Jack foot sole, jack foot assembly, jack assembly and corresponding manufacturing methods

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns a jack foot sole securable to a distal end of a jack of a trailer and comprising a main body comprising a landing portion being made of a material having a static coefficient of friction (COF) that is sufficiently high to provide resistance to sliding over the receiving surface, and a connecting portion extending from the landing portion, wherein the connecting portion is made of a rigid material; and an attachment assembly comprising an anchor plate being fully embedded in the connecting portion of the main body, and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate and having a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body, wherein the at least one anchor member is adapted to engage the distal end of the jack. It also concerns a corresponding jack foot assembly.

Description

JACK FOOT SOLE, JACK FOOT ASSEMBLY, JACK ASSEMBLY AND CORRESPONDING MANUFACTURING METHODSPRIOR APPLICATION

[0001] The present application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 63 / 715,160, filed on November 1st, 2024, and entitled “JACK FOOT SOLE” and from U.S. provisional patent application No. 63 / 783,500, filed on April 4th, 2025, and entitled “JACK FOOT SOLE”, the disclosures of which being hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention generally relates to securing the landing and (un)loading of trailers, and more particularly to a jack foot sole that is securable to a distal end of the jack of a trailer.BACKGROUND

[0003] The secure positioning of a truck or semi-trailer is challenged by three disruptive factors: the unexpected departure of the trailer, the repeated impact from forklifts moving in and out causing the trailer to gradually move away from the dock, and the force of gravity. These situations can cause the trailer to spontaneously or gradually move away from the dock, leading to the lip falling and creating a gap into which the wheels of a forklift can enter, potentially causing it to tip over and further causing safety issues for operators.

[0004] Known solutions for immobilization of trailers to a dock include placing wheel chocks in front of and behind the trailer’s wheels to prevent any movement, engaging the trailer’s brakes to keep it stationary, and / or using dock locks / trailer restraints to secure the trailer to the dock. Landing gear that is provided on the trailer is further deployed to enhance stability of the trailer once positioned onto a landing surface, such as a dock.

[0005] Known devices can however fail to secure the trailer onto the dock. For example, landing gear, such as trailer jacks, can fail to properly engage the landing surface and / or fail to remain securely positioned while the trailer is emptied or loaded by005795-0024 1a forklift. Slipping of the jacks is thus not able to prevent the trailer from moving away from the dock, which can even lead to collapsing of the jack’s leg.

[0006] There is still a need for a technology that overcomes at least some of the drawbacks of what is known in the field, such as the above-mentioned drawbacks that may result from the landing and (un)loading of a trailer.SUMMARY

[0007] The present techniques address the above-mentioned issues by providing a jack foot sole that is securable to a distal end of each jack of a trailer, with the jack foot sole being configured to provide an efficient resistance to slipping despite the mechanical constraints that are imposed to the trailer during landing and un(loading) thereof.

[0008] According to a general aspect, there is provided a jack foot sole securable to a distal end of a jack of a trailer, the jack foot sole comprising: a main body comprising: a landing portion being made of a material having a static coefficient of friction (COF) that is sufficiently high to provide resistance to sliding over the receiving surface, and a connecting portion extending from the landing portion, wherein the connecting portion is made of a rigid material; and an attachment assembly comprising: an anchor plate being fully embedded in the connecting portion of the main body, and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate and having a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body, wherein the at least one anchor member is adapted to engage the distal end of the jack.

[0009] In some embodiments, the at least one anchor member is made of a rigid polymer or metal.

[0010] In some embodiments, the at least one anchor member is made of at least one of steel, stainless-steel and aluminum.

[0011] In some embodiments, the at least one anchor member comprises at least two fasteners being secured to or at least partially formed integral with the anchor plate and protruding outwardly from the proximal surface of the main body, wherein each of said at least two fasteners is adapted to engage the distal end of the jack.2005795-0024

[0012] In some embodiments, the at least two fasteners comprise a bolt.

[0013] In some embodiments, the at least one anchor member comprises a pair of spaced-apart plates secured to or at least partially formed integral with the anchor plate and having at least a portion thereof protruding outwardly from the proximal surface of the main body, thereby defining a gap to receive the distal end of the jack therebetween for further securing of the jack.

[0014] In some embodiments, the pair of spaced-apart plates is welded to the anchor plate.

[0015] In some embodiments, each plate defines at least one jack-securing hole in register with each other and shaped and dimensioned to engage a jack-securing mechanism engageable with the distal end of the jack.

[0016] In some embodiments, the main body has a substantially rectangular cross- sectional shape.

[0017] In some embodiments, a ratio of a thickness of the landing portion with respect to a thickness of the connecting portion is comprised between about 1:1 and about 4:1.

[0018] In some embodiments, a thickness of the main body varies across at least one of a length and a width of the main body to provide a distal surface of the main body at an angle with respect to the proximal surface of the main body.

[0019] In some embodiments, the angle is comprised between about 2 degrees and about 10 degrees.

[0020] In some embodiments, grooves or fluting are formed in a distal surface of the main body.

[0021] In some embodiments, at least one of a hole and a channel is formed in at least one of the landing portion and the connecting portion.

