Pedestrian-Vehicle Warning Systems for Loading Docks

• US 20170341883A1
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Boston, James J., Russell, Troy L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,896,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/003 Restraining movement of a vehicle at a loading station using means not being part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/005 the means engaging at least one wheel of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/2882 operated by detectors or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

Example safety systems for use at a loading dock are disclosed. An example safety system includes a sensor installed at the loading dock. The sensor provides a feedback signal in response to sensing the vehicle. An alarm device is mounted below a lowest elevation of the doorway. The alarm device is positioned between the first lateral plane and the second lateral plane of the doorway. An alarm signal is emitted by the alarm device in response to the feedback signal.

Claims

1. A safety system for a loading dock configured to receive a vehicle approaching a doorway in a wall at the loading dock, the doorway having a width extending between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge of the doorway, the first lateral edge lying along a first lateral plane, the second lateral edge lying along a second lateral plane, the first lateral plane and the second lateral plane being perpendicular to the wall, the safety system comprising:

a first sensor installed at the loading dock to sense the vehicle approaching the loading dock and provide a feedback signal in response to sensing the vehicle approaching the loading dock;

an alarm device mounted at a lower elevation than that of the doorway, the alarm device being between the first lateral plane and the second lateral plane of the doorway, the alarm device to provide a warning to a pedestrian of the approaching vehicle; and

an alarm signal to be emitted by the alarm device in response to the feedback signal sensing the vehicle approaching the loading dock.

2. The safety system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is movable in a rearward direction from an approach position to a parked position, the vehicle being closer to the wall when the vehicle is in the parked position than when the vehicle is in the approach position, the alarm device being at a higher elevation when the vehicle is at the approach position than when the vehicle is at the parked position.

3. The safety system of claim 1, wherein the alarm device is movable selectively to a raised position and a lowered position relative to the wall.

4. The safety system of claim 1, wherein the alarm device is movable selectively to a raised position and a lowered position relative to the sensor.

5. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint having a vehicle restraint component that is higher when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration than when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, the alarm device being attached to and movable with the vehicle restraint component.

6. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint having a vehicle restraint housing that is higher relative to a ground vehicle travel surface when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration than when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, the vehicle restraint housing to shelter an electrical wire of the vehicle restraint, the alarm device being attached to and movable with the vehicle restraint housing.

7. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint being disengaged from the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, the vehicle restraint to engage and restrain the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration;

a signal device to emit selectively a red light and a green light, the green light to indicate the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, and the red light to indicate the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration;

a first enclosure housing the signal device; and

a second enclosure housing the alarm device, the second enclosure being spaced apart from the first enclosure, and the first enclosure being at a higher elevation than the second enclosure.

8. The safety system of claim 7, wherein the sensor is electrically wired to the signal device, and the first sensor is closer to the signal device than to the alarm device.

9. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint being disengaged from the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, the vehicle restraint to engage the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, and the alarm device being electrically coupled to the vehicle restraint.

10. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint being disengaged from the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, the vehicle restraint to engage the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, and the alarm device being closer to the vehicle restraint than to the first sensor.

11. The safety system of claim 1, wherein the alarm signal is a graphical display.

12. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint to selectively engage and disengage the vehicle, the alarm device being carried by the vehicle restraint, the alarm device including a light-emitting diode having sufficient mechanical shock resistance to withstand a mechanical shock produced by the vehicle restraint when engaging and disengaging the vehicle.

13. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising a dock leveler at the doorway, the dock leveler comprising a dock leveler frame that is substantially stationary and a deck pivotally coupled to the dock leveler frame, the alarm device being attached to the dock leveler frame.

32. The safety system of claim 1, further including:

a second sensor to be mounted to the loading dock to detect a status of a vehicle restraint at the loading dock; and

a signal device to be mounted at the loading dock at an elevation that is greater than the elevation of the alarm device and outside a perimeter defined by the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge of the doorway, the signal device to receive a feedback signal from the second sensor and is to emit an output to a driver of the vehicle that is representative of the status of the vehicle restraint.

14. A safety system for a loading dock configured to receive a vehicle approaching a doorway in a wall at the loading dock, the safety system comprising:

a sensor installable at a substantially fixed location at the loading dock, the sensor providing a feedback signal in response to sensing the vehicle approaching the loading dock;

an alarm device mounted at the loading dock and being configured to receive the feedback signal from the sensor, the alarm device being movable relative to the sensor in response to the vehicle approaching the doorway; and

an alarm signal emitted by the alarm device in response to the feedback signal to warn a pedestrian in a path of the approaching vehicle.

15. The safety system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle is movable in a rearward direction from an approach position to a parked position, the vehicle being closer to the wall when the vehicle is in the parked position than when the vehicle is in the approach position, the alarm device being at a higher elevation when the vehicle is at the approach position than when the vehicle is at the parked position.

