Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FLOATING PARTITION, LOFT AND TROUGHS FOR A LIVESTOCK SHIPPING
CONTAINER
FIELD OF INVENTION
Generally, embodiments described herein relate to shipping containers for
transporting livestock on shipping vessels, and more particularly relate to
shipping
containers having floating partitions, as well as, floating feed troughs and
lofts.
BACKGROUND
As beef, dairy and other livestock industries continue to develop around the
world;
various market demands generate a need to transport livestock over great
distances. In some
cases, transoceanic and intercontinental shipments may be desirable. These
shipments can
be made relatively quickly by airborne transport, but at a great expense.
Heavier cargo, such
as livestock, can be particularly expensive creating a need for waterborne
transport, which
can take between four days and forty-five days, or more, to arrive at a final
destination.
Living animals present a number of issues that are unique to shipping and
which become
increasingly problematic over extended shipment periods. Therefore, a need
exists for a
specialized shipping container for the oceanic transport of livestock.
At least one previous container indicated for the transport of livestock
provides an
external means for accessing stored feed for distribution to livestock within
the container.
Such an arrangement may present safety hazards to an operator and requires
additional
spacing between containers. For example, some previously described shipping
containers
include compartments which are accessible from the exterior of the container
through
outwardly opening panels. These panels require a certain clearance in order to
provide
access to feed during the course of shipment, which increases the required
space for each
container. Further, these configurations require an operator or attendant
located on the
exterior of the container for distributing feed. The attendant may be exposed
to weather
elements and may be within the reach of livestock presenting opportunities for
injury while
performing these tasks. As such, a further need exists for shipping containers
which are
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spatially efficient and which include features for enhancing the health and
safety of livestock
and attendants.
A feed partition has been previously described which is located on the
interior of a
shipping container. However, the described design requires a large amount of
metal that
adds significantly to the overall weight of the container. Additionally, the
partition extends
to the floor presenting a number of issues. In particular, a permanent
structure affixed to the
floor of a shipping container may be difficult to clean between shipments as
waste may
collect at crevasses and joints and become resistant to conventional washing.
Cleaning
shipping containers between shipments is important to the health and safety of
both animals
being transported and personnel in contact with the containers. Therefore, a
need exists for
a shipping container with improved sanitary features.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Certain embodiments of the claimed invention are summarized below which meet
the needs set forth above. These embodiments are not intended to limit the
scope of the
claimed invention, but rather serve as brief descriptions of possible forms of
the invention.
The invention may encompass a variety of forms which differ from these
summaries.
One embodiment relates to a shipping container having a front wall, back wall,
first
sidewall and second sidewall connecting a container roof to a container floor
enclosing an
interior storage space. A floating partition may be mounted with one or more
of the first and
second sidewalls separating the interior storage space into a first portion
and a second
portion without touching the container floor. A loft may also be connected to
the floating
partition and mounted with one or more of the first and second sidewalls.
Another embodiment relates to a shipping container having a front wall, back
wall,
first sidewall and second sidewall connecting a container roof to a container
floor enclosing
an interior storage space. One or more column support plates mounted with the
first
sidewall and one or more web support plates mounted at the column support
plates at the
first sidewall. The one or more web support plates may have distal ends
extending away
from the column support plates mounted at the first sidewall. A floating
partition may be
mounted with the web support plates. One or more feed troughs and a catwalk
may be
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mounted with the floating partition. A loft in communication with the floating
partition may
be supported by one or more of the plurality of sidewalls. An end wing may be
connected to
the floating partition.
Naturally, further objects of the invention are disclosed throughout other
areas of the
specification and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. lA illustrates a downward sectional view of the front portion of a
shipping
container in accordance with certain embodiments described herein, the
sectional view being
taken from above the loft.
FIG. 1B illustrates a downward sectional view of the back portion of a
shipping
container in accordance with certain embodiments described herein, the
sectional view being
taken from above the loft.
FIG. 2A illustrates a downward sectional view of the front of a shipping
container in
accordance with certain embodiments described herein, the sectional view being
taken from
above the feed troughs.
FIG. 2B illustrates a downward sectional view of the back of a shipping
container in
accordance with certain embodiments described herein, the sectional view being
taken from
above the feed troughs.
