Master control panel for loading dock equipment

• US 6,781,516 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SPX Dock Products, Inc. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Original Assignee: United Dominion Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Alexander, James C., Reynard, Terence
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/124,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686.1, 340/687, 340/679, 340/507, 340/521, 340/525, 340/526, 340/425.5, 414/401, 700/17, 14/695
• US Class Current: 340/686.1
• 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 69/008 Dock- or bumper-seals
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/2876 Safety or protection means, e.g. skirts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/407 Nippers

Abstract

A unified docking apparatus is provided. It includes a single set of controls to operate a vehicle restraint, a dock door, a barrier device, a dock seal, and a loading light. Some optional embodiments include selector switch to select which apparatus the single set of controls will control. Other optional embodiments automatically select the apparatus to be controlled by the single set of controls. A method of operating a docking apparatus using a single set of controls is also provided.

Claims

1. A unified controller for controlling a loading dock apparatus, comprising:

(a) a control panel for providing a common area for operator controls and signals;

(b) operator signal lights located on the control panel and operatively connected to the loading dock apparatus for signaling an operator that a loading dock is at least one of ready for loading, not ready for loading, and operator be cautioned;

(c) a selector switch located on the control panel, and operatively connected to the loading dock apparatus to permit selective operation of a vehicle restraint, a dock door, and a leveler apparatus;

(d) a first operation control attached to the control panel wherein the first operation control, when activated, engages the vehicle restraint when the selector switch is selected to operate the vehicle restraint, the first operation control, when activated, opens the dock door when the dock door is selected by the selector switch, and the first operation control, controls the raising and lowering of the dock leveler to an operative and a stored position, and extends and retracts a lip portion of the dock leveler when the dock leveler is selected by the selector switch;

(e) a second operation control attached to the control panel, wherein the second operation control, when activated, extends a lip portion of the dock leveler when the dock leveler is selected by the selector switch, the second operation control, when activated, closes the dock door when the dock door is selected by the selector switch, and the second operation control, when activated, disengages the vehicle restraint when the selector switch is selected to operate the vehicle restraint;

(f) a third operation control attached to the control panel, wherein the third operation control is an emergency stop control configured to stop operation of the loading dock apparatus;

(g) operator indicator lights located on the control panel, wherein the indicator lights indicate which of the vehicle restraint, door, and dock lever the operation controls will activate;

AND

(h) a vehicle restraint bypass switch located on the controller, wherein the vehicle restraint bypass switch may selectively bypass the dock loading apparatus causing the first operation control to not engage the vehicle restraint, but activate the operator control signal light to indicate at least one of ready for loading, and operator be cautioned, and the second operation control to not disengage the dock loading apparatus.

2. The unified controller of claim 1, further comprising a master selector switch located on the controller, configured to at least one of selectively supply power to the controller, disconnect power to the controller, provide a manual mode to the controller, and provide an automatic mode to the controller,

wherein when the automatic mode is selected, and the docking apparatus is not engaged, the controller will automatically cause the first and second operation controls to control the vehicle restraint and cause the indicator lights to so indicate, once the vehicle restraint is either engaged or bypassed, the controller will then cause the first and second operation controls to control the dock door and the indicator light to so indicate, once the dock door is opened, the controller will cause the first operation control to control the dock leveler and the second operation control to control extension of the lip portion of the dock leveler and the indicator light to so indicate,

wherein when the automatic mode is selected and the docking apparatus is engaged, the controller will automatically cause the first operation control to control the dock leveler and to control the retraction of the lip portion of the dock leveler and the indicator light to so indicate, once the dock leveler is lowered to a stored position and the lip portion retracted, the controller will cause the second operation control to control the dock door and the indicator light to so indicate, once the dock door is shut, the controller will cause the second operation control to control the vehicle restraint and cause the indicator light to so indicate.

3. The unified controller of claim 1, further comprising a safety gate selector switch located on the control panel and selectively configured to at least one of engage, disengage, and automatically engage and disengage a safety gate, wherein when the selector switch is selected to automatically engage and disengage the safety gate, the safety gate disengages when the vehicle restraint is engaged or bypassed, and the safety gate is engaged when the vehicle restraint is not bypassed and disengaged.

4. The unified controller of claim 1, further comprising a dock seal selector switch located on the control panel and selectively configured to at least one of inflate, deflate, and automatically inflate and deflate a dock seal, wherein when the dock seal selector switch is selected to automatically inflate and deflate the dock seal, the dock seal will deflate the dock seal when the dock door is closed, and inflate the dock seal when the dock door is open.