[0022] In some embodiments, said at least one of a hole and a channel extends in a direction perpendicular to a length of a trailer when in use.3005795-0024

[0023] In some embodiments, the static COF of the material of the landing portion is at least about 0.6.

[0024] In some embodiments, the material of the landing portion has a hardness between about 50 and 70 on a Shore A hardness scale.

[0025] In some embodiments, the rigid material of the connecting portion has a hardness of at least about 80 Shore A.

[0026] In some embodiments, the landing portion is made of a first polyurethane and the connecting portion is made of a second polyurethane.

[0027] In some embodiments, the landing portion is made of a first elastomer and the connecting portion is made of a second elastomer, the second elastomer having a hardness being higher than that of the first elastomer.

[0028] In some embodiments, the connecting portion is at least partially made of an elastomer and reinforcing fibers.

[0029] In some embodiments, the main body is a vulcanized rubber body having two different hardnesses defining the landing portion and the connecting portion respectively.

[0030] In some embodiments, the anchor plate is made of a rigid polymer or metal.

[0031] In some embodiments, the anchor plate is at least one of a steel plate, a stainless-steel plate and an aluminum plate.

[0032] According to another general aspect, there is provided a jack foot assembly comprising: a jack foot securable to a distal end of a jack leg; and a jack foot sole comprising: a main body comprising: a landing portion being made of a material having a static coefficient of friction (COF) that is sufficiently high to provide resistance to sliding over the receiving surface, and a connecting portion extending from the landing portion, wherein the connecting portion is made of a rigid material; and an attachment assembly comprising: an anchor plate being fully embedded in the connecting portion of the main body, and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate and having a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body,4005795-0024wherein the at least one anchor member is secured to or is formed integral with the jack foot.

[0033] In some embodiments, the jack foot comprises a distal portion, the attachment assembly being secured to or formed integral with the distal portion of the jack foot, wherein the jack foot further comprises a proximal portion operatively couplable with the distal end of the jack leg.

[0034] In some embodiments, the proximal portion of the jack foot defines a legreceiving cavity shaped and dimensioned to receive at least part of the distal end of the jack leg.

[0035] In some embodiments, the proximal portion of the jack foot comprises first and second spaced-apart plates defining a gap therebetween to receive the distal end of the jack leg.

[0036] In some embodiments, each of the first and second plates defines at least one hole in register with each other that is shaped and dimensioned to engage a jacksecuring mechanism engageable the distal end of the jack leg.

[0037] In some embodiments, at least one of the first and second plates is at least partially formed by said at least one anchor member.

[0038] In some embodiments, said at least one anchor member comprises first and second spaced-apart anchor members forming respectively the first and second plates.

[0039] In some embodiments, the first and second spaced-apart plates are welded to the anchor plate.

[0040] In some embodiments, the proximal and the distal portions of the jack foot are formed integral respectively with the at least one anchor member and the anchor plate.

[0041] In some embodiments, said at least one anchor member is secured to the distal portion of the jack foot.

[0042] In some embodiments, the distal portion of the jack foot comprises a solesecuring plate with sole-securing holes formed therein, the at least one anchor member being engaged with at least one of the sole-securing holes.5005795-0024

[0043] In some embodiments, the at least one anchor member comprises at least two fasteners being secured to or at least partially formed integral with the anchor plate and protruding outwardly from the proximal surface of the main body, wherein each fastener is adapted to engage a corresponding one of the sole-securing holes formed in the solesecuring plate.

[0044] In some embodiments, a thickness of the main body varies across at least one of a length and a width of the main body to provide a distal surface of the main body at an angle with respect to the proximal surface of the main body.

[0045] In some embodiments, the static COF of the material of the landing portion is at least about 0.6.

[0046] In some embodiments, the material of the landing portion has a hardness between about 50 and 70 on a Shore A hardness scale.

[0047] In some embodiments, the rigid material of the connecting portion has a hardness of at least about 80 Shore A.

[0048] In some embodiments, the landing portion is made of a first polyurethane and the connecting portion is made of a second polyurethane.

[0049] According to another general aspect, there is provided a jack assembly, comprising: a jack leg having a distal end; and a jack foot assembly of the present disclosure, wherein the jack foot is secured to the distal end of the jack leg.

[0050] According to another general aspect, there is provided a method for forming a composite jack foot sole, comprising: positioning within a mold an attachment assembly comprising an anchor plate and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate, wherein the at least one anchor member is adapted to engage a distal end of a jack; positioning within the mold first and second unvulcanized rubber compositions; and vulcanizing the first and second rubber compositions to form respectively a landing portion and a connecting portion of a main body of the jack foot sole, wherein the anchor plate is fully embedded in the connecting portion and wherein the at least one anchor member has a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body.6005795-0024

[0051] According to another general aspect, there is provided a method for forming a composite jack foot sole, comprising: positioning within a mold an attachment assembly comprising an anchor plate and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate, wherein the at least one anchor member is adapted to engage a distal end of a jack; pouring within the mold first and second two-component mixtures; and curing by exothermic reaction the first and second two-component mixtures so as to form a first solidified polyurethane portion serving and a second solidified polyurethane portion forming respectively a landing portion and a connecting portion of a main body of the jack foot sole, wherein the anchor plate is fully embedded in the connecting portion and wherein the at least one anchor member has a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body.

