ENGAGED BIASED HOOK

Abstract

Systems and methods relating to the restraining of a rear impact guard (RIG) attached to a vehicle or trailer with a hook and also with a hook as part of an impactable vehicle restraint. Contact between the hook and the RIG creates a reactant force that promotes rotation of the hook in the engaged direction, thereby further promoting positive engagement of the RIG by the hook.

Claims

1. A restraining hook for impactable vehicle restraints for restraining a rear impact guard of a vehicle or trailer, the hook comprising: a first hook surface; a second hook surface opposite the first hook surface; a shank having a shank first portion, a shank top side, and a shaft bore positioned in the shank first portion extending from the first hook surface through the second hook surface; a point having a tooth; a bend extending between the shank and the point, the bend having a bend internal side adjoining the shank top side with a substantially planar section adjoining the point; and the substantially planar section configured to make contact with the rear impact guard and generating a resultant force normal to the substantially planar section, the resultant force defines a reaction force line which extends from the point of contact, below the shaft bore.

2. The hook according to claim 1, wherein when the hook is engaged with the rear impact guard, a gap is defined between the tooth and the rear impact guard.

3. An impactable vehicle restraint for retaining a rear impact guard of a vehicle, the restraint comprising: a vertical member with a track; a carriage with a horizontal carriage rear impact guard riding surface and a slot, the carriage slidably engaged with the track of the vertical member; a hook having a first hook surface; a second hook surface opposite the first hook surface; a shank having a shank first portion, a shank top side, and a shaft bore positioned in the shank first portion extending from the first hook surface through the second hook surface; a point having a tooth; and a bend extending between the shank and the point, the bend having a bend internal side adjoining the shank top side and a substantially planar section adjoining the point; whereby the hook is rotabable relative to the carriage about the shaft bore in an engaging direction and a disengaging direction; the substantially planar section configured to make contact with the rear impact guard and generating a resultant force normal to the substantially planar section, the resultant force defines a reaction force line which extends from the point of contact, below the shaft bore; and whereby the orientation of the resultant force creates a resultant torque about the shaft bore in the engaging direction.

4. The restraint according to claim 3, wherein when the hook is engaged with the rear impact guard, a gap is defined between the tooth and the rear impact guard.

5. The restraint according to claim 4, wherein if the carriage experiences vertical movement along the track of the vertical member causing the hook to rotate in the disengaging direction, the gap is closed and the tooth is configured to make contact with the rear impact guard.

6. A method of restraining a rear impact guard of a vehicle or trailer, the method comprising the steps of: selecting an impactable vehicle restraint comprising: a vertical member with a track; a carriage with a horizontal carriage rear impact guard riding surface and a slot, the carriage slidably engaged with the track of the vertical member; a hook having a first hook surface; a second hook surface opposite the first hook surface; a shank having a shank first portion, a shank top side, and a shaft bore positioned in the shank first portion extending from the first hook surface through the second hook surface; a point having a tooth; and a bend extending between the shank and the point, the bend having a bend internal side adjoining the shank top side and a substantially planar section adjoining the point; providing the hook in a first, stored, position wherein the hook is substantially positioned within the slot of the carriage; receiving the rear impact guard along the horizontal carriage rear impact guard riding surface beyond the point, and above the shank, of the hook; rotating the hook out of the slot about the shaft bore to a second, engaging, position; receiving the rear impact guard within the bend of the hook, placing the hook in a third, engaged, position, wherein the rear impact guard is in contact with the substantially planar section; whereby the contact between the rear impact guard and the substantially planar section creates a resultant force normal to the substantially planar section, the resultant force defines a reaction force line which extends from the point of contact to below the shaft bore; and whereby the orientation of the resultant force creates a resultant torque about the shaft bore in the direction of the engaging position.

7. The method of restraining a rear impact guard according to claim 6, whereby when in the engaging position, the point and substantially the entire bend are outside of the slot of the carriage, and a portion of the shank top side is outside of the slot above the horizontal carriage rear impact guard riding surface.

