Brakes – Vehicle – On ground
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-11
2001-08-21
Oberleitner, Robert (Department: 3613)
Brakes
Vehicle
On ground
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276496
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the field of vehicle restraining devices that prevent movement of a vehicle away from a desired location. More specifically, the present invention relates to powered wheel chocking devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Powered wheel chocking devices have been developed to allow a vehicle (e.g., a straight truck, a trailer with or without a tractor, etc.) to be secured at a desired location (e.g., a loading dock) so that loading, unloading or other operations can be performed without risk that the vehicle will unexpectedly move away. Such wheel chocking devices typically include a chock that can be selectively moved by a drive mechanism between a chocked position and an unchecked position. These devices are commonly provided with visual and/or audible signals that indicate when the chock is in the chocked position and when the chock is in an unchocked position.
One type of powered wheel chocking device has been designed by Michel Roux, and is disclosed in European Patent Publication No. 537,075. The Roux device includes a chock that is movable between an unchocked lowered position and chocked raised position. The Roux device is designed to maintain the chock in a lowered position until the chock has been moved longitudinally into contact with the vehicle wheel. After contact with the vehicle wheel, further movement of the drive mechanism causes the chock to pivot to the raised position to secure the vehicle wheel.
A similar device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,965 to Springer et al. The Springer device also includes a chock that is movable between lowered and raised positions, and the chock is designed to be moved longitudinally into contact with the vehicle wheel while the chock is in the lowered position. After contact with the wheel, the drive mechanism will continue to drive a portion of the chock until the chock moves to the raised position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One problem with the above-described wheel chocking devices is that they cannot be used with certain types of vehicles. More specifically, the back end of certain vehicles have rail-type lift gates that are commonly used for loading and/or unloading without the use of a dock leveler. When it is desired to load and/or unload these types of vehicle from a loading dock having a dockleveler, the lift gate must be lowered to its lower-most position so that the dock leveler can be positioned on the bed of the vehicle. When in this lowered position, the lift gate is commonly less than a few inches from the ground. The position of the motors of the above-noted prior art devices can interfere with the proper positioning of the lift gate in its lowered position. When this occurs, the dockleveler cannot be used to load and/or unload the vehicle.
In addition, even if the prior art motors do not interfere with the lowering of the lift gate, the lift gate can damage the motor as the vehicle is driven away from the loading dock. This would be caused by the driver of the vehicle forgetting to raise the lift gate before pulling away form the loading dock. In this situation, the lift gate could collide with the motor and cause damage to the lift gate or motor.
The present invention alleviates the above-noted problems by positioning the drive mechanism (e.g., motor) outside of a vehicle path defined by the vehicle as it backs toward the loading dock. In one embodiment, the wheel chocking device includes a chock positioned for longitudinal movement relative to said driveway, and a drive mechanism drivingly connected to the chock. The drive mechanism comprises a power mechanism (e.g., an electric motor) positioned outside of the vehicle path, and both the chock and the drive mechanism are spaced from the dock face.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a wheel chocking device having a drive mechanism drivingly connected to the chock. The drive mechanism includes a power mechanism positioned outside of the vehicle path, and a low profile transmission interconnecting the power mechanism with the chock, wherein the low profile transmission comprises an endless loop member (e.g., a chain).
In another aspect, the drive mechanism includes a power mechanism positioned outside of the vehicle path, and a low profile transmission interconnecting the power mechanism with the chock. If a portion of the transmission is within the vehicle path, then the portion has a height lower than a height of the chock in the lowered position.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2816627 (1957-12-01), Wilson et al.
patent: 3305049 (1967-02-01), Willey
patent: 3845845 (1974-11-01), Geistoff
patent: 5249905 (1993-10-01), Warner et al.
patent: 5431522 (1995-07-01), Ross
patent: 5531557 (1996-07-01), Springer
patent: 5553987 (1996-09-01), Ellis
patent: 5762459 (1998-06-01), Spinger et al.
patent: 537075A1 (1993-04-01), None
patent: 91 12448 (1993-04-01), None
patent: WO95/18029 (1995-07-01), None
Advertisement for Wheel Chocking Device (Servoquai) by Siti in France (Amenagement De Quais Industriels), published before Mar. 11, 1997.
Advertisement for Wheel Chocking Device (Servoquai) by RVR in France (Amenagement De Quais Industriels color page), published before Mar. 11, 1997.
Advertisement for Wheel Chocking Device (Servoquai) by RVR in France, published before Mar. 11, 1997.
Advertisement for Wheel Chocking Device (Servoquai), published before Mar. 11, 1997.
Hageman Martin P.
Palus Thomas J.
Kelley Company Inc.
Michael & Best & Friedrich LLP
Oberleitner Robert
Williams Thomas J.
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