[0052] In another aspect, there is provided a jack foot sole securable to a distal end of a jack of a trailer (e.g., a jack foot of a jack or a distal end of a jack leg of the jack) to assist in the landing of the trailer over a receiving surface. The jack foot sole comprises a main body including a landing portion being made of a material having a static coefficient of friction (COF) that is sufficiently high to provide resistance to sliding over the receiving surface, and a connecting portion extending from the landing portion, wherein the connecting portion is made of a rigid material.

[0053] The jack foot sole further comprises an attachment assembly for anchoring the jack foot sole to the distal end of a jack. The attachment assembly includes an anchor plate being fully embedded in the connection portion of the main body, and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate and having a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body. The at least one anchor member is configured for anchorage / securing to the distal end of the jack. The at least one anchor member can thus have various designs in accordance with the configuration of the jack, and more particularly in accordance with the configuration of the distal end of the jack.

[0054] In some embodiments, the at least one anchor member can be at least two fasteners being secured to the anchor plate and further protruding outwardly from the proximal surface of the main body, wherein each fastener is adapted to engage the distal end of the jack.7005795-0024

[0055] In other embodiments, the at least one anchor member can be a pair of space apart plates extending from the anchor plate and having at least a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body, thereby defining a gap to receive the distal end of the jack therebetween for further securing of the jack to the jack foot sole via the at least one anchor member.

[0056] In some embodiments, the jack foot sole further includes at least one feature as described herein.

[0057] In another aspect, there is provided an assembly including a jack having a distal end and a jack foot sole as defined herein being secured to the distal end of the jack. The assembly can further include at least one feature as described herein.

[0058] While the invention will be described in conjunction with example embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to such embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included as defined by the present description. The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will become more apparent and be better understood upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of the invention, given with reference to the accompanying drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0059] Embodiments of the jack foot sole and the jack foot assembly and related techniques are represented in and will be further understood in connection with the following figures.

[0060] Figure 1 is a bottom perspective view of the jack foot sole according to a first embodiment thereof showing four fasteners as part of an attachment assembly and further showing a tapered main body.

[0061] Figure 2 is a schematized cross-sectional view of the jack foot sole of Figure 1 , further showing an anchor plate as part of the attachment assembly.

[0062] Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the jack foot sole according to the first embodiment and being secured to a first example jack foot and forming therewith a jack8005795-0024foot assembly in accordance with a first embodiment, with the jack foot being further securable to a distal end of a jack leg (not represented).

[0063] Figures 4 to 6 are respective perspective, top and side views of the jack foot sole according to the first embodiment and being secured to a second example jack foot and forming therewith a jack foot assembly in accordance with a second embodiment, with the second example jack foot being further securable to a distal end of a jack leg (not represented).

[0064] Figure 7 is a top perspective view of an attachment assembly of a jack foot sole according to a second embodiment, the attachment assembly comprising two spaced apart anchor members (plates) as part of the attachment assembly and the attachment assembly forming part of a jack foot.

[0065] Figure 8 is a front view of a jack foot assembly in accordance with a third embodiment, comprising the jack foot sole according to the second embodiment.

[0066] Figure 9 is a front view of a jack of a trailer, the jack including the jack foot assembly of Figure 8 being secured to a distal end of a leg of the jack.

[0067] Figures 10 and 11 are perspective and top views of a jack foot assembly in accordance with a fourth embodiment, the attachment assembly of the jack foot sole thereof comprising curved anchor members.

[0068] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] There is provided a jack foot sole that is securable to or forms at least partially a foot of each jack of a trailer to assist in the landing of the trailer over a receiving surface. The jack foot sole is configured to provide resistance to sliding over the receiving surface despite the mechanical constraints that are imposed to the trailer during landing and (un)loading thereof.

[0070] Referring to Figure 1, the jack foot sole 2 includes a main body 4 being a two- part main body comprising a landing portion 6 being made of a material having a static9005795-0024coefficient of friction (COF) that is sufficiently high to provide resistance to sliding over the receiving surface (not shown). The main body 4 further comprises a connecting portion 8 extending from the landing portion 6, with the connecting portion 8 being made of a rigid material.

[0071] Referring to the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the jack foot sole 2 further includes an attachment assembly 14 to secure the main body 4 to a jack (for instance to a distal end of a jack) via its connecting portion 8. The attachment assembly 14 includes an anchor plate 16 being fully embedded in the rigid connecting portion 8 of the main body, and at least one anchor member 18 being secured to the anchor plate 16 and protruding outwardly from the proximal surface 10 of the connecting portion 8 of the main body 4.

[0072] As detailed below, the distal end of a jack could be formed, for instance and without being limitative, by a distal end of a jack body (or jack leg) of the jack, for instance when a jack foot is at least partially formed integral with the jack foot sole; the distal end of the jack could also be formed by a portion of the jack foot (for instance a distal end thereof) when the jack foot sole is shaped and dimensioned to be secured to the jack foot (i.e., when the jack foot sole is engageable with the jack foot via the attachment assembly of the jack foot sole).

