Seal for a dock leveler lip hinge

Abstract

A dock leveler comprising a vehicle-engaging lip pivotally coupled to the vertically adjustable front edge of a deck includes a seal or series of seal segments that close one or more air gaps that exist in the area where the lip is hinged to the deck. Such gaps are particularly large when the lip hinge comprises a hinge pin that couples a series of lugs extending from underneath the deck to a series of lugs extending from the lip, wherein the lugs are spaced apart along the length of the hinge pin. The seal or seal segments could be above the deck, below the deck, or interposed between the adjoining edges of the deck and the lip. In some cases, the seal is provided by an air curtain or by a tube that is inflatable or hermetically sealed.

1 . A seal for a dock leveler that includes a pivotal lip hinged to a vertically movable deck, wherein the deck and the lip define a gap therebetween, the seal comprising:
 a flexible member spanning the gap.   
   
   
       2 . A dock leveler, comprising:
 a deck that is vertically movable;   a lip hinged to the deck such that the lip, relative to the deck, is pivotal between a pendant position and an extended position, the lip and the deck define a gap therebetween when the lip is in the pendant position; and   a flexible seal spanning the gap.   
   
   
       3 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal is underneath the deck and the lip when the lip is in the extended position. 
   
   
       4 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal slidingly engages at least one of the deck and the lip. 
   
   
       5 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , further comprising a hinge pin that pivotally couples the lip to the deck, wherein the flexible seal is attached to the hinge pin. 
   
   
       6 . The dock leveler of  claim 5 , further comprising a hook-and-loop fastener attached to the flexible seal, wherein the hook-and-loop fastener couples the flexible seal to the hinge pin. 
   
   
       7 . The dock leveler of  claim 5 , further comprising a clip attached to the flexible seal, wherein the clip helps fasten the flexible seal to the hinge pin. 
   
   
       8 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a plurality of deck lugs extending outwardly from underneath the deck;   a plurality of lip lugs extending from the lip; and   a hinge pin coupling the plurality of deck lugs to the plurality of lip lugs, thereby pivotally coupling the lip to the deck.   
   
   
       9 . The dock leveler of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of deck lugs and the plurality of lip lugs define a plurality of gaps distributed along a length of the hinge pin; and further comprising a plurality of seals disposed within the plurality of gaps, wherein the flexible seal is one of the plurality of seals. 
   
   
       10 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal is tubular. 
   
   
       11 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal comprises a resiliently compressible foam material. 
   
   
       12 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal comprises a fabric material. 
   
   
       13 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal comprises a resiliently flexible sheet metal. 
   
   
       14 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal extends from a door that is above the deck. 
   
   
       15 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal is above the deck and the lip when the lip is in the extended position. 
   
   
       16 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , further comprising a magnet that attaches the flexible seal to at least one of the deck and the lip. 
   
   
       17 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal is positioned to be pinched between the deck and the lip when the lip is in the extended position. 
   
   
       18 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal comprises an inflatable tube. 
   
   
       19 . The dock leveler of  claim 2 , wherein the flexible seal defines a hollow chamber that is substantially hermetically sealed. 
   
   
       20 . A dock leveler, comprising:
 a deck that is vertically movable;   a lip that relative to the deck is pivotal between a pendant position and an extended position;   a hinge pin that pivotally couples the lip to the deck; and   a plurality of seals each of which include one end that is attached to at least one of the deck and the lip and an opposite end that is adjacent to the hinge pin.   
   
   
       21 . The dock leveler of  claim 20 , wherein the opposite end slidingly engages the hinge pin. 
   
   
       22 . The dock leveler of  claim 20 , wherein at least one seal of the plurality of seals is attached to the deck, and at least a second seal of the plurality of seals is attached to the lip. 
   
   
       23 . A method of providing a weather resistant dock leveler that includes a pivotal lip hinged to a vertically movable deck, wherein the deck and the lip define a gap therebetween, the method comprising:
 drawing in a current of outdoor air; and   forcing the drawn-in outdoor air upward and outward through the gap, thereby substantially inhibiting other outdoor air from passing through the gap.