Vehicle restraints

Abstract

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 in response 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 is rotatably mounted to a vertical slide assembly of the vehicle restraint, which may slidably engage the RIG bar and adjust the height of the RIG bar against a bias applied to the vertical slide assembly. The restraining assembly may be rotated to transition between a receiving position for receiving or releasing the RIG bar and a locked position for retaining the RIG bar in response to movement of the RIG bar alone.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION Exemplary embodiments relate generally to vehicle restraints, and more particularly to vehicle restraints for restraining transport trucks, trailers, and / or other vehicles at loading docks. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicle restraints are well known in the material handling industry and are typically used to prevent trailers or other transport vehicles from leaving a loading dock during the loading and / or unloading process. Without the restraint, the vehicle may tend to leave the loading dock for several reasons, such as the slope of the driveway or kinetic energy imparted to the vehicle by the fork truck or personnel during the loading or unloading process. If the vehicle is allowed to move away from the dock surface, a gap may form between the vehicle and the dock surface or between the vehicle and the lip of an associated dock leveler. When this occurs, a fork truck operator may inadvertently step into the gap, or other personnel may inadvertently step into the gap, potentially damaging equipment or injuring personnel.

[0003] Unlike wheel chocks, conventional vehicle restraints typically engage a vehicle's rear impact guard ("RIG") bar. As is well known, an RIG bar (also called an "ICC" bar) is a horizontal member that extends across the underside of the rear cargo bed of a vehicle. In the United States, regulations require that the vertical distance between the bottom edge of the RIG bar and the ground not exceed 22 inches at any point across the width of the member, and that the rearmost face of the RIG bar be within 12 inches of the rear end of the vehicle.

[0004] There are several different types of vehicle restraints. One type uses a restraining member (e.g., a hook) operably coupled to a vertically moving carriage having rollers that ride on tracks attached to the surface of the loading dock. Examples of such restraints are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,472,099, 4,443,150, 4,282,621, 4,264,259, 4,695,216, and 6,162,005, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. To engage the restraint, the vehicle backs into the loading dock until the RIG bar contacts the sloped retraction surface of the restrainer carriage, causing the carriage to move downward on the track as the RIG bar continues to retract. Finally, the RIG bar moves onto the horizontal surface of the restrainer carriage, which extends rearward from the inclined surface, and the locking hook rotates upward to engage the RIG bar, allowing the vehicle to be secured adjacent to the loading dock.

[0005] A second category of restraint systems includes a vertical bar or similar restraining member that is moved to a position forward of the RIG bar to prevent forward movement of the vehicle away from the loading dock. Various types of mechanisms have been proposed for positioning the bar in such systems, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,634,334, 4,605,353, and 4,784,567, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Notably, some of these restraint systems pivot the bar to a vertical position to restrain the vehicle. However, one drawback of this type of system is that the bar has a fixed lift height, which may interfere with a hitch and / or other equipment attached to the underside of the vehicle.

[0006] A third category of restraint systems utilizes one or more hooks that pivot about fixed hinges attached to the dock wall. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,605,353, 4,208,161, and 4,605,353. Each of these U.S. patents is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In this type of system, the distance from the dock wall to the hook changes as the hook moves through its arc of travel and engages the RIG bar, and as the vehicle moves up and down during the loading / unloading process. If the final distance between the hook and the dock surface after the loading / unloading process is less than the distance at the beginning of the process, the RIG bar may apply a high load to the hook such that the hook cannot release when desired.

[0007] All of the above-mentioned restraint systems function by restricting the horizontal movement of a transport vehicle away from a loading dock. This movement can be caused by a variety of factors, such as, for example, a driver inadvertently attempting to drive away from a loading dock while the restraint is engaged, the slope of the ground, and / or kinetic energy imparted to the vehicle by loading and unloading goods and materials. Of these, the most common cause of horizontal vehicle movement is the acceleration and deceleration imposed on the vehicle by loading and unloading goods and materials, such as by manual handling and forklifts.

[0008] Regardless of the cause of movement, if a vehicle moves away from a loading dock at the end of the loading / unloading process, it can potentially load the restraining members of a restraint system, whether the restraining members are blocking members, rotating hooks, etc. This situation is unsafe and can lead to an operational issue known as a "hook pinch." A hook pinch occurs in a vehicle restraint system when a transport vehicle applies a load to the restraining members, and when a dock operator attempts to disengage the restraining members from the RIG bars and return the restraint system to a stowed position, the vehicle's load creates a binding between the restraining members and the RIG bars, preventing the operator from disengaging.

[0009] More specifically, in such situations, the restraint system is not strong enough to overcome the restraining force and disengage the restraining member from the RIG bar. Typically, the only way to alleviate this force so that the restraining member can be disengaged is for the vehicle driver to move the transport vehicle backward a short distance against the dock bumper and away from the restraining member. This action, known as a "bump-back," can be time-consuming and laborious in that it requires coordination between the dock operator and the transport vehicle driver. Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide an improved vehicle restraint system that addresses the problem of hook entrapment.

[0010] In many cases, rotation of the hook or bar may be achieved using a motor. Powering and maintaining such a motor can add to the cost and complexity of operating the vehicle restraint over long periods of time, as well as cause complications in the event of a power outage. Meanwhile, the components used to provide an effective vehicle restraint must be rugged and, therefore, are typically difficult to move without a motor or some other powerful motive force. Thus, providing effective vehicle restraint without a motor has been very difficult to achieve. Therefore, it may be desirable to provide an improved vehicle restraint system that addresses this issue. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, a vehicle restraint for restraining a vehicle or trailer at a dock may be provided. The vehicle restraint may include a vertical slide assembly and a horizontal slide assembly. The vertical slide assembly may include a vertical bias assembly, a vertical slide frame, and a ramp assembly. The ramp assembly may slidably engage a RIG bar of the vehicle or trailer to lower the vertical slide frame from a rest height to the height of the RIG bar against a bias applied by the vertical bias assembly. The horizontal slide assembly may include a restraint assembly and a locking assembly. The restraint assembly may be operatively responsive to and transitioned by movement of the RIG bar between a receiving position for receiving or releasing the RIG bar and a locking means for retaining the RIG bar without a motor. The locking assembly may be operable to alternately lock and unlock the restraint assembly in the locked position.

