Securing cargo for rail transport using polymer foam material

摘要

A cargo restraint panel may include a foam component. That foam component may have at least one polymer foam sheet. A front face fibrous reinforcing material may be bonded to and substantially cover a front face of the foam component. A rear face fibrous reinforcing material may be bonded to and substantially cover a rear face of the foam component. The cargo restraint panel may include one or more edge guards. Cargo may be secured in a railcar or other conveyance by, e.g., placing cargo restraint panels between cargo units.

主权项

1. A cargo restraint panel comprising:
a foam component having at least one polymer foam sheet, the foam component including a foam component front face, a foam component rear face, and a plurality of foam component side faces, wherein the foam component side faces are located between the foam component front face and the foam component rear face; a facing material bonded to and substantially covering the foam component front face; and a plurality of front edge guards, and wherein
the foam component front face includes a plurality of foam component front face edges,each of the front edge guards is less compressible than the at least one polymer foam sheet, is more rigid than the at least one polymer foam sheet, and is more rigid than the facing material,each of the front edge guards is secured to the cargo restraint panel and corresponds to a different one of the foam component front face edges,each of the front edge guards substantially covers its corresponding foam component front face edge, a portion of the foam component front face adjacent to its corresponding foam component front face edge, and a portion of the foam component side face adjacent to its corresponding foam component front face edge, andthe facing material comprises a polymer film.