Patent ID: 8479801

Claim:
A fabric closure for the open side of cargo containers of the type having a plurality of side walls, one of which is open, a top, a bottom, said fabric closure comprising: (a) a cut and puncture-resistant, substantially waterproof, fabric panel formed of high-strength yarns made with fibers having a tenacity greater than about 20 grams/denier, the fabric panel having top and bottom edges and opposed side edges, wherein the top, bottom, and side edges of the fabric panel are attached to the container side, top, and bottom walls adjacent the open end; and (b) a selectively closeable opening formed in the fabric panel for access therethrough, the selectively closeable opening comprising: (i) a substantially vertical opening between adjacent edges of the fabric having a length extending from the bottom edge of the fabric panel and extending to a point adjacent to but spaced from the top edge of the fabric panel; (ii) a substantially horizontal opening spaced from the top edge of the fabric panel, formed between adjacent edges of fabric, having a length which covers at least a majority of the width of the fabric panel and that intersects the substantially vertical opening at the upper extremity thereof; (iii) a first continuous slide fastener attached along adjacent edges of the length of the substantially vertical opening; and (iv) a flap extending along at least one of substantially vertical opening and the substantially horizontal opening, the flap having one edge attached to the fabric panel and an opposed free edge overlying the at least one slide fastener; wherein the vertical and horizontal openings in the fabric panel allow for access to at least a majority of the open side wall of the cargo container when open, and prevents passage of cargo items, which may be stowed in the container, around and through the fabric closure when closed.