Roadway barriers impact detection system

• US 10,041,218 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jose Manuel Sanchez De La Cruz
• Original Assignee: Jose Manuel Sanchez De La Cruz
• Inventors: Sanchez De La Cruz, Jose Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): MASINICK, JONATHAN PETER
• Application Number:
  US14/773,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20160024731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,716 Days
• Field of Search: 404 6, 256 131
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/043 with multiple superimposed members; Rails provided with skirts
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/0453 Rails of materials other than metal or concrete, e.g. wood, plastics; Rails of different materials, e.g. rubber-faced metal profiles, concrete-filled steel tubes E01F15/0476 takes precedence; reinforced concrete rails E01F15/0446
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/081 characterised by the use of a specific material
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/083 using concrete
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/085 using metal
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/086 using plastic, rubber or synthetic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/00 Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

The guardrail, which may take the form of various types of guardrails, is noteworthy in that it includes an impact detector/indicator, for indicating the location of the guardrail involved in an impact or accident and also for notifying the accident and the place where it occurred to a traffic control station or to public assistance personnel. The detector/indicator includes a convex protective plate (2) attached to the front of the guardrail (1) with which it is used, said plate (2) protecting a connection box (3) and a tube (4) so as together to create a means for detecting and communicating the impact that occurred, also having an indicator light (5) for flagging up the impact, said indicator (5) being positioned on a support plate (6) secured above the protective plate (2).

Claims

1. A roadway barriers impact detection system comprising:

a body made of an impact-absorbing material having an elongated rectangular configuration with a front surface, a rear surface and lateral ends, said front surface includes an upper undulated portion, a lower undulated portion and a hollow portion positioned between said upper and lower undulated portions and being provided proximate to an upper edge of said front surface and longitudinally extending between said lateral ends, wherein an upper reinforcing solid plate is provided inside said body longitudinally extending between said lateral ends in alignment with said upper undulated portion, a lower reinforcing solid plate is provided inside said body longitudinally extending between said lateral ends in alignment with said lower undulated portion and a bottom reinforcing solid plate provided inside said body proximate to a lower edge of said front surface and longitudinally extending between said lateral ends, the hollow portion includes a junction box and at least one internal tube housing an impact detecting apparatus that detects an impact to said body and communicates said detected impact to a remote location.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a connecting reinforcing solid plate provided inside said body and coupled to said upper and lower reinforcing solid plates.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said junction box and at least one internal tube are located inside said hollow portion so that the at least one internal tube longitudinally extends between lateral slits of said hollow portion provided at said lateral ends, respectively.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said lateral ends comprise lateral plates for fixing ends of the upper reinforcing solid plate, lower reinforcing solid plate and bottom reinforcing solid plate to said lateral ends.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said body further comprises a portion for advertisement placement.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said body is made from rubber.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said body is made from recycled rubber.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a screen showing warning information.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a local visual alert element.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said local visual alert element comprises a hazard indicating alert in the form of a triangle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said impact detecting apparatus comprises an impact detection sensor and cabling used to bi-directionally communicate between said impact detecting apparatus and said remote location.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a metal connecting bracket configured to coupled said body to a roadway post.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said metal connecting bracket is connected to a lateral end of said body.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of bodies is connected side-by-side by a metal joining plate coupled to one lateral end of a body and another lateral end of an adjacent body.