AU604196B1

AU604196B1 - Crossroad without traffic lights

Info

Publication number: AU604196B1
Application number: AU41258/89A
Authority: AU
Inventors: John Tsai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-09-11
Filing date: 1989-09-11
Publication date: 1990-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2009-09-11

Description

A1 604196 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFCATION NAME ADDRESS OF APPLICANT: John Tsai No. 3, Lane 541 Fu Hsing Road Taichung City Taiwan NAME(S) OF INVENTOR(S): a John TSAI ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

This document contains the amendments made under Section 49 and is correct for printing a a a a a, e 0 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: Crossroad without traffic lights The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 6 110 0$ it Iq -la- The present invention relates to a crossroad, and more particularly to a crossroad where no traffic lights are required.

Major crossroads are usually controlled by traffic lights. Vehicles are required to stop on the red light, and are free to go on the green light. Frequent stops not only waste time, but also waste fuel due to excess fuel being injected into the engine when accelerating from rest when the vehicle starts again on the green light. The fuel is not burned completely which causes o° air pollution. In addition, traffic accident occur ao frequently at crossroads.

coo Oo The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or .*e:obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the *908I* 15 conventional crossroad.

t8 ~The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a crossroad where no traffic lights are required to control the flow of the vehicles.

Another preferred objective of the present invention is to provide a crossroad where vehicles can either drive straight through or turn without having to stop at any time.

According to the present invention there is provided a crossroad comprising: G25 a first road being substantially level and straight; t CC a second road intersected with said first road; C cC a first pair of second dimensional passages being provided on said second road, each of said first passages having a bypass merge into one side thereof; each of said first passages having a first entrance at one end and a first exit at the other end; each of said first entrances being spaced further from said first road than said first exit on the same side of said first road; each of said bypasses having an inlet adjacent to said first road and closer to said first road than said first exit on the same side of said first road; and 900803,gjnspe.00,ky41258.spe,1

PIIIIC---

lb wherein a vehicle driving into said first entrance and out of said first exit of one of said first passages is movable over said first entrance of the other said first passage for making a right turn, and movable into said inlet of said bypass of the other said first passage for making a U-turn.

C C C ±ccc t C T C0 C e C C C C C

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IC CC 900816,gjnspe.003,ky41258.sp,2 The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:- FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of cLcrossroad in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of a crossroad J similar to FIG. 1, illustrating another embodiment in accordance with the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a top elevational view similar to FIG.

1 10 1, illustrating a further embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

C

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, Srcc the crossroad in accordance with the present invention comprises generally two main roads 1 and 4 intersected with each other. Each main road 1 and 4 comprises two parallel but opposite roadways, 2 and 3, and 42 and 44, respectively. In the illustrated example of FIG. 1, the 'c C vehicles keep on the right side of the road. Diagonal driveways 11 are provided on the corners of the connections of the two main roads 1 and 4 so that the Svehicles moving on the main roads i and 4 can turn H right easily.

The main road 4 is level and straight. Vehicles driving on the main road 4 can drive straight through the crossroad without having to stop. Second ©2

SLS

7 1 0 1 a -3dimensional passages, such as subways or tunnels 22 and 32, as illustrated in FIG. 1, each with a respective bypass tunnel 24 and 34 are respectively provided on the roadways 2 and 3 of the main road 1. The slopes at both ends of the tunnels 22 and 32 are small; the ramps at both ends of the tunnels 22 and 32 are gently inclined. The entrances 26, 36 of the respective tunnels 22, 32 are positioned a short diotance before reaching the driveway 11. The exits 27, 37 of the respective tunnels 22, 32 are located close to the main road 4. It is to be noted that the entrances 26, 36 are spaced c cc further from the main road 4 than the exits 27, 37 on the same side of the main road 4. The bypass tunnels 24, 34 °respectively merge into the tunnels 22, 32 from the right 15 side thereof. The entrances of the bypass tunnels 24, 34 open right beside the main road 4. An elevated overpass (not shown) may further be provided for pedestrians.

