DE9107263U1 - Guidance system - Google Patents

Abstract

The road marking (20) has a number of basic bodies (21) which are coupled to one another in the longitudinal direction one behind another by means of coupling devices. For each basic body (21), at least one reflector bow (23) is present, which is aligned transversely to the longitudinal extent of the basic body (21) and is detachably connected to the basic body (21) by means of a connection device. The reflector bows (23) have on both their end sides a number of reflectors (49) which are permanently connected to the reflector bow. <IMAGE>

Description

DIPL-ING. HERMANN KASTNER 7140 L U D W I C-i S B U R G

PATENT ATTORNEY SuV^mieac" "

own character:

J 3. 22. EN 55 11.06.91

William Junker

7150 Backnang

Guidance device

At road construction sites, especially at construction sites on trunk roads and motorways, the traffic flows often have to be diverted along a route that deviates from the usual roadway. The remaining roadway width is usually too small to separate the traffic flows flowing in opposite directions from one another by wider lanes with higher lane dividers. The same applies to road underpasses and road tunnels, in which the traffic flows flowing in opposite directions have to be guided in a limited space, especially when only a single tunnel tube is available. In such cases, guidance devices with relatively small widths and relatively low construction heights are used, as are known, for example, from DE-U-89 12 463.0 or DE-U-89 15 303.0.

Depending on the length of the road section to be equipped with it, this guidance system has a greater or lesser number of base bodies, which have an elongated shape with a generally trapezoidal cross-section. They are coupled together by means of coupling devices to form a long chain, the parts of which are divided into two groups and arranged alternately at the end areas of the base bodies. Hood-like guide bodies are attached to the base bodies, which have a flat front surface on each side in the longitudinal direction of the base bodies, which is at least partially covered with a reflective film. With these guidance devices, a visually very clearly perceptible separation of the traffic flows is possible.

91 07 283.

In unfavourable road and wind conditions, especially when there is wet dirt on the road and little or no moisture, such as in fog, very light rain or after a previous rain has stopped, it can happen that the wet dirt from the road is thrown up by the passing vehicle wheels onto the reflective foil of the guide elements, where it sticks and dries. The guide elements then lose part of their visual guiding effect.

In underpasses and road tunnels where the guide elements are never exposed to rain that softens and washes away the dirt, the dirt brought in by vehicles can be so severe and permanent that the guide elements largely lose their guiding effect. In heavily used tunnels, it can be difficult or even impossible to clean the guide elements with their front surfaces aligned transversely to the direction of travel using a mobile cleaning device because there is neither the working space nor the time required to clean each individual guide element. In such cases, it may be better to leave out the guide elements and leave the separation of the roadway to the base elements alone.

In all these cases, it is desirable to design the guidance device in such a way that its visual recognition is improved, especially in the dark. This is achieved with a guidance device according to claim 1.

Because there is at least one reflector bracket on each of the base bodies of the guidance device, which is aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the base body and which is provided with a number of reflectors on each end face, the perceptibility of the base bodies for vehicle drivers driving past them parallel is considerably improved.

This is especially true when the vehicle lights are switched on in the dark or when visibility is otherwise poor. This visibility remains relatively long even in unfavorable road and weather conditions because the supply of spray water triggered by the vehicle wheels is relatively strong at the height of the base body and thus at the height of the reflector brackets. Since this spray water usually hits the lower parts of the guide device at a considerable speed, the adhesion of solid dirt particles is at least reduced, if not completely avoided. Even if the reflector brackets and their reflectors should become heavily soiled, they can be cleaned with a mechanical washing and cleaning device that is moved over them in the longitudinal direction of the base body due to their low height. Such a washing and cleaning device only needs to have relatively small lateral dimensions. In addition, it can be guided over the base bodies and the reflector brackets at a relatively high relative speed, so that only a slight obstruction to traffic can be expected for a short time.

With an embodiment according to claim 2, the seat of the reflector bracket is reinforced so that the risk is at least reduced that it will be displaced or even torn off by a vehicle wheel brushing past it or rolling over it.

An embodiment according to claim 3 improves the visual perceptibility of the reflector brackets by the additional reflectors on the side walls.

A design according to claim 4 significantly improves the good fit of reflector brackets with side walls. A design according to claim 5 provides a space between the

07 283

A type of snap fastener is created between the side cheeks of the reflector bracket and the base body on both sides, by means of which the reflector bracket is anchored to the base body, whereby, depending on the inclination of the upper contact surface of the projection, the effect of a latching device or even a locking device is achieved. The same also applies to an embodiment according to claim 6 for reflector brackets with and without side cheeks. A further development according to claim 7 further increases the hold of the reflector bracket because the retaining ribs on the guide pin press into the generally cylindrical wall of the hole in the base body surrounding the pin and thus provide additional anchoring.

