Traffic counter apparatus for selective lane use

• US 4,901,334 A
• Filed: 06/30/1988
• Issued: 02/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guy P. Gibson
• Original Assignee: Guy P. Gibson
• Inventors: Gibson, Guy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Heyman, John S.
• Application Number:
  US07/213,995
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 377/9, 340/940
• US Class Current: 377/9
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 11/00 Road engineering aspects of Embedding pads or other sensitive devices in paving or other road surfaces , e.g. traffic detectors, vehicle-operated pressure-sensitive actuators, devices for monitoring atmospheric or road conditionspressure-sensitive elements G01L; traffic control systems G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/02 using treadles built into the road pads or other sensitive devices responsive to passage of vehicles E01F11/00

Abstract

A housing assembly of the apparatus includes a roadway mounted base plate to which a housing is secured with the housing having a low profile and inclined side and end walls to permit placement of the housing assembly along a course of lane markers. The housing defines a chamber in which transducer and electronic components are housed. A collapsible road tube terminates within the housing in communication with the transducer. A retainer prevents road tube separation from the housing. An electrical cable of flat section passes downwardly through the base plate and terminates at a remote tallying component.

Claims

1. A traffic counter apparatus actuated by vehicle travel along a traffic lane of a multi-lane roadway, said apparatus comprising,

a housing assembly including a base adapted for securement to the roadway surface between two traffic lanes, a housing having a low profile to said roadway with inclined exterior walls, means removably mounting said housing to said base, said housing defining a chamber closed by said base and constructed of material to withstand being run over by any roadway vehicle,

a road tube for disposition in a traffic lane and having an end attached to said housing assembly,

pressure responsive transducer switch means in said chamber responsive to air pressure changes in the road tube caused by vehicle passage thereover, thereby producing electrical pulses,

signal transmitting means in said chamber connected to and actuated by said pressure responsive switch means for transmitting said electrical pulses and

tally means remote from said housing assembly and triggered by said pulses from said signal transmitting means.

2. The traffic counter apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said inclined exterior walls are not of uniform inclination relative the base of the housing assembly.

3. The traffic counter apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing is elongate and of a width so as to lie substantially within a course along a roadway surface denoted by traffic lane markers.

4. The traffic counter apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a retainer for encircling engagement with one end of said road tube, said housing additionally including terminals to which conductors may be attached, said conductors providing signals to said tally means, said road tube for disposition in a first traffic lane with said conductors for disposition across an adjacent traffic lane and terminating at said tally means.