| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090026022 | WHEEL CHOCK SYSTEM - A wheel restraint for restraining a vehicle at a loading dock includes various features such as, a wheel chock supported by a spring loaded articulated arm with a spring that can be selectively tightened or released, a sensor that detects whether the chock is solidly against a base plate or floor, a bi-directional pivotal joint between the articulated arm and the wheel chock to ensure that the chock can sit squarely on a mating base plate, a wheel chock that meshes with a hydraulically actuated base plate, pivotal or otherwise movable backstops that prevent a wheel chock from sliding out of position, and a base plate cleaning system. The cleaning system might include a vehicle-actuated brush, fluid spray nozzles, electric heater and removable cover plates. | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090205146 | FORMED FRONT HEADER FOR A DOCK LEVELER - A dock leveler includes a pivotally extendable lip coupled to a pivotal deck by way of a front hinge, wherein the structure in the area of the front hinge optimizes the torsional flexibility of the deck; provides a well supported, durable crown (apex angle between an extended lip and the deck); and reduces the part count of the dock leveler. The front hinge includes a deck-hinge member that extends approximately the full width of the deck and is preferably formed from a single sheet of material. A particularly narrow front header or flange disposed along the front edge of the deck reinforces the relatively thin deck plate so that the plate's rigidity more closely matches that of the thicker lip, yet the flange is sufficiently small to allow the deck to twist so that the deck can place the tip of the lip squarely upon a sideways inclined truck bed. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20100146719 | LIGHTING AND SIGNALING SYSTEMS FOR LOADING DOCKS - A safety system for a truck loading dock with an elevated platform provides an alarm that warns of a hazard at the loading dock such as a forklift operating inside the truck or a falling hazard that may exist due to the dock door being open while a truck is not present at the dock. In cases where a dock's open doorway is protected by a barrier that can be opened or closed, the alarm can be de-activated by closing the barrier. In some examples, the safety system includes a remote body sensor that detects when someone or something is near the doorway. In response to the body sensor, a second, more pronounced alarm can warn of more imminent danger where someone on the platform may be too close to an open doorway when a truck is not present. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20120025964 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT AND WARN PROXIMATE ENTITIES OF INTEREST - Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example signal generation system for a vehicle capable of different modes of movement includes a detector to determine at least one property of vehicle movement and an output representative of that at least one property and a selectively variable signal generator includes an input to receive the at least one output representative of the at least one property of vehicle movement and, responsively, generates a selected signal based on the received output. In some examples, a detector on a pedestrian detects the selected signal from the signal generator and, responsively, provides an output indicative of a vehicle in proximity to the pedestrian. In some examples, a trajectory vector is generated for at least two entities of interest based on at least one characteristic of movement of each entity. Each entity's trajectory vector is expanded and each entity's expanded trajectory vector is analyzed for overlap with the other entity's expanded trajectory vector to assess the possibility of a collision between them. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20130037356 | WHEEL CHOCK SYSTEM - Vehicle restraint systems are disclosed herein. An example vehicle restraint system includes a base to be positioned adjacent a loading dock and a wheel chock to be positioned on the base. An actuator is coupled to the base and moves the base relative to a wall of the loading dock in a linear direction between a release position and a holding position when the wheel chock is coupled to the base. In the release position, the wheel chock disengages from a wheel of a vehicle positioned at the loading dock. In the holding position, the wheel chock frictionally engages the wheel of the vehicle to restrict movement of the wheel away from the loading dock. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20150047132 | SAFETY SYSTEMS FOR VERTICALLY STORING DOCK LEVELERS - Example dock leveler safety systems for vertically storing dock levelers are disclosed herein. An example dock leveler safety system disclosed herein may be used at a dock platform in a pit having a pit floor, where the pit floor is at a lower elevation than the dock platform and the dock platform and the pit floor define the pit. The dock leveler safety system comprises a deck to pivot relative to the dock platform between an upright position and a lowered position such that the deck extends farther over the pit floor when the deck is in the lowered position than when the deck is in the stored upright position. A sensor monitors a sensed region within the pit when the deck is in the upright position and the sensor provides a reaction signal in response to a body being detected within the sensed region. The deck enters a state of restricted movement in response to the reaction signal. | 02-19-2015 |
| 20150138002 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT AND WARN PROXIMATE ENTITIES OF INTEREST - Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example device for conveying audible warning signals to a person includes a memory to store a plurality of audible warnings and a user interface to present for selection an audible warning from the plurality of audible warnings. | 05-21-2015 |
| 20150145661 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT AND WARN PROXIMATE ENTITIES OF INTEREST - Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example method for assessing a possibility of a collision between entities of interest, each having their own characteristics of movement, includes sampling movement of each entity at least two points in time, generating a trajectory vector for each entity based on the movement sampling, expanding the trajectory vector of each entity based on at least one characteristic of movement of that entity, and analyzing the expanded trajectory vector of each entity for overlap to assess a possibility of a collision between the entities of interest. | 05-28-2015 |
| 20150145700 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT AND WARN PROXIMATE ENTITIES OF INTEREST - Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example hazard warning system for a forktruck includes a controllable light source to project light onto a floor adjacent the forktruck. A hazard discriminator determines when the forktruck poses a hazard to an entity of interest in a vicinity of the forktruck, and responsively generates a hazard output. A controller receives the hazard output and controls the light source such that the light source is in a first state when the hazard output is not received and a second state when the hazard output is received, where the first state is different than the second state. | 05-28-2015 |
| 20150145701 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT AND WARN PROXIMATE ENTITIES OF INTEREST - Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example detection system includes a light source attachable to a forktruck, where the light source projects an illuminated warning field on a floor on which the forktruck is to traverse. The light source projects the illuminated warning field at a distance from a front end of the forktruck. The light source is separate from a headlight of the forktruck. | 05-28-2015 |
