Receptacles – Container attachment or adjunct – Fire prevention
Patent
1994-12-12
2000-09-05
Pollard, Steven
Receptacles
Container attachment or adjunct
Fire prevention
220 15, 220683, B65D 8814
Patent
active
061129313
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to blast attenuating containers such as aircraft luggage containers.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
It is known to use blast attenuating materials in the construction of aircraft luggage containers in order to reduce the effects of the blast from a detonating or exploding device within the container. Indeed, Applicant's International Patent Application No. PCT/GB90/01724 (International Publication No. WO91/07337) describes such a container using blast attenuating materials in accordance with Applicant's co-pending International Patent Application No.PCT/GB90/01723 (International Publication No. WO91/07275). The container described in the first-mentioned patent application is preferentially weakened to ensure that the blast caused by an explosive device within the container is vented in a predetermined direction in order to limit the damage caused.
An alternative approach, which relies to some extent on the expectation that only relatively small-scale explosive devices will escape detection by routine security screening procedures, is to endeavour to substantially contain the blast, and fragments from it, within the container.
In either case, it is important to ensure that the parts of the container, if any, which are not preferentially weakened retain a degree of structural integrity throughout the blast in order to perform the desired blast absorbing and attenuating function.
Most aircraft containers in current use are of standardised construction, conforming to one or other of the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) specifications for Unit Load Devices. Such containers typically comprise a number of panels assembled on a rigid base and joined at their edges to form an enclosure. Whilst capable of withstanding normal handling loads, the panels and joints are not capable of effectively containing or attenuating a blast from an explosive device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a blast attenuating container comprises a number of panels, at least one of which has blast attenuating properties, the panels being joined together to form an enclosure by joint means which provide a relatively rigid joint between the panels under normal handling loads, but which provide a relatively flexible hinged joint capable of transmitting tensile loads between the panels under blast conditions.
The invention derives from the recognition that in order to effectively attenuate and hopefully contain the blast from a bomb detonating within the enclosure, it is important that the container, at least in those parts which are not preferentially weakened, substantially retains its structural integrity during the blast to the extent that no major disintegration or rupture occurs that would allow significant blast pressure to escape.
Conventional joints between container panels necessary to provide the desired rigid structure for normal handling would either fracture or cause the panel to tear or rupture adjacent the joints under blast conditions. In a container in accordance with the present invention, by ensuring that the joint means behave as flexibly hinged tensile load-bearing joints between the panels under such blast conditions, the risk of rupture is considerably reduced thereby also enabling the blast attenuating properties of the panels to be fully effective.
The joint means, which will normally comprise a combination of edge and corner joints, may be of two different materials, one having the desired stiffness to provide a rigid joint under normal handling conditions but which ruptures or fractures under blast conditions, and the other material having the desired flexible and tensile load-bearing properties.
Alternatively, the joint means may comprise a single material which either inherently exhibits the necessary properties, or whose rigidity under normal handling conditions is provided by a structural element which deforms or ruptures under blast conditions to leave a flexible tensile load-bearing joint el
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patent: 4884715 (1989-12-01), Pohlmann
Atton David H.
Booth Ian A.
Hickford Stephanie M.
Ince Robert W.
Pollard Steven
Royal Ordnance Plc
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