Patent ID: 8757947
Filing Date: 2014-06-24
Classification: B60P

Abstract:
1. A safety net assembly for selectively blocking and exposing an opening in a cargo container having a wall assembly bounding a storage space, the wall assembly comprising: a) a peripheral wall structure with spaced side walls; b) a top wall; and c) a floor, the opening provided in the peripheral wall structure and having a width and a height, the safety net assembly comprising: a flexible net that is selectively placable in: i) a first operative state wherein the flexible net spans a substantial height and width of the opening to strategically block the opening so as to confine cargo within the storage space; and ii) a second, opened state wherein the opening is exposed to a greater extent than with the flexible net in the first operative state to allow cargo to be directed through the opening into and from the storage space, wherein with the flexible net in the first operative state, the flexible net has a first length between spaced first and second locations on the flexible net that spans a width portion of the opening along a horizontal line at a first height, wherein the flexible net is extensible to allow the first location on the safety net to be lowered while maintaining the second location on the flexible net at the first height so that the line between the first and second locations is angled from horizontal and has a second length between the first and second locations that is greater than the first length as the flexible net is transitioned to the second, opened state, wherein the flexible net comprises at least first and second collapsible parts, with the flexible net in the first operative state the first and second collapsible parts cooperatively span a widthwise extent of the opening and with the flexible net in the second, opened state the first and second collapsible parts are moved away from each other in a widthwise direction relative to the opening, and wherein the safety net assembly further comprises a first elongate track that has a length and is mounted to the peripheral wall structure so that the first elongate track length is aligned in a vertical direction and a first shoe that is guided by the first elongate track and is selectively movable to different locations along the length of the first elongate track, the first location on the flexible net is on the first collapsible part and is connected to the shoe.