Dunnage for automotive trim moldings comprises identical elongated, vacuum-formed strips each having upstanding, spaced apart posts and trim molding supporting bunks intermediate the posts with the bunks shaped to fit within trim moldings and support the Class A surfaces thereof spaced from the strip, and when corresponding ends of the strips are superimposed, the strips nest together in a compact space, and when the strips are reversed end-for-end, the posts support superjacent strips spaced vertically apart whereby the trim moldings are spaced from the superjacent strips.

FIELD OF INVENTION 
This invention relates to vacuum-formed dunnage for storage and shipment of 
automotive trim and the like. 
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
A continuing problem in the manufacture of automobiles has been the 
damage-free handling of body trim moldings during shipment from the 
supplier to the assembly line and the storage at the line awaiting 
attachment to the vehicle body. Various types and designs of packaging or 
dunnage have heretofore been used but what has sufficed in the past is not 
sufficient to protect the latest forms of trim whose Class A surfaces can 
be easily scratched or marred. With the development of trim having Class A 
surfaces that can be easily scratched or marred, the problems of 
protecting such surfaces during shipment have increased. 
Desirably, the nature of the dunnage to handle such trim should be such as 
to prevent contact of the Class A surfaces with either other trim pieces 
or with the dunnage itself to prevent scratching or marring of such 
surfaces. In addition, the dunnage should be as inexpensive as possible 
because it is used only once, and it should preferrably be capable of 
storage in a compact space when awaiting use to minimize shipping and 
storage costs when delivered from the dunnage maker to the automotive trim 
maker. The dunnage should be dimensionally stable and lightweight, and 
when in use, should allow the packaging of the maximum number of trim 
moldings in the most compact space. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
I have found that the foregoing desirable features may be embodied in a 
vacuum-formed dunnage of high-impact styrene normally from 0.035" to 
0.106" in thickness. The dunnage is formed in elongated strips shaped to 
provide upright, spaced apart posts between which are arranged trim 
receiving and supporting bunks. The posts and bunks are so designed that 
when the strips are arranged with corresponding ends superimposed, they 
may be compactly nested together, while arranged in an opposite 
end-for-end relation they may be stacked upon each other. In such stacked 
relation, the posts serve to support superjacent strips with the bunks 
vertically spaced apart to receive the trim molding thereon. 
The post design is such that when the strips are arranged in their stacked 
relation, the posts serve to lock the strips against lateral or 
longitudinal displacement and the bunks serve to lock the trim moldings 
against lateral displacement. The dunnage strips or sections are intended 
to be placed in cartons or containers within which the trim is shipped. In 
one embodiment of the invention, the dunnage sections are arranged 
adjacent opposite ends of the container and the trim molding is placed on 
the dunnage sections to be supported by the bunks. After a first layer of 
dunnage and the supported trim moldings have been placed in the carton, a 
second layer of dunnage sections is stacked on the first sections and a 
second layer of trim molding is positioned on the second layer of dunnage 
sections. In like fashion, a carton is filled with layers of dunnage 
sections and trim moldings and a compact package of trim moldings is thus 
provided. The moldings are supported in the package in an almost floating 
relation to the carton with all Class A surfaces out of contact with the 
dunnage and adjacent trim moldings. As a result of the design, during 
shipment when the cartons may be jiggled and vibrated during transport, 
the Class A surfaces are kept from rubbing against the dunnage or other 
trim moldings and their surface appearance preserved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, there is disclosed a shipping carton 20 intended to 
receive automotive trim moldings for shipment and storage. The carton may 
comprise a conventional cardboard box of generally rectangular form. 
Within the box, adjacent opposite ends 22 and 24, are positioned layers of 
dunnage 26 and 28 between which extend the trim moldings TM, only a few of 
which are shown for purposes of clarity. It will be understood that the 
layers of dunnage will extend from the bottom to the top of the carton 
adjacent the ends 22 and 2 thereof and the trim moldings will fill the 
carton while being supported by the dunnage. A layer of the dunnage (not 
shown) may be provided intermediate the layers 26 and 28 to support the 
centers of the trim moldings if there is an unacceptable sagging thereof. 
Conventional lids or the like 30 and 32 will serve to close the top of the 
shipping carton. 
