DE102009060633B4 - Reflector on a roadside pole - Google Patents

Abstract

Reflector (1) on a road guide post, with - a support plate (3), - a reflection element (4) arranged on the support plate (3) and - at least one locking element arranged on the back of the support plate (3) and firmly connected to this back ( 2), wherein the at least one latching element (2) has at least two rows of latching lamellae (5) arranged evenly one behind the other, which are arranged uniformly around a rivet-shaped core (6) of the latching element (2), and the at least one latching element (2) Carrier plate (3) is injection molded directly, characterized in that the latching element (2) has two flattened sides lying opposite one another and two rows of latching lamellae (5) arranged at an angle of 180 ° to one another on the rivet-shaped core (6) of the latching element (2) , The locking lamellae (5) of the two rows connected in each case via the rivet-shaped core (6) of the locking element (2) in the form of behind each other nder arranged arrow heads are formed, - that in a row at least 3 locking lamellae (5) are arranged one behind the other, - that the width of the rivet-shaped core (6) is approx. 70% to approx. 30% smaller than the diameter for the assembly with the reflector (1) provided hole in the road guide post, - that a circular arc-shaped slat base (7) is formed on the rivet-shaped core of the locking element (2) between the individual locking slats (5) of each row of locking slats (5), - that the slat top (8 ) is longer than the underside of the lamella (9), the end of the latching lamella (5) forming an acute-angled edge (11) depending on the excess length of the top (8) and the thickness of the latching lamella (5), - at the foot of the rivet-shaped one Core (6) of the locking element (2) towards the support plate (3) towards wedge-shaped reinforcing ribs (12) are arranged.

Description

The present invention relates to a reflector on a roadside guide with the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Road guide posts are placed on both sides of the road at intervals of approx. 50 m to mark the course of the road. Usually, the street guide posts are provided in their upper area with reflectors, so that they fulfill their function even in the dark. Today usually Leit post with triangular hollow profiles made of plastic are used, which are produced by a variety of process techniques, such. As by injection molding, extrusion or blow molding. On the side facing the road of the guide post receiving surfaces are provided as a seat for reflectors, wherein the receiving surfaces are usually designed as recesses or indentations within the sides of the Leitpfostens so that the reflectors flush with the side surface of the Straßenleitpfostens and not in the installed state beyond the side outer surface of the Leitpfostens. This has the advantage that a certain protection against damage is given and also dirt particles find no protruding surfaces for attachment.

Today, different types of reflectors are used, of which the most common are the so-called plastic prism reflectors and the glass bead reflectors. Less frequently foil reflectors are used. The attachment of the reflectors is usually done via screw or so-called. Expanding rivets. When mounting with expansion rivets, it has been found to be advantageous to mold the receiving holes for the expansion rivets already directly in the production of the post. This saves the additional operation of drilling, which at the same time avoids inaccuracies that can occur during subsequent drilling and then affect the exact position of the reflector. When screwing reflectors, the screws are screwed directly into the plastic, which is usually used sheet metal or Spax screws, which involves the risk that the plastic tears when screwing the screws, so that the attachment of the reflector is not the desired strength receives. The screwing has the additional disadvantage that it is a relatively complex operation and the reflectors can be easily damaged by excessive screwing. Thus, the so-called. Expanding rivets or expansion anchors have prevailed in recent times, which consist of an expansion sleeve and a spreader pin. In this case, the upper part of the expansion sleeve carries a semi-circular head whose lower surface begins in a corresponding depression in the reflector. The expansion sleeve itself protrudes through the reflector and the corresponding receiving hole in the guide post in the interior of the guide post and is spread when driving through the expansion pin, which then takes place the attachment of the reflector.

The use of so-called. Expanding rivets or expansion dowels for attaching reflectors to Kunststoffleitpfählen is in the DE 69 425 67 U1 and in the DE 94 07 256 U1 described.

The insertion of the expansion dowel or expansion rivets is usually done by hand with the aid of a so-called. Riveting, which is used for mounting and dismounting of the reflectors. Expansion dowels can be used for all reflector types available on the market.

The production of the Leitpost itself and the reflectors is largely automated, so that both guide posts and reflectors can be produced quickly and in large quantities. In contrast, the subsequent insertion of the reflectors in the corresponding recess in the delineator and the riveting of the reflectors is still done by hand or with the help of expensive special devices, so that this step is now crucial for the production capacity or the production costs of Straßenleitpfosten. The time-consuming part of this step is in particular the insertion of the reflector, the insertion of the expansion dowel and the placement of the riveting tool with subsequent riveting of the expansion anchor.

In the DE 92 10 727 U1 a road boundary arrow is described on which reflectors are arranged, which are fastened in a simple manner by snap-lock, whose Spreizschäfte are pressed into corresponding holes in the wall of the guide post. The snap latches are directly molded onto the reflector.

