Dock Leveler Leg Bracket Height Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dock leveler designs face challenges in installation efficiency, stability, and longevity due to the need for shimming and lack of adjustability, particularly when dealing with variations in pit or dock leveler specifications, leading to increased maintenance and costs.
Innovation Solution
The proposed dock leveler design incorporates a bridge assembly with a pivotally movable lip, an adjustable leg bracket assembly featuring a threaded adjustment shaft, and a lip keeper system that allows for adjustment relative to the beam, enhancing stability and simplifying installation by reducing the number of parts and eliminating the need for shimming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If shimming is used to level and stabilize the dock leveler, then installation can be completed, but the installation process requires significant time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the leg bracket assembly height-adjustable through a threaded rod mechanism. This allows the installation height to be dynamically changed during installation, eliminating the need for static shimming procedures. The adjustable height feature enables the dock leveler to adapt to varying pit depths and dock heights, significantly reducing installation time and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by allowing the leg bracket assembly height to be varied through rotation of the threaded rod. This parameter adjustment capability enables the system to accommodate different installation conditions without requiring additional shimming materials or complex adjustment procedures, thereby reducing installation time and effort.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the dock leveler is designed to accommodate specifications outside standard ranges, then adaptability improves, but the system requires additional adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the leg bracket assembly with a threaded rod adjustment mechanism that serves multiple functions: it adjusts the height to accommodate various pit depths, compensates for uneven surfaces, and stabilizes the assembly in different positions. This single multi-functional mechanism replaces what would otherwise require multiple specialized components, maintaining adaptability while controlling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic adjustability of the leg bracket assembly through the threaded rod mechanism enables the system to adapt to specification variations outside standard ranges. The height can be continuously adjusted to match different dock and pit configurations, providing broad adaptability without requiring multiple fixed-height components or complex adjustment systems.
3Reliability
If multiple parts are used in the leg bracket assembly, then adjustability and stability improve, but the number of parts requiring installation and maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating the height adjustment mechanism directly into the leg bracket assembly structure. The threaded rod is incorporated as an integral component of the leg bracket, allowing height adjustment without requiring separate adjustment mechanisms or additional parts. This consolidation maintains the stability and adjustability benefits while reducing the total number of parts that need to be installed and maintained.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design improves installation efficiency, increases stability, and reduces maintenance costs by allowing for easier adjustments and optimal positioning of the dock leveler, accommodating various specifications without the need for shimming, thus enhancing the overall performance and longevity of the system.
Implementation Method 1
The threaded adjustment shaft may extend through the threaded hole of the horizontal plate and may be configured to adjust a height of the leg bracket assembly by rotation of the adjustment shaft relative to the horizontal plate
Data Source
AI summary
A dock leveler that fits within a loading dock. In some embodiments, the dock leveler may include a leg bracket assembly couplable to a back wall of the dock and a deck. The leg bracket assembly may include a deck hinge shaft. The deck may include a deck platform having a back end and a front end and a beam coupled to a bottom surface of the deck platform. The deck may include a C-shaped profile, a first end coupled to the bottom surface of the deck platform proximate to the back end, and a second end coupled to the bottom surface of the deck platform proximate to the front end. The first end of the beam may include an extension having a cutout shaped to fit around the deck hinge shaft