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US 6,781,516 B2Granted
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.
Claims16
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.
6 more elements
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:
- (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.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.