U.S. patent application number 15/208511 was filed with the patent office on 2018-01-18 for post and barrier safety device.
The applicant listed for this patent is James LINDSAY, Kathleen MCCROSSAN. Invention is credited to James LINDSAY, Kathleen MCCROSSAN.
Application Number | 20180015350 15/208511 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 60942309 |
Filed Date | 2018-01-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180015350 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LINDSAY; James ; et
al. |
January 18, 2018 |
Post and Barrier Safety Device
Abstract
A post safety device for a rigid structure with vertical rigid
support posts, the safety device having a flexible, resilient
insert attached below ground level between the lower end of the
vertical posts, and the upper end of a rigid anchor attached below
each insert, and a safety device for a rigid structure with
vertical rigid wall elements, the safety device having a flexible,
resilient strip attached below ground level between the base of
each rigid wall element and a rigid anchor attached below each
strip.
Inventors: |
LINDSAY; James; (New
Westminster, CA) ; MCCROSSAN; Kathleen; (New
Westminster, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LINDSAY; James
MCCROSSAN; Kathleen |
New Westminster
New Westminster |
|
CA
CA |
|
|
Family ID: |
60942309 |
Appl. No.: |
15/208511 |
Filed: |
July 12, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 71/0054 20130101;
A63B 2071/0063 20130101; E01F 9/627 20160201; A63B 2071/024
20130101; A63B 63/06 20130101; A63B 2063/086 20130101; A63B 2209/14
20130101; A63B 61/02 20130101; A63B 71/023 20130101; A63B 63/004
20130101; E01F 15/0476 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 71/00 20060101
A63B071/00; A63B 63/00 20060101 A63B063/00 |
Claims
1. A post safety device for a rigid structure having one or more
vertical rigid support posts, the safety device comprising a
flexible, resilient insert attached below ground level between the
lower end of each of the one or more vertical posts, and the upper
end of a rigid anchor attached below each insert.
2. The post safety device of claim 1, wherein the structure is a
sports structure selected from the group of structures comprising
soccer goalposts, hockey goals, football uprights, basketball hoop
supports, tennis nets, and field hockey goals.
3. The post safety device of claim 1, wherein the structure is a
roadway structure selected from the group of roadway structures
comprising traffic lights, light standards, road signs, bus stop
signs, barriers, and guardrails.
4. The post safety device of claim 1, wherein the flexible,
resilient insert is manufactured of a hard rubber compound.
5. The post safety device of claim 1, wherein the flexible,
resilient insert is manufactured of plastic.
6. The post safety device of claim 1, wherein the flexible,
resilient insert is comprised of a unitary structure.
7. The post safety device of claim 1, wherein the flexible,
resilient insert is comprised of multiple layers of flexible,
resilient material.
8. A safety device fora rigid structure having one or more vertical
rigid wall elements, the safety device comprising a flexible,
resilient strip attached below ground level between the base of
each rigid wall element and a rigid anchor attached below each
strip.
9. The safety device of claim 8, wherein the flexible, resilient
insert is manufactured of a hard rubber compound.
10. The safety device of claim 8, wherein the flexible, resilient
insert is manufactured of plastic.
11. The safety device of claim 8, wherein the flexible, resilient
insert is comprised of a unitary structure.
12. The safety device of claim 8, wherein the flexible, resilient
insert is comprised of multiple layers of flexible, resilient
material.
13. A safety post comprising a rigid upper portion attached at its
lower end to an upper end of a flexible insert, and a rigid anchor
attached at its upper end to a lower end of the flexible
insert,
14. The safety post of claim 13 for installation in a support
surface, wherein the post is installed with the upper portion above
the installation surface, and the flexible insert and anchor
installed below the installation surface.
15. The safety post of claim 13, wherein the flexible, resilient
insert is manufactured of a hard rubber compound.
16. The safety post of claim 13, wherein the flexible, resilient
insert is manufactured of plastic.
17. The safety post of claim 13, wherein the flexible, resilient
insert is comprised of a unitary structure.
18. The safety post of claim 13, wherein the flexible, resilient
insert is comprised of multiple layers of flexible, resilient
material.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to safety equipment. In
particular, the present invention relates to a device and system
for improving safety during sports, recreation, and other
activities which require use of rigid posts or rigid barriers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In sports such as soccer or basketball, participants are
frequently moving at high speed in proximity to rigid vertical
posts such as goal posts or hoop posts. The risk of a participant
colliding with a rigid post is significant, and the result may be
serious injury or worse for the participant.
