IP Library Granted Patent US 7,322,227
Granted Patent B2
US 7,322,227 · App. 11/192,261 · Granted Jan 29, 2008

Tank container with electronic monitoring device

Assignees: China International Marine Containers (Group) Co., Ltd.; Nantong CIMC Tank Equipment Co., Ltd.; Nantong CIMC Special Transportation Equipment Manufacture Co., Ltd.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,322,227
App. No.
11/192,261
Granted
Jan 29, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A tank container with electronic monitoring device includes a tank barrel and a container frame supporting the same. The tank barrel includes a valve assembly and a valve assembly protection box. The electronic monitoring device is installed inside the valve assembly protection box, or on a sealing surface of the tank barrel, or in a range of the container frame outside the tank barrel. The electronic monitoring device includes a sensor for detecting a leakage condition of the cargoes contained in the tank container and transmitting an information data related to the leakage condition, and a data processing module connected with the sensor for processing the data. The invention can be used for detecting a sealing condition of a sealing surface and an illegal open of a lid of the valve assembly protection box as well as for realizing a global tracking, whereby ensuring a safe transport for containers.

Claims (36)

1. A tank container with an electronic monitoring device, comprising:

a tank barrel and a container frame for supporting said tank barrel, said tank barrel being further provided with a valve assembly and a valve assembly protection box for enclosing and protecting said valve assembly, wherein said electronic monitoring device is installed inside said valve assembly protection box and further includes:

a sensor for detecting a leakage condition of substances contained in said tank container and transmitting an information data related to the leakage condition;

a data processing module connected with said sensor for processing the data related to the leakage condition and including:

a signal acquisition and processing module connected with said sensor for acquiring and processing the data from the sensor related to said leakage; and

a data storage and signal transmission module connected with said signal acquisition and processing module for storing and recording the data on said leakage processed by said signal acquisition and processing module, and transmitting the data on said leakage to a remote data terminal; and

a stroke switch with a probe connected with said signal acquisition and processing module through a cable, wherein said probe can be pressed against or separated by a certain safe distance from a lid of said valve assembly protection box, to place the stroke switch in a normal or non-normal operating status, correspondingly.

2. A tank container with electronic monitoring device according to claim 1 , wherein a protection device providing a protecting space is disposed at a position corresponding to said stroke switch probe on the lid of said valve assembly protection box, for receiving said probe in the protection space when said stroke switch is at a second position.

3. A tank container with electronic monitoring device according to claim 2 , wherein said electronic monitoring device is installed on an inner wall at an opening side of said valve assembly protection box, said inner wall partially or wholly turning towards an inner part of said valve member protection box and extending a predetermined distance to form a reinforced protection rib.

4. A tank container with electronic monitoring device according to claim 3 , wherein said protection device is a protection plate disposed facing the reinforced protection rib.

5. A tank container with electronic monitoring device according to claim 3 , wherein said protection device is a protection ring.

6. A tank container with an electronic monitoring device, comprising:

a tank barrel and a container frame for supporting said tank barrel, said tank barrel being further provided with a valve assembly and a valve assembly protection box for enclosing and protecting said valve assembly, wherein said electronic monitoring device is installed inside said valve assembly protection box and further includes:

a sensor for detecting a leakage condition of substances contained in said tank container and transmitting an information data related to the leakage condition;

a data processing module connected with said sensor for processing the data related to the leakage condition and including:

a signal acquisition and processing module connected with said sensor for acquiring and processing the data from the sensor related to said leakage; and

data storage and signal transmission module connected with said signal acquisition and processing module for storing and recording the data on said leakage processed by said signal acquisition and processing module, and transmitting the data on said leakage to a remote data terminal; and

a magnetic-reed switch for detecting an open or closed status of said valve assembly protection box.

7. A tank container with an electronic monitoring device, comprising:

a tank barrel and a container frame for supporting said tank barrel, said tank barrel being further provided with a valve assembly; and

a valve assembly protection box provided on said tank barrel for enclosing and protecting said valve assembly;

said electronic monitoring device including:

a sensor for detecting a leakage condition of substances contained in said tank container and transmitting an information data related to the leakage condition; and

a data processing module connected with said sensor for processing the data related to the leakage condition; and

a box for receiving the sensor and the data processing module, wherein a sensing window is arranged at a position on the box corresponding to a sensing head of said sensor.

8. A tank container with electronic monitoring device according to claim 7 , wherein said electronic monitoring device is installed on a position near a sealing surface of a flange and/or the valve assembly of said tank barrel.

9. A tank container with electronic monitoring device according to claim 7 , wherein said electronic monitoring device is installed on said container frame.

10. A tank container with an electronic monitoring device, comprising:

a tank barrel and a container frame for supporting said tank barrel, said tank barrel being further provided with a valve assembly; and

a valve assembly protection box provided on said tank barrel for enclosing and protecting said valve assembly;

said electronic monitoring device including:

a gas sensor for detecting a gas concentration escaped from said tank container indicating a leakage condition of substances contained in said tank container and transmitting an information data related to the leakage condition; and

a data processing module connected with said sensor for processing the data related to the leakage condition; and

a box for receiving the gas sensor and the data processing module, wherein said gas sensor is connected with a sucking pump that sucks gas through a mouth disposed on said box for performing a gas detection.

11. A tank container with electronic monitoring device according to claim 10 , wherein said electronic monitoring device is fixed by a support.

12. A tank container with electronic monitoring device according to claim 10 , wherein said electronic monitoring device has a unique ID code stored in said data storage and signal transmission module, said ID code being able to be transmitted to said remote data terminal.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2021
From: NANTONG CIMC SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURE CO., LTD.; CHINA INTERNATIONAL MARINE CONTAINERS (GROUP) CO., LTD.
To: CIMC SAFEWAY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 056157/0235 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 3, 2021
From: NANTONG CIMC TANK EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
To: CIMC SAFEWAY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055208/0715 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2005
From: CHEN, XIAOCHUN; LIU, RONG; YUAN, WENQING; ZHOU, CHENGUANG; ZHU, JIANBIN
To: CHINA INTERNATIONAL MARINE CONTAINERS (GROUP) CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 016827/0514 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2005
From: ZHOU, SHOUQIN
To: CHINA INTERNATIONAL MARINE CONTAINERS (GROUP) CO., LTD.; NANTONG CIMC TANK EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.; NANTONG CIMC SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 016827/0520 →
Priority Claims (2)
CN 2004 1 0009395 · Aug 2, 2004 · national
CN 2005 1 0011939 · Jun 15, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060021423A1 · Feb 2, 2006