Road structure – process – or apparatus – Traffic steering device or barrier
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-05
2001-03-13
Lillis, Eileen D. (Department: 3673)
Road structure, process, or apparatus
Traffic steering device or barrier
C404S009000, C256S013100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200063
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a guide barrier system, especially for securing traffic roads.
The term “traffic road” is defined in the broadest sense of the word. Thus, the guide barrier system may be used to separate or secure traffic lanes at construction sites or squares, or to separate plant islands or plant boxes set up in the area of traffic roads. Such a guide barrier system may also be used to separate traffic lanes on turnpikes or in streets or to narrow traffic lanes, e.g., for speed reduction. Finally, such a guide barrier system may also be used inside large-area halls in order to form traffic roads, namely, lanes for so-called go-carts or similar motorized vehicles there as well.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A guide barrier system is described in EP 0 618 332 A1, which is especially for forming or securing traffic roads with a plurality of guide sections which are arranged in at least one row one behind the other and can be connected to one another.
The guide barrier system according to this publication is formed essentially by a plurality of guide sections arranged one behind the other and connected to one another. These guide sections are designed such that the end of a first guide section can be connected to the beginning of the next guide section following it. To make do with a single shape of guide sections, these have a tenon-like projection at one of their ends, and a bearing eye-like projection for accommodating the given tenon at their other end. The two projections are designed and arranged at the guide section such that the tenon of a respective succeeding guide section is introduced from the top into the bearing eye-like projection of a preceding guide section.
Even though the guide sections thus designed can be mounted relatively easily to form a guide barrier system, such a guide barrier system does have the drawback that, e.g., when a guide section is replaced, this guide section cannot be readily removed from the guide barrier system. Rather, it is necessary to remove all guide sections up to the guide section to be replaced from the end of the guide barrier system; the damaged guide section can be replaced only thereafter.
If an area that is closed in itself is to be delimited with the above-described guide barrier system, which may happen, e.g., to delimit a traffic island, a planted area or to delimit a lane for a go-cart racetrack, difficulties will arise with the guide sections of the above-described guide barrier system because a specially designed end piece is necessary for closing such an area or the racetrack, or the last guide section can be mounted under difficult conditions only.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a guide barrier system of this type, which makes possible a rapid replacement of damaged guide sections, on the one hand, and is flexible in shaping the lane, on the other hand, while guaranteeing uniform guide sections.
This object is accomplished with a guide barrier system of this type by each guide section having a middle piece that is directed essentially in parallel to the direction of the traffic road and is elastically deformable at right angles to its longitudinal axis, and by a plurality of supports extending at right angles to the middle piece being arranged at the middle piece, wherein the supports have support surfaces arranged symmetrically to the middle piece and the support surfaces are arranged at mutually spaced locations from one another on the said middle piece to achieve the deformability of the middle piece, wherein two mutually adjacent guide sections can be detachably connected to one another by means of a coupling piece engaging gaps located between the supports.
Due to the teaching according to the present invention, according to which the middle piece is made elastically deformable and the supports are arranged at mutually spaced locations from one another at the middle piece, the entire guide section can be elastically deformed to any desired curved shape while maintaining a minimum radius, i.e., it can be bent into any desired curved shape and, if necessary, it can be fixed in this shape on a base. If the corresponding curved shape is composed of a plurality of guide sections, this shape can also be fixed at the same time with the coupling piece connecting two mutually adjacent guide sections, wherein the two flanges of the coupling piece engage the gaps located between the supports.
The arrangement of the gaps between the individual supports imparts on the guide section an ability to bend, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, a nearly uninterrupted bumping surface is obtained for the wheels of the vehicle that are on the outer side of the curve due to the formation of a curved shape on the side of the guide section facing the lane. The individual supports or the corresponding guide section are thus able to elastically absorb lateral forces of the vehicle, and the guide section may be elastically deformed under the action of such lateral forces and return into its starting position after the cessation of the lateral forces.
A design of the guide sections that is simple in terms of manufacturing technology is obtained due to the fact that the middle piece and the supports of every guide section are made in one piece.
To engage the coupling piece with the guide sections, each guide section has, in the area of the upper end, at least at its two front-side end areas, one recess each, which is directed essentially in parallel to its longitudinal axis and may extend over the length of its guide section in a preferred embodiment. In this case, the guide section may be shortened at any desired point and be inserted as an end piece or intermediate piece into the guide barrier system.
An advantageous embodiment of the coupling piece is obtained by the coupling piece having a web engaging the recess of the guide section, with flanges arranged at its front-side ends. To connect two guide sections, it is therefore only necessary to place the corresponding guide section close by to one another and to push the two flanges of the coupling piece into the mutually adjacent gaps of the guide sections to the extent that the web of the coupling piece will be located within the recesses of the guide sections. The two flanges extending into the gaps of the two guide section now assume the securing of the guide sections in their longitudinal direction, while the web engaging the recesses assumes the securing of the guide sections in the direction extending at right angles to their longitudinal direction. The guide sections can thus be connected to one another or guide sections can thus be connected to end pieces or intermediate pieces without the use of separate fastening means, e.g., bolts.
An embodiment of the guide sections that is favorable for the driving behavior is obtained by each support having a bumping surface, which begins with an oblique surface in the area of its support surface and continues in a convexly curved surface.
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Addie Raymond W
Fritzinger Klaus
Lillis Eileen D.
McGlew and Tuttle , P.C.
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