Alarm system for a loading dock

• US 7,380,375 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2004
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Maly, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN, JEANETTE E
• Application Number:
  US11/011,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20060137261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 521/731, 521/732, 521/733, 109/2, 109/3, 109 5- 11, 109/21, 340/524, 340540-541, 340/550, 340/590, 340/564, 340/566, 340/596, 340/598, 340665-668, 340/683, 256/8, 256/10, 256/34
• US Class Current: 52/173.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/2882 operated by detectors or sensors

Abstract

A safety system for a truck doorway such as a loading dock with an elevated platform provides an alarm that warns of 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 embodiments, 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.

Claims

1. A safety system for a building that includes a doorway adapted to receive a vehicle and which has a barrier associated therewith that is movable between a blocking position for obstructing at least part of the doorway to help protect a remote body inside the building and a nonblocking position for less obstruction, the safety system comprising:

a vehicle sensor disposed adjacent the doorway, wherein the vehicle sensor determines the presence of the vehicle adjacent the doorway;

a barrier sensor disposed adjacent the doorway, wherein the barrier sensor determines whether the barrier is at the blocking position; and

an alarm system responsive to the barrier sensor and the vehicle sensor, wherein the alarm system provides an alarm signal in response to the barrier sensor determining that the barrier is not at the blocking position and the vehicle sensor determining that the vehicle is not present adjacent the doorway.

2. The safety system of claim 1, wherein the building includes a door panel that not only opens and closes the doorway but also serves as the barrier.

3. The safety system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle sensor determines the presence of the vehicle by determining whether the vehicle is within a certain distance of the doorway.

4. The safety system of claim 1, wherein the building includes a door panel for opening and closing the doorway, and the barrier can move relative to the door panel.

5. The safety system of claim 1, wherein the building includes a door panel for opening and closing the doorway, and the barrier is coupled to the door panel.

6. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising a dock leveler adjacent to the doorway, wherein the barrier is part of the dock leveler.

7. The safety system of claim 1, wherein the alarm system includes a disable switch, and the alarm signal includes a visual signal and an audible signal, wherein the disable switch is operatively connected to silence the audible signal.

8. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising a remote body sensor that determines whether the remote body inside the building is within a certain area adjacent to the doorway, wherein the alarm system is further responsive to the remote body sensor to provide a warning signal in response to a concurrence of the barrier not being at the blocking position, the vehicle not being present adjacent the doorway, and the remote body being within the certain area adjacent to the doorway.

9. The safety system of claim 8, wherein the alarm signal is visual and the warning signal is audible, whereby the alarm signal indicates when a potentially hazardous situation may exist at the loading dock, and the warning signal indicates when more imminent danger may exist.

10. A safety system for a building that includes a doorway, wherein the doorway is adapted to receive a vehicle and which has a barrier associated therewith that is movable between a blocking position obstructing the doorway to help protect a remote body inside the building and a nonblocking position exposing the doorway, the safety system comprising:

a vehicle sensor disposed adjacent the doorway, wherein the vehicle sensor determines the presence of the vehicle adjacent the doorway;

a barrier sensor disposed adjacent the doorway, wherein the barrier sensor determines whether the barrier is at the blocking position;

a remote body sensor that determines whether the remote body inside the building is within a certain area adjacent to the doorway; and

an alarm system responsive to the barrier sensor, the vehicle sensor, and the remote body sensor such that;

i. the alarm system provides an alarm signal in response to the barrier sensor and the vehicle sensor determining that the barrier is not at the blocking position and the vehicle is not present adjacent the doorway, and

ii. the alarm system provides a warning signal in response to a concurrence of the barrier not being at the blocking position, the vehicle not being present adjacent the doorway, and the remote body being within the certain area adjacent to the doorway, wherein the alarm signal is distinguishable from the warning signal.

11. The safety system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle sensor determines the presence of the vehicle by determining whether the vehicle is within a certain distance of the doorway.

12. The safety system of claim 10, wherein the alarm signal is visual and the warning signal is audible, whereby the alarm signal indicates when a potentially hazardous situation may exist at the loading dock, and the warning signal indicates when more imminent danger may exist.