Removable Dock Barrier With H-Beam Base And Sleeve Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dock barriers are either too flimsy to withstand forklift impacts, costly and permanent, or cumbersome to install and remove, requiring forklift drivers to leave their vehicles and consume valuable time and space.
Innovation Solution
A removable dock barrier featuring an H-beam structure with sleeve-insertion members and post members that can be easily installed and removed, allowing forklift drivers to stay on their vehicles, and includes a method for secure and space-efficient storage using vertical floor sleeves and orientation tabs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If permanent guard rails are used to prevent forklift impacts, then safety and structural strength are improved, but installation cost and complexity increase and the barriers cannot be removed
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier system is divided into separate modular components: base members with H-beam structures, vertical post members, and cross members that can be independently assembled and disassembled. The base members include fork pockets that allow forklift engagement, enabling workers to install and remove barriers using forklifts rather than requiring complex installation procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier components are designed to nest within each other when not in use. Base members can be stored within or alongside vertical post members and cross members, creating a compact storage configuration that eliminates the need for permanent installation while maintaining structural integrity when deployed
2Volume of moving object
If retractable fabric barriers are used to save space, then space efficiency is improved, but barrier strength deteriorates and they cannot stop forklifts traveling several miles per hour
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier employs a composite structural design combining H-beam base members (providing rigid structural support), vertical post members, and cross members. This composite construction achieves the necessary strength to stop forklifts traveling several miles per hour while maintaining a compact form factor that saves storage space when not in use
3Reliability
If manual barrier installation and removal is required, then barrier security is improved, but time consumption and operational disruption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier system is designed to be self-installing and self-removable using the forklift's own forks. The base members include fork pockets that engage with the forklift forks, allowing the forklift to lower itself onto the barrier components and secure them in place without requiring manual installation or removal by workers
Solution Approach 2:
The forklift serves multiple functions: it transports materials, positions the barrier components during installation, and secures the barriers in place. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate installation tools or manual labor, reducing time consumption while maintaining secure barrier installation
Data Source
AI summary
A barrier for a dock with a dock upper surface terminating in a dock edge and a pair of vertical floor sleeves within the dock having openings at the dock upper surface. The barrier including an elongate base member having an H-beam structure with a horizontal web between two flanges, the base member defining a pair of forklift fork pockets, a pair of sleeve-insertion members extending downwardly from the base member and configured for engagement with the floor sleeves, at least one post member extending upwardly from the base member and a cross-member attached to the at least one post member and spaced above the base member.