CARGO SECUREMENT SYSTEM
A cargo securement system for securing cargo in a container includes a number of upper and lower braces. The upper braces abut a ceiling of the container and the lower braces abut a floor of the container. The lower braces have a module engagement rail sized to slide within a rail guide of a module to guide the module to stowed position within the container and prevent movement of the module along a horizontal and a vertical axis. Bracing rods provide a compressive force to the upper and lower braces to provide a pressure fit that secures the braces and corresponding modules in place.
1 . A cargo securement system for securing cargo in a container, the system comprising:
a plurality of upper braces configured to abut a ceiling of the container;
a plurality of lower braces configured to abut a floor of the container, each lower brace having a module engagement rail sized to slide within a rail guide of a module having cargo to guide the module into the container along a longitudinal axis while preventing movement of the module along a horizontal axis and along a vertical axis; and
a plurality of bracing rods, each bracing rod configured to expand to apply a compressive force against an opposing pair of upper and lower braces and secure the upper and lower braces against the ceiling and the floor, respectively, of the container.
2 . The cargo securement system of claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of upper braces comprises at least a first upper brace configured to abut the ceiling of the container at an upper left position, and a second upper brace configured to abut the ceiling of the container at an upper right position, and
wherein the plurality of lower braces comprises
a pair of front lower braces configured to abut the floor of the container at front lower left and right positions, respectively, and
a pair of rear lower braces configured to abut the floor of the container at rear lower left and right positions, respectively.
3 . The cargo securement system of claim 2 , further comprising a removable wall configured to restrict access to a module within the container, while providing at least one door for ingress and egress to the module, wherein the removable wall is sized to substantially fill an inside cross-sectional dimension of the container such that a bottom portion of the removable wall covers the plurality of lower braces to prevent the module from sliding in at least one direction along the longitudinal axis.
4 . The cargo securement system of claim 2 , wherein each of the pair of front lower braces comprises a tapered portion configured to assist with insertion of the module engagement rail into the rail guide of the module.
5 . The cargo securement system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of lower braces comprises a wall engagement rail configured to abut a side wall of the shipping container, the wall engagement rail spaced apart from the module engagement rail via one or more spacers.
6 . The cargo securement system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of coupling mechanisms positioned on the plurality of upper braces and on the plurality of lower braces, each coupling mechanism configured to engage an end of a bracing rod.
7 . The cargo securement system of claim 6 , wherein each coupling mechanism comprises a projection that is inserted into the end of the bracing rod or an aperture configured to receive the end of the bracing rod.
8 . The cargo securement system of claim 6 , wherein each bracing rod comprises a first rod portion coupled to a second rod portion via an adjustment mechanism, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to selectively lengthen and shorten a total length of the bracing rod.
9 . The cargo securement system of claim 8 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a nut secured to a first end of the first rod portion and configured to engage a threaded insert of a second end of the second rod portion such that rotation of the first or second rod portion traverses the nut and corresponding first rod portion along the threaded insert of the second rod portion to lengthen or shorten the total length of the bracing rod.
10 . The cargo securement system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more modules, each module comprising:
a framework sized according to an interior space of the container,
a floor system coupled to the framework and configured to secure cargo, and
the rail guide configured to guide the module into a stowage position within the container.
11 . A cargo securement system for securing cargo in a container, the system comprising:
an upper brace configured to abut a ceiling and a side of the container;
a lower brace configured to abut a floor and the side of the container, the lower brace comprising a module engagement mechanism configured to engage a module having cargo to guide the module into the container along a longitudinal axis while preventing movement of the module along a horizontal axis and along a vertical axis,
wherein the upper brace and the lower brace are coupled together to provide a pressure fit within the container.
12 . The cargo securement system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a plurality of bracing rods, each bracing rod configured to engage the upper brace and the lower brace and to expand to provide the pressure fit and secure the upper and lower brace against the ceiling and the floor, respectively, of the container.
13 . The cargo securement system of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of coupling mechanisms positioned on the upper brace and on the lower brace, each coupling mechanism configured to engage an end of a bracing rod.
14 . The cargo securement system of claim 13 , wherein each bracing rod comprises a first rod portion coupled to a second rod portion via an adjustment mechanism, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to selectively lengthen and shorten a total length of the bracing rod.
15 . The cargo securement system of claim 14 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a nut secured to a first end of the first rod portion and configured to engage a threaded insert of a second end of the second rod portion such that rotation of the first or second rod portion traverses the nut and corresponding first rod portion along the threaded insert of the second rod portion to lengthen or shorten the total length of the bracing rod.
16 . The cargo securement system of claim 11 , further comprising:
one or more modules, each module comprising:
a framework sized according to an interior space of the container,
a floor system coupled to the framework and configured to secure cargo, and
a rail guide configured to engage the module engagement mechanism to guide the module into a stowage position within the container.
17 . A cargo securement system for securing cargo in a container, the system comprising:
an upper brace configured to abut a ceiling and a side of the container;
a lower brace configured to abut a floor and the side of the container, the lower brace comprising a module engagement mechanism configured to engage a module having cargo to guide the module into the container along a longitudinal axis while preventing movement of the module along a horizontal axis and along a vertical axis, wherein the upper brace and the lower brace are coupled together to provide a pressure fit within the container; and
a module configured to secure cargo on or within the module, the module having a rail guide configured to engage the module engagement mechanism to guide the module into a stowage position within the container.
18 . The cargo securement system of claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of bracing rods, each bracing rod comprising a first rod portion coupled to a second rod portion via an adjustment mechanism, wherein the first rod portion is configured to engage the upper brace, the second rod portion is configured to engage the lower brace, and the adjustment mechanism is configured to selectively lengthen and shorten a total length of the bracing rod to provide the pressure fit and secure the upper and lower brace against the ceiling and the floor, respectively, of the container, wherein each bracing rod.
19 . The cargo securement system of claim 18 , wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a nut secured to one end of the first rod portion or the second rod portion and a threaded insert at a mating end of the other rod portion.
20 . The cargo securement system of claim 17 , wherein the upper brace comprises two upper braces configured to abut a ceiling and a first side of the container and two upper braces configured to abut the ceiling and a second side of the container, and wherein the lower brace comprises two lower braces configured to abut a floor and the first side of the container and two lower braces configured to abut the floor and the second side of the container.