Safe intelligent container

• US 7,242,296 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: China International Marine Containers Company Limited
• Original Assignee: China International Marine Containers Company Limited
• Inventors: He, Sidong, Wang, Feng
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/942,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20050061215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 340/545.6, 340/545.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.23, 340/431, 340/540, 340/686.3, 340/686.6, 343/878
• US Class Current: 340/545.6
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/06 Electric alarm locks E05B45/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/10 Rotary bars
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/10 with alarm, signal or indicator E05G1/14 takes precedence; burglar, theft or intruder alarm per se G08B13/00; fire or explosion alarm per se G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind

Abstract

An intelligent transportation container is composed of a container body, door and electronic intelligent modules installed in the container. The electronic intelligent modules are installed in the door, and includes a door displacement transducer for monitoring the door movement and output of signals. The door has an aperture corresponding to the antenna on the electronic intelligent module, and the antenna passes through the antenna aperture and extends out of the container body. Relative movement of or between two doors, or the door movement relative to the doorcase, are used to monitor whether the door has been opened.

Claims

1. An intelligent transportation container having a container body with a pair of doors hingedly coupled thereto and each of the doors being secured in a closed position with a respective locking bar, said intelligent container comprising:

an electronic intelligent module mounted on an interior side of one of the pair of doors, said electronic intelligent module having a door displacement transducer coupled thereto that monitors displacement of the pair of doors and outputs signals responsive thereto, said electronic intelligent module including an antenna located in aligned relationship with an opening formed through the one door and extends through the opening to exit the container body for transmission of signals from said electronic intelligent module responsive to said signals output from said door displacement transducer.

2. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 1, wherein said door displacement transducer is mounted on the one door at a location adjacent to the other door.

3. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 1, wherein said door displacement transducer is a proximity switch, said proximity switch entering a first state when a distance between the pair of doors is less than a certain value, said proximity switch entering a second state and outputting a signal responsive to said distance between the pair of doors being greater than said certain value.

4. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 1, wherein said door displacement transducer is a position switch, said position switch having an inner contact that is open responsive to a distance between the pair of doors being less than a certain value, said inner contact being closed responsive to said distance being greater than said certain value and outputting a signal responsive thereto.

5. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 1, wherein said door displacement transducer is a pressure transducer, said pressure transducer entering a first state when said pressure transducer is impacted by a member coupled to one of the container body or the other door, said pressure transducer entering a second state and outputting a signal responsive to said member being displaced from said pressure transducer.

6. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna sealing ring disposed between an inside surface of the opening in the one door for the antenna and an external surface of said antenna.

7. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 1, further comprising a locking bar transducer mounted to the interior side of the one door and coupled to said electronic intelligent module, and a locking bar sensed element mounted on a surface of a corresponding locking bar for rotation therewith, said locking bar sensed element being coupled to a portion of the corresponding locking bar concealed behind a bracket supporting the locking bar, at least a portion of the locking bar transducer passing through an aperture in the one door, said sensed element being displaced from the locking bar transducer when the one door is closed, said sensed element passing in proximity of said locking bar transducer responsive to rotation of the corresponding locking bar, the locking bar transducer outputting signals responsive to said sensed element being passed in proximity thereto.

8. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 7, wherein said locking bar transducer is a proximity switch.

9. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 7, wherein said locking bar transducer is a position switch.

10. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 7, wherein said locking bar transducer is a pressure transducer, said pressure transducer includes a contactor pressed by said locking bar sensed element when a distance between said pressure transducer and the locking bar sensed element is less than a certain value, said contactor being separated from said locking bar sensed element when said distance is greater than said certain value.

11. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 7, further comprising a transducer sealing ring disposed between an inside surface of the aperture in the one door and an external surface of said at least a portion of said locking bar transducer.

12. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 1, further comprising a danger sensitive module mounted adjacent said electronic intelligent module for detecting whether a dangerous material has been loaded into the container body.

13. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 12, wherein said electronic intelligent module and said danger sensitive module are secured to the one door with hat-shaped mounting plates.

14. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 1, further comprising a doorcase proximity switch mounted in a top portion of the one door and a doorcase proximity switch sensed element mounted to a doorcase of the container body at a location corresponding to said doorcase proximity switch, said doorcase proximity switch being connected to said electronic intelligent module via wiring, said doorcase proximity switch being in a first state when the one door is closed and thereby a distance between the doorcase proximity switch and the doorcase proximity switch sensed element is less than a certain value, said doorcase proximity switch entering a second state responsive to the one door opening and thereby said distance is greater than said certain value and outputting a signal responsive thereto.

15. The intelligent transportation container according to claim 14, wherein said doorcase proximity switch is one of a capacitance type proximity switch, or an induction type proximity switch, or a magnetic reed type proximity switch.