Container for Cargo

Abstract

A container to contain cargo. The container has a first side, a second side, and a wheel side. Wheels are connected to the wheel side. The container is selectively positionable between an upright orientation and a side orientation. The upright orientation positions the first side downward to contact a support surface and with the wheels spaced away from support surface. The side orientation comprises the first wheel side positioned downward towards the support surface and with the first side and the second side spaced away from the support surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container comprising:
 a top side and a bottom side;   lateral sides that extend between the top side and the bottom side with at least one of the lateral sides comprising a wheel side and another one of the lateral sides comprising a door side;   an interior space formed within the top side, the bottom side, and the lateral sides;   a door at the door side and positionable between an open position and a closed position;   wheels positioned at the wheel side;   wherein the container is selectively positionable between an upright orientation and a side orientation;   wherein the upright orientation comprises the bottom side positioned downward on a support surface, the door side in an upright orientation, and the wheel side positioned away from the support surface;   wherein the side orientation comprises the wheel side positioned downward on the support surface and door side positioned away from the support surface; and   wherein the door is configured to be in the open position in the upright orientation for loading the cargo and in the closed position in the side orientation to prevent escape of the cargo through the door side.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the door side and the wheel side share a common edge. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein the wheel side and one of the lateral sides share an edge and are aligned at an obtuse angle. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more skid plates connected to the wheel side with the one or more skid plates having a lower coefficient of friction than the wheel side. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more skid plates connected to one or more of the lateral sides with the one or more skid plates having a lower coefficient of friction than the lateral sides. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the wheels are movable between an extended position that extends outward from the wheel side and a retracted position that is retracted inward from the wheel side. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 6 , wherein the wheels are aligned in a first row that extends along a first edge of the wheel side and a second row that extends along a second edge of the wheel side with the first row and the second row being spaced apart. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , further comprising one or more rows of rollers positioned at the wheel side between the first row and the second row of the wheels, wherein the one or more rows of rollers are movable between extended and retracted positions. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more rows of rollers extend outward from the wheel side a shorter distance than the wheels in the extended positions. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more rows of rollers are aligned perpendicular to the first row and the second row of the wheels. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the lateral sides are open. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the top side, the bottom side, and the lateral sides comprises panels. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , further comprising frame members that form a frame of the container and wherein the panels are connected to the frame members. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the door is configured to be removed from the door side of the container. 
     
     
         15 . A container comprising:
 a top side and a bottom side;   lateral sides that extend between the top side and the bottom side with at least one of the lateral sides comprising a movement side and another one of the lateral sides comprising a door side;   one or more of the top side, the bottom side, and the lateral sides comprising panels;   an interior space formed within the top side, the bottom side, and the lateral sides;   a door at the door side and positionable between an open position and a closed position;   wherein the container is selectively positionable between an upright orientation and a side orientation;   wherein the upright orientation comprises the bottom side positioned downward on a support surface, the door side in an upright orientation, and the movement side positioned away from a support surface;   wherein the side orientation comprises the movement side positioned downward on the support surface and door side positioned away from the support surface; and   wherein the door is configured to be in the open position in the upright orientation for loading the cargo and in the closed position in the side orientation to prevent escape of the cargo through the door side.   
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15 , further comprising frame members that are connected together and form a frame of the container and with the one or more panels connected to the frame members. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15 , further comprising one or more skid plates mounted on one or more sides of the of the container, the one or more skid plates constructed from materials with a lower coefficient of friction than the sides. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 15 , further comprising wheels positioned at the movement side, the wheels configured to move between an extended position outward beyond the movement side and a retracted position inward from the movement side. 
     
     
         19 . A container to contain cargo, the container comprising:
 a plurality of sides comprising a door side, a wheel side, and an adjacent side that shares an edge with the door side with the edge being open;   a door comprising a shape and size that corresponds to the door side, the door selectively movable between a closed position and an open position that is away from the door side;   an open interior space formed within the sides and sized to receive the cargo;   wheels positioned at the wheel side;   one or more retraction mechanisms connected to the wheels to selectively move the wheels between a retracted position and an extended position;   wherein the retracted position locates the wheels inward from the wheel side and the extended position locates the wheels outward from the wheel side; and   wherein the door is positioned along the edge between the door side and the adjacent side when the door is in the closed position.   
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 19 , further comprising one or more panels that extend along one or more of the plurality of sides.