Convertible container

Abstract

A container includes fittings for gripping, handling and securing same, each fitting being placed at a corner of the container in the non-deployed position of the container. In the non-deployed position, the container is formed by: a central case having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension, and two extension blocks connected to the central case, with at least part of the structure of the central case and of the extension blocks being sealed, the length or width of each of the extension blocks being greater than half the longitudinal or transverse dimension of the central case respectively. The extension blocks can move between the non-deployed position, in which the blocks and the central case are placed at least partially on top of one another, and a deployed position in which each block forms a longitudinal or transverse extension of the central case, the deployed assembly forming a floating structure.

1 . Container including fittings for holding, handling and fixing said container, each of said fittings ( 12 ) being placed at a corner of said container in a non-deployed configuration of said container, said container having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension in this non-deployed configuration, characterized in that:
 in said non-deployed configuration, said container is constituted by a stack of n boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) with n≧3, at least one of said boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) being placed between and at least partly in contact with two others of said boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ), at least some of said boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) being connected to each other to form a rigid structure, at least part of said container being watertight,   in said non-deployed configuration, said boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) are at least partly in contact with each other, the number n of boxes and/or the dimensions of each of said boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) being determined so that there exists a parallelepiped ( 8 ) within which said container can be inscribed, the walls of this parallelepiped ( 8 ) then being formed at least in part by the free walls of said stack, the cumulative percentage of empty spaces between said boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) on the one hand and the free walls of said stack and said parallelepiped ( 8 ) on the other hand then being between 0.1% and 15% of the interior volume of said parallelepiped ( 8 ),   at least some of said boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) are mobile between said non-deployed configuration and a deployed configuration in which the whole deployed in this way then forms a floating structure having a longitudinal dimension and/or a transverse dimension greater than said longitudinal and/or transverse dimension of said container in its non-deployed configuration so as to have a maximized loading area greater than at least twice the area of said container in its non-deployed configuration.   
     
     
         2 . Container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that in the non-deployed configuration of said container at least some of the vertices of said parallelepiped ( 8 ) including one of said fittings ( 12 ) for holding, handling and fixing said container, no element of said container is placed projecting from said parallelepiped ( 8 ). 
     
     
         3 . Container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the cumulative percentage of empty spaces between said boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) on the one hand and the free walls of said stack and said parallelepiped ( 8 ) on the other hand is less than 10% of the interior volume of said parallelepiped ( 8 ). 
     
     
         4 . Container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that in said deployed configuration the hull of said floating structure has a longitudinal or transverse dimension greater than or equal to twice the longitudinal, respectively transverse, dimension of said container in its non-deployed configuration. 
     
     
         5 . Container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) are connected in an articulated manner to a fixed unit comprising one or more fixed boxes. 
     
     
         6 . Container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it includes actuators for moving said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) from the non-deployed configuration to the deployed configuration of said container and vice versa. 
     
     
         7 . Container according to  claim 5 , characterized in that said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) are connected to said fixed unit by hinges ( 4 - 7 ,  22 ,  22 ,  29 ) and even better by hinges with two axes. 
     
     
         8 . Container according to  claim 1 , characterized in that at least some of said mobile boxes are connected to each other by hinges and even better by hinges with two axes. 
     
     
         9 . Container according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the cumulative percentage of empty spaces between said boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) on the one hand and the free walls of said stack and said parallelepiped ( 8 ) on the other hand is less than 10% of the interior volume of said parallelepiped ( 8 ). 
     
     
         10 . Container according to  claim 2 , characterized in that in said deployed configuration the hull of said floating structure has a longitudinal or transverse dimension greater than or equal to twice the longitudinal, respectively transverse, dimension of said container in its non-deployed configuration. 
     
     
         11 . Container according to  claim 3 , characterized in that in said deployed configuration the hull of said floating structure has a longitudinal or transverse dimension greater than or equal to twice the longitudinal, respectively transverse, dimension of said container in its non-deployed configuration. 
     
     
         12 . Container according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) are connected in an articulated manner to a fixed unit comprising one or more fixed boxes. 
     
     
         13 . Container according to  claim 3 , characterized in that said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) are connected in an articulated manner to a fixed unit comprising one or more fixed boxes. 
     
     
         14 . Container according to  claim 4 , characterized in that said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) are connected in an articulated manner to a fixed unit comprising one or more fixed boxes. 
     
     
         15 . Container according to  claim 2 , characterized in that it includes actuators for moving said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) from the non-deployed configuration to the deployed configuration of said container and vice versa. 
     
     
         16 . Container according to  claim 3 , characterized in that it includes actuators for moving said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) from the non-deployed configuration to the deployed configuration of said container and vice versa. 
     
     
         17 . Container according to  claim 4 , characterized in that it includes actuators for moving said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) from the non-deployed configuration to the deployed configuration of said container and vice versa. 
     
     
         18 . Container according to  claim 5 , characterized in that it includes actuators for moving said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) from the non-deployed configuration to the deployed configuration of said container and vice versa. 
     
     
         19 . Container according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said mobile boxes ( 1 - 3 ,  15 - 19 ,  23 - 28 ) are connected to said fixed unit by hinges ( 4 - 7 ,  22 ,  22 ,  29 ) and even better by hinges with two axes.