The invention is directed to a flexible and collapsible extended-length bulk bin. The bulk bin includes two molded plastic end pieces that are connected at each side to each by metal rails. A bottom panel and two side wall panels are also positioned between the two molded plastic end pieces.

A molded container assembly includes a pallet, a molded container, and a plurality of connection systems. The pallet supports the molded container thereon and includes stacking alignment structure for stacking the pallet on another molded container assembly. The molded container includes a tank portion, several leg supports, several buttresses, and several horizontally extending ribs. The tank portion includes several curved sidewalls and a fill opening. The leg supports include lower and upper sections that extend above the fill opening for spacing a pallet stacked on top of the molded container above the fill opening. The upper sections include pallet engaging structure for engaging pallets of at least two different types. The horizontally extending ribs minimize outward deflection due to hydrostatic loading and/or pressurization. The connection systems include washers that allow for shrinkage and expansion between the molded container and the pallet in a number of directions.

A molded container assembly includes a pallet, a molded container, and a plurality of connection systems. The pallet supports the molded container thereon and includes stacking alignment structure for stacking the pallet on another molded container assembly. The molded container includes a tank portion, several leg supports, several buttresses, and several horizontally extending ribs. The tank portion includes several curved sidewalls and a fill opening. The leg supports include lower and upper sections that extend above the fill opening for spacing a pallet stacked on top of the molded container above the fill opening. The upper sections include pallet engaging structure for engaging pallets of at least two different types. The horizontally extending ribs minimize outward deflection due to hydrostatic loading and/or pressurization. The connection systems include washers that allow for shrinkage and expansion between the molded container and the pallet in a number of directions.

A crate assembly for storing one or more items. The crate has a bottom face and a plurality of side faces, wherein the bottom face comprises a plurality of slat assemblies installed onto the bottom rail assemblies and each side face comprises a plurality of slat assemblies installed onto a pair of corner rail assemblies. In one embodiment, the crate includes a plurality of slats with each slat having a cap on each end making a slat assembly with the cap having a channel adapted to slide the slat along a rail, a plurality of corner rail assemblies each defining a corner of the crate assembly with each corner rail assembly including a vertical rail adapted for receiving the cap of a slat assembly; and a plurality of bottom rail assemblies. Each bottom rail assembly has one end connected to a bottom end of one corner rail assembly and an opposing end connected to a bottom end of another corner rail assembly. Each bottom rail assembly also includes a horizontal rail adapted for receiving the cap of a slat assembly.

A flexible tank fillable with a liquid having a base and at least one enclosing wall. The base has an upper surface and a lower surface, and defines a plurality of edges and a perimeter. The enclosing wall extends about the base and is attached thereto to, together with the base, define an enclosure. The inner brace assembly comprises at least one inner support member having a base wall attachment side and an encasing wall attachment side. The base wall attachment side is attached to the base spaced apart from the perimeter. The encasing wall attachment side is attached to the at least one enclosing wall spaced apart from the base fold.

The invention refers to an equipment (1) including a container (19) for the storage of a liquid (2) as well as thermal insulation panels (12,13), wherein none of the thermal insulation panels (12,13) is mounted directly on or even in contact with an outer surface of the container (19), wherein a chamber (5) housing the container (19) is delimited by an enclosure (6) consisting of walls (7), a floor (8) and a ceiling (9), and which is accessible through an access opening, either in the form of an entrance opening in one of the walls (7) closeable by a door or in the form of a manhole (11) eccentric to the center of the ceiling (9) and closeable by a lid (10), wherein the lid (10) or the door is thermally insulated at the inner side and is provided with an air-tight sealing all around, and wherein an inner surface of the chamber (5) except the access opening is entirely covered with the thermal insulation panels (12,13) in such a way that a volume of space occupied by the container (19) is smaller than a volume of space delimited by the inner sides of the thermal insulation panels (12,13) at the inner side of the walls (7), the ceiling (9) and the floor (8), leaving a space for maintenance between the outer surface of the container (19) and the thermal insulation panels (12,13) mounted to the inner surface of the chamber (5), which is only filled with air and is free of any liquid or bulk material in order to keep the container and the bottom of the chamber visible for inspection, and wherein the only way for heat to leave the air-filled space for maintenance between the outer surface of the container (19) and the thermal insulation panels (12,13) is through these thermal insulation panels (12,13) and neither besides such thermal insulation panels (12,13) nor through any kind of air duct or acitve or passive venting.

An intermodal shipping container including one or more improvements such as intermediate gable posts or gable headers adapted to increase an internal width and strength of the container, wherein the gable posts or the gable headers include twin channels having at least two internal flanges welded to a gable post plate or gable header plate, one or more upper castings having an integral top rail ledge, wherein a top rail of a side wall hangs on the integral top rail ledge, “C” channel style beam main frame cross members, a one-piece continuous top plate including an integral lip connecting the top plate and a roof, one or more rear lower castings, wherein the one or more rear lower castings are an integral interlocking interface, a bolster including an integral seating and fastening surface and slots, and/or one or more nested rear corner posts subassemblies, the one or more nested rear corner posts having a notch and protrusion connection, wherein a protrusion in a lower rear casting engages with a corresponding notch in the rear corner post.

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.

A modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly is described for transporting an item being shipped. The assembly includes a modular mobility base having propulsion, steering, sensors for collision avoidance, and suspension actuators; a modular auxiliary power module with a power source and cargo door; a modular cargo storage system with folding structural walls and a latching system; and a modular mobile autonomy module that covers the cargo storage system and provides human interaction interfaces, externals sensors, a wireless interface, and an autonomous controller with interfacing circuitry coupled to the human interaction interfaces and sensors on the mobile autonomy module. The assembly has a power and data transport bus that provides a communication and power conduit across the different modular components. A method for on-demand assembly of such a bot apparatus is further described with steps for authenticating the different modular components during assembly.

A modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly is described for transporting an item being shipped. The assembly includes a modular mobility base having propulsion, steering, sensors for collision avoidance, and suspension actuators; a modular auxiliary power module with a power source and cargo door; a modular cargo storage system with folding structural walls and a latching system; and a modular mobile autonomy module that covers the cargo storage system and provides human interaction interfaces, externals sensors, a wireless interface, and an autonomous controller with interfacing circuitry coupled to the human interaction interfaces and sensors on the mobile autonomy module. The assembly has a power and data transport bus that provides a communication and power conduit across the different modular components. A method for on-demand assembly of such a bot apparatus is further described with steps for authenticating the different modular components during assembly.