U.S. patent application number 10/938250 was filed with the patent office on 2006-03-16 for retractable lighted traffic control strip.
Invention is credited to Charles R. Leonard.
Application Number | 20060055559 10/938250 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36033320 |
Filed Date | 2006-03-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060055559 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leonard; Charles R. |
March 16, 2006 |
Retractable lighted traffic control strip
Abstract
A traffic control device specially adapted to replace lines of
slow-burning flares now commonly used to direct vehicular traffic
around a crime or accident scene. The device includes two spools of
ribbons that mount a series of fluorescent, reflective and
illuminated markers. The ribbons can be quickly unrolled and laid
out on the pavement separately or end-to-end. The ribbons have
laterally bendable segments that allow definition of horizontally
arcuated traffic patterns. The illuminated markers are fired in
repetitive sequential pattern pointing toward the direction of
traffic. The spools are mounted on a holding caddy and incorporate
a power source and an electronic lighting control unit for the
illuminated markers.
Inventors: |
Leonard; Charles R.; (Chula
Vista, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARMASSON, BUCHACA & LEACH, LLP
1545 HOTEL CIRCLE SOUTH, SUITE 150
SAN DIEGO
CA
92108-3426
US
|
Family ID: |
36033320 |
Appl. No.: |
10/938250 |
Filed: |
September 11, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/908.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01F 13/028
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/908.1 |
International
Class: |
E01F 9/00 20060101
E01F009/00 |
Claims
1. The vehicular traffic control device which comprises: at least
one spoolable length of ribbon having a top surface, a bottom
surface, lateral edges, a distal end, and a proximal end; a
plurality of directional markers mounted on said top surface; a
first type of interconnecting means at said distal end; a second
type of interconnecting means, at said second end cooperatively
matable to said first type of connecting means; and whereby a
number of said lengths of ribbon can be interconnected end-to-end
and laid on a roadway to direct traffic.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein said directional markers include
reflective markers.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein said directional markers include
fluorescent markers.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein said directional markers include
illuminated markers.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein said illuminated markers extend
above said top surface.
6. The device of claim 5 wherein said illuminated markers include
sequential lighting circuits; whereby said markers are sequential
enabled according to the direction of traffic.
7. The device of claim 5 wherein each of said illuminated markers
comprises: a transparent cover; a lighting element; and a
light-enabling circuit.
8. The device of claim 1 which further comprises: a caddy
including: a frame; at least one roller movably supporting said
frame above ground; and at least one spool shaped and dimensioned
to spirally accommodate at least one of said lengths of ribbon.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein said caddy further includes a
source of electrical power for said markers.
10. The device of claim 8 wherein said caddy further comprises
electrical connectors to bring power to said markers.
11. The device of claim 9 wherein said source of power comprises a
rechargeable battery.
12. The device of claim 1 wherein said length of ribbon further
comprises laterally flexible segments; whereby said length of
ribbon may be laid flat on the ground in a horizontally arcuate
pattern.
13. The device of claim 1 wherein said length of ribbon further
comprises distance measurement marks along one of said lateral
edges.
14. The device of claim 13 wherein a number of said markers are
fluorescent.
15. The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second types of
interconnecting means comprise patches of hook-and-loop fabric
fasteners.
16. The device of claim 4 which further comprises mating electrical
connectors at said distal and proximal ends.
17. The device of claim 8 wherein said caddy further comprises a
retractable power cord.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to signs and traffic indicators and
more specifically roadside traffic control indicators used to
direct traffic around an accident or crime scene.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Traffic and law enforcement officers, as well as on-site
emergency service personnel, commonly use lighted flares and
reflective markers positioned directly on the pavement in order to
divert traffic around a crime or accident scene. Each marker or
flare must be positioned by hand against incoming traffic. This
very hazardous task exposes the officers to a high risk of
collision with passing vehicles.
