Safety barrier systems for loading docks

摘要

Example safety barrier systems for vehicle loading docks comprise a retractable flexible barrier with a special powered latching mechanism that locks the barrier in place and prevents it from being retracted under certain hazardous dock conditions. In some examples, the barrier cannot be retracted when there is no vehicle at the dock while the dock's door is open. In some examples, an alarm is energized when concurrently the door is open, the barrier is retracted and there is no vehicle at the dock.

主权项

1. A safety system that facilitates loading or unloading cargo of a vehicle at a loading dock, wherein the loading dock includes an elevated platform above a target parking spot, a doorway through a wall, a door at the doorway, and a path on the elevated platform leading to the doorway, the safety system comprising:
a first support to extend above the elevated platform; a second support to extend above the elevated platform at a position spaced apart from the first support; a flexible barrier having a deployed configuration and a stored configuration, the flexible barrier having an anchored end and a distal end, the anchored end to be attached to the first support, the distal end being proximate the first support when the flexible barrier is in the stored configuration, the distal end engaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration; a sensor to sense at least one of a location state of the vehicle and an open/closed state of the door, the sensor to provide a dock condition status signal upon sensing at least one of the location state indicating whether the vehicle is at the target parking spot or the open/closed state indicating whether the door is closed; and a powered latch to be coupled to the second support, the powered latch having a lock state and an unlock state, the powered latch to prevent the distal end from disengaging the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration and the latch is in the lock state, the powered latch to permit the distal end to disengage from the second support when the flexible barrier is in the deployed configuration and the latch is in the unlock state, the powered latch to automatically switch from the lock state to the unlock state in response to the dock condition status signal indicating at least one of the door being closed or the vehicle being at the target parking spot.