SYSTEM FOR USE IN ILLUMINATION OF RAILWAY FEATURE

• US 20110261558A1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tripsplusone, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Forster Trading Associates LLC
• Inventors: Moran, Henry A., Brill, Milton, Forster, Danny Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,529,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/183
• CPC Class Codes: B61K 13/00 Other auxiliaries or accessories for railways safety belts or harnesses A62B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2207/02 using light-emitting diodes [LEDs]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 9/04 electric
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/037 the solar unit and the lighting unit being located within or on the same housing
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like

Abstract

There is provided a system for use in illuminating a feature of a railway. In one embodiment, a system can include an illumination unit disposed for illumination of a railway feature. The illumination unit can include a light source bank, a solar panel, and a rechargeable battery for energizing the light source bank that is rechargeable utilizing energy collected by the solar energy panel.

Claims

1. A system for illumination of a feature of a railway, the railway including a railroad track having plurality of ties, the plurality of ties including an extended length tie, and a switch for switching a route of a traveling train, the switch being switchable between a primary position in which a traveling train can be routed from a primary track to a through track, and a switched position in which a traveling train can be routed from a primary track to a secondary track, the switch having a switchstand component supported on the extended length tie, the railway having a rail assembly supported on the plurality of ties, the rail assembly having first and second elongated rails, wherein the rail assembly is supported at a certain elevation, wherein the system comprises:

an illumination unit supported on the extended length tie in an area of the extended length tie between the first rail and the switch component, the illumination unit having a light source bank, the light source bank including a first light source that comprises a central emission vector extending in a first direction that is substantially horizontal and at the certain elevation; and

wherein the illumination unit includes a solar panel for collecting solar energy, and a rechargeable battery, the rechargeable battery for energizing the light source bank and being rechargeable utilizing solar energy collected by the solar panel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured so that central emission vector of the first light source extends in a direction that is substantially parallel with a vertical plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination unit comprises a second light source, the second light source having a central emission vector that extends in a direction that is substantially horizontal and that is substantially at the certain elevation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination unit comprises a second light source, the second light source having a central emission vector that extends in a second direction that is substantially horizontal and that is substantially at the certain elevation, the second direction being substantially parallel to a vertical plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured so that the illumination unit is disposed in a position adjacent to and spaced apart from a first vertically extending plane extending substantially perpendicularly relative to the first rail and through a center of the switchstand, wherein the illumination unit includes a second light source having a central emission vector extending in a second direction, wherein the first direction is a direction away from the first vertically extending plane, wherein the second direction is a direction toward the first vertically extending plane.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the illumination unit includes a housing that houses the light source bank and the rechargeable battery, the housing having a plurality of downwardly extending formations extending downwardly from the housing to define a housing bottom having a raised bottom portion, wherein the extended length tie includes a top surface, the illumination unit being installed on the extended length tie so that the plurality of downwardly extending formations impart a compression force on the top surface, the downwardly extending formations defining a clearance between the raised bottom portion and the top surface when the illumination unit is installed on the extended length tie.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the downwardly extending formations extend downwardly from a periphery of the housing.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the downwardly extending formations extend downwardly from a periphery of the housing to define weep channels about a periphery of the housing.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second rails delimit a substantially horizontally extending planar region having a top delimited by the tops of the first and second rails and a bottom delimited by the bottoms of the rail assembly, wherein the first light source is disposed within the substantially horizontally extending planar region.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the central emission vector of the first light source extends in a direction that substantially perpendicularly intersects a vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail.

11. A system for illumination of a feature of a railway, the railway including a railroad track having plurality of ties including an extended length tie, the switch being switchable between a primary position in which a traveling train can be routed from a primary track to a through track, and a switched position in which a traveling train can be routed from a primary track to a secondary track, the switch having a switchstand component supported on the extended length tie, the railway having a rail assembly supported on the plurality of ties, the rail assembly having first and second elongated rails, wherein the rail assembly is supported at a certain elevation, wherein the system comprises:

an illumination unit supported on a tie of the plurality of ties at a location proximate the switch, the illumination unit having a light source bank, the light source bank including a first light source that comprises a central emission vector, the illumination unit being supported so that the central emission vector extends in a first direction that is substantially horizontal and at the certain elevation; and

wherein the illumination unit includes a solar panel for collecting solar energy and a rechargeable battery, the illumination unit being configured so that the rechargeable battery is operative for energizing the light source bank, the illumination unit further being configured so that the rechargeable battery is rechargeable utilizing solar energy collected by the solar panel.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the illumination unit is supported on the extended length tie at a location externally disposed relative to the first rail and internally disposed relative to the switch component.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the switch includes a linkage member and wherein the illumination unit is supported at a location that is more proximate the switchstand component than the rail link member.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the central emission vector of the first light source extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to a vertical plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail, and wherein the illumination unit includes a second light source, the second light source having a central emission vector extending in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail.

