Rite-hite Holding Corporation

Charles J Ashelin

David J Hoffmann

Charles J Digmann

Gregory J Thill

Jason D Miller

Frank Heim

Paul D Rowlett

Kevin J Gebke

Timothy J Schmidt

Gary Borgerding

Ryan Withrow

Thomas J Boffeli

Collin Thole

Matt Fleckenstein

David J Hoffman

Inflatable weather barriers for loading docks are disclosed. An example weather barrier includes an upper bellows defining a header air chamber between a top portion and a bottom portion of the upper bellows. A blower is in fluid communication with the header air chamber and the blower is selectively activated to discharge a pressurized air into the header air chamber to urge the upper bellows from a raised position toward a lowered position. The weather barrier includes a first extension spring that is under a first extension spring tension, a first pulley, and a first elongate member that is pliable. The first elongate member is under a first elongate member tension that urges the upper bellows toward the raised position. The first elongate member is wrapped at least partially around the first pulley and the first extension spring being connected to the first pulley such that the first pulley transmits the first extension spring tension to the first elongate member to subject the first elongate member to the first elongate member tension.

Inflatable weather barriers for loading docks

Example lateral sealing members for use with weather barriers are disclosed. An example lateral sealing member includes a lateral sealing member being vertically elongate. The lateral sealing member has a J-shaped cross-section extending between an attached end and a tip of the lateral sealing member. The lateral sealing member has a groove along the tip. The lateral sealing member is movable between an activated configuration and a relaxed configuration. The tip to extend farther into a vehicle pathway when the lateral sealing member is in the relaxed configuration than when the lateral sealing member is in the activated configuration. A tip seal is provided along the tip of the lateral sealing member. The tip seal is to protrude in the groove.

Sealing members for weather barriers

Example room dividers are described herein. The example room dividers include a flexible curtain with features pertaining to security, impactability, insulation, sound absorption, configurability, and/or flame resistance. In some examples, the curtain comprises an inorganic carbon fiber pad sandwiched between two sheets of fiberglass fabric coated with silicone rubber. A tongue-and-groove joint, in some examples, enables the interconnection of a series of curtains to create room dividers of various lengths. In some examples, the curtain comprises a full-width wire mesh sandwiched between two sheets of vinyl coated polyester fabric, wherein a touch-and-hold fastener at the outer perimeter of the curtain and overlapping the wire mesh holds the two sheets together and holds the wire mesh in place. In some examples, the flexibility of the curtain allows the curtain to respond to impacts and/or air pressure differentials.

Flexible room dividers

Example insulated dividers, such as curtain-doors and temporary walls for dividing areas of a building, include features that make the dividers particularly suited for food and drug related environments that demand cleanliness and require dividers to be periodically washed down to remove microorganisms and other contaminants. Some example dividers include a touch-and-hold fastener to hold a flexible insulated pad within an internal space of a pliable hollow panel. In some examples, the insulated pad is made of polyester batting with loops of fiber to which the hook portion of the touch-and-hold fastener can engage. In some examples, both the insulated pad and the touch-and-hold fastener are completely contained within the hollow panel so that neither the pad nor the fastener provides an exposed external surface for harboring microorganisms. In some examples, the pliable panel's outer peripheral edge is hermetically sealed by thermal bonding, heat sealing, welding and/or ultrasonic joining.

Insulated washdown flexible walls and curtains

Dock seal for use with loading docks are described. An example dock seal includes a compressible body having a front compressible body and a rear compressible body, where the rear compressible body is interposed between the wall and the front compressible body when the dock seal is mounted to the wall. A flexible panel pivotally couples the compressible body to the wall.

Low profile support panel for a dock seal

Weather shields for underneath a dock leveler are described herein. An example weather shield described herein includes an environmental barrier disposed underneath a deck where the environmental barrier includes a first section and a second section. A tensioner is coupled to the environmental barrier and creates a vertical tension in the environmental barrier in an upward direction such that a) when the deck is in the raised position, both the first section and the second section are in vertical tension; b) when the deck is in the lowered position, both the first section and the second section are in less vertical tension than they are when the deck is in the raised position; and c) when the deck is in the intermediate position, the first section is in appreciably greater vertical tension than the second section such that there is a discrete incremental difference in vertical tension in the environmental barrier.

Weather shield for underneath a dock leveler

A shield system for shielding the area underneath a dock leveler allows a gap to be created either above or below the shield when the deck rises, whereby a shield of a given height dimension can used on dock levelers of various lift heights. In some embodiments, the shield is a pliable curtain that a tensioner holds taut during some operations of the dock leveler, yet the curtain can collapse for below-dock operation. The shield system can be used on horizontally storing dock levelers or vertically storing ones. In some cases, the system includes a pliable web that extends between a front face of the deck and a lip extending from the deck. The web can help seal the area adjacent to a pair of dock bumpers.

A compressible seal for a loading dock includes a pliable heat shield that helps protect the seal from concentrated heat generated by a truck's taillight being pressed against the seal. The seal includes a compressible foam core protected by a tough outer covering. The heat shield is preferably placed against the foam core, just underneath the cover. The shield reflects heat away from the foam and helps disperse the heat over a broader area to reduce the peak temperature of any hot spots.

Heat shielded dock pad

A sealing apparatus for forming a weather seal between a vehicle and a loading dock is provided. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a roller seal rotatably mounted to a support for rotation about an axis. The roller seal is movable in at least a vertical direction from a first position in the path of a vehicle entering the parking area, to a second position wherein the roller seal is disposed adjacent the top of the vehicle. Preferably, a curtain is suspended distally of the roller seal such that, when the roller seal is in the second position, the curtain forms a first seal with the top of the vehicle and the roller seal forms a second seal with the top of the vehicle. The curtain is semi-rigid and, in some instances, defines a ramping surface to facilitate movement of the roller seal over the leading edge of a vehicle approaching the loading dock.

Roller sealing apparatus for forming a weather seal between a vehicle and a loading dock or the like

An extendible shield for sheltering the pit area below a dock leveler of a loading dock. The shield is especially suited for dock levelers having a ramp of pivotally adjustable height with a lip extension for providing a traffic path between the rear of a vehicle and a loading dock platform. The shield includes a curtain wrapped around a roller, which provides the shield with a vertical span that can vary to match the up and down movement of the ramp. Various embodiments include features such a flexible seal that seals against the rear of a vehicle and cutouts for accommodating a vehicle restraint and lip keepers.

Weather shield for below a dock leveler

A loading dock seal includes a low-profile backer that is vertically adjustable relative to a wall-mounted bracket to facilitate the installation of the seal. In some embodiments the bracket is generally U-shaped with a turned-in lip on one leg of the U-shape. The backer, to which a compressible foam pad is attached, is similarly U-shaped to nest within the bracket. During installation of the seal, the turned-in lip restrains the backer horizontally, yet allows the backer to be adjusted vertically to properly position the seal. Once properly adjusted, an added fastener further fixes the backer to the bracket, so that the seal is fixed both horizontally and vertically. In some embodiments, the low profile of the backer is achieved by forming the both the backer and the bracket out of sheet metal. The backer includes elongated channels or slots for bolt head clearance to accommodate anchor bolts that connect the bracket to a wall.

Growing community of inventors

Dubuque, IA, United States of America

Charles J Ashelin