US 2026/0250084 A1Published application

Wheel chock and vehicle dock system with wheel chock

AssigneeTroax Active Safety Spain, Slu

InventorsJoan Maria PLANAS DE FARNÉS VALENTÍ, Ricard CHETRIT RUSSI

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Abstract

Wheel chock comprising a first toothed element (10), a second toothed element (20) movable, actuated by an actuation mechanism (30), in a horizontal direction (XD1, XD2), between a strip release position and a strip gripping position; a locking device (40) movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the actuation mechanism (30) comprises an elastically loaded spring (31) connected to the second toothed element (20) and to the locking device (40); the actuation mechanism (30) is a bistable mechanism movable between a first position where the spring (31) urges the locking device (40) to the unlocked position and simultaneously urges the second toothed element (20) towards the strip release position, and a second position where urges the second toothed element (20) towards the strip gripping position and simultaneously urges the locking device (40) to the locked position.

Claims15

Dependent claims

Wheel chock attachable to strips protruding from a base plate, the wheel chock comprising:

a first toothed element (10) including at least one first tooth (11) protruding downwards therefrom, each first tooth (11) defining one concave side,
a second toothed element (20) including at least one second tooth (21) protruding downwards from the second toothed element (20), each second tooth (21) defining one concave side opposed to the concave side of each first tooth (11),
the second toothed element (20) is movable, actuated by an actuation mechanism (30), in regard to the first toothed element (10) in a horizontal direction (XD1, XD2), between a strip release position and a strip gripping position;
a locking device (40) movable between a locked position, where the locking device (40) prevents the movement of the second toothed element (20) in the horizontal direction (XD1, XD2), and an unlocked position, where the locking device (40) does not prevent the movement of the second toothed element (20) in the horizontal direction (XD1, XD2);
characterized in that
the actuation mechanism (30) comprises an elastically loaded spring (31) connected to the second toothed element (20) and to the locking device (40);
the actuation mechanism (30) is a bistable mechanism movable between a first position where the spring (31) urges the locking device (40) to the unlocked position and simultaneously urges the second toothed element (20) towards the strip release position, and a second position where the spring (31) urges the second toothed element (20) towards the strip gripping position and simultaneously urges the locking device (40) to the locked position;
and
the locking device (40) is movable in a vertical direction (VD1, VD2) with respect to the first toothed element (10) between the unlocked position and the locked position, said movement being guided by a guide (52, 53) configured to allow movement of the locking device (40) towards the locked position only when the second toothed element (20) is in the strip gripping position.

6 more elements

Vehicle dock system with wheel chock, wherein the vehicle dock system comprises:

a dock platform (80) with a dock door (81);
a base plate (1) with strips protruding therefrom, adjacent to the dock platform (80) in front of the dock door (81) and at a lower level than the dock platform (80);
a vehicle position detector (72) configured to detect when a vehicle reaches an unloading position adjacent to the dock door (81), and to emit a first compliance signal in response to said detection;
a wheel chock as described in any preceding claim, associated with the dock platform (80), or connected to the dock platform (80) through an articulated arm,
at least one wheel chock status sensor (73) configured to detect when the wheel chock is in operational position by detecting when the wheel chock is in the strip gripping position;
when is located over the base plate;
when is located next to a wheel of the vehicle;
when the articulated arm is in an extended position;
and/or in any combination of the above circumstances;
and to emit a second compliance signal in response to said detection;
an inner interface (90) accessible for a user located on the dock platform (80);
wherein
the inner interface (90) controls the dock door (81) and is configured to allow the opening of the dock door (81) only during the simultaneous duration of the first and second compliance signals;
and
an outer interface (91), accessible for a user located outside the dock platform (80);
configured to emit visual signals in response to the first compliance signal, to the second compliance signal and in response to the open or closed position of the dock door (81).

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.