Photocell pedestrian button

• US 6,980,126 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Logisig, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Logisig, Inc.
• Inventors: Fournier, Serge
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/674,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 340/925, 340/944, 340/929, 340/407.1, 340/384.1, 462/3, 462/8, 464/3
• US Class Current: 340/925
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

A unit for pedestrian control of traffic lights operated by a traffic light controller, comprises a casing adapted to be mounted to a traffic light post, the casing having a bottom face carrying a window, and a photocell mounted in the casing for directing a beam through the window in a downward direction generally parallel to the post to which the casing is mounted. The photocell is responsive to the presence of a pedestrian'"'"'s hand placed beneath the window in the beam. The photocell is adapted to be operatively connected to the traffic light controller to send a signal thereto when the presence of a pedestrian has been detected.

Claims

1. A unit for pedestrian control of traffic lights operated by a traffic light controller, comprising a casing adapted to be mounted to a traffic light post, said casing having a bottom face carrying a window, and a photocell mounted in said casing for directing a beam through said window in a downward direction generally parallel to the post to which the casing is mounted, said photocell being responsive to the presence of a pedestrian'"'"'s hand placed beneath said window in said beam, and wherein said photocell is adapted to be operatively connected to the traffic light controller to send a signal thereto when the presence of a pedestrian has been detected.

2. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein said casing comprises a saddle having a stepped front surface including an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being recessed relative to the upper portion, and wherein a recess is defined in the upper portion for receiving said photocell.

3. A unit as defined in claim 2, wherein said saddle has a back face having a curvature generally corresponding to a curvature of the traffic light post to which the unit is to be mounted.

4. A unit as defined in claim 2, wherein the casing further includes a cover adapted to be removably mounted to the saddle for protecting the photocell.

5. A unit as defined in claim 4, wherein said window is carried by said cover.

6. A unit as defined in claim 1, wherein a pictogram is incorporated in the casing for indicating the location of a detecting field of the photocell.

7. A unit as defined in claim 1, further comprising a fan mounted within the casing, and a downwardly-directed air outlet defined in the casing, the air pushed through the air outlet by the fan preventing light elements from crossing the detection field of the photocell.

8. A unit for pedestrian control of traffic lights operated by a traffic light controller, comprising a casing adapted to be mounted to a traffic light post, said casing having a bottom face, a photocell sensor mounted in said casing for detecting the presence of a pedestrian'"'"'s hand immediately underneath said bottom face, and wherein said sensor is adapted to be operatively connected to the traffic light controller to send a signal thereto when the presence of a pedestrian has been detected.

9. A unit as defined in claim 8, wherein said casing comprises a saddle having a stepped front surface including an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion being recessed relative to the upper portion, and wherein a recess is defined in the upper portion for receiving said photocell.

10. A unit as defined in claim 9, wherein said saddle has a back face having a curvature generally corresponding to a curvature of the traffic light post to which the unit is to be mounted.

11. A unit as defined in claim 9, wherein the casing further includes a cover adapted to be removably mounted to the saddle for protecting the photocell.

12. A unit as defined in claim 11, wherein said window is carried by said cover.

13. A unit as defined in claim 8, wherein a pictogram is incorporated in the casing for indicating the location of a detecting field of the photocell.

14. A unit as defined in claim 8, further comprising a fan mounted within the casing, and a downwardly-directed air outlet defined in the casing, the air pushed through the air outlet by the fan preventing light elements from crossing the detection field of the photocell.