5. The unified controller of claim 1, further comprising a dock light selector switch located on the control panel, and the dock light selector switch is selectively configured to at least one of turn on, turn off, and automatically turn on and turn off, wherein when the dock light selector switch is selected to automatically turn on and off, the dock light will turn on when the dock door is open and turn off when the dock door is shut.

6. The unified controller of claim 2, further comprising a bypass switch on the control panel configured to open and close the dock door independently of the setting of the master control switch.

7. The unified controller of claim 1, wherein the third operational control is a button that stops the operation of the dock loading apparatus when pushed, and resumes operation of the dock loading apparatus when pulled.

8. The unified controller of claim 1, further comprising a selector switch located on the control panel for selectively operating docking loading apparatus for different docking bays.

9. A controller for controlling a loading dock apparatus, the apparatus including a vehicle restraint, a door, a loading light, a dock leveler, the controller comprising:

(a) a control panel for providing a common area for operator controls and signals;

(b) operator signal lights located on the control panel and operatively connected to the loading dock apparatus for signaling an operator that a loading dock is at least one of ready for loading, not ready for loading, and operator be cautioned;

(c) selector switch located on the control panel, and operatively connected to the loading dock apparatus to permit selective operation of a vehicle restraint, a dock door, and a leveler apparatus;

(d) a means for controlling the loading dock apparatus, the means attached to the control panel, wherein the means controls the vehicle restraint when the selector switch is selected to operate a vehicle restraint, the means controls a dock door when the dock door is selected by the selector switch, and the means controls a dock leveler when the dock leveler is selected by the selector switch;

(e) an emergency stop control attached to the control panel, configured to stop operation of the loading dock apparatus;

(f) operator indicator lights located on the control panel, wherein the indicator lights indicate which of the vehicle restraint, door, and dock lever the operation controls will activate;

AND

(g) a vehicle restraint bypass switch located on the controller, wherein the vehicle restraint bypass switch may selectively bypass the dock loading apparatus causing the means to not control the vehicle restraint, but activate the operator control signal light to indicate at least one of ready for loading, and operator be cautioned, when the vehicle constraint is engaged or bypassed and control signal light to indicate that the dock is not ready for loading when the vehicle constraint is not engaged and not by-passed, and to enable a next step in a sequence of operations.

10. The controller of claim 9, further comprising a master selector switch located on the controller, configured to at least one of selectively supply power to the controller, disconnect power to the controller, provide a manual mode to the controller, and provide an automatic mode to the controller,

wherein when the automatic mode is selected, and the docking apparatus is not engaged, the controller will automatically cause the means to control the vehicle restraint and cause the indicator light to so indicate, once the vehicle restraint is either engaged or bypassed, the controller will cause the means to control the dock door and the indicator light to so indicate, once the dock door is opened, the controller will cause the means to control the dock leveler and the lip portion of the dock leveler and the indicator light to so indicate,

wherein when the automatic mode is selected and the docking apparatus is engaged, the controller will automatically cause the means to control the dock leveler and the indicator light to so indicate, once the dock is lowered and the lip portion retracted, the controller will cause the means to control the dock door and the indicator light to so indicate, once the dock door is shut, the controller will cause the means to control the vehicle restraint and cause the indicator light to so indicate.

11. The controller of claim 9, further comprising a safety gate selector switch located on the control panel and selectively configured to at least one of disengage, engage, and automatically engage and disengage a safety gate, wherein when the selector switch is selected to automatically engage and disengage the safety gate, the safety gate disengages when the vehicle restraint is engaged or bypassed, and the safety gate is engaged when the vehicle restraint is disengaged and not bypassed.

12. The controller of claim 9, further comprising a dock seal selector switch located on the control panel and selectively configured to at least one of inflate, deflate, and automatically inflate and deflate a dock seal, wherein when the dock seal selector switch is selected to automatically inflate and deflate the dock seal, the dock seal will deflate the dock seal when the dock door is closed, and inflate the dock seal when the dock door is open.

13. The controller of claim 9, further comprising a dock light selector switch located on the control panel, the dock light selector switch is selectively configured to at least one of turn on, turn off, and automatically turn on and turn off, wherein when the dock light selector switch is selected to automatically turn on and off, the dock light will turn on when the dock door is open and turn off when the dock door is shut.

14. The controller of claim 10, further comprising an override switch on the control panel configured to open and close the dock door independently of the setting of the master control switch.

15. The controller of claim 9, wherein the emergency stop button stops the operation of the dock loading apparatus when pushed, and resumes operation of the dock loading apparatus when pulled.

16. The controller of claim 9, further comprising a selector switch for selectively operating docking loading apparatus for different docking bays.