Curtain track seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11549742-B2
Application number	US-201816621202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2018
Priority date	Jun 23, 2017
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A container refrigeration unit ( 10 ) is provided. The container refrigeration unit includes a container ( 20 ), a curtain ( 30 ), a seal element ( 40 ) and a sealing adapter ( 50 ). The container includes sidewalls defining an open end ( 26 ) and a curtain track ( 27 ) proximate the open end. The curtain is sized to cover the open end. The sealing adapter is fittable to the curtain track. An entire periphery of the curtain and an entirety of the seal element are sequentially fittable to the sealing adapter.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container refrigeration unit, comprising:
a container comprising sidewalls defining an open end and defining, in a plane in each respective body of each of the sidewalls, a curtain track proximate to the open end;
a curtain sized to cover the open end;
a seal element; and
a sealing adapter fittable to the curtain track,
wherein:
an entire periphery of the curtain and an entirety of the seal element are sequentially fittable to the sealing adapter,
the sealing adapter comprises:
a single male insert section having a convex shape and which is receivable in a corresponding single female section of the curtain track; and
a single female insert section having a concave shape and which is receivable in a corresponding single male section of the curtain track, and
the sealing adapter is formed to define a cavity receptive of the entire periphery of the curtain and the entirety of the seal element, a cross-sectional area of the cavity exceeding a total cross-sectional area of the curtain and the seal element.

2. The container refrigeration unit according to claim 1 , wherein the sidewalls comprise two pairs of opposite sidewalls.

3. The container refrigeration unit according to claim 1 , wherein the curtain track comprises rounded corner sections.

4. The container refrigeration unit according to claim 1 , wherein the curtain has slack to cover the open end.

5. The container refrigeration unit according to claim 1 , wherein the seal element comprises cord stock.

6. The container refrigeration unit according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing adapter comprises polymeric material.

7. The container refrigeration unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the sealing adapter is snap-fittable into the curtain track; and
a distance across an opening of the cavity is less than a diameter of the seal element.

8. The container refrigeration unit according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the sealing adapter is substantially similar to a length of the curtain track.

9. A sealing adapter for use with a seal element, a curtain and a curtain track, which is defined in a plane in each respective body of each sidewall of a container and which is proximate to an open end of the container, the sealing adapter comprising:
a first flange comprising a first surface and a first interior face;
a second flange comprising a second surface and a second interior face opposite and at a distance from the first interior face; and
a body comprising compliant material integrally connected with the first and second flanges, the body comprising:
a first side, which is disposed to face inwardly relative to the open end of the container at the curtain track, and which defines a cavity which extends from the first interior face of the first flange to the second interior face of the second flange and which is receptive of the seal element and the curtain; and
a second side opposite the first side, which is disposed to face outwardly relative to the open end of the container at the curtain track, and which comprises:
a single male insert section extending from the first surface and having a convex shape, which is receivable in a corresponding single female section of the curtain track;
a single female insert section extending from the second surface and having a concave shape, which is receivable in a corresponding single male section of the curtain track; and
an additional section extending between the single male insert section and the single female insert section,
wherein a cross-sectional area of the cavity exceeds a total cross-sectional area of the curtain and the seal element.

10. The sealing adapter according to claim 9 , wherein the first flange, the second flange and the body extend along an entirety of the sealing adapter.

11. The sealing adapter according to claim 9 , wherein the body comprises polymeric material.

12. The sealing adapter according to claim 9 , wherein:
the first surface is abuttable with a first side of the curtain track,
the second surface is abuttable with a second side of the curtain track, and
the second side of the body with the single male insert section and the single female insert section conforms to an interior topography of the corresponding single female section and the corresponding single male section of the curtain track.

13. The sealing adapter according to claim 9 , wherein a distance across an opening of the cavity is less than a diameter of the seal element.

14. The sealing adapter according to claim 9 , wherein the cavity extends annularly between corresponding interior edges of the first and second interior faces.

15. A method of closing an open end of a container refrigeration unit, the method comprising:
sizing a curtain to cover the open end;
defining, in a plane in each respective body of each sidewall of the container, a curtain track;
fitting a sealing adapter into the curtain track, the sealing adapter comprising a single male insert section having a convex shape and which is receivable in a corresponding single female section of the curtain track and a single female insert section having a concave shape and which is receivable in a corresponding single male section of the curtain track;
receiving, within a cavity defined by the sealing adapter, an entire periphery of the curtain;
receiving, within the cavity and atop the entire periphery of the curtain, an entirety of a seal element; and
sizing the cavity such that a cross-sectional area thereof exceeds a total cross-sectional area of the curtain and the seal element.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the receiving of the entire periphery of the curtain in the cavity is conducted from end-to-end.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the receiving of the entirety of the seal element in the cavity is conducted from end-to-end.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the fitting of the sealing adapter into the curtain track comprises press-fitting.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the fitting of the sealing adapter into the curtain track comprises:
compressing opposite sides of the sealing adapter together;
tilting the compressed sealing adapter relative to the curtain track;
inserting the compressed and tilted sealing adapter into the curtain track;
leveling the sealing adapter relative to the curtain track; and
releasing the compression of the sealing adapter inside the curtain track.

Assignees

• Carrier Corp

Inventors

• Postgate Farley William
• Spearing Robert C

Classifications

• B60P3/20

  Refrigerated goods vehicles (air treatment of goods space B60H; {air-conditioning means for freight cars, isothermic wagons B61D27/0027; superstructures for refrigerated goods vehicles B62D33/048}) · CPC title

• F25D23/023 Primary

  Air curtain closures · CPC title

• B65D90/021

  Flexible side walls or doors (B65D88/125 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60J5/12

  slidable; foldable · CPC title

• B60J5/125 Primary

  for utility vehicles or public transport (B60J5/14 takes precedence) · CPC title