An embodiment according to claim 8 improves the correct fit on the base body, particularly in the case of reflector brackets without side walls.

In an embodiment according to claim 9, the reflector bracket is positively connected to the base body, but can still be removed again if necessary.

By means of a design according to claim 10, the reflector bracket is given a kind of ramp surface on both sides, so that a vehicle wheel can roll over it more easily and the risk of hitting or being pushed out is reduced.

With an embodiment according to claim 11, the secure fit of the reflector bracket on the base body is greatly improved.

The invention is explained in more detail below using several embodiments shown in the drawing.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a guide device consisting of several base bodies with guide body and with

reflector bracket;

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Fig. 2 is a partially sectioned front view of a base body with a first embodiment of the reflector bracket;

Fig. 3 is a side view and a top view of the base and body according to Fig. 2, partly with modifications;

Fig. 5 is a partially sectioned front view of another embodiment of the base body and the reflector bracket;

Fig. 6 is a partially sectioned front view of another modified embodiment

of the base body and the reflector bracket;

Fig. 7 is a front view or a bottom view or a to 9 side view of the reflector bracket according to Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 shows a top view and a partial side view of a further modified embodiment of the reflector bracket;

Fig. 12 is a partial side view of a modification of the reflector bracket according to Fig. 2 or Fig. 5;

Fig. 13 is a partial bottom view of the reflector bracket according to Fig. 12.

The guide device 20 shown in Fig. 1 has several base bodies 21, on which partly hood-like guide bodies 22 and reflector brackets 23 are arranged.

The base body 21 has an elongated shape with an at least approximately trapezoidal cross-section (Fig. 2). The side surfaces 24 of the base body 21 are inclined relative to the vertical, with the angle of inclination in the middle part of the side surfaces 24 being approximately 12.5°. In the direction of the underside 25 of the base body 21, the side surfaces 24 have a concave course in the front view. The top side 26 of the base body 21 is essentially flat. In the area of the side edge, the top side 26 merges into the side surfaces 24 with a stronger convex curvature.

The two end faces 27 and 28 are aligned at least approximately vertically. In plan view (Fig. 4), the end face 27 has a circular-arc-shaped convex profile and the end face 28 has a matching circular-arc-shaped concave profile.

Each base body 21 is provided with a coupling device 29, by means of which each base body can be positively coupled in its longitudinal direction with an adjacent base body of the same type and can be separated from it again. The parts of the coupling device 29 are divided into two groups, of which one group of parts 29.1 is arranged at one end region with the convexly curved end face 27 and of which the second group of parts 29.2 is arranged in the end region of the base body 21 with the concavely curved end face 28 (Fig. 3 and Fig. A).

The parts group 29.2 includes a vertically upwardly directed coupling element 31, which is arranged at the end of a retaining bracket 32. The retaining bracket 32 is designed as a steel bar section, one end section of which is bent at a right angle to form the coupling element 31. The parts group 29.1 includes a vertically upwardly directed recess 33 on the underside 25 of the base body 21. This recess 33 is coordinated in terms of its design and arrangement with the coupling element 31 of the parts group 29.2, in such a way that the recess 33 is only slightly larger than the coupling element 31, so that only small relative angular movements and equally small relative longitudinal and transverse movements are possible between the two parts. There is also a recess 3A on the underside 25 of the base body 21, which is coordinated with the retaining bracket 32 of the parts group 29.2.

7 283. <

On the base body 21, in the area of its upper side 26, there is a coupling groove 35 each, which has a T-shaped elevation, the T shape of which is upside down. It is part of a coupling device 36, by means of which the hood-shaped guide bodies 22 are coupled to the base body 21 (Fig. 1). Two retaining ribs, not visible in Fig. 1, are arranged on the base body 22 in the foot area, which are coordinated with the coupling groove 33 in terms of their design and arrangement. As indicated in Fig. 1, the guide bodies 22 are pushed into the coupling groove 35 from one side, after which they are positively coupled to the base body 21 at least in its longitudinal direction, while in the opposite direction to the insertion direction the coupling only works by friction.

As indicated in Fig. 1, each base body 21 is equipped with at least one reflector bracket 23. Fig. shows one of the possible embodiments of the reflector bracket 23 in more detail.

