Vibration isolator for container and the like, and method of using the same

• US 7,891,922 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mugen Corp. (UNIRITA, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mugen Corp. (UNIRITA, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fukuda, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): GORDON, STEPHEN T
• Application Number:
  US11/919,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20090279998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 410/46, 410/82, 410/86, 410/87, 410/88, 280/406.1, 267/103, 267/217
• US Class Current: 410/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 7/18 Protecting freight containers or forwarding containers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 24/02 Vehicle body, not intended to move relatively to the vehicle frame, and mounted on vibration absorbing mountings, e.g. rubber pads
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/10 comprising means for the suspension of the superstructure on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/129 Transporter frames for containers

Abstract

A vibration isolator for container, and the like, and a method of using the same which are applicable to general containers, and allow the loaded articles to be protected against vibration at the time of transportation, and the like, with the cost being held to a minimum. It is a vibration isolator (10) for container (C), and the like, which provides vibration isolation for cargo protection, being interposed beneath a transport container (C), a merchandise transport pallet, or the like, wherein shock absorbing members (50) are interposed between a base frame (20) and a load carrying frame (30); and at least at the four corners of the base frame (20), a latch receiving structure (25) of a twist lock (40) is disposed, and in the corresponding place in the load carrying frame (30), a twist lock (40) is disposed.

Claims

1. A vibration isolator for container and merchandise transport pallet that provides vibration isolation for cargo protection, being interposed beneath a transport container or a merchandise transport pallet wherein

shock absorbing members based on a plurality of pneumatic springs are interposed between a base frame which is loaded on a load carrying vehicle and a load carrying frame on which the container or the merchandise transport pallet is loaded;

said load carrying frame is made up of steel members connected in a form of a lattice, and at least at four corners of the lattice, a twist lock is disposed which, by turning a latch fitted into a latch receiving structure provided for the container or the merchandise transport pallet, is engaged such that the twist lock will not come off;

said base frame is made up of steel members connected in a form of a lattice, and in a corresponding place therein, a latch receiving structure with which a latch of a twist lock of the load carrying vehicle is engaged is disposed; and

said load carrying frame and base frame are combined to provide an assembly which is capable of being mounted to either a bottom face of the container or the merchandise transport pallet, or a top face of the load carrying vehicle.

4. The vibration isolator of claim 1, wherein each shock absorbing member includes a shock absorber or a hydraulic apparatus.

5. A method of using a vibration isolator, wherein loading/unloading or transport is carried out with the vibration isolator of claim 1 being kept mounted to the bottom face of the container or the merchandise transport pallet.

6. A method of using a vibration isolator, wherein loading/unloading or transport is carried out with the vibration isolator of claim 1 being kept mounted to the load carrying vehicle.

2. A vibration isolator for container and merchandise transport pallet that provides vibration isolation for cargo protection, being interposed beneath a transport container or a merchandise transport pallet wherein

shock absorbing members based on a plurality of pneumatic springs are interposed between a base frame which is loaded on a load carrying vehicle and a load carrying frame on which the container or the merchandise transport pallet is loaded;

said load carrying frame is made up of steel members connected in a form of a lattice, and at least at four corners of the lattice, a twist lock is disposed which, by turning a latch fitted into a latch receiving structure provided for the container or the merchandise transport pallet, is engaged such that the twist lock will not come off;

said base frame is made up of steel members connected in a form of a lattice, and in a corresponding place therein, a latch receiving structure with which a latch of a twist lock of the load carrying vehicle is engaged is disposed;

an air chuck which connects to a compressed air pipe from the load carrying vehicle, and an air reservoir which accumulates compressed air introduced through the air chuck for supplying it to the pneumatic springs are provided; and

said load carrying frame and base frame are combined to provide an assembly which is capable of being mounted to either a bottom face of the container or the merchandise transport pallet, or a top face of the load carrying vehicle.

7. The vibration isolator of claim 2, wherein each shock absorbing member includes a shock absorber or a hydraulic apparatus.

3. A vibration isolator for container and merchandise transport pallet that provides vibration isolation for cargo protection, being interposed beneath a transport container or a merchandise transport pallet wherein

shock absorbing members based on a plurality of pneumatic springs are interposed between a base frame which is loaded on a load carrying vehicle and a load carrying frame on which the container or the merchandise transport pallet is loaded;

said load carrying frame is made up of steel members connected in a form of a lattice, and at least at four corners of the lattice, a twist lock is disposed which, by turning a latch fitted into a latch receiving structure provided for the container or the merchandise transport pallet, is engaged such that the twist lock will not come off; and

said base frame is made up of steel members connected in a form of a lattice, and also in a corresponding place therein, a twist lock is disposed.

8. The vibration isolator of claim 3, wherein each shock absorbing member includes a shock absorber or a hydraulic apparatus.