NESTABLE AND STACKABLE DUNNAGE
Dunnage for storing and handling parts, such as automotive steering wheels, comprises identical vacuum-formed dunnage sections having tapering walls enabling the sections to be nested in each other. Sections may also be stacked upon each other and are provided with parts receiving pockets whereby when the sections are stacked to form a closed container, the pocket in the stacked sections cooperatively hold the parts separated from each other, thereby avoiding damage to the parts. Two or more of the dunnage containers may be stacked on each other and projections and cavities on the stacked containers interfit to prevent lateral movement and collapse of the stack.
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1. Field of the Invention
In the manufacture of automotive vehicles, and possibly in other industries as well, parts are shipped to the vehicle manufacturers who insert them into the vehicles as they pass down an assembly line. The parts are shipped from the parts supplier to the vehicle assembly plant in dunnage which is filled by the parts supplier. The dunnage is intended to protect the parts during shipment and storage prior to installation in the vehicles. As the dunnage is emptied, it must be set aside and this causes disposal problems resulting in scraping the dunnage because of the space required for storage or shipment back to the supplier. Similarly, considerable space is required for storage of the dunnage prior to use at the parts supplier or subsequent to use at the assembly plant.
Similarly, when parts are delivered to the vehicle assembly plant, they must be stored prior to use and this imposes further requirements on the supplier to either find storage space for the dunnage containing the parts, or time the delivery accurately in accordance with the manufacturer's needs.
Accordingly, the need has arisen for a more economical handling of parts contained in dunnage or handling of the dunnage itself both during use and prior to or after use, so that a minimum of space is required at the parts supplier and at the vehicle manufacturer.
In addition to the foregoing, there has been a need for a more economical form of dunnage, which if to be discarded after use does not result in substantial financial loss. Similarly, after use of the dunnage, it would be desirable to be able to return the dunnage to the parts supplier for re-use or disposal as desired. This would appear only to be feasible if after use the dunnage can be very easily stored in a compact manner thereby resulting in substantial space-saving until it can be disposed of or when disposed of, may even be shipped back to the parts supplier for re-use.
These requirements for handling the dunnage and storage of the parts has presented a long-term challenge for industry which are at least in part met in the following disclosure.
2. Background Art
The following U.S. patents show the state of the art relating to dunnage-like products:
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- U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,046
- U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,382
- U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,306
- U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,732
- Re. 33,361
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,615
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,105
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,110
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,718
As herein disclosed, the dunnage is made up of identical vacuum-formed plastic sections that may be nested in one another when not in use, thereby occupying a minimum of space, and yet may be inverted and stacked on one another to form a closed container for receiving and holding parts to be stored and transported. The design of the plastic sections is such that the closed containers may themselves be stacked, such as three containers high, thereby facilitating the storage of parts waiting to be removed and put to use. The plastic sections have projections and recesses which interfit when the closed containers are stacked, thereby preventing the stacked containers from lateral displacement and collapse of the closed container stack.
The individual plastic sections may have pockets formed therein for receiving parts to be handled, and when two plastic sections are in stacked alignment they cooperatively hold the parts for storage and shipment. The plastic sections may have projections that interfit in recesses or cavities in opposed sections to keep the stacked sections in proper alignment so that the sections will cooperatively hold the parts against any applicable movement relative to the dunnage. The projections or pockets may also have surfaces which are treated to prevent scratching or damage to the surfaces of the parts stored in the dunnage. Such treatment may comprise adhering foam strips for other non-scratching material to surfaces of the wall portions or pockets.
Thus, my design of the identical nestable and stackable dunnage enables the dunnage sections to:
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- (1) be nested one within another so that a substantial number may be stored in a small space;
- (2) dunnage sections may be inverted and stacked on one another to form a closed container;
- (3) the closed containers with products stored therein may be stacked on one another to minimize the space required for storage of products; and
(4) eliminates the need for an external container.
In
Preferably, the dunnage sections are vacuumed-formed of plastic, such as high weight molecular polyethylene. As shown in
Each side wall is shaped to provide a succession of outwardly projecting portions in the form of nine identical ribs, with the ribs on one side wall being directly opposite the ribs on the opposite wall. Thus, the ribs on side wall 28 are identified by reference numerals 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56, and the ribs on side wall 30 being directly opposite are identified by reference numerals 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72 and 74. The inside of the ribs form pockets 76 as shown in
To protect the steering wheels from being scratched by the dunnage, a thin strip of foam rubber or the like 80 may be adhered to the inside of each pocket, as shown in
To further prevent movement of the steering wheels, the bridging wall 36 may be provided with a series of inward projections best shown in
Relative lateral movement between the dunnage sections when in the stacked condition shown in
The dunnage sections can be nested as shown in
When desired for use with parts to be handled, the dunnage sections can be removed from the nested relation and one section filled with the parts, as in
As mentioned previously, the closed dunnage containers may be stacked one atop another as in
While I have shown the dunnage designed for reception and handling of automotive steering wheels, the dunnage may be designed for a variety of parts, particularly parts whose shape lends them to be stored by interfitting with identical dunnage sections.
While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. Nestable and stackable dunnage for receiving and holding products for transport and storage comprising:
- a plurality of identical dunnage sections having opposed inwardly tapering side walls, opposed inwardly tapering end walls, and a bridging wall extending between the inwardly tapering ends of the side and end walls;
- said walls having opposed product receiving pockets;
- projections and cavities on said dunnage sections for engaging each other when one dunnage section is inverted and stacked on another, to hold the dunnage and in turn said pockets in registered alignment; and
- when the dunnage sections are in said alignment, said pockets cooperate at spaced apart locations to hold products in said pockets out of contact with one another.
2. The invention defined by claim 1 wherein upon removal of products from the dunnage sections, one section may be inverted and placed within another section in nested relation.
3. The invention defined by claim 1 wherein there are projections and cavities on the bridging wall for holding dunnage sections in alignment when the sections are stacked with the bridging walls in immediate confronting relation.
4. The invention defined by claim 1 wherein there is a peripheral flange extending around the dunnage section at the wider end of said walls and there are cavities and projections in said flange at opposite sides of the dunnage section for cooperation with corresponding opposed flanges on another dunnage section when the sections are in stacked relation.
5. Nestable and stackable dunnage for receiving and holding parts for transport and/or storage comprising:
- a plurality of identical dunnage sections having opposed inwardly tapering side walls, opposed inwardly tapering end walls, and a bridging wall extending between the inwardly tapering ends of the side and end walls;
- said walls having opposed inwardly opening parts receiving pockets whereby, when one dunnage section is inverted and stacked on another dunnage section, product receiving pockets may embrace upper and lower portions of parts to be handled; and
- projections and cavities on said dunnage sections for engaging each other when the sections are in the aforesaid stacked relation to hold the dunnage sections against relative movement.
6. Nestable and stackable dunnage for receiving and holding parts for transport and storage comprising:
- a plurality of identical dunnage sections having opposed inwardly tapering side walls, opposed inwardly tapering end walls, and a bridging wall extending between the inwardly tapering ends of the side and end walls;
- said side walls having opposed inwardly opening parts receiving pockets, whereby when one dunnage section is inverted and stacked on another dunnage section forming a parts receiving enclosure, the parts receiving pockets within the enclosure embrace spaced apart portions of the parts to be handled;
- said bridging walls having projections and cavities for engagement with corresponding cavities and projections when one parts enclosure is stacked on another parts enclosure with the bridging walls in flush engagement; whereby said projections and cavities hold the dunnage sections against lateral movement; and
- said dunnage sections being nestable, one within another, when one dunnage section is inverted and stacked within another dunnage section.
7. Nestable and stackable dunnage for receiving and holding parts for transport and storage comprising:
- a plurality of identical dunnage sections having opposed inwardly tapering side walls, opposed inwardly tapering end walls, and a bridging wall extending between the inwardly tapering ends of the side and end walls;
- said side walls having opposed inwardly opening parts receiving pockets, whereby when one dunnage section is inverted and stacked on another dunnage section forming a parts receiving enclosure, the parts receiving pockets within the enclosure embrace spaced apart portions of the parts to be handled; and
- said dunnage sections being nestable one within another when one dunnage section is inverted and stacked within another dunnage section.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 11, 2007
Publication Date: Jul 17, 2008
Applicant: CARROLL PACKAGING (Dearborn, MI)
Inventor: THOMAS RICHARD KALTZ (Warren, MI)
Application Number: 11/622,238
International Classification: B65D 21/02 (20060101);