Roller sealing apparatus for forming a weather seal between a vehicle and a loading dock or the like

For use with a structure located adjacent a parking area for vehicles having a top surface, an apparatus comprising:

• a first sealing member adapted for movement in at least a vertical direction for locating and forming a seal with the top of a vehicle entering the parking area;
• and
• a second sealing member cooperating with the first sealing member to assist the first sealing member in moving to the top of the vehicle to form a seal therewith.

For use with a structure located adjacent a parking area for vehicles having a top surface, an apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• and
• a roller seal having an axis, the roller seal being rotatably mounted to the support for rotation about the axis, the roller seal being positioned to interact with a vehicle entering the parking area by moving upward from a first position in the path of the vehicle entering the parking area to a second position wherein the roller seal is disposed adjacent the top of the vehicle, wherein the roller seal at least partially rotates about the axis as it moves from the first position to the second position and the axis of the roller seal moves in at least a vertical direction as the roller seal moves from the first to the second position.

For use with a structure located adjacent a parking area for vehicles having a top surface, an apparatus comprising:

• a first sealing member adapted for movement in at least a vertical direction for locating and forming a seal with the top of a vehicle entering the parking area;
• and
• a second sealing member cooperating with the first sealing member to assist the first sealing member in moving to the top of the vehicle to form a seal therewith.

For use with a structure located adjacent a parking area, an apparatus comprising:

• a first sealing member positioned to interact with a vehicle entering the parking area by translating in at least a vertical direction under the influence of the vehicle to locate and form a seal with a top of the vehicle;
• and
• a second sealing member cooperating with the first sealing member to assist the first sealing member in moving to the top of the vehicle to form a seal therewith.

For use with a structure located adjacent a parking area for vehicles having a top surface, an apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• and
• a seal member having an axis, the seal member being rotatably mounted to the support for rotation about the axis, the seal member being positioned by the support to interact with a vehicle entering the parking area by moving upward from a first position in the path of the vehicle entering the parking area to a second position wherein the seal member is disposed adjacent the top of the vehicle, wherein the seal member at least partially rotates about the axis as it moves from the first position to the second position and the axis of the seal member moves in at least a vertical direction as the seal member moves from the first to the second position.

For use with a structure located adjacent a parking area for vehicles having a top surface, an apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• and
• a seal member mounted to the support in a position to interact with a vehicle entering the parking area by moving upward, wherein the entire seal member translates in at least a vertical direction as the seal member moves upward.

An apparatus for use with a dock opening located adjacent a parking area for vehicles having a top surface, the apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• and
• a seal member mounted to the support such that the seal member is suspended in a first position adjacent a top of the dock opening, the seal member being movable from the first position adjacent the top of the dock opening and in the path of a vehicle approaching the dock opening to a second position wherein the seal member is disposed adjacent the top of the vehicle, wherein the entire seal member translates in at least an upward direction as the seal member moves from the first position to the second position.

An apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• and
• a compressible roller seal mounted to the support, the roller seal having a first operational phase and a second operational phase, the seal being adapted to engage a back surface of a vehicle during the first operational phase and being adapted to disengage the back surface and to translate upward to engage, and at least partially compress against, a top surface of the vehicle during the second operational phase.

For use with a structure located adjacent a parking area for vehicles having a top surface, an apparatus comprising:

• a support having arms of fixed length;
• and
• a roller seal having an axis, the roller seal being rotatably mounted to the arms of the support for rotation about the axis, the roller seal being adapted to interact with a vehicle entering the parking area by moving upward from a first position in the path of the vehicle entering the parking area to a second position wherein the roller seal is disposed adjacent the top of the vehicle, wherein the roller seal at least partially rotates about the axis as it moves from the first position to the second position and the axis of the roller seal moves in at least a vertical direction as the roller seal moves from the first to the second position.

For use with a structure located adjacent a parking area for vehicles having a top surface, an apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• and
• a roller seal having an axis, the roller seal being rotatably mounted to the support for rotation about the axis, the roller seal being adapted to interact with a vehicle entering the parking area by moving upward from a first position in the path of the vehicle entering the parking area to a second position wherein the roller seal is disposed adjacent the top of the vehicle, wherein the roller seal at least partially rotates about the axis as it moves from the first position to the second position and the axis of the roller seal moves in at least a vertical direction as the roller seal moves from the first to the second position, and wherein the roller seal is not biased upward.

For use with a structure located adjacent a parking area for vehicles having a top surface, an apparatus comprising:

• a support;
• and
• a roller seal having an axis, the roller seal being rotatably mounted to the support for rotation about the axis, the roller seal being adapted to interact with a vehicle entering the parking area by moving upward from a first position in the path of the vehicle entering the parking area to a second position wherein the roller seal is disposed adjacent the top of the vehicle, wherein the roller seal at least partially rotates about the axis as it moves from the first position to the second position and the axis of the roller seal moves in at least a vertical direction as the roller seal moves from the first to the second position, and wherein the roller seal is biased downward.