Movable Dunnage Supports for Ergonomic Container Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container designs for shipping and assembly in the automotive industry are ergonomically unfriendly, causing strain and injury to workers due to the need for workers to walk around or bend to access parts, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs from reduced container capacity and higher labor costs.
Innovation Solution
A container with stationary tracks and movable slider assemblies that allow products to be easily loaded and unloaded from a front position, reducing the need for workers to stretch or bend, and incorporating space limiters to manage the movement of support member assemblies for efficient product handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If workers access parts from the rear or opposite end of the container, then container length can be reduced, but worker ergonomics deteriorate and physical trauma increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support member assemblies are made movable along tracks, allowing dynamic repositioning of product during loading and unloading operations. This enables workers to access product from ergonomic positions without requiring the container to be excessively long, as the support members can be moved to bring product within easy reach.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable support member assemblies act as intermediaries between the fixed container structure and the product. By moving these support members along tracks, the system mediates between the constraint of fixed container length and the need for ergonomic product access, allowing product to be positioned optimally regardless of container dimensions.
2Length of stationary object
If workers bend down to remove parts from lower portions of the container, then container height can be reduced, but worker ergonomics deteriorate and strain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support member assemblies can move vertically along the tracks, allowing dynamic adjustment of product height during operations. This enables product to be positioned at ergonomic heights for worker access, eliminating the need for workers to bend down repeatedly, while the container itself can maintain a compact height.
3Quantity of substance
If multiple layers of parts are stored in the container, then container capacity increases, but worker ergonomics deteriorate due to repeated bending motions
Solution Approach 1:
The movable support member assemblies allow each layer of product to be independently repositioned vertically along the tracks. This enables workers to access product from multiple layers at ergonomic heights by moving the support members, rather than bending down for lower layers, thereby maintaining high container capacity while preserving worker ergonomics.
4Ease of operation
If container length is reduced to eliminate the need for workers to walk around, then worker ergonomics improve, but container capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable support member assemblies compensate for reduced container length by dynamically repositioning product during operations. This allows the container to be shorter while still providing full access to all product, as the support members can be moved to bring product within easy reach of workers, thereby maintaining both ergonomic operation and effective container capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
A container for holding product therein during shipment and being returned for reuse has a body, horizontal and vertical tracks attached to opposite sides of the body, and a plurality of dunnage supports extending between the tracks. Each dunnage support may be a unitary member or a multi-piece member including sliders or end members located at the ends of a tubular support. The dunnage supports support dunnage for supporting products for storage or shipment.