AU2004220368B2

AU2004220368B2 - Transportation container

Info

Publication number: AU2004220368B2
Application number: AU2004220368A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Anita Jokinen
Original assignee: Web Cat Ltd Oy
Current assignee: WEB-CAT Ltd Oy
Priority date: 2003-03-11
Filing date: 2004-03-11
Publication date: 2009-10-08
Anticipated expiration: 2024-03-11
Also published as: FI20030363A7; RU2005130864A; FI20030363L; EP1611033B1; US20060261059A1; CN100343143C; DE602004007121D1; WO2004080846A1; FI20030363A0; AU2004220368A1; EP1611033A1; RU2320524C2; CN1777551A; DE602004007121T2; CA2518726A1; ATE365137T1

Abstract

A transportation container includes a container part ( 1 ), into which container part the goods to be transported and stored can be placed, the container part ( 1 ) including two ends ( 2 ) and two flanks ( 3 ) and a bottom ( 4 ) and a top ( 5 ) part. The transportation container is substantially foldable, and the container part ( 1 ) is made of a substantially shaping material, and the container part ( 1 ) includes at least one openable and closable hatch ( 13, 14 ) for unloading the goods; and arranged in conjunction with the container part ( 1 ), at its angles, are angle pieces ( 6 ); and arranged substantially about the container part ( 1 ) are supporting elements ( 7 a-c , 8 a-c), at least part of the supporting elements ( 7 a-c) being arranged to pass via the angle pieces ( 6 ) for arranging the shaping material and supporting thereof into the desired container form.

