Shipping container and support dunnage

Abstract

A shipping container and dunnage supports includes at least one first support and at least one second support which are disposed within a shell and are engagable with a peripheral edge of an article disposed within the shell. The first and second dunnage supports may include an insert block positioned in the support to increase the structural and shock absorption characteristics of the support.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A shipping container for an article having a peripheral edge, the shipping container comprising: 
 a shell including a plurality of panels, including at least a base panel, a top panel and opposed side panels;    at least one first support adapted to mount over a peripheral edge of an article disposable within the shell, the first support having a generally C-shape formed of a first leg and a second leg resiliently extending from an end leg; and    at least one second support mounted within the shell, the second support having an inner channel opening through the support, the channel configured for mounting over a portion of a peripheral edge of an article.    
     
     
         2 . The shipping container of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the second support is mounted in an inverted position on the shell.  
 
     
     
         3 . The shipping container of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 means for fixedly mounting the second support on at least one of the foldable panels in the shell.  
 
     
     
         4 . The shipping container of  claim 3  wherein the mounting means comprises: 
 adhesive applied to at least one of two opposed surfaces of the second support.  
 
     
     
         5 . The shipping container of  claim 1  wherein the first support further comprises: 
 enlarged ends formed on each of the first and the second side legs.  
 
     
     
         6 . The shipping container of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the at least one of the first supports comprises a pair of first supports each having a surface disposed adjacent to one of the side panels of the shell; and  
 a chamfered edge formed on a portion of the surface of the at least one of the first pair of supports.  
 
     
     
         7 . The shipping container of  claim 6  wherein: 
 the chamfered surface is formed at a juncture of one of the side legs and the end leg.  
 
     
     
         8 . The shipping container of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the at least one of the second supports comprises a pair of second supports each having a surface disposed adjacent to one of the side panels of the shell; and  
 a chamfered edge formed on the surface of the at least one of the second pair of supports.  
 
     
     
         9 . The shipping container of  claim 8  wherein: 
 the chamfered surface is formed on at least a portion of the surface facing the side panel of the shell.  
 
     
     
         10 . The shipping container of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the first and second supports are formed of expanded polypropylene.  
 
     
     
         11 . The shipping container of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the first support is movably disposed within the shell when engaged with an article disposed within the shell.  
 
     
     
         12 . The shipping container of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 foldable flaps disposed in cutouts on the base panel and the top panel between the opposed side panels; and  
 indicia means, carried on an exterior surface on at least one of the top and bottom panels of the shell, for indicating a mounting location for a securing strap over the flaps and the top and bottom panels of the shell.  
 
     
     
         13 . A shipping container for an article having a peripheral edge, the shipping container comprising: 
 a shell having at least a bottom panel, opposed side panels each contiguous with the bottom panel along a foldable edge, and opposed top panels each contiguous with one of the side panels about a foldable edge, the top panels foldable into overlapping relationship;    a first pair of supports adapted to mount over a peripheral edge of an article disposable within the shell, the first pair of supports having a generally C-shape formed of a first leg and a second leg resiliently extending from one end leg; and    a second pair of supports mounted within the shell, each of the second pair of supports having an inner channel opening through the support, the channel configured for mounting over a portion of a peripheral edge of an article.    
     
     
         14 . The shipping container of  claim 13  wherein: 
 the first pair of supports are movably mounted with respect to the base panel of the shell; and  
 the second pair of supports are fixedly mounted to the base panel of the shell.  
 
     
     
         15 . The shipping container of  claim 13  wherein: 
 the first pair of supports are movably disposed adjacent one edge of the base panel of the shell; and  
 the second pair of supports are fixed to the base panel adjacent a different edge of the base panel.  
 
     
     
         16 . The shipping container of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 each of the first pair of supports having a surface facing one of the side panels of the shell; and  
 a chamfered surface formed on a portion of the surface of each of the first pair of supports and disposed adjacent to one of the foldable edges between the side panels, the top panel and the bottom panel of the shell.  
 
     
     
         17 . The shipping container of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 each of the second pair of supports having a surface facing one of the side panels of the shell; and  
 a chamfered surface formed on a portion of the surface of each of the second pair of supports and disposed adjacent to one of the foldable edges between the side panels, the top panel and the bottom panel of the shell.  
 
     
     
         18 . The shipping container of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 means for fixing the second. pair of supports to the bottom panel of the shell; and  
 fastening means, carried on a surface of at least one of the second pair of supports opposite from a surface of the second pair of supports fixed to the bottom panel of the shell, the fastening means engagable with one of the top panels when the top panels are overlapped over the second pair of supports.  
 
     
     
         19 . Support dunnage for use with an article having a peripheral edge disposable in a shell, the support dunnage comprising: 
 at least one first support positioned in a shell having a first leg and a second leg extending from an end leg forming a first open channel configured for mounting over a portion of a peripheral edge of an article; and    at least one second support positioned in the shell distant from the first support and having an inner channel opening configured for mounting over a portion of the peripheral edge of the article.    
     
