Material or article handling – Load-transporting type vehicle and external means... – Means serves to align wheeled vehicle and load receiving or...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-04
2001-02-20
Bratlie, Steven A. (Department: 3652)
Material or article handling
Load-transporting type vehicle and external means...
Means serves to align wheeled vehicle and load receiving or...
C414S396000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190109
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to vehicle restraints for securing vehicles parked adjacent to a structure, such as a loading dock. More specifically, the present invention relates to a restraining member having a recessed throat and a capture portion which enable the restraining member to secure a wide variety of vehicles yet permit the restraining member to retract fully within the body of the vehicle restraint.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Most accidents that occur in and around loading docks are attributable to human error. These accidents can result in serious injury, especially when power material handling equipment is used. Often these accidents are the result of a failure to properly secure the parked truck in place, coupled with an inattentive driver who prematurely drives away while workers and/or equipment are still engaged in the loading or unloading operations. In addition to premature departure, other circumstances can lead to undesired separation of the trailer from the dock, such as trailer creep or landing gear collapse. Accordingly, vehicle restraint devices were developed.
Vehicle restraint devices are generally well known in the art, and are routinely employed in order to effectively secure a vehicle to an adjacent loading dock during loading and unloading operations. Although the design, cost and effectiveness of existing vehicle restraints differs widely, if properly designed, such restraint devices can help reduce the number of serious injuries resulting from human error in the loading dock environment.
One such vehicle restraint device employs a rotating hook which engages the ICC bar (also called a Rear Impact Guard or RIG) on the rear of the truck. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the hook
1
of this type of prior art vehicle restraint is typically mounted in a carriage
2
which is slidably mounted to the dock structure and which automatically adjusts to the height of the RIG as a vehicle approaches the structure. A motor (not shown) rotates the hook
1
from a retracted position to an engaged position in which the hook
1
engages or captures the RIG. The typical hook
1
consists of a crown
4
and a shank
5
, with the shank
5
having a longitudinal axis
6
which intersects the pivot point
7
of the hook
1
. Such a conventional design limits the hook
1
to a simple, rotational movement about the pivot point
7
. Examples of such rotating hook vehicle restraint devices can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,264,259 and 4,379,354. Vehicle restraint devices of the rotating hook variety are generally viewed as the most effective approach to preventing certain loading dock accidents, such as unscheduled departure, trailer creep, landing gear collapse, or trailer upending.
The size and strength of the RIG is subject to regulation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Recently, the NHTSA has issued new regulations increasing the strength requirements for the RIGs installed on newly manufactured vehicles. One way to achieve the new strength requirements, although not required under the rule, is to increase the cross-sectional dimensions of the RIG, for example, by increasing the vertical dimension. Unfortunately, the existing hooks on many vehicle restraint devices (of both the rotating hook design and other varieties) were not designed for these taller (up to 6″) RIGs. In the case of rotating hook restraints, these taller RIGs may, in certain limited circumstances, render existing hooks incapable of achieving the functionally advantageous “two-point contact” trap when the existing hooks are used with the new taller RIGs. Although the dimensions of the hook could be increased in order to obtain the “two-point contact” trap for a taller RIG, increased material costs for an oversize hook, along with the need for a larger motor to rotate the oversize hook, make this an undesirable approach. Moreover, on most devices, larger hooks cannot be retrofitted because such larger hooks are not capable of being fully retracted within the moveable carriage and may thus interfere with the carriage's normal range of motion and operation.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved vehicle restraint device including a rotating restraining member capable of capturing the newer and larger ICC bars, yet also capable of retracting fully within the carriage of an existing vehicle restraint device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a vehicle restraint for releasably securing a parked vehicle to an adjacent structure is disclosed. The vehicle restraint comprises a carriage mountable adjacent to the structure for vertical movement relative thereto. The carriage includes a recess. The vehicle restraint also includes a restraining member pivotally mounted to the carriage. The restraining member is shiftable between a retracted position wherein the restraining member is generally disposed within the recess, and an extended position wherein the restraining member is disposed to engage a portion of the parked vehicle. The restraining member includes a base pivotally mounted to the carriage, a crown, and an offset shank interconnecting the base and the crown. The crown, the shank, and the base each have inner edges defining three sides of a substantially tetragonally shaped area sized to receive the vehicle portion.
In some embodiments, the vehicle restraint further includes a motor operatively connected to the restraining member for rotating the restraining member between the retracted and engaged positions.
In some embodiments, the crown includes an end having a barb which is adapted to frictionally engage the portion of the vehicle.
In some embodiments, the area is sized to receive a vehicle portion having a generally rectilinearly shaped cross-section.
In some embodiments, the area is sized to receive a vehicle portion having a height of at least five inches.
In some embodiments, the crown is fully disposed within the recess when the restraining member is in the retracted position.
In some embodiments, the vertex between the crown and the shank is approximately ninety degrees. In other embodiments, the vertex between the base portion and the shank is an obtuse angle. In still other embodiments, the vertex between the crown and the shank is approximately ninety degrees and the vertex between the base portion and the shank is an obtuse angle.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a restraining member for use with a vehicle restraint for releasably securing a parked vehicle to an adjacent structure is provided. The vehicle restraint includes a carriage mountable adjacent to the structure for vertical movement relative thereto, and a recess. The restraining member is mountable to the carriage for pivotal movement between a retracted position wherein the restraining member is substantially disposed within the recess and an extended position wherein the restraining member is disposed to engage a portion of the vehicle. The restraining member comprises a base pivotally mountable to the carriage; a crown; and a recessed shank interconnecting the base and the crown. The crown, the shank, and the base define a continuous inner edge circumscribing three sides of a substantially tetragonally shaped area.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a kit for modifying an existing vehicle-restraint for engaging the ICC bar of a commercial vehicle parked adjacent a structure is disclosed. The vehicle restraint has a carriage defining a recess. The carriage is mountable adjacent to the structure for vertical movement relative thereto. The kit comprises a restraining member having a base for mounting to the carriage. The restraining member is adapted for pivotal movement between a retracted position and an extended position. The restraining member is disposed to engage the ICC bar in the extended position. The restraining member includes a crown and a shank joining the crown to the base. The shank includes a recessed portion secured to the base by a projecting lug. The lug, the shank and t
Bratlie Steven A.
Marshall O'Toole Gerstein Murray & Borun
Rite-Hite Holding Company
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