Master control panel for loading dock equipment
First Claim
Patent Images
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.
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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.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A unified controller for controlling a loading dock apparatus, comprising:
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(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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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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:
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(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. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of controlling a loading dock apparatus with a single unified controller comprising:
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configuring a first and second operation control to control a dock door by selecting a dock door option with a selecting switch;
operating a dock door by operating the first operation control to open the dock door and operating the second operation control to close the dock door;
configuring the first and second operation control to operate a dock leveler by selecting a dock leveler option with the selecting switch;
operating a dock leveler by raising and lowering a dock leveler by operating the first operation control and extending a lip portion of the dock leveler by operating the second operation control. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method of controlling a loading dock apparatus with a single unified controller comprising:
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selecting an automatic mode with a selector switch;
determining that a first and second control will operate a dock door by viewing an indicator light indicating the first and second operation controls will operate a dock door;
operating a dock door by operating the first operation control to open the dock door and operating the second operation control to close the dock door;
determining that the first and second control will operate a dock leveler by viewing an indicator light indicating the first and second operation controls will operate a dock leveler;
operating a dock leveler by raising and lowering a dock leveler by operating the first operation control and extending a lip portion of the dock leveler by operating the second operation control. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A control panel for a loading dock apparatus comprising:
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an operator means located on the control panel for operating a loading dock apparatus;
a selector means located on the control panel for selection between at least two of a vehicle restraint, a loading dock door, a loading dock door seal, and a dock leveler and lip;
wherein the selector means causes the operator means, when activated, to operate the loading dock apparatus that is selected by the selector means. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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Specification