Abstract:
A self-adjusting loading dock seal engages a vehicle and facilitates at least one of loading and unloading thereof relative to a loading dock. The loading dock seal includes at least one dock attachment member, a dock seal member, and at least one spring-loaded adjustment member. The dock attachment member is configured for attachment to a loading dock. The dock seal member is positioned above the dock attachment member and is configured for sealingly engaging a vehicle positioned thereagainst. Each spring-loaded adjustment member operatively connects a dock attachment member to the dock seal member, and is configured for facilitating limited vertical movement of the dock seal member relative to the dock attachment member.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PENDING APPLICATION 
   This application hereby claims the benefit and priority under Title 35, United States Code §119(e) of United States Provisional Application No. 60/347,430 filed on Jan. 10, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a loading dock seal provided at the opening or doorway of a building to facilitate loading or unloading of trucks or trailers, and more particularly to a lower dock seal which engages the lower portion of the truck or trailer while self-adjusting for potential vertical vehicle movement. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Conventional parcel delivery trucks and trailers typically do not utilize forklifts for unloading or loading parcels on the truck or trailer. As such, parcels are thereby moved by hand and necessitate the human unloader or loader to traverse the interface gap between the loading dock and the vehicle bed or bumper. The gap is typically formed between the parked truck or trailer and the dock through which parcels may fall, or insects, rodents, or the environment (rain, snow, cold, heat) may pass. Stationary dock seals suffer from damage by the rear of the vehicle or trailer moving up or down during the loading or unloading process. 
   The present invention solves the above problems by forming a self-adjusting lower dock seal. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, a dock seal attached to the loading dock is constructed which sealably maintains engagement with the rear or bottom of the doorway or bed of trucks, trailers, or other vehicles. The self-adjusting lower loading dock seal of the present invention provides a safe, gap-free area which seals out insects, rodents, and the environment, while further preventing lose debris or parcels from passing through the gap from or to the ground below. The present invention further eases the loaders and unloaders transition to or from the rear of the truck or trailer to the loading dock. 
   In one embodiment, the lower loading dock seal includes a plurality of (e.g., two) self-adjusting, leveling spring actuated brackets which are attached to the lower face of the doorway or opening of the building to facilitate the loading or unloading of trucks or trailers. The lower dock seal further includes a compressible foam or rubber core bonded to a back assembly or board, the width being that desired of the doorway opening. The board and core are typically covered with a protective outer covering to protect it from the environment. This compressible lower loading dock seal member is attached to the self-adjusting spring actuated brackets by fasteners such as bolts. 
   In another general embodiment, a self-adjusting loading dock seal for engaging a vehicle and facilitating at least one of loading and unloading thereof relative to a loading dock is disclosed. The loading dock seal comprises at least one dock attachment member configured for attachment to the loading dock, a dock seal member positioned above the dock attachment member and configured for sealingly engaging a vehicle positioned thereagainst, and at least one spring-loaded adjustment member operatively connecting one the dock attachment member to said dock seal member. Each spring-loaded adjustment member is configured for facilitating limited vertical movement of the dock seal member relative to the dock attachment member. 
   As the rear portion of the truck, trailer, or vehicle constantly has the potential to move vertically up and down while it is positioned at the doorway for loading or unloading, the weight or products being loaded or unloaded from the truck can cause the vehicle&#39;s vertical position to change due to the suspension of the vehicle moving up and down during the process of loading or unloading. 
   One advantage of the present invention is that the spring actuated, self-adjusting brackets, accommodate vertical vehicle movement, eliminating or at least reducing wear between the dock seal and vehicle and providing a level, sealed transition from the truck, trailer, or vehicle to the loading dock floor area. 
   Another advantage of the present invention, in one form, is that the gap between the truck, trailer, or vehicle bed is now sealed to the loading dock during the loading or unloading process. Such elimination of the previous gap discourages articles from falling through along with discouraging insects, rodents, or environment factors from passing through the gap. 
   Still another advantage of the present invention is that it eases the transition to and from the rear of the truck, trailer, or vehicle for various loading or unloading personnel. 
   Yet another advantage of the present invention is that spring loaded brackets automatically compensate for vertical movement of the vehicle during the unloading or loading process. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of the dock seal attachment bracket assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the attachment bracket assembly of  FIG. 1  in the lower position; 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the attachment bracket assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the T-bracket assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the bottom dock seal; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the bottom dock seal of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a plan view of the bottom dock seal of  FIG. 5 ; and 
       FIG. 8  is a front elevational view of one form of the present invention attached to a loading dock. 
   

   Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a self-adjusting lower loading dock seal  10  attached to the front portion (loading dock front surface  22 ) of a loading dock or building to which a truck, trailer, or vehicle (not shown) is parked against for loading or unloading of parcels or products. U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/347,430 by the present inventors is hereby explicitly incorporated by reference. 
   The self-adjusting lower loading dock seal assembly  10  includes three main parts: a dock seal attachment bracket assembly member  20  (as shown in  FIG. 1 , two used per assembly  10 ), a spring loaded adjustment member such as a T-bracket member  40  (shown in  FIG. 4 , one per member  20 ), and a resilient bottom seal member  60  (shown in FIG.  5 ). 