     
         20 . The support dunnage of  claim 19  wherein the at least one first support comprises a single first support.  
     
     
         21 . The support dunnage of  claim 22  wherein the first support further comprises a panel mounted to the first support to position the first support in the shell.  
     
     
         22 . The support dunnage of  claim 19  wherein at least one of the first and the second supports includes an insert block positioned in the support.  
     
     
         23 . The support dunnage of  claim 25  wherein the first support includes a first insert block and the second support includes a second insert block.  
     
     
         24 . Support dunnage for use with an article having a peripheral edge disposable in a shell, the support dunnage comprising: 
 a first support positioned in a shell having a first leg and second leg extending from an end leg forming a first open channel configured for mounting over a portion of a peripheral edge of an article disposable within the shell, the first open channel having an angled first top portion intersecting a second portion having a step adjacent the intersection, the first support further having at least one first insert block positioned in the first support; and    a pair of opposing second supports positioned in the shell distant from one another and from the first support, each second support having an inner channel opening configured for mounting over a portion of the peripheral edge of the article and each second support having a second insert block positioned in the second support.    
     
     
         25 . The support dunnage of  claim 24  wherein the first support comprises a single first support positioned between the second supports and distant therefrom.  
     
     
         26 . The support dunnage of  claim 25  wherein the first support includes a panel mounted to the first support to position the support in the shell.  
     
     
         27 . The support dunnage of  claim 24  wherein at least one of the first and second supports is made from polyurethane having a density of about 1.5 lbs/ft 3  to about 3.0 lbs/ft 3 .  
     
     
         28 . The support dunnage of  claim 24  wherein at least one of the first and second insert blocks is made from polypropylene having a density of about 1.8 lbs./ft 3  to about 3.2 lbs./ft 3 .  
     
     
         29 . A dunnage block for use in supporting and protecting an automobile hood having a peripheral edge positioned in a shell, the dunnage block comprising: 
 a support having a top surface, a bottom surface, an inner surface and an outer surface, the support having a channel configured for mounting over a portion of a peripheral edge of an automobile hood.    
     
     
         30 . The dunnage block of  claim 29  wherein the support further comprises a first leg and a second leg extending from an end leg and wherein the channel is a first open channel.  
     
     
         31 . The dunnage block of  claim 30  further comprising an enlarged end distant from the end leg on at least one of the first leg and the second leg.  
     
     
         32 . The dunnage block of  claim 30  wherein the first open channel further comprises an angled first channel portion and a second channel portion intersecting the first portion defining the first open channel.  
     
     
         33 . The dunnage block of  claim 32  wherein the second channel portion further comprises a step adjacent the intersection of the second channel portion and the first channel portion.  
     
     
         34 . The dunnage block of  claim 30  further comprising a first insert block positioned in the support.  
     
     
         35 . The dunnage block of  claim 30  further comprising a panel mounted to the support to position the support in the shell.  
     
     
         36 . The dunnage block of  claim 30  wherein the support further comprises a first groove positioned on an inner surface of at least one of the first and the second legs.  
     
     
         37 . The dunnage block of  claim 29  further comprising a front side and an opposing rear side and wherein the channel is an inner channel opening in the front side and inner surface of the support.  
     
     
         38 . The dunnage block of  claim 37  wherein the inner open channel further comprises an undercut portion extending toward the rear side of the support.  
     
     
         39 . The dunnage block of  claim 37  further comprising a second insert block positioned in the support.  
     
     
         40 . The dunnage block of  claim 29  further comprising a chamfer on the outer surface of the support adjacent at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface.  
     
     
         41 . The dunnage block of  claim 29  further comprising an insert block positioned in the support, the support having a first composition and the insert having a second composition.  
     
     
         42 . The dunnage block of  claim 41  wherein the first composition is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and polypropylene.  
     
     
         43 . The dunnage block of  claim 42  wherein the first composition is polyurethane having a density of from about 1.5 lbs/ft 3  to about 3.0 lbs/ft 3 .  
     
     
         44 . The dunnage block of  claim 42  wherein the first composition is polypropylene having a density of from about 1.8 lbs/ft 3  to about 3.2 lbs/ft 3 .  
     
     
         45 . The dunnage block of  claim 41  wherein the second composition is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene and polyethylene.  
     
     
         46 . The dunnage block of  claim 45  wherein the second composition is polypropylene having a density of from about 1.8 lbs/ft 3  to about 3.2 lbs/ft 3 .  
     
     
         47 . The dunnage block of  claim 45  wherein the second composition is polyethylene having a density of from about 2 lbs/ft 3  to about 9 lbs/ft 3 .  
     
     
         48 . The dunnage block of  claim 41  wherein the first composition and the second composition are of polypropylene having a density of from about 1.8 lbs/ft 3 . to about 3.2 lbs/ft 3 .