Introduction

This invention relates to improvements to dock ramps, and in particular, to a bumper and seal assembly for use with dock ramps.

Dock ramps are used in facilities to allow transport vehicles to dock directly with the facility. A ramp, alternatively known as a bridging plate, is used to connect an interior of the facility with an interior of the transport vehicle. In this manner, unloading of goods from the interior of the transport vehicle into the interior of the facility, or, loading of loads from the interior of the facility into the interior of the transport vehicle, can be carried out in a highly efficient manner as the floor of the interior of the transport vehicle is connected in a substantially co-planar manner with the floor of the interior of the facility by way of the ramp. Typically the dock ramps comprise a doorway to keep the facility enclosed when the dock ramp is not in use.

Throughout this specification, the term "transport vehicle" shall be understood to encompass any type of vehicle used for transporting goods. Typically, the transport vehicle will be an articulated truck and trailer; however, it will be apparent that person skilled in the art that vans and other types of commercial transport vehicles may be used with the improved dock ramp of the present invention. The transport vehicles will generally have rear opening doors, which are either pivoting doors or vertically arranged sliding or rolling doors, and the transport vehicles connect with the dock ramps by reversing up to adjacent the dock ramp to load or unload goods through this rear opening door.

Throughout this specification, the term "dock ramp" shall be understood to encompass any type of docking bay used to provide a convenient docking connection between the transport vehicle and the facility. The dock ramp will normally comprise a bridging plate or ramp to connect between the floor of the interior of the facility and the floor of the interior of the docked transport vehicle. The improved dock ramp of the present invention is suitable to receive transport vehicles of different types and different dimensions. It should be noted that the bumper and seal assembly of the present invention as applied to the improved dock ramp of the present invention is not intended to be applied to bespoke dock ramps, which are themselves designed to be used with a fleet of transport vehicles having particular dimensions suited to the bespoke dock ramps.

The dock ramps suitable for retro-fit upgrade with the bumper and seal assembly of the present invention typically comprise one or two standard bumper pads beneath a docking ope of the dock ramp so as to prevent the transport vehicle from reversing into the dock ramp and damaging the transport vehicle and/or the dock ramp.

In some dock ramps, once the transport vehicle has been reversed to a position adjacent the dock ramp, a quasi-seal is created around the top and sides of the transport vehicle to prevent heat loss from the facility during the loading/unloading process, and, also to prevent external contaminants from entering either the interior of the facility, or, the interior of the transport vehicle during the loading/unloading process. However, as the prior art dock ramps which will be catered for by the present invention must accommodate transport vehicles of different types and dimensions, none of the prior art dock ramps have been able to create a full seal around the transport vehicle once it is docked to the dock ramp. This is due to the fact that the transport vehicles have different floor heights and a bottom seal which can accommodate the varying different heights of the different transport vehicles has proved difficult to design. Most transport vehicles have a loading height in the range of 1 metre to 1.4 metres and the seals currently used in dock ramps known from the prior art cannot accommodate such variations in height between different transport vehicles.

It is a goal of the present invention to provide an apparatus that overcomes at least one of the above mentioned problems. Summary of the Invention

The present invention is directed to a bumper and seal assembly for use with a dock ramp, the dock ramp comprising a docking ope defined by a docking floor, a top seal and a pair of side seals; the bu m per a nd seal assem bly com prisi ng a pa i r of substantially vertical, spaced-apart bumper posts for installation beneath the docking ope; each of the pair of spaced-apart bumper posts comprising a substantially vertical guide rail on a side wall of the bumper post, arranged such that the guide rails on the pair of bumper posts face one another; the bumper and seal assembly further comprising a bottom seal which is mounted substantially horizontally between the guide rails of the bumper posts, the bottom seal being moveable vertically along the guide rails between a lowered position and a raised, in-use position.

The advantage of providing the bottom seal which is moveable vertically along the guide rails between a lowered position and a raised, in-use position is that a complete seal can be created around the docking ope using the top seal and side seal, which are known from the prior art, and the bottom seal which is moveable along the bumper posts . The com plete sea l al lows heat conservation in the facility during loading/unloading and prevents external contaminants from entering the facility during the loading/unloading process.

The bumper and seal assembly is particularly advantageous as it allows for a relatively simple retro-fit to an existing dock ramp to convert the quasi-seal offered on the existing dock ramp into a dock ramp offering a complete seal with a docking transport vehicle. Therefore, the downtime during retro-fit upgrading works is minimised with little effect to the operation of the facility. Clearly, the cost of retro-fitting the bumper and seal assembly of the present invention is far less than completely replacing an existing dock ramp having a quasi-seal with a completely new dock ramp assembly having a compete seal.