[0073] The anchor plate 16 of the attachment assembly 14 is said to be fully embedded within the connecting portion 8 of the main body 4 such that the whole surface of the anchor plate 16 is contacted by and bounded to the rigid material of the connecting portion 8, with the anchor plate 16 not being visible from an external surface of the main body.

[0074] Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the jack foot sole where the attachment assembly 14 includes the anchor plate 16 and at least two fasteners 18. This embodiment is tailored for securing of the jack foot sole to a jack foot of the jack via the fasteners. Figure 3 shows the embodiment of the jack foot sole of Figures 1 and 2 being secured to a jack foot 20 defining a cavity 22 being sized and shaped to receive the distal end of the jack (the distal end of the jack leg, in the embodiment shown). The jack foot and the jack foot sole form together a jack foot assembly 100 in accordance with a first embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the jack foot 20 comprises a distal portion10005795-002421, the attachment assembly 14 being secured to the distal portion 21 of the jack foot20, and a proximal portion 23 operatively couplable with the distal end of the jack leg. The proximal portion 23 comprises the leg-receiving cavity 22.

[0075] In the embodiment shown, the distal portion 21 comprises a sole-securing plate 25 with sole-securing holes formed therein, the at least one anchor member being engaged with at least one of the sole-securing holes. For instance, the at least one anchor member comprises at least two fasteners 18 being secured to or at least partially formed integral with the anchor plate and protruding outwardly from the proximal surface of the main body 4, wherein each fastener is adapted to engage a corresponding one of the sole-securing holes formed in the sole-securing plate 25.

[0076] Figures 4 to 6 show the embodiment of the jack foot sole of Figures 1 and 2 being secured to another design of a jack foot 20’, and forming together a jack foot assembly 100’ in accordance with a second embodiment. The proximal portion 23’ of the jack foot 20’ includes spaced-apart plates defining a gap therebetween to receive the distal end of the body of jack (not shown - for instance the distal end of the jack leg) which is further secured via insertion of a rod 36. In the embodiment shown, each of the first and second spaced-apart plates defines at least one hole in register with each other that is shaped and dimensioned to engage a jack-securing mechanism engageable the distal end of the jack leg. The distal portion 2T of the jack foot 20’ also comprises a solesecuring plate 25’ with sole-securing holes formed therein.

[0077] Although not shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is understood that the anchor plate can be provided with a number of holes corresponding to the number of fasteners of the attachment assembly, such that the fasteners are inserted through the anchor plate via the holes before the fasteners being partly embedded within the main body. Figure 2 shows a head portion of at least two bolts 18 being embedded in the rigid material of the connection portion 8 and inserted through the anchor plate 16.

[0078] In other embodiments, the attachment assembly can be all or part of a jack foot including an end plate serving as the anchor plate and at least one anchor member defining a gap or cavity to receive the distal end of the jack (for instance the distal end of the jack leg). In other words, in another embodiment, the proximal and the distal portions of the jack foot are formed integral respectively with the at least one anchor member and11005795-0024the anchor plate of the jack foot sole. Figures 7 to 11 show embodiments of the jack foot assembly wherein the jack foot sole includes at least partially the jack foot as the attachment assembly 14 with the at least one anchor member 17 being two spaced apart plates defining a gap therebetween.

[0079] Figure 9 shows the embodiment of the jack foot sole 2 and jack foot assembly 100” of Figures 7 and 8 being secured to a distal end 30 of the jack leg. The jack foot sole 2 with the attachment assembly 14 and the jack foot form together the jack foot assembly that is securable to the distal end 30 of the jack leg. They form together a jack assembly 200.

[0080] Jack feet known by one skilled in the art can be partially embedded in the main body and adhesion of the main body to at least the anchor plate of the jack foot can be rendered possible via vulcanization of the main body as described herein. It is further noted that features of the jack foot sole described in relation to jacks for trailers can be easily and directed adapted to any jack designs encountered in the field of landing gears (not limited to landing gears for trailers).Materials

[0081] The landing portion 6 of the main body 4 is made of a material having a static coefficient of friction (COF) that is sufficiently high to provide resistance to sliding over the receiving surface (i.e. , avoid motion of the main body 4 with respect to the receiving surface), when the trailer is subjected to the mechanical constraints of typical trailer operations including landing of the trailer to the dock and (un)loading of the trailer.

[0082] For example, for a standard trailer, when the receiving surface is the concrete surface of the dock, the static COF of the material of the landing portion 6 can be of at least about 0.6. The landing portion 6 of the main body 4 is thus designed to control friction of the main body 4 over the receiving surface, absorb any vibrations and ensure stability of the trailer jacks when landed onto the receiving surface via the jack foot sole 2.

[0083] The connecting portion 8 of the main body 4 is made of a rigid material having a hardness that is sufficient to resist deformation from a load applied by the trailer and to resist abrasion of a corresponding jack, when connected to the jack foot. In some12005795-0024implementations, the rigid material can be an elastomer having a hardness of at least about 80 (on a Shore A hardness scale).

