A composite panel comprises a first outer layer, a second outer layer, a filler layer, and a joint section of the composite panel. The filler layer is positioned between a portion of the respective first and second outer layers. The first and second outer layers are positioned adjacent one another without an intervening filler layer.

An apparatus and method are provided for assembling a roof or floor of a cargo body, and for securing doors and other portions of a cargo body in place. In some cases, a plurality of sidewalls are provided, each comprising a side panel and an upper rail and/or lower rail coupled to the side panel. A roof panel can be located above the plurality of sidewalls adjacent the upper rails, with a roof bow extending between the upper rails below the roof panel and fixed to a track of one of the upper rails with a fastener. A floor cross member can be located between the lower rails, and can be secured to the lower rails via a track and fastener.

A cargo trailer wall structure of panels includes adjacent outer sheets, posts spaced along one side of the outer sheets and fasteners therebetween. The posts are formed into central webs and attachment ribs to either side of the central webs. The attachment ribs have concave surfaces abutting against the outer sheets and rows of holes matching rows of holes in the outer sheets. The elongate concave surfaces are aligned with the rows of holes of the attachment ribs. The fasteners draw the sheets and posts together and distort the outer sheets into contact against the concave surfaces.

A body frame and a vehicle having the same are provided. The body frame includes: a transverse beam, provided with a transverse sliding groove; a longitudinal beam, connected with the transverse beam and provided with a longitudinal sliding groove; and a joint, disposed at a junction of the transverse beam and the longitudinal beam and mounted to the transverse beam by a transverse rivet and to the longitudinal beam by a longitudinal rivet. The transverse rivet is slidably mated with the transverse sliding groove, and the longitudinal rivet is slidably mated with the longitudinal sliding groove.

A louvered sidewall cargo container assembly for reducing crosswind exposure includes a cargo container, which is substantially cuboid shaped and comprises a pair of sidewalls, a front, a back, a bottom, and a roof. Each sidewall comprises a plurality of louvers. An actuator is engaged to the cargo container and is operationally engaged to each of the plurality of louvers. The actuator is positioned to selectively motivate each of the louvers between a first position a second position. In the first position, the louver is substantially perpendicular to the bottom and each of the plurality of louvers is in a closed configuration. In the second position, the louver is transverse or parallel to the bottom, extends into the cargo container, and each of the pluralities of louvers is in an open configuration. In the open configuration, the pluralities of louvers allow passage of a crosswind through the cargo container.

An adjustable transportation container system is provided including a container including a plurality of container segments defining a geometry, a container adjustment device interconnecting the plurality of container segments, one or more processors, and one or more memory modules. The one or more memory modules include a computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to identify a weight distribution of the container, identify an adjusted geometry of the container, and actuate the container adjustment device to change the geometry of the container to conform to the adjusted geometry.

A container including a first panel with a first edge having a first protrusion with a first contoured profile with at least one projection, a second panel with a second edge having a second protrusion with a second contoured profile with at least one projection, and a spline with a first channel that defines a recess with an interior profile, and a second channel separate from the first channel that defines a recess with an interior profile. The first and second channels receive the first and second protrusions, respectively, such that the first contoured profile is complementary to a portion of the interior profile and the second contoured profile is complementary to a portion of the interior profile. The first and second panel include a mid-section extending from the first and second edges, respectively. The first and second edges have a greater thickness than the thickness of the mid-sections.

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 cylindrical cargo container is formed of longitudinal, extruded arcuate panels joined pairwise at abutting edges to form a cylindrical tube. The container is mountable on a separate wheeled chassis to form a semi-trailer or railcar, or a chassis integral with a truck. The container may be substantially smooth on inner and outer surfaces, to provide optimal aerodynamics and freedom of motion of cargo within the container. The panels may have inner and outer skins bridged by multiple webs. Such structure may provide protection from punctures to the outer or inner skins. The container is useful to transport waste including municipal or industrial waste, and may be part of a tipper trailer. The container, trailer, truck, or railcar may be used with a compactor for compacting the waste within the container.

A frame assembly for supporting and mounting a box compartment over and around a flat bed of a flatbed tow truck is described. The frame assembly includes a frame attached to a chassis of a flatbed tow truck. The frame includes at least one left and at least one right side support beams, at least one left and at least one right horizontal connection beams, two or more left side and two or more right side vertical support beams, at least two cross-beams, and at least one vertical connection beam. One or more of the at least two cross-beams is connected to the chassis and is further connected at each of its ends to the left and right side support beams. Each vertical connection beam is connected to either the left or right horizontal connection beam and is oriented generally vertically for attachment of a box compartment to the frame.