[0012] In another exemplary embodiment, a vehicle restraint system for restraining a vehicle or trailer at a dock may be provided. The vehicle restraint system may include a set of vertically mounted rails secured to the dock, one or more bumpers mounted proximate the rails, and a vehicle restraint operably coupled to the rails. The vehicle restraint may include a vertical slide assembly including a vertical biasing assembly, a vertical slide frame, and a ramp assembly. The ramp assembly may slidably engage a RIG bar of the vehicle or trailer to lower the vertical slide frame from a rest height to the height of the RIG bar against a bias applied by the vertical biasing assembly. The vehicle restraint may also include a restraint assembly operable to transition between a receiving position for receiving or releasing the RIG bar and one or more locked positions for retaining the RIG bar in response to movement of the RIG bar alone, and a locking assembly operably coupled to the restraint assembly to alternately lock and unlock the restraint assembly in the locked position.

[0013] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a restraint assembly for a vehicle restraint for restraining a RIG bar of a vehicle or trailer at a dock may be provided. The restraint assembly 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 in response 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, which may slidably engage the vertical slide assembly and the RIG bar to cooperatively accommodate the height of the RIG bar against a bias applied to the vertical slide assembly. The restraint assembly may be rotated to transition between a receiving position for receiving or releasing the RIG bar and a locked position for retaining the RIG bar in response to movement of the RIG bar alone.

[0014] In yet another exemplary embodiment, a method of restraining a RIG bar of a vehicle or trailer at a dock using a restraining device may be provided. The method may include engaging the RIG bar with the restraining device in response to horizontal movement of the RIG bar, actuating a locking member of the restraining device in response to the horizontal movement of the RIG bar reaching an engaged position, holding the RIG bar in the engaged position until the locking member is unlocked, and allowing horizontal movement of the RIG bar to reposition the locking member for subsequent actuation in response to the locking member unlocking. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] Having generally described several exemplary embodiments, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates a block diagram of a vehicle restraint system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0017] [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a perspective view of a vehicle restraint in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0018] [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of a vehicle restraint according to an exemplary embodiment, showing its hook in a locked or retaining position;

[0019] [Figure 4] 1 is a side view of a vehicle restraint according to an exemplary embodiment, showing the hook rotated to a receiving position;

[0020] [Figure 5] 5 illustrates a side view of the vehicle restraint of FIG. 4 according to an exemplary embodiment, with the vertical sliding side panel removed to provide visibility of various internal components of the vehicle restraint in the receiving position.

[0021] [Figure 6] 1 illustrates a side view of a hook that may form a restraint device of a restraint assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0022] [Figure 7] 4 illustrates a side view of the vehicle restraint of FIG. 3 with the innermost side panel removed from the horizontal slide to provide visibility to various internal components of the vehicle restraint in the locked position, according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0023] [Figure 8] 1 illustrates a side view with more components removed to show the interaction between the hook and the cam roller initially in the receiving position according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0024] [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates an isolated side view of the internal components of a hydraulic cylinder assembly of a hook lock according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0025] [Figure 10]FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of a locking sequence in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

[0026] [Figure 11] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an unlocking sequence according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0027] [Figure 12] FIG. 10 illustrates an isolated view of a cylinder body cavity and port details therein in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

[0028] [Figure 13] 1 illustrates an exploded view of a cam lock body according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0029] [Figure 14A] 1 illustrates a cam lock assembly disengaged and engaged with a lock cylinder in a locked state according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0030] [Figure 14B] 14B illustrates the cam lock assembly of FIG. 14A in an unlocked state according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0031] [Figure 15A] 1 illustrates a hook, cam lock, and cylinder assembly with the sensor in a locked position according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0032] [Figure 15B] 15B illustrates the hook, cam lock, and cylinder assembly of FIG. 15A in an unlocked position according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0033] Certain exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, exemplary embodiments are shown. Indeed, the examples described and illustrated herein should not be construed as limiting with respect to the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. Furthermore, the term "or," as used herein, should be construed as a logical operator that yields true whenever one or more of its operands are true. As used herein, an operably coupled connection should be understood to refer to a direct or indirect connection, in either case, that allows for functional interconnection of components operably coupled to each other.

[0034] Certain details are set forth in the following description and drawings to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present technology. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, operations, and / or systems often associated with vehicle restraint systems, loading docks, and the like, are not shown or described in detail in the following disclosure to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of various embodiments of the present technology. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present technology can be practiced without one or more of the details set forth herein, or with other structures, methods, components, etc.

[0035] The terms used below should be interpreted in their broadest reasonable manner, even when used in conjunction with the detailed description of several example embodiments of the present technology. Indeed, certain terms may be further emphasized below. However, any terms intended to be interpreted in any limited manner are expressly and specifically defined as such in this detailed description section.

[0036] The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the present technology and are not intended to limit its scope. The sizes of various depicted elements are not necessarily drawn to scale, and these various elements may be arbitrarily enlarged to improve readability. Details of components may be abstracted in the drawings to omit details such as the location of components and specific precise connections between such components, if such details are unnecessary for a complete understanding of how to make and use the present invention. Many of the details, dimensions, angles, and other features shown in the drawings are merely illustrative of particular embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, other embodiments may have other details, dimensions, angles, and features without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that further embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without some of the details described below. In the drawings, like reference numbers identify like, or at least generally similar, elements.

[0037] As mentioned above, typical vehicle restraints rely on motors to operate hooks or other physical restraint devices during either or both of the locking and unlocking operations. Eliminating the reliance on such motors may reduce power and maintenance requirements for the vehicle restraint, as well as improve reliability and efficiency. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a vehicle restraint 100 that provides such an improvement and may eliminate any requirement for a motor.

