Wheel chock device and method of forming
A vehicle chock device includes a first body portion and a stepped-box body integrally formed with the first body portion. The stepped-box body has a lower portion and an upper portion. The stepped-box body transitions from a first generally planar, generally horizontal surface on the lower portion to an intermediate sloped surface to a generally planar, generally vertical surface on the upper portion. The lower portion has a second generally planar, generally horizontal surface configured to engage a supporting surface of a carrier vehicle on which an automobile is disposed. An opposite side of the upper portion that is opposite the generally planar, generally vertical surface defines a tire-contacting surface that is positioned to engage a vehicle tire of the automobile while the second generally planar, generally horizontal surface engages the supporting surface of the carrier vehicle.
1. A wheel chock device comprising:
a first body portion; and
a stepped-box body integrally formed with the first body portion, the stepped-box body having a lower portion and an upper portion, the stepped-box body transitioning from a first generally planar, generally horizontal surface on the lower portion to an intermediate sloped surface to a generally planar, generally vertical surface on the upper portion, the lower portion having a second generally planar, generally horizontal surface configured to engage a supporting surface of a carrier vehicle on which an automobile is disposed,
wherein an opposite side of the upper portion that is opposite the generally planar, generally vertical surface defines a tire-contacting surface that is positioned to engage a vehicle tire of the automobile while the second generally planar, generally horizontal surface engages the supporting surface of the carrier vehicle, and
wherein the intermediate sloped surface of the body surface has a greater width than at least one of the following: the first generally planar, generally horizontal surface or the generally planar, generally vertical surface.
2. The wheel chock device of claim 1 , wherein the first body portion and the stepped-box body have a total height that is no greater than 4.5 inches.
3. The wheel chock device of claim 1 , wherein the stepped-box body has an R-value clearance range between the stepped-box body and the automobile of at least 2.51 inches.
4. The wheel chock device of claim 1 , wherein the stepped-box body has an R-value clearance range between the stepped-box body and the automobile of at least 2.586 inches.
5. The wheel chock device of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate sloped surface is generally planar and is oriented at an angle between twenty degrees and forty degrees relative to the second generally planar, generally horizontal surface.
6. The wheel chock device of claim 1 , wherein the first body portion comprises a rectangular box-shaped body, and the rectangular box-shaped body and the stepped-box body are laterally disposed side-by-side to each other.
7. The wheel chock device of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate sloped surface is generally planar, the intermediate sloped surface intersecting the first generally planar, generally horizontal surface at a first vertex and intersecting the generally planar, generally vertical surface at a second vertex.
8. The wheel chock device of claim 7 , wherein a first width of the intermediate sloped surface that extends from the first vertex to the second vertex is greater than a second width of the first generally planar, generally horizontal surface and is greater than a third width of the generally planar, generally vertical surface.
9. The wheel chock device of claim 1 , further comprising a rod held by the stepped-box body, the rod defining an opening to receive a clip of a harness therein, wherein the opening of the rod includes a central cavity, a first pocket, and a second pocket, the first pocket and the second pocket extend in opposite directions from the central cavity, and the central cavity is longer than the first and second pockets along a rod axis.
10. The wheel chock device of claim 9 , wherein the clip includes a tab configured to be received within the opening, wherein a length of the central cavity along the rod axis is longer than a length of the tab, and respective lengths of the first and second pockets along the rod axis are shorter than the length of the tab.
11. A wheel chock device comprising:
a stepped-box body having a coupling surface, a tire-contacting surface, and a body surface, the coupling surface positioned to face a supporting surface of a carrier vehicle on which an automobile is disposed, the tire-contacting surface positioned to engage a tire of the automobile, and the body surface extending between the coupling surface and the tire-contacting surface along a perimeter of the stepped-box body, the body surface positioned to face a body of the automobile,
the body surface including a horizontally oriented segment that is parallel to the coupling surface, a generally vertically oriented segment that is generally perpendicular to the horizontally oriented segment, and an intermediate sloped segment extending from the horizontally oriented segment to the vertically oriented segment,
wherein the intermediate sloped segment of the body surface has a greater width than either the horizontally oriented segment of the body surface or the vertically oriented segment of the body surface.
12. The wheel chock device of claim 11 , further comprising:
a rectangular box-shaped body integrally formed with the stepped-box body and configured to couple with a chock rail in the carrier vehicle.
13. The wheel chock device of claim 12 , wherein the stepped-box body includes at least two pins laterally protruding from the stepped-box body beneath the rectangular box-shaped body, the pins positioned to be inserted into corresponding apertures in the chock rail.
14. The wheel chock device of claim 11 , wherein the intermediate sloped segment of the body surface is oriented at an angle between twenty and forty degrees relative to the horizontally oriented segment of the body surface.
15. The wheel chock device of claim 11 , wherein the stepped-box body has an R-value clearance range between the stepped-box body and the automobile of at least 2.51 inches.
16. A method comprising:
forming a wheel chock device for an automobile to have a stepped-box body with a coupling surface, a tire-contacting surface, and a body surface, the coupling surface formed to face a supporting surface of a carrier vehicle on which the automobile is disposed, the tire-contacting surface formed to engage a tire of the automobile, and the body surface formed to extend between the coupling surface and the tire-contacting surface along a perimeter of the stepped-box body, the body surface formed to face a body of the automobile,
the body surface formed to include a horizontally oriented segment that is parallel to the coupling surface, a substantially vertically oriented segment that is perpendicular to the horizontally oriented segment, and an intermediate sloped segment extending from the horizontally oriented segment to the substantially vertically oriented segment,
wherein the intermediate sloped segment of the body surface has a greater width than either the horizontally oriented segment of the body surface or the vertically oriented segment of the body surface.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the stepped-box body is formed to have an R-value clearance range between the stepped-box body and the automobile of at least 2.51 inches.