[0084] In some embodiments, the landing portion 6 of the main body 4 is made of a viscoelastic material. For example, the landing portion of the main body can be made of an elastomer. For example, the elastomer can include natural rubber, polyurethane, polybutadiene, neoprene, silicone and any combinations thereof.

[0085] The viscoelasticity of the landing portion is beneficial during several use phases of the jack foot sole including the landing phase of a trailer at a dock and the loading / unloading phases of the trailer with a forklift. The viscoelasticity of the landing portion material allows absorbing and further dissipating any energy generated upon applying loads to the jack foot sole or and / or subjecting the latter to mechanical stresses.

[0086] More particularly, maximum mechanical stresses induced during the loading / unloading phases are encountered when the forklift, with or without its load, decelerates (during braking) or accelerates within the trailer. These mechanical stresses are applied on the jack foot sole as two components: a vertical component that adds to gravity (mass), thus increasing friction resistance, and a horizontal component that can favor sliding of the sole if this horizontal component is greater than the static coefficient of friction of the landing portion.

[0087] In some embodiments, the landing portion 6 is made of a first elastomer and the connecting portion 8 is made of a second elastomer, the second elastomer having a hardness being higher than that of the first elastomer. In some embodiments, the connecting portion can include an elastomer and reinforcing fibers to form the rigid material.

[0088] In some embodiments, the landing portion 6 of the main body is made of a first vulcanized rubber obtained by vulcanization of a first unvulcanized rubber composition, and the connecting portion 8 of the main body is made of a second vulcanized rubber obtained by vulcanization of a second unvulcanized rubber composition. In some embodiments, the main body 4 is a vulcanized rubber body having two different hardnesses defining the landing portion and the connecting portion respectively. It is noted that the rubber body can result from the vulcanization of two unvulcanized rubber compositions with the attachment assembly being partly embedded therein.13005795-0024

[0089] In some embodiments, the jack foot sole can be produced by positioning within a mold, the attachment assembly such as the anchor plate provided with the fasteners inserted through the holes of the anchor plate, the first unvulcanized rubber composition for forming the landing portion, and the second unvulcanized rubber composition for forming the connecting portion, and then performing vulcanization according to techniques available to those skilled in the art.

[0090] In some embodiments, the landing portion can be made of a first polyurethane and the connecting portion can be made of a second polyurethane. The jack foot sole can be produced by positioning the attachment assembly within a mold. A first two- component mixture can be poured within the mold for forming the landing portion, and the pouring step is repeated with a second two-component mixture to form the connection portion. Once poured and superposed in the mold, a curing by exothermic reaction of the first and second two-component mixtures forms a first solidified polyurethane portion serving as the landing portion and second solidified polyurethane portion serving as the connecting portion. The substantially simultaneous curing of the first and second two-component mixtures confer strength to the resulting main body. The first polyurethane can be selected to have a hardness between about 50 and 70 on a Shore A hardness scale, for example a hardness of 60 on a Shore A hardness scale. The second polyurethane can be selected to have a hardness of at least about 80 on a Shore A hardness scale.

[0091] Although embodiments of the main body are described as including a landing portion and a connecting portion made of tailored materials, the jack foot sole can be made of a same viscoelastic material serving as both the landing portion and the connecting portion.

[0092] In some embodiments, the anchor plate is made of any rigid polymer or metal. For example, the anchor plate is a steel plate, a stainless-steel plate or an aluminum plate. For example, the anchor plate is a stainless-steel plate.

[0093] In some embodiments, the at least one anchor member is made of any rigid polymer or metal. For example, the at least one anchor member is made of steel, stainless-steel, aluminum, or a combination thereof.14005795-0024

[0094] In some embodiments, the at least one anchor member of the attachment assembly can include at least three fasteners. In some embodiments, the at least one anchor member can include at least four fasteners. It is noted that the number of fasteners can be selected in accordance with a size and shape of the proximal surface 10 of the connecting portion 8 to ensure adequate securing of the jack foot sole to the jack foot via the connecting portion. The multiple fasteners (at least two) can be distributed with respect to the proximal surface 10 of the connecting portion 8 in various fashions so as to ensure strength and suitability of the connection between the jack foot sole and the distal end of the jack foot. It is noted that the distal end of the jack foot is typically an end plate including holes to receive the corresponding fasteners of the jack foot sole. In some embodiments, each fastener of the attachment assembly is a bolt. In some embodiments, each bolt is a carriage bolt or coach bolt.

[0095] In some other embodiments, as shown in Figure 7 and 8, the at least one anchor member 17 of the attachment assembly can for example be a pair of spacedapart plates 24 extending from the anchor plate 16 and having at least a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body 4 as shown in Figure 8, thereby defining a gap 26 to receive the distal end of the jack therebetween. As mentioned above, in the embodiment of Figures 7-9, the proximal portion of the jack foot is formed integral with the spaced-apart plates 24 and is configured to secure the jack foot assembly to the distal end of the jack via the at least one anchor member. For example, the pair of plates 24 can be welded to the anchor plate 16. In said embodiments, the attachment assembly is or forms at least part of the jack foot of the trailer jack which allow minimizing the number of parts required for the connection to the jack, as the jack foot is directly partially embedded in the main body to at least partially form the jack foot sole.

