Patent attributes
Example dock leveler safety systems for vertically storing dock levelers are disclosed herein. An example dock leveler safety system disclosed herein may be used at a dock platform in a pit having a pit floor, where the pit floor is at a lower elevation than the dock platform and the dock platform and the pit floor define the pit. The dock leveler safety system comprises a deck to pivot relative to the dock platform between an upright position and a lowered position such that the deck extends farther over the pit floor when the deck is in the lowered position than when the deck is in the stored upright position. A sensor monitors a sensed region within the pit when the deck is in the upright position and the sensor provides a reaction signal in response to a body being detected within the sensed region. The deck enters a state of restricted movement in response to the reaction signal.
