MAGNETIZED MEANS FOR PROVIDING CONTROL INFORMATION TO MOVING VEHICLES

• US 3,609,678 A
• Filed: 04/28/1969
• Issued: 09/28/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard E. Fayling
• Original Assignee: Richard E. Fayling
• Inventors: Fayling, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooper, William C.
• Application Number:
  US04/819,836
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 340/32 94/1.5
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

Magnet installations on roadways and methods for providing control information to vehicles traveling on the roadways. The magnets are polymer-based magnets, which comprise a tough organic polymeric matrix and particles of magnetic material uniformly distributed through the matrix. The magnets are often installed in the form of a sheet or tape in a channel formed in the roadway surface, and are arranged in geometries or magnetized in patterns to develop information-providing signals in magnetic-flux-sensors in vehicles traveling over the magnets.

Claims

2. A magnet installation as in claim 1 in which the organic polymeric matrix exhibits elastomeric properties.

3. A magnet installation as in claim 1 in which the particles are roughly platelike substantially domain-size particles of ferrites selected from barium, strontium, and lead ferrites that have preferred magnetic axes generally perpendicular to the planes of the plates and are oriented to make the magnet anisotropic.

4. A magnet installation as in claim 1 in which the magnet is installed in a channel formed in the roadway.

5. A magnet installation as in claim 4 in which the magnet is in sheet form and is installed edgewise in the channel.

6. A magnet installation as in claim 5 in which the preferred magnetic axes of the particles in the magnet are aligned parallel to the surface of the roadway.

7. A magnet installation as in claim 5 in which the magnet is at least 1 inch wide, 3 inches long, and 100 mils thick.

8. A magnet installation as in claim 4 in which the magnet is in sheet form, is installed flat in the channel, and is at least 1 inch wide, and 3 inches long.

9. A magnet installation as in claim 1 in which a sequence of magnets is installed in the lane of travel in a path extending parallel to the direction of travel on the roadway, with adjacent magnets being of opposite polarity and magnets of the same polarity being spaced at least as far apart as a predetermined distance that flux-sensors on vehicles using the roadway are spaced above the roadway but not more than about 100 inches apart.

10. A magnet installation as in claim 1 in which the roadway is a one-way roadway, the magnet extends transverse to the direction of travel on the roadway, and the magnet exhibits north and south poles spaced along the length of the roadway.

11. A magnet installation as in claim 10 in which the magnet is a sheet at least 24 inches long, 1 inch wide and 100 mils thick and is installed edgewise in a channel in the roadway.

12. A magnet installation as in claim 1 in which the magnet is shaped in a configuration that is asymmetrical with respect to a line transverse to the length of the roadway.

13. In combination, A. a roadway having a magnet installation for providing control information to an automobile traveling on the roadway comprising at lease one preformed polymer-based magnet that is installed in a lane of travel of the roadway and that comprises (a) a tough organic polymeric matrix that has a thickness of at least about 25 mils and (b) particles of magnetic material uniformly distributed through the matrix;

and B. a vehicle equipped with (a) a magnetic-flux-sensor adapted to develop an electric signal by travel through the magnetic field produced above said highway and (b) travel-controlling apparatus within the vehicle actuated by said electric signal.

14. A magnet installation of claim 1 in which the preferred magnetic axes of the particles in the magnet are aligned perpendicular to the surface of the roadway.

15. A magnet installation on a roadway for providing control information to vehicles traveling on the roadway comprising at least one preformed polymer-based magnet in narrow elongated sheet form installed in a channel formed in a lane of travel of the roadway and providing a field of at least 100 gauss at the surface of the roadway, the magnet comprising (a) a tough organic polymeric matrix that has a thickness of at least about 25 mils and (b) a high loading of substantially domain-size particles of anisotropic magnetic material uNiformly distributed through the matrix and oriented to make the magnet anisotropic, the particles being oriented so that their preferred magnetic axes are perpendicular to the length of the magnet.