Movable Support Assemblies in Shipping Containers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container designs for shipping and storage in the automotive industry often require workers to perform ergonomically unfriendly movements, such as walking around or bending to access parts, leading to strain and increased risk of injury, which can result in lost production time and higher costs due to the need for more containers to ship the same quantity of parts.
Innovation Solution
A container with movable slider assemblies and a drop-down door, where the slider assemblies are supported by L-shaped or U-shaped tracks, allowing parts to be easily loaded and unloaded without stretching or lifting, thereby reducing physical strain on workers and improving access without the need to walk around the container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the container is designed with fixed support members, then the container structure is simple and stable, but workers must perform ergonomically unfriendly movements to access parts
Solution Approach 1:
The support members are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to slide along tracks when pulled by workers. This dynamic capability enables parts to be accessed from the front of the container without workers bending or reaching into deep spaces, thereby improving ergonomics while maintaining relatively simple container structure
Solution Approach 2:
Tracks are introduced as intermediary elements between the fixed container walls and the movable support members. These tracks guide the movement of support members and enable smooth translation of parts toward the worker, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and operational ease
2Loss of time
If the container length is reduced to eliminate the need for workers to walk around, then access time is reduced, but the container capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Movable support members allow parts to be dynamically repositioned from the rear of the container to the front where workers can easily access them. This eliminates the need for workers to walk around the container, reducing access time while maintaining full container length and capacity for shipping parts
3Quantity of substance
If parts are stored in a distal or rear part of the container, then container capacity is maximized, but worker strain increases
Solution Approach 1:
Movable support members act as intermediaries that translate the position of parts from rear storage locations to front access locations. Workers simply pull the support members along tracks, and parts are brought to an easily accessible position without workers needing to bend, reach, or lift heavy items from difficult positions
Solution Approach 2:
The movable support member system allows workers to easily reposition parts themselves by simply pulling the support members along the tracks. This self-service capability eliminates the need for difficult manual handling operations and reduces worker strain while maintaining full container capacity
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 2A
AI summary
The present invention provides a container (10) for holding product therein during shipment that comprises a metal frame having a bottom and two sides or a body (12) having a base (14) and at least two walls (16), in particular made of plastic material. A generally L-shaped stationary track (5) is secured to each side of the metal frame or, as the case may be, generally L-shaped stationary tracks (5) are secured to opposed walls of the body. Each of the generally L-shaped stationary tracks (5) has a substantially horizontally oriented portion (46) located proximate the open top of the container and a substantially vertically oriented portion (60) located proximate the front of the container where a door (34) may be located, dunnage (106) being supported by a plurality of moveable support member assemblies (66) slidable along said tracks (5).