Patent Application
20140158681
The present invention relates to fastening systems for containers, and in particular to fastening systems for modular containers comprising a plurality of panels.
Modular containers having a plurality of panels or segments that can be fastened together have a variety of uses. Some such containers can be of a significant size or volume. For example, some such containers are used to store fracturing fluids used and/or produced during hydraulic fracturing of oil or gas wells, drilling fluids produced when drilling an oil well or other type of well, temporary storage of potable water, storage of agricultural products, or storage of sand or other solids, or the like.
It is desirable to provide improved fastening systems for modular containers that facilitate the assembly and disassembly of such containers, while providing sufficient strength to ensure that the structure of the container is not compromised during use.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.
The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.
In one embodiment, a modular panel for use in forming a container is provided. A plurality of securing receptacles are on a first end of the panel and a plurality of securing receptacles are on a second end of the panel. Each one of the plurality of securing receptacles on the first end of the panel are positioned at approximately the same elevation relative to a base of the panel as a corresponding one of the securing receptacles on the second end of the panel to provide a pair of corresponding securing receptacles, and each pair of corresponding securing receptacles is dimensioned to receive a securing bar therein so that the securing bar can be retained within the securing receptacles to hold the panels in a secured position when two panels are engaged in abutting end-to-end relationship. In some embodiments, the securing bar is slideably received within the securing receptacles. In some embodiments, the securing bar has a locking mechanism at its first and second ends. In one embodiment, a panel assembly comprising two such modular panels are aligned in abutting end-to-end engagement, with the securing receptacles on the first end of a first one of the panels being positioned adjacent the securing receptacles on the second end of a second one of the panels, the panels being retained in the secured position by at least one securing bar locked within at least one pair of corresponding securing receptacles.
In one embodiment, a fastening system for securing two modular panels in abutting end-to-end relationship is provided. The fastening system has a plurality of pairs of corresponding securing receptacles, a first member of each pair of corresponding securing receptacles is provided on one end of a first one of the modular panels and a second member of each pair of corresponding securing receptacles is provided on one end of a second one of the modular panels at approximately the same elevation relative to a base of the panels as the first member of the pair of corresponding securing receptacles. The fastening system also has a plurality of securing bars. Each one of the securing bars is slideably engageable within one of the pairs of corresponding securing receptacles. Each one of the securing bars has a locking mechanism to prevent movement of the securing bar relative to the pair of corresponding securing receptacles when the panels are in a secured configuration.
In one embodiment, a method of assembling a container formed from two or more modular panels is provided. First and second modular panels are aligned in abutting end-to-end relationship, so that each one of a plurality of securing receptacles on one end of the first modular panel are aligned with a corresponding one of a plurality of securing receptacles on one end of the second modular panel to provide a pair of corresponding securing receptacles. A securing bar is inserted through at least two of the pairs of corresponding securing receptacles. The securing bar is locked against movement relative to the securing receptacles.
In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions.
Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
Throughout the following description specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in the art. However, well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense.
For ease of reference herein, the term “vertical” is used to describe the relative location of features with reference to the orientation of the panels shown in the drawings and as such panels would typically be oriented during use. It will be appreciated that the subject matter described herein could have other orientations (for example, panels could be laid flat for shipping or storage), in which case one skilled in the art would appreciate that the relative orientation of the direction that has been described herein as “vertical” could in fact extend in some other direction, such as a horizontal direction, and that subject matter having such orientations falls within the scope of the appended claims.
With reference to
In some embodiments, panel 20 could have shapes other than rectangular, for example, generally square. In some embodiments, panel 20 can be constructed from a plurality of panel segments that have been welded or otherwise secured together in any suitable manner to provide a panel 20 of a size larger than the individual panel segments. It will be apparent that the shape of panel 20 need not be strictly square or rectangular; for example, the ends of panel 20 could be somewhat angled or otherwise not straight without interfering with the function of panel 20, provided that panels 20 are correspondingly shaped at each end 22A, 22B so that two panels are engageable in abutting end-to-end relationship. In some embodiments, panel 20 can be constructed from a plurality of panel segments having different thicknesses that have been welded or otherwise secured together in any suitable manner. For example, in some embodiments, the upper portion of panel 20 is made from a plurality of panel segments that are thinner than the panel segments used to make the lower portion of panel 20.
Panel 20 has a lower edge, illustrated as base 28. Each one of securing receptacles 24 on first end 22A of panel 20 is positioned at approximately the same vertical elevation 27 above base 28 as a corresponding one of the securing receptacles 24 on second female end 22B of panel 20 to provide a pair of corresponding securing receptacles 24. Each pair of corresponding securing receptacles 24 are positioned and dimensioned to receive a securing bar 26 therethrough, to secure panels 20 together when panels 20 are engaged in abutting end-to-end relationship.
The securing receptacles 24 are dimensioned to be engageable with the securing bar 26 when a corresponding pair of panels 20 are aligned in abutting end-to-end relationship. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the securing receptacles 24 are slideably engageable with securing bar 26. Securing receptacles 24 are generally square in cross-section, and the securing bar 26 is generally square in cross-section, such that securing bar 26 can be slidably inserted through a pair of corresponding securing receptacles 24 when panels 20 are aligned in abutting end-to-end relationship to hold the adjacent panels 20 in a secured position (i.e. securing bar 26 is slidably engageable with a pair of corresponding securing receptacles 24). In other embodiments, the securing receptacles and securing bar could independently be rectangular, circular, pentagonal, hexagonal or the like, or asymmetrical in cross-section, and could have the same or different cross-sectional shapes, so long as the securing bar can be inserted through a corresponding pair of securing receptacles on adjacent panels to hold panels 20 in the secured position.
In the illustrated embodiment, securing receptacles 24 have been illustrated as being spaced at different vertical elevations along the height of panel 20, so that a larger number of pairs of corresponding securing receptacles 24 are positioned on the lower half of panel 20 than on the upper half of panel 20. In alternative embodiments, the elevations of corresponding pairs of securing receptacles 24 can be varied or made more or less even along the height of panel 20. In some embodiments, securing receptacles 24 are spaced apart at approximately equal vertical elevations along the height of panel 20. Any number and location of securing receptacles 24 may be used, as may be appropriate for any particular application. In the illustrated embodiment, five pairs of corresponding securing receptacles 24 are provided on the lower half of panel 20, and two pairs of corresponding securing receptacles 24 are provided on the upper half of panel 20. In another exemplary embodiment, six corresponding pairs of securing receptacles 24 are provided, and are spaced roughly equally apart across the height of panel 20. Other arrangements and numbers of securing receptacles 24 may be used.
Panel 20 is formed from a panel body 30. To reinforce the structure of panel body 30, in the illustrated embodiment top and bottom support members 32 are provided. One or more spaced apart reinforcing ribs 34 are provided that extend vertically along the height of panel body 30 to provide added strength. In some embodiments, reinforcing ribs 34 are omitted. In some embodiments, top and/or bottom support members 32 are omitted. In some embodiments, reinforcing ribs 34 and top and/or bottom support members 32 are omitted.
Suitable materials for the manufacture of all components of panels 20, including top and bottom support members 32 and reinforcing ribs 34, include carbon steel, stainless steel, corrugated steel, aluminum, composite, fibreglass-reinforced plastic (FRP), or the like. Different components of panel 20 could independently be made from different materials. The selection of suitable materials depending on the desired application (e.g. nature and volume of the material to be contained, environmental conditions under which the panels will be used, and the like) and manufacture of the components described herein is within the skill of one knowledgeable in the art. For example, securing receptacles 24 can be machined separately from the panel body 30 and then welded on to panel body 30, or otherwise integrally formed with or joined to panel body 30 in any suitable manner. In some embodiments, securing receptacles 24 are formed from hollow structural sections of steel. In some embodiments, securing receptacles 24 are formed from steel cast into an appropriate shape.
In the illustrated embodiment, as best shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, a cap end 36 at a first end 26A of the securing bar 26 provides one of the locking mechanisms. In the illustrated embodiment, cap end 36 is an outwardly extending projection having a diameter larger than the diameter of securing bar 26, and sufficiently large that cap end 36 cannot pass through securing receptacles 24. In some embodiments, cap end 36 is formed from a hollow structural section having a slightly larger diameter than securing bar 26. In some embodiments, cap end 36 is integrally formed with securing bar 26, which is cast in a mold. Cap end 36 can be formed in any desired shape. Cap end 36 prevents first end 26A of securing bar 26 from being passed through one of the securing receptacles 24. Cap end 36 may be manufactured in any suitable manner, and joined, welded, integrally formed with or in any suitable manner secured to first end 26A of securing bar 26. It is not necessary that cap end 36 be disposed exactly at or near the end of securing bar 26, so long as a sufficient length of securing bar 26 extends through both securing receptacles 24 to permit panels 20A, 20B to be retained in the secured position.
In the illustrated embodiment, second end 26B of securing bar 26 is provided with a vertically-extending aperture 38 for receiving a locking pin 40 (
Locking pin 40 can be secured within apertures 37 and through aperture 38 in the illustrated embodiment to lock securing bar 26 in the secured position. It will be apparent that the orientation of apertures 37 and 38 is not critical and could be varied, but a vertical orientation of apertures 37 and 38 conveniently facilitates the insertion and further securement of locking pin 40 as described below. It will also be apparent that although apertures 37 have been described as vertically aligned and aperture 38 as vertically extending, in this context it is not necessary that these structures be strictly vertical, so long as locking pin 40 can be passed through the pair of apertures 37 and through aperture 38 to lock securing bar 26 in place in the secured position.
In the illustrated embodiment, aperture 38 extends vertically through securing bar 26 and apertures 37 are in vertical alignment on securing receptacle 24B. Locking pin 40 has at a first end 40A a horizontally outwardly extending head 42 that prevents locking pin 40 from passing downwardly through apertures 37 and 38. In some embodiments, locking pin 40 is provided at its second end 40B with a locking aperture 44 for receiving a cotter pin (not shown) or other suitable securing member to further secure locking pin 40 within apertures 37 and 38 and/or to secure locking pin 40 in the travel position as described below. In some embodiments, locking aperture 44 is omitted and no securing member is provided at the second end of locking pin 40. In some embodiments, second end 40B of locking pin 40 is tapered (as shown in the illustrated embodiment), to facilitate insertion of locking pin 40 through apertures 37 and 38.
In some embodiments, two adjacent spaced apart apertures 38 are provided on securing bar 26 and two pairs of adjacent spaced apart apertures 37 are provided on securing receptacles 24B, so that two locking pins 40 can be used to hold securing bar 26 in the secured position. In such embodiments, securing receptacle 24B can be provided with two spaced apart pairs of vertically aligned apertures 37 that are positioned to be in vertical alignment with apertures 38 when panels 20 are in the secured position. Use of two locking pins 40 as aforesaid can provide additional strength or an improved safety factor to a tank constructed from a plurality of panels 20 in applications where this may be necessary or desirable.
With reference to
Without being bound by theory, when a plurality of panels 20 have been engaged in abutting end-to-end relationship and placed in the secured position as aforesaid to form a container in which securing bars 26 are slideably engaged and locked in place within securing receptacles 24, the outward force of the liquid or other material contained within the container against panels 20 is passed by securing receptacles 24 lengthwise along securing bar 26. Thus, much of the force applied against the walls of the tank is absorbed by cap end 36 and locking pin 40, and shear stress on securing bar 26 is lessened.
As illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, securing receptacles 24 project outwardly from panel body 30, i.e. toward the outside of the container formed by assembling panels 20. Providing securing receptacles 24 on the outside of container 50 can facilitate assembly of container 50 (e.g. because assembly of panels 20 can be accomplished from the outside of container 50), and/or can assist in providing a smooth surface on the inside of container 50 (which can assist in avoiding leaks if container 50 is to be lined or used to store liquid). In alternative embodiments, the panels could be configured so that the securing receptacles project inwardly from the panel body 30 (i.e. into the interior of container 50).
If desired, for example where container 50 will be used to contain liquids, a suitable liner (not shown) can be inserted in container 50 prior to loading the material to be contained into container 50.
The size of container 50 can be varied by varying the dimensions and/or degree of curvature of panels 20 as described above. In some embodiments, container 50 is dimensioned to hold a volume of between 600,000 L and 8,000,000 L. Container 50 can be used to contain any desired material, whether liquid or solid. In some embodiments, container 50 is used to store fracturing fluids used and produced during hydraulic fracturing of oil or gas wells, or drilling fluids produced when drilling an oil well or other type of well. In other embodiments, container 50 is used for temporary potable water storage, agricultural product storage, or storage of sand or other solids, or the like.
To disassemble container 50, the contents of container 50 are removed, any liner lining container 50 is removed, locking pin 40 is removed from apertures 37, 38 after removal of any cotter pin or the like from locking aperture 44, and securing pin 26 is slid out of at least one of securing receptacles 24 (securing receptacle 24B in the illustrated embodiment). Individual panels can then be stacked or crated for storage or shipping, if desired. In some embodiments, securing pin 26 is retained on panel 20 in a travel position by insertion of locking pin through apertures 46 (
In some alternative embodiments, containers having a variety of shapes could be made by using panels having flat or relatively flat sides. For example, as illustrated in
To assemble panels 60A, 62 and 60B, panels 60A, 62 and 60B are placed in abutting end-to-end relationship. The securing receptacles 24 on first end 64A of angled panel 62 are aligned with the corresponding securing receptacles 24 on panel 60A (i.e. the securing receptacle 24 at approximately the same elevation above the base of the panel). A securing bar 26 is passed through each pair of corresponding securing receptacles 24, and is secured in place by the insertion of one or more locking pins 40 through apertures 37 and 38. In some embodiments, a cotter pin (not shown) or other suitable securing member is inserted through a locking aperture 44 in the locking pin 40.
In a similar manner, the securing receptacles 24 on second end 64B of angled panel 62 are aligned with the corresponding securing receptacles 24 on panel 60B (i.e. the securing receptacle 24 at approximately the same elevation above the base of the panel). A securing bar 26 is passed through each pair of corresponding securing receptacles 24, and is secured in place by the insertion of one or more locking pins 40 through apertures 37 and 38. In some embodiments, a cotter pin (not shown) or other suitable securing member is inserted through a locking aperture 44 in the locking pin 40.
A plurality of panels similar to panels 60A and 60B can be connected together in abutting end-to-end relationship with each other and/or angled panels 62 in like manner to form an enclosed container. In the illustrated embodiment, angled portion 66 forms a 90° angle, and thus four angled panels 62 could be used together with any desired number of panels 60A and 60B to form square or rectangular containers. Varying angles of angled portion 66 could be used to form other shapes, for example angles of 108° can be used to form a pentagonal container, angles of 135° can be used to form an octagon, and so on. It would be within the ability of one skilled in the art to select varying lengths of panels 60A and 60B and magnitudes of angled portion 62 to produce an enclosed container that is symmetrical or asymmetrical in shape with straight or generally straight edges. A plurality of flat panels 60A and 60B could be connected together in abutting end-to-end relationship in the same manner as flat panels 60A, 60B with angled panel 62 to extend the sides of the container to provide a container of the desired dimensions.
With reference to
In some embodiments, two pairs of adjacent spaced apart vertically aligned apertures 46 are provided on securing receptacles 24A to accommodate engagement of two locking pins 40 in spaced apart side-by-side relation. This may be desirable, for example, in embodiments in which securing bar 26 includes two adjacent spaced apart apertures 38 for receiving two locking pins 40.
In some embodiments, panel 20 is symmetrical about a central vertical axis; that is, sides 20A and 20B of panel 20, including the placement of apertures 46 relative to apertures 38, are mirror images of one another.
Use of the travel position as aforesaid can facilitate the assembly and disassembly of a container 50 formed from a plurality of panels 20, since securing bars 26 do not need to be separately transported, and are conveniently positioned for assembling panels 20 into the secured position when container 50 needs to be set up. Locking pins 40 can be removed from apertures 38 and 46, the securing bar 26 can be slid through the securing receptacles 24 to the secured position, and locking pins 40 can be passed through apertures 37, 38 as described above to secure panels 20 in the secured position.
In some embodiments, use of the travel position enhances the safety of persons using panels 20. All components of panel 20 required for complete assembly of a container 50 are retained together on panel 20 as a single unit so that no additional components need to be installed on panel 20 from a ladder. The components of panel 20 required for complete assembly of container 50 are also conveniently retained together in the correct position to facilitate assembly of container 50. The components of panel 20 can also be easily transported, and the risk that components of panel 20 such as securing bar 26 will be lost during transport is reduced.
While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. For example,