[0096] Each plate 24 can define at least one hole 32 that is sized to engage a fastening mechanism (e.g., a fastener) for securing onto the distal end 30 of the jack leg as shown in Figure 9.

[0097] The at least one anchor member 17 of the attachment assembly can have various designs in accordance with the design of the jack foot being used as the attachment assembly 14. For example, Figures 10 and 11 show another implementation of the jack foot assembly 100”’ comprising a jack foot sole wherein the at least one15005795-0024anchor member 17 comprises a pair of spaced apart curved plates 24’, each including an aperture 32’ to receive a rod (not shown) for further securing to the distal end of the jack leg.Dimensions

[0098] It is noted that the main body 4 shown in the embodiment of Figure 1 is sized and shaped to have a rectangular cross-sectional shape, but the dimensions and geometry of the main body 4 can further be selected to define various cross-sectional shapes including rounded, ovoidal, circle, squared, triangular or trapezoidal shapes. The connecting portion 8 of the main body has a proximal surface 10 that is sized and shaped to abut a distal end of the jack foot (not shown in Figure 1). Preferably, the whole proximal surface 10 of the main body 4 is contacting the distal end of the jack foot. It is noted that the distal end of the jack foot is typically an end plate and that the proximal surface 10 is sized and shaped in accordance with the surface of such end plate. The landing portion 6 of the main body has a distal surface 12 that is shaped to abut and frictionally engage the receiving surface (e.g. floor of the dock).

[0099] The thickness of the main body is tailored to withstand the typical loads of a trailer and ensure resistance to sliding of the main body via the landing portion over the receiving surface, under various climatic conditions and in accordance with the various types of receiving surfaces such as concrete, gravel, asphalt, wood and / or metal.

[0100] In some embodiments, the ratio of the thickness of the landing portion with respect to the thickness of the connecting portion of the main body can be between about 1 : 1 and about 4: 1.

[0101] In some embodiments, the thickness of the main body 4 varies across a length or width of the main body 4 to provide the distal surface 12 of the main body 4 at an angle with respect to the proximal surface 10 of the main body 4. For example, the angle can be between about 2 degrees and about 10 degrees. Advantageously, the jack foot sole can be landed onto the receiving surface (e.g., the dock surface) to position the thinnest part of the main body away from the trailer and the thickest part of the main body facing the trailer, thereby providing enhanced frictional engagement and resistance to sliding when the trailer is forced away from the dock.16005795-0024

[0102] In some embodiments, frictional engagement of the landing portion of the main body with the receiving surface can be further enhanced by providing surface irregularities, such as grooves or fluting, in the distal surface 12.

[0103] In some embodiments, one or more holes / channels can be defined in at least one of the landing portion 6, connection portion 8 or main body 4, with each hole / channel extending in a direction perpendicular to a length of the trailer, to facilitate energy dissipation under impacts during (un)loading.

[0104] The end plate of a standard jack foot that is encountered on trailers is made of metal which does not offer sufficient coefficient of friction with the receiving surface to avoid sliding of the trailer when other securing known device fail. By its composition and construction, the jack foot sole described herein is securable to each jack of the trailer to provide enhanced resistance to sliding over the receiving surface when landing the trailer on the receiving surface and when (un)loading the trailer. By being directly secured onto the distal end of each jack foot of the trailer and being connected to or forming at least part of the jack foot, the jack foot sole is readily available when the jacks are deployed for operation of the trailer (docking and staging). In addition, the jack foot sole provides additional resistance to sliding and absorption of vibrations in a challenging section of the trailer (where the jacks are provided) which undergoes a lot of mechanical constraints due to the back and forth of the forklift for (un)loading the trailer. The landing portion of the jack foot is further advantageously configured to absorb the impact caused by the landing of the jack to the receiving surface, thereby protecting the structural integrity of the jacks and trailer.

[0105] More particularly, because the horizontal component of the load being applied to the main body of the jack foot sole does not exceed the static coefficient of friction of the landing portion, the horizontal component of the load is applied to the main body of the jack foot sole as a shear force. The applied shear force causes deformation of the landing portion of the main body and allows absorbed energy to be dissipated without causing slippage of the main body. When the load application ceases, the landing portion of the main body can return to its original shape and allows the trailer to move slightly back to its original position.17005795-0024

[0106] It is noted that the distal end of a jack can refer herein to the end plate of a jack foot or can refer to a distal end portion of a jack pole of the jack (or distal end portion of a body of the jack, or distal end of a jack leg).

[0107] It should be understood the attachment assembly can be designed as the foot of a jack itself (or at least a part thereof), with the typical end plate of the jack foot serving the anchor plate being embedded in the main body and a connector of the jack foot serving as the at least one anchor member protruding from the main body. The jack foot sole as encompassed herein can thus be manufactured by partially embedding a jack foot within the two-part main body. The attachment assembly can alternatively be distinct from and operatively connectable to the jack food (for instance, the distal end portion thereof).

