LOADING-RAMP SAFETY DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a loading-ramp safety device (10) for a loading ramp (14) to be laid onto a truck (12), comprising a signal device (20) associated with the loading ramp and a blocking device (22) associated with the truck. According to the invention, the signal device is designed to send a signal (24) regarding the loading situation at the loading ramp, and the blocking device is arranged on board the truck and furthermore is designed to receive the signal and to prevent the truck from moving away from the loading ramp in accordance with the signal.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A loading-ramp safety device for a loading ramp to be laid on a truck with a signaling device associated with the loading ramp and a blocking device associated with the truck, wherein the signaling device is configured to transmit a signal regarding a loading situation at the loading ramp, and wherein the blocking device is located on board the truck and is configured to receive the signal, and, in accordance with the signal, to prevent the truck from moving away from the loading ramp.

12. The loading-ramp safety device as in claim 11, wherein the blocking device is provided with a receiving device that is adapted to receive the signal from the signaling device and is located on the truck.

13. The loading-ramp safety device as in claim 11, wherein the blocking device is configured to block a brake of the truck.

14. The loading-ramp safety device as in claim 11, wherein the blocking device is configured to block a transmission of the truck.

15. The loading-ramp safety device as in claim 11, wherein the blocking device is configured to block a starter of the truck.

16. The loading-ramp safety device as in claim 11, wherein the signaling device is equipped with a recognition unit by means of which a spatial position of the loading ramp is detected.

17. The loading-ramp safety device as in claim 16, wherein the recognition unit is fitted with a sensor by means of which a spatial position of the loading ramp is detected.

18. The loading-ramp safety device as in claim 16, wherein the recognition unit is fitted with a pressure sensor by means of which a lying of the loading ramp on the truck is detected.

19. The loading-ramp safety device as in claim 16, wherein the recognition unit is fitted with a proximity sensor by means of which a lying of the loading ramp on the truck is detected.

20. The loading-ramp safety device as in claim 11, wherein the signaling device is equipped with a transmitter by means of which the signal regarding the loading situation at the loading ramp from the signaling device is transmitted to the truck.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In the following an exemplary embodiment of the solution according to the invention is explained in more detail on the basis of the attached schematic drawings, which show:

[0023] FIG. 1 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a loading-ramp safety device according to the invention with associated loading ramp and a truck docked onto it.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a side view of the loading ramp according to FIG. 1 in an operational state.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a side view of the loading ramp according to FIG. 1 in a standby state.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a side view of a further example for the execution of a loading-ramp safety device according to the invention with associated loading ramp.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a side view of a loading-ramp safety device according to the invention with a truck with a trailer docked onto it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a loading-ramp safety device 10 with a truck 12, that is by means of a loading ramp 14 connected to a storage facility 16. The loading ramp 14 of this design is also called a dock leveler.

[0029] Provided at the loading ramp 14 are a lifting cylinder 18 and a signaling device 20 that is connected with a blocking device 22 in the truck 12 by means of a signal 24.

[0030] The truck 12 has a cargo space 26 with a cargo area 28 that are provided on the frame 30 of the truck 12. On the frame 30 a receiving device 32 is attached. The receiving device 32 can alternatively also be arranged in or at the driver's cab 34 of the truck 12.

[0031] On the frame 30 are also located the wheels 38 directed to the driving surface 36. The wheels 38 are located to the rear of the truck 12 under its cargo space 26 and to the front under its driver's cab 34. Each of these wheels 38 has a brake 40 which contain a brake disc 42 and a brake caliper 44.

[0032] For entry into the driver's cab 34 a door 46 with a window 48 is provided. Under the driver's cab 34 an engine 50 is provided having a power-transfer transmission 52 connected to it. This engine 50 can be started by means of a starter 54.

[0033] With the lifting cylinder 18 the loading ramp 14 can be swung around an axle not shown here. By pivoting downward in the direction of the driving surface 36 the loading ramp 14 thus establishes a coupling or connection to the cargo area 28 of the truck 12. Then a load (not shown) is loaded or unloaded over the loading ramp 14 between the cargo area 28 and the storage facility 16.

