AU658968B2

AU658968B2 - Mobile solar power traffic controller

Info

Publication number: AU658968B2
Application number: AU32085/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Peirce
Original assignee: E I P HOLDINGS Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Gloworm Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1992-01-28
Filing date: 1993-01-28
Publication date: 1995-05-04
Anticipated expiration: 2013-01-28
Also published as: AU3208593A

Description

~58 9' 6 S F Ref: 229163

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

r r r o Name and Address of Applicant: E.I.P. Holdings Unit 2, Lot 4 Colyton Road Minchinbury New

AUSTRALIA

Pty Limited South Wales 2770 Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL [31] Application No(s) PL0578 lan Peirce Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Mobile Solar Power Traffic Controller APPLICATION DETAILS [331 Country

AU

[32] Application Date 28 January 1992 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815/5 The present invention relates to portable traffic controllers.

When road works are being carried out, it is known to use mobile traffic controllers to indicate to traffic that changed traffic conditions exist. It is known to use mobile traffic controllers that are trailer mounted, and are powered by a petrol engine powered electric generator. These petrol engines are noisy, polluting, and expensive to run. They require continual maintenance to ensure consistent and reliable operation.

Existing traffic controllers use incandescent bulbs as the indication device. The indication device must be bright enough during the day to give a clearly visible indication to traffic, especially in strong sunlight. A petrol engine powered generator is required to supply the large amount of power used by the bank of incandescent bulbs.

The above-described mobile traffic controllers suffer from the disadvantage that regular maintenance must be carried out to ensure that the petrol engine does not break down. The incandescent bulbs are also subject to regular failure. If the traffic controller is not regularly maintained failure of the unit may occur and this would constitute a traffic hazard.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mobile traffic controller which substantially overcomes or ameliorates the abovementioned disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided a portable traffic controller comprising a base, a solar panel mounted on the base, an 25 electric battery supported by the base and arranged to be charged by the go solar panel, and an indication device mounted on the base and powered, 'in use, by the battery, wherein at least one of the solar panel and the indication device is rotatably mounted on the base to allow the solar 9 panel to be directed towards the sun irrespective of the orientation of the indication device, and wherein the indication device comprises a plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes arranged to convey information to traffic.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawing, Fig. 1, which is a perspective view of a mobile solar powered traffic controller of the preferred embodiment.

The mobile solar-powered traffic controller 1 of the preferred embodiment includes a trailer chassis 2 with a pair of wheels 3. The trailer chassis 2 includes an extension yoke 4 which is supported by a jockey wheel 5 and has a conventional hitch 6. The controller 1 is therefore easily movable to various locations as required.

A solar panel module 7 is supported by the extension yoke 4. The module 7 has a pair of solar panels 8 and is rotatably mounted such that the orientation of the panels 8 can be adjusted to face the sun. The solar panels 8 charge electric batteries (not illustrated) located within the module 7. The module 7 also includes a pair of transparent LEXAN (Registered Trade Mark) covers 9 placed over the panels 8 to prevent vandalism and damage thereto.

An indication panel 10 is hingedly mounted on a pair of upright frames 11 located at the rear of the chassis 2. The indication panel is illustrated in its upright, use configuration and also its folded down travelling configuration. When the indication panel 10 is in its folded down travelling configuration, as illustrated in broken lines, the indication panel 10 rests on a pair of support frames 12 to help prevent damage to the indication panel The indication panel 10 includes multicoloured clusters of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 13 arranged in a pair of opposed arrows. Each cluster of LEDs 13 is made up of 6 r3d and 8 green LEDs in a plastics housing which is waterproof and shaded from the sun. The brightness of boo.

the LEDs 13 is regulated by a light-sensitive control (not illustrated 25 but incorporating known technology such as light-dependent resistors) which is used to reduce brightness at night.

*444 When the controller 1 is used, the chassis 2 is oriented towards oncoming traffic in order that the indication panel 10 faces the oncoming traffic. The solar module 7 is rotated to face towards the sun. This provides for a high level of efficiency of the controller 1.

If required, the solar module 7 can also be moved to follow the sun's Spath.

Advantages of the controller 1 of the preferred embodiment are that as it is powered by solar energy, the controller 1 is safe, clean, 35 efficient and maintenance free. There are no running costs as are involved with a petrol engine powered controller as described in the prior art. The batteries charged by the solar panels 8 allow for continuous operation, day and night, for up to 16 days, without any sunny days.

The foregoing describes only one embodiment of the present invention, and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the indication panel 10 can be rotatable and the solar module 7 fixed so that the trailer chassis 2 is arranged to face the sun. This is the embodiment described in Provisional Application No. PL0578, the content of which is he, jy incorporated by crossreference. If desired, both the solar module and the indication panel can be rotatably mounted relative to the chassis.

The aforedescribed unit can be used for a variety of applications, such as on roads, on water, for airports, for temporary airfields etc.

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Claims

1. A portable traffic controller comprising a base, a solar panel mounted on the base, an electric battery supported by the base and arranged to be charged by the solar panel, and -in indication device mounted on the base and powered, in use, by the battery, wherein at least one of the solar panel and the indication device is rotatably mounted on the base to allow the solar panel to be directed towards the sun irrespective of the orientation of the indication device, and wherein the indication device comprises a plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes arranged to convey information to traffic.

2. A traffic controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the solar panel is rotatably mounted on said base, and is rotatably movable relative to said base to follow the path of the sun.

3. A traffic controller as claimed in claim I or 2, wherein the indication device is supported by a frame located on said base.

4. A traffic controller as claimed in claim 3, wherein the indication device is hingedly connected to said frame and is pivotable between a use position and a non-use position.

A traffic controller as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base comprises a trailer chassis on a pair of wheels, and said trailer chassis has an extension yoke supported by a jockey wheel.

6. A traffic controller as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each cluster of light emitting diodes includes a plurality of red and green light emitting diodes.

7. A traffic controller as claimed in any preceding claim, see$ wherein the brightness of the light emitting diodes is regulated by a 1ight sensitive control means.

S. A traffic controller as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the solar panel is supported at the correct angle for the latitude at which the controller is to operate.

9. A traffic controller as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a pair of said solar panels are located in a module which also houses the battery. A traffic controller as claimed in any preceeding claim, wherein the indication device is rotatable relative to the base. II. A traffic controller substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. DATED this Thirtieth Day of January 1995 E.I.P. Holdings Pry Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON o o *o o*l o ooo* ABSTRACT A traffic controller is disclosed. The traffic controller (1) includes a trailer chassis with a pair of wheels The chassis has an extension yoke which is supported by a jockey wheel and which has a connection hitch The chassis supports a module which has a pair of solar panels located therein. The module is rotatably mounted such that the orientation of the panels can be adjusted to face the equator. The solar panels charge electric batteries which power an indication device (10) which is used to indicate changed traffic conditions to oncoming traffic. Fig. 1. *see *5*5 .55. o HRW/1037c