The reflector bracket 23 has a horizontally arranged main part 37, which rests on the top 26 of the base body. At the ends of the main part 37, a side cheek 38 or 39 is connected on both sides. These side cheeks 38 and 39 extend downwards from the main part 37 along the side surfaces 24 of the base body 21. The side cheeks 38 and 39 are shorter than the side surfaces 24.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the side cheeks 38 and 39 each run within a recess 41 or 42 that is matched to them and that is present in the area of the side surfaces on the base body 21 and is expediently molded into it during its manufacture. The depth of the recesses 41 and 42 is greater than the thickness of the side cheeks 38 and 39, so that the side cheeks disappear completely in the recesses 41 and 42 in the front view (Fig. 2).

1 07 /83.

A guide pin 44 is arranged on the underside 43 of the main part 3 7 of the reflector bracket 2 3, and is molded onto it in one piece. The guide pin 44 is circular-cylindrical and is aligned in the direction of a surface normal to the underside 43, whereby it is aligned perpendicularly to the base body 21. The guide pin 44 is aligned with a through hole 45 in the base body 21, into which it fits tightly.

To support the firm fit of the reflector bracket 23 on the base body 21, a projection 46 and 47 are provided on the inside of each of the two side cheeks 38 and 39. As can be seen in Fig. 2 with the projection 46, it protrudes inwards beyond the vertical projection of the section of the inside of the side cheek 38 located above it. The projection 46 is designed as a strip-like projection of the side cheek 38 and is aligned horizontally. It engages in a recess 48, which is also aligned horizontally, in the groove base of the groove-shaped recess 41 in the area of the side surface 24 of the base body 21. The projection 46 and the groove 48 form a type of snap closure for the side cheek 38 and, in conjunction with the corresponding design of the side cheek 39, they form a snap closure for the reflector bracket 23. The upper surface of the projection 46 acts like a locking device if it runs downwards from the outside to the inside. On the other hand, it acts like a locking device if it is aligned at least approximately horizontally and can therefore only emerge from the recess 48 as a result of external forces.

As already indicated in Fig. 1 and can be seen even more clearly from Fig. 2, a number of reflectors 49 are present on the main part 37 of the reflector bracket 23, which are embedded in recesses in the two front sides of the main part 37. The reflectors 49 are of a conventional type, such as those used in guide nails, for example.

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In the guide device 50 shown in Fig. 5, the base body 51 is also designed to accommodate at least one
Guide body in the manner of the guide body 22. In addition, it is provided with at least one reflector bracket 53. 5

The base body 51 is designed largely the same as the base body 21. Compared to the latter, it is only modified with regard to the recesses for the reflector bracket 53. The modification consists in the fact that the side surfaces 54 are without

recess and in the area of the upper side 55 a
Its length, ie the length measured in the longitudinal direction of the base body 51, is matched to the length of the reflector bracket 53. In the transverse direction of the base body 51, the

Recess 56 across the entire top surface.

The reflector bracket 53 has a main part 57,
at each end of which there is a side wall 58 or 59
The two side walls 58 and 59 rest on
the adjacent side surface 54 of the base body 51
outside, so that in the front view (Fig. 5) they are fully
are visible.

The main part 57 and the two side walls 58 and 59 are each provided with a number of reflectors 61, which, as in the

Reflector bracket 23, are inserted into recesses designed for it. So that the reflectors 61 on the main part 57 are always completely visible in the front view, the recess 56 running transversely in the top side 55 of the base body 51 has a depth that is less than the distance between the
Reflectors 61 from the bottom 62 of the main part 57.
This recess 56 is shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 on the right side. Since this recess 56 is located on the
Base body 51, this reference number and the
Reference number 51 for the base body is in brackets.

The reflector bracket 53 also has a guide pin 63, which is designed like the guide pin 44 (Fig. 2). It sits in a circular cylindrical recess 64 of the base body 51.
5

The side cheeks 58 and 59 of the reflector bracket 53, which rest freely on the side surfaces 57 of the base body 51, can be connected to the base body 51 by inserting a head screw, indicated only by the dash-dot line 65, through a through hole in the relevant side cheek and screwing it into a blind hole in the base body 51. This fastening screw is expediently designed as a countersunk head screw or, if necessary, as a countersunk head screw so that it protrudes outwards as little as possible.

In the guide device 70 shown in Fig. 6, both the base body 71 and the reflector bracket 73 are modified compared to the previously explained embodiments.