Similar reflectors will be in the DE 10 2007 042 539 A1 describes the reflectors with a reflector plate and at least one reflection element to the object, wherein on the back of the reflector plate, a latching element is arranged, that preferably the reflector plate is formed directly.

However, the reflectors presented in the two publications mentioned above have the disadvantage that their attachment to the guide post is often unsatisfactory, since the geometry of the locking elements used requires very well-defined locking conditions on the counterpart, namely the guide post, to a positive and firm connection to realize with the guide post. This particularly relates to the wall thickness of the post and the diameter of the bore into which the locking element is to be introduced. In the production of However, delineator is a mass production in which manufacturing variations over a relatively large tolerance range are common, since only in this way a cost-effective production can be realized. However, these manufacturing tolerances exceed that tolerated by the reflectors listed in the above-mentioned writings, so that the advantages are partially canceled out by the directly molded locking element by fastening problems again.

From the DE 31 22 402 A1 a fastener is known, as is commonly provided for the attachment of trim panels on motor vehicle door inner sides. On the side surfaces of a rectangular or square shaft four rows of plastic approach elements are provided, which can be easily introduced into an opening or bore due to a special shaping, but can be removed again only with great effort. For optimum operating conditions, the fastener must be centered with respect to the opening or bore.

The present invention was therefore based on the problem of finding a mounting option for reflectors on road guide posts, which does not have the disadvantages of the prior art.

This object is achieved by a reflector with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the reflector according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

Starting from the prior art, which describes reflectors having a reflector plate, which a locking element is formed directly, was thus looking for a locking element that even with large tolerances in the wall thickness of the Leitpfostens and the diameter of the corresponding receiving bore a firm hold for the guaranteed to be fixed reflector.

It has been found that these conditions are met by a reflector which consists of a support plate, arranged on the support plate reflection element and at least one arranged on the back of the support plate and fixedly connected to this back locking element, said at least one locking element at least two rows having successively arranged locking lamellae, which are arranged uniformly around a rivet-shaped core of the locking element.

The connection of the locking element with the carrier plate is made by direct casting or injection molding in the tool for the reflector plate in the manufacture of the reflector plate itself, so that reflector plate and locking element are formed from one piece. This procedure can for all conventional types of reflectors, such. As plastic prism reflectors, foil reflectors or glass bead reflectors are used.

In order to ensure a sufficiently firm hold in the road guide post, at least three but preferably four to six locking lamellae must be arranged one behind the other in a row.

It is provided that the locking element is designed with two flattened sides and two rows of locking lamellae, which are arranged on the rivet-shaped core of the locking element at an angle of 180 ° to each other, wherein the over the rivet-shaped core of the locking element interconnected locking lamella of the two rows are formed in the form of successively arranged arrowheads.

The respectively opposite latching lamellae of the two rows can form an angle between approximately 45 ° and 135 °, preferably between 70 ° and 110 °, particularly preferably an angle of approximately 90 °.

The width of the rivet-shaped core of the latching element is about 70% to about 30%, preferably about 50%, less than the diameter of the provided for the assembly with the reflector bore, which is usually at street guide between about 6 and 7 mm ,

Preferably, the total width of the locking element comprising the core and the locking lamellae is approximately 20% to approximately 80%, preferably approximately 40% to approximately 60%, greater than the diameter of the bore provided for fitting to the reflector. The lateral extensions of the locking lamellae make up about 50% to about 80% of the total width of the latching element. In this way, it is ensured that even with larger manufacturing variations in relation to the diameter of the bore, the reflector can be securely and firmly attached to the guide post by means of the so-dimensioned locking element.

Furthermore, it is provided that a circular arc-shaped lamellar base is formed on the rivet-shaped core between the individual latching lamellae in each case one row. This particular geometric shape of the lamellar base favors the elastic behavior of the locking lamellae when inserting the Raselements in the receiving bore and in particular the spring back of the locking lamellae after passing through the borehole.

The design of the lamella geometry provides that the lamella top longer formed as the lower side of the lamella, so that the end of the latching lamella forms an acute-angled edge in dependence on the excess length of the upper side and the thickness of the latching lamella. This has the particular advantage that the acute-angled edges of the lamellae located in the borehole act as a kind of barb and thus anchor the reflector, as it were, in the wall of the borehole and secure it against being pulled out.

