Brace system and method for a vehicle at a loading dock

A method of operating a vehicle brace engagable adjacent a vehicle's rear edge as material handling equipment traverses the rear edge while accessing the vehicle, the method comprising:

• biasing the vehicle brace to a raised position by continuously exerting on the brace an upward biasing force that exceeds the weight of the vehicle brace;
• permitting the vehicle brace to be pushed down to a preparatory position by horizontal movement of the vehicle as the vehicle moves toward the loading dock and is in engagement with the vehicle brace;
• selectively causing the vehicle brace to apply a reactive upward force adjacent the vehicle's rear edge, wherein the reactive upward force is to reduce downward movement of the vehicle's rear edge that would result from the applied weight of the material handling equipment in the absence of the reactive upward force;
• limiting the reactive upward force to a predetermined upper limit;
• and
• wherein the reactive upward force is to reduce downward movement of the vehicle's rear edge by being substantially equal to a downward force resulting from the weight of the material handling equipment until the reactive upward force reaches the predetermined upper limit.

A method of operating a vehicle brace engagable adjacent a vehicle's rear edge as material handling equipment traverses the rear edge while accessing the vehicle, the method comprising:

• biasing, by way of a first actuation system, a support member to a raised position by continuously exerting on the support member an upward biasing force;
• selectively causing, by way of a variable length second actuation system, the support member to exert a reactive upward force against the vehicle's rear edge to appreciably and controllably slow the descent of the vehicle;
• controlling, by way of a control system, a magnitude of the reactive upward force;
• limiting the reactive upward force to a predetermined upper limit;
• and
• wherein the reactive upward force is to reduce downward movement of the vehicle's rear edge by being substantially equal to a downward force resulting from the weight of the material handling equipment until the reactive upward force reaches the predetermined upper limit.