FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to various embodiments of a blast, ballistic and forced entry protected structure called a HARDENED ALTERNATIVE TRAILER SYSTEM. In particular, the embodiments described herein relate to an ISO container having blast, ballistic and forced entry properties as a result of its innovative and novel design and construction. The invention also relates to methods of producing such containers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Protective armor typically is designed for several applications types: personal protection such as helmets and vests, vehicle protection such as for high mobility multi-wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs), and rigid structures such as buildings. The protection of troops, for example, housed in containerized housing units requires both blast and ballistic protection. Blast protection typically requires the material to have the structural integrity to withstand the high loads of blast pressure. Ballistic protection typically requires the material to stop the progress of bomb fragments ranging in size from less than one millimeter to 10 mm or more and traveling at velocities in excess of 2000 meters per second for smaller fragments.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) containers are commonly used to house soldiers, disaster relief workers, contractors, and others where temporary and rapidly deployable shelters are used. Additionally, containers are used for mobile medical units, command and control centers, communications, equipment storage, and the like. Many of these applications are located in areas exposed to threats such as car bombs, mortars, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), small arms fire, etc. Containers converted for these applications typically do not have systems for blast and fragmentation mitigation. Many of these applications are also exposed to the threat of forced entry.

U.S. Published Patent Application 2011/10197746 proposes a design for ballistic and blast threat, but which apparently would not be resistant to forced entry as it is not mentioned. ISO containers fitted for living quarters typically provide insufficient protection to blast, ballistic/projectile and/or forced entry threats. In addition, standard ISO containers are large and require metal fabrication facilities and trained personnel to produce them. This often results in a need for remote and/or field fabrication facilities being the best means by which the containers can be economically and practically produced and delivered to the field location where they are needed.

This may create the potential for quality problems, especially in connection with highly skilled fabrication tasks such as welding. Skilled welders having adequate training and experience may not be readily available at the fabrication location if it is remote and/or in the field as opposed to a standard manufacturing facility where skilled welders are readily available.

Current ISO structure designs, especially with reinforcement for such threats, depend on skilled welders and quality assurance techniques and inspections for their manufacture. For such structure designs where the skill of the welder directly relates to the quality of the product because the strength is weld dependent, failures may occur due to poor quality welds. Quality assurance is expensive and difficult to provide in the field. Even when it is effectively utilized, rework and inspections drive the cost of such ISO containers higher and make them uneconomical and time-consuming to produce.

More expensive prefabricated units are available, for example those provided by Mifram Security at www.miframsecurity.com and marketed under the trade name GABRIEL. These may be impractical for cost concerns.

There is a need for a low-cost reinforced ISO container suitable for field and/or remote fabrication and meeting blast, ballistic/projectile and forced entry threats. Standards have been developed for forced entry and ballistic threats.

The invention provides a low-cost reinforced ISO container suitable for field and/or remote fabrication and meeting blast, ballistic/projectile and/or forced entry threats such as the U.S. Department of State Certification Standard for Forced Entry and Ballistic Resistance of Structural Systems, SD-STD-01.01, Revision G (amended) Apr. 30, 1993, the contents of which being incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIG. 1shows a prior art ISO container framework as also depicted in U.S. Published Patent Application 2011/0197746.FIG. 1illustrates a known load-carrying element or frame10for box container as defined in ISO 1161. The frame10typically supports side walls, end walls, a floor, and a roof of the container, and is typically formed from steel. The frame10includes four corner posts12, two lower side members14, two upper side members16, two lower side cross members18, two upper cross members typically configured as a front upper end member20, and a door header22. Fork lift openings19are formed in the lower cross members14. Lower corner fittings or castings24are attached to the lower ends of the corner posts12and upper corner castings25are attached to the upper ends of the corner posts12.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a hardened alternative trailer system (HATS) structure having blast, ballistic and forced entry resistance properties, said properties being present in the presence of low quality structural welds; said HATS structures comprising: a frame assembly having a frame (10), said frame including four corner posts (12), two lower side members (14), two upper side members (16), two lower cross members (18), two upper cross members (20,22), lower corner members (24) attached to the lower ends of the corner posts (12), and upper corner members (25) attached to the upper ends of the corner posts (12), said frame further comprising a plurality of vertical strengthening members30, wherein openings (32) are present in the lower side member14and the upper side member16which receive an extended length30U at a top end of members30which engages member16and an extended length30L of a bottom end of members30which engages lower side member14to form two reinforced side walls.

In embodiments of the invention there are at least ten vertical strengthening members30in each side wall. In embodiments of the invention two upper cross members (20,22), and said two lower cross members (18) are reinforced with a plurality of vertical strengthening members30, wherein openings are formed in the lower cross members18which receive an extended length30L at a lower end of members30, and wherein openings are formed in upper cross members (20,22) which receive an extended length301J at a top end of members30to form reinforced end walls. In further embodiments of the invention an enclosed frame assembly is provided having interior and exterior wall panels forming a double walled metal panel construction on the sidewalls and end walls. Thicker metal may be used to provide enhanced safety levels where higher threat levels are present. Structural steel is used in certain embodiments of the invention.

In embodiments of the invention the enclosed frame assembly meets U.S. Department of State Certification Standard for Forced Entry and Ballistic Resistance of Structural Systems, SD-STD-01.01, Revision G (amended) Apr. 30, 1993.

In certain embodiments an enclosed frame assembly having double walled metal panel construction on the sidewalls and end walls is provided, the double-walled metal panel construction comprising single pieces for each of said sidewalls and end wall flat surface layers, wherein said exterior single pieces are welded to the structure from the inside of the structure, and wherein said interior pieces for said sidewalls and end wall flat surface layers have pre-manufactured openings aligned with underlying frame structure and are plug welded.

Methods of manufacturing a hardened alternative trailer system (HATS) structure having blast, ballistic and forced entry resistance properties are also provided in accordance with embodiments of the invention, these properties being present in the presence of low quality structural welds. The method comprises the steps of (i) providing a frame assembly having a frame (10), said frame including four corner posts (12), two lower side members (14), two upper side members (16), two lower cross members (18), two upper cross members (20,22), lower corner members (24) attached to the lower ends of the corner posts (12), and upper corner members (25) attached to the upper ends of the corner posts (12), (ii) providing a plurality of vertical strengthening members30having extended lengths30U at a top end and extended lengths30L at a bottom end, (iii) providing openings (32) in the lower side member14and the upper side member16, (iv) engaging extended lengths30U at a top end of members30into said openings32in member16, (v) engaging extended lengths30L at a corresponding bottom end of members30into said openings32in member14such that vertical strengthening members30have a vertical orientation, and (vi) welding said vertical strengthening members30at every point of engagement with members14and16to form two reinforced side walls.