Description

WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a transportation 5 container as defined in the preamble of claim 1 pref erably for storage and transportation of raw material such as charcoal, peat, timber, woodchips, grain, bio mass, sand or plastic pellets etc. or various products such as bulk products by sea, land, rail and air. 10 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Previously, raw material and bulk products have been transported in fixed open-type cisterns and 15 pickups of trucks, trains and ships. Typically, raw materials have not been transported in movable units such as containers as the unloading of previously known hard containers has been troublesome. Various hard containers have been used for the transportation 20 of finished products and parcelled goods, as is well known. The problem with the previously known manner of transporting raw materials is the multi-phaseness of the transportation system, including several load 25 ing and unloading steps, and thus the complexity and non-cost-effectiveness of the system. It has been pos sible to use the known open-type cisterns and pickups in the transportation of raw materials only at a cer tain step of the transportation journey, not during 30 the entire transportation or in the intermediate stor age. Often, the raw material, such as charcoal, is first heaped up near the production site, from which it is transported in an open-type cistern of a waggon to the port, where it is again intermediate stored as 35 a heap of charcoal. From the heap of charcoal at the port, the charcoal is loaded into the open-type cis terns of a ship and is transported by ship to the des- WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 2 tination, where it is re-unloaded to form a heap of charcoal, after which it may be further transported e.g. in a pickup of a train or truck to a power plant. In that case the problem is the increase in the humid 5 ity and dust and particle emissions of the raw mate rial, as well as the raw material loss. One further problem has been the slowness of the unloading of the raw materials and bulk products and the long unloading time e.g. from ships and 10 barges. Still one further problem has been the small number of suitable ship, barge and train unloading sites for particular products. Moreover, known in prior art is to use vari ous big sacks in the transportation of a bulk product, 15 such as e.g. pellets, catalysts or the like. The prob lem with the usage of big sacks is their small size and low load-carrying capacity, wherein in the trans portation of a bulk product one must use a quantita tively big number of sacks to transport the goods. 20 OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION The objective of the invention is to elimi nate the drawbacks referred to above. 25 One specific objective of the invention is to disclose a new, more robust and better foldable trans portation container for the transportation and storage of goods, raw material or a product in a more simple, advantageous and efficient manner. 30 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The transportation container in accordance with the invention is characterised by what has been 35 presented in the claims. The invention is based on a transportation container which includes a container part, into which WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 3 container part the goods to be transported and stored can placed, the container part having two ends, two flanks and a bottom and a top part. According to the invention, the transportation container is substan 5 tially foldable, and the container part consists of a substantially shaping material. The container part in cludes at least one openable and closable hatch for unloading the goods; and arranged in conjunction with the container part, at its angles, are angle pieces; 10 and arranged substantially about the container part are supporting means, at least part of them being ar ranged to pass through the angle pieces for arranging the shaping material and supporting thereof into the desired container form. 15 In one preferred embodiment, the transporta tion container is elongated having the length e.g. of 6 m and width of about 2 to 3 m. In an alternative em bodiment, the length of the transportation container is about 8 to 12 m. 20 In one preferred embodiment, the container part consists of a substantially continuous casing. In an alternative embodiment, attached to the casing of the container part are predetermined components to form the total casing. 25 In one embodiment, the casing of the con tainer part consists of one material layer. In an al ternative embodiment, the casing of the container part consists of one or more material layers. The material layers can consist of the same or different material. 