FIG. 3 illustrates a back sectional view of a shipping container in accordance
with
certain embodiments described herein, the sectional view being taken from in
front of the
wing end.
FIG. 4 illustrates a back sectional view of a shipping container in accordance
with
certain embodiments described herein, the sectional view being taken at a
ventilation
opening.
FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a portion of the interior of a
shipping
container and a floating partition in accordance with certain embodiments
described herein.
While the present invention may be embodied with various modifications and
alternative forms, specific embodiments are illustrated in the figures and
described herein by
way of illustrative examples. It should be understood the figures and detailed
descriptions
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are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form
disclosed, but that
all modifications, alternatives, and equivalents falling within the spirit and
scope of the
claims are intended to be covered.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Now referring primarily to FIGS. lA and 1B, a downward sectional view of a
shipping container 10 having a plurality of walls 16 is illustrated from above
a loft 32. In
FIG. lA a front end of the shipping container 10 is shown with a front wall 18
consisting of
a container door 26. The shipping container 10 and a container door 26 can
represent any
conventional shipping container and may incorporate any number of doors
without departing
from the scope of the invention contemplated herein. By way of a non-limiting
example, the
shipping container 10 may be 8 feet wide, 40 foot long and 9 and a half feet
tall. As
additional non-limiting examples, similar containers with metric dimensions,
containers with
less height, containers with less length, containers with more height, and
containers with
more length may also be used, so long as the container has an interior storage
space 30
sufficient for transporting livestock.
The interior storage space 30 may be divided into a first portion 66 (seen in
FIG. 3)
and a second portion 68 (also seen in FIG. 3) by the combination of a floating
partition 28,
loft 32 and wing end 134, each of which may be constructed, in large part,
from tubular
metal, such as tubular steel. Naturally, other construction materials of
requisite strength
may also be used. In the case of transporting livestock, the first portion 68
of the interior
storage space 30 may be considered the livestock storage area 70 and may be so
dimensioned to accommodate any of a number of livestock. For example, various
national
and international bodies require certain livestock to have specified amounts
of area per
animal for shipment. This area allocated to livestock may be considered the
livestock
storage area 70. The second portion 68 of the interior storage space 30 may be
configured
for the storage of feed or for access by various personnel and may be
generally designated
the feed storage area 72.
Each of a floating partition 28, loft 32 and wing end 134 may be supported by
a first
sidewall 22 and a second sidewall 24 without touching the container floor 14
(seen in FIG.
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3). In this configuration each of the floating partition 28, loft 32 and wing
end 134 may be
considered to be "floating." As used herein with respect to internal container
elements, the
term "floating" shall be construed as not touching the container floor. Such a
configuration
may provide numerous advantages. For example, large livestock animals, such as
cattle,
may produce a significant volume of waste throughout the period of transport.
Various
human and livestock health issues arising from the collection of this waste
may require that
shipping containers utilized for shipping livestock are cleaned once the
animals are
discharged. Even with pressure washers, it may be difficult to thoroughly
clean the interior
surface of a container various items are connected directly to the floor. The
floating
configuration described herein provides an advantage over other pens or
partitions
contemplated on the interior of a shipping container because the container
floor is free of
obstacles or crevasses which may collect waste, or prevent waste from being
washed out
even with a pressurized washer.
Further advantages exist in a floating partition, particularly in
transatlantic voyages,
where livestock may be prone to injure their legs or other body parts on pen
or support
structures attached to the container floor. In particular, in the case of
shipping containers on
shipping vessels, large animals, such as cattle, may damage structures affixed
to the
container floor.
The combination of the floating partition 28, loft 32 and wing end 134 may
provide
an internal structure which provides a safe isolated space for livestock in
addition to an
accessible storage area for feed. Personnel may access the feed and distribute
it to a feed
trough 48 (illustrated in FIGS. 2-5) accessible to the livestock, while
remaining physically
separated from the livestock. The loft 32 may provide an area for storing hay,
compressed
hay, bags of grain, or pellets of feed above the livestock storage area 70 in
a manner which
is inaccessible to the livestock. The end wing 134 is connected to the
floating partition 28
and in combination they may provide a vertical barrier along the entire length
of the
container 10, or perhaps along the majority of the length of the container 10.