The base body 71 has no recess for the reflector bracket 73 either in the area of its side surfaces 74 or in the area of its top side 75. The foot studs 77 shown on the underside 76 can be molded onto the base body 71. It is more expedient to provide corresponding recesses on the underside 76 and to insert the foot studs 77 into them and, if necessary, to glue them in place. These foot studs 77 can be made from a different material than the base body 71, in particular from a material that produces a greater friction force with the usual road surfaces.

The reflector bracket 73, which is provided with several reflectors 78 on both of its front sides, rests freely on the upper side 75 of the base body 71. In its middle it has a large guide pin 79. At some distance

There is another smaller guide pin 81 and 82 on the right and left, which, like the guide pin 79, are integrally formed on the reflector bracket 73. These smaller guide pins 81 and 82 are also circularly cylindrical. They extend into a matching circular cylindrical recess 83 and 84, which are provided for this purpose in the area of the upper side 75 of the base body 71.

The large guide pin 81 is also circularly cylindrical in its upper part. It is inserted into a matching circular cylindrical recess 85 in the base body 71. This recess 85 is, as before, designed as a through hole so that no foreign bodies such as stones, grit and sand can get stuck in it. In the area of the underside 76, a circular cylindrical extension 86 adjoins the large recess 85.

As can be seen from Fig. 6, two axial extensions 87 and 88 are connected to the large guide pin 79 at the bottom. Their outer surface has the shape of a circular cylinder section, which is aligned with the guide pin 79. The extensions 87 and 88 taper towards the end. This leaves a gap 89 between them that increases towards the end. The extensions 87 and 88 are made of a material that has a relatively high elasticity, so that the extensions 87 and 88 can be elastically deformed radially inwards.

An outward-facing projection 91 or 92 is formed on the free end of the extensions 87 and 88. They protrude radially outwards from the outside 93 or 94 of the extensions 87 and 88, with their boundary line 95 or 96 (Fig. 8) forming a circular arc whose radius is equal to the radius of the outside 93 and 94 and which at the same time

is equal to the radius of the large recess 85 in the base body 71 (Fig. 6). The contact surfaces 98 and 99 facing the main part 97 of the reflector bracket 73 are aligned horizontally, i.e. parallel to the underside of the main part 97. They are at a distance from the underside of the main part 97 that is equal to the distance that the annular shoulder of the extension 86 is from the top 75 of the base body 71 (Fig. 6). The surfaces facing away from the main part 97 each form a ramp surface 101 and 102, which are at least approximately designed as a section of a conical surface. They run from the projection 91 and 92 into the plan area of the large pin 79 and thus the recess 85 on the base body 71.

As can be seen from Fig. 9, the end faces 103 on the main part 97 of the reflector bracket 73 are slightly inclined inwards, i.e. their angle to the horizontal is less than 90°. A modification of the reflector bracket 73 can be seen from Fig. 10 and Fig. 11. On the main part 104, the two end faces 105 are more inclined. Their angle of inclination to the horizontal is less than 45°. As a result, the two end faces 105 act more like ramp surfaces, so that a vehicle wheel can roll over them more easily once it has made its way up to the associated base body.

Due to the greater inclination of the end faces 105, the recesses 106 for the reflectors 107 have an extension 108 at least from the front end of the reflector 107, the peripheral surface of which is either designed as a cylindrical surface with a larger clear width than the recess 106, or which is more expediently designed as a conical surface, whereby the cone angle can be relatively small.

Due to this extension 108, the reflectors 107 remain visible from the side even at a larger angle than would be the case without the extension.

91 07 ?63

A variation of the guide pins of the various embodiments of the reflector brackets can be seen in Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. A guide pin 112 is arranged on the underside of the main part 111, which, like the other guide pins, is designed externally as a circular cylinder. The variation consists in the fact that a number of retaining ribs 114 are present on its peripheral surface 113, which are expediently formed integrally on the guide pin 112. They are aligned parallel to the cylinder axis of the guide pin 112. At their free end 115 facing away from the main part 111, the retaining ribs 114 are sharpened so that their spine 116 approaches the peripheral surface 113.

