Container Having L-Shaped Tracks

Abstract

A container for holding product therein during shipment and being returned for reuse has a bottom and opposed sides, tracks having horizontal and vertical portions attached to opposite sides of the container, and a plurality of dunnage supports extending between the tracks. Each dunnage support may include end members located at the ends of a tubular support, the end members being movable in the tracks. The dunnage supports products for storage or shipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container for holding product therein during shipment, the container comprising:
 a bottom and two sides;   a generally L-shaped stationary track secured to each side, each of the generally L-shaped tracks having at least one substantially horizontally oriented portion and at least one substantially vertically oriented portion extending towards the bottom from each substantially horizontally oriented portion;   a door guide having two sides, each side having multiple slots;   a door having pins movable in the slots of the door guide, the door being movable between a raised position and a dropped position;   a plurality of movable dunnage supports extending between the tracks and being slidable along the tracks; and   dunnage supported by the dunnage supports.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein each of the sides of the door guide has at least one slot having a curved portion. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the dunnage comprises pouches. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein the container has an opening above the door when the door is in its dropped position, thereby allowing movement of products through the opening. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1  further comprising at least one bumper secured to each side of the container to protect products from contacting the sides of the container. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1  wherein each of the dunnage supports comprises multiple pieces. 
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1  wherein each of the dunnage supports comprises a pair of end members and a middle support between the end members. 
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1  wherein each of the dunnage supports is a unitary member. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 2  wherein each door comprises multiple pieces. 
     
     
         10 . A container for holding product therein during shipment, the container comprising:
 a base and at least two sides;   stationary tracks secured to opposed sides of the container, each of the tracks comprising at least one generally horizontally oriented portion and at least one generally vertically oriented portion extending towards the base from an end of each generally horizontally oriented portion;   a door movable between a raised and locked position and a dropped position;   at least one stop secured to the door;   dunnage supports supported by opposed tracks and extending therebetween, each of the dunnage supports being engaged with and movable along the tracks; and   dunnage supported by the dunnage supports wherein the at least one stop prevents the dunnage supports from moving into the generally vertically oriented portions of the tracks from the generally horizontally oriented portions of the tracks when the door is in its raised and locked position.   
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 10  wherein the container has an opening above the door when the door is in the dropped position. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 11  wherein each door comprises multiple pieces. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 10  wherein the dunnage comprises pouches. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 13  wherein each of the dunnage supports comprises multiple pieces. 
     
     
         15 . A container for holding product therein during shipment, the container comprising:
 a bottom and two opposed sides;   stationary tracks secured to the sides of the container, each of the tracks comprising a generally horizontally oriented portion and at least one generally vertically oriented portion extending towards the bottom of the container proximate an end of the generally horizontally oriented portion and terminating proximate the bottom of the container;   a door movable between a raised and locked position and a dropped position;   a plurality of movable dunnage supports engaged with the tracks, each of the dunnage supports extending between the tracks and being adapted to move in the tracks wherein the dunnage supports are prevented from moving into the generally vertically oriented portions when the door is in the raised position; and   dunnage suspended by the dunnage supports.   
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15  wherein the dunnage comprises pouches hanging from the dunnage supports. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15  wherein at least some of the tracks have openings for removal of at least some of the dunnage supports. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 15  wherein the container has an opening above the door when the door is in its dropped position thereby enabling movement of products through the opening. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 15  wherein each of the dunnage supports has a pair of end members and a tubular support secured to each of the end members. 
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 15  wherein the moveable door has multiple segments, each of the segments being movable.