Patent ID: 12258719

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG.1, a protective barrier100is installed on the ground in a facility such as a warehouse. The protective barrier100is installed adjacent to another, taller barrier102(e.g., a guard rail barrier). Very generally, protective barrier100is configured to maintain a clearance, c between any material handling vehicle that strikes the protective barrier100and the taller barrier102. The clearance, c is configurable based on where the protective barrier100is installed relative to the taller barrier102and a compressibility of the barrier100. In general, the clearance, c is chosen to be a distance that is sufficient to accommodate a person or a limb of a person. If a person or a limb of a person happens to be in the clearance, c when a material handling vehicle strikes the protective barrier100, the person or limb will not be crushed between the protective barrier100and the taller barrier102.

In some examples, the height, h of the protective barrier100is specified to be just tall enough to ensure that a lower part of a material handling vehicle will strike the protective barrier100rather than passing or driving over it. In some examples the height, h is also kept as small as possible to reduce an area where a limb or person could be caught and crushed between the protective barrier100and a stock handling vehicle. In some examples, the width, w of the protective barrier100is large enough to accommodate so workers in the facility can safely step on the protective barrier without risk of injury (e.g., twisting an ankle).

Referring toFIG.2, in some examples, the protective barrier100includes an angle bracket104and an impact absorber106. The angle bracket104is a rigid elongate member with a first elongate leg108and a second elongate leg110. The first elongate leg108has a first edge109extending along its length and the second elongate leg110has a second edge111extending along its length. The first edge109of the first elongate leg108is attached to the second edge111of the second elongate leg110such that the first elongate leg108and the second elongate leg110are arranged substantially perpendicular to one another, resulting in the angle bracket104having an L-shaped cross section.

The first elongate leg108includes a number of through holes112though which fasteners114extend to secure the protective barrier100to a surface (not shown). When the protective barrier is installed on a surface, the first elongate leg108lays on the surface and the fasteners114extend through the through holes112and into the surface, securing the angle bracket104to the surface.

The second elongate leg110includes a number of through holes116thorough which fasteners118extend to secure the impact absorber106to the angle bracket104(as is described in greater detail below.

The impact absorber106is an elongate compressible and/or flexible member configured to be installed on and fastened to the angle bracket104. Referring toFIG.3, the impact absorber106includes a floor-facing surface120, an impact receiving surface126, and a rear surface128.

The floor-facing surface120includes an opening122into an elongate, L-shaped channel124extending along a length of the impact absorber106and sized and shaped to receive the angle bracket104. When the angle bracket104is received in the elongate channel124, the second elongate leg110of the angle bracket104is adjacent to the rear surface128of the impact absorber106and is separated by a distance, d from the impact receiving surface126of the impact absorber. The first elongate leg108extends from the second elongate leg110toward the impact receiving surface126but, in general, does not extend the full distance, d to the impact receiving surface126such that the first elongate leg108remains covered by the impact absorber106.

The impact absorber106is secured to the angle bracket104by inserting the fasteners118into through holes130in the rear surface128of the impact absorber106, through the through holes116in the second elongate leg110, and into the impact absorber106where the fasteners are held (e.g., by a threaded connection).

Referring toFIGS.5and6, in some examples, the interior space of the impact absorber106includes a truss structure137defining voids139that allows the impact absorber106to compress when it is struck. For example, inFIG.5, the impact absorber106is in an uncompressed condition and inFIG.6, the impact absorber is in a compressed condition. InFIG.6, note that, while the impact receiving surface126is compressed and curved (e.g., due to an impact) the rear surface128is not curved due to the presence of the rigid angle bracket104, which prevents or minimizes deformation of the rear surface128.

In some examples, a material thickness of the truss sections can be adjusted to modify the impact absorption properties of the impact absorber106. For example, some or all of the truss sections can be made thicker to make impact absorber able to receive higher energy impacts, or to reduce the amount of possible compression of the impact absorber106. Alternatively, some or all of the truss sections can be made thinner to increase the amount of possible compression of the impact absorber106. In other examples, materials with different flexibilities and/or compressibilities can be used in the impact absorber106to modify its impact absorption properties. In some examples, the impact absorption properties of the impact absorber106are used to control the clearance between stock handling vehicles and barriers, the amount of energy that the barrier can withstand, and how forgiving the barrier is to impacts.

In some examples, patterns other than truss patterns can be used inside of the impact absorber. For example, a honeycomb pattern could be used.

Referring toFIGS.7,8a, and8b, when a material handling vehicle132strikes the protective barrier100, the barrier compresses as inFIG.8brather than “bowing” out as inFIG.8a. Prevention of such bowing (provided by the inclusion of the rigid angle barrier104) is desirable, for example when a pedestrian walkway134is located behind the protective barrier100as inFIG.7.

Referring toFIGS.9-11, another example of a protective barrier900has a design similar to the protective barrier100described above. However, rather than having only one impact absorbing face (as in the protective barrier100ofFIGS.2-4), the protective barrier900has two impact absorbing faces (i.e., it is configured to be impacted on both sides).

In some examples, the protective barrier900includes a T-bracket904and an impact absorber906. The T-bracket904is a rigid elongate member including an elongate mounting plate908with an elongate leg910extending therefrom. An edge909extending along a length of the elongate leg910is attached to the center of the mounting plate908and extends along the length of the mounting plate908. The mounting plate908and the elongate leg910are arranged substantially perpendicular to one another, resulting in the T-bracket904having a T-shaped cross section.

The mounting plate908includes a number of through holes912though which fasteners914extend to secure the protective barrier900to a surface (not shown).

The impact absorber906is an elongate compressible and/or flexible member configured to be installed on and fastened to the T-bracket904. The impact absorber106includes a floor-facing surface920, a first impact receiving surface926, and a second impact-receiving surface928. The impact absorber also includes a number of through holes927extending from its top surface921to its floor-facing surface920.

The floor-facing surface920includes an opening922into an elongate channel924extending along a length of the impact absorber106and sized and shaped to receive the elongate leg910of the T-bracket904(e.g., the elongate channel924is T-shaped). When the elongate leg910is received in the elongate channel924, the elongate leg910extends substantially down the center of the impact absorber908.

When the protective barrier is installed on a surface, the mounting plate908lays on the surface and the elongate leg910is inserted into the elongate channel924of the impact absorber906. The fasteners914extend through the through holes927of the impact absorber906, through the through holes912of the mounting plate, and into the surface, securing the T-bracket904to the surface and holding the impact absorber906captive on the T-bracket904.

The interior space of the impact absorber906can include a truss or honeycomb structure as described above. Alternatively, the interior space can include one or more ribs935extending through the impact absorber906.

When the protective barrier900is struck, it compresses and behaves much as the protective barrier100described above behaves, with the exception that the protective barrier900is designed to be struck on either side.

1 Alternatives

In some examples, the height of the protective barrier is in a range of four inches to two feet. In some examples, the width of the protective barrier is in a range of three inches to one foot. In some examples, the impact absorber of the protective barrier is compress in a range of 5% to 75% of its original width when struck.

In some examples, the impact absorber is made of a resilient polymer such as HDPE. In other examples, the impact absorber is made of an elastomer. In some examples, the angle (or T) bracket is made of a rigid stainless-steel material. In other examples, the angle (or T) bracket is made of a rigid plastic.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the following claims. Accordingly, other embodiments are also within the scope of the following claims. For example, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Additionally, some of the steps described above may be order independent, and thus can be performed in an order different from that described.