Highway warning system

• US 6,259,375 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roger J. Andras
• Original Assignee: Roger J. Andras
• Inventors: Andras, Roger J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/592,654
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 340/907, 340/908.1, 340/908, 340/427, 340/321, 340/917, 340/942
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/24 Means for warning road traffic that a gate is closed or closing, or that rail traffic is approaching, e.g. for visible or audible warning
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

A warning system in the highway or road immediately adjacent to a pedestrian crossing, school crossing, or railroad grade crossing. The embedded warning system consists of a series of strobe lights powered by a nearby electrical source such as a traffic light, flashing warning light, railroad crossing light and/or gate system or other potential source of electricity. A trough containing the lights is submerged, extending to a depth of 9 to 15 inches below grade. The trough is 8 to 12 feet in length and 5 inches wide. The trough is placed parallel to or perpendicular to the direction of traffic so as to cross the path of oncoming traffic. A series of 4 to 9 strobe lights connected together, having a colored filter of amber or red, is placed along the bottom of the trough. The sides and bottom of the trough are lined with a reflective material made of, for example, highway reflective light beads, a highly polished reflective material, or other reflective material. The top of the trough is sealed with a double layer of plastic material. The sides of the trough are rounded to facilitate placement of the trough in an excavated ditch.

Claims

1. A highway warning system comprising:

an elongated, rectangular shaped container open at one side, said container being divided into a plurality of interior sections, said container being positionable below grade level of a road,

a plurality of strobe lights located in said interior sections of said container, and

a cover sealing said one side of said container, said cover projecting to at least the grade level and allowing light to pass from within said container to outside of said container.

2. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sections of said container are lined with a reflective material.

3. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sections are isolated from each other to prevent environmental contamination of one section from spreading to an adjacent section.

4. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an exterior surface of said cover is continuously curved so as to form a speed bump in a flow of traffic.

5. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cover is transparent.

6. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said cover is translucent.

7. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a colored filter causes a colored light to be emitted by the strobe lights.

8. A highway warning system comprising:

a road having traffic traveling in a predetermined direction,

an electrical signal device located along a side of the road, said electrical signal device having a power source,

an elongated container buried in the road, said container being open at one side,

a plurality of lights located in said container, said lights being electrically connected to the power source for the electrical signal device and said lights being actuated simultaneously with said electrical signal device to provide a coordinated effort to alert oncoming traffic of a potentially hazardous situation, and

a cover sealing said one side of said container, said cover projecting to at least the grade level of the road and allowing light to be transmitted from the plurality of lights for visually alerting oncoming traffic to said potentially hazardous situation.

9. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said lights are strobe lights.

10. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a colored filter causes a colored light to be emitted by the strobe lights.

11. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said container is lined with reflective material.

12. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 8, wherein an exterior surface of said cover is continuously curved for elevating and lowering wheels of oncoming traffic to physically alert oncoming traffic to the potentially hazardous situation.

13. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said container is positioned parallel to the predetermined direction.

14. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said container is positioned perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

15. A highway warning system comprising:

a road having traffic traveling in a predetermined direction,

at least one elongated, rectangular shaped container buried in a pathway of the road so that vehicles traveling on the road must pass over said at least one container, said at least one container having a longitudinal axis extending parallel to the predetermined direction, said at least one container allowing light to pass through one side,

a source of electrical energy located along the road and spaced from the at least one elongated, rectangular shaped container,

a plurality of strobe lights located in said container, said lights being electrically connected to said source of electrical energy, said lights being energized simultaneously with an exterior signal device located along the road also energized by said source of electrical energy, and

a cover sealing said one side of said container and allowing passage of light therethrough.

16. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 15, wherein two successive rows of containers are located in said road.

17. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 16, wherein one container in one row includes an amber light filter and the other container in the other row includes a red light filter.

18. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 15, wherein four strobe lights are located in said container.

19. A highway warning system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said cover hermetically seals said container to prevent entry of moisture.

20. A highway warning system comprising:

a container open at one side, said container being divided into a plurality of sections, said container being positionable below grade level,

a plurality of lights located in said sections of said container, and

a cover sealing said one side of said container, said cover projecting to at least the grade level and allowing light to pass from within said container to outside of said container, an exterior surface of said cover being continuously curved so as to form a speed bump in a flow of traffic.

21. A highway warning system comprising:

a road having traffic traveling in a predetermined direction,

an electrical signal device located along a side of the road, said electrical signal device having a power source,

a container buried in the road, said container being open at one side,

a plurality of lights located in said container, said lights being electrically connected to the power source for the electrical signal device, and

a cover sealing said one side of said container, said cover projecting to at least the grade level of the road and allowing light to be transmitted from the plurality of lights for visually alerting oncoming traffic to a potentially hazardous situation, an exterior surface of said cover being continuously curved for elevating and lowering wheels of oncoming traffic to physically alert oncoming traffic to the potentially hazardous situation.