Nested dunnage arrangement

A nested dunnage arrangement for compactly storing or transporting parts each having a concave surface defining a cavity, a convex surface opposite the concave surface and a flange extending about periphery of the convex surface adjacent to an opening to the cavity, the nested dunnage arrangement comprising:

• a first panel defining a first opening therethrough, and
• a first plurality of gibs mounted to one face of the first panel at least partially about a periphery of the first opening, the first plurality of gibs configured to engage and retain a first one of the parts on the one face of the first panel with the concave surface and the cavity of the first part facing and aligned with the first opening of the first panel, the first plurality of gibs including first and second elongated gibs each mounted to the one face of the first panel on opposite sides of the periphery of the first opening, the first panel and the first and second gibs together defining elongated, opposing channels therebetween sized to slidlingly receive the flange of the first part therein to position and retain the first part on the one face of the first panel with the concave surface and the cavity of the first part facing and aligned with the first opening of the first panel,
• wherein the first opening is sized to receive therein from an opposite face of the first panel a convex surface of a second one of the parts such that the convex surface of the second part extends through the first opening and at least partially into the cavity of first part,
• and wherein at least a portion of a periphery of the first opening is configured to engage the convex surface of the second part received therein to nest at least a portion of the convex surface of the second part within the cavity of the first part while also preventing the convex surface of the second part from contacting the concave surface of the first part.

A nested dunnage arrangement for compactly storing or transporting parts each having a concave surface defining a cavity, and a convex surface opposite the concave surface each of the plurality of panels defines a panel top spaced apart from the at least one opening defined therethrough, the nested dunnage arrangement comprising:

• a dunnage container,
• a plurality of panels spaced apart from one another in the dunnage container, each of the plurality of panels defining at least one opening therethrough and a panel top spaced apart from the at least one opening, and
• a plurality of part retaining structures each coupled to one face of a respective one of the plurality of panels at least partially about the at least one opening defined therethrough, each of the plurality of part retaining structures configured to receive and retain a respective one of the parts on the one face of a respective one of the plurality of panels with the concave surface and the cavity of the respective part facing and aligned with the at least one opening defined through the respective one of the plurality of panels,
• wherein the at least one opening defined through each of the plurality of panels is sized to receive therein from an opposite face of the panel a convex surface of another of the parts carried by one of the plurality of part retaining structures coupled to an adjacent one of the plurality of panels such that convex surface of the another part extends through the at least one opening and at least partially into the cavity of the one part,
• and wherein at least a portion of a periphery of the at least one opening defined through each of the plurality of panels is configured to engage the convex surface of the another part received therein to nest at least a portion of the convex surface of the another part within the cavity of the one part while also preventing the convex surface of the another part from contacting the concave surface of the one part,
• and further comprising a plurality of support members each mounted to a different one of the plurality of panels at or near the panel top thereof, means for suspending each of the plurality of panels in the container by a respective one of the plurality of support members and means coupled to each of the plurality of support members for moving a respective one of the plurality of panels relative to the container.