Modular freight containers

Abstract

A transportable freight container assembly comprising: an outer freight container having side walls, a base, at least one door to allow access to an interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door in a closed position; a plurality of inner freight containers having side walls, a base, a roof and at least one door to allow access to the interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door; wherein each of the plurality of inner freight containers are configured to be housed at the interior of the outer freight container so as to be removably storable within the outer freight container.

1 . A transportable freight container assembly comprising:
 an outer freight container having side walls, a base, at least one door to allow access to an interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door in a closed position;   a plurality of inner freight containers having side walls, a base, a roof and at least one door to allow access to the interior of the container and lock means to releasably lock the at least one door;   wherein each of the plurality of inner freight containers is capable of being housed at the interior of the outer freight container so as to be removably storable within the outer freight container.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein an external width of each inner freight container is slightly less than an internal width of the outer freight container to allow the internal freight containers to be inserted and removed from the interior of the outer freight container. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each of the inner freight containers comprises four corner support members extending from a bottom face to a top face of the container when orientated in normal use and five panels extending between the support members to define the side walls, roof and base of the freight container comprising a substantially cuboidal configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 3  wherein each inner freight container comprises two doors, each door being respectively hingeably mounted to one support member, the two doors defining one of the side walls of the freight container. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the support members extend beyond the base panel to define four support feet when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 2  wherein each inner freight container comprises lift means to allow the freight container to be connected to lifting apparatus and suspended off the ground. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the lift means comprises at least one hook or loop respectively attached to each of the support members. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the lift means comprises at least one aperture respectively provided at each of the support members. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 8  wherein each aperture is positioned at one of the side faces of each support member when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 7  wherein each hook or loop is positioned at a top end of each support member when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 3  comprising four lift means, each respective lift means being provided at each of a respective upward facing top end of each support member when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein each lift means is configured to be movable between a lifting position, a transport position and a stacking position. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 3  comprising four lift hoops, each one of the hoops being respectively positioned as an upper facing end of each of the support members when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use, the lift means configured to allow each inner freight container to be attached to lifting apparatus to suspend each freight container off the ground. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 13  wherein each hoop is mounted at a rotatable spindle wherein each hoop is capable of rotation about an axis aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of each support member. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 13  wherein each support member comprises an aperture provided at a downward facing end of each support member when each inner freight container is orientated in normal use, each aperture being sized to accommodate said hoop of a lower inner freight container when two inner freight containers are stacked one top of another and their respective support members aligned in the vertical direction to create a vertical stack of freight containers. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each inner freight container comprises tamper indication means provided at the at least one door, the tamper indication means configured to provide an indication of unauthorised opening of the at least one door of the inner freight container. 
     
     
         17 . A transportable freight container comprising:
 four support posts positioned at four corner edges of the freight container and orientated in the substantially vertical direction when the container is orientated in normal use;   at least three side panels positioned between the support posts to define the walls of the container;   a base panel extending between each of the four support posts;   a roof panel positioned between each of the four support posts;   at least one door having lock means, the at least one door extending between two support posts to define one side face of the freight container; and   lift means positioned at an upward facing top end of each of the support posts when the freight container is orientated in normal use, the lift means being moveable between a lifting position, a transport position and a stacking position.   
     
     
         18 . The freight container as claimed in  claim 17  further comprising a plurality of apertures, at least one aperture being provided at a side face of each of the support posts at a position between the upper facing end and a bottom facing end of each support posts, when the container is orientated in normal use. 
     
     
         19 . The freight container as claimed in  claim 17  wherein each lift means comprises a hoop mounted at a rotatable spindle, wherein each hoop is configured to rotate about at an axis aligned substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of each support post.