Container Having Dunnage Components Movable In Opposite Directions and Method of Using Same

Abstract

A container for holding product therein during shipment and being returned for reuse has a base and opposite sides. The container has multiple levels of dunnage components, the dunnage components of at least one level being movable between open and closed positions to enable an operator to load and unload products more easily. The dunnage components of at least one level may have openings through which pass guides supported at least partially by the container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A container for holding products therein during shipment, the container comprising:
 a metal frame;   multiple levels of dunnage for holding products during storage and shipment;   four stationary corner supports, each stationary corner support being generally U-shaped in cross-section having a central portion and two side portions, the central portion and one side portion being secured to the metal frame;   stationary guides supported by each of the stationary corner supports, each stationary guide extending between the side portions of the stationary corner support;   wherein at least one level of dunnage comprises multiple movable upper dunnage components, the guides directing at least one of the dunnage components to a desired position away from another dunnage component at the same level to facilitate insertion and removal of products from another level of dunnage.   
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1  wherein a bottom level of dunnage is stationary. 
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the dunnage components is made at least partially of foam. 
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the dunnage components comprises multiple pieces. 
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1  wherein each of the guides is a rail. 
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the dunnage components has a specific geometry for a particular product. 
     
     
         7 . A container for holding products therein during shipment, the container comprising:
 a metal frame including a base and four sides;   four stationary corner supports, each corner supper having a central portion and two side portions, the central portion and one side portion of the corner support being operatively coupled to adjacent sides of the metal frame;   multiple levels of dunnage for holding products during storage and shipment, at least one level of dunnage being stationary and at least one level of dunnage being at least partially movable to facilitate insertion and removal of products from an interior of the container; and   guides supported by the corner supports, the guides directing at least one dunnage component of a first level of dunnage to a desired position to facilitate removal or insertion of products into and out of a second level of dunnage.   
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 7  wherein the first level of dunnage comprises two dunnage components, each of the dunnage components having at least one opening through the dunnage component which one of the guides passes such that the first dunnage component may be guided to a desired position. 
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 7  wherein the second level of dunnage is stationary. 
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the dunnage components includes a piece of foam. 
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 7  wherein the guides are at least partially supported by the container. 
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 7  wherein each of the dunnage components has notches for retaining products. 
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 7  wherein each of the guides is supported on one end by a side structure of the container. 
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 7  wherein the container has multiple levels of dunnage. 
     
     
         15 . A container for holding products therein during shipment, the container comprising:
 a metal frame having two opposed sides;   corner supports secured to the container, each of the corner supports being generally U-shaped in cross-section having a central portion and two side portions, the central portion being secured to one of the front and rear of the container and one side portion being secured to one of the opposed sides of the container;   guides supported by the corner supports;   upper and lower levels of dunnage for holding products during storage and shipment, the upper level of dunnage comprising two dunnage components, at least one of the dunnage components being movable between a first position and a second position, the dunnage components being closer together when said at least one of the dunnage components is in the first position, movement of the dunnage components of the upper level of dunnage towards each other being limited by the guides, the guides directing said at least one of the dunnage components of the upper level of dunnage to facilitate removal or insertion of products into and out of the lower level of dunnage.   
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 15  wherein the lower level of dunnage is stationary. 
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the dunnage components is made at least partially of foam. 
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the dunnage components comprises multiple pieces. 
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 15  wherein at least one of the dunnage components has a specific geometry for a particular product. 
     
     
         20 . A container for holding products therein during shipment, the container comprising:
 a metal frame including a front, a rear and at least two opposed sides;   four stationary corner supports, each stationary having a central portion and two side portions, the central portion being secured to one of the front and rear of the container and one of the side portions being secured to one of the opposed sides of the container;   multiple levels of dunnage for holding products during storage and shipment, a bottom level of dunnage being stationary and an upper level of dunnage comprising a pair of dunnage components, at least one of the dunnage components being movable between a first position and a second position, the dunnage components being further apart when each movable dunnage component is in the second position for insertion and removal of parts from the bottom level of dunnage through an opening between the dunnage components, wherein each movable dunnage component moves between the side portions of the corner supports; and   stationary guides at vertically spaced levels supported by the stationary corner supports, each of the stationary guides extending through openings in the side portions of the stationary corner supports for directing each movable dunnage component of the upper level of dunnage to a desired position to facilitate removal or insertion of products into and out of the bottom level of dunnage.   
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 20  wherein each of the dunnage components of the upper level of dunnage has at least one opening through the dunnage component through which one of the stationary guides passes such that the upper dunnage component may be guided to a desired position. 
     
     
         22 . The container of  claim 20  wherein the bottom level of dunnage is secured to the container. 
     
     
         23 . The container of  claim 20  wherein at least one of the dunnage components includes a piece of foam. 
     
     
         24 . The container of  claim 20  wherein each of the dunnage components has notches for retaining products. 
     
     
         25 . The container of  claim 20  wherein the container has two levels of dunnage.