[0003] The extinguishment of a flare or upsetting of a marker can
create a gap in the traffic-diverting line which, if mistaken by a
motorist for a permissible exit may cause a vehicle to burst upon
the accident or crime scene. Besides the risk of injury to the
victim and attending personnel, such a disruption can interfere
with the investigation of the crime or accident and cause the
destruction of critical evidence.
[0004] This invention results from an attempt to find a more
expedient, and reliable way to delineate a traffic pattern across
one or more traffic lanes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The principal and secondary objects of this invention are to
provide law enforcement and traffic officers, as well as people
attending to an accident on a highway, with a means to rapidly
deploy a traffic control indicator to direct incoming vehicles away
from a crime or accident scene and make the traffic control
indication immune to trespassing interference by passing
vehicles.
[0006] This and other valuable objects are achieved by a spooled
ribbon mounting a series of fluorescent, reflective and lighted
markers, that can be quickly unrolled and laid out on the pavement.
The ribbon has laterally bendable segments that allow definition of
laterally accurate traffic patterns. The lighted markers are
sequentially enabled to create flashing lines oriented in the
direction of traffic. Several such ribbons can be connected
end-to-end and can be quickly rolled back on the spool mounted on a
rolling caddy. A battery and lighting control circuit is packaged
in the hub of the spool.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicular traffic control
device according to the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a detailed frontal view of a spool hub;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a caddy
electrically connected to an automobile;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a ribbon section;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along Line 4-4 of
FIG. 3;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along Line 5-5 of
FIG. 3;
[0013] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along Line 6-6 of
FIG. 3;
[0014] FIG. 8 is a schematic of a lighted marker circuitry;
[0015] FIG. 9 is a ribbon wiring diagram; and
[0016] FIG. 10 is an electrical diagram of the lighting control
unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Referring now to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 a
vehicular traffic control device 1 according to the invention. The
device is mounted on the caddy 2 consisting of a frame plate 3
mounted vertically with a handle bar 4 telescopically engaged in a
sleeve 5 welded to the back edge of the plate. The position of the
handle bar can be immobilized and adjusted in orientation and
extension by a wing screw 6 mounted on the wall of the sleeve 5.
The frame is rotatively supported over the ground surface by a pair
of rollers 7, and stabilized when at rest by a rubber padded foot 8
mounted under the frontal edge of the frame plate 3. A pair of
discs 9 are rotatively mounted against opposite faces of the frame
plate 3 about an axle 10. A pair of threaded posts 11 project
horizontally from the outer face of each disc. Each of the pair of
spools 12 have channels 13 through their hubs 14 that are sized and
positioned to engage over threaded posts 11 when the spools are
mounted against the discs 9 and secured thereon by wing nuts 15.
Knobs 16 mounted on the outer faces of the spools can be used to
rotate the spools and discs in relation to the frame plate 3. A
patch of hook-and-loop fabric fasteners 17 affixed to the hubs
cooperate with interconnecting patches of mating fabric fasteners
18 which are affixed to the proximal ends 19 of marker-carrying
ribbons 20. Accordingly, the proximal end of the ribbon may be
quickly secured to the hub, and the ribbon wound on a spool by
manipulating a knob 16. Electrical power and control signals for
selectively lighting some of the markers on the ribbon are brought
from the center of the hub to a connector 21 dangling from a
pigtail 22 protruding from a bore through the wall of the hub. A
mating connector 23 mounted on the proximal end of the ribbon carry
the power and control signals to a multi-conductor ribbon-cable
that run the length of the ribbon and terminates into a female
connector 24 mounted at the distal end 25 of the ribbon. A patch of
hook-and-loop fastener 26 of the same type as the patch 17 mounted
against the hub is affixed to the distal end 25 of the ribbon.
Several lengths of ribbon can thus be attached end-to-end by the
cooperating patches 18, 26 of fabric fastened and electrically
interconnected by ways of the mating connectors 23, 26 at the
respective proximal and distal ends of the ribbons.