This vertical
barrier serves to isolate personnel from livestock, as personal may
periodically access feed
and for distribution into feed troughs. In this manner feed is accessible to
be distributed
evenly amongst troughs spaced along the entire length of the container 10.
Personnel may
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access this feed storage space 68 through a personnel door 146 which may
itself be located
in the container door 26 of the front wall 18.
The wing end 134 may provide a widened space in the feed storage area 68
allowing
space for the personnel door 146 to swing open and providing more room for
access to
various items and features within the container 10. The winged end 134 may
include a wing
gate frame 136 hinged to the floating partition 28. When in use, the container
doors 26 will
be closed and the winged gate may be latched in a position near or touching
the front wall
18 of the container 10. The wing gate 134 may further include wing gate
stanchions 138 in
the form of vertical posts affixed within the wing gate frame 136. The wing
gate 134 may
further include wing gate cross members 140. The wing gate cross members 140
may serve
as ladder steps 142 providing access to a loft floor 98 located a top the loft
32. The wing
gate 134 may be constructed at a slight tilt in order to present ladder steps
140 in a more user
friendly configuration.
When the container door 26 is opened, the wing gate 134 may be swung into a
second position which may be viewed as a continuation of the feed partition
structure 28. In
this configuration, the wing gate 134 may extend beyond the border of the
front wall 18.
This configuration of the wing gate 134 provides for a significantly wider
clearance when
the container door 26 is open and may be particularly advantageous for loading
livestock
into the container 10 prior to shipment. This configuration may also be
advantageous for
cleaning the container 10 and for brining equipment into the container 10 for
cleaning, such
as after livestock are unloaded from the container after shipment.
The wing gate 134 may be supported entirely by the floating partition 28
without any
portions extending to the container floor 14 (illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4)
and may thus be
considered to be floating.
Column support plates 34 (seen best in FIG. 5) may be welded to the interior
of the
first sidewall 22 and the second sidewall 24 of the container 10, or affixed
by some other
means, such as an epoxy adhesive or with fasteners, such as bolts. Some
shipping
containers are constructed with corrugated steel walls, and the column support
plate 34 may
be wide enough to span across a portion of the surface to contact and be
welded to at least
two surfaces generally in the same plane. However, other materials are
contemplated for
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use herein, the width of the column support plates 34 may be selected as
appropriate for the
material of the column support plate and the container sidewall. The column
support plates
34 may run the entire interior height of the container 10 and hence may
contact the container
floor 14 and the container roof 12 but are not considered part of the floating
partition 28.
Web support plates 36 can be steel plates mounted on the column support plates
34
for the purpose of supporting the floating partition 28, troughs 48, a catwalk
(Seen in FIG. 3,
4, and 5) and other structures above the container floor 14. As one non-
limiting example,
each of the column support plates 34 and the web support plates 36 may be
constructed from
pieces of quarter inch plate steel. However, other materials and thicknesses
of requisite
strength will be readily apparent for mounting the described structure and
these materials
and thicknesses are also contemplated for use herein.
The floating partition 28 may be mounted at a plurality of floating partition
columns
60 which may be welded directly to the web plate supports 36. The floating
partition
columns 60 may be connected to a plurality of floating partition cross members
82,
including a top floating partition cross member 84 mounted at the top of each
of a plurality
of floating partition support columns 60 and a bottom floating partition cross
member 86
(seen in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5) having segments mounted between floating
partition columns
60. Floating partition stanchions 54 may be mounted generally in parallel with
the floating
partition support columns 60 and may have first ends 56 mounted to the bottom
floating
partition cross member 86 and second ends 58 mounted to the top floating
partition cross
member 84. Similar structures may also be used that, for example, provide a
generally
planar partition structure having a top a bottom and columns, which may be
constructed
from tubular metals.
The illustrated embodiment further includes mid floating partition cross
members 88
mounted in parallel across the floating partition support columns 60 and
floating partition
stanchions 54. These floating partition cross members 88 may provide access to
the loft 32
from portions of the feed storage area 68.
