Bumpers for use at loading docks
AssigneeRite-Hite Holding Corporation
InventorsJohn A. Kish, Joseph Manone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Bumpers for use at loading docks include a housing defining a lip-engaging surface to engage a lip of a deck when the lip is in a retracted position, and a RIG-engaging surface positioned adjacent the lip-engaging surface. The RIG-engaging surface is movable relative to the lip-engaging surface. The RIG-engaging surface is to move relative to the lip-engaging surface when a RIG of a vehicle imparts a force to the RIG-engaging surface when the vehicle is at a loading dock.
Claims24
A loading dock apparatus for receiving a vehicle backing into a loading dock, the loading dock having a platform that is elevated relative to a driveway leading to the platform, the platform defining a pit extending in a vertical direction between a pit floor and an upper surface of the platform, the pit extending in a lateral direction between a right sidewall and a left sidewall of the pit, the pit extending in a longitudinal direction between a back wall of the pit and a dock face that extends downward from the upper surface of the platform to the driveway, the lateral direction being horizontal and perpendicular to the vertical direction, the longitudinal direction being horizontal and perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the lateral direction, the loading dock further having a deck extending into the pit, the deck being selectively movable to a raised position and a lowered position relative to the platform, the loading dock further having a lip attached to the deck, the lip having a distal edge that is movable selectively to an extended position and a retracted position relative to the deck, the loading dock apparatus comprising:
- a first RIG bumper attached to the dock face, the first RIG bumper protruding in the longitudinal direction from the dock face to a RIG-engaging surface of the first RIG bumper, the first RIG bumper having a lip-engaging surface facing upward, the distal edge of the lip to engage the lip-engaging surface of the first RIG bumper when the deck is in the lowered position while the lip is in the retracted position, the distal edge of the lip being spaced apart from the lip-engaging surface when the deck is in the raised position, and the RIG-engaging surface moving relative to the lip-engaging surface in reaction to an impact created by the vehicle backing up against the first RIG bumper.
A loading dock apparatus for receiving a vehicle backing into a loading dock, wherein the loading dock having a platform that is elevated relative to a driveway leading to the platform, the platform defining a pit extending in a vertical direction between a pit floor and an upper surface of the platform, the pit extending in a lateral direction between a right sidewall and a left sidewall of the pit, the pit extending in a longitudinal direction between a back wall of the pit and a dock face that extends downward from the upper surface of the platform to the driveway, the lateral direction being horizontal and perpendicular to the vertical direction, the longitudinal direction being horizontal and perpendicular to both the vertical direction and the lateral direction, the loading dock further having a deck extending into the pit, the deck being selectively movable to a raised position and a lowered position relative to the platform, the loading dock further having a lip attached to the deck, the lip having a distal edge that is movable selectively to an extended position and a retracted position relative to the deck, the loading dock apparatus comprising:
- a metal casing;
- a polymeric member positioned within the metal casing;
- a metal mount to couple to the dock face at a predetermined location, the polymeric member and the metal casing being positioned within the metal mount, the metal mount being substantially stationary when attached to the dock face, the metal casing being movable relative to the metal mount by virtue of the polymeric member being resiliently compressible;
- and
- a lip-engaging surface on the metal mount, the lip-engaging surface being positioned to receive and engage the lip when the deck is in a lowered position and the lip is in a retracted position.
A bumper for use at a loading dock, the bumper comprising:
- a housing defining:
- a lip-engaging surface to engage a lip of a deck when the lip is in a retracted position;
- and
- a RIG-engaging surface positioned adjacent the lip-engaging surface, the RIG-engaging being movable relative to the lip-engaging surface, the RIG-engaging surface to move relative to the lip-engaging surface when a RIG of a vehicle imparts a force to the RIG-engaging surface and the vehicle is at a loading dock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.