30 In one embodiment of the invention, the sup porting means is substantially a flexible ribbon, strap, beam, cable wire or the like. Alternatively, the supporting means, which preferably is flexible, can be in the form of a tube, hose, rope, narrow plate 35 or the like. In one embodiment of the invention, the con tainer part includes at least three types of support- WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 4 ing means. In one preferred embodiment, the container part includes six types of supporting means, which are arranged about the container part for supporting thereof and for improving the load-carrying capacity 5 thereof. In one embodiment of the invention, the con tainer includes eight angle pieces arranged at each angle of the container. In one alternative embodiment of the invention, the container includes twelve angle 10 pieces, eight of which are arranged at each angle of the container, and four of which are arranged in the centre of the horizontal edges of the container part's flanks. In one embodiment of the invention, the angle 15 piece preferably includes a fastening element consis tent with a standard, such as e.g. the ISO 1611, by means of which the angle piece can be attached, making the container better arrangeable into a transportation means consistent with the standard. Furthermore, the 20 angle piece includes means through which the support ing means can be placed, preferably passed through the angle piece. The invention has the advantage that the an gle piece in accordance with the invention is inter 25 changeable, whereas the previous, so-called standard angle pieces were welded to the containers, and thus were not interchangeable. In one embodiment of the invention, the con tainer part includes at least three types of support 30 ing means arranged through the angle pieces, the first of them being arranged to encompass the end of the container part, encircling the edges of the end via four angle pieces, and the second of them being ar ranged to encompass the bottom or top part of the con 35 tainer part, encircling the edges of the bottom or top part via four angle pieces, and the third of them be ing arranged to encompass the flank of the container WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 5 part, encircling the edges of the flank via four angle pieces. In one embodiment of the invention, the means through which the supporting means can be placed to 5 pass through the angle piece are passages or channels, and the supporting means that pass through the angle pieces are each arranged to pass through a predeter mined channel or passage of their own in the angle piece without contacting the other supporting means. 10 In one embodiment of the invention, part of the supporting means are arranged in conjunction with the container part without passage through the angle pieces. Advantageously, these supporting means are ar ranged to encompass the container part. 15 In one embodiment of the invention, the con tainer part includes at least three types of support ing means, which are arranged in conjunction with the container part without passage through the angle pieces, of which supporting means the first one is ar 20 ranged to encompass the entire container part in the horizontal direction, the second one is arranged to pass vertically at the ends and longitudinally in the bottom, and the third one is arranged to pass in par allel to the cross section of the container part about 25 the flanks and the bottom. In one embodiment, the supporting means, which is arranged to encircle the container in the flank-bottom-flank direction, has at both ends thereof a hoisting/supporting ring or the like, which prefera 30 bly is visible in conjunction with the upper edge of the container part's flank. In one embodiment of the invention, the sup porting means are arranged to pass in parallel at a distance from each other. 35 In one embodiment of the invention, the sup porting means are arranged to pass crosswise in such a manner that the first supporting means are arranged to WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 6 pass into a first direction and the second supporting means are arranged to pass into a second direction in conjunction with the container part. In one embodi ment, arranged at the crossing point of the supporting 5 means is a fasting means, preferably e.g. a bonding lock, for attaching the supporting means to one an other and for strengthening the supporting structure that consists of supporting means without breaking the supporting structure. 10 Thanks to the fastening means, preferably a bonding lock, it is easy to change an individual strap. In one embodiment of the invention, the con tainer part includes at least one channel, which is 15 arranged in conjunction with the casing. Advanta geously, the channel is arranged inside or outside the casing in conjunction with the casing, or between the material layers of the casing. In one embodiment of the invention, the con 20 tainer part may contain a number of channels. In one embodiment, the channels are arranged at a distance from one another. In an alternative embodiment, the channels are arranged substantially side by side. Separate channels may have been formed by welding, 25 sewing, hot melting, etc. In one embodiment, the channels are arranged substantially horizontally or vertically in the cas ing. In one embodiment, the channels are arranged to pass crosswise. In one embodiment, the channel that 30 passes into the first direction is arranged to pass into the channel that passes into the second direc tion. In an alternative embodiment, the channel that passes into the first direction is arranged to be dis continuous at the point at which it intersects the 35 continuous channel that passes into the second direc tion. In another alternative embodiment, the channels WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 7 that pass into the first and second directions are ar ranged between different material layers. In one embodiment of the invention, at least one supporting means is arranged in the formed chan 5 nel, preferably inside it. The supporting means can have the width