Air cargo container

• US 5,601,201 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 02/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Satco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Satco, Inc.
• Inventors: Looker, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollard, Steven M.
• Application Number:
  US08/466,827
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 220/1.5, 160/271, 160/273.1
• US Class Current: 220/1.5
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/005 of variable capacity, e.g. with movable or adjustable walls or wall parts, modular
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/022 in multiple arrangement, e.g. stackable, nestable, connected or joined together side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/14 by air
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/008 Doors for containers, e.g. ISO-containers locking E05B83/12
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/021 Flexible side walls or doors B65D88/125 takes precedence

Abstract

A cargo container for air or surface freight has roll-up doors to allow access, through the interior of the cargo container, to cargo contained in adjacent cargo containers. The roll-up doors include a curtain and a doorbar. Ramps and plates guide the roll-up doors into a pre-locked position. An internal latching mechanism closes and re-opens the roll-up door from within the cargo container interior. The curtain has sewn in springs at its edges, which are slidably contained within recesses in the door posts, so that the curtain is supported on all sides.

Claims

1. A door assembly for a cargo container, comprising:

a first door post spaced apart from a second door post, each door post having an upper end and a lower end;

a transom connecting the upper ends of the door posts;

a threshold connecting the lower ends of the door posts;

a flexible curtain having a first side edge and a second side edge;

a doorbar attached to a lower edge of the curtain and having a first plate slidably positioned in a first recess in the first door post, and a second plate slidably positioned in a second recess in the second door post, with the first and second recesses extending in the first and second door posts, respectively, substantially from the threshold to the transom;

a first retainer spring attached to the first side edge of the curtain and extending substantially the length thereof and slidably positioned within substantially the entire length of the first recess, and a second retainer spring attached to the second side edge of the curtain and extending substantially the length thereof and slidably positioned within the entire length of the second recess; and

a latch for latching the doorbar into a closed position.

2. The cargo container of claim 1 further comprising a curtain roller attached to the curtain at an upper edge of the curtain between the first and second door posts.

3. The air cargo container of claim 2 further comprising a threshold extending between the first and second door posts, and spaced apart from the roller.

4. The air cargo container of claim 3 further comprising a protrusion on the doorbar engageable into a slot in the threshold.

5. The air cargo container of claim 1 further comprising a latch on the doorbar and a latch plate on the first door post.

6. The air cargo container of claim 5 further comprising an arm associated with the latch, with the arm accessible from inside or outside the container.

7. The air cargo container of claim 1 wherein the curtain is flexible material selected from the group consisting of a net, a web, and a continuous sheet of material without openings.