[0038] 1 , vehicle restraint 100 can include two main assemblies of components that are interoperable and structured to cooperate to restrain a vehicle without the use of a motor. In an exemplary embodiment, these two main assemblies can include a vertical slide assembly 110 and a horizontal slide assembly 120. Vertical slide assembly 110 can provide vertical movement to accommodate different RIG bar heights on a variety of different vehicles (or their trailers). To accomplish this, vertical slide assembly 110 can include a vertical slide frame 112, which provides a main body or base structure to which the other components of vertical slide assembly 110 are mounted and which provides structure for operably coupling to horizontal slide assembly 120.

[0039] The vertical slide frame 112 may be placed in a rest or home position by the vertical biasing assembly 114, and the RIG bar may engage the ramp assembly 116 to displace the vertical slide frame 112 from the rest position until it reaches a locked height as the RIG bar slidably engages the ramp assembly 116. Once the RIG bar reaches the locked height, it may no longer engage the ramp assembly 116 and slide back horizontally into the hook barrier 130. The vertical slide frame 112 may be maintained at substantially the locked height during the remainder of the locking sequence of the vehicle restraint 100.

[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, the vertical biasing assembly 114 may include a vertically disposed roller and one or more biasing members (e.g., springs) that bias the vertical slide frame 112 toward a base (or maximum) height in the rest position. As the RIG bar rides along the ramp assembly 116, the spring (or springs) may compress (or expand) as the roller moves vertically downward, increasing the biasing force on the vertical slide frame 112 and returning it toward the rest position. As the RIG bar advances beyond the ramp assembly 116, the vertical slide frame 112 reaches a locked height and maintains the locked height with a corresponding biasing force applied to the RIG, such that the vertical slide frame 112 remains in contact with the RIG until the RIG is released. To return the vertical slide frame 112 to the rest position, the RIG bar must operatively move away from the vertical slide frame until the biasing force of the vertical biasing assembly 114 can no longer be overcome.

[0041] The horizontal slide assembly 120 may provide horizontal movement (without a motor) to transition the vehicle restraint 100 between an engaged (or locked) state relative to the RIG bar and a disengaged (or unlocked) state relative to the RIG bar position. To accomplish this, the horizontal slide assembly 120 may include a horizontal slide frame 122, which provides a main body or base structure to which the other components of the horizontal slide assembly 120 are mounted, and which provides structure for operably coupling to the vertical slide assembly 110.

[0042] The horizontal slide frame 122 may be positioned in a stowed (or rest) position by the horizontal biasing assembly 124, and the RIG bar may engage a portion of the restraint assembly 130 to displace (or carry) the horizontal slide frame 122 from the horizontal stowed position as the RIG bar slidably engages the restraint assembly 130 and the horizontal slide frame 122 until the locking assembly 140, through contact between the restraint assembly 130 and the RIG bar (responsive to movement of the RIG bar), is operable to engage the restraint assembly 130 with the RIG bar and transition the horizontal slide assembly 120 (and thereby the vehicle restraint 100) to an engaged state, as described in more detail below.

[0043] In the exemplary embodiment, the horizontal biasing assembly 124 may include horizontally arranged rollers and one or more biasing members (e.g., springs) that bias the horizontal slide frame 122 toward the stowed position. In the exemplary embodiment, the horizontal biasing assembly 124 may operably couple the horizontal slide frame 122 to the vertical slide frame 112. When the RIG bar engages the restraint assembly 130, such engagement during rearward movement of the RIG bar (e.g., toward a dock to which the vehicle restraint 100 is attached) may initially cause the restraint assembly 130 to rotate about the RIG bar, wrapping a portion of the restraint assembly 130 on an opposite side of the RIG bar relative to the side of the RIG bar that initially engages the restraint assembly 130. After the restraint assembly 130 stops rotating (e.g., due to being completely wrapped around the RIG bar), two additional effects may occur. In this regard, the locking assembly 140 may be operable to lock the locking assembly 140, which may also be embodied as a hook. Alternatively, when the lock assembly 140 is not engaged with the lock, the RIG bar can be freely repositioned without capture until it is in the desired position for locking.

[0044] To achieve these two effects, the locking assembly 140 may include a hook barrier 128, a locking cam assembly 123, and a locking cylinder 127 that locks the restraint assembly 130 when engaged. When the RIG bar is released and the restraint assembly 130 is decoupled, the hook barrier 128 rotates downward, releasing the RIG bar from contacting the slide lock 144, unlocking the horizontal slide frame 122, and keeping the horizontal slide frame 122 unlocked (only while the hook barrier 128 is in the open or home position). The hook barrier 128 may operate unpowered (i.e., without a motor) and, in this example, can operate solely based on movement of the RIG bar in contact with the restraint assembly 130. Thus, for example, the restraint assembly 130 may be structured such that when the restraint assembly 130 is fully rotated around the RIG bar, it interacts with the RIG bar to lock or lock the locking assembly 140 (more specifically, the hook barrier 128). In an exemplary embodiment, the hook barrier 128 may be hydraulically powered and, when locked, may prevent rotation of the restraint assembly 130. This prevention of rotation of the restraint assembly 130 holds the RIG bar in an engaged state. The hook barrier 128 may be released via an electronic signal, which may allow the restraint assembly 130 to rotate (again, unpowered) upon contact with the RIG bar as the RIG bar (and vehicle) moves away from the dock.

[0045] Once the RIG bar has fully rotated the arrestment assembly 130 and actuated the hook barrier 128, the RIG bar may contact a portion of the horizontal slide frame 122 and begin to carry the horizontal slide frame 122 rearward (e.g., toward the dock). The movement of the horizontal slide frame 122 may cause the spring (or springs) in the horizontal biasing assembly 124 to expand (or compress), increasing the biasing force on the horizontal slide frame 122 and thereby biasing the horizontal slide frame 122 away from the dock. The home or rest position of the horizontal slide assembly 120 is when it is furthest from the dock.

