Collapsible intermodal container

Abstract

The present invention is broadly directed to a collapsible intermodal container. The invention is also generally directed to a skeleton structure assembly as well as wall, roof, and floor structure sub-assemblies.

1 . A collapsible intermodal container comprising:
 opposing first and second elongate side walls each having lower and upper opposing sides;   an elongate floor having opposing sides and being connected to the first side wall;   an elongate roof having opposing sides and being connected to the second side wall;   wherein the container is configured for movement between (a) an expanded configuration where the opposing side walls are disposed parallel to and separated from one another to define a space for storing goods, and (b) a collapsed configuration where the opposing side walls approach one another remaining parallel to one another;   wherein the first and second side wall include a first and second wall skeleton frameworks respectively, each of said wall skeleton frameworks including a wall perimeter frame and a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely oriented wall members, each of said wall members being connected at opposing ends to respective opposing sides of the wall perimeter frame; and   wherein the roof includes a roof skeleton framework, said roof skeleton framework including a roof perimeter frame and a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely oriented roof beams, said wall skeleton frameworks and the roof skeleton framework cooperating with one another for stiffening of the collapsible intermodal container.   
     
     
         2 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing first and second elongate side walls remain substantially parallel to one another whilst the collapsible container is moved between the expanded configuration and the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein one of the sides of the elongate floor is connected to the lower side of the first side wall, and
 wherein one of the sides of the elongate roof is connected to the upper side of the second side wall.   
     
     
         4 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein said wall and roof skeleton frameworks provide stiffening of said container in the expanded and collapsed configurations as well as stiffening of said container in any intermediate configuration between the expanded and collapsed configurations; and
 wherein the wall and roof skeleton frameworks each remain substantially whole and unmodified between in the intermediate configurations.   
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally spaced roof beams substantially align with corresponding of the plurality of longitudinally spaced wall members of both the first and second wall skeleton frameworks. 
     
     
         7 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinally spaced wall members include multiple pairs of said wall members. 
     
     
         8 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of roof beams substantially aligns with a corresponding one of the multiple pairs of the wall members together forming one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced ring frames enhancing the structural rigidity of the collapsible intermodal container. 
     
     
         9 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 6 , wherein the container further includes a plurality of floor hinges connected to said one of the opposing sides of the floor and the lower of the opposing sides of the first wall to permit hinging between the floor and the first wall, and a plurality of roof hinges connected to said one of the opposing sides of the roof and the upper of the opposing sides of the second wall to permit hinging between the roof and the second wall. 
     
     
         10 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of floor hinges include multiple pairs of said hinges, each of said pairs of hinges being in substantial alignment with corresponding of one of the multiple pairs of the wall members of the first wall. 
     
     
         11 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of roof hinges include multiple pairs of said hinges, adjacent of said pairs of hinges being equally spaced in substantial alignment with corresponding of one of the multiple pairs of the wall members of the second wall. 
     
     
         12 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 8 , wherein the floor/roof hinge includes a hinge member having a first extension connected to either the floor or the roof and a second extension hingedly coupled to the first or the second side wall via a hinge pin mounted to said wall adjacent its lower or upper sides, said first and second extensions being formed perpendicular to one another to provide eccentric movement of the floor or roof relative to its corresponding side wall during movement of the collapsible container between its expanded and collapsed configurations. 
     
     
         13 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 11 , wherein the hinge pin is separated a distance from the lower or upper side of the corresponding wall thereby enabling the eccentric movement of the floor or roof. 
     
     
         14 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 6 , wherein the container further includes a plurality of first track members associated with the first of the opposing pair of walls, each of said first track members configured to be inter-engaged by one of a plurality of corresponding roof carriages connected to the roof, whereby movement of said collapsible container between the expanded and the collapsed configurations is accompanied by sliding movement of the roof carriages relative to the corresponding first track members; and
 wherein the plurality of first track members are mounted to the first wall between respective of the multiple pairs of wall members of the first wall skeleton. 
 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 6 , also comprising a plurality of second track members associated with the second wall, each of said second track members configured to be inter-engaged by one of a plurality of corresponding floor carriages connected to the floor whereby movement of said collapsible container between the expanded and the collapsed configurations is accompanied by sliding movement of the floor carriages relative to the corresponding second track members;
 wherein the plurality of second track members are mounted to the second wall between respective of the multiple pairs of wall members of the second wall skeleton.   
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 13 , wherein each of the track members are welded or otherwise attached to the corresponding pair of wall members. 
     
     
         19 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein the roof perimeter frame is elongate and adapted for connection to a roof panel associated with the roof; and
 the plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely oriented roof beams is connected to respective of opposing sides of the roof perimeter frame thereby stiffening the roof panel;   wherein the roof panel includes a plurality of perimeter sides, and the roof perimeter frame is in alignment with the roof panel at or adjacent the perimeter sides.   
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein the floor includes a floor skeleton framework, said floor framework comprising:
 a floor perimeter frame being elongate and adapted for connection to one or more floor panels associated with the floor;   a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely oriented floor beams, each of said transverse beams at opposing ends connected to respective of opposing longitudinal beams of the floor perimeter frame thereby stiffening the floor;   a pair of support beams connected at opposing ends to respective of the opposing longitudinal beams, said support beams (a) disposed parallel to the transverse floor beams and (b) longitudinally separated by a predetermined distance.   
     
     
         22 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 21 , wherein the opposing longitudinal beams of the floor perimeter frame each include a plate recess adapted to receive a transition plate connected to a lower of the opposing longitudinal beams of the perimeter frame of each of the opposing side walls, said transition plates being arranged, in the expanded configuration of the collapsible container, to bridge the longitudinal beams of the floor perimeter frame and respective of the lower longitudinal beams of the wall perimeter frames such that the container, when expanded, is continuously supported when being moved on a roller track. 
     
     
         23 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 22 , wherein the plate recesses of respective of the opposing longitudinal beams of the floor perimeter frame and the corresponding transition plates of the opposing side walls are longitudinally offset from one another thereby enabling receipt of said transition plates within plate recesses of the lower longitudinal beams of the opposing side walls during movement of the collapsible container into the collapsed configuration whereupon the transition plates bridge said lower beams of the side walls, such that the container, when collapsed, is continuously supported when being moved in the on a roller track. 
     
     
         24 . The collapsible intermodal container of  claim 1 , wherein the wall perimeter frame is elongate and adapted for connection to a wall panel associated with one of the pair of side walls;
 wherein the wall frameworks each include a plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely oriented wall members, each of said wall members at opposing ends connected to respective of opposing sides of the wall perimeter frame thereby stiffening the wall panel; and   wherein the wall panel includes a plurality of perimeter sides, and the wall perimeter frame is connected to and in alignment with the wall panel at or adjacent its perimeter sides.   
     
     
         25 - 127 . (canceled)