Airflow guidance structures for refrigerated transport containers

Abstract

A refrigerated transport container includes a refrigeration unit and an airflow guidance structure for distributing cooled air throughout the refrigerated transport container. The airflow guidance structure includes a front panel section that is affixed at a front end of an interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container, and that receives cooled air from a fan outlet of the refrigeration unit. A series of additional panel sections are affixed along the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container from the front panel section to the back of the refrigerated transport container. The panel sections together form an air channel at the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container that conducts air from the front end to the back end, and allows for passage of cooled air from the air channel out to an interior of the refrigerated transport container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An airflow guidance structure for distributing cooled air throughout a refrigerated transport container, the airflow guidance structure comprising:
 a front panel section that is configured to be affixed at an interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container and at a front end of the refrigerated transport container, and is configured to receive cooled air from a fan outlet of a refrigeration unit that is functionally coupled to the refrigerated transport container; and   a series of additional panel sections that are configured to be affixed along the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container from the front panel section at the front of the refrigerated transport container to a back of the refrigerated transport container, with each additional panel section being adjacent to a previous panel section and having a lesser width than that of the previous panel section;   wherein the front panel section and the series of additional panel sections together are configured to form an air channel at the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container that conducts air from the front end of the refrigerated transport container to the back end of the transport container, and to allow for passage of cooled air from the air channel out to an interior of the refrigerated transport container that is outside of the airflow guidance structure.   
     
     
         2 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 1 , wherein each panel section of the series of additional panel sections includes at least one positive joint that is configured to be inserted into a corresponding negative joint of a preceding panel section, and at least one negative joint that is configured to receive a corresponding positive joint of a succeeding panel section. 
     
     
         3 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 1 , wherein each panel section of the series of additional panel sections includes, at its leading edge, at least one piece of attachment hardware that is configured to engage with corresponding attachment hardware of a preceding panel section, and at its trailing edge, at least one piece of attachment hardware that is configured to engage with corresponding attachment hardware of a succeeding panel section. 
     
     
         4 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 1 , wherein each panel section of the series of additional panel sections includes a strip of gasket material at a leading edge of the panel section. 
     
     
         5 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel section is a single manufactured section. 
     
     
         6 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel section is the width of the interior of the refrigerated transport container to which it is configured to be affixed. 
     
     
         7 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 1 , wherein each panel section of the series of additional panel sections is a single manufactured section and is distinct from other panel sections. 
     
     
         8 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 1 , wherein each panel section of the series of additional panel sections includes a right side component, a left side component, and a middle component. 
     
     
         9 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 8 , wherein the right side component and the left side component are similarly sized and have opposite geometries. 
     
     
         10 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 8 , wherein the right side component of each additional panel section is identical to other right side components, and wherein the left side component of each additional panel section is identical to other left side components. 
     
     
         11 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 8 , wherein the middle component of an additional panel section at a beginning of the series of additional panel sections has a greater width than the middle component of an additional panel section at an end of the series of additional panel sections. 
     
     
         12 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 8 , wherein each middle component of each panel section includes a center hole through which cooled air is allowed to pass from the air channel formed by the airflow guidance structure, out to the interior of the refrigerated transport container that is outside of the airflow guidance structure. 
     
     
         13 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 12 , wherein the center hole of the middle component of an additional panel section at a beginning of the series of additional panels sections has a smaller area than the center hole of the middle component of an additional panel section at an end of the series of additional panel sections. 
     
     
         14 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 8 , wherein the right side component and the left side component each include (i) a respective mounting portion that is to be parallel to the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container, (ii) a respective angled portion that is to form a downward angle from the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container, and (iii) a respective channel portion that is to be parallel to the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container and at a distance beneath the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container. 
     
     
         15 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 14 , wherein the respective mounting portions of the right side component and the left side component are each configured to be removably attached to a corresponding mounting structure that is affixed to the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container. 
     
     
         16 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 14 , wherein the respective angled portions of the right side component and the left side component each include at least one side hole through which cooled air is allowed to pass from the air channel formed by the airflow guidance structure, out to the interior of the refrigerated transport container that is outside of the airflow guidance structure. 
     
     
         17 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 14 , wherein the respective channel portions of the right side component and the left side component are configured to be joined with the middle component to complete assembly of the panel section. 
     
     
         18 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 17 , wherein the respective channel portions of the right side component and the left side component each include a receiving groove, and the middle component is configured to be slid into the receiving groves, between the right side component and the left side component, to complete assembly of the panel section. 
     
     
         19 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 17 , wherein the respective channel portions of the right side component and the left side component each include a touch fastening mechanism on the undersides of the channel portions, the middle component includes corresponding touch fastening mechanisms on an upper face of the middle component, and the middle component is configured to be pressed against the undersides of the channel portions of the right side component and the left side component, to complete assembly of the panel section. 
     
     
         20 . The airflow guidance structure of  claim 1 , wherein the front panel section and the series of additional panel sections are together configured to form a v-shaped air channel at the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container. 
     
     
         21 . A refrigerated transport container comprising:
 a refrigeration unit; and   an airflow guidance structure for distributing cooled air throughout the refrigerated transport container, the airflow guidance structure comprising:
 a front panel section that is configured to be affixed at an interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container and at a front end of the refrigerated transport container, and is configured to receive cooled air from a fan outlet of the refrigeration unit; and 
 a series of additional panel sections that are configured to be affixed along the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container from the front panel section at the front of the refrigerated transport container to a back of the refrigerated transport container, with each additional panel section being adjacent to a previous panel section and having a lesser width than that of the previous panel section; 
 wherein the front panel section and the series of additional panel sections together are configured to form an air channel at the interior ceiling of the refrigerated transport container that conducts air from the front end of the refrigerated transport container to the back end of the transport container, and to allow for passage of cooled air from the air channel out to an interior of the refrigerated transport container that is outside of the airflow guidance structure. 
   
     
     
         22 . The refrigerated transport container of  claim 21 , wherein the refrigerated transport container is a boxcar. 
     
     
         23 . The refrigerated transport container of  claim 21 , wherein the refrigerated transport container is an intermodal container.