AU2018204832A1

AU2018204832A1 - Solar Powered Retractable Bollard

Info

Publication number: AU2018204832A1
Application number: AU2018204832A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jonathan Duy Khac Nguyen
Original assignee: Nguyen Jonathan Duy Khac Mr
Current assignee: Nguyen Jonathan Duy Khac Mr
Priority date: 2017-07-03
Filing date: 2018-07-02
Publication date: 2019-01-24
Also published as: WO2019006519A1

Abstract

EXAMINER PREPARED A solar powered retractable bollard consisting of a fixed outer housing, a movable inner barrier member section. The inner barrier section contains an electric motor, drive assembly, electric storage device, an electronic system controller executing computer-controlled code, and a network communications device. The electric motor and drive assembly housed within the barrier member provides mechanical actuation to cause the barrier member to move between the retracted and extended positions relative to the outer housing. The electronic system controller switches power between the storage device and the motor to control the speed and direction of the electric motor. 1 of 1 Figure1I

Description

TITLE OF INVENTION

Solar Powered Removable Bollard

2018204832 02 Jul 2018

FIELD

001. This invention relates to the field of safety barriers, removable barriers.

BACKGROUND

002. Bollards are a useful method of restricting traffic to certain areas. Most bollards are a substantially cylindrical body with a portion buried or secured in the ground, with the remaining protruding vertically. The bigger and stronger the bollard the great the force it can resist. Smaller bollards can restrict small vehicles like motorbikes and small automobiles. Larger bollards can be designed to withstand the force of collision from larger automobiles and trucks. However, installing bollards in public areas may sometimes restrict access to areas where certain vehicles are required to access periodically. For example, installing bollards in a public space may restrict access to trash collection and maintenance vehicles. One solution is to temporarily retract bollards to allow access into restricted areas.

2018204832 02 Jul 2018

PRIOR ART

003. Solutions exist in the public domain that allow a bollard to be removed or retracted. Removeable bollards are generally simple tubes secured in place using a mechanical locking system. Most are small enough for one or two people to carry. However, however smaller bollards cannot stop larger vehicles such as cars and trucks. Larger bollards can be fitted to retraction mechanisms.

US7244075B2 discloses a telescopic retractable bollard with a screw jack AU 2007201272 Al discloses a motorised retractable bollard

2018204832 02 Jul 2018

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

004. Technical Problem:

Existing retractable bollard systems require a separate controller, electrical mains supply, sensors, wiring and actuation systems to operate. This results in considerable installation and maintenance costs and complexity.

005. Solution to Problem.

This invention discloses apparatus and systems that allow bollards to be electrically retracted without the cost of installing external supporting equipment. The solution is to house all the complex components of the bollard into the inner barrier member. This includes the power source, solar charger, electronic controller, communications link, electromechanical actuator, and sensors. This invention also discloses methods to support a self-contained retractable bollard that allow a battery powered device to lift a wide range of bollard sizes and weights.

006. Advantageous Effects of Invention

This invention allows any size bollard to be retractable with minimal installation labour and materials, and reduced ground preparation (civil works).

007. Bollards using this invention are lower cost to deploy due to reduced installation requirements

008. By containing all the complex and components in the moveable barrier member, servicing costs can be reduced by allowing bollards to be exchanged in the field and serviced in a workshop.

2018204832 02 Jul 2018

BRIEF DESRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1: cross section view of the main components depicting the bollard in a partially retracted view

The outer housing (1) is secured in the ground. The inner barrier member (2) moves longitudinally inside the outer housing. A photovoltaic cell (3) is mounted on the top plane of the bollard. An electric motor (4) through a worm drive or similar assembly drives a screw (5) which moves a nut (6) along the screw, causing the bollard to move in the longitudinal axis.

2018204832 02 Jul 2018

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

009. The following description is provided by way of example only with reference to the preferred embodiments which is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

010. In the preferred embodiment a fixed outer housing is secured into the ground. The outer housing is substantially round, with a key or notch to allow the inner barrier member to rotationally align to whilst raising and lowering. In another embodiment the outer housing is shaped of a geometry such that the inner barrier member, of a similar geometry can slide inside without rotating.

011. A shaft is secured to the base of the outer housing and extends up along the longitudinal axis but remains below the top of the outer housing. To this shaft is secured the nut component of the screw jack assembly.

012. The inside barrier member (bollard) is shaped such that it can slide along the longitudinal axis of the outer housing without twisting. If it is substantially cylindrical a key or notch can be used to prevent it from twisting throughout its range of travel.

013. A photovoltaic array mounted on the top of the bollard converts sunlight to electricity which is used to charge the batteries also mounted in the bollard. A charging regulator inside the bollard monitors the charging process and disconnects the battery when charge is complete.

014. An electric motor is secured internally to the bollard. The output of the motor is connected to worm gear or similar assembly. The resistance of the worm gear assembly prevents the output of assembly from reverse driving the motor, in situations where the bollard is heavy. The output of the gear assembly is connected to the screw that forms the screw jack assembly. The screw is supported by a thrust bearing which is allows the screw to turn freely

2018204832 02 Jul 2018 relative to the bollard, but remains captive within the bearing assembly, and moves with the bollard.