[0018] As more specifically illustrated in FIG. 2, a cavity 27
inside each spool hub houses a rechargeable battery 28 and a marker
lighting control unit assembly 29 to be further described below. A
connector 30 mounted in the exact center of the hub can be used to
supply operational or recharging current to the battery 28. The
position of the connector 30 allows the spool to be rotated for a
number of turns without unduly twisting any outside cable bringing
power from a remote battery charging unit to the spool.
Alternately, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the connector 30 can be
mounted on a retractable cord 63 which can extend from a receptacle
64 in the hub 14 to engage a corresponding connector on a more
durable power source such as on an automobile 65.
[0019] As more specifically illustrated in FIGS. 4-7, each ribbon
20 comprises an extruded, pliable web 31 made of polyvinyl,
neoprene or other elastomeric material. Flanged rails 32 are formed
along the lateral edges 33 of the web. Semi-circular marginal
cutouts 34 positioned at regular intervals along the full length of
the web create narrowed sections 35 of the web that provide lateral
flexibility, allowing the ribbons to be laid out flatly on the
ground in horizontally arcuate patterns. A number of a first type,
non-lighted marker 36 are mounted on the web between the narrowed
sections 35. Each non-lighted marker consists of a slab of the same
elastomeric material as the web having an outwardly projecting bead
37 whose lateral sections are of sized and positioned to intimately
engage into the groves 38 defined by the flange rails 32. The top
surface 39 of the marker slants downwardly from a central axially
directed crest line 40. The proximal or trailing end section 41 of
the top surface also slants down from the crest line 40 to the
proximal edge 42 of the marker. A coat of the fluorescent material
43 is applied to the trailing section 41 and defined under low
light conditions an arrowhead pointing toward the distal end of the
ribbon. A reflective surface 44 that becomes luminescent when
impinged by a ray of light is formed on the lateral slopes of the
top surface 39. The reflective surface on each face is formed in
the shape of an arrowhead also pointing toward the distal end of
the ribbon. The reflective and luminescent surfaces can be created
according to techniques well-known to the art by a grated,
transparent and mirrored substrate. A number of illuminated or
lighted markers 45 are also mounted on the web 31 each being
intimately inserted between two of the just-described non-lighted
markers 36. Each of these second type of markers comprises a
transparent lens or cover 46 having the same external outline as
the top surface 39 of a non-lighted marker. In addition, beads 47
similar and symmetrical with the beads 37 on the non-lighted marker
are positioned along the lateral edges. The leading or distal and
trailing or proximal lower edges of the lighted marker have grooves
or beads 48 which are positioned and dimensioned to engage
corresponding beads or grooves at the distal and proximal edges of
the non-lighted markers that precede and follow the lighted marker.
The bottom of each lighted marker is formed by a printed circuit
board 49. Mounted on the board inside the marker are a number of
lighting elements 50 such as LCDs 50, and some electronic
components that will be described below. A series of contact pad
terminals 51 on the under surface of the printed circuit board 49
interconnect with corresponding contact pads 52 positioned on a
ribbon cable 53 affixed to the central upper section of the web and
running the full length of the ribbon from the proximal male
connector 23 to the distal female connector 24 in the pattern
illustrated in FIG. 9.
[0020] In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the sequence
of lighted and non-lighted markers between the two narrowed
sections 53 consists of two non-lighted markers 31 at the front,
two more at the end of the sequence framing two lighted markers
separated by a non-lighted one for a total of seven markers. The
second lighted marker in the sequence is mounted in an axially
inverse orientation in reference to the first one in order to
provide a non-crossing continuous pattern of conductors in the
ribbon cable 53 as shown in the diagram of FIG. 9. Two types of
lighted markers are provided distinguished only by inverted grooves
and beads along their transversal edges that mate with adjacent
non-lighted markers. It should be noted that in spite of the
inverted positioning of some of the lighted markers, the succession
of markers presents sloping edges to the wheels of any vehicle
traveling in the direction pointed out by the markers. Accordingly,
the position of a low profile ribbon will not be disturbed by being
occasionally run over by a vehicle wheel.