[0046] The slide lock 144 may lock when the horizontal slide frame 122 reaches a travel limit and may prevent horizontal movement of the horizontal slide frame 122 relative to the vertical slide frame 112. The slide lock 144 may be unlocked by rotation of the hook barrier 128 to the open position. In this regard, the restraint assembly 130 may cause the slide lock 144 to unlock during rotation while in contact with the RIG bar. Movement of the horizontal slide frame 122 after unlocking the slide lock 144 may allow the RIG bar to carry the horizontal slide frame 122 away from the dock. When the horizontal slide frame 122 reaches the end of its travel (e.g., is compressed) to the point where the horizontal slide frame 122 is proximate to (or contacts) a bumper located on the dock, the slide lock 144 may transition to a locked state, thereby preventing further horizontal movement of the horizontal slide frame 122. The RIG bar may be fully engaged by the restraint assembly 130, and both the slide lock 144 and the hook lock 142 may be locked so that the RIG bar cannot move away from the dock and the vehicle restraint 100 is in an engaged state. The horizontal slide assembly 120 is free to move horizontally on slides mounted within the vertical slide frame 112 as long as the hook barrier 128 is fully retracted to the open position. Once the hook barrier 128 is rotated by the RIG bar engagement, the slide lock assembly 144 engages, allowing the horizontal slide assembly 120 to slide only rearward (toward the dock). Forward movement is prevented by the slide lock 144 until the hook barrier 128 is homed.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment, the slide lock 144 and the restraint assembly 130 may not contact each other when the restraint assembly 130 is rotated into engagement with the RIG bar. Thus, the slide lock 144 may be allowed to transition to the locked state, and in fact, in some embodiments, may be biased toward the locked state. However, when the restraint assembly 130 is in an intermediate position (i.e., not fully rotated to the engaged state), the restraint assembly 130 may contact the slide lock 144 and transition the slide lock 144 to the unlocked state (overcoming the bias). Thus, when in the engaged state, the restraint assembly 130 may be held in place by both the hook lock 142 and the slide lock 144.

[0048] When ready to be disengaged, the hook lock 142 may be electronically released. Such release may allow the hook barrier 128 to rotate in response to forward movement of the RIG bar. As the hook barrier 128 rotates, the restraint assembly 130 may contact the hook barrier 128 and unlock the slide lock 144 when the restraint assembly 130 reaches the intermediate position described above. Once the slide lock 144 is unlocked, the horizontal biasing assembly 124 may bias the horizontal slide frame 122 away from the dock as the RIG bar moves away from the dock until it reaches the limit of the horizontal slide frame 122's movement away from the dock. The hook barrier 128 may eventually rotate to a point where the RIG bar is released and continues to move away from the dock. When the RIG bar reaches the ramp assembly 116, the RIG bar can ride down the ramp assembly 116 as the vertical slide frame 112 is repositioned upward to its rest position by the vertical biasing assembly 114. Once the RIG bar is no longer in contact with the ramp assembly 116, the vehicle restraint 100 may be fully reset and ready to engage another RIG bar as the next vehicle arrives at the dock.

[0049] As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the assemblies described above may be instantiated in different ways with correspondingly different individual components and component designs. Accordingly, FIGS. 2-9 are used to illustrate a variety of such components that may be selected for use in the vehicle restraint 100 shown in FIG. 1 and its respective assemblies, according to one exemplary embodiment. Referring now to FIGS. 2-9, a vehicle restraint 200 is shown that forms one exemplary structure for the vehicle restraint 100 of FIG. 1. The vehicle restraint 200 may include, or be otherwise operably coupled to, a dock mounting structure 202 that may include spaced-apart rails 204 extending perpendicular to the ground and extending parallel to one another. The mounting structure 202 may include a metal bracket or the like for operably coupling to a dock via fasteners (e.g., bolts, screws, etc.).

[0050] The vertical slide frame 112 of FIG. 1 is embodied as a vertical slide frame panel 212, which is provided on each side of the vehicle restraint 200 and is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The vertical slide frame panel 212 is operably coupled to a ramp member 216, which is an example of the ramp assembly 116 of FIG. 1. The vertical slide frame panel 212 of this example is secured to opposing side edges of at least a portion of the ramp member 216 via one or more fasteners. The ramp member 216 of this example extends at an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the top surface of the vertical slide frame panel 212. However, the angle may vary in alternative embodiments, and may be, for example, between 20 and 70 degrees.

[0051] FIG. 5 shows one of the rails 204 and one of the vertical sliding frame panels 212 removed, thereby revealing the roller 214 that (together with a spring (not shown)) forms one example of the vertical biasing assembly 114 of FIG. 1 . The roller 214 may ride within the rail 204 and may be biased to a rest position by a spring, as discussed above. However, when the RIG bar 208 hits the ramp member 216, the ramp member 216 transfers the force of the RIG bar 208 moving backward (i.e., toward the dock) in the direction of arrow 215 into a downward force on the vertical sliding frame panel 212, overcoming the spring as the RIG bar 208 slides along the surface of the ramp member 216, as indicated by arrow 219, allowing the roller 214 to slide down the rail 204 and move the vertical sliding frame panel 212 downward, as indicated by arrow 217.

[0052] From the above description, it can be seen that vertical slide frame panels 212, rollers 214, springs, and ramp members 216 provide an exemplary set of structures that may form vertical slide assembly 110 of Figure 1. However, horizontal slide assembly 120 of Figure 1 may also be embodied in a variety of alternative structures, including, for example, a structure in which horizontal slide frame 122 of Figure 1 may be embodied as horizontal slide frame panels 222 extending parallel to and spaced apart from one another to define hook channels 223.

[0053] 1 may be embodied by rollers 224 that ride on a set of rails 225 disposed on either side of the horizontal sliding frame panel 222. In this regard, the rails 225 may be mounted inside the vertical sliding frame panel 212, and the rollers 224 may be rotatably mounted to the horizontal sliding frame panel 222. In some cases, the rollers 224 may be housed within a roller wiper 227 (or shield) provided to keep the rails 225 and rollers 224 clean. A spring 229 (or multiple springs) may be provided as described above to bias the horizontal sliding frame panel 222 away from the bumper 206 and dock (opposite the direction of the arrow 215). However, it should be understood that the rails 225 and rollers 224 may be mounted on opposite structures, and the same operating principles apply.

