Flexible Wheel Restraint Strap for Loading Dock Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wheel restraints at loading docks face issues such as slippage on slippery surfaces, difficulty in installation due to driveway irregularities, obstruction by truck or trailer parts, limited accommodation for various wheel diameters, and high costs, leading to inefficiencies and potential damage.
Innovation Solution
A flexible elongate member, such as a retractable strap, is used to restrain a vehicle's wheel, with a wedge chock tethered to an anchor to maintain position and a floor-mounted guide to avoid interference, allowing for easy installation and adaptation to different wheel sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wheel chock is used to restrain a vehicle wheel, then the vehicle is prevented from moving, but the wheel chock may slip on slippery surfaces or become difficult to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible elongate member (strap, cable, or chain) instead of a rigid wheel chock. This flexible member can adapt to slippery surfaces without sliding, and can be easily wrapped around the wheel and secured with a bowline knot, allowing simple installation and removal without the difficulties associated with rigid chocks on various surface conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state from rigid (wheel chock) to flexible (elongate member). This parameter change allows the restraint system to adapt to different wheel sizes, driveway irregularities, and surface conditions while maintaining reliable wheel restraint and ease of operation.
2Extent of automation
If a powered wheel restraint traveling along a track is used, then the wheel restraint can be automated, but it cannot be readily installed at loading docks with drain or driveway irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the track system from powered wheel restraint installations, eliminating the requirement for a rigid track structure. The flexible elongate member can be directly attached to the loading dock and wrapped around the wheel, allowing installation at docks with drains or irregularities where a track cannot be properly installed.
Solution Approach 2:
By using a flexible elongate member instead of a rigid track system, the invention enables installation at loading docks with drainage systems or surface irregularities. The flexibility allows the restraint to conform to the actual dock surface and wheel position without requiring a perfectly smooth track installation.
3Ease of operation
If a wheel chock is made loose for easy installation, then it can be easily placed, but it tends to get misplaced or not permanently attached
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a tensioning mechanism that provides feedback on the restraint's tightness. The elongate member is wrapped around the wheel and secured with a bowline knot, allowing the user to adjust and tension the member to the appropriate degree. This feedback mechanism ensures the wheel restraint is both easily installed and reliably positioned, preventing the chock from becoming misplaced.
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 solution provides a simple, effective, and adaptable means to restrain vehicle wheels at loading docks, preventing accidental movement while minimizing damage and maintenance costs, and accommodating various wheel sizes without obstructing the driveway.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible elongate member to restrain one or more of the vehicle's wheels
Implementation Method 2
a retractable strap wraps at least partially around a vehicle's wheel to retrain the vehicle at a loading dock
Implementation Method 3
a wedge chock tethered to an anchor to maintain position
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel restraint for restraining a vehicle at a loading dock includes a flexible elongate member with one end that can be manually wrapped at least partially around at least one of the vehicle's wheels. The other end of the elongate member is connected to an anchor that is generally fixed relative to the dock. The anchor preferably includes a reel for taking up slack in the elongate member. When the restraint is not in use, the reel can take up and store the elongate member. The restraint preferably provides a signal that indicates whether the wheel is actually restrained. The restraint might also include a wheel chock coupled to the elongate member. A floor-mounted guide can help prevent interference between the elongate member and certain parts of the vehicle.