Automatic dunnage conforming apparatus and method

A method of limiting shifting of contents of a container relative to the container includes the steps of:

• providing a supply of containers with contents for shipment;
• providing a supply of dunnage elements;
• placing a dunnage element from the supply of dunnage elements onto the contents in a container from the supply of containers;
• engaging the dunnage element with a plurality of end faces of pushers disposed in an array;
• engaging varying dimensions of the contents with differing pushers of the array, wherein the pushers are vertically biased to extended positions prior to the engagement with the contents, and wherein the engagement of the pushers with the contents includes collective movement of the pushers in their extended positions into the engagement with the varying dimensions of the contents;
• and
• conforming the dunnage element to the varying dimensions of the contents via movement of the pushers against the bias in response to the engagement of the pushers with the varying dimensions.