The loft 32 may include a loft floor 98 generally supported by loft joists 92.
The loft
joists 92 may have firsts ends 94 supported at, or mounted with, the top
floating partition
cross member 84 of the floating partition 28 and second ends 96 mounted with a
loft support
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beam 90. The loft support beam 90 may be an L shaped bracket or other beam
being
counted to a plurality of spaced column support plates 34 on the second
sidewall 24.
Alternatively, the loft support beam 90 may be replaced with a series of
independent support
brackets for each loft joist 90. The loft floor 98 may further include cutouts
164 for the
purposes of promoting air circulation throughout the shipping container 10.
To further promote air circulation, a first circulation spacing 152 may be
seen
between the front wall 18 and the loft 32. The first circulation spacing, in
combination with
a first ventilation fan 148, can help promote air circulation throughout the
shipping container
and particularly promote air circulation above the loft 32. Referring to FIG.
1B, a second
10 circulation spacing 154 is illustrated for the purpose of prompting air
circulation above the
loft in conjunction with a second ventilation fan 150 mounted with the back
wall 20.
Each of the first circulation spacing 152 and the second circulation spacing
154 in
combination with the first ventilation fan 148 and the second ventilation fan
150 provides
for improved air flow. Otherwise, in shipping vessel transports utilizing
water routes
collection of moisture and/or condensation is possible in the loft area which
may result in
mold or in the spoliation of stored feed.
Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, further features may be seen from a top down
sectional view taken from below the level of the catwalk 70. A water bowl
mount 104 may
be mounted either directly to a wall 16 of the container 10, or to one of the
column support
plates 34. A water bowl 100, such as an automated or actuated water bowl,
maybe mounted
at the water bowl mount 104 and supplied with a source of water.
Feed troughs 48 can also be seen with a water trough front 50 that overlaps
the
bottom floating partition cross member 86. A water trough back 52 may rest on
the trough
support beam 46. The feed troughs 48 may be constructed for a polymeric
material, such as
a rubber or plastic. Such a construction may be light, easy to clean and easy
to remove from
the container 10. It may be desirable to have feed troughs 48 which are easy
to remove for
the purpose of cleaning the feed trough as well as for cleaning the container
10.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a front sectional view of the container 10 interior
is shown
from the front wall more clearly demonstrating the floating nature of the
depicted
embodiment at each of the floating partition 28, loft 32 and end wing 134 are
elevated from
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the container floor 14. Additionally, the front view provides a view of an
angle of tilt 170
created by a distal end 38 of the web plate support 36 and the floating
partition column 60
which is mounted thereon. In one embodiment, the angle of tilt 170 may be
between 2 and
20 degrees, in another embodiment the angle of tilt 170 may be between 5 and
15 degrees.
The angle of tilt 170 provides more space in the livestock storage area 70 at
the floor
level, where livestock need it the most. At the same time space in the feed
storage area 68 is
increased towards the loft floor 98 providing personnel retrieving feed more
space to
operate. Additionally, the combination of the tilt and the mid floating
partition cross
members 88 provide ladder steps for accessing feed located on the loft floor
98.
The end wing 134 can be seen in greater detail, as having an end wing frame
136
comprising four pieces of tubular metal forming a generally quadrilateral
shape. End wing
stanchions 138 may be mounted in parallel within the frame 136.
Additionally, a first catwalk beam 40 and a second catwalk beam 42 can be seen
mounted atop the web support plates 36. Each support beam and the catwalk 44
may run the
entire length of the floating partition 28. A water line 102 may additionally
run along a U
shaped tub, or within a tubular beam, of the first catwalk support 40. Feed 74
is also
illustrated within the feed trough 48.
With reference to FIG. 4, a front section is taken from behind the end wing
134
including illustrating a ventilation opening 114a in the first sidewall 22 and
a ventilation
opening 114a in the second sidewall 24 at a ventilation frame 116a. The
ventilation opening
114a in the first sidewall 22 includes a shutter 118a with a shutter cover
120a in a closed
position 124 and the ventilation opening 118b with a shutter cover 120b in the
second
sidewall 24 is illustrated in the open position 126.