Claims (11)

- 14 claims 1. Guidance device with the following features: - there are a number of base bodies (21) which have an elongated shape with at least approximately rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section, - there is a coupling device (29), - - whose parts are divided into two groups (29.1; 29.2) are arranged at the end regions of the base body (21) and - - by means of which the base body (21) can be coupled to a similar base body (21) adjacent in the longitudinal direction both in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction, characterized by the features: - at least one reflector bracket (23) is present for each base body (21), which is aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the base body (21), - each reflector bracket (23) has on each end face a number of reflectors (49) which are permanently connected to the reflector bracket (23), - there is a connecting device, - - whose parts are divided into two groups partly on base body (21) and partly on the reflector bracket (23) and - - by means of which the reflector bracket (23) is detachably connected to the base body (21). 2. Guiding device according to claim 1,
characterized by the feature: - the base body (51) has a transverse recess (56) on its upper side (55), - - whose length dimension corresponds to the length dimension of the reflector bracket (53) and 1 07 263. - - whose depth is less than the distance by which the Reflectors (61) on the reflector bracket (53) are away from its lower edge (62). 3. Guide device according to claim 1 or 2, g e k e &eegr;&eegr;&zgr; e i c h &eegr; e t by the features: - at each end of the reflector bracket (53) there is a side cheek (58; 59) which extends from the main part (57) of the reflector bracket (53) at least partially along the side surfaces (54) of the base body (51) downwards by a certain amount which is smaller than the side length of the side surfaces (54) of the base body (51), - Preferably, reflectors (61) are also permanently arranged on the end faces of the side walls (58; 59). 4. Guiding device according to claim 3, characterized by the feature: - the base body (21) has a recess (41; 42) on each of its two side surfaces (24), - - whose length is equal to the length of the sides cheeks (38; 39) of the reflector bracket (23) and - - whose depth is either smaller than or equal to or greater than the thickness of the side walls (38; 39) of the reflector bracket (23) measured in the same measuring direction. 5. Guiding device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the features: - on the inside of each side cheek (38; 39) of the reflector bracket (23) there is a projection (46; 47), preferably molded thereon, which projects inwards beyond the vertical projection of the above adjacent section of the inside of the side cheek (46; 47), - on each side surface (24) of the base body (21) there is a recess (48) which is matched to the projection (46; 47) on the inside of the side cheek (38; 39) of the reflector bracket (23). 6. Partial device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by the features: - on the underside (43) of the reflector bracket (23) there is a guide pin (44) as part of the connecting device between the reflector bracket (23) and the base body (21), - - which is vertically aligned and - - which is preferably circular-cylindrical, - in the top side (26) of the base body (21) there is a recess (45) which is coordinated with regard to its formation and arrangement to the guide pin (44) of the reflector bracket (23). 7. Guiding device according to claim 6, characterized by the feature: - retaining ribs (114) are provided on the peripheral surface (113) of the guide pin (112), - - which are aligned parallel to the cylinder axis of the guide pin (112), - - which are preferably formed on the guide pin (112) are and - - which preferably have a triangular cross-section have.
30 8. Guiding device according to claim 7, characterized by the features: - on the underside of the reflector bracket (73) there is at least one further guide pin, preferably two further guide pins (81; 82), in addition to the first guide pin (79), - - which are vertically aligned and - - which are preferably circular-cylindrical, - in the top side (75) of the base body (71) there is a number of recesses (83; 84) corresponding to the number of further guide pins (81; 82), which are coordinated with the further guide pins (81; 82) in terms of their design and arrangement. 9. Guide device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized by the features: - two or more axial extensions (87; 88) are preferably present on the guide pin (79), - at least in some of the extensions (87; 88), the end region facing away from the reflector bracket (73) is designed to be elastically deformable in the radial direction, - a projection (91; 92) projecting radially beyond the plan projection of the guide pin (79) is arranged on the elastically deformable end region, - - the one facing the reflector bracket (73) surface (98; 99) and - - which has a ramp surface (101; 102) on the side facing away from the reflector bracket (73) which extends into the plan projection of the guide pin (79), - on the base body (71) in the area of the lower end of the recess for the guide pin (79) there is a contact surface for each projection (91; 92) on the axial extensions (87; 88). 10. Guide device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by the features: - the front surfaces (105) of the reflector bracket (104) have an angle of inclination relative to the horizontal that is less than 90° and preferably less than 60°, - the reflector bracket (104) points in the alignment
of each reflector (107) in its front face (105) a recess (108) which is designed as a conical surface at least from the front end of the reflector (107). 11. Guide device according to one of claims 1 to 10,
characterized by the feature: - the connecting device between the reflector bracket (53) and the base body (51) has one or several head screws (65), - - which are each through a through hole in the reflector bracket (53) and - - which are screwed into a through hole or blind hole in the base body (51). 91 07 253.