EP0461033A1 - Sign, particularly road sign of synthetic material and signalling device incorporating such sign - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a plastic sign (traffic marker) which is hollow on the inside and offers a front side (21) and an opposing back side (17). This sign (traffic marker) has on the outside, on the back side, a general cylinder-portion shape with a substantially oval-portion cross-section and, on the front side, a substantially plane wide surface (23) which is slightly tilted relative to the vertical. On the front, at the top part, it can bear a zone (23) reserved for a signalling symbol. Flexible posts promoting its ability to stand up again after impact may also be engaged on the inside in the sign (traffic marker) through its base (3) which is partially open. A preferred application relates to road signs. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a beacon used in particular for road signs.

To indicate in particular to motorists a direction to follow, currently widely used signposts are made of metal carrying one or more direction arrows.

In the general field of signage, there are also known plastic tags, hollow internally at least partially, erected on the ground on which they rest by their base and to which they are held by retaining means, these tags offering a side frontal substantially facing the direction of traffic, and an opposite dorsal side.

The problems which arise with these signaling beacons, and which are poorly solved today, are those of folding without excessive deformation or tearing making the beacon unusable when it undergoes a relatively violent impact, for example by being struck by a vehicle. .

Corollary problems appear in the difficulty of ensuring at least partial return to nominal position of the beacons after the impact, with at least relative protection of the signaling symbols.

The object of the invention is to solve these difficulties by proposing a new hollow plastic beacon, of the aforementioned type, which is characterized in that it presents externally, on the dorsal side, a convex shape connected on the front side to a broad surface generally planar in general, slightly inclined with respect to the vertical and extending over most of the height of the beacon of which it occupies most of the front side.

In this way, if the beacon is struck substantially frontally (which constitutes the vast majority of cases of impact), it will be able to bend or lie down in the direction of impact, its convex rear convex part favoring the folding of the beacon , limiting the risk of tearing due to its shape, preferably in the form of a cylinder portion with oval or partly ellipsoid section. In addition, given its shape, the tag will, after the impact, naturally have a tendency to straighten at least partially.

In accordance with a complementary characteristic of the invention and still to promote folding without tearing, the substantially planar front surface of the tag will preferably have a peripheral angular connection with its convex rear part which will be externally sharp, relatively close to the sharp angle, while this same connection will on the contrary be more pronounced, with a strong radius of curvature, on the inside of the beacon.

Thus, the zones of intrinsic resistance of the tag will be located laterally and in front of its folding zone.

This beacon being further advantageously provided to play a role of signaling terminal, it is preferably provided and according to another characteristic of the invention, that its substantially planar frontal surface has over the greater part of its upper portion, a zone reserved suitable for receiving a signaling symbol applied to it, this reserved zone preferably being set back with respect to the rest of said substantially plane front surface of the beacon.

To further promote its lifting after impact, it has also been envisaged in a complementary manner that the beacon may comprise a substantially vertical internal channel, opening onto the outside at the lower end of the beacon where it can be connected to a bottom wall. .

• une balise du type général sus-mentionnée, c'est-à-dire en matière plastique, dressée sur le sol où elle repose par sa base laquelle s'ouvre vers l'intérieur de la balise sur une zone creuse,
• et au moins une pièce complémentaire en forme de colonne souple et élastique, fixée au sol au-dessus duquel elle se dresse au moins en partie, en pénétrant dans ladite zone creuse de la balise par la base de cette dernière.

In addition to what has just been said, the invention also relates to a signaling device comprising:

• a beacon of the general type mentioned above, that is to say of plastic, erected on the ground where it rests by its base which opens towards the inside of the beacon on a hollow area,
• and at least one complementary piece in the form of a flexible and elastic column, fixed to the ground above which it stands at least in part, penetrating into said hollow zone of the beacon by the base of the latter.

Of course, the problems posed by this type of device are the same as those mentioned above for the beacon, namely: a difficulty in retaining the function of the beacon after an impact by avoiding too pronounced damage and by promoting its lifting after shock.

To this end, the new device imagined in the present case is characterized in that the tag used is that mentioned above of the invention, as more clearly defined in the appended claims 1 to 14.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en vue perspective de trois quarts avant, d'une forme possible de réalisation d'une balise conforme à l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue de dessus dans le sens de la flèche II de la balise de la figure 1,
• la figure 3 est une vue de dessous de la balise de la figure 1, dans le sens de la flèche III de cette même figure,
• la figure 4 est une vue en coupe transversale verticale médiane d'une variante de réalisation de la balise laquelle comprend notamment un conduit interne,
• la figure 5 présente une autre variante possible de réalisation de la partie inférieure de la balise, selon une vue en coupe identique à celle de la figure 4,
• la figure 6 est une demi-vue de dessous de la balise dans le sens de la flèche VI de la figure 5,
• la figure 7 montre en vue perspective une autre variante de réalisation de la balise de l'invention,
• la figure 8 est une vue de face partiellement en éclaté de la balise de la figure 1, cette figure 6 montrant en particulier deux pièces complémentaires élastiques participant au relevage de la balise,
• et la figure 9 est une vue de l'une des pièces complémentaires précitées montrées à la figure 8, cette pièce étant représentée sur la figure 9 dans sa position courbée.

The invention and its implementation will appear even more clearly from the description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings, given solely by way of example and in which:

• FIG. 1 is a schematic view in perspective view of three quarters before, of a possible embodiment of a beacon according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a top view in the direction of arrow II of the beacon of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the beacon of FIG. 1, in the direction of arrow III of this same figure,
• FIG. 4 is a view in median vertical cross-section of an alternative embodiment of the beacon which comprises in particular an internal duct,
• FIG. 5 shows another possible alternative embodiment of the lower part of the tag, according to a sectional view identical to that of FIG. 4,
• FIG. 6 is a half-view from below of the beacon in the direction of the arrow VI in FIG. 5,
• FIG. 7 shows in perspective view another alternative embodiment of the tag of the invention,
• FIG. 8 is a partially exploded front view of the beacon of FIG. 1, this FIG. 6 showing in particular two elastic complementary parts participating in the lifting of the beacon,
• and Figure 9 is a view of one of the aforementioned complementary parts shown in Figure 8, this part being shown in Figure 9 in its curved position.

If we refer first of all to FIG. 1, we therefore see illustrated an at least partially hollow beacon 1, molded in plastic material, resting by its base 3 on a ground 4 above which it stands and to which it is held by retaining means which may for example consist of a ballasting means, such as sand (shown in 5 in FIG. 4), in one or more rigid bars 7 fixed to the base of the beacon and receiving screw 9 for anchoring to the ground (see FIG. 3), or alternatively possibly, in flexible elastic parts, as shown at 11 in FIG. 8, which are introduced by the base 3 of the tag inside a zone 13 reserved for this beacon which is at least hollow at this location.

The aim pursued with the tag of the invention being to favor its folding under frontal impact in the general direction of arrow 15 in FIG. 1, by limiting the risks of tearing, the tag illustrated has a back side 17 having a general shape of cylinder portion with a substantially vertical axis 19 and of substantially oval or ellipsoid section in section, as well as a front side 21 having a large solid surface 23, generally planar in general.

The surface 23 is slightly inclined relative to the vertical (for example about ten degrees) and comes to obliquely cut the part of the back cylinder 17 to which it is directly connected, extending in this case over practically the entire height H of the beacon of which it occupies most of the front side.

In the version shown in the figures, and in particular in FIG. 3, it will also be noted that in cross section, the largest linear transverse dimension L of the oval portion of the back "cylinder" 17 extends along a line materialized at 25 directed substantially parallel to that which represents the trace on the front side 21 of the beacon where the surface 23 is located.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, it will further be noted that on! A greater part of the height H of the beacon, the width l of the front surface 23 is close to the transverse dimension L forming the overall width of the beacon.

With such a general frontal configuration, it will therefore be possible to reserve in the upper part of the surface 23, a broad, substantially flat area 27 intended to receive the mark of a signaling symbol such as an arrow indicating direction 29. Preferably , this area 27 will be set back with respect to the rest of the front face 23 and will present for this purpose a slightly steeper slope with in the lower part a transverse connection surface 31 for catching up with the slope (see FIGS. 1 and 4) . With such a positioning slightly behind the signaling symbol, it will of course favor its protection against light impact or dirt.

Still to favor controlled deformation under substantially frontal impact of the beacon, it has been preferred, as illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 1 to 3, that the front surface 23 has on its periphery and with the back cylinder portion 17, an angular connection externally marked , relatively close to the sharp angle (item 33), while internally, at 33 ′, the corresponding connection angle is on the contrary not very pronounced with comparatively a greater radius of curvature (see FIG. 3).

Under certain impact conditions, it could be favorable to provide a predetermined folding zone capable of promoting lifting after the impact. It is for this purpose that the beacon has been represented in its version of FIG. 4 with a recessed recess 35 formed in the species by a horizontal flat formed in the lower part and externally, in the dorsal "cylindrical" surface substantially opposite to the front surface 23.

In this FIG. 4, an orifice 37 has also been provided just above the recess 35. This orifice which opens into the hollow interior 39 of the beacon and ensures communication with the exterior, serves in this case both vent (in particular during a shock bending of the tag) and access means inside this tag, for example to deposit the ballasting means shown in 5, which here fills the bottom of the beacon, above a transverse wall with a solid bottom 41.

In view of FIGS. 4 and 5, it will also be noted that the beacon illustrated may include an internal duct or chimney 43 very slightly inclined relative to the axis 19 and limited laterally by a peripheral wall 45 spaced from the external lateral wall 47 which forms the outer envelope of the tag.

In the version of Figure 4, the conduit 43 extends over the entire height of the tag, between its top where it opens at the location of an orifice 49, and its bottom where the wall 45 of the conduit is connected to the bottom wall 41.

In the version of FIG. 5, if the conduit 43 always leads to the outside at the bottom of the beacon, it is however interrupted for example at the lower third of the height of the latter, to end with a transverse wall 51 in this case pierced with at least one small orifice 53 forming an air circulation vent (useful in particular when folding or lifting the beacon).

Preferably, the conduit 43 will have, in cross section or in view from below of the beacon (as illustrated in FIG. 6), an ovalized shape oriented so that its largest dimension in line l ′ is directed substantially parallel to that L of part 17 in cylinder portion. In addition, this duct will preferably extend over at least the lower quarter of the total height of the beacon.

With such a conduit 43, the raising or recovery after folding of the tag in the event of a frontal impact will be facilitated, all the more so as the air can easily circulate thanks to the various vents provided for this purpose in one or the other of the versions envisaged.

In the case of the beacon of FIG. 1, it will also be noted that such vents could be constituted by small orifices 18 formed in its dorsal upper part and making the hollow interior of the latter communicate with the exterior.

Let us now take a brief look at Figure 7 day see illustrated another alternative embodiment of the tag in which it has in the lower part an arch 55 with two feet or lateral pillars 57, 59, this arch opening on the sides dorsal 17 and front 21 of the beacon, the remainder of which is maintained, in particular with the substantially flat front surface 23 provided at the top with its large reserved area bearing the signaling symbol 29.

In this version, two orifices 61, 63 may be provided in the dorsal outer wall of the feet 57, 59 to allow access to the interior of these feet which are hollow at least at this location, so as to allow reaching their transverse solid bottom wall 65, 67 on which are internally fixed holding bars 69a, 69b, 71a, 71b preferably extending transversely relative to the front face of the tag. These bars receive, through them and the bottom of the feet, fastening elements such as anchoring screws shown by their trace 73.

In FIG. 3, we can see perhaps illustrated more clearly the metal bars in question identified here 7.

In this FIG. 3 and in a conventional manner, the bars 7, still advantageously arranged substantially parallel to the front face 23 of the beacon, receive through them the screws 9 anchoring to the ground.

Let us now refer to FIG. 8 to see represented the association of the beacon and complementary parts 11 in the form of a lifting post, elastic.

As already mentioned, these complementary parts 11 essentially have the role of further promoting the lifting of the beacon after an impact.

In the illustrated version, provision has therefore been made in the hollow interior 13 for a beacon (this hollow zone which may for example be constituted by the conduit 43) two posts 11 here arranged transversely to the front side 21, according to a direction which does not intersect the substantially planar frontal surface 23. The spacing between the parts 11 will preferably be calculated to avoid any transverse play at the beacon thus favoring its retention on the ground.

Each post or column 11 may be composed of a lower part 75 anchored in the ground by any known means of anchoring (by being for example embedded in the concrete or the bitumen of the roadway), and an upper part 77 la extending above the ground, this part 77 coming to engage in the hollow interior of the beacon, by the base 3 of the latter.

Given its constitution, the elastic upper part 77 of each part 11 can bend without breaking under the effect of a frontal impact, as shown diagrammatically by the arrow F in FIG. 9, the base 75 still remaining firmly anchored on the ground.

For a more detailed description of such a part 11, reference may in particular be made to the description which is made thereof in French patent application No. 89 14962 filed by the applicant on November 15, 1989. The post could also come to rest on the ground to which it would be fixed, for example by anchor screws.

Claims (16)

Beacon in hollow plastic material at least partially internally, erected on the ground on which it rests by its base (3) and to which it is held by retaining means (5, 7, 9, 11, 67), said beacon providing a frontal side (21) and an opposite dorsal side (17), characterized in that, in order to favor the non-destructive folding of the beacon and its straightening after impact in the event of a substantially frontal impact, the latter presents externally, on the dorsal side (17), a convex shape (19) connected, on the front side, to a large surface (23) substantially planar in general, slightly inclined with respect to the vertical and extending over most of the height ( H ) of the beacon of which it occupies most of the front side (21). Beacon according to claim 1 characterized in that it forms a signaling terminal, its substantially flat front surface (23) having over the greater part of its upper portion, a reserved zone (27) which receives the mark of a symbol ( 29) signaling. Beacon according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterized in that in largest section of the linear dimensions ( L ) of the convex dorsal part (17) of the beacon extends along a line (25) substantially parallel to said front side (21), this convex part having substantially the shape of a cylinder portion with a vertical axis. Beacon according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that its substantially flat surface (23) is connected to the convex dorsal part according to an externally sharp angular connection (33), relatively close to the sharp angle, and internally not very pronounced with comparatively a greater radius of curvature (33 ′). Beacon according to any one of claims 2 to 4 characterized in that said zone (27) reserved for the signaling symbol is set back with respect to the rest of said front surface (23). Beacon according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that externally, in the lower part and on the dorsal side (17), it has a local recess (35) formed substantially by a flat. Beacon according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises on the back side (17) a through orifice (37) communicating the interior of the beacon and the outside. Beacon according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has in the lower part an arch (55) with two lateral feet (57, 59) opening on the front (21) and dorsal (17) sides. Beacon according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that its base (3) is closed at least partially by a solid transverse bottom wall (41, 65, 67). Beacon according to claim 9 characterized in that its retaining means comprise bars (7; 69a, 69b; 71a, 71b) connected to the bottom wall of the beacon and adapted to receive own fixing means (9; 73) to penetrate into the ground to fix the tag, said bars being oriented transversely to the tag. Beacon according to claim 9 characterized in that it comprises a substantially vertical internal channel (43), this channel opening onto the outside at the lower end of the beacon where it is connected to said bottom wall (41). Beacon according to claim 11 characterized in that the channel (43) has in cross section of the beacon, an oval shape elongated in the direction of the largest linear dimension ( L ) of said convex dorsal part of the beacon. Beacon according to claim 11 or claim 12 characterized in that the channel (43) extends over at least the lower quarter of the height ( H ) of the beacon. Tag according to any one of preceding claims characterized in that it comprises orifices (18, 53) forming vents, making the hollow interior of the beacon communicate with the outside. Signaling device comprising: - a beacon (1) made of plastic erected on the ground where it rests by its base (3) which opens towards the inside of the beacon on a hollow area (13, 43), - And at least one additional piece (11) in the form of a column, flexible and elastic, fixed to the ground above which it stands at least in part (77), by being introduced into the hollow zone (13, 43) of the beacon by the base (3) of the latter; this device being characterized in that the beacon is of the type according to any one of claims 1 to 14. Device according to claim 15 characterized in that it comprises two said complementary parts (11) arranged transversely to the tag.

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