Communications: electrical – Traffic control indicator
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-13
2001-07-10
Hofsass, Jeffery (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Traffic control indicator
C340S321000, C340S427000, C340S907000, C340S908000, C340S908100, C340S917000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259375
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for warning oncoming traffic of a potentially dangerous road crossing area, including school crossing zones, railroad crossings or other locations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the U.S., there are approximately 268,000 highway-rail and pedestrian crossings. In an average year, more people die at highway-rail grade crossings than in commercial airline crashes. Oftentimes, the cause of a highway-rail or pedestrian crossing accident is that the driver fails to pay attention to highway conditions.
Most of the highway-rail and pedestrian crossing accidents are preventable. Despite present measures such as traffic lights, stop signs, rail crossing lights (cross-buck signs), railroad gates or other markings, signs or indicators of the potentially dangerous highway location, accidents continue to occur.
Many drivers fail to pay attention to traffic signals because of their location on the side of the road and also because the signals are difficult to see in fog. However, most drivers, even when not paying close attention, do look at the road when driving and would tend to notice a highway warning system embedded in the roadway.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a warning system in the highway or road immediately adjacent to a pedestrian crossing, school crossing, or railroad grade crossing The embedded warning system consists of a series of strobe lights powered by a nearby electrical source such as a traffic light, flashing warning light, railroad crossing light and/or gate system or other potential source of electricity. Alternatively, a solar panel and battery recharging apparatus may be used as a source of power.
A trough containing the lights is located so that its uppermost surface is at or slightly above grade, extending to a depth of 9 to 15 inches below grade. The trough is 8 to 12 feet in length and 3 to 12, and preferably 5 inches wide. The trough is placed perpendicular to the direction of traffic so as to cross the path of oncoming traffic and preferably is placed parallel with the direction of traffic. The strobe lights flash at a rate of 30 to 120 flashes per minute, and preferably 60 flashes per minute.
To accommodate most trenching tools, the end caps of the trough would be rounded. This allows the trough to quickly be inserted into an excavated trough without labor intensive squaring off of the ends of the trough.
Preferably one or two troughs are placed parallel to the direction of travel. Preferably, in a four lane road, two sets of two parallel trough sets are located in one direction of traffic with a single-trough in the middle of a lane of traffic, with two spaced rows of two troughs. Another two sets of two parallel trough sets are similarly placed in the opposite direction of travel.
A series of 4 to 9 strobe lights connected together, is having a colored filter of amber or red, is placed along the bottom of the trough. When two sets of troughs are used, the first set encountered by overcoming traffic may include amber colored filters as a warning light to urge oncoming traffic to slow down. The second set of troughs would include red colored filters to urge oncoming traffic to stop.
The sides and bottom of the trough are made of metal or plastic and are lined with a reflective material. The reflective material may be for example, highway reflective light beads, a highly polished reflective material, or other reflective material.
The top of the trough is sealed with a single or a double layer of plastic material. In a double layer configuration, the lowermost layer is approximately 1 to 2 inches thick and is transparent. The upper layer, which is at grade level, has a thickness of approximately 1 to 2 inch. Alternatively, where laws permit, the upper layer of plastic projects above the grade and is of a curved configuration having a thickness of 1½ to 3 inches.
The upper layer is transparent or translucent, and preferably transparent. Where the upper surface of the upper layer of plastic is curved, the upper layer also acts as a “speed bump” to slow oncoming traffic. The upper layer may include a honeycomb or prism structure to reflect and disperse light.
The trough is divided into a plurality of sections which are hermetically sealed from each other except for waterproof electrical communication. In the event that one section of the trough is compromised and exposed to the elements, causing failure of one section of strobe lights, the remaining sections of strobe lights will continue to function to provide a warning effect until repairs can be implemented. In this event, the top of the trough is removable for servicing.
The connection to the power supply provided by warning lights at a school crossing or a railroad crossing, for example, would be made such that the strobe lights and the trough would be synchronized to be activated at the same time as a crossing signal at a school crossing is activated or upon activation of railroad warning lights at a railroad crossing. This feature provides a coordinated effort to alert oncoming traffic of a potential danger.
Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide a highway warning system extending parallel to the flow of traffic and providing a visual warning against continued or high speed traffic travel.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a highway warning system including a trough housing having a plurality of strobe lights activated in coordination with another highway warning system.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a highway warning system including a trough having a plurality of strobe lights aimed to flash through a protective plastic covering optionally having a curved uppermost surface to provide a speed bump deterrent to continued traffic travel.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a highway warning system extending parallel to the direction of flow of traffic and located adjacent to another highway warning device and triggered by the other highway warning device to flash a colored strobe light from below the grade level through a transparent or translucent cover of the trough so as to visually alert oncoming traffic to a potentially dangerous traffic situation.
These and other objects of the invention, as well as many of the intended advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent when reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Hofsass Jeffery
Jacobson & Holman PLLC
Nguyen Hung
LandOfFree
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