US3552466A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Inflatable freight container
Assignee: Hoover Industries Inc
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Filing: 1968-10-11
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Granted: 1971-01-05
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Expires: 1988-10-11
Abstract
Abstract A freight container having a wall or walls which can be inflated to confine freight and which can be collapsed to greatly reduce the volume of the container. In preferred embodiments the inflatable walls are made up of sealed cells of flexible material each having two opposed areas connected together by many threads which limit spreading of the cell. A valve is provided for each cell for inflation and deflation thereof.
Inventors
- 👤 Bert S Fairchilds
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:39
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D90/00; B65D90/02; B65D37/00; B65D88/00; B65D88/02; B65D88/12; B65D88/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
In a freight container of an inflatable-deflatable type which includes a rigid rectangular base pallet and inflatable walls connected to said base pallet and forming therewith an enclosure, said walls including rectangular airtight cells having as boundaries thereof opposed sheets of flexible material connected together by flexible threads which limit spreading of said sheets when the cells are inflated, and valve means for inflation and deflation of the cells, the combination therewith of a first flexible connector strip means adhered to and extending along the length of one lower edge of each vertical wall cell adjoining said base, said first strip extending over said pallet and fastened to said pallet by fastener means to provide a flexible connection to retain said cells when upright but allowing folding of said cells on said pallet, and second connector strip means bridging adjacent edges of each adjacent pair of cells of said wall means, said second connector strip means adhering to and extending along the length of each of said adjoining edges and providing a joint which retains said edges together when said cells are inflated and allows folding of said cells when said cells are deflated, said second connector strip means including one strip bridging said adjoining edges on the inside of said enclosure and another strip bridging said edges on the outside of said enclosure to provide double retention of the edges.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
231 words
In a freight container of an inflatable-deflatable type which includes a rigid rectangular base pallet and inflatable walls connected to said base pallet and forming therewith an enclosure, said walls including rectangular airtight cells having as boundaries thereof opposed sheets of flexible material connected together by flexible threads which limit spreading of said sheets when the cells are inflated, and valve means for inflation and deflation of the cells, the combination therewith of a first flexible connector strip means adhered to and extending along the length of one lower edge of each vertical wall cell adjoining said base, said first strip extending over said pallet and fastened to said pallet by fastener means to provide a flexible connection to retain said cells when upright but allowing folding of said cells on said pallet, and second connector strip means bridging adjacent edges of each adjacent pair of cells of said wall means, said second connector strip means adhering to and extending along the length of each of said adjoining edges and providing a joint which retains said edges together when said cells are inflated and allows folding of said cells when said cells are deflated, said second connector strip means including one strip bridging said adjoining edges on the inside of said enclosure and another strip bridging said edges on the outside of said enclosure to provide double retention of the edges.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The freight container as claimed in claim 1 in which said strips of said second strip means are split and secured at a medial portion thereof to a zipper strip with a zipper which can be zipped to retain said edges together and unzipped to separate said edges in order to facilitate folding of said walls.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
The freight container as claimed in claim 1 in which four of said cells are connected serially end-to-end with two such cells forming sidewalls and two other cells forming a peaked top for said container, and two end wall coverings are connected by zipper means to said cells forming the other two walls of said container, said coverings being removable by unfastening said zipper means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
222 words
In a freight container of an inflatable-deflatable type which includes a rigid rectangular base pallet aNd inflatable walls connected to said base pallet and forming therewith an enclosure, said walls including rectangular airtight cells having as boundaries thereof opposed sheets of flexible material connected together by flexible threads which limit spreading of said sheets when the cells are inflated, and valve means for inflation and deflation of the cells, the combination therewith of a first flexible connector strip means adhered to and extending along the length of one lower edge of each vertical wall cell adjoining said base, said first strip extending over said pallet and fastened to said pallet by fastener means to provide a flexible connection to retain said cells when upright but allowing folding of said cells on said pallet, and second connector strip means bridging adjacent edges of each adjacent pair of cells of said wall means, said second connector strip means adhering to and extending along the length of each of said adjoining edges and providing a joint which retains said edges together when said cells are inflated and allows folding of said cells when said cells are deflated and zipper means in said second connector strip means capable of being zipped to connect said cells together and unzipped to separate said cells to facilitate folding thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
222 words
In a freight container of an inflatable-deflatable type which includes a rigid rectangular base pallet aNd inflatable walls connected to said base pallet and forming therewith an enclosure, said walls including rectangular airtight cells having as boundaries thereof opposed sheets of flexible material connected together by flexible threads which limit spreading of said sheets when the cells are inflated, and valve means for inflation and deflation of the cells, the combination therewith of a first flexible connector strip means adhered to and extending along the length of one lower edge of each vertical wall cell adjoining said base, said first strip extending over said pallet and fastened to said pallet by fastener means to provide a flexible connection to retain said cells when upright but allowing folding of said cells on said pallet, and second connector strip means bridging adjacent edges of each adjacent pair of cells of said wall means, said second connector strip means adhering to and extending along the length of each of said adjoining edges and providing a joint which retains said edges together when said cells are inflated and allows folding of said cells when said cells are deflated and zipper means in said second connector strip means capable of being zipped to connect said cells together and unzipped to separate said cells to facilitate folding thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2951608A
Cited
US3160307A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-04 | 1974-07-06 | 1975-01-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-04 | 1978-07-06 | 1979-01-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-04 | 1982-07-06 | 1983-01-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |