum, aluminum alloy and a composite material, or any combination thereof.

7. A freight container according to claim 1, wherein the heat intumescent material is contained in a pocked of flame resistant fabric which is fastened to the depending support.

8. A method of suppression of fires inside an air freight container having a flexible folding door suspended from a top frame member of the container, wherein an elongate strip of metal provided with a heat intumescent material is attached to the top frame member with the heat intumescent material facing the door.

9. An element for installation on a freight container having a flexible folding door suspended from a top frame member of the container for aiding in suppression of fires inside the container, wherein the element comprises an elongate strip of metal provided on one side with a pocket containing a heat intumescent material, the element being intended for attachment to the top frame member.

10. An element according to claim 9, wherein the intumescent material has a swelling temperature in a range of about 130°

C. to about 170°

C.