The vehicles B, C, D) can drive straight through the crossroad without having to stop. To turn left, the 20 vehicle follows either the arrow across the top of the tunnel 32 or the arrow to merge into the roadway 42; the vehicle follows the arrow to enter into the bypass tunnel 24 so as to merge into the tunnel 22. To do a U-turn, the vehicle follows the arrow across top of the tunnel 32 and enters into the bypass tunnel 34 to merge into the Z1 900806,gjnspe.003,ky41258.spe,3

L-

tunnel 32: the vehicle follows the arrow to enter the bypass tunnel 24 and merge into the tunnel 22, then follows the arrow to merge into the roadway 42. The movements of the vehicles (B and C) are respectively similar to that of the vehicles (A and D).

Therefore, the vehicles B, C, D) can freely drive straight through, turn or make a U-turn without having to stop.

If required in certain countries, slower vehicles, such as smaller motorcycles or bicycles can be 9 separated from the faster vehicles. It is normally the 0 0 a case that the slower vehicles travel near the right shoulder of the right side of the road (for the coco crossroad system as shown in FIG. or near the left shoulder of the left side of the road for the crossroad system as shown in FIG. 3. The crossroad for this type of traffic system is shown in FIG. 2. The crossroad is 00 1 similar to that of FIG. 1 except that small tunnels 21, 31 are respectively provided beside the tunnels 22, 32.

0 B The entrances 211, 311 and the exits 210, 310 of the .small tunnels 21, 31 are provided on the main road 1 and preferably positioned further from the level road 4 S 5 than the diagonal driveway 11 if one is used. The small tunnels -21, 31 start from their respective entrances 211, 311, run alongside the bypass tunnels 24, 34 and the tunnels 22, 32, and connect to the exits 210, 310.

The entrances 421, 441 and the exits 420, 440 are provided on the main road 4. An approach 80 is provided under each driveway 11 to connect the corresponding entrance and exit. The approaches 82, 83 connect the entrance 421 and the exit 440 to the small tunnel 21 respectively and the approaches 92, 93 connect the entrance 441 and the exit 420 to the small tunnel 31 respectively. Approaches 81, 91 connect the entrance 421 with the exit 440, and the entrance 441 and the exit 420, respectively. The entrances 421, 441 and the exits 420, 440 are provided adjacent to the main road 1 and preferably beside the diagonal driveway 11 if any is provided. In addition, an extra exit 28 is further r t t c c C provided on each roadway 2, 3 and is provided behind 1 the exit 27.

r C C cc 15 Therefore, slower vehicle can freely travel straight through along the small tunnel 21 and freely Sturn right either by the driveway 11 or by the approach without interfering with the faster vehicles. The slower vehicle can travel straight through along the roadway 42 or enter the entrance 421 and by Sfollowing the arrow or either continue Sstraight along the roadway 42 or follow the arrow (o) and merge with the approach 92 and leave through the exit 420. To turn right, the slower vehicle can travel either along the driveway 11 or the approach from the entrance 421 to the exit 210. To turn left, the slower vehicle enters the entrance 211 and ©S us 0* r~ follows either the arrow to make a U-turn and to merge into the roadway 42 or the arrow to merge into roadway 42; from here, the slower vehicle can travel either straight through along the roadway 42 or follow the arrow to merge into the approach 92 and leave through the exit 420. Cars or trucks can travel by following the arrow to merge into the driveway 11 in order to turn left. To turn left, the slower vehicle can enter the bypass tunnel 34 either directly by following the arrow or by first entering the entrance 421, following the arrow or "0 and then following the arrow The vehicle (N) Oe 9 oeo then merges into the small tunnel 31 and leave through the exit 310. To do a U-turn, the vehicle follows tte: 15 the arrow or and the arrow to merge into the opposite small tunnel 31. To do a U-turn, the vehicle follows the arrow and the arrow or to merge into the opposite roadway 44, or simply

C

cc, enters the entrance 421, follows the approach 81 and 4 tc g os 20 leaves through the exit 440. For the crossroad as shown in FIG. 2, slower vehicles may be required to make some turns, however it enables faster vehicles to move and t t turn freely without any interference and with greater r safety.

