Claims
- 1. A dock leveler for use in a loading dock, the dock leveler comprising:
a ramp having an undersurface and being pivotal between a generally horizontal lowered position and an upwardly-inclined raised position; an inflatable assembly positioned under the ramp; and a gas moving device positioned adjacent to the undersurface and fluidly connected to the inflatable assembly.
- 2. The dock leveler of claim 1, wherein the gas moving device is a low pressure fan.
- 3. The dock leveler of claim 1, wherein the ramp includes at least two beams, and wherein the gas moving device is positioned between the at least two beams.
- 4. The dock leveler of claim 1, further comprising a conduit that fluidly connects the gas moving device to the inflatable assembly.
- 5. The dock leveler of claim 4, wherein the conduit fluidly connects the gas moving device to the top of the inflatable assembly.
- 6. The dock leveler of claim 4, wherein a substantial portion of the conduit is substantially parallel to the ramp.
- 7. The dock leveler of claim 4, wherein the ramp includes at least two beams, and wherein at least a portion of the conduit is positioned between the at least two beams.
- 8. The dock leveler of claim 1, wherein the gas moving device is mounted to the undersurface of the ramp.
- 9. The dock leveler of claim 1, wherein the ramp includes a pivoted end and a front end opposite the pivoted end, and wherein the gas moving device is positioned between the front end and the inflatable assembly.
- 10. A dock leveler for use in a loading dock, the dock leveler comprising:
a ramp having at least two beams and being pivotal between a generally horizontal lowered position and an upwardly-inclined raised position; an inflatable assembly positioned under the ramp; and a gas moving device positioned between the at least two beams and fluidly connected to the inflatable assembly.
- 11. The dock leveler of claim 10, wherein the gas moving device is a low pressure fan.
- 12. The dock leveler of claim 10, wherein the ramp includes an undersurface, and wherein the gas moving device is positioned adjacent to the undersurface.
- 13. The dock leveler of claim 12, wherein the gas moving device is mounted to the undersurface of the ramp.
- 14. The dock leveler of claim 10, further comprising a conduit that fluidly connects the gas moving device to the inflatable assembly.
- 15. The dock leveler of claim 14, wherein the conduit fluidly connects the gas moving device to the top of the inflatable assembly.
- 16. The dock leveler of claim 14, wherein a substantial portion of the conduit is substantially parallel to the ramp.
- 17. The dock leveler of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the conduit is positioned between the at least two beams.
- 18. The dock leveler of claim 10, wherein the at least two beams are substantially parallel to each other.
- 19. The dock leveler of claim 10, wherein the ramp includes a pivoted end and a front end opposite to the pivoted end, and wherein the gas moving device is positioned between the front end and the inflatable assembly.
- 20. A dock leveler for use in a loading dock, the dock leveler comprising:
a ramp pivotal between a generally horizontal lowered position and an upwardly-inclined raised position; an inflatable assembly positioned under the ramp; and a conduit fluidly connected to the top of the inflatable assembly, the conduit providing gas to the top of the inflatable assembly.
- 21. The dock leveler of claim 20, wherein the ramp includes an undersurface, the dock leveler further comprising a gas moving device positioned adjacent to the undersurface and fluidly connected to the conduit.
- 22. The dock leveler of claim 21, wherein the gas moving device is a low pressure fan.
- 23. The dock leveler of claim 21, wherein the ramp includes at least two beams, and wherein at least a portion of the conduit is positioned between the at least two beams.
- 24. The dock leveler of claim 23, wherein the gas moving device is positioned between the at least two beams.
- 25. The dock leveler of claim 20, wherein at least a portion of the conduit is positioned between the ramp and the inflatable assembly.
- 26. The dock leveler of claim 20, further comprising a plate positioned between the ramp and the inflatable assembly, wherein the plate has an aperture, and wherein the conduit provides gas through the aperture.
- 27. The dock leveler of claim 20, wherein a substantial portion of the conduit is substantially parallel to the ramp.
