A system and method for operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV) yard truck is provided. A processor facilitates autonomous movement of the AV yard truck, and connection to and disconnection from trailers. A plurality of sensors are interconnected with the processor that sense terrain/objects and assist in automatically connecting/disconnecting trailers. A server, interconnected, wirelessly with the processor, that tracks movement of the truck around and determines locations for trailer connection and disconnection. A door station unlatches/opens rear doors of the trailer when adjacent thereto, securing them in an opened position via clamps, etc. The system computes a height of the trailer, and/or if landing gear of the trailer is on the ground and interoperates with the fifth wheel to change height, and whether docking is safe, allowing a user to take manual control, and optimum charge time(s). Reversing sensors/safety, automated chocking, and intermodal container organization are also provided.

A vehicle restraint for restraining a vehicle or trailer at a dock includes a ramp assembly disposed to slidably engage a rear impact guard (RIG) bar of the vehicle or trailer, a vertical slide frame operably coupled to the ramp assembly to lower the vertical slide frame from a resting height to a height of the RIG bar against a bias toward the resting height responsive to the RIG bar slidably engaging the ramp assembly during motion of the RIG bar toward the dock in a first direction, and a hook barrier operably coupled to the vertical slide frame to receive the RIG bar and rotate to retain the RIG bar responsive to the motion of the RIG bar in the first direction. The ramp assembly includes a top plate defining a top surface that faces the RIG bar and is disposed at an angle relative to the first direction. The ramp assembly includes one or more instances of a contact strip disposed at a portion of the top plate extending away from the top surface to prevent contact between the RIG bar and the top surface.

A system and method for operation of an autonomous vehicle (AV) yard truck is provided. A processor facilitates autonomous movement of the AV yard truck, and connection to and disconnection from trailers. A plurality of sensors are interconnected with the processor that sense terrain/objects and assist in automatically connecting/disconnecting trailers. A server, interconnected, wirelessly with the processor, that tracks movement of the truck around and determines locations for trailer connection and disconnection. A door station unlatches/opens rear doors of the trailer when adjacent thereto, securing them in an opened position via clamps, etc. The system computes a height of the trailer, and/or if landing gear of the trailer is on the ground and interoperates with the fifth wheel to change height, and whether docking is safe, allowing a user to take manual control, and optimum charge time(s). Reversing sensors/safety, automated chocking, and intermodal container organization are also provided.

This invention provides a system and method for reliably interconnecting a native gladhand on a trailer with an AV truck, in which the gladhand can vary in placement and type on the trailer front. A visually guided robot manipulator arm accesses the trailer front. The arm includes an end effector assembly that is arranged to visually navigate to the gladhand and engage the gladhand by latching onto a gladhand using a connection tool that includes a hinged gladhand/wedge capture assembly and a pressurized clamping connection plate that selectively engages the trailer gladhand seal. The capture assembly is arranged to accommodate different gladhand geometries in latching thereonto. The connection tool includes a hinge that is spring-loaded in both a locked and unlocked bistable state, and sensors monitor the state. The system can include passive or active compliance elements that accommodate moderate misalignment between the engaged gladhand and the robotic arm/connection tool.

The vehicle leveler includes a first portion which has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the trailing edge is disposed further from the driveway than the leading edge and forms a ramp section. The first portion has a flat section adjacent the trailing edge. The embodiment also includes a second portion which has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge of the second portion is disposed further from the driveway than the trailing edge of the second portion. The second portion includes an extension portion. The vehicle leveler also has at least one drainage aperture which is formed within and extends through the second portion for improved user safety.

A loading dock having a sensing device to determine proximity of a vehicle to the loading dock is disclosed. The loading dock includes a loading bay. The loading dock also includes a driving platform that receives a vehicle approaching the loading dock. The driving platform is positioned beneath the loading bay. The loading dock include a loading platform extending from the loading bay. The loading dock is equipped with a sensing device attached to the loading platform. The sensing device determines and monitors a distance between the vehicle and the loading platform. The loading dock also includes an indicating device that generates a signal when the distance between the vehicle and the loading platform is less than a threshold distance.

A restraining assembly for a vehicle restraint for restraining a rear impact guard (RIG) bar of a vehicle or trailer at a dock may include a hook. The hook may further include a locking arm at a first end thereof, a catch portion at a second end thereof, an axial orifice about which the hook rotates responsive to movement of the RIG bar in contact with the catch portion or the locking arm, and a cam surface disposed between the locking arm and the axial orifice. The hook may be rotatably mounted to a vertical slide assembly of the vehicle restraint that slidably engages the RIG bar to adjust to a height of the RIG bar against a bias applied to the vertical slide assembly. The restraining assembly may be rotated only responsive to movement of the RIG bar to transition between a receiving position for receiving or releasing the RIG bar and a locking position for retaining the RIG bar.

The manual vehicle restraint system utilizes a hook mounted to a main shaft to immobilize a vehicle. The hook and the main shaft rotate around a common axis, biased to rotate by a spring. A latch assembly operably connected to the main shaft may be manually actuated to allow rotation of the main shaft and hook to raise the hook and capture a vehicle. Raising of the hook does not require a power source other than the spring.

In one aspect, a method is provided for controlling access to a facility including a movable barrier and a plurality of loading docks. The method includes receiving, from a user device associated with a vehicle, a check-in communication that includes a check-in identifier. The method includes receiving a verification communication that verifies a presence of the vehicle relative to a sensor associated with the movable barrier. The method further includes causing a movable barrier operator associated with the movable barrier to move the movable barrier between closed and open positions in response to the check-in identifier indicating authorization to access the facility and in response to receiving the verification communication. Further, the method includes selecting a particular loading dock from the plurality of loading docks and communicating a loading dock identification representative of the particular loading dock to the user device to direct the vehicle to the particular loading dock.

The vehicle leveler includes a first portion which has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the trailing edge is disposed further from the driveway than the leading edge and forms a ramp section. The first portion has a flat section adjacent the trailing edge. The embodiment also includes a second portion which has a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge of the second portion is disposed further from the driveway than the trailing edge of the second portion. The second portion includes an extension portion. The vehicle leveler also has at least one drainage aperture which is formed within and extends through the second portion for improved user safety.