With reference to the open shutter 118b, a shutter link 122 can be seen
connected to
a ventilation link 128. The slidable relationship between these lings allows
the shutter to be
locked into a shut position and unlocked and opened.
Referring to FIG. 5, a perspective view illustrates selected features and more
clearly
differentiates the floating partition columns 60 from the floating partition
stanchions 54.
The floating partition columns 60 are attached at the web support plates 36,
while the
floating partition stanchions terminate at the bottom floating partition cross
member 86.
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The invention should be understood to include the following the following non-
limiting aspects:
Al. A shipping container comprising: (a) a front wall, back wall, first
sidewall and
second sidewall connecting a container roof to a container floor enclosing an
interior storage
space, wherein the front wall further comprises a container door; (b) a
floating partition
mounted with one or more of the first and second sidewalls, wherein the
floating partition
separates the interior storage space into a first portion and a second portion
without touching
the container floor; and (c) a loft connected to the floating partition and
mounted with one or
more of the first and second sidewalls.
A2. A livestock shipping container comprising: (a) a front wall, a back
wall, a first
sidewall and a second sidewall connecting a container roof to a container
floor enclosing an
interior storage space, wherein the front wall further comprises a container
door; (b) one or
more column support plates mounted with the first sidewall; (c) one or more
web support
plates mounted at the column support plates at the first sidewall, the one or
more web
support plates having distal ends extending away from the column support
plates mounted at
the first sidewall; (d) a floating partition mounted with the web support
plates; (e) one or
more feed troughs mounted with the floating partition; (f) a catwalk mounted
with the
floating partition; (g) a loft in communication with the floating partition
and supported by
one or more of the plurality of sidewalls; and (h) an end wing connected to
the floating
partition.
A3. The shipping container as claimed in claim Al, further comprising: one
or more
column support plates connected to one or more of the first and second
sidewalls.
A4. The shipping container as claimed in claim A2 or claim A3, further
comprising: one
or more ventilation openings in one or more of the walls.
AS. The shipping container as claimed in claim A4, wherein the ventilation
openings are
spaced so as not to interfere with the column support plates.
A6. The shipping container as claimed in claim A3, further comprising:
one or more web
support plates connected to, and extending from, one or more column support
plates, the one
or more web support plates each having a distal end extending away from the
first sidewall.
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A7. The shipping container as claimed in claim A2 or claim A6, further
comprising: a
trough removably mounted on one or more trough support beams, wherein the one
or more
trough support beams are connected to one or more web support plates.
A8. The shipping container as claimed in claim A7, wherein the floating
partition further
comprises a bottom floating partition cross member and wherein the trough
further
comprises a trough front end and a trough back end, and wherein the trough
front is mounted
with the bottom floating partition cross member and wherein the trough back is
mounted
with the trough support beam.
A9. The shipping container as claimed in claim A8, wherein the feed trough
further
comprises a polymeric material.
A10. The shipping container as claimed in claim A2 or claim A6, further
comprising: a
catwalk mounted with one or more catwalk support beams, wherein the catwalk
support
beams are connected to one or more web support plates.
Al 1. The shipping container as claimed in claim A2 or claim A6, wherein the
floating
partition further comprises a series of floating position columns, each
floating position
column having a first end in communication with a web support plate and a
second end in
communication with the loft.
Al2. The shipping container as claimed in claim All, wherein the floating
partition
further comprises one or more floating partition stanchions generally parallel
to the floating
partition columns and one or more floating partition cross beams generally
perpendicular to
the floating partition columns.
A13. The shipping container as claimed in claim A2 or claim A6, wherein the
floating
partition comprises one or more floating partition columns in communication
with the one or
more web support plates.
A14. The shipping container as claimed in claim A13, wherein the floating
partition
columns are mounted at an angle of tilt relative to a horizontal axis as
defined by the walls
of the container.
A15. The shipping container as claimed in claim A14, wherein the angle of tilt
of the
floating partition columns is between about 2 degrees and about 20 degrees off
the
horizontal axis, as defined by the walls.
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A16. The shipping container as claimed in claim A14, wherein the angle of tilt
of the
floating partition columns is between about 5 degrees and about 15 degrees off
the
horizontal axis, as defined by the walls.