- 28. A dock leveler for use in a loading dock, the dock leveler comprising:
a ramp having at least two beams and being pivotal between a generally horizontal lowered position and an upwardly-inclined raised position; an inflatable assembly positioned under the ramp; and a conduit positioned between the at least two beams and fluidly connected to the inflatable assembly.
- 29. The dock leveler of claim 28, wherein the ramp includes an undersurface, the dock leveler further comprising a gas moving device positioned adjacent to the undersurface and fluidly connected to the conduit.
- 30. The dock leveler of claim 29, wherein the gas moving device is a low pressure fan.
- 31. The dock leveler of claim 28, further comprising a plate positioned between the ramp and the inflatable assembly, wherein the plate has an aperture, and wherein the conduit provides gas through the aperture.
- 32. A loading dock comprising:
a dock surface including a pit having a pit floor; a ramp pivotally coupled to the dock surface; an inflatable assembly positioned under the ramp and adapted to move the ramp between a lowered position and a raised position; and a support positioned under and supporting the inflatable assembly, wherein the support is at least partially supported by the pit floor, and wherein the support is unsecured to the pit floor to allow lifting of the support off of the pit floor.
- 33. The loading dock of claim 32, wherein the support is pivotable.
- 34. The loading dock of claim 33, wherein the support is pivotally coupled to the ramp.
- 35. The loading dock of claim 32, wherein the support includes at least two ends, and wherein the pit floor directly supports only one end of the support.
- 36. The loading dock of claim 35, wherein the support includes a roller rotatably connected to the one end of the support, and wherein the roller is supported by the pit floor.
- 37. A loading dock comprising:
a dock surface including a pit having a pit floor; a ramp pivotally coupled to the dock surface for movement between a generally horizontal lowered position and an upwardly-inclined raised position; an inflatable assembly positioned under the ramp; and a support positioned under and supporting the inflatable assembly, wherein the support is at least partially supported by the pit floor, and wherein the support can be manually lifted completely out of engagement with the pit floor.
- 38. The loading dock of claim 37, wherein the support is pivotable.
- 39. The loading dock of claim 38, wherein the support is pivotally coupled to the ramp.
- 40. The loading dock of claim 37, wherein the support includes at least two ends, and wherein the pit floor supports only one end of the support.
- 41. The loading dock of claim 40, wherein the support includes a roller rotatably connected to the one end of the support, and wherein the roller is supported by the pit floor.
- 42. A loading dock comprising:
a dock surface including a pit having a pit floor; a ramp pivotally coupled to the dock surface; an inflatable assembly positioned under the ramp; and a support positioned under the inflatable assembly, the support having a front portion and a rear portion, the support being movable relative to the floor from a first position adjacent the floor to a second position wherein the front and rear portions of the support are spaced from the floor sufficiently to permit cleaning of the floor beneath the ramp.
- 43. The loading dock of claim 42, wherein at least a portion of the support is supported on the pit floor when the support is in the first position.
- 44. The loading dock of claim 42, wherein substantially no part of the support is directly supported by the pit floor when the support is in the second position.
- 44. The loading dock of claim 42, wherein the support can be manually lifted from the first position to the second position.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/005,395 filed Dec. 3, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/613,224 filed Jul. 10, 2000, now abandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/456,207 filed Dec. 7, 1999 now abandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/093,234 filed Jun. 8, 1998, now Patent No. 5,996,156, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/531,011 filed Sep. 20, 1995, now Patent No. 5,802,650, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/131,983 filed Oct. 4, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,693, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Continuations (4)
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10005395 |
Dec 2001 |
US |
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10222444 |
Aug 2002 |
US |
Parent |
09613224 |
Jul 2000 |
US |
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10005395 |
Dec 2001 |
US |
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09456207 |
Dec 1999 |
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09613224 |
Jul 2000 |
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09093234 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
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09456207 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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08531011 |
Sep 1995 |
US |
Child |
09093234 |
Jun 1998 |
US |
Parent |
08131983 |
Oct 1993 |
US |
Child |
08531011 |
Sep 1995 |
US |