Loading dock detection system
A loading dock safety detection system and method is provided. The detection system includes a plurality of components that are coupled to the material handling vehicle. The system includes one or more sensors, and a feedback device. The sensor is coupled to the mast and positioned to sense the environment in front of the material handling vehicle and to view the status of the loading dock. The detection system includes a processing device that is coupled to the body and determines, based on data from the sensors, the status of the loading dock and the corresponding loading dock components. The processing device determines if the status is in an acceptable or unacceptable condition and notifies the operator via a feedback device accordingly.
1 . A method for determining a loading dock status, comprising:
scanning, with a sensor mounted onboard a material handling vehicle, a loading dock for one or more loading dock components;
determining, with a processor mounted onboard the material handling vehicle, a presence status for each of the one or more loading dock components based on data from the sensor and preprogrammed reference conditions pertaining to each of the one or more loading dock components;
notifying a vehicle operator via a sensory feedback device if one or more of the loading dock components is in an unacceptable absent condition or an unacceptable present condition;
determining a functional status, based on data from the sensor and the preprogrammed reference conditions, of each of the one or more loading dock components determined to be in an acceptable present condition; and
notifying the vehicle operator via the sensory feedback device if at least one of the one or more loading dock components is in an unacceptable functional condition.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional status is whether an illumination element of a loading dock lock indicator is one of illuminated or not illuminated, and the unacceptable functional condition is a lack of illumination of the illumination element.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional status is whether an illumination element of a loading dock lock indicator is illuminated in one of a first color or a second color, and the unacceptable functional condition is the illumination element being illuminated in the second color.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more loading dock components includes a dock plate, and the unacceptable absent condition is the absence of the dock plate.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional status is a height of a dock plate, and the unacceptable functional condition is the dock plate being one of higher or lower than a threshold height value.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional status is a width value of a light gap between a docking vehicle and a dock door, and the unacceptable functional condition is the width value of the light gap being greater than a threshold gap width value.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein data from the sensor comprises image data captured from a camera of the material handling vehicle.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensory feedback device is one or more of an auditory alarm or a visual alarm.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the one or more loading dock components includes a dock plate, and
the dock plate is one of a hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical dock leveler.
10 . A dock door safety detection system for a material handling vehicle comprising:
a vision system that includes:
one or more sensors mounted onboard the material handling vehicle and configured to detect one or more loading dock components, and
a processor configured to determine
a status of the one or more loading dock components, and
a drive direction of the material handling vehicle, wherein the processor is communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors; and
a feedback device configured to provide a notification in response to the processor determining that the one or more loading dock components is in one or more of an unacceptable absent condition, an unacceptable present condition, and an unacceptable functional condition, the notification being one or more of visual, auditory, or tactile,
wherein the processor is configured to disregard the determination of the one or more loading dock components being in the unacceptable absent condition, the unacceptable present condition, or the unacceptable functional condition if the material handling vehicle is traveling away from the loading dock.
11 . The dock door safety detection system of claim 10 , wherein the feedback device includes an illumination element, the notification is whether the illumination element is one of illuminated or not illuminated, and a lack of illumination of the illumination element indicates that the one or more loading dock components is in the unacceptable functional condition.
12 . The dock door safety detection system of claim 10 , wherein the feedback device is an illumination element, the notification is whether the illumination element is illuminated in one of a first color or a second color, and the illumination element being illuminated in the second color indicates that the one or more loading dock components is in the unacceptable functional condition.
13 . The dock door safety detection system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a distance value between the material handling vehicle and the one or more loading dock components and disregard the status of the loading dock if the distance value is above a distance threshold.
14 . The dock door safety detection system of claim 10 , wherein the unacceptable functional condition is determined by way of the processor comparing a detected condition of the one or more loading dock components to an unacceptable condition reference.
15 . The dock door safety detection system of claim 14 , wherein the unacceptable condition reference is configurable via a user interface of a mobile device.
16 . The dock door safety detection system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a dock plate height and indicate the unacceptable functional condition if the dock plate height is one of higher or lower than a threshold value.
17 . The dock door safety detection system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a width value of a light gap between the material handling vehicle and a dock door and indicate the unacceptable functional condition if the width value of the light gap is greater than a threshold gap width value.
18 . A material handling vehicle comprising:
a processor communicatively coupled to a sensor and configured to determine a readiness status of a loading dock based on data from the sensor, the readiness status including
a presence verification of a loading dock component, and
a functional status of the loading dock component; and
a feedback device communicatively coupled to the processor and configured to provide a notification, the notification being one or more of visual, auditory, or tactile based on the readiness status of the loading dock.
19 . The material handling vehicle of claim 18 , further comprising one or more of a body, an operator cab, a seat, or a mast, wherein one or more of the processor, the sensor, or the feedback device are selectively attachable to one or more of the body, the operator cab, the seat, or the mast.