Air cargo container

• US 7,063,227 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Satco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Satco, Inc.
• Inventors: Looker, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMALLEY, JAMES N
• Application Number:
  US10/655,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20050051544A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 220/1.5, 220/345.1, 220/350, 206/816, 160/264, 160/265, 160/269, 160/270, 160/271, 160/273.1, 312/297
• US Class Current: 220/345.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/14 by air
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 90/021 Flexible side walls or doors B65D88/125 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/816 Flexible closure, e.g. sliding desktop type

Abstract

An air cargo container includes a base, two side walls, and a rear wall. The side walls each included a curved front edge. A retractable or roll-up door is located between the side walls. The door is extendible from an open position in which the door is retracted or rolled-up, to a closed position in which the door follows the curved front edges of the side walls and terminates at a position adjacent to the base. A support member is attached along the curved front edge of each of the side walls. The support members each include a channel for receiving a cable on a side edge of the retractable door. One or more levers on each support member are rotatable from an open position to a closed position in which the levers secure the cables within the channels in the support members.

Claims

1. A cargo container, comprising:

a base;

a first side wall attached to the base and having a curved front edge;

a second side wall attached to the base and having a curved front edge;

a rear wall attached to the base and attached to a rear edge of each of the first and second side walls;

a flexible retractable door between the first and second side walls, with the door moveable along the curved front edge of the first and second side walls to a position adjacent to the base;

a support member attached along the curved front edge of each of the first and second side walls, each support member including a channel for receiving a side edge of the retractable door;

a cable attached to each side edge of the retractable door, wherein the channel in each support member is configured to receive one of the cables to secure the cable in the support member; and

at least one pivotable lever on each of the support members, wherein each lever is movable from an open position to a closed position in which the lever secures the cable within the channel in the support member.

2. The cargo container of claim 1 further comprising a door frame extrusion on an inner section of each of the support members, wherein the channels are formed in the door frame extrusions.

3. The cargo container of claim 1 further comprising a door bar attached to a leading edge of the door, wherein the bar is securable to at least one of the side walls, the base, and the support members for maintaining the door in the closed position.

4. The cargo container of claim 1, wherein the door is a roll-up door.

5. The cargo container of claim 4 wherein the door has a cable at each of its side edges, and with each cable captive within the first or second side wall.

6. The cargo container of claim 1 with the first and second side walls each having a straight section extending from the base up to the curved edge.

7. The cargo container of claim 1 wherein the rear wall is flat.

8. A cargo container, comprising:

a base;

a first side wall attached to the base;

a second side wall attached to the base;

a rear wall attached to the base and attached to the first and second side walls;

a first support member attached to the first side wall and having a first curved front surface including a first channel;

a second support member attached to the second side wall and having a second curved front surface including a second channel;

a retractable door between the first and second side walls, with the door moveable along the curved front surfaces to a position adjacent to the base;

first and second cables attached to each side respectively of the retractable door, with the first and second channels configured to receive the first and second cables; and

at least one pivotable lever on each of the first and second support members, with the levers movable from an open position to a closed position where the levers secure the cables within the channels.

9. A cargo container, comprising:

a base;

a first side wall on the base;

a second side wall on the base;

a generally flat rear wall on the base and attached to the first and second side walls;

a first support member attached to the first side wall and having a curved front surface including a first channel;

a second support member attached the second side wall and having a curved front surface including a second channel;

a roll-up door having a first cable and a second cable, and with the door moveable from an open position where the door is rolled up, to a closed position where the door is at least partially unrolled and the first cable is positioned in the first channel and the second cable is positioned in the second channel; and

at least one lever on each of the first and second support members, wherein each lever is movable from an open position to a closed position in which the lever secures one of the first and second cables within the corresponding first and second channel, respectively.

10. The cargo container of claim 9 further comprising a bar attached to a leading edge of the door, wherein the bar is securable to a lower portion of each of the first and second support members for maintaining the door in the closed position.

11. The cargo container of claim 10 further comprising means for locking the door into the closed position.

12. The cargo container of claim 9 further comprising door retaining means for keeping the door substantially parallel to with the curved front surface of the first and second supports.

13. The cargo container of claim 9 further comprising a door frame extrusion on an inner section of each of the first and second support members, wherein the first and second channels are formed in the door frame extrusions.