It will be understood that the dunnage 26 and 28 is layered from the bottom 
to the top of the shipping carton and that the trim moldings extend 
between the layers of dunnage which in turn provides layers of trim 
moldings. The dunnage serves to space the trim moldings apart both 
vertically and horizontally. In addition, the dunnage is so designed as 
hereinafter disclosed that the exterior decorative surface, conventionally 
called the Class A surface, indicated at A is spaced from the dunnage and 
from other trim molding. This spacing of the Class A surface from the 
dunnage and other trim molding is a critical feature of this disclosure. 
The design of the dunnage which permits this spacing of the Class A 
surface from the surrounding dunnage and other trim molding provides what 
might be considered a floating suspension of the trim molding within the 
carton 20. Despite bumping, jarring and the like which may occur to the 
carton during shipment, the Class A surfaces of the trim moldings remain 
spaced from contact with dunnage and other trim molding which could mar or 
damage it. 
The dunnage comprises identical vacuum-molded, elongated plastic strips or 
sections 34. The sections are made of high-impact styrene which is not 
only relatively inexpensive but dimensionally quite stable. In thickness 
it would normally be less than 0.100" and preferrably, for most 
applications, would lie in the range of 0.035" to 0.106". Other plastics 
having good dimensional stability and impact strength combined with low 
cost may be suitable, but the high-impact styrene has been found to be 
particularly advantageous. 
Each strip includes a pair of parallel-base flanges 36 and 38 which extend 
the full length of the strips or sections. These flanges serve to rigidify 
the strips and provide a flat base for supporting the bottom strip in the 
shipping carton. Each of the strips include a plurality of upstanding 
posts 40-52 inclusive, as indicated in FIG. 1, which are spaced apart 
along the length of the dunnage section by a distance slightly greater 
than the width of the trim molding to be supported thereby as best shown 
in FIG. 5. The posts are integral with a central raised rib 54 which 
extends substantially throughout the length of the dunnage sections and 
bridges between the flanges 36 and 38 and together with the flanges 
forming a hollow base. The channel-like structure shown in cross-section 
at FIGS. 7 and 8 provides a considerable rigidity for the dunnage sections 
despite their lightweight construction. 
Intermediate the posts, the central rib 54 is provided with an integral, 
hollow trim molding receiving and supporting bunk indicated at 56-66 
inclusive in the drawings. The height "H" and length "L" of the bunks are 
such as to be received within the inside of the trim molding and abutt the 
inner-surfaces, herein referred to as the Class B surfaces, identified by 
the letter B in the drawings, to support the trim molding with all of the 
Class A surfaces spaced from the dunnage section as best shown in FIG. 5. 
As the cross-sectional shape or configuration of the trim molding will 
vary from one style automobile to another, the bunks are shaped for each 
specific configuration of trim molding to be accommodated. Thus, the bunks 
shown in FIG. 5 are generally rectangular while those for other style trim 
molding such as hereinafter shown will be of a somewhat different shape. 
In each case, however, the bunk is designed to enter within and contact 
the Class B surfaces of the trim molding and support the molding with the 
Class A surfaces spaced from the adjacent portions of the dunnage. It has 
been found that even a soft, sponge-like material, if allowed to contact 
the Class A surfaces, can cause marring thereof as a result of vibration 
and jiggling of the shipping carton during transport of the molding from 
the molding maker to the vehicle assembly line. Accordingly, I have 
determined that a floating support of the molding as shown in FIG. 5 with 
all Class A surfaces spaced from the dunnage is the only wholly 
satisfactory way to avoid marring the surfaces through accidental contact 
and rubbing during transport of the trim moldings. 
The spaced apart posts 40-52 inclusive of the dunnage sections are so 
shaped and arranged that when corresponding ends of the dunnage sections 
are superimposed, the sections may be substantially nested together, as 
shown in FIG. 6, for storage or transport prior to use in supporting trim 
moldings in a shipping carton. On the other hand, when the dunnage 
sections are reversed end-for-end (vis., a superjacent strip is reversed 
end-for-end in relation to a subjacent strip, the posts are misaligned 
whereby the strips may be stacked as shown in FIG. 5 and the bunks are 
vertically spaced sufficiently from the superjacent strip to allow support 
of the trim moldings thereon without contact with the superjacent strip. 