[0021] As illustrated in FIG. 8, the lighting components 50 of a
lighted marker are controlled by a circuit mounted on the printed
circuit board 49 that forms the bottom of the marker. The circuit
comprises a flip-flop or other toggling element 54 which is
triggered or set by the trailing edge of an impulse arriving on
terminal pad A the flip-flop is reset by the trailing edge of a
clock pulse arriving on terminal pad D. When the flip-flop is set
it enables a driver 55 which draws a current through the lighting
elements 50 and a limiting resistor 56 from a source of electrical
voltage arriving on either terminal pad C or E. The driver-enabling
signal out of the flip-flop is fed to contact pad G. As shown in
the diagram of FIG. 9, the ribbon cable connects contact pad G to
contact pad A of the next lighted marker down the ribbon. It
follows that the lighted markers are sequentially enabled in
accordance with the direction of traffic. By making the issue of
the signal that fires the first lighted indicator on the ribbon, a
subset of the frequency of the clock signal that determines the
period of lighting, a number of sequential lighting patterns can be
created along the length of the ribbon.
[0022] The just-described lighting sequence is provided by the
lighting control unit 29 located in the hub cavity 27 and
illustrated in FIG. 10. Power for the control and illumination of
the markers is provided by the battery 28 which can be recharged
through the axial connector 30 and protective diode 57 and resistor
58. The power out of the battery is regulated by a voltage limiter
59 before being sent to the ribbon cable 53. An oscillator 60
generates the clock signal CLK that appears on the contact pad D
along the entire length of the ribbon cable 53. The signal out of
the oscillator is also fed to a four-stage counter divider 61 whose
output is used as the start signal STR that is applied to the first
lighted marker near the proximal end of the ribbon.
[0023] The output frequency of the clock signal out of the
oscillator of preferably sixteen hertz and that of the start signal
one hertz. Each ribbon has a total length of approximately ten
meters (about thirty-three feet), a width of 7.5 centimeters (3
inches) and a total height, excluding the markers, of 0.63
centimeters (0.25 inches). Each marker has an axial length of five
centimeters (two inches), and rises only 0.63 centimeter (0.25
inches) above the upper surface of the web.
[0024] On the spool having a radius of 30 centimeters (12 inches),
with a hub of a 10 centimeter (4 inches) radius about 10 meters (33
feet) of ribbon can be spirally wound. Larger spools or shorter
ribbon can be implemented so that a single spool can accommodate
several ribbons.
[0025] Each ribbon carries 64 lighted markers and 96 unlighted
ones. Based on a firing rate of one per second and a lighting
period of 0.625 second per marker, about two sequential lighting
patterns will appear at all time on each ribbon.
[0026] Distance marks 62 placed along a lateral edge of the web as
shown in FIG. 4 allow the use of the ribbon as a convenient
measuring tape.
[0027] It should be noted that by having several lighting
components in each lighting marker no gap in the lighting sequence
will be created if one or two of the components burn out. Moreover,
the burn out of the entire series of lighting components in a
marker will not interrupt the lighting sequence. Failed lighting
markers can be quickly popped out off the web and replaced by a new
component. The tongue-and-groove engagement of the markers with the
web flanged rails and surrounding non-lighted markers provide a
waterproof seal that protects the printed circuit board and the
contact pads on the ribbon cable against the intrusion of water or
other corrosive liquids.
[0028] The lens cover of the lighted markers can be made of
polycarbonate or other strong plastic material that will resist
breakage under the impact weight of trespassing vehicles.
[0029] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
described, modifications can be made and other embodiments may be
devised without departing from the spirit of the invention and the
scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *