Frameless Dock Leveler Structure to Prevent Debris Traps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dock leveler designs are cumbersome to install, prone to trapping debris, and have weak points that break easily under heavy loads, requiring dangerous maintenance and increased cleaning efforts.
Innovation Solution
A frameless dock leveler design with a rear leg bracket, deck, and lift arm assembly that fits into a loading dock pit, featuring independent components like lip keepers and a lift arm assembly that minimize debris trapping and structural weaknesses, allowing for easier installation and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a large steel frame is used to provide stability and connection points, then structural strength and stability are improved, but installation complexity and danger increase, and maintenance requires crawling under the heavy deck
Solution Approach 1:
The dock leveler is divided into separate modular components: a deck assembly, a leg bracket assembly, and a lip assembly. These modules can be independently manufactured, handled, and installed, eliminating the need for a single large steel frame and reducing installation complexity and safety risks.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a large steel frame is used to provide connection points, then structural stability is improved, but the frame traps free-floating items including garbage requiring cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional enclosed steel frame structure is removed entirely. Instead, the dock leveler uses open-leg bracket assemblies that provide necessary structural stability without creating enclosed spaces where debris can accumulate, eliminating the cleaning requirement.
3Strength
If current installation methods are used with a large steel frame, then structural connection is achieved, but a weak point is created between the dock leveler and dock surface prone to break
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on a single large frame connection, the invention distributes connection points through multiple leg bracket assemblies that attach locally to the dock surface. This creates multiple redundant connection points, eliminating single-point failure and improving overall connection reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A dock leveler that fits within the pit of a loading dock. The dock leveler may have a rear leg bracket including a plurality of legs. The legs may be couplable to a bottom surface of the leg bracket and to a rear wall of the pit and may have a bottom portion attached to the bottom surface of the pit. The dock leveler may have a deck with a rear portion disposed adjacent the rear wall and supported by the rear leg bracket. The deck may be horizontal when in a stowed position. The dock leveler may also include a lift arm assembly extending from the bottom surface of the deck to the bottom surface of the pit and moveable along the bottom surface of the pit. The lift arm assembly may have a bottom portion movable independent of structure at the bottom portion of the plurality of legs.