A17. The shipping container as claimed in claim A13, wherein the floating
partition
further comprises a plurality of floating partition cross members mounted with
the floating
partition, the floating partition cross members further comprising: (a) a top
floating partition
cross member mounted across the tops of the floating partition columns; (b) a
bottom
floating partition cross member mounted between each floating partition
column; and (c)
one or more mid floating partition cross members mounted between the top
floating partition
cross member and the bottom floating partition cross member so as to overlie
one or more
floating partition columns.
A18. The shipping container as claimed in claim A17, further comprising one or
more
floating partition stanchions, wherein each floating partition stanchions has
a first end and a
second end, and wherein the first ends of the floating partition stanchions
are mounted to the
top floating partition cross member and the second ends of the floating
partition stanchions
are mounted to the bottom floating partition cross members.
A19. The shipping container as claimed in any of claims A2 to A18, wherein the
loft
further comprises: (a) a loft support beam attached at one or more column
support plates on
the second sidewall; (b) one or more loft joists having first ends and second
ends, the first
ends being mounted on the top floating partition cross beam and the second end
being
mounted on the loft support beam; and (c) a loft floor mounted on the one or
more joists,
wherein the covering further comprises openings towards the second ends of the
joists, the
loft floor including cut out sections.
A20. The shipping container as claimed in claim A19, further comprising a rail
mounted
on a top surface of the loft floor.
A21. The shipping container as claimed in claim A19, wherein the loft floor
further
comprises cut away sections.
A22. The shipping container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the
first portion
of the interior storage space comprises a livestock storage area adapted to
store and transport
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livestock and wherein the second portion of the interior storage space
comprises a feed
storage area adapted to store feed.
A23. The shipping container as claimed in claim A22, wherein the floating feed
partition
provides a barrier through which livestock access feed stored in a trough.
A24. The shipping container as claimed in any preceding claim, further
comprising at least
one movable gate and a plurality of sets of gate hinges mounted with the
second sidewall
wherein the movable gate is moveable between each set of gate hinges.
A25. The shipping container as claimed in any preceding claim, further
comprising a
water impermeable coating on the floor of the container.
A26. The shipping container as claimed in claim A25, wherein the water
impermeable
coating comprises an epoxy coating.
A27. The shipping container as claimed in any preceding claim, further
comprising an end
wing mounted with the floating partition.
A28. The shipping container as claimed in claim A27, wherein the end wing is
hinged to
the floating partition to provide an end wing gate.
A29. The shipping container as claimed in claim A28, wherein the hinged end
wing is
secured near the front wall in a first position and wherein the end wing can
be put into a
second position, when the container door is open, extending beyond the front
wall.
A30. The shipping container as claimed in claim A28 or claim A29, wherein the
end wing
further comprises an end wing frame.
A31. The shipping container as claimed in claim A30, further comprising one or
more end
wing stanchions.
A32. The shipping container as claimed in claim A31, further comprises one or
more end
wing cross members mounted across at least a portion of the end wing frame.
A33. The shipping container as claimed in claim A32, wherein the cross members
are
spaced so as to provide ladder steps from the container floor to the loft.
A34. The shipping container as claimed in any one of claims A29 to A33,
further
comprising a wing gate barrier sheet connected with the wing gate frame.
A35. The shipping container as claimed in any preceding claim, further
comprising: (a) a
first ventilation fan mounted at the front wall; (b) a second ventilation fan
mounted at the
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back wall; (c) a first circulation spacing formed between the first
ventilation fan and the loft
at the front wall; and (d) a second circulation spacing formed between the
second ventilation
fan and the loft at the back wall.
A36. The shipping container as claimed in claim A35, further comprising a back
gate
formed in the floating partition adjacent to the second circulation spacing
formed between
the second ventilation fan and the loft.
A37. The shipping container as claimed in any preceding claim, further
comprising: a
personnel opening in the container door, wherein the personal door is
positioned on the front
wall of the shipping container to provide access to the catwalk and the end
wing cross
members while the container door remains shut.
A38. The shipping container as claimed in any preceding claim, further
comprising: one or
more shutters mounted with one or more ventilation openings, the ventilation
openings
supported by a reinforcement frame.
