Rotating Translational Barrier for Vehicle Restraint ICC Bar Engagement

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle restraints at loading docks often face issues with the hook-style restraint catching on the vehicle's ICC bar, preventing disengagement and requiring a 'bump-back' to release the vehicle, which can be inefficient and cause delays.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle restraint system featuring a hook-shaped barrier that rotates between a lowered and raised position, translating laterally to engage and disengage the rear impact guard, utilizing drive units like rack-and-pinion assemblies or powered chain-and-sprocket systems to manage the barrier's movement and relieve pressure, ensuring smooth engagement and disengagement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a hook-style restraint engages the ICC bar to prevent vehicle movement, then vehicle restraint reliability is improved, but the hook may catch on the bar and prevent disengagement, requiring a bump-back operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle restraint reliabilityVSAvoiddisengagement operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The barrier is designed to rotate between a lowered storage position and a raised blocking position, and to translate laterally between forward and rearward positions. This dynamic movement allows the barrier to engage the ICC bar effectively while also releasing it smoothly without requiring a bump-back operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The barrier acts as an intermediary between the restraint system and the ICC bar. By positioning the barrier laterally away from the ICC bar, it mediates the engagement and disengagement process, preventing the hook from catching on the bar while maintaining reliable restraint when engaged.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the barrier translates laterally to engage the ICC bar, then disengagement efficiency is improved, but the mechanism complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisengagement efficiencyVSAvoidmechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotational and translational movements of the barrier are combined into a single integrated mechanism. The barrier rotates and translates simultaneously or sequentially through a unified drive system, achieving efficient engagement and disengagement without requiring separate complex mechanisms for each movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The barrier mechanism serves multiple functions: it blocks vehicle movement when raised, engages and disengages the ICC bar through lateral translation, and returns to storage position through rotation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10689213B2Vehicle restraints with a barrier having rotational and translational motion

Publication Date: 2020.06.23 RITE HITE HLDG CORP

AI summary

Various example vehicle restraints for use at a loading dock for blocking and later releasing a vehicle's rear impact guard. In some examples, the vehicle restraint includes a hook-shaped barrier that rotates between a lowered position and a raised position. The barrier rotates up to block the rear impact guard and rotates down to release it. The barrier also translates or shifts forward and back between a retracted position and an extended position. The barrier shifts forward to relieve forward pressure that the vehicle might exert against the barrier just prior to releasing the rear impact guard.