   The assembly view of the present invention, in one form (as shown in FIG.  8 ), shows the dock seal attachment bracket assemblies  20  attached to a portion of loading dock front surface  22 . T-bracket members  40  interfit within attachment bracket assembly  20  and are connected to resilient bottom seal member  60 , thus allowing resilient bottom seal member  60  to move vertically upwards and downwards relative to attachment bracket assembly or member  20  during potential vehicle movement, assuming the frictional contact between the vehicle and the seal member is great enough. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , an enlarged view of dock seal attachment bracket assembly  20  is shown with an interfit T-bracket member  40 . Attachment bracket assembly  20  includes a receiving tube, such as square tube section  24  for receiving both a biasing means  26  and a downwardly extending member  42  of T-bracket member  40 . Square tube  24  contains biasing means  26 , such as coil springs or other type(s) of spring members, to give the functionality of biasing self-adjustment of the vertical location to the downward extending member  42  and also to the resilient bottom seal member  60 . A safety catch  44  is attached to downwardly extending member  42  to prevent downwardly extending member  42  from being entirely withdrawn vertically through square tube  24  when T-bracket  40  and seal member  60  are possibly lifted by upward vehicle movement. Although receiving tube  24  is identified as being a square tube, alternate geometries may be utilized. Receiving tube  24  is attached to a left mounting bracket  28  as by typical fasteners. A right mounting bracket  30  is attached to a laminated rubber bumper  32 , which is attached to the right side of receiving tube  24 . Rubber bumper  32  provides for cushion during the initial contact with the parcel truck, trailer, or vehicle backed up or parked against loading dock front surface  22 . 
   Operation of the attachment bracket assembly  20  as shown in  FIG. 1  is indicated in its non-biased, central position.  FIG. 2  shows the same attachment bracket assembly in which the downwardly extending member  42  is displaced further vertically downwardly into receiving tube  24 , thereby lowering resilient bottom seal member  60 , as would occur during vehicle movement during a loading process, assuming the vehicle was in sufficient frictional contact or other suitable engagement with the bottom seal member. 
   Alternatively, in an unloading process, downwardly extending member  42  may be raised further out of receiving tube  24  up to the limit of safety catch  44 , thereby being caught by a catch member shown by hidden line  34 . The interfitting of safety catch  44  with catch member  34  prevents removal of downward extending member  42  from receiving tube  24  during the loading or unloading operation of the adjacently parked truck, trailer, or vehicle. 
   Brackets  28  and  30  include bores  36  for passing of fasteners or bolts through the mounting bracket into the loading dock front service  22 . Alternatively other attachment means maybe utilized. 
   As seen from the bottom view of attachment bracket assembly  20  (FIG.  3 ), a retaining member  38  is attached across the bottom opening of receiving tube  24  to contain biasing means or spring  26 . Retaining member  38 , mounting brackets  30 ,  32 , and receiving tube  24  may all be constructed out of a metal such as, for example, steel or aluminum. 
     FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the T-bracket member  40  including downwardly extending member  42 . Downwardly extending member  42  is formed from a metal square tube portion, although other materials and geometries may be utilized. Downwardly extending member  42  further has a safety catch  44  located on the immediate front bottom portion thereof. Angle iron cross member  46  is connected or attached to downwardly extending member  42  along the top surface to provide an engagement surface  48  for attachment to bottom seal member  60 . Alternatively, other geometries may be utilized for creating a connection interface between the downwardly extending member  42  (which slides within receiving tube  24 ) and resilient bottom seal member  60 . 
     FIG. 5  shows a front view of resilient bottom seal member  60  having a left portion  62  and a right portion  64  divided by a void space  66 . Void  66 , between the portion  62  and  64 , permits an operator access to a backdoor handle or other door lock member of a truck, trailer, or vehicle parked sealingly against resilient bottom seal member  60 . A top removable portion  68  overlies the void  66 , thereby creating a complete, flat planar top surface  70 . Planar top surface  70  forms a step to or is co-planar with the loading dock top surface  23 . 
   In one embodiment of bottom seal member  60 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , top removable portion  68  is a flat bar sewn within an access flap of a removable outer skin cover  72  connected to the outer skin cover  74  of bottom seal  60 . The outer skin cover  74  may be made from vinyl, nylon, plastic, urethane, or other materials resistant to the outside environment. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , outer skin cover  74  surrounds the bottom seal member  60 . Bottom seal member  60  includes a high compression core  76  formed of, e.g., urethane foam or a rubber material. High compression core  76  is attached to a metal or wood backing plate member  78 . Backing plate member  78  is connected via fasteners to either cross member  46 , surface  48 , or downwardly extending members  42  to permit vertical movement of downwardly extending member  42  to be communicated to bottom seal member  60 . 
     FIG. 8  shows a front assembly view of the present invention to which a truck, trailer, or vehicle would back to and park. Note rubber bumpers  132  which supplement bumpers  32 . Top removable portion  68  along with void  66  permits the operator to then access the rear vehicle rolling door handle (not shown) for opening of the door of the vehicle. During loading and unloading, removable portion  68  forms a load bearing portion which bridges left portion  62  and right portion  64 , thereby supporting as much load as the other portions of bottom seal member  60 . 
   During the unloading or loading of a vehicle parked against loading dock front surface  22 , resilient bottom seal member  60  seals the gap between the truck or vehicle bed or bumper and the front surface  22 , thereby forming a sealed engagement between the loading dock and the vehicle. During the loading or unloading process, and/or shifting weight within the vehicle, the back portion of the vehicle will raise or lower. Such movement may now be accommodated by the resilient bottom seal  60  moving along the permitted freedom of downward extending member  42  within receiving tube  24 . 
   Access of movement of downwardly extending member  42 , and therefore, resilient bottom seal  60  is limited on the downward side by biasing means  26  and in the upper direction via the safety catch  44  interfitting and catching the catch member  34  across the top portion of receiving tube  24 . In all cases during operation, T-bracket member  40  is held within receiving tube  24 . 
   The present invention offers a self-adjusting system to accommodate vertical movement of the rear of a truck, trailer, or vehicle providing an even seal transition from the back of the truck, trailer, or vehicle to the loading dock floor area. 
   While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.