In this context, it must be mentioned that the length of the locking element is usually chosen so that at least the uppermost locking lamellae emerge after insertion of the reflector on the back of the Leitpfostenwand from the mounting hole and - after they were previously compressed when inserted into bore - now again Jump back and thus hold the reflector and prevent withdrawal of the reflector. At the same time, the number and the arrangement of the locking lamellae are chosen so that in the normal case always a part of the fins is in the bore and thus cause additional anchoring and centering of the reflector. Thus, the reflector can only be dismantled if the slats are destroyed at the same time. Tensile tests have shown that in comparison to the mounting options according to the prior art when using the locking element according to the invention about 50% more force is needed to remove the reflector from the guide post. Even in the case where the manufacturing tolerances for the delineator are exceeded so far in the area of the bore that a wall thickness is reached in which a coming out of the locking lamellae on the back of the Leitpfostenwand is no longer given, is due to the special geometry of the locking lamellae with the acute-angled edges, which act as barbs in the hole, given an excellent grip of the reflector on the guide post.

Characterized in that the rivet-shaped core of the locking element between about 70 to 30%, preferably about 50% less diameter than the provided for the assembly bore and at the same time the locking lamellae are relatively long, wherein the locking lamellae about 50% to about 80% of the total width of the locking element, locking lamellae can be easily compressed, stored during the depression in the hole on the rivet-shaped core and then jump back on the back of the hole back to its original position when coming out.

The stability of the locking element can advantageously be increased by the fact that the locking lamellae are slightly conical and the strength of the locking lamella tapers slightly towards the outside.

The entire locking element is additionally reinforced by the fact that wedge-shaped reinforcing ribs are arranged at the foot of the rivet-shaped core of the locking element to the support plate.

Particular advantages show the above-described flattened locking element in its use for a so-called long reflector, which has two locking elements, which are arranged at a defined distance from each other on the back of the support plate of the long reflector has. The two locking elements are pressed into corresponding holes on the guide post. The already mentioned manufacturing fluctuations in the delineator now lead to the fact that the distances between the holes often vary slightly, which in conventional locking elements causes the clipping of the reflector associated with difficulties or not at all possible if the distances between the holes are not accurate with which the locking elements match. By the geometry of the flattened locking element such manufacturing fluctuations can now be absorbed, since the geometric shape of the locking element clipping now also allows if the locking element is not used exactly in the center of the hole. Since on the one hand the rivet-shaped core is chosen very small in relation to the bore and on the other hand, the locking lamellae are significantly larger in diameter than the holes and can be easily compressed when inserted into the bore, the locking element can also be used in the edge region of the bore without it loses its effect.

In the following the invention will be explained in detail with reference to selected drawings. Show

1 a perspective view of a round reflector with a view of the back,

2 the side view of the round reflector 1 .

three the top view of the back of the round reflector 1 .

4 another side view of the round reflector 1 .

5 a perspective view of a long reflector with a view of the back,

6 a section of a locking element.

The 1 to 4 show different views of one and the same round reflector 1 , which consists essentially of a carrier plate three , one on the carrier plate three arranged reflection element 4 and one with the back of the carrier plate three firmly connected locking element 2 consists. The locking element 2 has two flattened sides and two rows of locking lamellae 5 attached to the rivet-shaped core 6 the locking element 2 are arranged at an angle of 180 ° to each other. In this case, the respective opposite locking lamellae form 5 a kind of arrowhead, bringing the locking element 2 is in the form of successively arranged arrowheads. This particular arrangement is in the 2 highlighted. The rivet-shaped core 6 the locking element 2 has in its foot to the support plate 6 towards a wedge-shaped reinforcement rib 12 on. The particular embodiment of the locking element 2 with two flattened sides is in the three and 4 highlighted, which is a top view and a side view of the reflector 1 play.

The 5 shows a so-called long reflector, on the support plate three on the back two locking elements 2 are arranged. Also in this case have the two locking elements 2 each two flattened sides and there are two rows of Rastlamellen 5 at an angle of 180 ° to each other at the rivet-shaped core 6 of the locking element 2 arranged. Apart from the general advantages of attachment to the Leitpost due to the special geometry of the locking lamellae 5 , which further below the example of 6 be explained in detail, has the flattened configuration of the locking element 2 Especially in the long reflector the advantage that due to this geometry manufacturing fluctuations in the arrangement of the holes for the long reflector or the distance between the holes can now be tolerated to some extent, since the flattened locking elements do not need to be used exactly in the center of the hole but even then can be pressed into the hole, if slightly shifted from the center of the hole are arranged.

The manufacturing tolerance is not only due to the flattened shape of the locking element 2 allows, but the entire geometric design of the locking element favors this behavior. In this case, the rivet-shaped core 6 the locking element 2 always a significantly smaller diameter than that for the assembly with the reflector 1 provided hole. Such is the width of the rivet-shaped core 6 in the present case about 50% smaller than the diameter of the corresponding hole, so that the locking lamellae 5 , Which is about 65% of the total width of the locking element 2 make, can be strongly compressed, the diameter of the locking element 2 is reduced so far that the locking element can also be used in holes with a smaller diameter or in the edge region of a hole.

