The present disclosure is a soft-shell cargo container that is ideal for “do-it-yourself” transport. The cargo container, which may be useful in a pickup truck bed, includes a single piece of a flexible shell material that defines a base panel, a front wall panel, back wall panel, two side wall panels, a top cover panel, and a tailgate panel. The cargo container is flexible and therefore adaptable to cover bulky or awkwardly shaped cargo. The cargo in the cargo container can be secured via interior fasteners, like loops, hooks, straps, and dividers. The cargo container can also be waterproof, fire retardant, puncture proof, and lockable. Thus, the cargo container protects belongings therein from weather damage, debris, and theft.

A large volume natural gas storage tank comprises rigid tubular walls having closed tubular cross-sections that are interconnected at opposing ends with two other rigid tubular walls such that interiors of the rigid tubular walls define an interior fluid storage chamber. The storage tank also includes bulkheads positioned in the interior fluid storage chamber across intermediate segments of the rigid tubular walls and closure plates connected between exterior surfaces of successive interconnected rigid tubular walls to define sides of the storage tank. Interior surfaces of the closure plates and exterior surfaces of the rigid tubular walls define an auxiliary fluid storage chamber. The storage tank also includes exterior support structures extending through the closure plates and between the exterior surfaces of the rigid tubular walls on some of the sides of the storage tank to reinforce the storage tank against dynamic loading from fluid in the interior fluid storage chamber.

A large volume natural gas storage tank comprises rigid tubular walls having closed tubular cross-sections that are interconnected at opposing ends with two other rigid tubular walls such that interiors of the rigid tubular walls define an interior fluid storage chamber. The storage tank also includes bulkheads positioned in the interior fluid storage chamber across intermediate segments of the rigid tubular walls and closure plates connected between exterior surfaces of successive interconnected rigid tubular walls to define sides of the storage tank. Interior surfaces of the closure plates and exterior surfaces of the rigid tubular walls define an auxiliary fluid storage chamber. The storage tank also includes exterior support structures extending through the closure plates and between the exterior surfaces of the rigid tubular walls on some of the sides of the storage tank to reinforce the storage tank against dynamic loading from fluid in the interior fluid storage chamber.

A foldable container adjustable between an unfolded condition and a folded condition comprises a roof panel and an opposing base panel, a front panel and an opposing door panel which are each hingedly connected to solely the roof panel, a right side panel and an opposing left side panel, a right side roof skirt and an opposing left side roof skirt having disparate heights, a left side compound beam and a right side compound beam extending from the base panel, and a left side hinge-beam structure and a right side hinge-beam structure each having a hinge point and a skirt retaining portion. The right side panel and the left side panel are hingedly coupled to their respective hinge-beam structures at the hinge points. The hinge points lie in different horizontal planes. The hinge points lie within a midline of their respective side panel.

Disclosed are apparatus, systems, and methods, including a ground transport drive container comprising an outer container having a cuboid shape and comprising a plurality of fittings for securing the outer container to another apparatus; and a drive wheel assembly. The drive wheel assembly comprises one or more wheels and a deployment mechanism secured to the one or more wheels. An actuating member actuates the drive wheel assembly between a stowed configuration and one or more deployed configurations. In the stowed configuration, the drive wheel assembly is housed entirely within the outer container. In the one or more deployed configurations, the drive wheel assembly extends from the outer container.

A fluid impervious wall skin provides an interstitial space. The wall is formed from a composite material, the composite material comprising a plurality of layers including:, a first layer of flexible material having adhesive on at least one surface thereof for attachment to a structural wall; a layer comprising a spacer; and a second layer of flexible material; the layers of the composite material are attached a structural wall and one to the other by adhesive between adjacent layers, and the spacer provides the interstitial space N between the said first and second layers of flexible material within the said composite material. The second flexible layer comprises heavier than the second weight, wherein the each overlapping sheet presents a free edge, and the tape is positioned over the free edge is attached to the overlapping and the overlapped sheet of woven fibreglass fabric of the first weight, and a solvent free epoxy coating applied to the surface of the second flexible layer that is distal from the structural wall, which coating cures to form a hard fluid impervious layer.

A quasi-cylindrical cargo container is formed of a plurality of rigid, curved panels together forming first and second semi-cylindrical shells, and a plurality of rigid, flat extension panels bridging the first and second semi-cylindrical shells. A method of manufacturing the container includes forming the first and second semi-cylindrical shell from the curved panels, forming the quasi-cylindrical shell from the first and second semi-cylindrical shells and the flat extension panels, forming collars conformably encompassing the quasi-cylindrical shell, constricting the collars to compress joints formed at abutting edges of pairs of adjacent panels, rolling the shell and collars sequentially to bring the joints to a lower position, welding inside seams of the joints when at the lower position, removing the collars, rolling the shell sequentially to bring the joints to an upper position, and welding outside seams of the joints when at the upper position.

A modular autonomous cart assembly for transporting an item being shipped is described with a sensor-equipped mobility base that carries the item(s), a modular cart handle, a sensor-equipped modular mobile cart autonomy control module detachably attached to the modular handle, all sharing a modular common power and data transport bus. The autonomous controller of the modular control module is programmatically adapted operative to establish a secure connection to a wireless mobile courier node, locate the courier node and the cart assembly, receive sensor data from the base and control module sensors, generate steering and propulsion control commands using the locations and sensor data and send them to a controller on the mobility base so that the assembly can autonomously track and follow the current location of the courier node as the courier node moves and while maintaining a predetermined follow distance from the current location of the courier node.

An intermodal container includes first and second ends, joined by first and second sides in a generally rectangular configuration. A generally continuous floor cooperates with the first and second ends and the first and second sides to form an open top container. A plurality of roof overhangs extend adjacent a top of the open top container, generally parallel to the floor. The intermodal container includes a roll cover having a first position in which the open top container is substantially open to the ambient environment to allow for loading from above the first and second sides and first and second ends of the open top container. The roll cover has a second position in which the open top container is substantially closed to the ambient environment to prevent any contents of the open top container to be ejected from the open top container during transport. A plurality of top reinforcement rails are disposed adjacent upper portions of the first and second sides, and extends from the first side to the second side.

An intermodal container includes first and second ends, joined by first and second sides in a generally rectangular configuration. A generally continuous floor cooperates with the first and second ends and the first and second sides to form an open top container. A plurality of roof overhangs extend adjacent a top of the open top container, generally parallel to the floor. The intermodal container includes a roll cover having a first position in which the open top container is substantially open to the ambient environment to allow for loading from above the first and second sides and first and second ends of the open top container. The roll cover has a second position in which the open top container is substantially closed to the ambient environment to prevent any contents of the open top container to be ejected from the open top container during transport. A plurality of top reinforcement rails are disposed adjacent upper portions of the first and second sides, and extends from the first side to the second side.