In some countries, vehicles travel on the left side of the road. The crossroad for this type of traffic system is shown in FIG. 3. The configuration of the crossroad is similar to that of the crossroad in FIG. 1. The entrances and the exits of the tunnels 62, 72 are also arranged similar to that of the tunnels 22, 32. The vehicles F, G, H) can freely drive straight through or can freely turn left on the driveways 52. To turn right, the vehicle either follows the arrow or the arrow to merge into the main road and the vehicle follows the arrow to enter the bypass tunnel 74 and merges into the tunnel 72. To do a U-turn, the vehicle follows the arrow to enter the bypass tunnel 64 and to merge into the tunnel 62: C Ca, and the vehicle follows the arrow to enter the bypass tunnel 74, merges into tunnel 72 and follows the t arrow or arrow to merge into the main road S 15 Alternatively, elevated roads or bridges (not shown) can be provided instead of the tunnels as illustrated in the drawings. In this case all the c" bypasses or the entrances and the exits of the tunnels ar, :can be suitably replaced by ramps with suitable slopes.

The smaller tunnels can be replaced by suitable roadways for slower vehicles so that they will not interfere with the faster vehicles.

c Accordingly, the crossroad in accordance with the present invention has the following advantagest The vehicles can freely travel straight through and freely turn without having to stop.

No traffic lights are required.

The drivers not only save time but also save money for fuel.

The configuration of the crossroad in accordance with the present invention is simple and requires a relatively small area which reduces the construction cost thereof.

1- Air pollution can be greatly diminished.

I Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of S, t parts may be resorted to without departing from the t C C j, spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter c c 15 claimed.

The reference numerals in the foljlo an-e-a-i±: rsoo in any way limit--t-h pe of the respective claims.

C c cc c l

Claims

1. A crossroad comprising: a first road being substantially level and straight; a second road intersected with said first road; a first pair of second dimensional passages being provided on said second road, each of said first passages having a bypass merging into one side thereof; each of said first passages having a first entrance at one end and a first exit at the other end; each of said first entrances being spaced further 1 t from said first road than said first exit on the same 0 0 a Cside of said first road; t I each of said bypasses having an inlet adjacent to csaid first road and closer to said first road than said first exit on the same side of said first road; and wherein a vehicle driving into said first entrance and out of said first exit of one of said first passages is movable over said first entrance of the other said first passage for making a right turn, and movable into said inlet of said bypass of the other said first passage for making a U-turn.

2. A crossroad according to claim 1, further comprising: t C a second passage on each side of said second road i c for slower vehicles; I each of said second passages having a second entrance and a second exit, with said second entrances being further from said first road than said first entrances of the same side of said first road, and said second exits being further from said first road than said first exits on the same side of said first road; ad said second entrance of each of said second passages communicating with said first exit of a respective first Z passage. 9008l6,gjnspe.003ky41258.spe,9 _P_3

3. A crossroad according to claim 2, further comprising: a pair of third passages on said first road; each of said third passages having a third entrance on one end and a third exit on the other end; said third entrances communicating with said second exits of said second passages; and said second entrances communicating with said third exits of said third passages.

4. A crossroad according to claim 3, wherein an approach is provided on each side of said second road for connecting said third entrance with said third exit ,r located on the same side of said second road.

A crossroad according to claim i, wherein each of said first passages has a fourth exit, with said fourth exits being further from said first road than said inlets of said bypasses on the same side of said first road; and said first exits being further from said first road than said fourth exits of the same side of said first road.

6. A crossroad substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 31st day of July 1990 John Tsai By His Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON 9008 16,gjrnpe.003,ky4 1258.spe,10