Movable Dunnage Supports in Shipping Containers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing container designs for shipping and assembly plants are ergonomically unfriendly, requiring workers to perform stressful and straining movements to access and remove parts, leading to potential injuries and increased production costs due to reduced efficiency and increased need for multiple containers.

Innovation Solution

A container design featuring a metal or plastic frame with non-linear tracks and movable dunnage supports that allow products to be easily loaded and unloaded from an ergonomically friendly position, reducing the need for workers to stretch or reach, and enabling efficient movement of dunnage supports to create openings for easy access and loading/unloading.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If containers are designed with fixed structures and traditional access methods, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but worker ergonomics deteriorate and physical trauma increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworker ergonomicsVSAvoidcontainer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the dunnage supports movable rather than fixed. The dunnage supports can be moved along the container length to reposition products, transforming a static container structure into a dynamic system that adapts to worker needs and reduces ergonomic strain during loading and unloading operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the container interior into multiple levels with separate dunnage supports for different products. This segmentation allows independent movement and repositioning of each product layer, enabling workers to access specific products without moving entire contents, thus improving ergonomics while maintaining manageable structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If containers are made longer to accommodate more products, then productivity increases, but worker access to products deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of products per containerVSAvoidproduct access

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The movable dunnage supports enable the container to maintain greater length while preserving product accessibility. Workers can move dunnage supports to bring products within reaching distance, allowing longer containers to hold more products without compromising worker ergonomics or access efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces movement along the longitudinal dimension of the container to solve the access problem. By moving dunnage supports from fixed to movable positions, the system effectively adds a temporal dimension to product access, allowing workers to reposition products as needed regardless of container length.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Volume of stationary object

If workers must reach into deep containers to remove products, then container capacity increases, but worker safety deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontainer capacityVSAvoidworker injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The movable dunnage supports allow workers to reposition products from deep within the container to more accessible locations. This dynamic repositioning reduces the need for workers to reach deep into the container, thereby maintaining high container capacity while reducing injury risk from repetitive reaching motions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables preliminary movement of dunnage supports and products before worker access is needed. By pre-positioning products in more accessible locations through movable dunnage supports, the harmful reaching action is eliminated or reduced, while container capacity remains maximized.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If multiple containers are used to ship products, then product accessibility improves, but shipping costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct accessibilityVSAvoidshipping cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The movable dunnage supports enable a single container to provide the product accessibility of multiple fixed containers. By repositioning dunnage supports within one container, workers can access products efficiently without needing multiple separate containers, thereby reducing shipping costs while maintaining accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The movable dunnage support system gives a single container the multi-functional capability of accessing products from various positions and depths. This universal accessibility within one container replaces the need for multiple specialized containers, reducing overall shipping quantity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9540168B2Container having non-linear and linear tracks for supporting movable dunnage

Publication Date: 2017.01.10 BRADFORD CO

AI summary

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.