Support structure for system for measuring vehicle speed and/or acceleration

• US 20020083770A1
• Filed: 05/02/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Hovancik, George T., DiDomenico, John, Kyle, Paul F., Rendahl, Craig S.
• Granted Patent: US 6,561,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/514.28
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/68 using optical means, i.e. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light G01P3/80 takes precedence ; by reflection of waves G01S17/58
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

A support for supporting two or more units used in a system for measuring a speed and or acceleration of a vehicle, with the support able to rest on a surface, has an elongated bar on which the units are mounted. A first leg and a second leg are both mounted to the bar. A third leg is mounted to a rear portion of the bar. The legs are height-adjustable.

Claims

1. An apparatus used in a system for measuring a speed and or acceleration of a vehicle, the apparatus able to rest on a surface, the apparatus comprising:

at least two functional units, each functional unit including one or more of a radiation emitting unit, a radiation detecting unit, a combined radiation emitting/detecting unit, and a reflector unit;

an elongated bar on which said units are mounted and having a rear portion;

a first leg and a second leg both mounted to said bar that support said bar on the surface; and

a third leg mounted to said rear portion that supports said bar on the surface.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first leg, said second leg, and said third leg are each height-adjustable.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first leg, said second leg, and said third leg are each height-adjustable independently from each other.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said first leg, said second leg, and said third leg has a coarse height adjustment mechanism and a fine height adjustment mechanism.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first leg, said second leg, and said third leg each have a respective coarse height adjustment mechanism and a fine height adjustment mechanism.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said coarse height adjustment mechanism comprises a pin insertable in holes spaced at intervals in said leg.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said fine adjustment mechanism comprises a foot threadably mounted to said leg.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rear portion is a rear member, and said bar is selectively detachable from said rear member.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bar comprises at least two bar segments selectively detachable from each other.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said rear member has an L-shaped profile, and said rear leg is height adjustable so that said rear leg may be set higher than said front legs to position the apparatus with the rear legs above a curb and the front legs below a curb.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the functional units comprise three similar functional units.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said adjusting means comprises a first leg and a second leg both mounted to said bar that support said bar on the surface, and a third leg mounted to said rear portion that supports said bar on the surface, wherein said first leg, said second leg, and said third leg are each height-adjustable.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said adjusting means comprises coarse height adjusting means and fine height adjusting means on each leg.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said coarse height adjusting means comprises a pin insertable in holes spaced at intervals in each said leg.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said fine adjusting means comprises a foot threadably mounted to each said leg.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the steps (a) and (b) comprise the steps of:

adjusting the height via a coarse adjustment mechanism; and

adjusting the height via a fine adjustment mechanism.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the coarse adjustment mechanism comprises a pin insertable in holes spaced at intervals in each said leg, and wherein the fine adjustment mechanism comprises a foot threadably mounted to each leg.

12. An apparatus used in a system for measuring a speed and or acceleration of a vehicle, the apparatus able to rest on a surface, the apparatus comprising:

at least two functional units, each functional unit including one or more of a radiation emitting unit, a radiation detecting unit, a combined radiation emitting/detecting unit, and a reflector unit;

an elongated bar on which said units are mounted and having a rear portion; and

means for adjusting the height and level of said bar.

17. An apparatus used in a system for measuring a speed and or acceleration of a vehicle, the apparatus able to rest on a surface, the apparatus comprising:

at least two functional units, each functional unit including one or more of a radiation emitting unit, a radiation detecting unit, a combined radiation emitting/detecting unit, and a reflector unit;

an elongated bar on which the units are mounted;

at least one height adjustable front leg mounted to the bar rest on the surface; and

at least one height adjustable rear leg mounted to the bar to rest on the surface.

18. A method for supporting two or more units used in a system for measuring a speed and or acceleration of a vehicle, the apparatus able to rest on a surface via at least one front at least one rear leg, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) adjusting the height of the at least one front leg relative to the bar; and

(b) adjusting the height of the at least one rear leg relative to the bar.