Weather shield for underneath a dock leveler with a translating lip

Abstract

A dock leveler with a vertically adjustable deck and horizontally translating lip includes a weather shield that helps shelter a pit area underneath the lip and the deck. The dock leveler and shield system is particularly suited for serving trucks that include a rear liftgate. An upper edge of the weather shield seals against and moves with the lip of the dock leveler, and a lower edge of the shield can be attached to a lower dividing panel. The lower dividing panel (sometimes known as an ISO panel) isolates the deck of the dock leveler from a liftgate-receiving receptacle within the pit area. The weather shield accommodates the lip's horizontal movement and the deck's vertical movement. The shield is such that it further accommodates a vertically moving door panel that can close in front of both the deck and the lip.

1 . A weather barrier for a dock leveler disposed within a dock pit, wherein the dock leveler includes a lip extending from a front end of a deck, the front end of the deck is movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the dock pit, and the lip is translatable in a forward direction from a retracted position to an extended position relative to the front end of the deck, the weather barrier comprising:
 a shield comprising a lower edge and an upper edge, the shield is disposed below the deck and is rotationally mounted to the dock pit and biased in a rearward direction opposite the forward direction, such that the upper edge of the shield engages an underside of the lip with the lip in the extended position, and such that the shield can rotate towards the forward direction while maintaining contact with the lip as the dock leveler descends.   
   
   
       2 . The weather barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the upper edge of the shield is curved. 
   
   
       3 . The weather barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the shield comprises a pliable sheet supported by a relatively rigid frame. 
   
   
       4 . The weather barrier of  claim 3 , wherein the relatively rigid frame is telescopic. 
   
   
       5 . The weather barrier of  claim 1 , wherein the shield includes a bend about an intermediate axis between the upper edge and the lower edge. 
   
   
       6 . The weather barrier of  claim 1 , and including a biasing element operatively connected to the shield to bias it in the rearward direction. 
   
   
       7 . A dock leveler disposed within a dock pit and being adapted to engage a vehicle, the dock leveler comprising:
 a deck with a front end that is vertically adjustable between a raised position and a lowered position;   a lip extending from the front end of a deck and being translatable in a forward direction from a retracted position to an extended position relative to the front end of the deck; and   a shield comprising a lower edge and an upper edge, the shield is disposed below the deck and is rotationally mounted to the dock pit and biased in a rearward direction opposite the forward direction, such that the upper edge of the shield engages an underside of the lip with the lip in the extended position, and such that the shield can rotate towards the forward direction while maintaining contact with the lip as the dock leveler descends.   
   
   
       8 . The dock leveler of  claim 7 , wherein the upper edge of the shield is curved. 
   
   
       9 . The dock leveler of  claim 7 , wherein the shield comprises a pliable sheet supported by a relatively rigid frame. 
   
   
       10 . The dock leveler of  claim 9 , wherein the relatively rigid frame is telescopic. 
   
   
       11 . The dock leveler of  claim 7 , wherein the shield includes a bend about an intermediate axis between the upper edge and the lower edge. 
   
   
       12 . The dock leveler of  claim 7 , and including a biasing element operatively connected to the shield to bias it in the rearward direction. 
   
   
       13 . A weather barrier for a dock leveler disposed within a dock pit, wherein the dock leveler includes a lip extending from a front end of a deck, the front end of the deck is movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to the dock pit, and the lip is translatable in a forward direction from a retracted position to an extended position relative to the front end of the deck, the weather barrier comprising:
 a lower shield coupled to the dock pit; and   an upper shield coupled to the lip and translatable therewith, the upper shield engages the lower shield in response to the lip translating from the retracted position to the extended position, the upper shield disengages the lower shield in response to the lip translating from the extended position to the retracted position.   
   
   
       14 . The weather barrier of  claim 13 , wherein the lower shield remains engaged with the upper shield when the lip is in the extended position even as the front end of the deck moves between the raised position and the lowered position. 
   
   
       15 . The weather barrier of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the lower shield and the upper shield is resiliently flexible. 
   
   
       16 . A dock leveler having a lip extending from a front end of a deck, the front end of the deck is movable between a raised position and a lowered position relative to a dock pit, and the lip is translatable in a forward direction from a retracted position to an extended position relative to the front end of the deck, the dock leveler comprising:
 a lower shield coupled to the dock pit; and   an upper shield coupled to the lip and translatable therewith, the upper shield engages the lower shield in response to the lip translating from the retracted position to the extended position, the upper shield disengages the lower shield in response to the lip translating from the extended position to the retracted position.   
   
   
       17 . The dock leveler of  claim 16 , wherein the lower shield remains engaged with the upper shield when the lip is in the extended position even as the front end of the deck moves between the raised position and the lowered position. 
   
   
       18 . The dock leveler of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the lower shield and the upper shield is resiliently flexible. 
   
   
       19 . A dock leveler adapted to engage a vehicle, the dock leveler comprising:
 a deck that is vertically adjustable;   a lip supported by the deck, the lip includes a proximal edge disposed underneath the deck and a distal edge extending outward beyond the deck, the lip translates relative to the deck; and   a shield extending downward from the lip, the shield comprises a front panel and two side panels, wherein the front panel is interposed between the two side panels and lies generally perpendicular thereto.   
   
   
       20 . The dock leveler of  claim 19 , wherein the shield comprises a flexible curtain. 
   
   
       21 . The dock leveler of  claim 19 , wherein the proximal edge moves relative to the deck and the distal edge moves relative to the lip as the lip translates. 
   
   
       22 . The dock leveler of  claim 19 , wherein the lower edge is mounted at a substantially fixed location. 
   
   
       23 . A weather barrier for a dock leveler adapted to engage a vehicle, the weather barrier comprising:
 a shield extending downward from a lip supported by an adjustable deck, the shield having a front panel and two side panels, wherein the front panel is interposed between the two side panels and lies generally perpendicular thereto, and wherein the lip includes a proximal edge disposed underneath the deck and a distal edge extending outward beyond the deck such that the lip translates relative to the deck.   
   
   
       24 . The weather barrier of  claim 23 , wherein the shield comprises a flexible curtain. 
   
   
       25 . The weather barrier of  claim 23 , wherein the proximal edge moves relative to the deck and the distal edge moves relative to the lip as the lip translates. 
   
   
       26 . The weather barrier of  claim 23 , wherein a lower edge of the shield is mounted at a substantially fixed location.