CALGARY, Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Raildecks Intermodal is pleased to announce that it recently received a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its collapsible flat rack intermodal container. This is the first patent issued to Raildecks relating to its innovative collapsible flat rack intermodal container design, and it currently has additional patent applications in the United States as well as multiple foreign patent applications pending.
Raildecks' innovative solution uses a unique support arm system that can rotate from a loading position, transport position and collapsed position by hydraulic or manual assistance. This versatility enables the Raildecks solution to efficiently load and transport between road and rail seamlessly. When top loaded with an intermodal container, the unique design of the "A" frame arm system uses the geometric shape of a triangle to minimize longitudinal (front to back) shifting and the geometric shape of a square to minimize transverse (side-to-side) racking. The result is a support arm system that is safe for double stack rail transport and reduces metal fatigue of the beam and substructure. "This patented design strikes a great balance of meeting the safety needs of the intermodal industry while also delivering much needed value and cost savings to our customers," said Murray Crane, VP Business Development for Raildecks. The value of the design is significant to customers because the Raildecks container, when empty, can be collapsed and stacked four high for cost effective repositioning and storage. Typically, the cost ratio for delivering and returning an intermodal box container is 1:1. With the Raildecks container the ratio is 4:1. Four loaded Raildecks containers can be sent out and one stack of four empty containers come back, resulting in a quarter of the repositioning cost of a typical box container.
Prior to the commercial launch of its innovative container, Raildecks invested heavily in the research, development, testing and engineering of a container solution that could efficiently and effectively transport flatbed freight onto double stack intermodal rail. "A lot of time, research and engineering has gone into this project, and there is nothing like it in the market," said Rick Jocson, CEO of Raildecks. Raildecks completed an extensive field trial program with BNSF railroad and Boyd Brothers Transportation, as well as structural integrity and impact tests with the AAR (Association of American Railroads), CTL Group and other class 1 rail partners. The key design initiatives were to develop a container that would be easy to operate for a single operator, light enough to compete with flatbed trailers and strong enough for double stack intermodal rail service. The data collected from testing was used to finalize the commercial design that meets all these objectives. To support the safe use of the equipment, Raildecks has developed an extensive driver safety training program and has developed a network of contractors for repair, maintenance, lifting, storage and stacking services.
Raildecks has also invested heavily in the protection of its intellectual property, and has filed numerous patent applications in the United States, as well as a number of international applications covering various aspects of its technology. The issuance of U.S. Patent # 8,262,328 establishes the value of Raildecks' design, engineering and testing. This patent, and Raildecks' continued pursuit of its pending patent applications, will protect Raildecks' partners and customers who support Raildecks' technology. Raildecks expects its pending applications to mature to issued patents in the near future and will continue to invest in the development and protection of its intellectual property in North America and key regions around the world.
Raildecks has partnered with Reitnouer Trailers of Reading, PA to manufacture its latest design of its innovative container. Reitnouer Trailers is a leader in the manufacturing of aluminum flatbed trailers, with over thirty years of experience in the business. Reitnouer Trailers' patented bolt-on flatbed trailers are known for their quality, reliability and low maintenance costs. The combination of Raildecks' new patented innovative design and the craftsmanship of Reitnouer Trailers is a winning combination for both the customers and the industry.
SOURCE Raildecks Intermodal
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