8. The method of restraining a rear impact guard according to claim 6, whereby when the rear impact guard is being received within the bend, the rear impact guard contacts the shank top side and rotates the hook in the direction of the stored position.

9. The method of restraining a rear impact guard according to claim 6, wherein when the hook is in the engaged position, a gap is defined between the tooth and the rear impact guard.

10. The method of restraining a rear impact guard according to claim 6, further comprising the step of contacting the rear impact guard with the tooth in the event the carriage experiences vertical movement along the track of the vertical member which causes the hook to rotate in the disengaging direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a side view of a hook according to the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a vehicle restraint with the hook shown in FIG. 1.

[0025] FIG. 3A is a side view of a restraint carriage with the hook illustrated in FIG. 2 in a first position.

[0026] FIG. 3B is a side view of the restraint carriage and the hook illustrated in FIG. 3A in a second position.

[0027] FIG. 3C is a side view of the restraint carriage and the hook illustrated in FIG. 3A in a third position.

[0028] FIG. 4A is a side view of a restraint carriage with a prior art hook in a first position.

[0029] FIG. 4B is a side view of the restraint carriage and prior art hook shown in FIG. 4A in a second position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0030] Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structures. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a hook 110 according to the present invention for engaging with a rear impact guard (hereinafter RIG) of a trailer. The hook 110 comprises a shank 120, a point 132, and a bend 140 extending between the shank 120 and the point 132. The hook 110 has a first hook surface 112 and a second hook surface 114 (FIG. 2) opposite and substantially parallel with the first hook surface 112.

[0032] The shank 120 extends from a shank first end portion 122 to the bend 140. The shank 120 comprises a shank top side 124 opposite a shank bottom side 126 and has a shaft bore 128 located in the shank first end portion 122 extending from the first hook surface 112 through the second hook surface 114.

[0033] The bend 140 has a bend external side 142 continuing from the shank bottom side 126 and a bend internal side 144 continuing from the shank top side 124. The bend internal side 144 preferably has a substantially planar section 146 at or near the point 130.

[0034] The point 130 preferably comprises a tooth 132 proximate to the substantially planar section 146 of the bend internal side 144.

[0035] An exemplary embodiment of an impactable vehicle restraint 100 is shown in FIG. 2. The impactable vehicle restraint 100 preferably has at least one vertical member 150 with a track 152, a carriage 160 that rides along the track 152, and the hook 110 pivotably attached to the carriage 160. The vertical member 150 is mountable to the face 14 of a loading dock 12.

[0036] The carriage 160 preferably has a plurality of carriage RIG riding surfaces preferably including a sloped portion 162 and a generally horizontal portion 164, and a slot 166 extending inward from the carriage RIG riding surfaces 162, 164 in which the hook 110 preferably resides when not in use and is pivotable outward therefrom when in use.

[0037] Additionally or alternatively, the carriage 160 is biased upwards by a biasing mechanism (not shown), for example one or more springs.

[0038] Looking to FIGS. 3A-3C, the impactable vehicle restraint 100 is shown in use as it interacts with a rear impact guard, or RIG 10, of a trailer (not shown). As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the hook 110 is in a first, or stored, position within the slot 166 (FIG. 2). As a trailer (not shown) approaches a loading dock the RIG 10 engages the carriage 160 at the sloped portion carriage RIG riding surface portion 162 and pushes the carriage 160 into position by continuing to back up the trailer. The RIG 10 of the trailer slides along the carriage RIG riding surfaces 162, 164 until the RIG 10 is in beyond the point 130 of the hook 110 and the trailer is parked firmly against dock bumpers (not shown). An operator (not shown) then activates the hook 110 by an electro-mechanical means or any other means known in the art to rotate the hook 110 out of the slot 166 to a second, or engaging, position (FIG. 3B). At this point any horizontal motion of RIG 10 towards the bend internal side 144 and away from the face 14 of the loading dock 12 will rotate the hook 110 towards the first, stored position because of the RIG's 10 contact with the shank top side 124, and thereby putting the vehicle restraint 100 into a third, or engaged, position wherein the RIG 10 makes contact with substantially planar section 146 of the bend internal side 144 (FIG. 3C).

[0039] As shown in FIG. 3C, the vehicle restraint 100 is shown with the hook 110 in the engaged position with the RIG 10 in contact with the substantially planar section 146 of the bend internal side 144, with a gap 180 between the RIG 10 and the tooth 132 of the point 130. Any resultant force resulting from the contact between the RIG 10 and the hook 110 acts normal to the substantially planar section 146 of the bend internal side 144 as indicated by a reaction force line 170. The reaction force line 170 extends below the hook shaft bore 128, around which the hook 110 rotates and thereby provides a resultant torque on the hook 110 in the engaging position direction or, as oriented in FIG. 3C, a clockwise direction.

[0040] The orientation of the reaction force line 170 below the hook shaft bore 128 provided by the substantially planar section's 146 configuration and reaction with the RIG 10, encourages a torque to be applied to the hook 110 in the engaging position direction when horizontal motion of the RIG 10 away from the face 14 of the loading dock 12 is experienced. The resultant torque on the hook 110 encourages the maintenance of the gap 180. At this point the RIG 10 cannot move further away from the face 14 of the loading dock 12 and is fully captured by the hook 110.

[0041] During loading or unloading of the trailer (not shown), the RIG 10 may experience vertical accelerations of the carriage 160 along the track 152. The vertical accelerations may cause the hook 110 to rotate in the stored position direction. The gap 180 provides a margin of safety against disengagement of the hook 110 from the RIG 10 in these situations as the tooth 132 will make contact with, and retain, the RIG 10.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 4A for comparison with the prior art hook 210, RIG 10 is in an intermediate horizontal location with prior art hook 210 in the second, engaging position. The RIG 10 contacts prior art hook 210 on either or both of the shank top side 224 and the bend internal side 244 of the prior art hook 210 and further horizontal movement of the RIG 10 away from the face 14 of the loading dock 12 will position the prior art hook 210 in the third, engaged position (FIG. 4B) with the tooth 232 of the point 230 engaged with the RIG 10 at the capture limit state.

[0043] With regards to FIG. 4B, the RIG 10 is in contact with the tooth 232 of the prior art hook 210 and can no longer move further away from the face 14 of the loading dock 12, and the RIG 10 is in contact the tooth 232 and also with the bend internal side 244 which results in a force normal to the bend internal side 244 as indicated by the prior art hook reaction force line 270.

[0044] The prior art hook reaction force line 270 is oriented above the prior art hook shaft bore 228, around which the prior art hook 210 rotates, and provides a resultant torque on the prior art hook 210 in the stored position direction, or counterclockwise direction according to the orientation of the prior art hook 210 in FIG. 4A, because it extends above the hook shaft bore 228 of the prior art hook 210.

[0045] In the engaged position, the prior art hook 210 is at its absolute lowest point (i.e., the capture limit) of reliably capturing the RIG 10. Any vertical movement of the carriage 260 during loading or unloading may result in the prior art hook 210 rotating away from the RIG 10 in the stored position direction and disengaging the prior art hook 210 from the RIG 10, creating a potentially unsafe condition.

[0046] The torque applied to the prior art hook 210 by the RIG 10 when in the engaged position will not maintain engagement because the torque is applied in the counter-clockwise, stored position direction, due to the prior art reaction force line 270 extending above the shaft bore 228.

[0047] On the other hand, the hook 110 of the present invention (see FIG. 3C) experiences a torque applied in the clockwise, engaged direction because the orientation and interaction of the substantially planar surface 146 of the bend internal side 144 and the RIG 10 results in the reaction force line 170 extending below the shaft bore 128.

[0048] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.