[0054] The restraint assembly 130 of FIG. 1 may be embodied by a hook 230, shown in isolation in FIG. 6 . The hook 230 may include a catch portion 232, a locking arm 234, and a cam surface 236. The hook 230 may also include an axial orifice 238 about which the hook 230 may pivot within the hook channel 223. An axial retention member may extend between the horizontal sliding frame panels 222 and through the axial orifice 238 to form a pivot about which the hook 230 rotates. The hook 230 may not have a motive force applied to it by any other component of the vehicle restraint 200. Thus, the hook 230 may receive all motive forces for engaging and disengaging with the RIG bar 208 itself. Other structures of the vehicle restraint 200 may simply act on, contact, or respond to contact with the hook 230 to lock, unlock, slide, or otherwise perform various respective functions.

[0055] In an exemplary embodiment, the hook 230 may have multiple positions in which the hook 230 may be positioned. In this regard, for example, Figures 2, 3, and 7 show the hook 230 in a locking position in which the RIG bar 208 may be locked or held in an engaged position, while Figures 4, 5, and 8 show the hook 230 in a receiving position in which the hook 230 is ready to receive the RIG bar 208 and initiate a locking sequence for the RIG bar 208. Notably, however, the hook 230 also completes an unlocking sequence in the receiving position such that it is ready to receive the RIG bar 208 when another locking sequence is initiated.

[0056] When in the receiving position, generally, only the catch portion 232 of the hook 230 may be exposed from the hook channel 223. All other portions of the hook 230 may be recessed inside the hook channel 223 and, therefore, may not contact or impede the progression of the RIG bar 208 as it slides along the top surface of the vertical sliding frame panel 212 moving in the direction of arrow 215. In some embodiments, a sensor 700 (see FIG. 7 ) may be provided to detect when the catch portion 232 of the hook 230 is positioned in the receiving position and / or when the catch portion 232 of the hook 230 is rotated to the locked position. The sensor 700 may be used to indicate the receiving position and readiness of the vehicle restraint 200 to be engaged by the trailer's RIG bar via one or more lights presented to one or both of the driver of the vehicle engaging the trailer and dock personnel. For example, when the sensor 700 detects the hook 230 in the receiving position, the light presented to the driver may be green (inviting them to engage the vehicle restraint 200), while the light presented to the dock worker may be red (indicating that the vehicle restraint 200 is not engaged and therefore it is not yet time to begin trailer unloading operations).On the other hand, again by way of example, the sensor may detect the hook in the locked position and present a red light to the driver to indicate that the vehicle restraint 200 is engaged and that forward travel should not be attempted, and a green light to the dock worker to indicate that the vehicle restraint 200 is engaged and therefore trailer unloading operations may begin.

[0057] As shown in FIG. 8 , when the RIG bar 208 encounters the catch portion 232 moving rearward in the direction of arrow 215, the hook 230 may begin to rotate in the direction of arrow 235 about the axial orifice 238. While the hook 230 is rotating in the direction of arrow 235, the locking arm 234 may extend upward (out of the hook channel 223) and around the RIG bar 208. The cam link 241 may also be biased by a spring 242 to ride against the hook 230 along the cam surface 236. As the cam roller 248 rides along the hook 230 from the locking arm 234 portion to the cam surface 236, the cam lock biasing spring 242 provides more space between the hook 230 and the cam roller 241 along the surface 1320, causing the cam link 241 to pivot in the direction of arrow 237 from the position of FIG. 8 to the position of FIG. 7 . In FIG. 7, the cam link 241 is in a locked position and may lock and hold the hook 230 in the locked position (when rotation is prevented).

[0058] When cam link 241 is in the locked position of FIG. 7 and locking of hook 230 is desired, hydraulic cylinder assembly 243 may be actuated to prevent cam link 241 from rotating. Hydraulic cylinder assembly 243, shown in more detail in FIG. 9, may be operated by a solenoid 245. In this regard, hydraulic cylinder assembly 243 may be located within a manifold assembly 950 that includes a hydraulic reservoir 905, a solenoid valve 900, a locking piston 910, a piston return spring 920, a reservoir piston 930, a reservoir return spring 940, a retainer nut 915, hydraulic fluid 925, and a spring cap 960. Retainer nut 915 may optionally be positioned proximate to O-ring 912 and support ring 916. Solenoid valve 900 may be normally open and, therefore, may be actuated to close. When open, solenoid valve 900 may allow both lock piston 910, biased by first return spring 920 toward engagement (extension) with cam link 241, and reservoir piston 930, biased by second return spring 940, to move freely between locked and unlocked positions via conduits 1230, 1235, 1240. When lock piston 910 engages cam roller 241, rotation of cam link 241 is prevented, thereby locking hook 230 in the locked position (and vehicle restraint 200 in the engaged position). When closed, solenoid valve 900 blocks flow from lock piston cavity 1210 to reservoir cavity 1220 in manifold 950, thereby preventing retraction of lock piston 910 and thereby locking cam link 241 from rotation. As can be understood from the above description, the hydraulic cylinder assembly 243, cam roller, and spring 242 may combine to form the hook lock 142 of FIG.

[0059] 8 position and continues to move in the direction of arrow 215, RIG bar 208 may rotate hook 230 as shown by arrow 235 (and as described above), and cam link 241 may cooperatively rotate in the direction of arrow 237 while cam roller 248 rides relative to hook 230 along cam surface 236. During release of RIG 208 by rotation of hook 230 in the direction opposite arrow 235, cam surface 236 may first be urged downward in the direction of arrow 239, displacing slide lock arm 800 from corresponding lock slot 810, FIG. 3 , which may be provided in the bottom of vertical sliding frame panel 212. In some cases, lock slot 810 may be formed in a separate component rigidly attached to vertical sliding frame panel 212, while slide lock arm 800 may be rotatably attached to horizontal sliding frame panel 222. The lock arm 800 and lock slot 810, together with a biasing spring 820 that biases the slide lock arm 800 toward contact with the lock slot 810, may form the slide lock 144 of FIG.

