Air cargo container extension unit

Abstract

A cargo container assembly includes a main container and an extension container which can be attached to an upper portion of the main container. The extension container may be attached to the main container via a locking mechanism or cables attached to or integral with the main container or the extension container. During ground shipping, the extension container and the main container may be separated from each other so that they may stay within ground transport height limitations. An optional transportation pallet, onto which one or more extension containers may be stacked and secured, may be included for ground transportation. During air shipping, an extension container and a main container may be attached to each other to maximize use of the available cargo space in an aircraft.

1 . An extension container for attachment to an air cargo shipping container, comprising:
 an enclosure having a plurality of side walls connected to front and rear walls, and a top and a bottom each attached to the side walls;   a plurality of cables with substantially each cable having a fixed end attached to the enclosure and having a free end adapted to engage a receiving element on a shipping container.   
   
   
       2 . The extension container of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of receiving elements, for mating with cables on a separate extension container, on a lower portion of at least one of the front wall, the rear wall, and the side walls. 
   
   
       3 . The extension container of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of keepers on the enclosure, with the free ends of the cables adapted to fit onto the keepers. 
   
   
       4 . The extension container of  claim 1  further comprising a door in the front wall of the enclosure. 
   
   
       5 . The extension container of  claim 4  wherein the door comprises a roll-up door made of a flexible fabric material. 
   
   
       6 . The extension container of  claim 1  wherein the rear wall is sloped. 
   
   
       7 . The extension container of  claim 1  further comprising a netting in a rear interior section of the container, with a plurality of ropes or straps attached to the netting to facilitate an operator pulling the netting toward the front of the container to drag cargo items from the rear interior section to the front of the container. 
   
   
       8 . The extension container of  claim 1  further comprising a downwardly extending engagement element attached to a lower portion of at least one of the front wall, the rear wall, and one of the side walls, with the engagement element including a protrusion for engagement with a receiving mechanism on the shipping container. 
   
   
       9 . An air cargo container assembly, comprising:
 a shipping container having a length L and a width W, and including a plurality of receiving elements;   an extension container having a length and a width substantially equal to L and W, respectively;   a plurality of cables with substantially each of the cables having a first end fixed to the extension container, and having a free end detachably securable to the plurality of receiving elements.   
   
   
       10 . The air cargo container assembly of  claim 9  wherein the extension container includes four lower corner regions each including at least one cable attached thereto. 
   
   
       11 . The air cargo container assembly of  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of keepers, to which the cables may be secured, on an upper portion of the extension container. 
   
   
       12 . The air cargo container assembly of  claim 9  wherein a height of the extension container comprises between 15 and 25% of a total height of the air cargo container assembly. 
   
   
       13 . The extension container of  claim 9  further comprising a downwardly extending engagement element on a lower portion of the extension container for engagement with a receiving mechanism on an upper portion of the shipping container. 
   
   
       14 . The air cargo container assembly of  claim 13  wherein a front wall of the shipping container includes a shipping container door opening and a front wall of the extension container include an extension container door opening. 
   
   
       15 . An air cargo container system, comprising:
 a main container having a height H, a width W, and a length L;   an extension container having a height less than H, a width substantially equal to W, and a length substantially equal to L; and   at least two cables securing the extension container to the main container with the cables having a fixed end permanently attached to the extension container.   
   
   
       16 . The air cargo container system of  claim 15  further comprising a pallet, with the extension container alternately removably attachable to the main container unit to form an air cargo container assembly, and to the pallet to form a transportation assembly. 
   
   
       17 . The air cargo container system of  claim 16  wherein a lower region of the extension container includes a downwardly extending engagement element for engagement with a receiving mechanism on the pallet. 
   
   
       18 . The air cargo container system of  claim 15  further comprising at least one keeper, to which the at least one cable may be secured, on an upper portion of the extension container. 
   
   
       19 . The air cargo container system of  claim 15  wherein the extension container includes a plurality of receiving elements, for mating with cables on a separate extension container, on a lower portion of the extension container.