Outer box connector and method therof

{
  "publication_number": "US2011180558A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Outer box connector and method therof",
  "abstract": "An outer box connector (OBC) (100) and methods (200 and 250) are shown and described. The OBC (100) can include: a body (102) having an outer surface (104) and an inner surface (106); a first anchor (108) and a second anchor (110) extending inwardly from the inner surface (104); a lever (112) extending substantially outwardly from the outer surface (104), the lever (112) being connected to a distal portion (114) of the first anchor (108); and the first anchor (108) including an unlocked condition (116) adapted for allowing insertion in and removal from a corner fitting (120) and a locked condition (118) for locking the first anchor 108 with a corner fitting (12). Advantageously, the OBC (100) and methods allow simplified container handling and connection and disconnection, in transportation applications.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An outer box connector comprising: a body having an outer surface and an inner surface; a first anchor and a second anchor extending inwardly from the inner surface; a lever extending from the outer surface, the lever being connected to a distal portion of the first anchor; and the first anchor including an unlocked condition adapted for allowing insertion in and removal from a corner fitting and a locked condition for locking the first anchor with a corner fitting. 2. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the outer surface includes a handle adapted for carrying the outer box connector. 3. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the unlocked condition includes the lever extending substantially horizontally indicating a flagged, unlocked condition. 4. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the locked condition includes the lever extending substantially vertically indicating a locked condition. 5. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the locked condition includes the lever extending substantially vertically indicating a locked condition, wherein when in the locked condition, the lever and a handle are connectable with an external lock. 6. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the first and the second anchors are generally similarly shaped. 7. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the first anchor includes a distal portion and a proximal portion, the proximal portion being stationary and the distal portion being rotatable. 8. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the first anchor includes a distal portion and a proximal portion, the proximal portion extending a predetermined distance providing a spacer structure. 9. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the first anchor includes a distal portion and a proximal portion, the proximal portion extending a predetermined distance which is substantially the same as a certain thickness of a corner fitting configured to receive the first anchor. 10. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the first anchor and the second anchor extend inwardly past a certain thickness of a corner fitting configured to receive the first and the second anchors. 11. The outer box connector of claim 1, further comprising a supplemental lock assembly. 12. The outer box connector of claim 1, further comprising a supplemental lock assembly including the lever having a lever via and the handle having a handle via, adapted to receive an arm portion of an external lock when the first anchor is in the locked condition. 13. The outer box connector of claim 1, further comprising a stem connecting a rear portion of the lever to a distal portion of the first anchor, the stem extending through a distal hole in the body and a proximal hole in a proximal portion of the first anchor. 14. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the body is portable and adapted for being handled from the outer surface. 15. The outer box connector of claim 1, wherein the body is connectable to a railcar. 16. A method for connecting containers with an outer box connector, comprising: inserting an outer box connector having a first and a second anchor extending inwardly into corner fittings with receptacles of adjacent containers; and locking at least the first anchor with one of the receptacles of the corner fittings such that a distal portion of the first anchor is rotated so as to be at least temporarily prohibited from being removed from the corner fitting. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of inserting includes aligning the first and second anchors with the adjacent corner fittings before insertion. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of inserting includes configuring and dimensioning the first and second anchors to be received in and removable from the receptacles of adjacent corner fittings, the first and second anchors being complementarily configured with respect to the receptacles. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of inserting includes configuring the first and second anchors to be received in the receptacles of adjacent corner fittings. 20. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing the outer box connector with an unlocked condition configured to allow insertion and removal from a corner fitting and a locked condition. 21. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing the outer box connector with an unlocked condition configured to allow insertion and removal from a corner fitting and a locked condition, wherein the unlocked condition includes a lever extending substantially horizontally indicating a flagged, unlocked condition and wherein the locked condition includes the lever extending substantially vertically indicating a locked condition. 22. The method of claim 16, further comprising configuring the first and the second anchors to be generally similarly shaped. 23. The method of claim 16, further comprising: configuring the first anchor to include a distal portion and a proximal portion, the proximal portion being stationary and the distal portion being rotatable; and configuring the second anchor to be stationary. 24. A method for connecting containers with an outer box connector, comprising: aligning an outer box connector including a first and a second anchor extending inwardly into corner fittings having receptacles of adjacent containers; configuring the first and the second anchors to be received in the receptacles; inserting the first and the second anchors into the receptacles; and locking at least the first anchor with one of the corner fitting receptacles such that a distal portion of the first anchor is rotated so as to be at least temporarily prohibited from being removed from the corner fitting. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing the outer box connector with an unlocked condition configured to allow insertion and removal from a corner fitting and a locked condition. 26. The method of claim 24, further comprising configuring the first anchor to include a distal portion and a proximal portion, the proximal portion being stationary and the distal portion being rotatable. 27. A method for disconnecting containers with an outer box connector, comprising: unlocking an outer box connector having a first and a second anchor extending inwardly into receptacles of corner fittings of adjacent containers, by rotating a lever such that a distal portion of the first anchor is rotated to an unlocked condition; and removing the anchors from the receptacles of the corner fittings. 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising providing the outer box connector with an unlocked condition configured to allow insertion and removal from the receptacles of corner fittings and a locked condition. 29. The method of claim 27, further comprising providing the outer box connector with an unlocked condition configured to allow insertion and removal from an opening of a corner fitting and a locked condition, wherein the unlocked condition includes a lever extending substantially horizontally indicating a flagged, unlocked condition and wherein the locked condition includes the lever extending substantially vertically indicating a locked condition."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to the transportation and intermodal industry, and more particularly, to an outer box connector (OBC) and method thereof.\n\nOver the years, congestion at port and inland terminals has grown. For congestion, energy and environmental reasons, rail has become a preferable option for inland freight distribution. Despite the relatively high embedded costs in connection with intermodal rail, rail is currently an attractive option for containerized goods carried over long distances. Among the embedded costs, there is a need to improve and make more efficient the multiple operations required for transfers. Thus, there is a need to make new terminal designs and automated transfer management systems at terminals, hubs and distribution centers. This could result in efficiency advances and productivity gains to improve the economics for both long and short haul intermodal movements, including port shuttle trains. New handling systems and apparatus could lower fixed costs and make the intermodal sector more price competitive, improve time and reliability and make the intermodal sector more service competitive. There is a need to automate, improve and better manage the handling of containers and minimize congestion at terminals, hubs and distribution centers. There is a need to improve terminal dwell time. Terminal dwell time is an important factor affecting railroad network efficiency.",
  "cpc": [
    "B61D 45/007",
    "B60P 7/132",
    "B61D 47/00",
    "B65D 90/0006",
    "B65G 63/004",
    "Y10T 29/49815",
    "Y10T 29/49826"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B23P 11/00",
    "B23P 19/00",
    "B65D 55/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "LANIGAN SR JOHN J",
    "MIRABELLA PETER W",
    "CARLOS CALLADO DE SOUZA ANTONIO"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "LANIGAN SR JOHN J",
    "MIRABELLA PETER W",
    "CARLOS CALLADO DE SOUZA ANTONIO"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2010-01-28",
  "publication_date": "2011-07-28",
  "priority_date": "2010-01-28",
  "application_number": "US-65778510-A",
  "family_id": "44308195",
  "citations": [
    "US1066806A",
    "US2007018047A1",
    "US3512653A",
    "US3545626A",
    "US3612290A",
    "US3626487A",
    "US3891172A",
    "US4474492A",
    "US5184853A",
    "US5791502A",
    "US6352164B1",
    "US6748776B2",
    "US7984883B2",
    "US8474756B2"
  ]
}