The present disclosure relates to a foldable container which includes a pair of side walls disposed side-by-side; a guide rail disposed in a direction transverse-crossing between lower ends of the one pair of side walls to guide movement of at least one of the side walls; an upper plate and a lower plate, wherein each of the upper plate and the lower plate is divided into at least two unit plates that are rotatably connected to each other so as to be folded by the movement of the side wall, and wherein each of the upper plate and the lower plate connects upper ends of the pair of side walls to each other and connects lower ends of the one pair of side walls to each other; and a door rotatably connected to each of a front end and a rear end of the side wall.

The present disclosure provides for end walls for a freight container. The end walls include those for a rear wall and a front wall for the freight container. The rear wall includes rear corner posts each having a recess to receive a rear door hinge in the rear corner post and a corner fitting mounting block. The rear wall further includes corner fittings each having a receiving block, a sill member connected to a first rear corner posts by a member hinge, a header member connected to a second rear corner posts by a member hinge, a first rear wall door and a second rear wall door. The front wall includes front corner posts having gussets, anti-racking blocks, corner fittings with receiving blocks, a sill member, a header member and a front wall door.

A shipping container formed from a single piece of flexible planar material as a continuous and contiguous structure foldable into a reusable, knock-down box. The shell body comprises a fabric or mesh and includes a semi-rigid bottom panel and a zipper disposed within an end panel securing an end panel flap. A pair of opposing handles are formed in the end portion and a resealable label pouch is affixed to a top panel.

A modular mobility base for a modular autonomous bot apparatus transporting an item being shipped including a mobile base platform, a component alignment interface, a mobility controller, a propulsion and steering system, and sensors. The component alignment interface provides an alignment channel into which another modular component can be placed and secured on the platform. The mobility controller generates propulsion control signals for controlling speed of the modular mobility base and steering control signals for navigation of the modular mobility base. The propulsion system is connected to the platform and responsive to the propulsion control signal. The steering system is connected to the mobile base platform and is responsive to the steering control signal to cause changes to directional movement of the modular mobility base. The sensors are disposed on the platform provide feedback sensor data to the mobility controller about a condition of the modular mobility base.

A hollow container or box formed from a roof, a first side (i.e., or first upper and lower sides), a second side (i.e., for second upper and lower sides), a rear side (i.e., or rear upper and lower sides), a door (i.e., or upper and lower door), and a base placing the container or box in a fully assembled position. Unique side and end access doors are provided. Each of the sides are releasably coupled or hingedly connected to one another and the adjacent sides are hingedly coupled to the base. Upon releasing the sides from one another and rotating each relative to one another in a particular order along various axis rotation, the container or box is transitioned from a fully assembled position into a flat, parallel orientation, fully collapsed position.

A collapsible container wherein the left side panel is hingedly connected to the top panel and includes at least one strut, one end of the strut being pivotally connected at an intermediate point along the end edge of the left panel, the other end of the strut being pivotally connected to the bottom panel; the right side panel being hingedly connected to the bottom panel and includes at least one strut, one end of the strut being pivotally connected at an intermediate point along the end edge of the side panel, the other end of the strut being pivotally connected to the top panel, such that the container is moveable between a collapsed configuration and an erect configuration, wherein the struts maintain a spaced apart relationship between the edges of the hingedly connected panels and the respective top or bottom panel during such movement.

Methods are described that perform a dispatched consumer-to-store return or swap logistics operation for an item being replaced using a modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly and a dispatch server. The method begins with receiving a return operation dispatch command that includes identifier information, transport parameters, and designated pickup information for the item being replaced/returned, along with authentication information related to an authorized supplier of the item being replaced. Modular components of the bot apparatus are verified to be compatible with the dispatched logistics operation. The MAM then autonomously causes the bot apparatus to move to the designated pickup location, notifies the authorized supplier of an approaching pickup, receives supplier authorization input to permissively allow access to a payload area within the bot apparatus, monitors loading as the item being replaced is received along with return documentation, and then autonomously causes movement of the bot apparatus back to the origin location.

A foldable container according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a lower panel; an upper panel provided in parallel with the lower panel; first and second lateral panels of which upper and lower ends are respectively connected to the upper panel and the lower panel to be rotatable along a longitudinal direction of the upper panel and the lower panel and which are configured to be folded toward the inside of the foldable container; and front and rear panels connected to the lower panel to be rotatable along a transverse direction of the lower panel.

A modular cargo storage system (CSS) is described for use on a base platform of a modular autonomous bot apparatus that transports an item being shipped. The modular CSS includes a set of folding structural walls, an interlocking alignment interface on at least one of the walls, and a modular component power and data transport bus. The walls at least partially enclose a payload area above the base platform. The interlocking alignment interface has a set of latches and a locking handle coupled to the set of latches that actuates the latches to interlock with the base platform. The power and data transport bus have top and bottom side modular component electronics interfaces where each interface has a power conduit outlet and a command and data communication interface.

Methods are described that perform a dispatched consumer-to-store return or swap logistics operation for an item being replaced using a modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly and a dispatch server. The method begins with receiving a return operation dispatch command that includes identifier information, transport parameters, and designated pickup information for the item being replaced/returned, along with authentication information related to an authorized supplier of the item being replaced. Modular components of the bot apparatus are verified to be compatible with the dispatched logistics operation. The MAM then autonomously causes the bot apparatus to move to the designated pickup location, notifies the authorized supplier of an approaching pickup, receives supplier authorization input to permissively allow access to a payload area within the bot apparatus, monitors loading as the item being replaced is received along with return documentation, and then autonomously causes movement of the bot apparatus back to the origin location.