[0034] The signaling device 20 transmits by means of the signal 24 to the receiving device 32, whether the loading ramp 14 lies on, or is coupled or connected to the truck, or not. If the loading ramp 14 lies on, or is coupled or connected, the blocking device 22 prevents the truck 12 from being moved away from the loading ramp 14 by a blocking of the brake 40, a blocking of the starter 54, and/or a blocking of the transmission 52.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows the loading ramp 14 of the storage facility 16, which by means of the lifting cylinder 18 is folded down around the axle parallel to the driving surface 36. On this loading platform 14 is located on its underside the signaling device 20 that send out the signal 24. Since the loading ramp 14 is parallel to the driving surface 36, the signal 24 is also sent parallel to the driving surface 26 in the direction of the truck 12. The loading ramp 14 in an advantageous way screens this signal transmission upward.

[0036] FIG. 3 also shows the loading ramp 14 on the storage facility 16. This loading ramp 14 is folded upward by means of the lifting cylinder 18. The signaling device 20 located on the loading ramp 14 is thus also folded upward with the loading ramp 14. Since this loading platform 14 is in the folded standby condition, this condition is accordingly recognized and no signal 24 is sent from this signaling device 20. Alternatively, a signaling device 20 can then also send a signal 24 up, which accordingly, however, cannot be received by a truck 12.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows another loading ramp 14 with the associated lifting cylinder 18 on the storage facility 16. On the underside of the end of this loading ramp 14 opposite the storage facility 16 is mounted a recognition unit 56 with a sensor 57 that is connected to the signaling device 20 by means of a signal line 58. This signaling device 20 transmits the signal 24 by means of a transmitter 60. The sensor 57 serves to recognize whether the loading ramp 14 lies on a truck 12 or not.

[0038] FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the loading-ramp safety device 10 with a truck 12 consisting of a tractor 64 and a trailer 62. The trailer 62 encompasses the cargo space 26 on the associated frame 30 with the receiving device 32 there and a coupler 68. On the frame 30 is the receiving device 32 on the back end, away from the tractor 64.

[0039] The trailer 62 is likewise fitted with wheels 38 with brakes 40. The trailer 62 establishes by means of a coupler 68 a connection between the trailer 62 and the tractor 64. The tractor 64 is designed with cargo space 26 and driver's cab 34 similar to the truck in accordance with FIG. 1. The blocking device 22 for the starter 54 and/or the transmission 52 is located at the driver's cab 34.

[0040] The cargo space 26 of the trailer 62 is connected to the storage facility 16 by the loading ramp 14. The lifting device 18 is located on the side of loading ramp 14 facing the storage facility 16 and the signaling device 20 at the end of the loading ramp 16 facing the trailer 62. This signaling device 20 transmits a signal 24 with a short range 66 that will be received by the receiving device 32 on the back end of the frame 30 of the trailer 62. The receiving device 32 and the transmitter 20 are thus coupled to each other by means of the signal 24.

[0041] The signal 24 is transmitted from the receiving device 32 of the trailer 62 by means of another signal 70 to the receiving device 32 of the tractor 64 and further to the blocking device 22 on the tractor 64. Then, with the applied signal 70, the blocking device 22 blocks the truck 12 so that a driving off or rolling away is prevented. In particular, the brake 40 is blocked to prevent the rolling away and/or driving off is prevented by blocking the starter 54.

[0042] For a storage facility 16 that has a large storage area in which numerous deposit and removal movements take place, several loading ramps 14 are arranged side-by-side. As a result, several loading-ramp safety devices 10 arranged side-by-side are also necessary. Due to the comparatively short range 66 of the signal 24, an overlapping of the signals 24 from multiple signaling devices is avoided as far as possible. An unambiguous allocation of the respective loading ramp 14 to the respective truck 12 is thus easier to realize.

LIST OF REFERENCE TERMS

[0043] 10 Loading-ramp safety device [0044] 12 Truck [0045] 14 Loading ramp [0046] 16 Storage facility [0047] 18 Lifting cylinder [0048] 20 Signaling device [0049] 22 Blocking device [0050] 24 Signal [0051] 26 Cargo space [0052] 28 Cargo area [0053] 30 Frame [0054] 32 Receiving device [0055] 34 Driver's cab [0056] 36 Driving surface [0057] 38 Rad [0058] 40 Brake [0059] 42 Brake shoe [0060] 44 Brake caliper [0061] 46 Door [0062] 48 Window [0063] 50 Engine [0064] 52 Transmission [0065] 54 Starter [0066] 56 Recognition unit [0067] 57 Sensor [0068] 58 Signal line [0069] 60 Transmitter [0070] 62 Trailer [0071] 64 Tractor [0072] 66 Range [0073] 68 Coupler [0074] 70 Signal