Container having non-linear and linear tracks for supporting movable dunnage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9540168-B2
Application number	US-201615211774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2016
Priority date	Nov 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A container for holding product therein during shipment and being returned for reuse has a frame, tracks supported by opposite sides of the frame, and a plurality of dunnage supports extending between the tracks. At least one of the tracks on each side is generally U-shaped and at least one is linear. Each dunnage support may comprise end members and a middle member, the end members being movable along the tracks. The dunnage supports support dunnage for supporting products for storage or shipment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A container for holding product therein during shipment, the container comprising:
a base and two opposed sides;
a generally U-shaped track supported by each side of the container, said generally U-shaped track having an upper portion extending from front to back inside the container proximate an upper edge of the container and a lower portion extending from front to back inside the container spaced apart from the upper portion, said upper and lower portions being joined by a connecting portion;
a shelf assembly comprising at least one piece movable to create an opening to allow movement of products through the opening;
movable dunnage supports extending between tracks on said opposed sides of the container; and
dunnage supported by the dunnage supports.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the dunnage comprises pouches.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the shelf assembly is adapted to support and move emptied dunnage.

4. The container of claim 1 further comprising a track below the shelf assembly supported by each side of the container.

5. The container of claim 1 further comprising a movable door assembly.

6. The container of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of track supports secured to the sides of the container, the tracks being secured to the track supports.

7. The container of claim 5 further comprising a door guide assembly having two sides, each side having multiple slots, portions of the movable door assembly having pins movable in the slots.

8. The container of claim 7 wherein each side of the door guide assembly has two slots.

9. The container of claim 1 , at least some of the dunnage supports comprising end members movable along the tracks and a middle member extending between the end members.

10. A container for holding product therein during shipment, the container comprising:
a base and opposed sides;
a plurality of tracks supported by each side of the container, one of the tracks on each side having an upper portion extending from front to back inside the container and a lower portion extending from front to back inside the container spaced apart from the upper portion, said upper and lower portions being joined by a linear connecting portion extending between the front of the upper and lower portions inside the container;
a plurality of movable dunnage supports extending between opposed tracks;
a shelf assembly comprising at least one movable component wherein the movable component is moved rearwardly to create an opening to allow access to products below the shelf assembly; and
dunnage supported by the dunnage supports.

11. The container of claim 10 wherein the shelf assembly supports empty dunnage and may be moved to a position to allow access to a lower level of dunnage.

12. The container of claim 10 wherein each of the dunnage supports comprises end members movable along corresponding tracks and a middle member extending between the end members.

13. The container of claim 10 wherein each side of the container has two tracks, a generally U-shaped track above the shelf assembly and a generally straight track below the shelf assembly.

14. The container of claim 10 further comprising a door guide assembly having two sides, each side having multiple slots and a movable door assembly having pins movable in the slots.

15. The container of claim 14 wherein each side of the door guide assembly has two slots.

16. The container of claim 14 wherein the door assembly is movable between a raised and locked position and a dropped position.

17. The container of claim 16 wherein the container has an opening above the movable door assembly when the movable door assembly is in its dropped position, thereby allowing movement of products through the opening.

18. A container for holding product therein during shipment, the container comprising:
a base and opposed sides;
first and second tracks supported by each side of the container, each of the first tracks having a first portion extending from front to back inside the container proximate an open top of the container, a second portion extending from front to back inside the container spaced below the first portion and a connecting portion joining the first and second portions;
a plurality of movable dunnage supports extending between the first tracks and being movable along a generally U-shaped path;
dunnage supported by the dunnage supports;
a shelf assembly extending between the opposed sides of the container below the first tracks, the shelf assembly being adapted to receive and move empty dunnage.

19. The container of claim 18 wherein the second tracks are linear.

20. The container of claim 18 wherein at least some of the dunnage supports comprise end members movable along corresponding tracks and a middle member extending between the end members.

Assignees

• Bradford Co

Inventors

• Bublitz Timothy A
• Feenstra Mark J
• Burns Allen L

Classifications

• B65D2585/6887

  body parts, e.g. doors, body panels · CPC title

• B65D2585/6882

  vehicle parts · CPC title

• B65D2519/0097

  through corner posts · CPC title

• B65D2519/009

  whereby all side walls are hingedly connected to the base panel · CPC title

• B65D2519/0082

  in the side wall · CPC title