Collapsible intermodal container

Abstract

A collapsible intermodal container comprising: a roof forming a top surface of the container; a floor forming a bottom surface of the container; a plurality of side panels hingedly attachable to both the roof and the floor, wherein each side panel of the plurality of side panels includes four corners; and a plurality of door panels hingedly attachable to either the roof or the floor. Each side panel of the plurality of side panels includes four locking mechanisms located at each corner. Each locking mechanism of the four locking mechanisms are configurable to be in a locked orientation to place each said side panel in a locked orientation and to be in an unlocked orientation to place each said side panel in a collapsible orientation.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A collapsible intermodal container comprising:
 a. a roof forming a top surface of the container;   b. a floor forming a bottom surface of the container;   c. a plurality of side panels hingedly attachable to both the roof and the floor, wherein each side panel of the plurality of side panels includes four corners; and   d. a plurality of door panels hingedly attachable to either the roof or the floor;   
       wherein each side panel of the plurality of side panels includes four locking mechanisms located at each corner and wherein each locking mechanism of the four locking mechanisms are configurable to be in a locked orientation to place each said side panel in a locked orientation and to be in an unlocked orientation to place each said side panel in a collapsible orientation. 
     
     
         2 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein said roof is fabricated from steel, aluminum, a composite material, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein said floor is fabricated from steel, aluminum, a composite material, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein each side panel of the plurality of side panels is fabricated from steel, aluminum, a composite material, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein each door panel of the plurality of door panels is fabricated from steel, aluminum, a composite material, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein each door panel of the plurality of door panels is a roll-up door assembly or a hinged double door assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein the roof and the plurality of side panels form an upper assembly secured together by a plurality of upper assembly threaded rod assemblies. 
     
     
         8 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 7 , wherein the floor and the plurality of door panels form a lower assembly secured together by a plurality of lower assembly threaded rod assemblies. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 8 , wherein when each locking mechanism of the four locking mechanisms are configured in the locked orientation, the plurality of upper assembly threaded rod assemblies and the plurality of lower assembly threaded rod assemblies are in a locked orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 9 , wherein when each locking mechanism of the four locking mechanisms are configured in the unlocked orientation, the plurality of upper assembly threaded rod assemblies and the plurality of lower assembly threaded rod assemblies are transitionable to retracted orientations to draw the upper assembly downwards to the lower assembly.