Portable area safety zoning system

• US 7,538,688 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2006
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robin Hardie Stewart
• Original Assignee: Robin Hardie Stewart
• Inventors: Stewart, Robin Hardie
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US11/508,255
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 340/908, 340/908.1, 340/933, 340/936, 340/937, 340/953, 340/954, 340/947, 340/540, 340/541, 340/669, 340/691.1, 340/691.7, 340/692, 340/331, 340/539.1, 340/539.16, 340/539, 340/17, 340/539.22, 340/815.4, 340/693.5, 348/148, 348/149, 348/152, 348/153, 348/158, 348/159, 404/6, 404/9, 116/63.C
• US Class Current: 340/908
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 13/028 Flexible barrier members, e.g. cords; Means for rendering same conspicuous; Adapted supports, e.g. with storage reel

Abstract

Temporary safety zones are established by deploying a plurality of safety icons connected by extensible, brightly colored, retro-reflective tapes. The tapes are retracted within the housings of the safety icons. A plurality of modules having different functions are removably affixed to the base of the safety icons, the modules including sensors, beacons, transceivers, detection devices, and audio receivers and video cameras. Because the modules are manually interchangeable, the safety zones can be implemented for specific, interchangeable circumstances, e.g., a surveillance station, portable helipad, landing strip, and restricted area barriers.

Claims

1. A safety icon for a portable area safety zoning system, said safety icon comprising:

an upright body and a base, said base including at least one anchor tab integral therewith; and

a retractable tape assembly, said tape assembly comprising a retracting mechanism and a tape, said retracting mechanism being mounted on said base within the body of said safety icon, and said tape having one end operatively connected to said retracting mechanism and a second free end, a hitch attached to said second free end, said tape extending through a slot in said base, and said hitch being adapted to releasably connect with one of said anchor tabs on an adjacent safety icon.

2. A safety icon for a portable area safety zoning system as in claim 1, wherein said tape is brightly colored and retro-reflective.

3. A safety icon for a portable area safety zoning system as in claim 1, wherein said safety icon is in the form of a traffic cone.

4. A safety icon for a portable area safety zoning system as in claim 3, wherein said cone is collapsible.

5. A safety icon for a portable area safety zoning system as in claim 4, wherein said collapsible cone comprises a plurality of segments interconnected by locking mechanisms which lock said cone segments alternately in an extended state and in a collapsed state.

6. A safety icon for a portable area safety zoning system as in claim 1, wherein said tape lies flat on the ground between said safety icons when said hitch is releasably connected to one of said anchor tabs on an adjacent safety icon.

7. A portable area safety zoning system, comprising:

a plurality of safety icons, each of said safety icons comprising;

an upright body and a base, said base including at least one anchor tab integral therewith;

a retractable tape assembly, said tape assembly comprising a retracting mechanism and a tape, said tape including a first end operably attached to said retracting mechanism, a second free end, and a hitch connected to said second free end; and

said retracting mechanism being mounted on said base within the body of said safety icon and said tape extending through a slot in said base;

a plurality of modules, each of said modules being designed to perform a particular task;

said base including a plurality of mounts for receiving a like plurality of said modules;

at least one module being releasably attached to at least one of said plurality of said mounts; and

a set of safety icons, said set comprising a plurality of said safety icons, at least one set of said safety icons being arranged to define the perimeter of a safety zone, each safety icon being connected to at least one adjacent safety icon by at least one of said tapes being extended from its base and the hitch of said at least one of said tapes being releasably attached to an anchor tab on an adjacent safety icon.

8. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 7, wherein said safety zone comprises a surveillance station wherein one set of said safety icons is arranged to form a fence directing traffic into a single lane, and another set of said safety icons is arranged to border the opposite side of said single lane, wherein suspect vehicles comprising said traffic are channeled into said single lane in order to be closely observed.

9. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 8, wherein said surveillance station further comprises a plurality of modules attached to selected mounts of selected bases of said safety icons of each set of safety icons, at least one of said plurality of modules being a video camera module and the remaining of said plurality of modules comprising selected modules from the group comprising explosive detecting modules, chemical detecting modules, radiation sensing modules, motion sensor modules, accelerometer modules, and audio receiving modules.

10. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 9, wherein selected ones of said modules include transceivers for receiving and sending signals.

11. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 10, wherein said surveillance station further comprises a local central control station comprising a mobile transportation vehicle, at least one transceiver operatively interacting with said plurality of modules, and a portable computer, said portable computer displaying the results of the data provided by said plurality of modules and controlling said plurality of modules.

12. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 11, wherein said surveillance station further comprises at least one video camera system mounted on a tripod including a video camera being directed at said suspect vehicles, and said central control station further comprising facial recognition software, vehicle license plate software, and related databases.

13. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 12, wherein said tripod mounted video camera system further comprises automatic voice language translation capability.

14. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 7, wherein said safety zone comprises a temporary, portable landing site, comprising:

two sets of safety icons, one set arranged to form one side of said landing site and the other set arranged to form the other side of said landing site;

said tapes having at least one brightly colored, retro-reflective surface; and

said modules being selected from the group comprising beacon modules comprising the group of visible light emitters, invisible light emitters, coherent light emitters, radio signal emitters, and GPS signal emitters.

15. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 14, wherein said temporary, portable landing site further comprises a temporary landing strip for fixed winged aircraft, wherein said one set is linearly aligned on one side of a landing area and said other set is linearly aligned substantially parallel to said one set on the other side of a landing area, and said tapes of each set forming a substantially straight line defining a visual edge to said temporary landing strip.

16. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 14, wherein said temporary, portable landing site further comprises a temporary helicopter landing pad, wherein said one set is arranged as an open “

C”

on one side of a landing area with said “

C”

facing in one direction and said other set is arranged as an open “

C”

on the other side of said landing area, said “

C”

of said other set facing in the opposite direction, so that said C-shaped arrangements face each other to define a roughly circular perimeter.

17. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 7, wherein said safety zone comprises a restricted area cordoned off by at least one set of safety icons comprising a plurality of temporary, portable safety icons,

said plurality of said temporary, portable safety icons of said at least one set of safety icons being arranged to define an irregular perimeter conforming to the size and shape needed for said restricted area;

said tapes have at least one brightly colored, retro-reflective surface, and said tapes lie flat on the ground between said safety icons;

a plurality of modules releasably attached to said safety icons, said plurality of modules being selected from the group comprising motion sensor modules, speed sensing modules, accelerometer modules, and audio receiving modules; and

said modules activating an alarm upon sensing an actual or potential intruder into said restricted area.

18. A portable area safety zoning system as in claim 17, wherein said alarm comprises at least one from the group comprising flashing lights, audible beeping horns, moving mechanical structures, and a recorded message played on a PA system.

19. A safety icon for a portable area safety zoning system, said safety icon comprising:

an upright body and a base, said base including at least one anchor tab integral therewith;

a retractable tape assembly, said tape assembly comprising a retracting mechanism and a tape, said retracting mechanism being mounted on said base within the body of said safety icon, and said tape having one end operatively connected to said retracting mechanism and a second free end, a hitch attached to said second free end, said tape extending through a slot in said base, and said hitch being adapted to releasably connect with one of said anchor tabs on an adjacent safety icon;

a plurality of modules, each of said modules being designed to perform a particular task;

said base including a plurality of mounts for receiving a like plurality of said modules; and

at least one module being releasably attached to at least one of said plurality of said mounts.

20. The safety icon for a portable area safety zoning system as in claim 19 wherein said tape has at least one brightly colored, retro-reflective surface, and said modules are selected from the group comprising motion sensor modules, speed sensing modules, accelerometer modules, audio receiving modules, and beacon modules comprising the group of visible light emitters, invisible light emitters, coherent light emitters, radio signal emitters, and GPS signal emitters.