A39. The shipping container as claimed in claim A38, wherein the shutters
further
comprise: (a) a shutter cover having an opened position and a closed position;
and (b) a
shutter liffl( fixed to the shutter cover.
A40. The shipping container as claimed in claim A38 or claim A39, wherein the
shutters
further comprise: ventilation liffl( fixed to the ventilation frame, wherein
the shutter liffl( is
slidable between two positions relative to the ventilation link, and wherein
in a first position
the shutter cover extends past the reinforcement frame retaining the shutter
cover in either
the open or closed positions, and wherein in the second position, the shutter
cover moves
freely between the first opened position and the second closed position.
In addition to the floating components of certain embodiments described
herein, an
epoxy paint may be used on the floor of the shipping container. The epoxy
paint may be
impermeable to water and may provide a coating making it easier to flush waste
and other
materials out of the container after livestock are unloaded. The epoxy paint
may further be
formulated with a material providing texture to provide livestock with more
stable footing
during transport. Such an epoxy paint, particularly when utilized on the floor
of the
shipping container may provide a synergy with the floating partition, greatly
improving the
ability to easily and thoroughly clean the shipping container between
shipments.
14
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As can be easily understood from the foregoing, the basic concepts of the
present
invention may be embodied in a variety of ways. The invention involves
numerous and
varied embodiments of shipping container and methods of making and using the
shipping
container including, but not limited to, the best mode of the invention.
As such, the particular embodiments or elements of the invention disclosed by
the
description or shown in the figures or tables accompanying this application
are not intended
to be limiting, but rather examplary of the numerous and varied embodiments
generically
encompassed by the invention or equivalents encompassed with respect to any
particular
element thereof In addition, the specific description of a single embodiment
or element of
the invention may not explicitly describe all embodiments or elements
possible; many
alternatives are implicitly disclosed by the description and figures.
Moreover, for the purposes of the present description and claims, the term "a"
or
"an" entity refers to one or more of that entity; for example, "a container"
refers to one or
more containers. As such, the terms "a" or "an", "one or more" and "at least
one" should be
understood as interchangeable as used herein.
All numeric values herein are assumed to be modified by the term "about",
whether
or not explicitly indicated. For the purposes of the present invention, ranges
may be
expressed as from "about" one particular value to "about" another particular
value. When
such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular
value to the
other particular value. The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints
includes all the
numeric values subsumed within that range. A numerical range of one to five
includes for
example the numeric values 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, and so forth. It
will be further
understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in
relation to the
other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint. When a value is
expressed as an
approximation by use of the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the
particular
value forms another embodiment.
In addition, as to each term used it should be understood that unless its
utilization in
this application is inconsistent with such interpretation, common dictionary
definitions
should be understood to be included in the description for each term as
contained in the
CA 02870737 2014-10-16
WO 2013/158884 PCT/US2013/037179
Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, Second edition, each definition
hereby
incorporated by reference.
The background section of this patent application provides a statement of the
field of
endeavor to which the invention pertains. This section may also incorporate or
contain
paraphrasing of certain United States patents, patent applications,
publications, or subject
matter of the claimed invention useful in relating information, problems, or
concerns about
the state of technology to which the invention is drawn toward. It is not
intended that any
United States patent, patent application, publication, statement or other
information cited or
incorporated herein be interpreted, construed or deemed to be admitted as
prior art with
respect to the invention.
The claims set forth in this specification are hereby incorporated by
reference as part
of this description of the invention, and the applicant expressly reserves the
right to use all
of or a portion of such incorporated content of such claims as additional
description to
support any of or all of the claims or any element or component thereof, and
the applicant
further expressly reserves the right to move any portion of or all of the
incorporated content
of such claims or any element or component thereof from the description into
the claims or
vice versa as necessary to define the matter for which protection is sought by
this application
or by any subsequent application or continuation, division, or continuation-in-
part
application thereof, or to obtain any benefit of, reduction in fees pursuant
to, or to comply
with the patent laws, rules, or regulations of any country or treaty, and such
content
incorporated by reference shall survive during the entire pendency of this
application
including any subsequent continuation, division, or continuation-in-part
application thereof
or any reissue or extension thereon.
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