[0003] Similarly, parks, roads and other areas often install rigid
posts or other rigid barriers. As these areas are used by runners,
children playing, cyclists, and others moving past the rigid posts,
a similar risk of injury exists.
[0004] It is known in the prior art to provide means for reducing
the risk of injury from collisions with rigid posts. For example,
padding or a crash resistant shell may be externally wrapped around
the post in a zone of likely collision to reduce injury. The
presence of padding may change the shape of the post which may
alter function. In some cases, posts are made of non-rigid,
flexible materials to give way during a collision.
[0005] None of the prior art provides a solution which permits
rigid posts to absorb collision energy to reduce risk of injury,
while also maintaining rigidity and original shape of the post.
[0006] As will be described below, the post safety device and
system of the present invention provides these features.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] A detailed description of the preferred embodiments is
provided by way of example only and with reference to the following
drawings, in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the post safety device of one
embodiment of the present invention for use in a soccer goal
post;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a front plan view of a soccer goal incorporating
two post safety devices; and
[0010] FIG. 3 is a side plan view of a soccer goal incorporating
two post safety devices.
[0011] In the drawings, one embodiment of the invention is
illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood
that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of
illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended
as a definition of the limits of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] There is provided a post safety device for a rigid structure
having one or more vertical rigid support posts, the safety device
comprising a flexible, resilient insert attached below ground level
between the lower end of each of the one or more vertical posts,
and the upper end of a rigid anchor attached below each insert.
[0013] The structure may be a sports structure such as soccer
goalposts, hockey goals, football uprights, basketball hoop
supports, tennis nets, and field hockey goals, or a roadway
structure such as traffic lights, light standards, road signs, bus
stop signs, barriers, and guardrails.
[0014] The safety device may be for a rigid structure having one or
more vertical rigid wall elements, the safety device having a
flexible, resilient strip attached below ground level between the
base of each rigid wall element and a rigid anchor attached below
each strip.
[0015] The safety device insert or strip may be manufactured of
plastic, a hard rubber compound, or other recyclable materials. The
insert or strip may be a unitary component, or it may be made up of
multiple layers of flexible, resilient materials.
[0016] The invention is also a safety post comprising a rigid upper
portion attached at its lower end to an upper end of a flexible
insert, and a rigid anchor attached at its upper end to a lower end
of the flexible insert. The safety post may be for installation in
a support surface, wherein the post is installed with the upper
portion above the installation surface, and the flexible insert and
anchor installed below the installation surface
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0017] There is provided a post safety device comprising a flexible
insert manufactured of a hard rubber compound, plastic, or other
resilient material having a cross-sectional area approximately
equal in size to the cross sectional area of a post into which the
post safety device is to be integrated.
[0018] The insert may be a solid, unitary piece, or it may be
manufactured of stacks of multiple layers of rubber, plastic or
other resilient material glued or compressed together to form an
expansion joint.
[0019] The system of the invention comprises a post safety device
insert 2 connected at its lower end to an anchor 4, and at its
upper end to a rigid post 6. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2,
and 3, each insert is connected at its upper end to the bottom of
the above ground portion of a soccer goal post 8, and at its lower
end to an anchor. The soccer goal post is installed in such a
manner that the anchors and flexible inserts are placed below the
ground 10 of the playing surface 12, and the above ground portions
of the soccer goal posts extend upwardly from the inserts above the
ground of the playing surface.
[0020] In operation, when a player collides with the rigid soccer
goal post, the insert permits the goal post to absorb more of the
energy of the collision than is the case with a soccer goal post
lacking flexible inserts. The result to the player is a greatly
reduced risk of injury. Post-collision, the soccer goal posts
quickly return to their resting position to permit continued play
of the game.
[0021] The device and system of the invention may be incorporated
into a wide variety of rigid posts used in various sports such as
tennis and rugby and other field sports, recreation, workplaces,
roads, and other locations. For example, metal roadside barriers or
guardrails along highways could incorporate the system to cushion
vehicle impacts in order to reduce vehicle damage and passenger
injury. Similarly, rigid posts used for traffic signs, traffic
lights, light standards, and bus stop signs, as well as postal
boxes could all incorporate the post safety device and system of
the invention to permit flexibility during collisions.
[0022] According to another embodiment for use in hockey, a
flexible strip may be placed along the bottom edge of the rink
boards to absorb the energy of players colliding with the
boards.
[0023] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that
other variations of the preferred embodiment may also be practiced
without departing from the scope of the invention.
* * * * *