DUNNAGE BARS

Abstract: A dunnage bar is produced as a profiled strip (10) and comprises a relatively rigid component (12) and a plastics component (14) separably attached to the rigid component, whereby the plastics component can be stripped from the relatively rigid component for both components to be recyclable.

Description: Title: Dunnage Bars DESCRIPTION This invention concerns dunnage bars. Dunnage for transporting components, such as for the automotive industry, generally comprises a framework on which are mounted profiled strips, for contacting the components at suitable points, usually to pockets or slots to support the components, usually in an orderly arrangement, to prevent damage thereto. The profiled members are usually faced with a resilient material such as polyurethane. Profiled members were made from polyurethane faced steel sheet cut into strips and formed by means of press tooling into various shapes to suit the components to be held. That method was wasteful of labour and resources, and had limitations as to overall accuracy. Problems arose because coating of steel sheet with polyurethane is difficult and polyurethane thickness may vary, thus producing variations in pocket size. GB2240318 describes profiled strips comprising profiled plastics material mechanically linked to a channel section metal member, the profiled plastics material being formed in a mould with the metal member laid on the mould, so that the plastics material flows and sets about keying locations provided by one more apertures of the channel section member or by turned inwards side edges of the channel section member. The plastics material may be polyurethane and the metal member may be of steel with a galvanised surface for contacting the plastics material, although pre-painted steel could also be used. Whilst such profiled strips are effective, they are difficult to recycle. In other words, it is difficult to separate the plastics and metal components from each other to enable them to be recycled. An object of the present invention is to provide profiled strips for dunnage that may be more easily recycled. According to the present invention it is proposed that profiled strips for dunnage be formed from a relatively rigid component and a plastics component separably attached to the rigid component. The relatively rigid component may be of metal or of plastics material. A preferred metal for the rigid component is aluminium. It is envisaged that the plastics component will be formed in a mould with the relatively rigid component laid on the mould so that the plastics material flows and sets about a profiled part of the relatively rigid component. The preferred relatively rigid component has a transverse profile that provides locations for the plastics material to be moulded around and be retained thereby. The preferred rigid component is formed as a channel section, inverted in use, having a top and sides, and the channel is preferably adapted to receive and retain heads of bolts or the like for use in securing the profiled strips to a supporting framework. The channel preferably has sides with inwards facing lips for that purpose. The rigid component preferably has outwards ribs, protrusions or the like about which the plastics component is moulded. For example, the top of the rigid component preferably extends beyond its sides to form said ribs or protrusions. The sides of the rigid component preferably have feet thereon that extend outwardly and have upturned ends. The plastics component is preferably moulded to fit between the opposed upturned ends, so as to limit the possibility of sideways movement of the plastics component when in position on the rigid component. The plastics component is preferably separable from the rigid component by levering one end thereof beyond one of the upturned ends, followed by peeling the plastics component from the rigid component, whereby both components can be recycled or disposed of separately. This invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows part of a profiled strip according to the invention; Figure 2 shows the profiled strip of Figure 1 partially cut away; Figure 3 is an end view of the profiled strip of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view of the base component of the profiled strip of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is an end view of an alternative base component for a profiled strip of the invention. Referring to Figure 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings, a dunnage bar in the form of a profiled strip 10 comprises an aluminium base 12 and a separable plastics strip 14 mounted on the base. The base 12 may alternatively be made of a relatively rigid plastics material. The base 12 is basically a channel section extrusion that in use has its open side downwards. The channel section thus has a top 16 and depending sides 18. The top extends at opposite edges beyond the sides 18 to provide lips 20. The sides 18 terminate in feet 22 that extend outwardly to provide lips 24, so that the opening of the channel section is narrower than the channel itself and that extend outwardly and terminate in upturned ends 26. The plastics strip 14 is slotted transversely (28) at spaced intervals along its length to provide component locations. The slots 28 are shaped according to the component to be stacked. The plastics strip 14 moulded onto the base by laying the base on the mould so that the plastics material flows and sets about the base to the extend shown in the drawings, i.e. so that it only extends to the upturned ends 26. The lips 20 key into the plastics material. The edges of the lips 20 are rounded to facilitate removal therefrom of the plastics strip. The upturned ends 26 hold the plastics strip against sideways migration that would otherwise free the plastics strip from one lip 20 and serve to prevent mischievous attempts to lever the plastics component from the base. The channel of the base is shaped so as to take heads of bolts used for securing the base to a supporting framework. Prior to dunnage strips required holes to be pierced through metal strips for fixing bolts, which required precision and hence added to the cost. To remove the plastics strip 12 from the base 14 requires leverage to be applied to one end of the plastics strip. Once the end of the plastics strip on one side of tl e base clears the upturned end 26, it will flare outwards sufficiently to release it from lip 20. The plastics strip can then be peeled from the base. The curvature of the edge of the lip 20 acts as a cam to facilitate the peeling process. Turning to Figure 5, there is shown a base 50 that is for use with a wider plastics strip. The only difference between the base 50 and the base 14 is the provision of twin side walls 52, which secure to make the base stiffer in torsion and bending. This is an advantage for larger section dunnage strips that may experience greater forces thereon. Apart from the above, the base 50 is used and operates in the same way as base 14 of the earlier illustrated embodiment.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A dunnage bar comprising a profiled strip formed from a relatively rigid component and a plastics component separably attached to the rigid component. 2. A dunnage bar as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the relatively rigid component is of metal or of plastics material. 3. A dunnage bar as claimed in claim 2, wherein the metal for the rigid component is aluminium. 4. A dunnage bar as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the plastics component is formed in a mould with the relatively rigid component laid on the mould so that the plastics material flows and sets about a profiled part of the relatively rigid component. 5. A dunnage bar as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the relatively rigid component has a transverse profile that provides locations for the plastics material to be molded around and be retained thereby. 6. A dunnage bar as claimed in claim 5, wherein the rigid component is formed as a channel section, inverted in use, having a top and sides. 7. A dunnage bar as claimed in claim 6, wherein the channel is adapted to receive and retain heads of bolts or the like for use in securing the dunnage bar to a supporting framework. 8. A dunnage bar as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the channel has sides with inwards facing lips. 9. A dunnage bar as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8, wherein the rigid component has outwards ribs, protrusions or the like about which the plastics component is molded. 10. A dunnage bar as claimed in claim 9, wherein the top of the rigid component extends beyond its sides to form said ribs or protrusions. 11. A dunnage bar as claimed in 10, wherein the sides of the rigid component have feet thereon that extend outwardly and have upturned ends. 12. A dunnage bar as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plastics component is molded to fit between the opposed upturned ends. 13. A dunnage bar as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the plastics component is separable from the rigid component by levering one end thereof beyond one of the upturned ends, followed by peeling the plastics component from the rigid component. 14. A dunnage bar substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 15. Dunnage comprising at least one dunnage bar as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14.

Inventors: FOSTER GLYN, FOSTER, GLYN
Applicants: FOSTER GLYN, THORPE BROTHERS RHYL LTD, FOSTER, GLYN, THORPE BROTHERS (RHYL) LIMITED
Application year: 2000
Main classification: B65D85
IPC codes: B65D81, B65D85