[0108] Figures 7 to 11 provide schematic views of two example jack foot configurations that can be partially embedded within the main body via at least the end / anchor plate of the jack foot. For example, the at least one anchor member can be sized and shaped to define a cavity to receive the distal end of the jack.

[0109] It should be noted that the same numerical references refer to similar elements. Furthermore, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, namely so as to not unduly burden the figures with several references numbers, not all figures contain references to all the components and features, and references to some components and features may be found in only one figure, and components and features of the present disclosure which are illustrated in other figures can be easily inferred therefrom. The embodiments, geometrical configurations, materials mentioned and / or dimensions shown in the figures are optional, and are given for exemplification purposes only. Therefore, the descriptions, examples, methods and materials presented in the claims and the specification are not to be construed as limiting but rather as illustrative only.

[0110] It is worth mentioning that throughout the following description when the article “a” is used to introduce an element it does not have the meaning of “only one” it rather means of “one or more”. For instance, the unit according to the invention can be provided with one or more reaction and / or separation chamber, one or more confining openwork structure, etc. without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood that where the specification states that a component, feature, structure,18005795-0024or characteristic “may”, “might”, “can” or “could” be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included.

[0111] Although the embodiments of the jack foot sole and corresponding parts thereof consist of certain geometrical configurations as explained and illustrated herein, not all of these components and geometries are essential and thus should not be taken in their restrictive sense. It is to be understood, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art, that other suitable components and cooperation thereinbetween, as well as other suitable geometrical configurations, may be used for the jack foot sole as being briefly explained herein and as can be easily inferred herefrom by a person skilled in the art. Moreover, it will be appreciated that positional descriptions such as “distal”, “proximal”, and the like should, unless otherwise indicated, be taken in the context of the figures and should not be considered limiting.

[0112] In the following description, the term “about” means within an acceptable error range for the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, which will depend in part on how the value is measured or determined, i.e. the limitations of the measurement system. It is commonly accepted that a 10% precision measure is acceptable and encompasses the term “about”.

[0113] In the above description, an embodiment is an example or implementation of the inventions. The various appearances of “one embodiment,” “an embodiment” or “some embodiments” do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiments. Although various features of the invention may be described in the context of a single embodiment, the features may also be provided separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although the invention may be described herein in the context of separate embodiments for clarity, the invention may also be implemented in a single embodiment.19005795-0024

Claims

CLAIMS1. A jack foot sole securable to a distal end of a jack of a trailer, the jack foot sole comprising: a main body comprising: a landing portion being made of a material having a static coefficient of friction (COF) that is sufficiently high to provide resistance to sliding over the receiving surface, and a connecting portion extending from the landing portion, wherein the connecting portion is made of a rigid material; and an attachment assembly comprising: an anchor plate being fully embedded in the connecting portion of the main body, and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate and having a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body, wherein the at least one anchor member is adapted to engage the distal end of the jack.

2. The jack foot sole of claim 1 , wherein the at least one anchor member is made of a rigid polymer or metal.

3. The jack foot sole of claim 2, wherein the at least one anchor member is made of at least one of steel, stainless-steel and aluminum.

4. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one anchor member comprises at least two fasteners being secured to or at least partially formed integral with the anchor plate and protruding outwardly from the proximal20005795-0024surface of the main body, wherein each of said at least two fasteners is adapted to engage the distal end of the jack.

5. The jack foot sole of claim 4, wherein the at least two fasteners comprise a bolt.

6. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one anchor member comprises a pair of spaced-apart plates secured to or at least partially formed integral with the anchor plate and having at least a portion thereof protruding outwardly from the proximal surface of the main body, thereby defining a gap to receive the distal end of the jack therebetween for further securing of the jack.

7. The jack foot sole of claim 6, wherein the pair of spaced-apart plates is welded to the anchor plate.

8. The jack foot sole of claim 6 or 7, wherein each plate defines at least one jacksecuring hole in register with each other and shaped and dimensioned to engage a jack-securing mechanism engageable with the distal end of the jack.

9. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the main body has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape.

10. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a ratio of a thickness of the landing portion with respect to a thickness of the connecting portion is comprised between about 1:1 and about 4:1.

11. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a thickness of the main body varies across at least one of a length and a width of the main body to provide a distal surface of the main body at an angle with respect to the proximal surface of the main body.

12. The jack foot sole of claim 11, wherein the angle is comprised between about 2 degrees and about 10 degrees.

13. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein grooves or fluting are formed in a distal surface of the main body.21005795-002414. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein at least one of a hole and a channel is formed in at least one of the landing portion and the connecting portion.

15. The jack foot sole of claim 14, wherein said at least one of a hole and a channel extends in a direction perpendicular to a length of a trailer when in use.

16. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the static COF of the material of the landing portion is at least about 0.6.

17. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the material of the landing portion has a hardness between about 50 and 70 on a Shore A hardness scale.

18. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the rigid material of the connecting portion has a hardness of at least about 80 Shore A.

19. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the landing portion is made of a first polyurethane and the connecting portion is made of a second polyurethane.