015. The screw drive ordinarily is connected to the nut, forming the rest of the screw jack assembly.

016. When the motor turns in one direction, the screw turns, and the nut, moving along the screw, pushes the bollard in one direction along the longitudinal axis. Reversing the direction of the motor reverses the direction of the bollard motion.

017. Limit sensors connected to the extreme limits of range of the bollard send signals to the electronic controller when the bollard is extended or retracted. Rotary encoders or rotation sensors may also be used to all signal the number of rotations to the electronic controller. Using the number of rotations, the controller is able determine the position of the bollard throughout its range.

018. To conserve electricity, the electronic controller executes sleep/wake cycles where it shuts down (sleeps) and periodically powers up (wakes) to check if there are alarm conditions, or instructions from sources such as an RFID card present, or a command from a remote user across a network.

019. The electronics controller may change the period of sleep and time awake based on a schedule saved in computer memory. Preferentially this schedule should reflect the periods where the bollard is likely the controlled. For example, at night the sleep period may be 5 seconds, while during daytime the sleep cycle may be 3 seconds. The controller may selectively power peripheral devices and sensors on and off according to separate schedules to further save power consumption.

020. On initial installation the outer housing is secured in the ground. The installer places the bollard in outer housing, aligning the shape of the bollard and/or

2018204832 02 Jul 2018 the notches and keys (if present).

021. Initially the bollard is over extended and not secured in place. A signal from a sensor or remote device activates the motor, which drives the screw in a direction which engages the nut, and pulls the bollard down into the housing, securing the bollard. The motor stops when the retract limit switch is activated, the number of revolutions counted is exceeded, or when the motor current is detected as exceeding the preconfigured threshold. The bollard is now in the retracted position and the top of the bollard should be substantially level with the top of the outer housing.

022. If the electronic controller receives a command to extend the bollard, it activates the motor in the extend direction until either the extend limit switch is triggered, and/or the number of revolutions counted is exceeded.

023. If the electronic controller receives a command to retract the bollard, it activates the motor in the retract direction until either the retract limit switch is triggered, and/or the number of revolutions counted is exceeded.

024. If the electronic controller receives a “service” command, it activates the motor in the extend direction, ignoring the extend limit switch and revolutions count. This disengages the screw from the fixed nut, allowing the bollard to be removed.

Claims

1. A retractable bollard consisting of a fixed outer housing, a movable inner barrier member section. The inner barrier section contains an electric motor, drive assembly, electric storage device, an electronic system controller executing computer-controlled code, and a network communications device. The electric motor and drive assembly housed within the barrier member provides mechanical actuation to cause the barrier member to move between the retracted and extended positions relative to the outer housing. The electronic system controller switches power between the storage device and the motor to control the speed and direction of the electric motor.

2. A retractable bollard of Claim 1 where the mechanical actuation method is a screw jack. The nut of the screw jack is fixed relative to the outer housing, and the screw is connected to the output of the electric drive assembly which is in turn connected to the inner barrier member.

3. A retractable bollard of Claim 1 where the mechanical actuation method is a screw jack. The screw jack is fixed relative to the outer housing, and the nut is connected to the output of the drive motor assembly which is in turn connected to the inner barrier member.

4. A retractable bollard of Claim 1 where the mechanical actuation method is a rack and pinion where a plurality of racks is fixed to the outer housing. A corresponding number of pinion gears are connected to the drive motor assembly which is in turn connected and housing within the movable barrier member.

5. A retractable bollard of claim 1 which contains a photovoltaic array on the top plane of the barrier member to recharge the storage battery.

2018204832 02 Jul 2018

6. A retractable bollard of claim 1 where the computer controlled electronic circuit contains an internal clock and storage media containing a schedule of activation times. The computer code raises and lowers the bollard according to the schedule.

7. A retractable bollard of Claim 1 where the computer controlled electronic circuit is programmed to sleep at different intervals according to a saved schedule to conserve power.

8. A retractable bollard of Claim 1 where the computer controlled electrical circuit contains a wireless communication device that allows external signalling inputs to update the internal schedule and/or command the computer to raise and lower the bollard.

9. A retractable bollard of Claim 1 where a Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) reader positioned inside the moveable inner barrier reads information from an RFID Card to control the bollard to raise or lower based on information on the card, compared against parameters such as time

10. A retractable bollard of Claim 1 where the network communications device is a Radio Frequency transceiver.

11. A retractable bollard of Claim 1 where the network communications device is an optical transceiver.

12. A retractable bollard of Claim 1 which contains an optical receiver.

13. A retractable bollard which contains an electromagnetic induction loop to allow the bollard’s battery to be recharged.

2018204832 02 Jul 2018

14. A retractable bollard which contains a vibration sensor to switch on the onboard computer from sleep periods.

15. A retractable bollard that uses a magnetic sensor or switch to detect the presence of a magnet to switch on or wake up the computer control.

16. A method of retractable bollard control where in normal operations the mechanical actuator is prevented from to moving beyond a limit in the extended position, preventing bollard removal. When an authorised signal is received, the mechanical actuator drives beyond the extended limit, allowing the bollard to be removed from the outer housing.

17. A retractable bollard of Claim 16 there the method to detect the limit position in normal operations is a magnetic sensor on the inside barrier member and a magnet fixed to the outer housing

18. A retractable bollard of Claim 16 there the electronic computer controller counts revolutions of an element of the drive mechanism to calculate bollard position.