Master control panel for loading dock equipment
AssigneeUnited Dominion Industries, Inc.
InventorsTerence Reynard, James C. Alexander
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims41
An automatic loading dock 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) a first operation control attached to the control panel, wherein the first operation control, when activated, engages a vehicle restraint, opens a dock door, raises a dock leveler and lowers the dock leveler to an operative or stored position, and extend and retract a lip portion of the dock leveler;
- (d) a second operation control attached to the control box, wherein the second operation control, when activated, closes a dock door, and disengages a vehicle restraint;
- (e) a programmable controller configured to selectively cause the first operation control to control the vehicle restraint, the dock door and the dock leveler according to a preprogrammed program, and selectively cause the second operation control to control a lip portion of a dock leveler, close the dock door and disengage a vehicle restraint according to a preprogrammed program;
- (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;
- AND
- (g) a vehicle restraint bypass switch located on the control panel, wherein the vehicle restraint bypass switch may selectively bypass the dock loading apparatus causing the controller to not engage and disengage the vehicle restraint to a vehicle, but activate the operator control signal light to indicate at least one of loading dock ready for loading, operator be cautioned, and loading dock not ready for loading, and proceed with a next operation in a sequence of operations.
The automatic loading dock controller of claim 1, further comprising a selectable manual bypass vehicle restraint control configured to select between at least one of release, automatic, and engage, wherein when the selectable manual vehicle control set for release, the vehicle restraint disengages when the selectable manual vehicle control is set for automatic, the vehicle control performs as described in claim 9, and when the vehicle release control is set for engage, the vehicle release engages.
The automatic loading dock controller of claim 1, further comprising a selectable manual override door control configured to select between at least one of close, automatic, and open, wherein when the selectable manual door control is set for close, the dock door closes, when the selectable manual door control is set for automatic, the dock door performs as described in claim 9, and when the door control is set for open, the dock door opens.
The automatic loading dock controller of claim 5, further comprising a selectable manual override barrier gate control configured to select between at least one of engage, automatic, and disengage, wherein when the selectable manual barrier gate control set for engage, the barrier gate is engaged, when the selectable manual barrier gate control is set for automatic, the barrier gate performs as described in claim 13, and when the barrier gate control is set for diengage, the barrier gate control disengages.
The automatic loading dock controller of claim 7, further comprising a selectable manual override door seal control configured to select between at least one of inflate, automatic, and off, wherein when the selectable manual door seal is set for inflate, the door seal inflates when the selectable door seal is set for automatic, the door seal performs as described in claim 15, and when the door seal control is set for off, the door seal deflates.
An automatic loading dock 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) means for controlling the docking apparatus attached to the control panel, wherein the means controls a vehicle restraint, controls a dock door, controls a dock leveler, and controls a lip portion of the dock leveler.
- (d) a programmable controller configured to selectively cause the means for controlling the dock loading apparatus to control the vehicle restraint, the dock door, and the dock leveler according to a preprogrammed program.
- (e) an emergency stop attached to the control panel, configured to stop operation of the loading dock apparatus;
- AND
- (f) a vehicle restraint bypass switch located on the controller, wherein the vehicle restraint bypass switch may selectively bypass the dock loading apparatus causing the controller to not engage and disengage the vehicle restraint to a vehicle, but activate the operator control signal light to indicate at least one of loading dock ready for loading, operator be cautioned, and proceed with a next operation in a sequence of operations, when the vehicle restraining apparatus is attached to a vehicle or is bypassed and the operator control signal light to display the signal the loading dock not ready for loading when the vehicle restraining apparatus is not engaged and not bypassed.
The automatic loading dock controller of claim 10, further comprising a selectable manual bypass vehicle restraint control configured to select between at least one of release, automatic, and engage, wherein when the selectable manual vehicle control set for release, the vehicle restraint disengages, when the selectable manual vehicle control is set for automatic, the vehicle control performs as described in claim 26, and when the vehicle release control is set for engage, the vehicle release engages.
The automatic loading dock controller of claim 10, further comprising a selectable manual override door control configured to select between at least one of close, automatic, and open, wherein when the selectable manual door control is set for close, the dock door closes, when the selectable manual door control is set for automatic, the dock door performs as described in claim 26, and when the door control is set for open, the dock door opens.
The automatic loading dock controller of claim 14, further comprising a selectable manual override barrier gate control configured to select between at least one of engage, automatic, and disengage, wherein when the selectable manual barrier gate control set for engage, the barrier gate is engaged, when the selectable manual barrier gate control is set for automatic, the barrier gate performs as described in claim 30, and when the barrier gate control is set for disengage, the barrier gate control disengages.
The automatic loading dock controller of claim 16, further comprising a selectable manual override door seal control configured to select between at least one of inflate, automatic, and off, wherein when the selectable manual door seal is set for inflate, the door seal inflates when the selectable door seal is set for automatic, the door seal performs as described in claim 32, and when the door seal control is set for off, the door seal deflates.
A method for automatically operating dock loading apparatus comprising:
- at least one of opening a dock door, and inflating a dock seal when the dock door is fully opened, raising a dock barrier, and turning on a loading light by operating a first operation control a first time;
- raising a dock leveler, and extending a lip portion of the dock leveler by operating the first operation control a second time after a operator signal light signals a dock is ready for use;
- moving a dock leveler to a stored position by operating the second operation control a first time and at least one of, deflating the dock seal, turning off the loading light, and closing the dock door by operating a second operation control a second time.
A control panel for a loading dock apparatus comprising:
- an operator means located on the control panel for operating a loading dock apparatus;
- a controller means associated with the control panel for causing the operator means to operate at least two of a vehicle restraint, a loading dock door, a loading dock door seal, and a dock leveler and lip in a predetermined sequence,
- wherein the operator means, when activated, activates the loading dock apparatus to be operated next in a predetermined sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.