Ferromagnetic loop

• US 7,015,827 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Transcore LP (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Jim Allen
• Inventors: Allen, David C. Sr., Allen, Jim, Ippolito, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US10/952,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20050046598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 340/933, 340/941, 705/13
• US Class Current: 340/933
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/015 with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors

Abstract

A ferromagnetic loop having a footprint characterized by a continuous wire shaped in a serpentine manner to form multiple contiguous polygons within the footprint for detection of moving vehicles. The footprint can be one of a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a rhombus, a parallelogram, an ellipse, or a circle. Similarly, each of the multiple contiguous polygons can be one of a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a rhombus, a parallelogram. Different design configurations for the ferromagnetic loop and methods for making and using the same are disclosed.

Claims

1. A ferromagnetic loop for detection of vehicles, comprising:

a continuous wire shaped in a serpentine manner on a plane having a footprint,

wherein the continuous wire forms at least three contiguous polygons within the footprint,

wherein each of the at least three contiguous polygons is associated with a spacing dimension, each spacing dimension ranging between about three inches and about eight inches, a sum of spacing dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons is greater than about 24 inches, and

wherein the ferromagnetic loop is configured to be installed in a traveling path of a vehicle,

whereby a frequency associated with the ferromagnetic loop is affected when the vehicle comes within a distance perpendicular to the plane of the footprint.

2. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, wherein all spacing dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons are equal.

3. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, wherein a first spacing dimension associated with a first polygon of the at least three contiguous polygons equals to at least one other spacing dimension of the remaining contiguous polygons.

4. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, wherein a first spacing dimension associated with a first polygon of the at least three contiguous polygons is longer than at least one other spacing dimension of the remaining contiguous polygons.

5. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, wherein none of the spacing dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons equals to any other spacing dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons.

6. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, wherein there are one or more values associated with the spacing dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons.

7. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, wherein the spacing dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons exhibit a gradient characteristic.

8. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, wherein there are no more than eight contiguous polygons within the footprint.

9. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, wherein the footprint is one of a triangle, a rectangle, a square, a circle, an ellipse, a rhombus, and a parallelogram.

10. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, wherein each of the at least three contiguous polygons is one of a rectangle, a square, a rhombus, and a parallelogram.

11. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, further comprising at least one fastener, wherein the at least one fastener is configured to maintain the at least three contiguous polygons within the footprint.

12. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 1, further comprising at least one anchor, wherein the at least one anchor is configured to secure the at least three contiguous polygons in the traveling path.

13. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 12, wherein the anchor is configured to be secured by a bonding agent.

14. A ferromagnetic loop for detection of vehicles moving in a direction of a traveling path, comprising:

a continuous wire shaped in a serpentine manner within a footprint, wherein the footprint is characterized by a footprint length dimension parallel to the direction and a footprint width dimension perpendicular to the direction,

wherein the continuous wire forms at least three contiguous polygons within the footprint,

wherein each of the at least three contiguous polygons is characterized by a polygon length dimension parallel to the direction and a polygon width dimension perpendicular to the direction, each polygon length dimension ranging between about three inches and about eight inches, a sum of the polygon length dimensions is greater than about 24 inches, and

wherein the ferromagnetic loop is configured to be installed in a traveling path of a vehicle,

whereby a frequency associated with the ferromagnetic loop is affected when the vehicle moves across the footprint in the direction along the traveling path.

15. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, wherein all polygon length dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons are equal.

16. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, wherein a first polygon length dimension associated with a first polygon of the at least three contiguous polygons equals to at least one other polygon length dimension of the remaining contiguous polygons.

17. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, wherein a first polygon length dimension associated with a first polygon of the at least three contiguous polygons is longer than at least one other polygon length dimension of the remaining contiguous polygons.

18. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, wherein none of the polygon length dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons equals to any other polygon length dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons.

19. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, wherein there are one or more values associated with the polygon length dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons.

20. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, wherein the polygon length dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons exhibit a gradient characteristic.

21. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, wherein there are no more than eight contiguous polygons within the footprint.

22. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, wherein the footprint is one of a triangle, a rectangle, a square, a circle, an ellipse, a rhombus, and a parallelogram.

23. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, wherein each of the at least three contiguous polygons is one of a rectangle, a square, a rhombus, and a parallelogram.

24. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, further comprising at least one fastener, wherein the at least one fastener is configured to maintain the at least three contiguous polygons within the footprint.

25. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 14, further comprising at least one anchor, wherein the at least one anchor is configured to secure the at least three contiguous polygons in the traveling path.

26. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 25, wherein the anchor is configured to be secured by a bonding agent.

27. A ferromagnetic loop for detection of vehicles moving in a direction of a traveling path, comprising:

a continuous wire shaped in a serpentine manner within a footprint, wherein the footprint is characterized by a footprint length dimension parallel to the direction,

wherein the continuous wire forms at least three contiguous polygons within the footprint,

wherein each of the at least three contiguous polygons is characterized by a spacing dimension measured along a polygonal axis, a sum of the spacing dimensions of the at least three contiguous polygons is greater than about 24 inches, the polygonal axis forms an angle with the direction, wherein the angle is one of about 30 degrees and about 45 degrees, and

wherein the ferromagnetic loop is configured to be installed in a traveling path of a vehicle,

whereby a frequency associated with the ferromagnetic loop is affected when the vehicle moves across the footprint in the direction along the traveling path.

28. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 27, wherein at least one spacing dimension equals at least one other spacing dimension.

29. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 27, wherein all the spacing dimensions are equally long.

30. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 27, wherein at least one spacing dimension is longer than at least one other spacing dimension.

31. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 27, wherein there are one or more values associated with the spacing dimensions.

32. The ferromagnetic loop of claim 31, wherein each of the one or more values range between about two inches and about 10 inches.

33. A method for installing a ferromagnetic loop for detection of vehicles moving in a direction of a traveling path, comprising:

preparing a web of grooves on a traveling lane, wherein the web of grooves is confined within a footprint having a footprint length dimension and a footprint width dimension;

laying a continuous wire in a serpentine manner within the web of grooves to form at least three contiguous polygons within the footprint, wherein at least two turns of the continuous wire are laid within at least one groove of the web of grooves, wherein the at least two turns are arranged in one of a side-by-side configuration within the at least one groove and a one-over-the-other configuration within the at least one groove, and wherein each of the at least three contiguous polygons is associated with a polygon length dimension, a sum of the polygon length dimensions is greater than about 24 inches;

securing the continuous wire within the web of grooves; and

connecting the continuous wire to a loop detector.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein a sum of all polygon length dimensions equals the footprint length dimension.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the polygon length dimensions range between about three inches and about eight inches.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein all the polygon length dimensions are equally long.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the polygon length dimensions demonstrate a gradient characteristic.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least three contiguous polygons form an angle with respect to the direction.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the angle ranges between about zero degrees and about 90 degrees.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the angle ranges between about 30 degrees and about 45 degrees.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the angle is about 30 degrees.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the angle is about 45 degrees.

43. A method for preparing a ferromagnetic loop, comprising:

shaping a continuous wire in a serpentine manner to form at least three contiguous polygons within a footprint,

wherein the footprint is characterized by a footprint length dimension and a footprint width dimension, the footprint length dimension is greater than about 24 inches,

wherein each of the at least three contiguous polygons is characterized by a polygon length dimension and a polygon width dimension,

wherein a sum of all polygon length dimensions substantially equals to the footprint length dimension; and

attaching at least one fastener along the continuous wire to maintain the at least three contiguous polygons.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising providing at least two turns of the continuous wire in at least one of the at least three contiguous polygons.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the at least two turns of the continuous wire are arranged side-by-side.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the at least two turns of the continuous wire are arranged one over the other.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein at least one of the fasteners comprises an anchor.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the anchor is configured to be secured by a bonding agent.

49. A method for using the ferromagnetic loop prepared in accordance with the method of claim 43, comprising:

laying the ferromagnetic loop on a surface of a traveling path of a vehicle, wherein the footprint length dimension is parallel to a direction in which the vehicle travels on the traveling path;

securing the ferromagnetic loop on the surface; and

connecting the continuous wire to a loop detector.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising securing the ferromagnetic loop on the surface using flexible adhesive sheets.