20. The jack foot sole of claim 19, wherein the landing portion is made of a first elastomer and the connecting portion is made of a second elastomer, the second elastomer having a hardness being higher than that of the first elastomer.

21. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the connecting portion is at least partially made of an elastomer and reinforcing fibers.

22. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the main body is a vulcanized rubber body having two different hardnesses defining the landing portion and the connecting portion respectively.

23. The jack foot sole of any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the anchor plate is made of a rigid polymer or metal.

24. The jack foot sole of claim 23, wherein the anchor plate is at least one of a steel plate, a stainless-steel plate and an aluminum plate.22005795-002425. A jack foot assembly comprising: a jack foot securable to a distal end of a jack leg; and a jack foot sole comprising: a main body comprising: a landing portion being made of a material having a static coefficient of friction (COF) that is sufficiently high to provide resistance to sliding over the receiving surface, and a connecting portion extending from the landing portion, wherein the connecting portion is made of a rigid material; and an attachment assembly comprising: an anchor plate being fully embedded in the connecting portion of the main body, and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate and having a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body, wherein the at least one anchor member is secured to or is formed integral with the jack foot.

26. The jack foot assembly of claim 25, wherein the jack foot comprises a distal portion, the attachment assembly being secured to or formed integral with the distal portion of the jack foot, wherein the jack foot further comprises a proximal portion operatively couplable with the distal end of the jack leg.

27. The jack foot assembly of claim 26, wherein the proximal portion of the jack foot defines a leg-receiving cavity shaped and dimensioned to receive at least part of the distal end of the jack leg.

28. The jack foot assembly of claim 26, wherein the proximal portion of the jack foot comprises first and second spaced-apart plates defining a gap therebetween to receive the distal end of the jack leg.23005795-002429. The jack foot assembly of claim 28, wherein each of the first and second plates defines at least one hole in register with each other that is shaped and dimensioned to engage a jack-securing mechanism engageable the distal end of the jack leg.

30. The jack foot assembly of claim 28 or 29, wherein at least one of the first and second plates is at least partially formed by said at least one anchor member.

31. The jack foot assembly of claim 30, wherein said at least one anchor member comprises first and second spaced-apart anchor members forming respectively the first and second plates.

32. The jack foot assembly of claim 31, wherein the first and second spaced-apart plates are welded to the anchor plate.

33. The jack foot assembly of any one of claims 28 to 32, wherein the proximal and the distal portions of the jack foot are formed integral respectively with the at least one anchor member and the anchor plate.

34. The jack foot assembly of claim 26, wherein said at least one anchor member is secured to the distal portion of the jack foot.

35. The jack foot assembly of claim 34, wherein the distal portion of the jack foot comprises a sole-securing plate with sole-securing holes formed therein, the at least one anchor member being engaged with at least one of the sole-securing holes.

36. The jack foot assembly of claim 35, wherein the at least one anchor member comprises at least two fasteners being secured to or at least partially formed integral with the anchor plate and protruding outwardly from the proximal surface of the main body, wherein each fastener is adapted to engage a corresponding one of the sole-securing holes formed in the sole-securing plate.

37. The jack foot assembly of any one of claims 25 to 36, wherein a thickness of the main body varies across at least one of a length and a width of the main body to provide a distal surface of the main body at an angle with respect to the proximal surface of the main body.24005795-002438. The jack foot assembly of any one of claims 25 to 37, wherein the static COF of the material of the landing portion is at least about 0.6.

39. The jack foot assembly of any one of claims 25 to 38, wherein the material of the landing portion has a hardness between about 50 and 70 on a Shore A hardness scale.

40. The jack foot assembly of any one of claims 25 to 39, wherein the rigid material of the connecting portion has a hardness of at least about 80 Shore A.

41. The jack foot assembly of any one of claims 25 to 40, wherein the landing portion is made of a first polyurethane and the connecting portion is made of a second polyurethane.

42. A jack assembly, comprising: a jack leg having a distal end; and a jack foot assembly of any one of claims 25 to 41, wherein the jack foot is secured to the distal end of the jack leg.

43. A method for forming a composite jack foot sole, comprising: positioning within a mold an attachment assembly comprising an anchor plate and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate, wherein the at least one anchor member is adapted to engage a distal end of a jack; positioning within the mold first and second unvulcanized rubber compositions; and vulcanizing the first and second rubber compositions to form respectively a landing portion and a connecting portion of a main body of the jack foot sole, wherein the anchor plate is fully embedded in the connecting portion and wherein the at least one anchor member has a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body.

44. A method for forming a composite jack foot sole, comprising:25005795-0024positioning within a mold an attachment assembly comprising an anchor plate and at least one anchor member operatively connected to the anchor plate, wherein the at least one anchor member is adapted to engage a distal end of a jack; pouring within the mold first and second two-component mixtures; and curing by exothermic reaction the first and second two-component mixtures so as to form a first solidified polyurethane portion serving and a second solidified polyurethane portion forming respectively a landing portion and a connecting portion of a main body of the jack foot sole, wherein the anchor plate is fully embedded in the connecting portion and wherein the at least one anchor member has a portion thereof protruding outwardly from a proximal surface of the main body.26005795-0024

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