Cargo container for storing and transporting cargo

Abstract

The present invention provides a cargo container that is light weight, strong, which forms an ultraviolet light, weather/dust particle barrier and which controls the climate inside the cargo container to protect the integrity of the cargo.

1 . A container comprising: 
       an assembly of a plurality of load bearing structures, each having an inside surface, an outside surface, a width joining the inside and outside surfaces, and four inside edges and four outside edges, each of the structures having a continuous feature extending substantially along the inside surface for no more than about 80 percent of any of the four inside edges, wherein said features on adjacent structures are of opposite interlocking characteristics. 
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said interlocking features comprises respective depression and protrusion features on adjacent structures matting to form a container without any aid from any component that is not part of the plurality of load bearing structures that forms the container. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising slots formed or molded onto the inside surface of at least three of the load bearing structures for locating at least one divider to form multiple compartments inside the enclosure. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising features on said inside surface of at least one of said load bearing structures for locating a cargo item within said container. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein the continuous feature extends for no more than about 90 percent of the perimeter of the cargo. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , further comprising pocket on the inside surface of any of the plurality of load bearing structures for containing a phase change material. 
     
     
         7 . A container for loading and transporting a cargo item comprising:
 a load bearing structure having a top surface and a bottom surface joined by a width, said top surface having a continuous feature extending substantially along at least one side of the top surface for no more than about 80 percent; and   a plurality of load containing structures locatable on the top surface of the load bearing structure, each having an inside surface, an outside surface, a width joining the inside and outside surfaces, wherein each of the load containing structures include four inside edges and four outside edges.   
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein each of the load containing structures has a continuous feature extending substantially along the inside surface, where the continuous feature is adapted to allow the cargo item to be contained by the plurality of load containing structures. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the continuous feature is of opposite interlocking characteristic compared with the cargo item. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein any of the surfaces has antimicrobial properties. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of load containing structures are locatable on the load bearing structure by means of one or more protrusions in at least one of the plurality of load containing structure, where the one or more protrusions fit in the one or more grooves. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11 , wherein the protrusions and the grooves mate to enclose the cargo without any component that is not part of the load bearing structure and the plurality of load containing structures. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of load containing structures are locatable on the load bearing structure by means of one or more protrusions in the load bearing structure and one or more grooves in at least one of the plurality of load containing structure, where the one or more protrusions fit in the one or more grooves. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 7 , further comprising one or more Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tags affixed on or embedded in any of the one or both the first core and the second core. 
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 7  further comprising a RFID reader able to read one or more RFID tags in the vicinity, wherein the processor can transmit to the base station one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of one or more RFID tag location, one or more RFID tag identification code, cargo information, cargo condition, cargo container condition and time stamp. 
     
     
         16 . A container for loading and transporting a cargo item in a volume comprising:
 a load bearing structure including a top surface having a feature extending substantially along at least 80% of at least an edge of the top surface, a bottom surface and legs extending from the bottom surface, wherein the cargo is loaded on the top surface;   a pair of identical load containing structures assembled and located on the load bearing structure, said load containing structures mate to form a closed container, defining a volume, each load containing structure having an inside surface and an outside surface; and   at least one divider for dividing the volume.   
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 16 , wherein the load containing structures are locatable on the load bearing structure by means of one or more protrusions in at least one of the plurality of load containing structure, where the one or more protrusions fit in the one or more depressions. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 16 , further comprising pocket on the inside surface of any of the plurality of load containing structures and loading bearing structure for containing a phase change material. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 17 , wherein the protrusions and the depressions mate to enclose the cargo without any component that is not part of the load bearing structure and the plurality of load containing structures. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 16 , further comprising a bag-like enclosure for facilitating airport security check. 
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 20 , wherein any of the exposed surfaces has antimicrobial properties. 
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 17 , where the protrusions and the depressions mate to enclose the cargo without any component that is not part of the load bearing structure and the plurality of load containing structures.