Control system for loading docks
AssigneeUnited Dominion Ind., Inc.
InventorsVincent Sullivan, James C. Alexander
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system to determine the usage of loading dock equipment such as a dock leveler, a vehicle restraint and a barrier gate to provide an output indicative thereof. For each loading dock component mounted at a loading dock in an operable configuration whose operation is to be monitored, sensor outputs are used to provide data accumulated by PLC's located in a control panel associated with the loading dock. When operation of a piece of equipment is initiated the occurrence delivers an output signal to the PLC. A counting circuit accumulates a count of the output signals. The panel has displays in the form of lights and screens and the data maybe read out by means of a hand held unit for display and/or programing or delivered to a remote PC by appropriate cable.
Claims20
A system for monitoring operating use of dock loading equipment comprising:
- a plurality of different dock loading components installed for use at a loading dock, each of said dock loading components at said loading dock having at least one mode of operation thereof,
- a sensor responsive to said mode of operation for each of said plurality of dock loading components to produce a signal indicative that the operation has occurred for said component,
- means to count said signals for each of said components, and generate an output indicative of said count.
A system to determine the usage of loading dock equipment and provide an output indicative of maintenance requirements comprising;
- a loading dock component mounted at a loading dock in an operable configuration,
- a control panel for said loading dock equipment, said control panel having actuators to initiate operation of said loading dock component,
- means associated with said actuators to determine when an operation of said loading dock component has occurred and to deliver an output signal,
- a counting circuit to accumulate a count of said output signals indicative of the number of times said loading dock component has performed said operation, and
- a display to provide a visual indication of said count to determine maintenance requirements for said component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.