US20220380991A1 - Roadway work area safety truck - Google Patents
Roadway work area safety truck Download PDFInfo
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- US20220380991A1 US20220380991A1 US17/883,097 US202217883097A US2022380991A1 US 20220380991 A1 US20220380991 A1 US 20220380991A1 US 202217883097 A US202217883097 A US 202217883097A US 2022380991 A1 US2022380991 A1 US 2022380991A1
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- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 13
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 13
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 210000003127 knee Anatomy 0.000 description 2
- 230000003252 repetitive effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 208000002173 dizziness Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 210000003205 muscle Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 230000007704 transition Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01F—ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
- E01F9/00—Arrangement of road signs or traffic signals; Arrangements for enforcing caution
- E01F9/60—Upright bodies, e.g. marker posts or bollards; Supports for road signs
- E01F9/70—Storing, transporting, placing or retrieving portable devices
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60P—VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
- B60P3/00—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects
- B60P3/14—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects the object being a workshop for servicing, for maintenance, or for carrying workmen during work
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R11/00—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
- B60R11/06—Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for for tools or spare parts
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
- B60R21/02—Occupant safety arrangements or fittings, e.g. crash pads
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01F—ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
- E01F15/00—Safety arrangements for slowing, redirecting or stopping errant vehicles, e.g. guard posts or bollards; Arrangements for reducing damage to roadside structures due to vehicular impact
- E01F15/14—Safety arrangements for slowing, redirecting or stopping errant vehicles, e.g. guard posts or bollards; Arrangements for reducing damage to roadside structures due to vehicular impact specially adapted for local protection, e.g. for bridge piers, for traffic islands
- E01F15/145—Means for vehicle stopping using impact energy absorbers
- E01F15/148—Means for vehicle stopping using impact energy absorbers mobile arrangements
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
- E01F—ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
- E01F9/00—Arrangement of road signs or traffic signals; Arrangements for enforcing caution
- E01F9/60—Upright bodies, e.g. marker posts or bollards; Supports for road signs
- E01F9/658—Upright bodies, e.g. marker posts or bollards; Supports for road signs characterised by means for fixing
- E01F9/662—Upright bodies, e.g. marker posts or bollards; Supports for road signs characterised by means for fixing mounted on vehicles, e.g. service vehicles; Warning vehicles travelling along with road-maintenance, e.g. remotely controlled
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
- G08G1/09—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions
- G08G1/095—Traffic lights
Definitions
- traffic delineators also known as “traffic delineation safety markers” are well known that are positioned alongside highway work zones to define lines of demarcation that separate the work zones from highway lanes where traffic is maintained while construction and repair work is underway inside the work zones.
- Most traffic delineators in present-day use are formed from relatively lightweight plastic materials that have hollow, upstanding configurations that narrow as they extend upwardly, thereby permitting identically configured delineators to be nested one atop another to form nested stacks.
- present-day traffic delineator takes the form of such hollow barrel-like members as are disclosed in the seventeen patents that follow namely U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,794,172, 6,786,673, 6,478,505, 6,019,542, 5,868,520, 5,234,280, 5,201,599, 4,973,190, 4,710,053, 4,674,431, 4,083,033, 3,952,690, D486,089, D481,965, D243,075, D243,073 and D229,784, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- the barrel-like traffic delineators disclosed in the seventeen patents listed just above have closed, relatively small diameter upper end regions, with stepped diameter sidewalls that depend to relatively large diameter, open bottom end regions that permit identical ones of the barrel-like delineators to be stacked one atop another to form nested stacks that often are transported atop the flatbeds of commercially available flatbed trucks.
- present-day traffic delineator takes the form of such hollow, generally conical, stepped diameter structures as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,182,600, D406,543 and D338,631, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- Nested stacks of identical ones of these hollow, conical delineators are also commonly transported atop the flatbeds of trucks of various types.
- traffic delineator takes the form of such tapered, upwardly pointing conical structures (commonly called “traffic cones”), such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,925,334, 4,219,141 and 3,788,268, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- traffic cone delineators also can be transported in nested stacks, such as are shown in FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,334.
- the Unrath proposal (as depicted in drawings of the Unrath patent) provides a stand-on platform located at the base of a relatively tall compartment wherein a work-person is intended to stand, with a waist-high safety chain being draped across the front of the compartment to retain the worker in the compartment especially when, for example, he or she leans forward to perform the tasks of putting down, and picking up, traffic delineators to and from spaced locations alongside a highway work zone.
- Unrath patent attempts to address at least some aspects of the safety concerns associated with the placement and retrieval of traffic delineators to and from spaced locations alongside a highway work zone, the Unrath proposal tends to raise more safety concerns than it cures.
- Unrath One significant safety concern presented by the Unrath proposal is that the only vehicle surface (as shown in the drawings of the Unrath patent) that can be utilized to support traffic delineators during the placement of, and the retrieval of traffic delineators alongside a highway work zone, is an above-waist-high vehicle surface that has only a small surface area located beside, and a larger surface area extending behind, where a worker stands while in the tall compartment provided by Unrath.
- Such activities performed repetitively from a relatively tall compartment in a moving vehicle can also render a worker likely to become dizzy and/or to fall from the compartment that is guarded only by a waist-high safety chain draped across the front of the compartment.
- the present invention relates to modular units that have left-side and right-side embodiments (which are mirror images of each other) that can be incorporated into opposite left-side and right-side regions of the flatbeds of such trucks as are commonly used to transport and store barrel-like traffic delineators that are to being placed at spaced locations alongside highway work zones, and that are being retrieved from spaced locations alongside highway work zones.
- barrel-like traffic delineators are widely used in many regions of the United States, and because barrel-like traffic delineators are the type of traffic delineators that are almost always more sizable and more awkward to handle than are traffic delineators of other types and configurations, the modular units of the present invention are especially designed to safeguard workers who are tasked to place and/or to retrieve even the large, relatively heavy, and often awkward-to-handle barrel-like traffic delineators that are in wide use throughout the United States.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the left side (i.e., the driver's side) of a conventional, commercially available, flatbed truck that is provided with an over-cab rack (such as is disclosed in the previously referenced provisional application) for transporting a plurality of horizontally extending nested stacks of barrel-like traffic delineation safety markers, with the view also showing 1) a commercially available crash attenuator device extending rearwardly from the truck, 2) an electronic warning sign board carried at the rear of the flatbed of the truck that is shown in a raised position, and 3) a left-side module embodying one form of the present invention;
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the right side of the truck of FIG. 1 , with the electronic sign board lowered to an out-of-view position, with the view showing a right-side module that is a mirror-image reversal of the left-side module depicted in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a more preferred form of the right-side module, with the view showing all but two of the module's movable components in their closed and/or lowered positions;
- FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the right-side module
- FIG. 5 is a front elevational view showing the right-side module with many of the module's front components removed so that other components of the module can be seen;
- FIG. 6 is a right end elevational view of the right-side module
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view, on the same enlarged scale as FIG. 3 , of a left-side module that is a mirror-image-reversal of the right-side module;
- FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the left-side module
- FIG. 9 is another front elevational view of the left-side module, but with many of the front components of the module removed so that other components of the module can be seen;
- FIG. 10 is a right end elevational view of the left-side module
- FIG. 11 is yet another perspective view of the right-side module, but with certain of the movable components of the right-side module moved to open positions;
- FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the right-side module, with broken lines depicting alternate positions of some of the movable components of the module;
- FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the right-side module with some components removed, and with broken lines depicting alternate positions of other components;
- FIG. 14 is a right-end elevational view similar to FIG. 6 , with selected components pivoted to open positions.
- a conventional, commercially available flatbed truck is indicated generally by the reference numeral 100 .
- the truck 100 has tandem rear wheels that carry rear tires 101 , and steerable front wheels that carry front tires 102 .
- the truck 100 also has a conventional cab 110 , which has the usual right-side and left-side cab access doors, that are indicated by the numeral 120 in each of FIGS. 1 and 2 . While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention.
- the truck 100 can be seen to also have a conventional flatbed 130 for hauling various forms of cargo (not shown) that often includes a supply of such barrel-like traffic delineators as are disclosed in FIG. 7 of the referenced provisional application.
- FIG. 1 also shows an optional, rearwardly facing, electronic sign board 150 located at the rear of the flatbed 130 of the truck 100 .
- the sign board 150 is shown in an elevated position that permits what is displayed on the rearwardly-facing sign board to be viewed by motorists who approach the truck 100 from behind the truck 100 .
- the electronic sign board 150 is not seen because the sign board has been lowered to an out-of-view storage position that is hidden, at least in part, by the optional storage compartment 140 .
- an optional, commercially available crash attenuator unit 160 is shown connected to, and extending rearwardly from, the rear of the truck 100 .
- the sign board 150 shown in FIG. 1 is lowered to an out-of-view storage position (where the electronic sign board 150 cannot be seen, as in FIG. 2 )
- the electronic sign board 150 is then moved out of the path of travel that is followed by components of the crash attenuator unit 160 when components of the crash attenuator unit 160 fold upwardly and forwardly to a transport position (not shown by the drawings of the present document) where components of the crash attenuator unit 160 overlie not only the optional storage compartment 140 but also a rear part of the flatbed 130 of the truck 100 .
- FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 9,399,8454 How components of the crash attenuator 160 can fold both upwardly and forwardly to the transport position mentioned just above is shown in FIGS. 1A-1B of U.S. Pat. No. 8,322,945. The disclosures of both of these patents are incorporated by reference.
- an optional rack structure 170 overlies the cab 110 of the truck 100 .
- This rack structure 170 is the subject of the previously referenced provisional application that was filed by the inventors named in the present application.
- left-side and right-side modules 190 L and 190 R are provided to assist workers to safely place, and to safely retrieve, traffic delineators to and from spaced locations alongside highway work zones as the truck 100 moves alongside the work zones while carrying a worker in one of the compartments defined by one of the modules 190 L/ 190 R, as will be explained.
- the left-side and right-side modules 190 L/ 190 R shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are principally depicted to illustrate typical locations on opposite sides of a conventional flatbed truck 100 where such modules as embody the present invention can be positioned, and put to use. Accordingly, any differences in appearance between the modules 190 L/ 190 R shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and the preferred forms of the modules 190 L/ 190 R shown in the remainder of the drawing views of the application are to be ignored.
- the rack structure 170 includes three identical rack assemblies 171 , 172 , 173 that extend in parallel, side-by-side, relationship, with each of the rack assemblies including a pair of straight, parallel-extending, rails that are indicated by the numerals 181 , 182 , 183 , respectively.
- Each of the pairs of rails 181 , 182 , 183 slidably supports one of three identically configured hoop assemblies 191 , 192 , 193 , respectively, that can be slid freely back and forth along an associated pair of the elongate rails 181 , 182 , 183 , respectively.
- Each of the barrel racks 171 , 172 , 173 is configured to receive a separate nested stack of barrel-like traffic delineators, with a narrow end region of an uppermost one of the barrel-like traffic delineators of each nested stack being inserted into an associated one of the hoop assemblies 191 , 192 , 193 , and with the largest end regions of each of the barrel-like traffic delineators of the associated nested stack of delineators being supported by an associated pair of the elongate rails 181 , 182 , 183 —as is explained in connection with FIG. 7 of the referenced provisional application.
- a large number of barrel-like traffic delineators can be compactly stored and transported in the form of three nested stacks of the barrel-like traffic delineators that extend side-by-side, with each of the nested stacks being supported by one of the hoop assemblies 191 , 192 , 193 , and by an associated pair of the elongate rails 181 , 182 , 183 , respectively, of the rack structure 170 —which leaves much, if not most, of the flatbed 130 of the truck 100 open and available for use by workers who move about on the surface of the flatbed 130 of the truck 100 as they feed traffic delineators into, and remove traffic delineators from, the over-cab rack structure 170 .
- the rack structure 170 is rendered structurally sound by virtue of the pairs of rails 181 , 182 , 183 having their opposite end regions welded to identically configured front and rear rectangular structures 310 , 320 , respectively, that are provided at opposite front and rear end regions of the rack structure 170 .
- the rack structure 170 is strengthened by elongate members 191 , 192 , 193 that overlie the barrel racks 171 , 172 , 173 , respectively.
- the elongate members 191 , 192 , 193 help to retain nested stacks of delineators in place in each of the barrel racks 171 , 172 , 173 , respectively—it being noted that the elongate members 191 , 192 , 193 have their opposite front and rear end regions welded to the front and rear rectangular structures 310 , 320 , respectively.
- the rack structure 170 is also provided with a pair of forwardly-rearwardly extending tubular members 351 , 352 that extend between the front and rear rectangular structures 310 , 320 at locations above the left and right sides, respectively, of the cab 110 of the truck 100 .
- left and right upwardly extending supports 361 , 362 are provided that connect with a front bumper 365 of the truck 100 , and with the left and right tubular members 351 , 352 , respectively.
- left and right upwardly extending supports 371 , 372 are provided that connect with rear regions of the left and right tubular members 351 , 352 , respectively.
- each of the modules 190 L/ 190 R has both a lower platform (that is indicated generally by an associated one of the numerals 191 L/ 191 R), and an upper platform (that is indicated generally by an associated one of the numerals 192 L/ 192 R).
- modules 190 L/ 190 R AND their lower platforms 191 L/ 191 R AND their upper platforms 192 L/ 192 have at least certain minimum dimensions that permit the modules and their lower and upper platforms to safely serve their intended purposes.
- the modules 190 L/ 190 R and their lower and upper platforms 191 L/ 191 R and 192 L/ 192 R, respectively are at least dimensionally sized in the following ways:
- Each of the modules 190 L/ 190 R preferably have widths of no less than about 60 inches, as measured from left to right, and preferably have depths of at least 24 inches deep, as measured from front to rear.
- Each of the lower platforms 191 L/ 191 R is preferably no less than about 30 inches wide, as measured from left to right, and is preferably no less than about 24 inches deep, as measured from front to rear.
- Each of the upper platforms 192 L/ 192 R is preferably no less than about 30 inches wide, as measured from left to right, and is preferably no less than about 24 inches deep, as measured from front to rear.
- Each of the upper platforms 192 L/ 192 R is preferably located at a height that is approximately eighteen inches above the height of the associated one of the two lower platforms 191 L/ 191 R—which is a height that selected to be substantially equal to, or slightly lower than, the knee heights of average workers who will stand on one of the lower platforms 191 L/ 191 R while in one of the compartments 195 L/ 195 R provided by an associated one of the modules 190 L/ 190 R.
- the upper level platforms 192 L/ 192 R are located atop tool boxes 200 L/ 200 R that also form components of each of the modules 190 L/ 190 R.
- the tool boxes 200 L/ 200 R have pivotally mounted front doors 202 L/ 202 R that are each provided with a suitably configured latch assembly 204 L/ 204 R.
- the latch assemblies 204 L/ 204 R When one of the latch assemblies 204 L/ 204 R is operated to unlatch an associated one of the front doors 202 L/ 202 R, the unlatched front door is permitted to pivot downwardly to an open position such as is depicted in FIG. 11 .
- Housings that form the opposed, upstanding side walls, and the rear walls of each of the modules 190 L/ 190 R are best shown in various ones of FIGS. 3 , 5 - 6 and FIGS. 7 , 9 - 10 , where these housings are indicated generally by the numerals 1050 L/ 1050 R.
- the upper level platforms 192 L/ 192 R provide sizeable support surfaces where barrel-like traffic delineators can be temporarily placed, one at a time, while these typically cumbersome, relatively large, heavy and awkward-to-grasp-and-move delineators are in the process of being moved up or down, to and from the flatbed 130 of the truck 100 (while the truck 100 that is carrying at least one worker on the truck's flatbed 130 , and one worker on standing one of the lower level platforms 191 L/ 191 R) moves alongside a highway work zone where barrel-like traffic delineators are either to be put down at spaced locations alongside the highway work zone, or are to be picked up from spaced locations alongside the highway work zone.
- the delineators When the delineators are to be placed on a highway road surface at spaced locations alongside a highway work zone, the delineators are first moved, one at a time, (by a worker who is standing on the flatbed 130 of the truck 100 ) from the flatbed 130 of the truck 100 to one of the upper level platforms 192 L/ 192 R of one of the modules 190 L/ 190 R, and then the delineators are moved, one at a time, by a worker who is standing on an associated one of the lower level platforms 191 L/ 191 R onto the highway road surface along-side which the truck 100 is moving.
- modules 190 L/ 190 R are provided by the modules 190 L/ 190 R .
- the presence and the use that is made of the sizable upper level platforms 192 L/ 192 R minimizes the amount of lifting and lowering of traffic delineators that each of these workers must perform and the location of the sizeable upper level platforms 192 L/ 192 R at a near knee height minimizes the amount of lifting, twisting and turning that a worker who is standing on one of the lower level platforms 191 L/ 191 R must perform while placing retrieved traffic delineators onto, and while taking traffic delineators from one of the two upper level platforms 192 L/ 192 R for placement alongside a highway work zone.
- FIGS. 3 - 5 and FIGS. 11 - 14 show components and features of a preferred form of the right-side module 190 R, wherein—
- FIGS. 6 - 10 show components and features of a preferred form of the left-side module 190 L—it being understood that the movable components of the left-side module 190 L have appearances that are mirror image reversals of corresponding ones of the movable components of the right-side module 190 R, as depicted in FIGS. 3 - 5 and 11 - 14 .
- Each of the right-side and left-side modules 190 R/ 190 L is provided with a corresponding set of pivotally and slidably movable components that provide access to various regions of the modules 190 L/ 190 R, as will now be explained:
- Pivotally mounted gates 1000 L/ 1000 R that preferably each have a fence-like appearance are provided atop each of the right-side and left-side modules 190 L/ 190 R.
- These fence-like, pivotally mounted gates 1000 L/ 1000 R are pivotally connected to upstanding components 1001 L/ 1001 R (best shown in FIGS. 3 - 4 and 7 - 8 ) and can pivot from closed positions best shown in FIGS. 3 - 4 and 7 - 8 , to open positions (such as is shown in FIG. 12 ) where the gates 1000 L/ 1000 R prefer-ably extend closely alongside other fence-like guards that (as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 ) extend along opposite right and left sides of the flatbed 130 at locations just forwardly of, and just rearwardly of, the modules 190 L/ 190 R.
- Fully open positions of the right-side fence-like gates 1000 R are shown in FIG. 12 .
- Fully open positions of the left-side fence-like gates 1000 L will be understood to have appearances that are mirror images of the right-side fence-like gates 1000 R shown in FIG. 12 .
- Partially open positions of the right-side fence-like gates 1000 R are shown in FIG. 11 .
- Corresponding partially open positions of the left-side fence-like gates 1000 L will be understood to have appearances that are mirror images of the right-side fence-like gates 1000 R shown in FIG. 11 .
- Latch assemblies that are indicated generally by the numerals 1002 L/ 1002 R in FIGS. 3 - 4 and 7 - 8 are provided to releasably retain the right-side and left-side fence-like gates 1000 L/ 1000 R in their closed positions.
- a right-side fence-like gate 1000 R that is provided with a depending extension 1005 R is best shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 .
- the right-side depending extension 1005 R restricts access to, and visually blocks a view of, a region of the right-side module 190 R that overlies the upper platform 192 R of the right-side module 190 R.
- a left-side fence-like gate 1000 L that is provided with a depending extension 1005 L (that corresponds to the right side depending extension 1005 R) is best shown in FIG. 8 .
- the depending extension 1005 L restricts access to, and visually blocks a view of, a region of the left-side module 190 L that overlies the upper platform 192 L of the left-side module 190 L.
- depending extensions 1005 L/ 1005 R are shown that differ slightly in appearance from the appearances of the depending extensions 1005 L/ 1005 R shown in FIGS. 11 - 12 and 8 , respectively.
- the depending extensions 1005 L/ 1005 R that are shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 perform in substantially the same manner as the depending extensions 1005 L/ 1005 R that are shown in FIGS.
- FIGS. 3 and 4 it can be seen that, located just behind the fence-like gates 1000 R of the right-side module 190 R are a pair of upwardly opening platform-like doors 1010 R that can pivot from closed positions (wherein the platform-like doors 1010 R provide upper surfaces that are substantially level with the upper surface of the flatbed 130 of the truck), to open positions wherein the platform-like doors 1010 R extend substantially vertically and are latchingly retained by adjacent ones of the upstanding members 1010 R (an example of which is shown in FIG. 14 ).
- Corresponding platform-like doors 1010 L of the left-side module 190 L are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 .
- the left-side platform-like doors 1010 R behave in the same way as the right-side platform-like doors 1010 R, and have appearances that are mirror-image reversals of the right-side platform-like doors 1010 R.
- FIG. 12 Closed positions of the platform-like doors 1010 R are shown by solid lines in FIG. 12 , while partially open positions of the platform-like doors 1010 R are shown by solid lines in FIGS. 3 , 4 and 11 , and are indicated by broken lines in FIG. 12 .
- FIGS. 3 and 7 Flat surface plates 193 R/ 193 L are shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 to which the platform-like doors 1010 R and 1010 L are pivotally connected, respectively.
- Structurally strong guard assemblies 1020 L/ 1020 R extend in front of the compartments 195 L/ 195 R of the modules 190 L/ 190 R to securely retain workers within the compartments 195 L/ 195 R while performing such tasks as are explained above to place and retrieve barrel-like delineators to and from spaced locations alongside a highway work zone.
- the tubular guard assemblies 1020 L/ 1020 R can be unlatched and pivoted from the closed positions that are shown in FIGS. 3 - 4 and 7 - 8 (and by solid lines in FIG. 12 ), to an unlatched and fully open positions (an example of which is shown by broken lines in FIG. 12 ). Also, a tubular component 1022 L/ 1022 R of each of the guard assemblies 1020 L/ 1020 R can be unlatched and slid upwardly to any of a progression of latchingly-retained heights, with a full-height position of one of the tubular components 1022 L/ 1022 R being shown in FIG. 11 .
- FIGS. 4 and 8 Latch assemblies that are provided to releasably retain the tubular guard assemblies 1022 L/ 1022 R in their raised and lowered positions are best shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 , where these latch assemblies are indicated by the numerals 1024 L/ 1024 R, respectively.
- the various movable components of the modules 190 L/ 190 R that are enumerated above provide access to various regions of the modules 190 L/ 190 R to permit work-persons to enter and leave various regions of the modules 190 L/ 190 R as may be needed, and to provide the latchable tubular guard components 1022 L/ 1022 R at heights that are appropriate for workers of different heights to be properly retained within the compartments 195 L/ 195 R of the modules 190 L/ 190 R.
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Abstract
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/896,776 filed Jun. 9, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/159,813, filed Oct. 15, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,801,169, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/132,376, filed Sep. 15, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,556,545, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/913,562, filed Mar. 6, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,319,227, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/197,685, filed Jun. 29, 2016, now abandoned. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/913,562 claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/631,840, filed Feb. 18, 2018, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/638,818, filed Mar. 5, 2018. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/197,685 claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/186,036, filed Jun. 29, 2015. The disclosures of all the above-cited applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties as if fully set forth.
- So-called “traffic delineators” (also known as “traffic delineation safety markers”) are well known that are positioned alongside highway work zones to define lines of demarcation that separate the work zones from highway lanes where traffic is maintained while construction and repair work is underway inside the work zones.
- Most traffic delineators in present-day use are formed from relatively lightweight plastic materials that have hollow, upstanding configurations that narrow as they extend upwardly, thereby permitting identically configured delineators to be nested one atop another to form nested stacks.
- One common configuration of present-day traffic delineator takes the form of such hollow barrel-like members as are disclosed in the seventeen patents that follow namely U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,794,172, 6,786,673, 6,478,505, 6,019,542, 5,868,520, 5,234,280, 5,201,599, 4,973,190, 4,710,053, 4,674,431, 4,083,033, 3,952,690, D486,089, D481,965, D243,075, D243,073 and D229,784, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
- The barrel-like traffic delineators disclosed in the seventeen patents listed just above have closed, relatively small diameter upper end regions, with stepped diameter sidewalls that depend to relatively large diameter, open bottom end regions that permit identical ones of the barrel-like delineators to be stacked one atop another to form nested stacks that often are transported atop the flatbeds of commercially available flatbed trucks.
- Another common configuration of present-day traffic delineator takes the form of such hollow, generally conical, stepped diameter structures as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,182,600, D406,543 and D338,631, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Nested stacks of identical ones of these hollow, conical delineators (such the nested stack shown in FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,600) are also commonly transported atop the flatbeds of trucks of various types.
- Still another common configuration of traffic delineator takes the form of such tapered, upwardly pointing conical structures (commonly called “traffic cones”), such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,925,334, 4,219,141 and 3,788,268, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. These traffic cone delineators also can be transported in nested stacks, such as are shown in FIG. 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,334.
- Although the tasks of placing even large, heavy and awkward-to-grasp-lift-and-move barrel-like traffic delineators alongside highway work zones, and of retrieving such traffic delineators from alongside highway work zones tend to be relatively dangerous undertakings, these tasks can be rendered less dangerous:
- 1) If the worker who is performing these tasks is adequately guarded, restrained, and/or otherwise prevented from accidentally falling from a vehicle that is moving the worker alongside a highway work zone where traffic delineators are being placed, or from which traffic delineators are being retrieved;
- 2) If a convenient-to-reach, near-knee-height, vehicle surface is provided beside the worker where traffic delineators are located that are to be grasped by the worker and then placed along-side the highway work zone, and onto which retrieved traffic delineators are to be placed; and
- 3) If such body movements as are required of the worker while performing the tasks explained just above are minimized, so the worker performing these tasks is not required to significantly turn, twist and otherwise exert his or her body while lifting, moving and placing even large, heavy and awkward-to-grasp-and-move barrel-like traffic delineators as the vehicle on which the worker is standing moves alongside a highway work zone.
- A proposal that was offered prior to the year 2000 that was intended to address at least some of the dangerous concerns that are associated with the placement of traffic delineators alongside, and the retrieval of traffic delineators from alongside highway work zones, is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,042 issued Feb. 6, 2001 to Albert Unrath, the disclosure of which patent is incorporated herein by reference.
- The Unrath proposal (as depicted in drawings of the Unrath patent) provides a stand-on platform located at the base of a relatively tall compartment wherein a work-person is intended to stand, with a waist-high safety chain being draped across the front of the compartment to retain the worker in the compartment especially when, for example, he or she leans forward to perform the tasks of putting down, and picking up, traffic delineators to and from spaced locations alongside a highway work zone.
- Although the Unrath patent attempts to address at least some aspects of the safety concerns associated with the placement and retrieval of traffic delineators to and from spaced locations alongside a highway work zone, the Unrath proposal tends to raise more safety concerns than it cures.
- One significant safety concern presented by the Unrath proposal is that the only vehicle surface (as shown in the drawings of the Unrath patent) that can be utilized to support traffic delineators during the placement of, and the retrieval of traffic delineators alongside a highway work zone, is an above-waist-high vehicle surface that has only a small surface area located beside, and a larger surface area extending behind, where a worker stands while in the tall compartment provided by Unrath.
- What Unrath's awkwardly-placed, above-waist-high vehicle surface (for supporting traffic delineators) requires is that:
- 1) If a worker standing in the tall compartment of Unrath is to repetitively place large, relatively heavy and awkward to handle barrel-like traffic delineators one after another at locations spaced alongside a highway work zone, he or she must first turn his or her body more than ninety degrees before reaching up to grasp, and then to lift, each barrel-like delineator, one-at-a-time from where it resides on the above-waist-high vehicle surface—whereafter he or she must then reverse-turn his or her body to move each newly grasped and raised delineator more than ninety degrees before then leaning over the waist-high safety chain to lower the relatively large, heavy and awkward-to-handle barrel-like traffic delineator onto a newly chosen spaced location alongside a highway work zone—while, at the same time, the vehicle on which the worker is being carried, moves alongside the highway work zone; and
- 2) If a worker standing in the tall compartment of Unrath is to repetitively retrieve the large, relatively heavy and awkward-to-handle barrel-like traffic delineators from spaced locations alongside a highway work zone, he or she must first lean over the waist-high safety chain of Unrath to grasp and lift each delineator up and over the waist-high safety chain, and then the worker must turn his or her body more than ninety degrees while leaning back to turn and move each delineator that has been lifted over the safety chain to an even higher height to overlie the above-waist-high vehicle surface—whereafter the worker must then lower each of the raised delineators, one at a time, onto the above-waist-high vehicle surface—before then turning back to face a next-to-be-retrieved traffic delineator that is located alongside the work zone being followed by the vehicle that carries the worker.
- All of this repetitive lifting, lowering, leaning and turning of the worker's body unquestionably severely stresses the back and body of a worker who has been assigned to perform these various movements time after time. When a worker has had to perform these duties to place and/or to retrieve hundreds of traffic delineators one-at-a time during a typical workday, the worker's back and body has almost always become painful, and his or her muscles often have been strained.
- Such activities performed repetitively from a relatively tall compartment in a moving vehicle can also render a worker likely to become dizzy and/or to fall from the compartment that is guarded only by a waist-high safety chain draped across the front of the compartment.
- The present invention relates to modular units that have left-side and right-side embodiments (which are mirror images of each other) that can be incorporated into opposite left-side and right-side regions of the flatbeds of such trucks as are commonly used to transport and store barrel-like traffic delineators that are to being placed at spaced locations alongside highway work zones, and that are being retrieved from spaced locations alongside highway work zones.
- Because barrel-like traffic delineators are widely used in many regions of the United States, and because barrel-like traffic delineators are the type of traffic delineators that are almost always more sizable and more awkward to handle than are traffic delineators of other types and configurations, the modular units of the present invention are especially designed to safeguard workers who are tasked to place and/or to retrieve even the large, relatively heavy, and often awkward-to-handle barrel-like traffic delineators that are in wide use throughout the United States.
- Because many types of flat-bed trucks are in use to move workers alongside highway work zones to place and retrieve traffic delineators, such modular units as embody the preferred practice of the present invention are configured to be easily incorporated into right and left sides of a wide variety of the flatbeds of such trucks.
- The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawing figures wherein like numerals denote like elements.
-
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the left side (i.e., the driver's side) of a conventional, commercially available, flatbed truck that is provided with an over-cab rack (such as is disclosed in the previously referenced provisional application) for transporting a plurality of horizontally extending nested stacks of barrel-like traffic delineation safety markers, with the view also showing 1) a commercially available crash attenuator device extending rearwardly from the truck, 2) an electronic warning sign board carried at the rear of the flatbed of the truck that is shown in a raised position, and 3) a left-side module embodying one form of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the right side of the truck ofFIG. 1 , with the electronic sign board lowered to an out-of-view position, with the view showing a right-side module that is a mirror-image reversal of the left-side module depicted inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a more preferred form of the right-side module, with the view showing all but two of the module's movable components in their closed and/or lowered positions; -
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the right-side module; -
FIG. 5 is a front elevational view showing the right-side module with many of the module's front components removed so that other components of the module can be seen; -
FIG. 6 is a right end elevational view of the right-side module; -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view, on the same enlarged scale asFIG. 3 , of a left-side module that is a mirror-image-reversal of the right-side module; -
FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the left-side module; -
FIG. 9 is another front elevational view of the left-side module, but with many of the front components of the module removed so that other components of the module can be seen; -
FIG. 10 is a right end elevational view of the left-side module; -
FIG. 11 is yet another perspective view of the right-side module, but with certain of the movable components of the right-side module moved to open positions; -
FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the right-side module, with broken lines depicting alternate positions of some of the movable components of the module; -
FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the right-side module with some components removed, and with broken lines depicting alternate positions of other components; and -
FIG. 14 is a right-end elevational view similar toFIG. 6 , with selected components pivoted to open positions. - The ensuing detailed description provides preferred exemplary embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention. Rather, the ensuing detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing the preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. It being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.
- To aid in describing the invention, directional terms are used in the specification and claims to describe portions of the present invention (e.g., upper, lower, left, right, etc.). These directional definitions are merely intended to assist in describing and claiming the invention and are not intended to limit the invention in any way. In addition, reference numerals that are introduced in the specification in association with a drawing figure may be repeated in one or more subsequent figures without additional description in the specification in order to provide context for other features.
- Referring to the left-side view provided by
FIG. 1 , and the right-side view provided byFIG. 2 , a conventional, commercially available flatbed truck is indicated generally by thereference numeral 100. Thetruck 100 has tandem rear wheels that carryrear tires 101, and steerable front wheels that carryfront tires 102. Thetruck 100 also has aconventional cab 110, which has the usual right-side and left-side cab access doors, that are indicated by the numeral 120 in each ofFIGS. 1 and 2 . While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention. - Overview of the Truck 100:
- In overview, and continuing to refer to
FIGS. 1 and 2 , thetruck 100 can be seen to also have aconventional flatbed 130 for hauling various forms of cargo (not shown) that often includes a supply of such barrel-like traffic delineators as are disclosed inFIG. 7 of the referenced provisional application. - An
optional storage compartment 140 is provided at the rear of theflatbed 130.FIG. 1 also shows an optional, rearwardly facing,electronic sign board 150 located at the rear of theflatbed 130 of thetruck 100. InFIG. 1 thesign board 150 is shown in an elevated position that permits what is displayed on the rearwardly-facing sign board to be viewed by motorists who approach thetruck 100 from behind thetruck 100. InFIG. 2 , theelectronic sign board 150 is not seen because the sign board has been lowered to an out-of-view storage position that is hidden, at least in part, by theoptional storage compartment 140. - Referring still to
FIGS. 1 and 2 , an optional, commercially availablecrash attenuator unit 160 is shown connected to, and extending rearwardly from, the rear of thetruck 100. When thesign board 150 shown inFIG. 1 is lowered to an out-of-view storage position (where theelectronic sign board 150 cannot be seen, as inFIG. 2 ), theelectronic sign board 150 is then moved out of the path of travel that is followed by components of thecrash attenuator unit 160 when components of thecrash attenuator unit 160 fold upwardly and forwardly to a transport position (not shown by the drawings of the present document) where components of thecrash attenuator unit 160 overlie not only theoptional storage compartment 140 but also a rear part of theflatbed 130 of thetruck 100. - One embodiment of the
crash attenuator unit 160 is depicted in much greater detail in FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 9,399,8454. How components of thecrash attenuator 160 can fold both upwardly and forwardly to the transport position mentioned just above is shown in FIGS. 1A-1B of U.S. Pat. No. 8,322,945. The disclosures of both of these patents are incorporated by reference. - Returning, once again, to
FIGS. 1 and 2 , it can be seen that anoptional rack structure 170 overlies thecab 110 of thetruck 100. Thisrack structure 170 is the subject of the previously referenced provisional application that was filed by the inventors named in the present application. - At substantially identical left-side and right-side locations just forward of the
rear tires 101 of thetruck 100, are left-side and right-side modules modules truck 100 moves alongside the work zones while carrying a worker in one of the compartments defined by one of themodules 190L/190R, as will be explained. - The left-side and right-
side modules 190L/190R shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 are principally depicted to illustrate typical locations on opposite sides of aconventional flatbed truck 100 where such modules as embody the present invention can be positioned, and put to use. Accordingly, any differences in appearance between themodules 190L/190R shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 and the preferred forms of themodules 190L/190R shown in the remainder of the drawing views of the application are to be ignored. - Overview of the Over-Cab Rack Structure 170:
- As shown in each of
FIGS. 1 and 2 of the present application: - The
rack structure 170 includes threeidentical rack assemblies numerals - Each of the pairs of
rails hoop assemblies elongate rails - Each of the barrel racks 171, 172, 173 is configured to receive a separate nested stack of barrel-like traffic delineators, with a narrow end region of an uppermost one of the barrel-like traffic delineators of each nested stack being inserted into an associated one of the
hoop assemblies elongate rails FIG. 7 of the referenced provisional application. - By this arrangement, a large number of barrel-like traffic delineators can be compactly stored and transported in the form of three nested stacks of the barrel-like traffic delineators that extend side-by-side, with each of the nested stacks being supported by one of the
hoop assemblies elongate rails rack structure 170—which leaves much, if not most, of theflatbed 130 of thetruck 100 open and available for use by workers who move about on the surface of theflatbed 130 of thetruck 100 as they feed traffic delineators into, and remove traffic delineators from, theover-cab rack structure 170. - As can be seen in one or the other of
FIG. 1 or 2 , therack structure 170 is rendered structurally sound by virtue of the pairs ofrails rectangular structures rack structure 170. Moreover, therack structure 170 is strengthened byelongate members elongate members elongate members rectangular structures - To support the
rack structure 170 atop thecab 110 of thetruck 100, therack structure 170 is also provided with a pair of forwardly-rearwardly extendingtubular members rectangular structures cab 110 of thetruck 100. Also, left and right upwardly extendingsupports front bumper 365 of thetruck 100, and with the left and righttubular members supports tubular members rack structure 170 is securely supported as it overlies thecab 110 of thetruck 100. - Overview of the
Modules 190L/190R: - To simply the description that follows, when corresponding left-side and right-side components XXXL and XXXR are being referred to, a simplified statement such as “the components XXXL/XXXR” is often be used. This eliminates the need to use a longer, more formal statement such as “the left-side and right-side components XXXL and XXXR, respectively, that correspond to each other.”
- Although this section of the present application is principally intended to refer to the left-
side module 190L as depicted inFIG. 1 , and to the right-side module 190R as depicted inFIG. 2 , what is said in this section of the application is applicable to the preferred forms of the left-side module 190L and the right-side module 190R that are shown in various ones ofFIGS. 3-14 . - As can be seen in the left-side view provided by
FIG. 1 , and the right-side view provided byFIG. 2 , each of themodules 190L/190R has both a lower platform (that is indicated generally by an associated one of thenumerals 191L/191R), and an upper platform (that is indicated generally by an associated one of thenumerals 192L/192R). - 1) It is important, for reasons of safety, that the
modules 190L/190R AND theirlower platforms 191L/191R AND theirupper platforms 192L/192 have at least certain minimum dimensions that permit the modules and their lower and upper platforms to safely serve their intended purposes. In preferred practice, themodules 190L/190R and their lower andupper platforms 191L/191R and 192L/192R, respectively, are at least dimensionally sized in the following ways: - 2) Each of the
modules 190L/190R preferably have widths of no less than about 60 inches, as measured from left to right, and preferably have depths of at least 24 inches deep, as measured from front to rear. - 3) Each of the
lower platforms 191L/191R is preferably no less than about 30 inches wide, as measured from left to right, and is preferably no less than about 24 inches deep, as measured from front to rear. - 4) Each of the
upper platforms 192L/192R is preferably no less than about 30 inches wide, as measured from left to right, and is preferably no less than about 24 inches deep, as measured from front to rear. - Each of the
upper platforms 192L/192R is preferably located at a height that is approximately eighteen inches above the height of the associated one of the twolower platforms 191L/191R—which is a height that selected to be substantially equal to, or slightly lower than, the knee heights of average workers who will stand on one of thelower platforms 191L/191R while in one of the compartments 195L/195R provided by an associated one of themodules 190L/190R. These upper level platform heights have been found to render it relatively easy for a worker standing in one of the compartments 195L/195R to grasp and move even large, heavy-and-awkward-to-grasp-and-move barrel-like traffic delineators one at a time from one of theupper platforms 192L/192R onto a highway surface; - A. for a worker standing in one of the compartments 195L/195R to grasp and place one of the large, heavy-and-awkward-to-grasp-and-to-place barrel-like traffic delineators that have been retrieved one at a time from a highway surface onto one of the
upper level platforms 192L/192R; and - B. for a worker who occasionally needs to transition up or down between one of the
lower level platforms 191R/191L and a nearby portion of theflatbed 130 of thetruck 100, to use one ofupper level platforms 192L/192R as a step surface while moving between one of the lower level surfaces 191L/191R and theflatbed surface 130 of thetruck 100. - 5) As can also be seen in
FIGS. 1 and 2 , theupper level platforms 192L/192R are located atoptool boxes 200L/200R that also form components of each of themodules 190L/190R. Thetool boxes 200L/200R have pivotally mountedfront doors 202L/202R that are each provided with a suitably configuredlatch assembly 204L/204R. When one of thelatch assemblies 204L/204R is operated to unlatch an associated one of thefront doors 202L/202R, the unlatched front door is permitted to pivot downwardly to an open position such as is depicted inFIG. 11 . - Housings that form the opposed, upstanding side walls, and the rear walls of each of the
modules 190L/190R are best shown in various ones ofFIGS. 3, 5-6 andFIGS. 7, 9-10 , where these housings are indicated generally by thenumerals 1050L/1050R. - How the
Modules 190L/190R are Ordinarily Put to Use: - During normal placement and retrieval of traffic delineators to and from highway surfaces alongside which
trucks 100 such as are shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 are being driven so that workers carried on theflatbed 130 and on one of thelower level platforms 191L/191R of an associated one of themodules 190L/190R can work in harmony to take advantage of the facts that: - 1) The
upper level platforms 192L/192R provide sizeable support surfaces where barrel-like traffic delineators can be temporarily placed, one at a time, while these typically cumbersome, relatively large, heavy and awkward-to-grasp-and-move delineators are in the process of being moved up or down, to and from theflatbed 130 of the truck 100 (while thetruck 100 that is carrying at least one worker on the truck'sflatbed 130, and one worker on standing one of thelower level platforms 191L/191R) moves alongside a highway work zone where barrel-like traffic delineators are either to be put down at spaced locations alongside the highway work zone, or are to be picked up from spaced locations alongside the highway work zone. - 2) When the delineators are to be placed on a highway road surface at spaced locations alongside a highway work zone, the delineators are first moved, one at a time, (by a worker who is standing on the
flatbed 130 of the truck 100) from theflatbed 130 of thetruck 100 to one of theupper level platforms 192L/192R of one of themodules 190L/190R, and then the delineators are moved, one at a time, by a worker who is standing on an associated one of thelower level platforms 191L/191R onto the highway road surface along-side which thetruck 100 is moving. - 3) When delineators are to be retrieved and collected from spaced locations alongside a highway work zone, a worker standing on one of the
lower level platforms 191L/191R lifts each of the delineators, one at a time, from the highway surface, and places the retrieved delineators, one at a time, onto an associated one of theupper level platforms 192L/192R, whereafter another worker who is standing on the flatbed 190 of thetruck 100 lifts each of the delineators, one at a time, from theupper level platform 192L/192R and places the delineator on the flatbed of thetruck 100, whereafter the barrel-like delineators may be inserted into theover-cab rack 170. - Among the significant advantages that are provided by the
modules 190L/190R is that relatively little repetitive lifting, lowering, twisting and turning needs to be performed by the bodies of either of the workers who are standing on theflatbed 130 of thetruck 100, or on alower level platform 191L/191R of one of themodules 190L/190R while performing such activities as are explained just above. The presence and the use that is made of the sizableupper level platforms 192L/192R minimizes the amount of lifting and lowering of traffic delineators that each of these workers must perform and the location of the sizeableupper level platforms 192L/192R at a near knee height minimizes the amount of lifting, twisting and turning that a worker who is standing on one of thelower level platforms 191L/191R must perform while placing retrieved traffic delineators onto, and while taking traffic delineators from one of the twoupper level platforms 192L/192R for placement alongside a highway work zone. - Turning to the
Modules 190L/190R as Shown inFIGS. 3-14 : - Before turning to the preferred forms of the
modules 190L/190R that are shown in various ones ofFIGS. 3-14 ), it should first be noted that: - 1)
FIGS. 3-5 andFIGS. 11-14 show components and features of a preferred form of the right-side module 190R, wherein— -
-
FIGS. 3 and 4 show many of the movable components of the right-side module 190R in their “closed” and/or “lowered” positions, whereas -
FIG. 11 shows most of the movable components of themodule 190R in their “open” and/or “raised” positions, and
-
- 2)
FIGS. 6-10 show components and features of a preferred form of the left-side module 190L—it being understood that the movable components of the left-side module 190L have appearances that are mirror image reversals of corresponding ones of the movable components of the right-side module 190R, as depicted inFIGS. 3-5 and 11-14 . - Movable Components of the
Modules 190L/190R: - Each of the right-side and left-
side modules 190R/190L is provided with a corresponding set of pivotally and slidably movable components that provide access to various regions of themodules 190L/190R, as will now be explained: - 1) Pivotally mounted
gates 1000L/1000R that preferably each have a fence-like appearance are provided atop each of the right-side and left-side modules 190L/190R. These fence-like, pivotally mountedgates 1000L/1000R are pivotally connected to upstanding components 1001L/1001R (best shown inFIGS. 3-4 and 7-8 ) and can pivot from closed positions best shown inFIGS. 3-4 and 7-8 , to open positions (such as is shown inFIG. 12 ) where thegates 1000L/1000R prefer-ably extend closely alongside other fence-like guards that (as can be seen inFIGS. 1 and 2 ) extend along opposite right and left sides of the flatbed 130 at locations just forwardly of, and just rearwardly of, themodules 190L/190R. - Fully open positions of the right-side fence-
like gates 1000R are shown inFIG. 12 . Fully open positions of the left-side fence-like gates 1000L will be understood to have appearances that are mirror images of the right-side fence-like gates 1000R shown inFIG. 12 . - Partially open positions of the right-side fence-
like gates 1000R are shown inFIG. 11 . Corresponding partially open positions of the left-side fence-like gates 1000L will be understood to have appearances that are mirror images of the right-side fence-like gates 1000R shown inFIG. 11 . - Latch assemblies that are indicated generally by the numerals 1002L/1002R in
FIGS. 3-4 and 7-8 are provided to releasably retain the right-side and left-side fence-like gates 1000L/1000R in their closed positions. - 2) Depending
extensions 1005L/1005R are provided on only one of each of the left-side and right-side fence-like gates 1000R/1000L. - A right-side fence-
like gate 1000R that is provided with a dependingextension 1005R is best shown inFIGS. 11 and 12 . When closed, the right-side depending extension 1005R restricts access to, and visually blocks a view of, a region of the right-side module 190R that overlies theupper platform 192R of the right-side module 190R. - A left-side fence-
like gate 1000L that is provided with a dependingextension 1005L (that corresponds to the rightside depending extension 1005R) is best shown inFIG. 8 . As can be seen inFIG. 8 , when closed, the dependingextension 1005L restricts access to, and visually blocks a view of, a region of the left-side module 190L that overlies theupper platform 192L of the left-side module 190L. - In the left-side view of
FIG. 7 , and in the right-side view ofFIG. 3 , dependingextensions 1005L/1005R are shown that differ slightly in appearance from the appearances of the dependingextensions 1005L/1005R shown inFIGS. 11-12 and 8 , respectively. However, the dependingextensions 1005L/1005R that are shown inFIGS. 3 and 7 perform in substantially the same manner as the dependingextensions 1005L/1005R that are shown inFIGS. 11-12 and 8 , respectively, to restrict access to, and to visually block views of, regions located just above the upper platforms that are designated by thenumerals 192L/192R, when the fence-like gates 1000L/1000R that carry the left-side and right-side depending extensions 1005L/1005R are moved to closed positions by thegates 1000L/1000R that carry these left-side and right-side depending extensions. - 3) Referring to
FIGS. 3 and 4 , it can be seen that, located just behind the fence-like gates 1000R of the right-side module 190R are a pair of upwardly opening platform-like doors 1010R that can pivot from closed positions (wherein the platform-like doors 1010R provide upper surfaces that are substantially level with the upper surface of theflatbed 130 of the truck), to open positions wherein the platform-like doors 1010R extend substantially vertically and are latchingly retained by adjacent ones of the upstanding members 1010R (an example of which is shown inFIG. 14 ). - Corresponding platform-like doors 1010L of the left-
side module 190L are shown inFIGS. 7 and 8 . The left-side platform-like doors 1010R behave in the same way as the right-side platform-like doors 1010R, and have appearances that are mirror-image reversals of the right-side platform-like doors 1010R. - Closed positions of the platform-like doors 1010R are shown by solid lines in
FIG. 12 , while partially open positions of the platform-like doors 1010R are shown by solid lines inFIGS. 3, 4 and 11 , and are indicated by broken lines inFIG. 12 . -
Flat surface plates 193R/193L are shown inFIGS. 3 and 7 to which the platform-like doors 1010R and 1010L are pivotally connected, respectively. - Each of the platform-like doors 1010R/1010L that overlies one of the
upper level platforms 192L/192R pivotally carries a depending support 1011R/1011L that extends substantially vertically when the associated platform-like door 1010R/1010L is closed to thereby support the associated platform-like doors 1010R/1010L in their fully closed positions. - 4) Structurally
strong guard assemblies 1020L/1020R extend in front of the compartments 195L/195R of themodules 190L/190R to securely retain workers within the compartments 195L/195R while performing such tasks as are explained above to place and retrieve barrel-like delineators to and from spaced locations alongside a highway work zone. - The
tubular guard assemblies 1020L/1020R can be unlatched and pivoted from the closed positions that are shown inFIGS. 3-4 and 7-8 (and by solid lines inFIG. 12 ), to an unlatched and fully open positions (an example of which is shown by broken lines inFIG. 12 ). Also, atubular component 1022L/1022R of each of theguard assemblies 1020L/1020R can be unlatched and slid upwardly to any of a progression of latchingly-retained heights, with a full-height position of one of thetubular components 1022L/1022R being shown inFIG. 11 . - Latch assemblies that are provided to releasably retain the
tubular guard assemblies 1022L/1022R in their raised and lowered positions are best shown inFIGS. 4 and 8 , where these latch assemblies are indicated by thenumerals 1024L/1024R, respectively. - The various movable components of the
modules 190L/190R that are enumerated above provide access to various regions of themodules 190L/190R to permit work-persons to enter and leave various regions of themodules 190L/190R as may be needed, and to provide the latchabletubular guard components 1022L/1022R at heights that are appropriate for workers of different heights to be properly retained within the compartments 195L/195R of themodules 190L/190R. - Although the invention has been described in a preferred form with particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example, and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims (5)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US17/883,097 US20220380991A1 (en) | 2015-06-29 | 2022-08-08 | Roadway work area safety truck |
US18/517,814 US20240084530A1 (en) | 2015-06-29 | 2023-11-22 | Roadway work area safety truck |
Applications Claiming Priority (9)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US201562186036P | 2015-06-29 | 2015-06-29 | |
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US15/913,562 US10319227B2 (en) | 2015-06-29 | 2018-03-06 | Roadway work area safety truck |
US16/132,376 US10556545B2 (en) | 2015-06-29 | 2018-09-15 | Over-cab rack for traffic delineators |
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US17/883,097 US20220380991A1 (en) | 2015-06-29 | 2022-08-08 | Roadway work area safety truck |
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US20210269995A1 (en) * | 2015-06-29 | 2021-09-02 | Royal Truck & Equipment, Inc. | Safety truck attachments, and methods of safety truck use |
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US10556545B2 (en) * | 2015-06-29 | 2020-02-11 | Royal Truck & Equipment, Inc. | Over-cab rack for traffic delineators |
US11008717B2 (en) * | 2015-06-29 | 2021-05-18 | Royal Truck & Equipment, Inc. | Safety truck attachments, and methods of safety truck use |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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US20190048543A1 (en) | 2019-02-14 |
US20200332484A1 (en) | 2020-10-22 |
US11408138B2 (en) | 2022-08-09 |
US10801169B2 (en) | 2020-10-13 |
US20240084530A1 (en) | 2024-03-14 |
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