In a preferred embodiment, the bumper and seal assembly further comprises a motorised roller which extends intermediate the spaced-apart bumper posts and is located adjacent a lowermost end of the bumper posts; the bumper and seal assembly also comprises a sheet which is wound around the motorised roller and is connected to the bottom seal so that the sheet is unwound from the motorised roller as the bottom seal is moved vertically up along the guide rails from its lowered position to its raised, in-use position, and, the sheet is wound onto the motorised roller as the bottom seal is moved vertically down along the guide rails from its raised, in-use position to its lowered position. In a preferred embodiment, the bumper and seal assembly further comprises a biasing means which constantly urge the bottom seal towards its raised, in-use position. In a preferred embodiment, the biasing means comprises a pair of springs connected between the side ends of the bottom seal and an upper end of each of the bumper posts respectively.

In a preferred embodiment, the bumper and seal assembly further comprises a spring biased roller installed above the docking ope; and, a pair of cables are wound around the spring biased roller with free ends of each of the pair of cables being connected to the bottom seal so as to constantly urge the bottom seal towards its raised, in-use position. In a preferred embodiment, the guide rail is an embedded guide rail. Preferably, the bumper posts are constructed of a rubber material. In a more preferable embodiment, the bumper posts are moulded and the guide rails are embedded into the bumper posts during the moulding process. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom seal is an actuatable seal. Preferably, the actuatable seal may comprise an inflatable seal mounted on a support plate. In another embodiment, the seal is a static seal. Preferably the static seal made be made of foam. In a preferred embodiment, the bottom seal comprises a support panel and an inflatable seal mounted thereon.

In a preferred embodiment, the guide rails comprise tracks and the bottom seal comprises a motorised gear which engages with the tracks to move the bottom seal vertically along the guide rails.

In a preferred embodiment, the sheet has a width which is approximately equal to the horizontal distance between the spaced-apart bumper posts. The present invention is further directed towards a method of docking a transport vehicle with a facility using a dock ramp bumper and seal assembly of any of the preceding claims, the method forming a complete seal between the facility and the transport vehicle and comprising the steps of reversing the transport vehicle to be adjacent the docking ope so that the top seal and the side seals abut against top and side portions of the transport vehicle respectively; moving the bottom seal into its raised in-use position so that the bottom seal abuts against a bottom portion of the transport vehicle thus forming a complete seal between the facility and the transport vehicle; and, lowering a bridging plate from the facility into the transport vehicle to carry out a loading/unloading process.

In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the step of allowing the bottom seal to slightly fluctuate in height from its raised in-use position by way of being spring mounted, such that the bottom seal maintains abutment against the bottom portion of the transport vehicle during the loading/unloading process which will alter the ride height of the transport vehicle..

Detailed Description of Embodiments The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of exam ple only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partially exposed, perspective view of a dock ramp assembly in accordance with the prior art;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the dock ramp bumper and seal assembly for retro-fit installation on the dock ramp assembly of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a partially exposed, perspective view of dock ramp bumper and seal assembly of Figure 2 installed on the dock ramp assembly of Figure 1; and,

Figure 4 is a partially exposed, cross-sectional side view of the dock ramp bumper and seal assembly of Figure 2 installed on the dock ramp assembly of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1 , there is shown a dock ramp in accordance with the prior art indicated generally by reference numeral 100. The dock ramp 100 comprises a facility 102 having a docking floor 104. Side seals 106A, 106B and a top seal 1 08 are provided at the dock ramp 100. The docking floor 104, the side seals 106A, 106B and the top seal 108 define a docking ope 1 10 for loading or unloading of goods through. Although it is not shown for clarity, it will be understood that an exterior wall of the facility surrounds the dock ramp 100. Two bumper pads 1 12A, 1 12B are provided beneath the docking ope 1 10 to prevent a transport vehicle with is docking with the dock ramp 100 from damaging the dock ramp 100.

In use, a transport vehicle (not shown) will reverse up to the dock ramp 100. The bumper pads 1 12A, 1 12B may be used by the driver of the transport vehicle to get the transport vehicle very close to the docking ope 1 10. Rear doors on the transport vehicle are opened and loading/unloading of goods from the transport vehicle into the facility or vice versa then takes place. As can be envisaged with this prior art approach, no seal is created adjacent a bottom portion of the transport vehicle in the vicinity of the bumper pads 1 12A, 1 12B.

