Safety barrier systems for loading docks
First Claim
1. A safety system that facilitates loading or unloading cargo of a vehicle at a loading dock, wherein the loading dock includes an elevated platform above a target parking spot, a doorway through a wall, a door at the doorway, and a path on the elevated platform leading to the doorway, the safety system comprising:
- a first support to extend above the elevated platform;
a second support to extend above the elevated platform at a position spaced apart from the first support;
a flexible barrier having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the flexible barrier having an anchored end and a distal end, the anchored end to be attached to the first support, the distal end being proximate the first support when the flexible barrier is in the stored configuration, the distal end engaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration;
a sensor to sense at least one of a location state of the vehicle and an open/closed state of the door, the sensor to provide a dock condition status signal upon sensing at least one of the location state indicating whether the vehicle is at the target parking spot or the open/closed state indicating whether the door is closed; and
a powered latch to be coupled to the second support, the powered latch having a lock state and an unlock state, the powered latch to prevent the distal end from disengaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration and the latch is in the lock state, the powered latch to permit the distal end to disengage from the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration and the latch is in the unlock state, the powered latch to automatically switch from the lock state to the unlock state in response to the dock condition status signal indicating at least one of the door being closed or the vehicle being at the target parking spot.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Example safety barrier systems for vehicle loading docks comprise a retractable flexible barrier with a special powered latching mechanism that locks the barrier in place and prevents it from being retracted under certain hazardous dock conditions. In some examples, the barrier cannot be retracted when there is no vehicle at the dock while the dock'"'"'s door is open. In some examples, an alarm is energized when concurrently the door is open, the barrier is retracted and there is no vehicle at the dock.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A safety system that facilitates loading or unloading cargo of a vehicle at a loading dock, wherein the loading dock includes an elevated platform above a target parking spot, a doorway through a wall, a door at the doorway, and a path on the elevated platform leading to the doorway, the safety system comprising:
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a first support to extend above the elevated platform; a second support to extend above the elevated platform at a position spaced apart from the first support; a flexible barrier having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the flexible barrier having an anchored end and a distal end, the anchored end to be attached to the first support, the distal end being proximate the first support when the flexible barrier is in the stored configuration, the distal end engaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration; a sensor to sense at least one of a location state of the vehicle and an open/closed state of the door, the sensor to provide a dock condition status signal upon sensing at least one of the location state indicating whether the vehicle is at the target parking spot or the open/closed state indicating whether the door is closed; and a powered latch to be coupled to the second support, the powered latch having a lock state and an unlock state, the powered latch to prevent the distal end from disengaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration and the latch is in the lock state, the powered latch to permit the distal end to disengage from the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration and the latch is in the unlock state, the powered latch to automatically switch from the lock state to the unlock state in response to the dock condition status signal indicating at least one of the door being closed or the vehicle being at the target parking spot. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A safety system that facilitates loading or unloading cargo of a vehicle at a loading dock, wherein the loading dock includes an elevated platform above a target parking spot, a doorway through a wall, a door at the doorway, and a path on the elevated platform leading to the doorway, the safety system comprising:
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a first support extending above the elevated platform; a second support extending above the elevated platform and being spaced apart from the first support; a flexible barrier having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the flexible barrier having an anchored end and a distal end, the anchored end being attached to the first support, the distal end being proximate the first support when the flexible barrier is in the stored configuration, the distal end engaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration; a sensor sensing at least one of a location state of the vehicle or an open/closed state of the door, the sensor providing a dock condition status signal upon sensing at least one of the location state indicating whether the vehicle is at the target parking spot or the open/closed state indicating whether the door is closed; an alarm at the loading dock and being in communication with the sensor, the alarm having an energized state and a de-energized state, the alarm being in the energized state when the distal end is spaced apart from the second support while the dock condition status signal indicates that both the door is open and the vehicle is not at the target parking spot, the alarm being in the de-energized state when the distal end is spaced apart from the second support while the dock condition status signal indicates that at least one of the door is closed or the vehicle is at the target parking spot, the alarm being in the de-energized state when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration with the distal end engaging the second support; and a powered latch coupled to the second support, the powered latch having a lock state and an unlock state, the powered latch in the lock state preventing the distal end from disengaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration, the powered latch in the unlock state permitting the distal end to disengage from the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration, the powered latch automatically switching from the lock state to the unlock state in response to the dock condition status signal indicating at least one of the door being closed or the vehicle being at the target parking spot. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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16. A safety method that facilitates loading or unloading cargo of a vehicle at a loading dock, wherein the loading dock includes an elevated platform above a target parking spot, a doorway through a wall, a door at the doorway, a path on the elevated platform leading to the doorway, and a sensor instrument system, the safety method comprising:
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extending a flexible barrier from a first support to a second support such that the flexible barrier extends across the doorway; connecting a distal end of the flexible barrier to the second support; sensing a first condition comprising at least one of the following;
the door is closed or the vehicle is at the target parking spot;sensing a second condition comprising at least one of the following;
the door is not closed or the vehicle is not at the target parking spot;moving a latch to a lock state in response to sensing the second condition; moving the latch to an unlock state in response to sensing the first condition; in the lock state, the latch inhibiting the distal end from separating from the second support; and in the unlock state, the latch permitting the distal end to separate from the second support. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A safety system that facilitates loading or unloading cargo of a vehicle at a loading dock, wherein the loading dock includes an elevated platform above a target parking spot, a doorway through a wall, a door at the doorway, and a vehicle restraint selectively movable between a restrain position blocking the vehicle and a release position releasing the vehicle, the safety system comprising:
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a first support extending above the elevated platform; a second support extending above the elevated platform and being spaced apart from the first support; a flexible barrier having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the flexible barrier having an anchored end and a distal end, the anchored end being attached to the first support, the distal end being proximate the first support when the flexible barrier is in the stored configuration, the distal end engaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration; a sensor responsive to the vehicle restraint and providing a vehicle restraint position signal indicating whether the vehicle restraint is in the release position; and a powered latch coupled to the second support, the powered latch having a lock state and an unlock state, the powered latch in the lock state preventing the distal end from disengaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration, the powered latch in the unlock state permitting the distal end to disengage from the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration, the powered latch automatically switching from the unlock state to the lock state in response to the vehicle restraint position signal indicating that the vehicle restraint is in the release position. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A safety system that facilitates loading or unloading cargo of a vehicle at a loading dock, wherein the loading dock includes an elevated platform above a target parking spot, a doorway through a wall and a door at the doorway, the safety system comprising:
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a first support extending above the elevated platform; a second support extending above the elevated platform and being spaced apart from the first support; a flexible barrier having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the flexible barrier having an anchored end and a distal end, the anchored end being attached to the first support, the distal end being proximate the first support when the flexible barrier is in the stored configuration, the distal end engaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration; a barrier sensor proximate the distal end when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration, the barrier sensor providing a barrier position signal indicating whether the barrier is not in the deployed configuration; a vehicle restraint selectively movable between a restrain position blocking the vehicle and a release position releasing the vehicle; and a controller in communication with the vehicle restraint and the barrier sensor, the controller being connected to receive the barrier position signal from the barrier sensor, the controller selectively providing a lock signal and a release signal to the vehicle restraint, the vehicle restraint moving to the restrain position in response to receiving the lock signal, the vehicle restraint moving to the release position in response to receiving the release signal, the controller inhibiting the release signal from being conveyed to the vehicle restraint when the barrier position signal indicates that the flexible barrier is not in the deployed configuration. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification