Temperature-controlled cargo container with air distribution

A temperature-controlled container comprising a box-like structure having a forward wall, a rear wall, a pair of opposed side walls extending longitudinally between the forward wall and the rear wall, a ceiling extending longitudinally between the forward wall and the rear wall and extending transversely between the opposed side walls, and a floor extending longitudinally between the forward wall and the rear wall and extending transversely between the opposed side walls, and defining a cargo space within the box-like structure;

• characterized in that said floor comprises:
• a subfloor extending longitudinally between a lowermost portion of the forward wall and a lowermost portion of the rear wall and extending transversely between a lowermost portion of each of the opposed side walls;
• a plurality of longitudinally elongated T-rails disposed on the sub-floor in spaced relationship laterally between the side walls bounding the cargo space and defining a cargo support floor disposed above and in spaced relationship with the subfloor thereby forming a plurality of longitudinally extending ducts between adjacent pairs of the T-rails and between the cargo support floor and the sub-floor;
• and
• a plurality of longitudinally and transversely spaced apart openings through the cargo support floor, each opening of said plurality of openings establishing flow communication between said plenum and the cargo space above the cargo support floor, said plurality of openings arranged so as to selectively distribute flow from said plenum into the cargo space.

A temperature-controlled container comprising a box-like structure having a forward wall, a rear wall, a pair of opposed side walls extending longitudinally between the forward wall and the rear wall, a ceiling extending longitudinally between the forward wall and the rear wall and extending transversely between the opposed side walls, and a floor extending longitudinally between the forward wall and the rear wall and extending transversely between the opposed side walls, and defining a cargo space within the box-like structure;

• and a refrigeration unit for providing conditioned air to said box said system being disposed near said forward wall and having an evaporator for conditioning air and for circulating conditioned air within the cargo space;
• characterized by:
• a pair of side outlet openings in the refrigeration unit directing conditioned air leaving the evaporator downwardly to the floor to flow rearwardly along the side walls of the cargo space;
• a plurality of vertically extending recesses in each side wall for directing conditioned air from the floor upwardly along the each side wall;
• and
• a blocking member selectively positioned in at least one recess of said plurality of recesses for directing the conditioned air passing upwardly along the recess inwardly into the cargo space.

A temperature-controlled container comprising a box-like structure having a forward wall, a rear wall, a pair of opposed side walls extending longitudinally between the forward wall and the rear wall, a ceiling extending longitudinally between the forward wall and the rear wall and extending transversely between the opposed side walls, and a floor extending longitudinally between the forward wall and the rear wall and extending transversely between the opposed side walls, and defining a cargo space within the box-like structure;

• and a refrigeration unit for providing conditioned air to said box said system being disposed near said forward wall and having an evaporator for conditioning air and for circulating conditioned air within the cargo space;
• characterized by:
• a first side air outlet on a first side of the refrigeration unit and a second side air outlet on a second side of the refrigeration unit;
• a first side air duct in flow communication with the first side air outlet and having a portion extending rearwardly along a first of the opposed side walls of the cargo space;
• and
• a second side air duct in flow communication with the second side air outlet and having a portion extending rearwardly along a second of the opposed side walls of the cargo space.