Referring now to Figure 2, a bumper and seal assembly indicated generally by reference numeral 200 is shown. The bumper and seal assembly 200 comprises a pair of substantially vertical, spaced-apart bumper posts 202A, 202B. The spaced-apart bumper posts 202A, 202B each comprise a guide rail 204A, 204B. Only one of the guide rails 204B on one of the spaced-apart bumper posts 202B can be clearly seen in Figure 2. The guide rails 204A, 204B of the spaced-apart bumper posts 202A, 202B are arranged such that the guide rails 204A, 204B on the pair of bumper posts 202A, 202B face one another. The bumper and seal assembly 200 further comprises a bottom seal 206. The bottom seal 206 extends horizontally between the guide rails 204A, 204B of the bumper posts 202A 202B. The bottom seal 206 is moveable vertically along the guide rails 204A, 204B between a lowered position and a raised, in- use position (as shown in Figure 2). A motorised roller 208 is installed between the spaced-apart bumper posts 202A, 202B and is located adjacent the lowermost ends of the bumper posts 202A, 202B respectively. A sheet 21 0 is wound around the motorised roller 208 and is connected to the bottom seal 206 so that the sheet 210 is unwound from the motorised roller 208 when the bottom seal 206 moves from its lowered position to its raised, in-use position. The sheet 210 will be wound onto the motorised roller 208 when the bottom seal 206 is moved vertically down from its raised, in-use position to its lowered position. A spring biased roller 212 is installed above the bottom seal 206, and, two cables 214A, 214B are wound around the spring biased roller 212. The free ends of each of the cables 214A, 214B are connected to the bottom seal 206 so as to constantly urge the bottom seal 206 towaids the raised, in- use position. The bottom seal 206 is shown in the raised, in-use position in Figure 2.

With reference to Figures 3 and 4, there is shown an improved dock ramp indicated generally by reference numeral 300. The improved dock ramp 300 comprises the bumper and seal assembly shown in Figure 2 installed on the prior art dock ramp shown in Figure 1. The improved dock ramp 300 comprises a top seal although it is not shown in Figure 3 so as not to obscure the location of the spring biased roller 212. With particular reference to Figure 4, it can be seen that the bottom seal 206 comprises a support plate 205 mounting an inflatable seal 207. In use, the transport vehicle (not shown) will reverse up to the improved dock ramp 300. The bumper posts 202A, 202B protect both the transport vehicle and the dock ramp 300 from damage during this reversing procedure. Once in position, the top seal 108 and the side seals 106A, 106B abut against the transport vehicle top portion and side portions so as to create a seal at these locations. The bottom seal 206 is raised into its raise, in-use position so as to abut against a bottom portion of the transport vehicle and create a complete seal around the docked transport vehicle, the rear doors of the transport vehicle can then be opened and a bridging plate (not shown) is extended to connect the floor of the interior of the transport vehicle with the docking floor 104 of the facility 102. The loading or unloading process can then be carried out with a complete seal around the docked vehicle and the facility 102.

The bottom seal 206 is constantly urged upwards by the spring biased roller 212 and the connecting cables 214A, 214B. When the bottom seal 206 is in its lowered position adjacent a lowermost end of the bumper posts 202A, 202B, the motorised roller 208 can be released to allow the bottom seal 206 to travel upwards, guided by the guide rails 204A, 204B towards its raised, in-use position. As the bottom seal 206 moves upwardly, the bottom seal 206 will pull on the sheet 210 which is attached along a lower edge of the bottom seal 206. The sheet will unwind from the motorised roller 208 as the motorised roller 208 has been released. To lower the bottom seal 206 into its lowered position, the motorised roller 208 is activated to wind the sheet 210 back around the motorised roller 208. the force of the motorised roller 208 is sufficient to overcome the biasing force of the spring biased roller 212. The sheet 210 also acts to create a barrier and seal between the facility 102 and the exterior.

It will be understood that other types of biasing means such as a spring mounted in the bumper posts 202A, 202B and connected between the bumper posts 202A, 202B and the bottom seal 206 may be alternatively used. The bottom seal 206 itself may be motorised and in this embodiment, a spring biased roller would be used in place of the motorised roller 208 so that the bottom seal 206 moved itself between its lowered position and raised, in-use position, and, the sheet 210 was wound and unwound through tension created by the spring biased roller installed in place of the motorised roller 208. Preferably, the guide rails 204A, 204B could comprise tracks with engaged with a driven gear on the bottom seal 206.

The term "actable seal" when used in context of the preceding specification will be understood to refer to a seal which can act to transition itself between an operable state and an inoperable state. It will be understood that the act could comprise inflation and deflation of a sealing bladder, mechanical extension and retraction of a sealing lip, and the like. It will be further understood that static seals such as foam seals may be used as the top seal and/or side seals around the improved dock ramp 300.

The terms "comprise" and "include", and any variations thereof required for grammatical reasons, are to be considered as interchangeable and accorded the widest possible interpretation.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.