of the channel or be narrower. In one embodiment of the invention, the cas ing is made of polymer fibre, synthetic fibre or mix tures thereof. The casing may consist of e.g. polyes 10 ter, polyamide, polyurethane, polyethylene teraphtha late or other suitable strong polymer fibres or mix tures thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the casing consists of polyester which has a carefully predeter mined shock resistance and tensile strength. Advanta 15 geously, the material of the casing is woven-type, and its surface can be smooth or alternatively e.g. soft, bubble-like, bellows-like, frictional or the like, de pending on the purpose of use of the transportation container. A non-smooth surface may have been obtained 20 by treating the surface structure or by arranging on the surface different material to obtain the desired surface, or by arranging between the uppermost mate rial layers a filling such as e.g. cellular plastic, foam rubber or the like. In one preferred embodiment, 25 the casing has seams or joints as few as possible. In one embodiment, the casing of the con tainer consists of single-use material, e.g. in con junction with a transportation application of messy agents. In that case, the casing part can be easily 30 changed. In one embodiment of the invention, the sup porting means consists of polymer, synthetic fibre, plastic, aluminium, other metal, carbon fibre, steel cable or the like. As the polymer material it is pos 35 sible to use the corresponding materials that were mentioned above in conjunction with the materials for casing. The material of the supporting means can be WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 8 recycling material. Alternatively, it is possible to use e.g. gas such as air, or silicone or polystyrene at least as a part of the supporting means. In that case, the channels have been filled with the material 5 in question, thus supporting the transportation con tainer structure. A combination of different materials can also function as the supporting means. By the selection of the supporting means and the material of the casing as well as by arranging the 10 supporting means in a particular manner, e.g. at a distance from one another or in a latticed form, it is possible to affect the load-carrying capacity of the transportation container. In one embodiment, the load carrying capacity of the transportation container can 15 be up to about 60 tonnes. In one embodiment of the invention, the ope nable and closable hatch is arranged in the bottom part. Advantageously, the hatch of the bottom part functions as the unloading hatch of goods. In one em 20 bodiment, arranged in conjunction with the hatch is a funnel-shaped structure for facilitating the unloading of goods. In one embodiment, the hatch consists of the material of the casing. In an alternative embodiment, 25 the hatch is of a different material than the casing. In one embodiment, the hatch is arranged in conjunc tion with the casing, either as being a part of the continuous casing material or as being combined with the casing material. 30 In one embodiment of the invention, the top part of the container is a lid. In one embodiment of the invention, the upper edges of the container part's casing flanks and ends are so shaped that they can be folded to form a lid in the top part of the container 35 part, preferably on top of the hatch therein. In one preferred embodiment, the filling of the transporta tion container is performed via the opening in the top WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 9 part. In an alternative embodiment, the container part includes a separate lid for covering the opening in the top part, which lid can be arranged substantially in conjunction with the casing. The lid can consist of 5 the same or different material than the casing of the container part. The lid can be rigid or flexible, e.g. fixed, tarpaulin-like, bellows-like, rollable or pad ded. In one embodiment of the invention, the con 10 tainer part's casing flank and/or end is arranged to be openable and/or closable for loading and/or unload ing the container. In one embodiment, arranged in the container part are preferably opening and locking means in con 15 junction with the container part for opening and clos ing of the hatch and/or lid, as well as for locking the fastening of the hatch and/or lid. The opening and locking means can be any locking means known per se and/or suitable for its purpose. 20 In one embodiment, arranged at the ends, flanks, bottom and/or lid is a stiffener in conjunc tion with the shaping material, e.g. in between the material layers. The stiffener may have been arranged to have the form of the container part's end, lid, 25 flank and/or bottom. In one embodiment, the ends are connected to one another with at least one rigid sup porting beam for supporting the transportation con tainer. The beam can be connected with the supporting means included in the container part. In one alterna 30 tive embodiment, the end, flank, bottom and/or lid may have been formed of a substantially rigid material. Advantageously, the transportation container can be folded flat and/or so as to take up less space, depending on the fact of whether the container part 35 includes a stiffener or not. In one embodiment, the container part is coated, either wholly or partially, with e.g. a suit- WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 10 able polymer such as e.g. polyurethane, Teflon or the like at least on one side for strengthening the mate rial or for improving the properties of the material, e.g. for improving the resistance to rain. In one em 5 bodiment, the points of the transportation container that are subjected to a lot of stress, such as the an gles and the bottom, are reinforced by coating. In one embodiment, the transportation con tainer includes rigid or flexible partitions for di 10 viding the container part's space into smaller parts. In one embodiment, the transportation con tainer includes external supporting beams arranged in conjunction with the container part of the transporta tion container outside the container, e.g. in the bot 15 tom of the container. Advantageously, the purpose of the supporting beams is, for their part, to support the transportation container, and for their part to facilitate its loading e.g. inside a hard transporta tion container or waggon. Beneath the supporting beams 20 arranged in the bottom one may have installed e.g. wheels to facilitate the moving of the transportation container. Furthermore, the transportation container in accordance with the invention can be used in a trans 25 portation in which the goods to be transported are kept in the same container during the entire transpor tation, but the transportation means can change. The transportation container in accordance with the invention preferably fulfils the transporta 30 tion standards, e.g. the ISO 668 and ISO 1611, and the transportation regulations, e.g. No 1145/1998. The invention enables one to achieve a manner more preferable, efficient and environmentally friendly than before for the transportation and inter 35 mediate storage of e.g. raw material or bulk product, such as charcoal, peat, timber, woodchips, grain, bio WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 11 mass, sand or pellets or the like or finished prod ucts. The invention has the advantage that one achieves a very light but nevertheless a very robust 5 transportation container that is easy to handle and transport in a confined space. Several empty folded transportation containers in accordance with the in vention can be transported at the same time, e.g. in one waggon, container or the like. 10 The invention enables one to achieve a fold able transportation container whose load-carrying ca pacity is considerably better than that of the previ ous transportation containers. Furthermore, the load ing capacity of the transportation container of the 15 invention in relation to the load-carrying capacity and vice versa is bigger than before. The transporta tion container of the invention is able to carry even up to 60 tonnes of goods, normally 35 tonnes of goods with a capacity of 35m 3 , whilst in the known hard 20 transportation containers it is possible to carry about 28 tonnes with a capacity of 31m 3 . The load carrying capacity of the previously known big sacks has been no more than 1 to 2 tonnes. The transportation container of the invention 25 is very simple and thus advantageous to implement. Similarly, the operating costs are low. The transpor tation container does not rust, and the container part is easy to patch. The transportation container of the invention 30 is applicable to the transportation and intermediate storage of various raw materials, bulk products and parcelled goods without several loading and unloading steps, which makes the loss of the goods being trans ported small, and the goods maintain their original 35 properties. The same transportation container can be used during the entire transportation and transfer system. The loading of the transportation container WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 12 and particularly the unloading thereof is fast and cost-efficient. The unloading time preferably is no more than about a fifth of the unloading time of known containers. Furthermore, when using transportation 5 containers in accordance with the invention in the transportation of raw material or bulk goods, the un loading time compared e.g. to barge transportations is about 25 to 50% shorter. Furthermore, the transporta tion container can be unloaded anywhere with no need 10 for a separate unloading place. Thus, the unloading place can be selected. The empty transportation con tainers can be returned from their destination back to the production site in different transportation means and packed in the minimum of space. This increases the 15 utilisation ratio of the transportation means them selves. The transportation container of the invention also quickens the turnover time of waggons, trucks, ships and barges because thanks to the transportation 20 container of the invention, a waggon, truck, ship or barge is needed just during the transportation jour ney. The transportation container can be quickly and easily hoisted aboard a waggon, truck, ship or barge and away from them, in which case the transportation 25 means need not be at a standstill in terminals, rail way yards or unloading places. Furthermore, the trans portation container of the invention can be filled in advance and just hoisted into the transportation means. 30 The transportation container can be easily modified according to use. The transportation con tainer of the invention can be arranged aboard any transportation means. Furthermore, the transportation container can be arranged inside a hard transportation 35 container. Furthermore, the transportation container can be arranged inside a hard transportation container when necessary.

WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 13 LIST OF FIGURES In the following, the invention will be de 5 scribed by means of detailed examples of its embodi ments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents one transportation con tainer in accordance with the invention; 10 Fig. 2 represents an angle piece of the transportation container as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents the transportation con tainer as shown in Fig. 1 in a situation in which the unloading hatches are opened; 15 Fig. 4 represents a casing structure of the transportation container as shown in Fig. 1, the cas ing structure being foldable to form a lid; and Fig. 5 represents a bonding lock to be used in the supporting structure of the transportation con 20 tainer as shown in Fig. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The transportation container as shown in Fig. 25 1 is designed for the intermediate storage of charcoal in a production site, for the transportation from the production site to the destination, e.g. to a power plant, and for the intermediate storage along the transportation journey. The charcoal is loaded into 30 the transportation container already at the production site of the charcoal, and is disposed in the same transportation container all the way to the exploita tion object. The transportation means, e.g. a combina tion train-ship-train, can sometimes change but the 35 charcoal remains in the same transportation container during the entire transportation journey.

WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 14 The transportation container as shown in Fig. 1 includes a container part 1, inside which the char coal to be transported and stored is placed. The con tainer part includes two ends 2, two flanks 3, a bot 5 tom part 4 and a top part 5. The top part 5 is ar ranged to be open or openable, and the container can be filled via it. Furthermore, the container part 1 as shown in Fig. 1 comprises eight angle pieces 6 (shown in Fig. 10 2), which are arranged at each angle of the container part 1, and six flexible supporting ribbons 7a-c and 8a-c, which are arranged to encompass the container at different points and from different directions. The supporting ribbons 7a-c are arranged to pass via the 15 angle pieces 6, and the supporting ribbons 8a-c are arranged to encompass the container without passage via the angle pieces 6. The angle piece 6 contains a so-called stan dard part 9 for standardised transportation means, as 20 well as three separate passages through which the sup porting ribbons 7a-c can be passed. The passages are arranged to cross in a predetermined manner with re spect to one another. The angle pieces 6 are formed of a light and durable material, preferably of aluminium 25 or an aluminium mixture (AlZn5Mgl). Of the supporting ribbons 7a-7c that are ar ranged through the angle pieces, the first ones 7a are arranged to encompass both ends 2 of the container part 1, encircling the edges of the end 2 via four an 30 gle pieces 6 in the transverse direction of the con tainer; the second ones 7b are arranged to encompass the bottom 4 and top part 5 of the container part 1, encircling 'the edges of the bottom 4/top part 5 via four angle pieces 6 in the longitudinal direction of 35 the container; and the third ones 7c are arranged to encompass the flanks 3 of the container part 1, encir cling the edges of the flank 3 via four angle pieces WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 15 6. The supporting ribbons 7a-c that pass through the angle pieces 6 are arranged to pass through the angle pieces 6 each along a passage of their own without contacting each other. Arranged inside the passages in 5 the angle piece 6 are accurately dimensioned shields, which extend a little outside the inlet and outlet ports of the passages of the angle piece 6, to protect the supporting ribbons 7a-c from wear and breakage in conjunction with the angle piece 6. The shields also 10 seal up the supporting ribbons 7a-c in place in the angle piece, preventing excessive movement of the rib bons, e.g. a lateral movement. The angle pieces 6 stay in place by means of the supporting ribbons 7a-c, and vice versa the supporting ribbons 7a-c can be firmly 15 placed to support the container structure by means of the angle pieces 6. The advantage associated is that the support ing ribbon can be passed continuously through the an gle pieces, with no breaks. In that case there is no 20 need to arrange additional joints in the supporting ribbon. The supporting ribbons 8a, 8b and 8c, which do not pass through the angle pieces 6, are each ar ranged to pass in parallel at a distance from another 25 similar supporting ribbon. The supporting ribbons 8a, i.e. the safety ribbons, are arranged to horizontally encompass the entire container. In this application, there are three pieces of supporting ribbons 8a. The supporting ribbons 8b, i.e. the longitudinal support 30 ing ribbons of the bottom hatches, are arranged to pass vertically at the ends 2 and longitudinally in the bottom 4. The supporting ribbons 8b are fastened at their upper edges either to the supporting ribbon 7a or 7c. In this application, there are two pieces of 35 supporting ribbons 8b. The supporting ribbons 8c, i.e. the so-called transverse supporting ribbons of the container part and bottom hatches, are arranged to WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 16 pass in parallel to the cross section of the container part 1 about the flank 3 and bottom 4 of the con tainer. An extension 8d of the supporting ribbon 8c extends over the top part 5. Arranged at the top ends 5 of the supporting ribbons 8c are securing hoisting rings 11, and the top ends of the supporting ribbons in question are attached to the supporting ribbon 7b. There are six pieces of supporting ribbons 8c in this application. The supporting ribbons 8a-c are arranged 10 to pass crosswise in such a manner that arranged to pass at the very bottom are supporting ribbons 8b, on top of them are disposed supporting ribbons 8a, and topmost are disposed supporting ribbons 8c. Arranged at the crossing points of the supporting ribbons 8a-8c 15 are bonding locks 10 (Fig. 5) for attaching the sup porting ribbons 8a-c to one another and for strength ening the supporting structure that consists of the supporting ribbons. In that case, the supporting rib bons are not slipping with respect to one another. 20 Fig. 5 represents one bonding lock in accor dance with the invention. The bonding locks can be any bonding locks known per se in which two crossing sup porting ribbons Ba-c pass from different directions without contacting each other. The bonding locks are 25 not described more fully herein. The advantage associated with the use of an gle pieces and bonding locks is that the supporting ribbons can be fastened or tied to each other without breaking the structure of the supporting ribbons and 30 preventing the supporting ribbons from rubbing against each other. Thus, the supporting ribbons will with stand better without breaking in conjunction with a heavy load. The container part 1 is formed mainly of a 35 continuous casing 12. The casing is formed mainly of a flexible polyester, which has been heat treated to be inelastic and which has a high breaking load. Un- WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 17 folded, the casing is a carpet-like article which con sists mainly of one material layer. Arranged in the casing are pockets, or the places for the angle pieces 6 are otherwise marked. 5 Arranged in conjunction with the casing 12 are a number of channels (not shown in the figures) inside which the supporting ribbons 7b-c and 8a-b can be placed either wholly or partially. In that case, the supporting ribbons can be made to more firmly bond 10 with the casing 12, and vice versa, the casing 12 can be made to bond with the supporting structure. Fur thermore, the channels protect the supporting ribbons. Near the channels, the casing 12 is formed of two ma terial layers between which the channels have been 15 formed. Arranged in the bottom part 4 of the casing 12 of the container part 1 are five openings 13 for the unloading hatches 14 (Fig. 3). Attached to the bottom part 4 of the casing are hatches 14 made of the 20 same material to cover the openings 13 of the hatches in the bottom 4. The unloading hatches 13, 14 are sup ported with supporting ribbons 8b and 8c, and the at tachment of the unloading hatches 14 to the casing 12 is arranged between the casing 12 and the supporting 25 ribbons 8b-c. The hatches 14 are arranged to be ope nable and closable separately. Naturally, all the hatches 14 can be opened simultaneously. Convention ally, the hatches 14 are opened one by one, which en ables one to control the emptying of the container. 30 The shape of the unloading hatch 13, 14 can naturally vary, e.g. from a quadrangular one to a round one. In the embodiment as shown in Fig. 1, the hatch 13 of the unloading opening and the hatch part 14 thereof are quadrangular. The hatches 14 are ar 35 ranged such that whilst opened, in conjunction with the hatch 14, a downwards tapering funnel-shaped structure 15 is formed for facilitating the unloading WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 18 of the charcoal. Arranged in the lower edge of the funnel part 15 is a separate securing ribbon for pre venting unscheduled opening of the hatch 14. Thanks to the funnel part, the emptying of the container part is 5 not performed with a terrible force. Arranged in conjunction with the unloading hatches 13, 14 are opening and locking means 16 (Figs. 1 and 3) for opening and closing each unloading hatch 14, as well as for locking the hatch independent of 10 each other. In this application, as the opening and locking means 16, locking ribbons 16 are used, the first ends 17a of them (Figs. 1 and 3) being attach able to the one flank 3 of the container part by means of locks 18 included in the opening and locking means 15 whilst the unloading hatch is closed; and the second ends 17b (Fig. 4) are fixedly attached to the other flank 3 of the container part. The second ends 17b of the locking ribbons 16 are attached to the lowermost supporting ribbon 8a on the one flank of the container 20 part; and the locks 18 are attached to the lowermost supporting ribbon 8a on the other flank of the con tainer part. For each unloading hatch 14 there are two locking ribbons 16, which are arranged on both sides of the unloading hatch in the cross section of the un 25 loading hatch and inside two adjacent supporting rib bons 8c near them. Arranged at the first ends 17a of the locking ribbons 16 are bolts 19, which can be at tached to the locks 18. In the embodiment of the container as shown 30 in Fig. 1, the unloading hatches always open from the side, in which case the person performing the opening does not need to go under the heavy container for opening purposes. Furthermore, the transportation container as 35 shown in Fig. 1 comprises a lid 20 (Figs. 1 and 4) for protecting the charcoal from humidity or dust etc. The lid 20 is formed by folding the upper edges of the WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 19 casing 12 to form a lid on top of the top part 5 of the container part after filling the container. The upper edge of the casing 12 is preshaped so that by folding it in a predetermined manner a lid structure 5 is achieved. The extensions 8d of the supporting rib bons 8c are arranged on top of the formed lid struc ture 20 for attaching and locking it. The locking mechanism of the lid 20 by means of the supporting ribbons 8d is arranged in the same manner as the lock 10 ing of the unloading hatches described above. The transportation container as shown in Fig. 1 is elongated having a length of about 6m and width of about 2m. The load-carrying capacity of the trans portation container is about 60 tonnes; as the fill 15 ing, a load of 35 tonnes is usually used. The con tainer is foldable whilst empty. In one alternative embodiment, the container part can be open at the end or side, in which case the loading and unloading can be performed e.g. using a 20 fork-lift truck. In that case, the structure of the supporting structure formed of the supporting ribbons and that of the loading/unloading hatches changes in a corresponding manner. The transportation container of the invention 25 is easily and advantageously suited for the transpor tation and/or long- or short-termed storage of various goods and raw materials in various embodiments. The embodiments of the invention are not lim ited to the examples presented above, instead they can 30 vary within the scope of the accompanying claims. 35

