Vehicle restraints with a barrier having rotational and translational motion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10589944-B2
Application number	US-201815907021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2018
Priority date	Feb 27, 2018
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

Example vehicle restraints with a barrier having rotational and translational motion are described. An example vehicle restraint includes a carriage frame movable vertically relative to the dock. A drive shaft is supported by the carriage frame. A drive unit is to rotate the drive shaft about a shaft axis and relative to the carriage frame. A hub is connected to rotate with the drive shaft about the shaft axis, the hub having an outer diameter surface that is radially off center relative to the shaft axis. A barrier defines a bore that encircles the outer diameter surface of the hub. The barrier is movable selectively to an extended position and a retracted position. The barrier being connected to move selectively to the extended position and the retracted position in response to relative rotation between the outer diameter surface of the hub and the bore of the barrier.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle restraint to selectively block and release a vehicle at a dock, the vehicle restraint comprising:
a carriage frame including a first panel and a second panel that are spaced apart in an axial direction to define a space therebetween;
a drive shaft supported by the carriage frame;
a drive unit to rotate the drive shaft about a shaft axis and relative to the carriage frame;
a hub connected to rotate with the drive shaft about the shaft axis, the hub having a central axis that is radially off center relative to the shaft axis;
a barrier defining a bore to receive the hub, the barrier positioned within the space formed between the first panel and the second panel of the carriage frame, the barrier being movable relative to the carriage frame between an extended position and a retracted position in response to relative rotation between the hub and the barrier;
a lifter borne by the hub;
an abutment borne by the barrier, the lifter being movable in engagement with and disengagement from the abutment, the lifter to move the barrier rotationally upward when the lifter is in engagement with the abutment;
a stop supported by the barrier; and
a rocker supported by and movably coupled to at least one of the first panel or the second panel of the carriage frame such that the rocker remains within the space formed between the first panel and the second panel when the barrier is extended, the rocker including an upper facing surface and a lower facing surface, the rocker configured to move between a forward position and a rearward position relative to the carriage frame in response to upward movement of the barrier and engagement between the stop and the lower facing surface of the rocker, the rocker being configured to inhibit downward movement of the barrier when the stop is in engagement with the upper facing surface of the rocker, the stop of the barrier configured to disengage the rocker in response to the barrier moving to the extended position.

2. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , the vehicle restraint further including a standoff attached to the first panel and protruding into the space to inhibit the barrier and the rocker from moving in the axial direction against the first panel.

3. The vehicle restraint of claim 2 , wherein the standoff is an integral part of the stop.

4. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , wherein the carriage frame further comprises a catch, the rocker being in engagement with the catch when the rocker is in the forward position, the rocker being disengaged from the catch when the rocker is in the rearward position.

5. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , wherein the carriage frame provides a curved track that is in guiding relationship with the rocker.

6. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , wherein the carriage frame provides a substantially linear track that is in guiding relationship with the rocker.

7. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , further including a spring connected to urge the rocker toward the forward position.

8. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , further including one of a bushing and a bearing interposed between an outer diameter surface of the hub and the bore of the barrier.

9. The vehicle restraint of claim 8 , wherein the bearing is a rolling-element bearing.

10. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , further including one of a bushing and a bearing to couple the rocker to the carriage frame.

11. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle restraint further includes a standoff attached to at least one of the first panel or the second panel and protruding into the space to inhibit the barrier from moving in the axial direction against the rocker.

12. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , wherein the hub further includes an outermost perimeter extending radially beyond an outer diameter surface of the hub, and the abutment borne by the barrier extends radially outward substantially as far as the outermost perimeter of the hub.

13. The vehicle restraint of claim 12 , wherein the abutment borne by the barrier extends radially outward at least as far as the outermost perimeter of the hub.

14. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , wherein the stop of the barrier protrudes from a side surface of the barrier.

15. The vehicle restraint of claim 14 , wherein the rocker is pivotally coupled to the carriage frame.

16. The vehicle restraint of claim 15 , further including a catch attached to the carriage frame, the catch to prevent the rocker from pivoting relative to the rocker beyond a first pivot position in a first pivotal direction about a pivot axis of the rocker and beyond a second pivot position in a second pivotal direction about the pivot axis, the first pivotal direction being different than the second pivotal direction.

17. The vehicle restraint of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first panel or the second panel of the carriage frame includes a curved slot, and wherein the rocker is pivotally coupled to the carriage frame via a first pin and includes a second pin to engage the curved slot of the at least one of the first panel or the second panel.

18. The vehicle restraint of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first panel or the second panel of the carriage frame includes a linear track to receive and a guide pin of the rocker, wherein the rocker is configured to translate relative to the carriage frame via the guide pin and the linear track.

19. A vehicle restraint to selectively block and release a vehicle at a dock, the vehicle restraint comprising:
a carriage frame movable vertically relative to the dock;
a drive shaft supported by the carriage frame;
a drive unit connected to rotate the drive shaft about a shaft axis and relative to the carriage frame;
a hub connected to rotate with the drive shaft about the shaft axis, the hub having an outer diameter surface that is radially off center relative to the shaft axis;
a barrier defining a bore that encircles the outer diameter surface of the hub, the barrier being movable selectively to an extended position and a retracted position relative to the drive shaft, the barrier being connected to move selectively to the extended position and the retracted position in response to relative rotation between the outer diameter surface of the hub and the bore of the barrier;
a lifter borne by the hub;
an abutment borne by the barrier, the lifter being in selective engagement and disengagement with the abutment, the lifter being positioned to move the barrier rotationally upward when the lifter is in engagement with the abutment, the barrier moveable relative to the carriage frame to a raised blocking position in response to rotation of the hub while the lifter is in engagement with the abutment, and to a stored release position in response to gravity urging the barrier down while the lifter is disengaged from the abutment; and
a biasing element to couple the barrier and the carriage frame, the biasing element to urge the barrier toward the raised blocking position relative to the carriage frame, the bias element being insufficient to fully overcome gravity urging the barrier toward the stored release position.

20. The vehicle restraint of claim 19 , wherein the bias element is a helical extension spring.

21. The vehicle restraint of claim 19 , wherein the bias element is a gas spring.

22. The vehicle restraint of claim 19 , wherein the hub further includes an outermost perimeter extending radially beyond the outer diameter surface of the hub, and

Assignees

• Rite Hite Holding Corp

Inventors

• Mushynski Alan
• Stone Bradley J
• Kikstra Leonard
• Sveum Matthew
• Harter Robert J

Classifications

• B65G69/2888

  Vehicle barriers mounted on deck · CPC title

• B65G69/22

  Horizontal loading or unloading platforms (as road or railway equipment B61B1/00, E01F1/00) · CPC title

• B65G69/003 Primary

  Restraining movement of a vehicle at a loading station using means not being part of the vehicle · CPC title

• B65G67/54

  Vehicle-locking means · CPC title