Automated connector

grabcad

Automated Corner lock systemContainer automation – I think the linkage technique proposed by Voibar is a workable solution. I have an alternate proposal. There are several advantages to my technique. I have designed a preliminary coupler. It is not a robust design but the function is important. I am postulating a system that depends on several features:Corner lock engages the bottom of the container and is physically locked onCorner locks are ganged in four units, these will become semi-permanent base holders for every containerCorner locks have a pawl that activates when the container is lowered on another containerCorner lock pawls are deigned to latch to the top of another containerCorner locks stay latched until they are manually or electronically UN-latchedI propose a system that uses a meshed wireless network to communicate with the four units attached to the base of the containers. These four units will also communicate with other containers and with the crane spreader. It will require small self contained computer modules, such as a Photon board, less than 1 sq inch and draws very little power and costs less than $20. This is one of many computers with on board communication abilities and enough processing power to accomplish anything. These boards are designed to be powered by energy harvesting techniques. Containers are on the move for most of there lifespan and the self contained modules can be self powered by moving magnets and solar or temperature swing power devices. The power supply can be very robust, a bobbin style battery-type LiSOCL2 will last 40 years. This is an inexpensive solution and requires very little modification to existing cranes, the spreader will engage containers the same way as always.The hard part is communicating with other nodes and the cranes. WIFI and blue tooth are not workable around so much metal. There are two methods that can be used: 1) IR, line of site communication2) direct metal electronic communications (using the same technology that allows the web to be transmitted through power lines and pipes).Any link to the metal containers should work to communicate signals to any container you need to move. It would easy to link the crane to the container through a metal connection once it grab’s on the container. It would be easy to program the crane to unlatch the container it was holding and have the four Couplers respond to the signal and verify any latch or UN-latch command.The cost of the small controllers and the self powered devices are small. The practice of keeping four couplers latched on the base of the containers should be less expensive than a more cumbersome latching system that requires mechanical linkage. The self contained Couplers should prove to be more robust than the linkage setup proposed by Voibar. I have downloaded a quickly designed corner lock that demonstrates the concept:step 1 Manually attach four corner locks to the base of a container by rotating an internal lock to fasten the corner locks on semi permanently. Step 2 Activate the internal network on board each corner lock, they will step though a proccess and hand shack with the 4 other corner locks.Step 3 The corner locks are ready to engage when the container is placed on another container. They are weight activatedstep 4 Once the corner locks latch and the two containers are connected, they will not re-lease without being electronically or manually dis-engaged.The cycle is complete once the crane engages the top container and communicates a re-lease signal that separates the containers.I do not believe that any automated development of this magnitude can be accomplished without some R&D. The chance of getting everything right on the first try is remote!