Claims

1. A transportation container including a container part (1), into which container part the 5 goods to be transported and stored can be placed, the container part (1) including two ends (2) and two flanks (3) and a bottom (4) and a top part (5), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the transportation container is substantially foldable, and that the con 10 tainer part (1) is formed of a substantially shaping material (12), and the container part (1) includes at least one openable and closable hatch (13, 14) for un loading the goods; and arranged in conjunction with the container part (1), at its angles, are angle 15 pieces (6); and arranged substantially about the con tainer part (1) are supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c), and at least part of the supporting means (7a-c) are ar ranged to pass via the angle pieces (6) for arranging the shaping material and for supporting thereof into 20 the desired container form.

2. The transportation container (1) as de fined in claim 1, charact eri sed in that the container part (1) is formed of a substantially continuous casing (12). 25

3. The transportation container as defined in claim 1 or 2, characteri sed in that the supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) is a substantially flexible ribbon, strap, beam, cable wire or the like.

4. The transportation container as defined in 30 any one of claims 1-3, charact eri sed in that the container part (1) includes at least three types of supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c).

5. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-3, charact eri sed in 35 that the container part (1) includes at least six types of supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c). WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 21

6. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-5, charact eri sed in that the container includes eight angle pieces (6), which are arranged at each angle of the container. 5

7. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-5, charac t eri sed in that the container includes twelve angle pieces (6), eight of which are arranged at each angle of the con tainer, and four of which are arranged in the centre 10 of the horizontal edges of the flanks (3) of the con tainer part.

8. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-7, charact eri sed in that the angle piece (6) includes a fastening element 15 (9) by means of which the angle piece (6) can be at tached to a standardised transportation means, and means through which the supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) can be placed to pass in the angle piece (6).

9. The transportation container as defined in 20 any one of claims 1-8, charact eri sed in that the container part (1) includes at least three types of supporting means (7a-c) arranged through the angle pieces (6), the first (7a) of them being ar ranged to encompass the end (2) of the container part, 25 encircling the edges of the end via four angle pieces, and the second of them (7b) being arranged to encom pass the bottom (4) or top part (5) of the container part, encircling the edges of the bottom or top part via four angle pieces (6), and the third of them (7c) 30 being arranged to encompass the flank (3) of the con tainer part, encircling the edges of the flanks via four angle pieces (6).

10. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-9, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in 35 that the means through which the supporting means (7a c, 8a-c) can be placed to pass in the angle piece (6) are passages or channels, and the supporting means WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 22 (7a-c) that pass through the angle pieces (6) are ar ranged to pass each along their own predetermined pas sage or channel in the angle piece (6) without con tacting the other supporting means (7a-c). 5

11. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-10, charac t eri sed in that some of the supporting means (8a-c) are ar ranged in conjunction with the container part (1) without passage through the angle pieces (6). 10

12. The transportation container as defined in claim 11, charact eri sed in that the container part (1) includes at least three types of supporting means (8a-c) , which are arranged in con junction with the container part without passage 15 through the angle pieces (6), the first (8a) of which supporting means (8a-c) is arranged to horizontally encompass the entire container part (1), the second (8b) of which is arranged to pass vertically at the ends (2) and longitudinally in the bottom (4), and 20 the third (8c) of which is arranged to pass in paral lel to the cross section of the container part (1) about the flanks (3) and the bottom (4).

13. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-12, charact eri s ed 25 in that the supporting means (8a-c) are arranged to pass in parallel at a distance from each other.

14. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-13, charact eri sed in that the supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) are arranged 30 to pass crosswise.

15. The transportation container as defined in claim 14, charact eri sed in that ar ranged at the crossing point of the supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) is a fasting means (10) for attaching the 35 supporting means to one another and for strengthening the supporting structure that consists of supporting means. WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 23

16. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-15, charact eri sed in that the container part (1) comprises at least one channel which is arranged in conjunction with the cas 5 ing (12) .

17. The transportation container as defined in claim 16, charact eri sed in that the channel is arranged inside or outside the casing (12)in conjunction with the casing or in between the 10 material layers of the casing (12).

18. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-17, characteri sed in that at least one supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) is arranged in the formed channel. 15

19. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-18, characteri sed in that the supporting means (7a-c, 8a-c) consists of polymer, synthetic fibre, plastic, aluminium, other metal, carbon fibre, steel cable or the like.

20 20. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-19, charact eri sed in that the casing (12) is made of polymer fibre, syn thetic fibre, or mixtures thereof.

21. The transportation container as defined 25 in any one of claims 1-20, charact eri sed in that the openable and closable hatch (13, 14) is arranged in the bottom part (4).

22. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-21, character i s e d 30 in that arranged in conjunction with the hatch (13, 14) is a funnel-shaped structure (15) for facilitating the unloading of the goods.

23. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-22, charact eri s ed 35 in that the top part (5) is a lid.

24. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-23, charact eri s ed WO 2004/080846 PCT/F12004/000143 24 in that the upper edges of the flanks (3) and ends (2) of the casing of the container part are so shaped that they can be arranged to form a lid in the top part (5) of the container part. 5

25. The transportation container as defined in any one of claims 1-24, charact eri sed in that the flank (3) and/or end (2) of the container part is arranged to be openable and/or closable for loading and/or unloading of the container. 10

26. The transportation container as defined in claim 1 for use in transportation, in which the goods to be transported are kept in the same container during the entire transportation, but the transporta tion means can change. 15