Wheel Chock with Track-Mounted Automatic Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manual wheel chocks used at loading docks are prone to slipping on slippery surfaces and are often misplaced due to their loose nature, failing to effectively restrain vehicles without permanent attachment to the dock area.
Innovation Solution
A manually operated wheel restraint system featuring a wheel chock attached to a track follower that can move along a track, with a lever-actuated locking mechanism to secure the chock in place, allowing for easy positioning and secure restraint of vehicle wheels, and a design that distributes force directly to the driveway to prevent deformation and slipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wheel chock is used to block the wheel, then the vehicle is restrained from moving, but the chock slips on slippery surfaces like oil, rain, ice, sand, gravel or dirt
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel restraint system is divided into separate functional components: a base element that contacts the driveway surface, a wheel-engaging element that contacts the wheel, and a connecting element. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, with the base element providing stable attachment to the driveway while the wheel-engaging element provides effective wheel restraint.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel-engaging element is positioned within or adjacent to the base element structure, with the connecting element linking them. The components are arranged in a nested or integrated configuration where the wheel-engaging element can be selectively positioned between the driveway and the wheel while remaining structurally connected to the base element.
2Reliability
If a wheel chock is used to block the wheel, then the vehicle is restrained from moving, but the chock is a loose item that does not permanently attach to the loading dock area, so it often gets misplaced
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel restraint system combines the base element, wheel-engaging element, and connecting element into a single integrated assembly that functions as one unit. The locking mechanism further merges these components by creating a locked configuration that prevents relative movement between elements, ensuring the entire system remains in its intended position on the driveway.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions between different states: an unlocked state where components can move relative to each other for deployment and retrieval, and a locked state where components are fixed relative to each other for stable restraint. The locking mechanism enables this dynamic transition, providing both ease of operation and position stability during use.
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 system effectively restrains vehicle wheels at loading docks, preventing unintended movement while minimizing the risk of slipping or deformation, and allows for easy manual operation and retraction, enhancing safety and convenience.
Implementation Method 1
a locking feature to automatically restrict movement of the wheel chock relative to the track
Implementation Method 2
a design that distributes force directly to the driveway to prevent deformation and slipping
Data Source
AI summary
A wheel restraint includes a wheel chock that is manually movable between a retracted position clear of a wheel of a vehicle at a loading dock and an operative position to block the path of the wheel. In the retracted position, the chock can be manually moved freely along a track that is mounted to a driveway of the dock. When the chock is manually moved from its retracted position to its operative position, a locking feature automatically restricts the movement of the chock relative to the track. When the chock is manually moved back to its retracted position, the locking feature automatically disengages. Although the wheel chock is connected to a track, most of the force exerted by the wheel against the chock is transmitted directly from the chock to the driveway.