The 6 is an enlarged view of a section of the locking element 2 from which the special geometric details of the locking element according to the invention 2 emerge. It is a series of locking lamellae 5 to recognize the rivet-shaped core 6 the locking element 2 are arranged, wherein between the individual locking lamellae 5 a circular lamella base 7 is trained. The selected geometry of the lamella base 7 favors the elastic behavior of the locking lamellae 5 when pressing into the hole, as well as the rear exit of the locking lamellae 5 out of the hole, with the locking lamellae 5 spring back to their original position and thus the locking of the reflector 1 cause.

In this enlarged view can also be seen that the upper side of the slat 8th longer than the lamella underside 9 , wherein at the fin end depending on the excess length of the top 8th and the strength of the locking lamella 5 an acute-angled edge 11 is trained. This geometry has the particular advantage that the acute-angled edge 11 during insertion of the locking element 2 in a designated hole as a kind of barb acts and pulling out of the reflector 1 prevents the acute-angled edge 11 how an anchor engages the bore wall. Due to this special geometry, it is also not absolutely necessary that the locking lamellae 5 emerge from the borehole at the back and engage, since only the function of the acute-angled edge 11 guarantees a sufficient hold of the locking element in the bore. Thus, variations in the wall thickness of the guide post play a role in the attachment of the reflector 1 no disadvantageous role anymore.

Furthermore, goes from the 6 apparent that the locking lamellae 5 can be advantageous conical, with the strength of the locking lamellae 5 slightly rejuvenated towards the outside. This will generally the stability of the locking element 2 improved.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

reflector

2

locking element

3

support plate

4

reflection element

5

Rest lamella

6

Rivet-shaped core

7

sheet main

8th

Plate upper side

9

Bar underside

10

lamella end

11

Pointed edge

12

reinforcing rib

Claims (7)

Reflector ( 1 ) on a roadside bollard, with - a carrier plate ( three ), - one on the carrier plate ( three ) arranged reflection element ( 4 ) and - at least one on the back of the carrier plate ( three ) arranged and with this back firmly connected latching element ( 2 ), wherein the at least one latching element ( 2 ) at least two rows of evenly spaced latching plates ( 5 ) evenly around a rivet-shaped core ( 6 ) of the locking element ( 2 ) are arranged, and the at least one locking element ( 2 ) of the carrier plate ( three ) is injection-molded directly, characterized in that the latching element ( 2 ) two opposing flattened sides and two at the rivet-shaped core ( 6 ) of the locking element ( 2 ) arranged at an angle of 180 ° to each other rows of locking lamellae ( 5 ), which over the rivet-shaped core ( 6 ) of the locking element ( 2 ) each interconnected locking lamellae ( 5 ) of the two rows in the form of successively arranged arrowheads are formed, - that in a row at least 3 locking lamellae ( 5 ) are arranged one behind the other, that the width of the rivet-shaped core ( 6 ) approx. 70% to approx. 30% less than the diameter of the reflector ( 1 ) provided in the road guide post, - that the rivet-shaped core of the locking element ( 2 ) between the individual locking lamellae ( 5 ) each of a series of locking lamellae ( 5 ) a circular-arc lamellar base ( 7 ) is formed, - that the lamella upper side ( 8th ) is longer than the lamella underside ( 9 ), wherein the end of the latching plate ( 5 ) depending on the excess length of the top ( 8th ) and the strength of the latching plate ( 5 ) an acute-angled edge ( 11 ), - at the foot of the rivet-shaped core ( 6 ) of the locking element ( 2 ) to the carrier plate ( three ) wedge-shaped reinforcing ribs ( 12 ) are arranged. Reflector ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that in a row 4 to 6 locking lamellae ( 5 ) are arranged one behind the other. Reflector ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the respectively opposite latching lamellae of the two rows together form an angle between 45 ° and 135 °, preferably between 70 ° and 110 °, particularly preferably of about 90 °. Reflector ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the width of the rivet-shaped core ( 6 ) is about 50% smaller than the diameter of the reflector ( 1 ) provided hole in the road guide post. Reflector ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the core ( 6 ) and the locking lamellae ( 5 ) comprehensive total width of the locking element ( 2 ) is about 20% to about 80%, preferably about 40% to about 60% greater than the diameter of the assembly with the reflector ( 1 ) provided bore. Reflector ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the lateral extensions of the locking lamellae ( 5 ) about 50% to about 80% of the total width of the locking element ( 2 ) turn off. Reflector ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the latching lamellae ( 5 ) are conical and the strength of the locking blades ( 5 ) slightly tapered outwards.

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