16. The safety system of claim 14, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint having a vehicle restraint component that is at a higher elevation relative to ground when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration than when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, the alarm device being attached to and movable with the vehicle restraint component.

17. The safety system of claim 14, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint having a vehicle restraint housing having an elevation relative to ground that is higher when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration than when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, the vehicle restraint housing to house an electrical wire of the vehicle restraint, the alarm device being attached to and movable with the vehicle restraint housing.

18. The safety system of claim 14, further comprising:

a vehicle restraint installable at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint to disengage the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, the vehicle restraint to engage and restraining the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration;

a signal device to emit selectively a red light and a green light, the green light to indicate the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, and the red light to indicate the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration;

a first enclosure housing the signal device; and

a second enclosure housing the alarm device, the second enclosure being spaced apart from the first enclosure, and the first enclosure positioned at a higher elevation relative to ground than the second enclosure.

19. The safety system of claim 18, wherein the sensor is electrically wired to the signal device, and the sensor is closer to the signal device than to the alarm device.

20. The safety system of claim 14, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint to disengage the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, the vehicle restraint to engage the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, and the alarm device being electrically coupled to the vehicle restraint.

21. The safety system of claim 14, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint to disengage the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, the vehicle restraint to engage the vehicle when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, and the alarm device being closer to the vehicle restraint than to the sensor.

22. A safety system for a loading dock that includes a vehicle restraint adapted to engage a vehicle parked at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint having an electrical component, the safety system comprising:

a first sensor installable at the loading dock to sense the vehicle approaching the loading and to provide a feedback signal in response to sensing the vehicle;

an alarm device to be electrically wired to the electrical component of the vehicle restraint, the alarm device being configured to receive the feedback signal from the sensor;

an alarm signal emitted by the alarm device in response to the feedback signal to warn a pedestrian in a path of the approaching vehicle detected by the first sensor;

a second sensor installable at the loading dock, the second sensor to sense and generate a feedback signal representative of the vehicle restraint being in an operative configuration to restrict movement of the vehicle relative to the loading dock and a stored configuration to allow movement of the vehicle relative to the loading dock; and

a signal device installable at the loading dock and being positioned at a remote location from the alarm device, the signal device to receive the feedback signal from the second sensor and to generate an output visible to a driver of the vehicle corresponding to a status of the vehicle restraint sensed by the second sensor.

23. The safety system of claim 22, wherein the vehicle is movable in a rearward direction from an approach position to a parked position, the vehicle being closer to a wall of the loading dock when the vehicle is in the parked position than when the vehicle is in the approach position, the alarm device being at a higher elevation when the vehicle is at the approach position than when the vehicle is at the parked position.

24. The safety system of claim 22, wherein the vehicle restraint includes a vehicle restraint component having an elevation relative to ground that is higher when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration than when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, the alarm device being attached to and movable with the vehicle restraint component.

25. The safety system of claim 22, wherein the vehicle restraint includes a vehicle restraint housing having an elevation relative to ground that is higher when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration than when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, the vehicle restraint housing to shelter the electrical component of the vehicle restraint, the alarm device being attached to and movable with the vehicle restraint housing.

26. The safety system of claim 22, wherein

the signal device is to emit selectively a green light to indicate the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration and a red light to indicate the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration.

27. The safety system of claim 26, wherein the sensor is electrically wired to the signal device, and the sensor is closer to the signal device than to the alarm device.

28. The safety system of claim 22, wherein the alarm device is closer to the vehicle restraint than to the sensor.

33. The safety system of claim 22, the safety system further including:

a first enclosure housing the signal device; and

a second enclosure housing the alarm device, the second enclosure being spaced apart from the first enclosure, and the first enclosure being higher than the second enclosure.

29. A safety system for a loading dock configured to receive a vehicle approaching a doorway in a wall at the loading dock, and the vehicle includes a wheel, the safety system comprising:

a sensor installable at the loading dock, the sensor providing a feedback signal in response to sensing the vehicle approaching the loading dock;

an alarm device spaced apart from the wall and being mounted below a lowermost opening of the doorway; and

an alarm signal emitted by the alarm device in response to the feedback signal that is representative of the approaching vehicle.

30. The safety system of claim 29, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint to disengage the wheel when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, the vehicle restraint to engage the wheel when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, and the alarm device being electrically wired to the vehicle restraint.

31. The safety system of claim 29, further comprising a vehicle restraint installed at the loading dock, the vehicle restraint being configured selectively to a stored configuration and an operative configuration, the vehicle restraint being disengaged from the wheel when the vehicle restraint is in the stored configuration, the vehicle restraint engaging the wheel when the vehicle restraint is in the operative configuration, and the alarm device being closer to the vehicle restraint than to the sensor.