[0060] Upon contacting the RIG bar 208 in direction 215, the hook 230 rotates about the orifice 238 in direction 235, allowing the slide lock arm 800 to engage with the locking slots 810 (all in FIG. 8 ), which may further bias the slide lock arm 800 out of one of the corresponding locking slots 810 and down the adjacent slot ramp 814 against the bias of the biasing spring 820, thereby releasing the slide lock arm 800 and allowing the horizontal sliding frame panel 222 to be carried rearward (i.e., toward the dock and bumper 206) during further rearward movement of the RIG bar 208 in the direction of arrow 215. This rearward movement may continue until the vehicle contacts the bumper 206 or strikes the snubber 830 and reaches (or nearly reaches) contact with the mounting structure 202, limiting the rearward movement of the horizontal sliding frame panel 222 relative to the vertical sliding frame panel 212. When the horizontal sliding frame panel 222 moves to the limit of its rearward travel relative to the vertical sliding frame panel 212, the sliding lock arm 800 may move from the forward-most one of the locking slots 810 to the rear-most one of the locking slots 810 (as shown by arrow 840 in FIG. 5).

[0061] As a result of the slide lock arm 800 engaging the rearmost one of the lock slots 810 (indicated by arrow 840), the vehicle restraint 200 may be engaged, and the RIG bar 208 may prevent movement away from the dock (i.e., movement opposite the direction of arrow 215) when the lock cylinder 243 is engaged and activated. In particular, the spring 242 (see FIG. 7 ) applies a constant load to the cam link 241 to ensure that the cam roller 248 remains in contact with the hook 230 along the cam surface 236. A sensor 860 is located adjacent to the cam link 241 to verify that the link is in place, indicating that the hook 230 is in the locked position and ready to begin the locking sequence. Meanwhile, the solenoid valve 900 may be operated to lock the hydraulic cylinder assembly 243 and begin the locking sequence. At this point, the vehicle restraint is in a locked state, and loading / unloading operations may proceed.

[0062] After the loading / unloading operation is complete, the constraint may be released, causing hydraulic cylinder assembly 243 to release lock piston 910 and allow cam link 241 to rotate freely. Forward movement of RIG bar 208 (i.e., away from the dock and opposite the direction of arrow 215) may then rotate hook 230 in the opposite direction to the direction of arrow 235, which will again urge cam surface 236 downward, as shown by arrow 239, and unlock slide lock 144 by pushing lock arm 800 out of lock slot 810. Continued forward movement of RIG bar 208 will bring hook 230 to the position shown in FIG. 8 , urging horizontal slide frame panel 222 against vertical slide frame panel 212, continuing relative movement therebetween until the limit of forward movement is prevented by contact of lock arm 800 on stop surface 812. At this point, the RIG bar 208 may continue to slide along the top surfaces of the horizontal sliding frame panel 222 and the vertical sliding frame panel 212 until it reaches the ramp member 216. The RIG bar 208 may continue in a forward direction, the ramp member 216 may ride the RIG bar 208 upward (opposite the direction of arrow 219), and the vertical sliding frame panel 212 may move upward (opposite the direction of arrow 239) until the RIG bar 208 no longer contacts the ramp member 216 and the vehicle restraint 200 is fully reset and ready to accept the next RIG bar.

[0063] FIG. 10 shows a block diagram illustrating a full locking sequence according to an example embodiment. The initial condition before the locking sequence begins may include the trailer, including the RIG bar 208, being backed up toward the dock with the vertical sliding frame panel 212 fully extended to its rest position (or its maximum height). The locking arm 800 may also be fully forward (e.g., at the forward-most position of the locking slot 810) and the hook 230 may be in the receiving position (as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 8). The cam link 241 may be fully extended or retracted (as also shown in FIG. 8).

[0064] As shown in FIG. 10 , in operation 1000, the trailer may first back up and contact the vehicle restraint. In operation 1002, the vehicle restraint may contact the trailer's RIG bar and push the vehicle restraint down to a level that matches the height (bottom) of the RIG bar. In operation 1004, the trailer may continue backing up until it contacts the hook. Then, in operation 1006, the trailer may continue backing up and rotate the hook. In operation 1008, cam link 241 may rotate in coordination with the rotation of hook barrier 230. In operation 1010, the hook may rotate to a locked position (fully deflected) and trigger hook sensor 700 to indicate the position. In operation 1012, the hook may rotate and also engage the slide lock. In operation 1014, cam link 241 may similarly rotate fully (along with the full rotation of the hook) and trigger cam sensor 860 to indicate the position. Thereafter, in operation 1016, any light adjustments may be made accordingly based on the hook and cam sensors.

[0065] As the trailer continues to move rearward, the horizontal slide assembly moves rearward (toward the dock) and aligns the slide lock arm 800 with the next tooth, in operation 1020. Such rearward movement of the horizontal slide assembly causes the slide lock to adjust (e.g., across the sawtooth or receiving slot) until it reaches the bumper, in operation 1022. At this limit of travel, the slide lock engages in its rearmost position, in operation 1024.

[0066] At operation 1030, the hook may reach a full rotation and engage with the RIG bar. At operation 1032, the hook lock may engage to prevent rotation of the cam roller and hook. At operation 1034, a light may correspondingly illuminate indicating that the vehicle restraint is engaged and that the vehicle restraint is in a safe condition to operate and prevent the driver from repositioning the trailer.

[0067] FIG. 11 illustrates an unlocking sequence according to an example embodiment. In operation 1100, the unlocking sequence may begin with disengaging the hook lock. Disengaging the hook lock in operation 1102 may transition various warning lights to indicate that the disengagement or unlocking is in progress. In operation 1104, the trailer may begin to move away from the dock, and in operation 1106, the RIG bar may contact the hook and begin to rotate the hook. Once the hook rotates, in operation 1108, the hook sensor may turn off, and in operation 1110, the slide lock may disengage. In operation 1112, by continuing to move the trailer forward, the horizontal slide assembly may move forward (away from the dock) to its limit of travel in that direction. In operation 1120, the cam link 241 may also rotate along with the rotation of the hook to the disengaged position. Once the cam link 241 has rotated, the cam sensor 860 may turn off in operation 1122, and the hook may completely disengage the RIG bar in operation 1124. The trailer may then move away from the dock and lose contact with the vehicle restraint, which may reset (as indicated by a light) and be ready to accept another trailer in operation 1126.