The nesting as shown in FIG. 6 is facilitated by the vacuum-forming of the 
dunnage sections whereby the posts may nest together or inter-fit 
substantially. On the other hand, when the dunnage sections are reversed 
end-for-end as shown in FIG. 5, the misalignment of the posts causes the 
upper ends of the posts of a subjacent strip to bear against bottom 
surfaces of the central raised rib 54 to support the dunnage sections in 
the stacked vertically spaced arrangement shown. 
More specifically, posts 40 and 52 are provided with opposed, 
cooperating-supporting shoulders best shown in Figs. 2A, 2B, 3 and 5. Post 
40 has supporting shoulder 68 providing an upwardly-facing surface and the 
hollow base has shoulders 70 and 72 providing two downwardly-facing 
surfaces. Shoulder 68 bears against the underside of shoulder 74 of the 
hollow base while the downwardly-facing surfaces of shoulders 70 and 72 
bear at their undersides against the upwardly-facing surfaces of shoulders 
76 and 78 formed on post 52 with the cooperation of the shoulders best 
shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 4, post 40 also has a pair of shoulders, 
80 and 82, whose upwardly-facing surfaces bear against the underside the 
central raised rib 54, intermediate post 52 and the adjacent bunk 66. 
Similarly, the upper ends of the posts 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 bear against 
the underside of the central raised rib 54 to support the superjacent 
dunnage section. 
Post 40 has a rib-like portion 84 which projects above the shoulders 68, 80 
and 82 and is received within the vacuum-formed cavity of post 52 to bear 
against vertical wall 86 to prevent longitudinal displacement of the 
stacked sections in one direction. Longitudinal shifting in the opposite 
direction is prevented by a rib-like portion 88 on post 52 which is 
received within the vacuum-formed cavity of post 40 of the superjacent 
dunnage section as best shown in FIG. 5. Relative lateral displacement of 
the stacked dunnage sections is also prevented by the rib-like portions 84 
and 88 of the posts 40 and 52 respectively being received within the 
vacuum-formed cavities of the opposite posts of the superjacent dunnage 
sections. Thus, when in the operative stacked relation of FIG. 5, the 
strips are locked together against lateral or longitudinal displacement, 
the semi-circular cavities 90 formed by a semi-circular wall portion of 
the central raised rib 54 serve to rigidify the structure and/or provide 
for the accommodation of projecting portions of the trim molding. Thus, 
the dunnage sections may be stacked in operative position to accommodate 
the trim molding thereon and will serve to space the Class A surfaces of 
the trim moldings from adjacent surfaces of the 
dunnage and adjacent trim moldings. 
In FIGS. 9-16, I have shown a modified form of the dunnage for holding a 
somewhat differently shaped trim molding and wherein the dunnage sections 
or strips 34' are longer and are provided intermediate their length with a 
locating post 90. 
In these figures of the drawings, parts generally corresponding to parts in 
FIGS. 1-8 utilize primed reference numerals and a specific description is 
thereby omitted unless otherwise noted. The bunks 92-114 inclusive are in 
principle the same as the bunks 56-66 inclusive except the configuration 
is slightly different to accommodate the somewhat differently shaped trim 
molding TM'. It will be noted particularly from FIG. 15 that when the 
strips 34' are in stacked relation, the bunks 92-114 serve to support the 
trim moldings similar to the earlier describe embodiment with the Class A 
surfaces spaced from adjacent surfaces of the dunnage. Because of the 
length of the dunnage sections of the FIG. 9-16 embodiment, I have 
provided a locating post 90, intermediate adjacent posts and about midway 
the length of the strip, having an upwardly projecting locating rib 94 
which is received within the vacuum-formed cavity of the oppositely 
matching post 118. When the dunnage sections are reversed so that the 
corresponding ends are superimposed, the sections may be nested as shown 
in FIG. 16 for storage and shipment prior to use. The rib 116 on post 90 
cooperates with the superjacent interior of post 118 to augment the 
locking action of the end posts 40' and 52' when the dunnage sections are 
in their stacked relationship shown in FIG. 15.