Low clearance alarm bumper

Abstract

A low clearance alarm bumper apparatus ( 10 ) includes a bumper ( 12 ) that can be suspended adjacent a doorway and below the level of the header for activating an alarm circuit ( 16 ) upon being tilted in response to an impact, such as when a forklift carrying a tall load approaches the doorway. Upon impact, the preferred bumper ( 12 ) activates a pair of lamps ( 36, 38 ) and a speaker ( 40 ) to produce an audible alarm to warn the forklift driver that the load is too tall to clear the doorway header.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention encompasses many variations in the preferred embodiments described herein. Having thus described these embodiments, the following is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent:  
     
         1 . An alarm bumper apparatus comprising: 
 a bumper;    a suspension assembly configured for suspending said bumper at a selected height above a support surface and for allowing said bumper to shift upon impact; and    an alarm circuit carried by said bumper and operable for sensing impact by said bumper and responsive thereto for activating an alarm.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 1   , said bumper including a tubular member.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 2   , said tubular member including a pipe.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 3   , said pipe including PVC pipe.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 1   , said suspension assembly including a plurality of spaced fasteners coupled with said bumper.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 5   , said suspension assembly further including a plurality of flexible cords respectively coupled with said fasteners.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 6   , said flexible cords including chain, said fasteners including eyelet fasteners.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 1   , said alarm circuit including a switch and activatable in response to shifting of said bumper and including a control circuit coupled with said switch and responsive to activation thereof for producing an alarm signal.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 8   , said switch including a tilt switch.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 8   , said switch including a light responsive switch, said alarm circuit further including a light beam emitting device carried by said bumper, spaced from said switch and positioned for directing said light beam onto said switch, said switch being activatable in response to interruption of said light beam, such being indicative of said bumper receiving an impact and shifting as a result.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 8   , said alarm circuit further including a lamp carried by said bumper, said lamp illuminating in response to said alarm signal.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 11   , further including a pair of said lamps.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 8   , said alarm circuit further including a sound emitting device responsive to said alarm signal for producing an audible alarm.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 8   , said alarm signal further including timing structure for stopping said alarm signal after a predetermined time.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 1   , 
 said bumper being configured to present a longitudinal axis and opposed ends,    said suspension assembly being configured for orienting said bumper with said axis substantially parallel to a support surface,    said alarm circuit including a switch activatable in response to shifting of said bumper, a control circuit responsive to activation of said switch for producing an alarm signal, and at least one lamp operable for illuminating a response to said alarm signal.    
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 15   , said alarm circuit including a pair of said lamps respectively positioned at said opposed ends of said bumper.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 16   , said alarm circuit further including a sound emitting device responsive to said alarm signal for providing an audible alarm.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 15   , said alarm circuit being operable for stopping said alarm signal after a predetermined time.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as set forth in    claim 14   , said bumper being composed of PVC pipe.