15. A system for illuminating a feature of a railway, the railway including a railroad track having a plurality of ties, the railway having a rail assembly supported on the plurality of ties, the system comprising:

a first illumination unit for illuminating a first location of interest, an area about the first location of interest including a rail assembly having a certain elevation, the first illumination unit having a first light source disposed at the certain elevation, wherein the first illumination unit is switchable between a first mode in which solar energy collected by the solar panel is utilized for recharging the rechargeable battery, and a second mode in which stored energy stored within a rechargeable battery is utilized for energizing the light source bank;

a second illumination unit for illuminating a second location of interest, an area about the second location of interest including a rail assembly having a certain elevation, the second illumination unit having a first light source disposed at the certain elevation, wherein the first illumination unit is switchable between a first mode in which solar energy collected by the solar panel is utilized for recharging the rechargeable battery, and a second mode in which stored energy stored within rechargeable battery is utilized for energizing the light source bank;

wherein the first location of interest and the second location of interest are of different types, and wherein each of the first location of interest and the second location of interest is a location of interest selected from the group consisting of a switch, a foul point, and derail point; and

wherein the first light source of the first illumination unit has a first illumination profile and the first light source of the second illumination unit has a second illumination profile, the second illumination profile being different from the first illumination profile.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first illumination profile and the second illumination profile are differentiated by a wavelength of emission.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first illumination profile and the second illumination profile are differentiated by illumination control the first illumination profile being characterized by a constantly energized illumination control, the second illumination profile being characterized by a flashing illumination control.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first location of interest is a switch and the second location of interest is a foul point.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first location of interest is a switch and the second location of interest is a foul point.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein a central emission vector of the first light source of the first illumination unit extends substantially horizontally in a direction substantially parallel to plane extending through a horizontal axis of a rail in an area of the first location of interest.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the system includes a third illumination unit for illuminating a third location of interest, an area about the third location of interest including a rail assembly having a certain elevation, the third illumination unit having a light source bank including a first light source disposed at the certain elevation, wherein the third illumination unit is switchable between a first mode in which solar energy collected by the solar panel is utilized for recharging the rechargeable battery, and a second mode in which stored energy stored within rechargeable battery is utilized for energizing the light source bank, wherein the first location of interest and the second location of interest and the third location of interest are of different types, and wherein each of the first location of interest and the second location of interest and the third location of interest is a location of interest selected from the group consisting of a switch, a foul point, and derail point, and wherein the first light source of the first illumination unit and the first light source of the second illumination unit and wherein the first illumination unit of the third illumination unit have different illumination profiles.

22. A system for illumination of a feature of a railway, the railway including a railroad track having plurality of ties, the railway having a rail assembly supported on the plurality of ties, the rail assembly having first and second elongated rails in an area of a foul point, wherein the rail assembly is supported at a certain elevation, wherein the system comprises:

an illumination unit supported on a tie of the plurality of ties in the area of the foul point, the illumination unit having a light source bank, the light source bank including a first light source that emits light having a central emission vector, the illumination unit being supported so that the central emission vector extends in a first direction that is substantially horizontal and at the certain elevation; and

wherein the illumination unit includes a solar panel for collecting solar energy and a rechargeable battery, the illumination unit being configured so that the rechargeable battery is operative for energizing the light source bank, the illumination unit further being configured so that the rechargeable battery is rechargeable utilizing solar energy collected by the solar panel.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the tie on which the illumination unit is supported is a foul point tie.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein illumination unit is supported at position of the tie intermediate of the first and second rail.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the central emission vector extends in a direction substantially parallel to a vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein illumination unit is supported at a position of the tie intermediate of the first and second rail, wherein the illumination unit includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth light sources with first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth central emission vectors, the first and second central emission vectors extending in rearward directions that are substantially parallel to a vertical plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail, the third and fourth central emission vectors extending in forward directions that are substantially parallel to a vertical plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail, the fifth central emission vector extending in a direction that substantially perpendicularly intersects a vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail, the sixth central emission vector extending in a direction that substantially perpendicularly intersects a vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the second rail.

27. A system for illumination of a feature of a railway, the railway including a railroad track having plurality of ties, the railway having a rail assembly supported on the plurality of ties, the rail assembly having first and second elongated rails in an area of a derail point defined by a derailer, wherein the rail assembly is supported at a certain elevation, wherein the system comprises:

an illumination unit supported on a tie of the plurality of ties in the area of the derail point, the illumination unit having a light source bank, the light source bank including a first light source that emits light having a central emission vector, the illumination unit being supported so that the central emission vector extends in a first direction that is substantially horizontal and at the certain elevation; and

wherein the illumination unit includes a solar panel for collecting solar energy and a rechargeable battery, the illumination unit being configured so that the rechargeable battery is operative for energizing the light source bank, the illumination unit further being configured so that the rechargeable battery is rechargeable utilizing solar energy collected by the solar panel.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the tie on which the illumination unit is supported is tie supporting a derailer.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein illumination unit is supported at a position of the tie intermediate of the first and second rail.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the central emission vector extends in a direction substantially parallel to a vertically extending plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein illumination unit is supported at a position of the tie intermediate of the first and second rail, wherein the illumination unit includes first, second, and third light sources with first, second, third central emission vectors, the first central emission vector extending in a rearward direction that is substantially parallel to a vertical plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail, the second central emission vectors extending in a forward direction that is substantially parallel to a vertical plane extending through a horizontal axis of the first rail, the third light source emitting light rays impinging on a derailer.