Patent Grant
7121401
The inventions described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the U.S. Government for U.S. Government purposes.
The present packaging system for 120 mm mortar tactical rounds consists of two fiber tubes in an overpacked metal container. In order to unpack the rounds, the user has to unpalletize the metal container, remove the fiber tubes and load the fiber tubes in a mortar carrier rack. The total weight of the packaging materials is 35 lb., with the metal container weighing 23 lb. and each fiber tube weighing 6 lb. Thus, the current packaging system requires two people to carry it even a short distance. This current packaging system is thus very heavy, bulky and has three layers, so that it is undesirable in terms of weight and ease of handling.
In accordance with the present invention, a packaging system for a single ammunition is provided which includes a generally cylindrical container made of metal having an open top end and a closed bottom end. A cap closes and seals the top end of the container, and a locking mechanism locks the cap to the top end of the container. A guiding mechanism is used to guide the cap onto the top end of the container before the locking mechanism is locked so that the locking mechanism is properly aligned for locking. A plurality of impact rings are located about the container and the cap. These rings extends laterally beyond the container and the cap to provide impact protection for the container and the cap. The plurality of rings include a container bottom ring adjacent the bottom end of the container and a cap top ring adjacent the cap. A stacking mechanism is also provided on each container whereby a plurality of the containers are securely stacked adjacent one another. This stacking mechanism includes (a) a first top member and a second top member located adjacent the top ring of the cap and located 180° from one another about the cap such that the first top member of one cap interlocks with the second top member of an adjacent cap, and (b) a first bottom member and a second bottom member located adjacent the bottom end of the container and located 180° from one another about the container such that the first bottom member of one the container interlocks with the second bottom member of an adjacent the container.
In a preferred embodiment, the packaging system further includes a handle attached to the cylindrical container which fits laterally within a longitudinal profile of the impact rings, and a removable and adjustable shoulder strap which attaches to the container bottom ring and the cap top ring. In addition, a coating of fire-retardant paint is provided on the cylindrical container and the cap.
In the preferred embodiment, the first top member and the first bottom member include male segments, and the second top member and the second bottom member include female segments in which associated male segments are received to interlock adjacent containers. More preferably, the male segments are plugs which extend laterally from the cap top ring and the container bottom ring respectively, and the female segments are lateral holes in the cap top ring and the container bottom ring respectively in which associated plugs are received to interlock adjacent containers.
Also in the preferred embodiment, there are at least four of the impact rings, which are rounded octagonal shaped rings. In addition, the cap top ring extends longitudinally to a longitudinal end of the cap to help protect the cap longitudinally, and the container bottom ring extends longitudinally to a longitudinal end of the bottom end of the container to help protect the bottom end longitudinally.
Further in the preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism includes a tamper evident member. In addition, the locking mechanism pulls the cap longitudinally into the guiding mechanism during an initial locking movement of the locking mechanism.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the packaging system for a 120 mm mortar round can be carried by a single person.
It is also an advantage of the present invention that a handle and/or a shoulder strap is provided to make it easier to carry the packaging system for short distances.
It is a further advantage of the present invention that the packaging system provides environmental protection equal to or better than the present packaging system.
It is yet another advantage of the present invention that the reduced weight thereof allows for an increase in the number of rounds which can be carried by each standard pallet.
It is still another advantage of the present invention that it provides a stable side-by-side set up.
Other features and advantages of the present invention are stated in or apparent from detailed descriptions of presently preferred embodiments of the invention found hereinbelow.
With reference now to the drawings in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the views, a packaging system 10 for a single ammunition 12 (shown only in a chained line in
Container 14 includes an open top end 18 and a closed bottom end 20. It will be appreciated that ammunition 12 is securely loaded in container 14 as known in the art by use of a nose support 22 which keeps the nose of ammunition 12 spaced from closed bottom end 20. In addition, a corrugated liner 24 as best shown in
Suitably welded to container 14 are a plurality of impact rings, namely a bottom ring 26, a middle ring 28 and upper ring 30. Rings 26, 28 and 30 are preferably rounded octagonal shaped as shown best by upper ring 30 in
Cap 16 closes and seals the open top end 18 of container 14, and in this preferred embodiment cap 16 includes a cylindrical section 34. Cylindrical section 34 matches container 14, and cylindrical section 34 includes an open bottom end 36 and a closed top end 38. Top end 38 is closed by an end plate 40 welded thereat. Located at closed top end 38 is a cap top ring 42. Top ring 42 also serves as an impact ring just like bottom ring 26, and thus top ring 42 is essentially identical to bottom ring 26 but reversed in longitudinal direction to extend longitudinally to the longitudinal end of cap 16 formed by end plate 40. Located interiorly of end plate 42 is an end liner 44 which prevents the tail end of ammunition 12 from contacting end plate 40 directly.
In order to properly align open bottom end 36 of cap 16 with open top end 18 of container 14 when closing packaging system 10, a guiding mechanism 50 is provided as best shown in
In order to lock cap 16 onto container 14, a locking mechanism 60 is used. Locking mechanism 60 is preferably a toggle latch 62 or the like well known in the art, which is further preferably an over-center type so that once latch 62 is closed latch 62 is biased to stay in the closed position. Toggle latch 62 is substantially contained within the profile of upper ring 30 as shown in
Conveniently, as shown in
Except for the joint between cap 16 and container 14, cap 16 and container 14 also protect ammunition 12 from the environment as container 14 and cap 16 are otherwise air water impervious. Thus, in order to completely seal packaging system 10 against air, water and the like, a seal 70 as best shown in
Packaging system 10 also includes a stacking mechanism 80 so that a plurality of packaging systems 10 can be securely or stably stacked adjacent one another (side-by-side) in a suitably sized pallet or the like, and this stability exists during the palletization process as well and makes transport easier. Thus, another reason that impact rings 26, 28, 30 and 42 are identically octagonal shaped and symmetrically positioned is to allow and to promote such a stacking ability of systems 10. In addition, to better secure each system 10 in the stacked position, stacking mechanism 80 includes a first top member 82. It will be appreciated that in
Similarly, stacking mechanism 80 includes a first bottom member 92 and a second bottom member 94 located in bottom ring 26. As members 92 and 94 are otherwise identical to members 82 and 88 in form and function, members 92 and 94 will not be further discussed. By use of stacking mechanism 80, each packaging system 10 within a stack is thus interconnected with two adjacent packaging systems in order to provide a relatively secure stack of packaging systems 10.
As packaging system 10 is designed for only a single ammunition 12, which while quite heavy can be carried for short distances by a user, packaging system 10 also includes a handle 100 attached to container 14 near the mid-weight point of loaded packaging system 10. Handle 100 is preferably a simple hand strap or the like in order to fit within the profile of rings 26, 28, 30 and 42 and thus not to interfere with the stacking of packaging systems 10 as described above. In addition, packaging system 10 also includes an adjustable shoulder strap 102 which is clipped or otherwise releasably attached to bottom ring 26 and top ring 42 of packaging system 10 (as well known in the art). Shoulder strap 102 is intended to be used in place of handle 100 at the user's preference. As shoulder strap 102 does not fit within the profile of rings 26, 28, 30 and 42, shoulder strap 102 is provided separately and attached to rings 26 and 42 as/when needed.
As an aid to removing cap 16 from container 14 when packing or unpacking is desired, a removable cap handle 104 can be provided which is similarly attached to cap 16 (on both sides) as shoulder strap 102 is attached.
In order to better protect ammunition 12, packaging system 10 also includes a fire-retardant coating 110 as shown schematically in
While packaging system 10 has been depicted with four impact rings, it will be appreciated that a minimum of three impact rings could be used or more than four impact rings could be used as desired and for particular applications (such as shorter or longer packaging systems, and/or lighter or heavier ammunition).
Thus, while the present invention has been described with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that other variations and modifications can be effected within the scope and spirit of the invention.
This application claims benefit under 35 USC 119(e) of provisional application 60/319,959, filed Feb. 20, 2003, the entire file wrapper contents of which provisional application are herein incorporated by reference as though fully set forth at length.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1346636 | Cottle | Jul 1920 | A |
| 2052491 | Rueppel | Aug 1936 | A |
| 3486451 | Moore et al. | Dec 1969 | A |
| 3811216 | Sauey et al. | May 1974 | A |
| 3939967 | Tenney et al. | Feb 1976 | A |
| 4159764 | Schinke | Jul 1979 | A |
| 4643302 | Baumgardner | Feb 1987 | A |
| 4733773 | LaBianca et al. | Mar 1988 | A |
| 4762222 | Martin | Aug 1988 | A |
| 5005743 | Ramsay | Apr 1991 | A |
| 5176465 | Holsted | Jan 1993 | A |
| 5779031 | Moraine et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
| 6472070 | Muraoka et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
| 6772877 | Lam et al. | Aug 2004 | B1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60319959 | Feb 2003 | US |