[0068] Accordingly, some exemplary embodiments may provide a vehicle restraint for restraining a vehicle or trailer at a loading dock. The vehicle restraint may include a vertical slide assembly and a horizontal slide assembly. The vertical slide assembly may include a vertical bias assembly, a vertical slide frame, and a ramp assembly. The ramp assembly may slidably engage a RIG bar of the vehicle or trailer to lower the vertical slide frame from a rest height to the height of the RIG bar against a bias applied by the vertical bias assembly. The horizontal slide assembly may include a restraint assembly and a locking assembly. The restraint assembly may transition between a receiving position for receiving or releasing the RIG bar and a locked position for retaining the RIG bar in operative response to movement of the RIG bar without a motor. The locking assembly may be operable to alternately lock and unlock the restraint assembly in the locked position.

[0069] The above-described vehicle restraints and / or systems including the vehicle restraints, or components thereof, may be augmented or modified by changing the individual features described above or by adding optional features. The augmentations or modifications may be implemented in any combination and in any order. For example, in some cases, the restraint assembly may include a hook having a locking arm at a first end thereof, a catch portion at a second end thereof, an axial orifice about which the hook rotates in response 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. In exemplary embodiments, the horizontal slide assembly may further include a horizontal slide frame slidably engaged with the vertical slide frame. The locking assembly may include a slide lock operable to alternately lock the horizontal slide frame relative to the vertical slide frame and unlock the slide lock to allow the horizontal slide frame to move relative to the vertical slide frame in response to movement of the RIG bar toward or away from the dock. In some cases, the slide lock may be biased to lock the horizontal slide frame relative to the vertical slide frame, and a cam surface may engage with the slide lock to unlock it during rotation of the hook. In an exemplary embodiment, the slide lock may include a locking arm biased to engage one of a plurality of locking slots to lock the slide lock. In some cases, the horizontal slide frame may include a first set of rollers disposed within a first set of rails operably coupled to the vertical slide frame and a first spring that biases the horizontal slide frame away from the dock via one or more rollers. The vertical biasing assembly may include a second set of rollers disposed within a second set of rails operably coupled to the dock and a second spring that biases the vertical slide frame toward the rest height. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the first set of rollers may be retained within a roller wiper.In some cases, the lock assembly may further include a hook lock that prevents rotation of the hook when locked, and the hook lock may be hydraulically actuated based on an electronic signal. In an exemplary embodiment, the hook lock may include a cam roller that rides along the hook to be extended when contacting a lock arm and deflected when approaching a cam surface. In some cases, the hook lock may further include a solenoid-operated valve and a reservoir, and the lock piston may be extended based on operation of the solenoid-operated valve to prevent the cam roller from moving from the extended position to the deflected position and locking the hook. In an exemplary embodiment, a sensor may detect when the cam roller is moved to the deflected position. In some cases, a hook channel may be formed between horizontal slide panels of the horizontal slide frame, and the hook may rotate within the hook channel, such that only the catch portion extends from the hook channel when the restraint assembly is in the receiving position. In an exemplary embodiment, the lock arm may extend from the hook channel in response to rotation of the hook, and the catch portion may be detected by a sensor positioned adjacent to it when the restraint assembly is in the locked position. In some cases, the position of the hook may be detected by a first sensor and the state of the lock assembly may be detected by a second sensor, and in such cases, one or more lights in proximity to the dock may be illuminated based on input from the first and second sensors.

[0070] A method of restraining the RIG bar of a vehicle or trailer at a dock using a restraining device may also be provided. The method may include engaging the RIG bar with the restraining device in response to horizontal movement of the RIG bar; actuating a locking member of the restraining device in response to the horizontal movement of the RIG bar reaching an engaged position; holding the RIG bar in the engaged position until the locking member is unlocked; and allowing the horizontal movement of the RIG bar to reposition the locking member for subsequent actuation in response to the unlocking of the locking member. Such a method, and indeed the assembly itself, is unique in that movement of the RIG bar both positions the locking means to execute the locking of the RIG bar (when the RIG bar reaches the engaged position) and repositions the locking means ready for the next locking operation (when the RIG bar leaves the engaged position). The industry standard in this regard has long been to use other movement means (e.g., hydraulic, electric, or mechanical motive power) to reposition the locking means. Thus, the exemplary embodiment provides a system that can operate even in the event of an electrical failure, or in any case, without the need for a separate power source to move the locking means.

[0071] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions described herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the associated drawings. It is therefore to be understood that the inventions are not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, while the foregoing description and associated drawings describe exemplary embodiments in the context of certain illustrative combinations of elements and / or functions, it is to be understood that different combinations of elements and / or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In this regard, combinations of elements and / or functions other than those expressly described above are also contemplated, as may be set forth in some of the appended claims, for example. Where advantages, benefits, or solutions to problems are described herein, it is also to be understood that such advantages, benefits, and / or solutions may be applicable to some illustrative embodiments, but not necessarily to all illustrative embodiments. Therefore, any advantage, benefit, or solution described herein should not be considered critical, necessary, or essential to all embodiments or to the embodiments claimed herein. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

1. 1. A vehicle restraint for restraining a vehicle or trailer at a dock, the vehicle restraint comprising: a vertical slide assembly comprising a vertical biasing assembly, a vertical slide frame, and a ramp assembly, the ramp assembly slidably engaging a rear impact guard (RIG) bar of the vehicle or trailer to lower the vertical slide frame from a rest height to the height of the RIG bar against a bias applied by the vertical biasing assembly; a horizontal slide assembly including a restraining assembly and a locking assembly; Equipped with the restraint assembly is operable, without a motor, to transition between a receiving position for receiving or releasing the RIG bar and a locking position for retaining the RIG bar in response to movement of the RIG bar; The locking assembly is operable to alternately lock and unlock the restraint assembly in the locked position.

2. 2. The vehicle restraint of claim 1, wherein the restraint assembly comprises a hook having a locking arm at a first end thereof, a catch portion at a second end thereof, an axial orifice about which the hook rotates in response 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.

