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US 9,174,797 B2Granted
Fabric closure with an access opening for cargo containers
AssigneeAdvanced Composite Structures, LLC
InventorsJohn E. Holland, Connie W. Holland, Daniel M. Nathan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fabric closure, and enclosure, are provided for cargo containers, including a fabric panel formed of high-strength yarns, and a selectively closeable opening formed in the fabric panel for access therethrough, the selectively closeable opening having a substantially vertical opening, and a slide fastener for closure thereof.
Claims27
A fabric closure for an open side of cargo containers of the type having a plurality of side walls, a top, a bottom, said fabric closure comprising:
- (a) a cut and puncture-resistant, substantially waterproof, fabric panel formed of high-strength yarns made with fibers having a tenacity greater than about 20 grams/denier, the fabric panel having top and bottom edges and opposed side edges, wherein the top, bottom, and side edges of the fabric panel are attached to the container side, top, and bottom walls adjacent the open side;
- and
- (b) a selectively closeable opening formed in the fabric panel for access therethrough, the selectively closeable opening comprising:
- (i) a substantially vertical opening between adjacent edges of the fabric having a length extending from the bottom edge of the fabric panel and extending to a point adjacent to but spaced from the top edge of the fabric panel;
- (ii) a substantially horizontal opening spaced from the top edge of the fabric panel, formed between adjacent edges of fabric, having a length which covers at least a majority of the width of the fabric panel and that intersects the substantially vertical opening at the upper extremity thereof;
- and
- (iii) a first continuous slide fastener attached along adjacent edges of the length of at least one of the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal openings;
- wherein the vertical and horizontal openings in the fabric panel allow for access to the open side of the cargo container when open, and prevents passage of cargo items, which may be stowed in the container, around and through the fabric closure when closed,
- wherein the selectively closeable opening formed in the fabric panel further comprises at least one second continuous slide fastener attached along the length of the other of the substantially vertical and horizontal openings, and
- wherein the first continuous slide fastener is a first zipper attached along the substantially vertical opening, the first zipper is openable from the bottom upwardly and closeable from the top downwardly, and wherein the at least one second continuous slide fastener is a second zipper attached along the length of the substantially horizontal opening is openable outwardly and closeable inwardly relative to the point of intersection.
7 more elements
A system, comprising:
- (a) a cargo container having a plurality of side walls, a top, a bottom, and at least one open side;
- and
- (b) a fabric closure, comprising:
- (i) a cut and puncture-resistant, substantially waterproof, fabric panel formed of high-strength yarns made with fibers having a tenacity greater than about 20 grams/denier, the fabric panel having top and bottom edges and opposed side edges, wherein the top, bottom, and side edges of the fabric panel are attached to the container side, top, and bottom walls adjacent the open side;
- and
- (ii) a selectively closeable opening formed in the fabric panel for access therethrough, comprising:
- (A) a substantially vertical opening between adjacent edges of the fabric having a length extending from the bottom edge of the fabric panel and extending to a point adjacent to but spaced from the top edge of the fabric panel;
- (B) a substantially horizontal opening spaced from the top edge of the fabric panel, formed between adjacent edges of fabric, having a length which covers at least a majority of the width of the fabric panel and that intersects the substantially vertical opening at the upper extremity thereof;
- and
- (C) a first continuous slide fastener attached along adjacent edges of the length of at least one of the substantially vertical and substantially horizontal openings;
- wherein the vertical and horizontal openings in the fabric panel allow for access to the open side of the cargo container when open, and prevents passage of cargo items, which may be stowed in the container, around and through the fabric closure when closed,
- wherein the selectively closeable opening formed in the fabric panel further comprises at least one second continuous slide fastener attached along the length of the other of the substantially vertical and horizontal openings, and
- wherein the first continuous slide fastener is a first zipper attached along the substantially vertical opening, the first zipper is openable from the bottom upwardly and closeable from the top downwardly, and wherein the at least one second continuous slide fastener is a second zipper attached along the length of the substantially horizontal opening is openable outwardly and closeable inwardly relative to the point of intersection.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.