Wheel chock systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9751702-B1
Application number	US-201615174767-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 6, 2016
Priority date	Jun 6, 2016
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

Wheel chock systems for use at loading docks and other locations are described herein. In some embodiments, the wheel chock systems can include a wheel chock assembly that is positionable in contact with a vehicle wheel to restrain the vehicle at a loading dock. The wheel chock assembly can include a sensor target, and a corresponding sensor can be mounted to, for example, an outer wall of the loading dock or a wheel chock storage cradle mounted to the outer wall. In operation, the sensor can emit a wireless signal (e.g., an electromagnetic signal) that is reflected off of the sensor target and received back by the sensor when the wheel chock has been positioned in a blocking relationship relative to the vehicle wheel to restrain the vehicle at the loading dock. The sensor can be operably connected to a loading dock signal system (e.g., a signal light system) that displays appropriate signals to loading dock personnel based on detection of proper wheel chock placement. In other embodiments, wheel chock systems can include other types of devices for wirelessly communicating wheel chock placement information to loading dock systems. Such device types can include, for example, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RFID, etc.

First claim

We claim:

1. A wireless wheel chock system comprising:
a portable wheel chock assembly, the wheel chock assembly including
a wheel chock positionable in contact with a wheel of a vehicle; and
a sensor target coupled to the wheel chock; and

a sensor configured to wirelessly detect the sensor target, wherein the wheel chock is configured to be spaced apart from the sensor, and wherein the sensor is configured to wirelessly detect the sensor target when the wheel chock is spaced apart from the sensor and positioned in contact with the wheel of the vehicle to restrict movement of the vehicle.

2. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the sensor target is a nonelectrical device.

3. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to detect the sensor target by detecting electromagnetic radiation from the sensor target.

4. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the sensor target includes a reflective portion, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect the sensor target by detecting electromagnetic radiation reflected by the reflective portion.

5. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to detect the sensor target by detecting radio waves emitted from the sensor target.

6. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is a retroflective sensor that includes an emitter and a receiver, and wherein the sensor is configured to detect the sensor target by emitting a light beam from the emitter that is reflected off of the sensor target, and receiving at least a portion of the reflected light beam by the receiver.

7. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the wheel chock system is useable at a loading dock, wherein the loading dock includes a dock face adjacent to an opening in a building for accessing a shipping vehicle parked at the loading dock, and wherein the sensor is fixedly attached relative to the dock face.

8. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the wheel chock system is useable at a loading dock, wherein the loading dock includes a dock face adjacent to an opening in a building for accessing a shipping vehicle parked at the loading dock, and wherein the wheel chock system further comprises:
a wheel chock storage cradle structure mounted to the dock face, wherein the sensor is fixedly mounted to the storage cradle structure.

9. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the sensor target is movable relative to the wheel chock between a stored position and a deployed position.

10. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the sensor target is movable relative to the wheel chock from a first position in which the sensor target is undetectable by the sensor to a second position in which the sensor target is detectable by the sensor, and wherein positioning the wheel chock in contact with the wheel of the vehicle retains the sensor target in the second position.

11. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the sensor target is movable relative to the wheel chock from a first position in which the sensor target is undetectable by the sensor to a second position in which the sensor target is detectable by the sensor, and wherein the wheel chock assembly further comprises a wheel trigger configured to retain the sensor target in the second position in response to placement of the wheel chock against the wheel of the vehicle.

12. The wheel chock system of claim 11 wherein the wheel chock includes a contact surface configured to abut the wheel of the vehicle, wherein the contact surface includes an opening through which a portion of the wheel trigger movably extends, and wherein the wheel trigger is configured to retract into the opening in response to placement of the wheel of the vehicle against the wheel trigger.

13. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the wheel chock assembly further comprises a handle to facilitate manual movement of the wheel chock into contact with the wheel of the vehicle, and wherein the sensor target is mounted to the handle.

14. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the wheel chock assembly further comprises:
a handle movably coupled to the wheel chock and moveable from a stored position to an operating position for placement of the wheel chock against the wheel of the vehicle, wherein the sensor target is operably coupled to the handle, wherein the sensor target is undetectable by the sensor when the handle is in the stored position, and wherein the sensor target is detectable by the sensor when the handle is in the operating position.

15. The wheel chock system of claim 1 wherein the wheel chock assembly further comprises:
a handle operably coupled to the wheel chock and moveable from a stored position to an operating position for placement of the wheel chock against the wheel of the vehicle, wherein the sensor target is operably coupled to the handle, wherein the sensor target is undetectable by the sensor when the handle is in the stored position, and wherein the sensor target is detectable by the sensor when the handle is in the operating position; and
a wheel trigger operably coupled to the wheel chock and configured to retain the handle in the operating position in response to placement of the wheel chock against the wheel of the vehicle.

16. The wheel chock system of claim 1 , further comprising a signaling device operably connected to the sensor, wherein the signaling device is configured to provide a at least one of a visible signal or an audible signal in response to the sensor detecting that the wheel chock is positioned in contact with the wheel of the vehicle to restrict movement of the vehicle.

17. The wheel chock system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first signaling device positioned outside the loading dock and operably connected to the sensor; and
a second signaling device positioned inside the loading dock and operably connected to the sensor, wherein the first and second signaling devices are configured to provide first visible signals to personnel outside the loading dock and inside the loading dock, respectively, in response to the sensor detecting that the wheel chock is positioned in contact with the wheel of the vehicle to restrict movement of the vehicle, and wherein the first and second signaling devices are configured to provide second visible signals, different from the first visible signals, to personnel outside the loading dock and inside the loading dock, respectively, in response to the sensor detecting that the wheel chock is not positioned in contact with the wheel of the vehicle.

18. A vehicle restraint system comprising:
a portable wheel chock; and
means for wirelessly detecting placement of the portable wheel chock, wherein the portable wheel chock is configured to be spaced apart from the means for wirelessly detecting and placed in contact with a vehicle wheel to restrict movement of the vehicle, and wherein the means for wirelessly detecting is configured to wirelessly detect placement of the wheel chock when the wheel chock is positioned in contact with the vehicle wheel.

19. The vehicle restraint system of claim 18 wherein the portable wheel chock is configured to be placed in contact with the vehicle wheel to restrict movement of the vehicle away from a loading dock, and wherein the means for wirelessly detecting placement of the portable wheel chock includes an optical sensor mounted proximate to the loading dock.

20. The vehicle restraint system of claim 18 wherein the portable wheel chock is configured to be placed in contact with the vehicle wheel to r

Assignees

• Assa Abloy Entrance Systems Ab
• Assa Abloy Entrance Systems Inc

Inventors

• Hoofard Richard K
• Day Daryl

Classifications

• B60P3/077

  Wheel cradles, chocks, or wells · CPC title

• B65G2203/044

  Optical · CPC title

• B60T3/00

  Portable devices for preventing unwanted movement of vehicles, e.g. chocks · CPC title

• B65G69/005 Primary

  the means engaging at least one wheel of the vehicle · CPC title

• B65G2203/042

  Sensors · CPC title