3. the horizontal slide assembly further comprising a horizontal slide frame slidably engaged with the vertical slide frame; 3. The vehicle restraint of claim 2, wherein the locking assembly comprises a slide lock operable in response to movement of the RIG bar toward or away from the dock to alternately lock the horizontal slide frame relative to the vertical slide frame and unlock the slide lock to allow the horizontal slide frame to move relative to the vertical slide frame.

4. the slide lock is biased to lock the horizontal slide frame relative to the vertical slide frame; 4. The vehicle restraint of claim 3, wherein the cam surface interacts with the slide lock to unlock the slide lock during rotation of the hook.

5. 5. The vehicle restraint of claim 4, wherein the slide lock includes a locking arm biased into engagement with one of a plurality of locking slots to lock the slide lock.

6. the horizontal slide frame includes a first set of rollers disposed within a first set of rails operably coupled to the vertical slide frame, and a first spring biasing the horizontal slide frame away from the dock via the one or more rollers; 4. The vehicle restraint of claim 3, wherein the vertical biasing assembly comprises a second set of rollers disposed within a second set of rails operably coupled to the dock and a second spring biasing the vertical slide frame toward the rest height.

7. 7. The vehicle restraint of claim 6, wherein the rollers of the first set are each retained within a roller wiper to assist in cleaning the rollers of the first set as they rotate and to operatively clean a roller path back and forth during movement.

8. the locking assembly further comprising a hook lock that prevents rotation of the hook when locked; 3. The vehicle restraint of claim 2, wherein the hook lock is hydraulically engaged based on an electronic signal.

9. 9. The vehicle restraint of claim 8, wherein the hook lock comprises a cam link that moves along the hook to extend when contacting the lock arm and deflect when adjacent the cam surface.

10. the hook lock further comprises a solenoid operated valve and a reservoir; 10. The vehicle restraint of claim 9, wherein a locking piston is fixed in an extended position upon operation of the solenoid operated valve to prevent the cam roller from moving from the extended position to the deflected position to lock the hook.

11. 11. The vehicle restraint of claim 10, wherein a sensor detects when the cam roller moves to the biased position.

12. 9. The vehicle restraint of claim 8, wherein the hook lock comprises a cam link that engages and moves along a cam surface on the hook and is lockable when extended to prevent the hook from rotating.

13. a hook channel is formed between the horizontal slide panels of the horizontal slide frame; The hook rotates within the hook channel; 4. The vehicle restraint of claim 3, wherein when the restraint assembly is in the receiving position, only the catch portion extends from the hook channel.

14. the locking arm extends from the hook channel in response to rotation of the hook; 14. The vehicle restraint of claim 13, wherein the catch portion is detected by a sensor located adjacent the restraint assembly when the restraint assembly is in the locked position.

15. the position of the hook is detected by a first sensor and the state of the lock assembly is detected by a second sensor; One or more lights proximate the dock are illuminated based on input from the first sensor and the second sensor.

3. The vehicle restraint of claim 2.

16. 1. A vehicle restraint system for restraining a vehicle or trailer at a dock, the vehicle restraint system comprising: a set of vertically mounted rails secured to the dock; one or more bumpers mounted adjacent to the rail; a vehicle restraint operably coupled to the rail, a vertical slide assembly comprising a vertical biasing assembly, a vertical slide frame, and a ramp assembly, the ramp assembly slidably engaging a rear impact guard (RIG) bar of the vehicle or trailer to lower the vertical slide frame from a rest height to the height of the RIG bar against a bias applied by the vertical biasing assembly; a restraint assembly operable to transition between a receiving position for receiving or releasing the RIG bar and a locking position for retaining the RIG bar in response to movement of the RIG bar alone; a locking assembly operably coupled to the restraining assembly to alternately lock and unlock the restraining assembly in the locked position; a vehicle restraint comprising: A vehicle restraint system comprising:

17. 17. The vehicle restraint system of claim 16, wherein the restraint assembly comprises a hook having a locking arm at a first end thereof, a catch portion at a second end thereof, an axial orifice about which the hook rotates in response 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.

18. a horizontal slide assembly operatively coupled to the vertical slide assembly, the horizontal slide assembly comprising a horizontal slide frame slidably engaged with the vertical slide frame; 18. The vehicle restraint system of claim 17, wherein the locking assembly comprises a slide lock operable in response to movement of the RIG bar toward or away from the dock to alternately lock the horizontal slide frame relative to the vertical slide frame and unlock the slide lock to allow the horizontal slide frame to move relative to the vertical slide frame.

19. the slide lock is biased to lock the horizontal slide frame relative to the vertical slide frame; 20. The vehicle restraint system of claim 18, wherein the cam surface interacts with the slide lock to unlock the slide lock during rotation of the hook.

20. 20. The vehicle restraint system of claim 19, wherein the slide lock includes a locking arm biased into engagement with one of a plurality of locking slots to lock the slide lock.

21. 1. A restraint assembly for a vehicle restraint for restraining a rear impact guard (RIG) bar of a vehicle or trailer at a dock, the restraint assembly comprising a hook, the hook comprising: a locking arm at a first end thereof; a catch portion at the second end thereof; an axial orifice about which the hook rotates in response to movement of the RIG bar in contact with the catch portion or the locking arm; a cam surface disposed between the locking arm and the axial orifice; Including, the hook is rotatably mounted to a vertical slide assembly of the vehicle restraint, the vertical slide assembly slidably engaging the RIG bar and adjusting to the height of the RIG bar against a bias applied to the vertical slide assembly; The restraint assembly is rotated to transition between a receiving position for receiving or releasing the RIG bar and a locking position for retaining the RIG bar in response to movement of the RIG bar only.

22. 1. A method of restraining a rear impact guard (RIG) bar of a vehicle or trailer at a dock using a restraint device, comprising: engaging the RIG bar with the restraining device in response to horizontal movement of the RIG bar; actuating a locking member of the restraint device in response to the horizontal movement of the RIG bar reaching an engaged position; holding the RIG bar in the engaged position until the locking member is unlocked; in response to unlocking the locking member, allowing horizontal movement of the RIG bar to reposition the locking member for subsequent actuation; A method comprising:

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