EP0923661B1

EP0923661B1 - Deformable speed hump

Info

Publication number: EP0923661B1
Application number: EP98909614A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Graham Heeks
Original assignee: Autospan Ltd
Current assignee: Autospan Ltd
Priority date: 1997-03-12
Filing date: 1998-03-12
Publication date: 2004-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 2018-03-12
Also published as: CA2289921C; GB9805331D0; HK1022005A1; AU744744B2; GB2324326A; EP0923661A1; GB9705078D0; ES2214700T3; AU6410198A; GB2324326B; WO1998040563A1; ATE257198T1; DE69820842T2; CA2289921A1; DE69820842D1

Abstract

A road traffic speed control device (D) which may be placed in a road, is produced from a resiliently deformable material, so that vehicles travelling within an intended speed limit cause the device (D) to deflate, minimising any inconvenience for road users. The device (D) may be produced from a extruded or compressed partially recyclable rubber compound, with perforations or apertures (3) within it to permit deflation. Valve means (13, fig. 5), in addition to or instead of the apertures (3), may be provided in the side walls to permit reinflation, and a helical spring (5, fig. 1) within the device (D) assists in the retention of the device's shape. The device (D) may be formed so that the reinflation of the device (D) is delayed until the rear wheels of a vehicle have also passed over it.

Description

Speed humps or Sleeping Policeman as they are better know, are well known deterrents for speeding motorists and are becoming more widely used through the traffic calming measures being imposed by local authorities. The present speed hump can be either an asphalt or block paviour mound, which are formed directly upon the existing road surface or as an alternative can be made from a solid compound such as plastic which again can be fitted to the road surface.

According to the authorities and surveys of public opinion it is essential to reduce the speed of motorist in general especially on inner city urban carriage ways. The present systems of speed control are costly and disruptive, with the tax payer and local businesses bearing the cost. Additionally the confusion caused to an already congested road network is totally unacceptable with journey times increasing and repairs to the roads never ending.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above problems.

EP-A-0,370,154 (Mareau) describes a device for controlling the speed of vehicles on a roadway. A series of longitudinal, tubular pipes parallel with one another and with the direction of the road traffic are placed on the roadway. The pipes include inflatable chambers which are filled with a fluid that is incompressible at least at atmospheric pressure. As vehicles pass over the pipe, a differential flow is created in a direction of the inflatable chamber that causes an increase in the flow proportional to the speed of a vehicle and thus provides a deterrent hump in the pipes.

GB-A-2,288,419 (Beveridge) describes a deformable speed bump. The speed bumps deform due to the displacement of a fluid within a flexible hollow casing, allowing vehicles to pass over them with the minimum of disturbance. As the speed of a vehicle increases above the designed control.speed, the displacement of a fluid within the speed bump is progressively reduced so that the disturbance to vehicles increases as their speed rises. The units are fluid-filled devices.

US 3,720,181 (Elkins) describes an elongated inflatable warning device adapted to be removably disposed transversely of a roadway during selected periods for control of vehicular traffic. The device can be inflated through a non-return valve.

It will therefore be apparent that the prior art does not provide a road-traffic control device which can deflate when a vehicle passes over the device at an intended speed limit of the vehicle in the roadway, but not at speeds exceeding the speed limit.

According to the present invention, there is provided a road-traffic speed control device according to Claim 1 of the accompanying claims.

The device may be formed from an extruded or compressed partially recyclable rubber compound.

The device may be generally semi-cylindrical or sinusoidal in transverse cross-section and may be formed with perforations or apertures therein to permit deflation.

Alternatively or in addition, valve means may be located in a side wall of the device to allow deflation and reinflation, in use.

One or more helical springs, which may be encased in a split sleeve, may be located within the device to assist in shape retention.

The device may be formed with perforations, apertures or valve means to provide deflation thereof with passage thereover of a vehicle travelling from a minimum speed of 8 km/h (5 mph) through increments to a required maximum.

The device may be formed such that subsequent to deflation by the front wheels of a vehicle passing thereover, reinflation may be delayed to allow the rear wheels to pass thereover during such initial deflation.

The foregoing and further features of the invention may be more readily understood from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig.1 shows a schematic end sectional view of a road traffic speed control device and.fixing therefor;

Fig.2 shows a plan view of the device of Fig.1;

Figs 2A and 2B show sectional views along the lines A-A and B-B respectively of Fig, 2;

Fig.3 is a schematic sectional view of devices of Figs 1 and 2 located across a road;

Fig.4 is a schematic perspective view of a device showing drainage to discharge surface water;

Fig.5 is a schematic end sectional view of an alternative device including a two-way valve for controlling deflation and reinflation, in use;

Fig.6 is a perspective view from above of a further alternative embodiment, and

Fig.7 is a schematic side sectional view of the embodiment of Fig 6.

Referring now to the drawings a road traffic speed control device D is preferably formed from an extruded or compressed recyclable rubber compound. The shape represents a semi-cylindrical, sectional shape in construction with a series of apertures 3 formed through the profiled casing, which allows the circulation of air under controlled circumstances to be released, thus deflating the device D into a level plane giving a smooth passage to a vehicle passing thereover.

To assist in the shape retention a helical spring 4 encased in a suitable split sleeve 5 is installed at the centre of the device D. To secure the unit a spreader plate or washer 6 is inserted at the base of the protective shroud during the curing procedure to help relieve the impact force when in operation. Also to assist in the distribution of the impact forces, the device D is tapered into a fillet 7 at each end of the base line thereof.

The device D is preferably produced in 750 mm sections accompanied by tailor made inserts 8 to complete a road crossing (determined during the on site survey). To assist in the equal spacing of the device D a 50mm spacer 9 is moulded onto the end of the unit which is interlocked at 10 to provide an overall 05mm expansion gap giving added rigidity to the whole structure.

The device D is attached to a road surface by bolts 2 engaging into anchoring devices 1 located in the road surface.

The ideal profile is 750mm in width and 100mm in height. This is uniform throughout the entire structure which enables vehicle manufacturers to work to a stated height restriction from the top of the hump to the underside of the vehicle similar to the restriction placed on high sided vehicles. Should damage occur, the section in question can be simply unbolted and replaced by a standard length of device causing minimal disruption and with no road excavation taking place

The number and size of apertures 3 is determined to allow the device D to be deflated by the front wheels of a vehicle passing thereover, providing the vehicle is not exceeding a predetermined speed.

Should the vehicle be travelling at a speed exceeding the predetermined maximum; the device does not deflate and acts substantially as a rigid hump.

Fig.3 shows a device D with drainage apertures 12 covered with mesh to prevent the ingress of leaves or other debris into device D.

Fig.5 shows an alternative device D having a two-way valve 13 provided to control deflation and reinflation and may be adjustable to control maximum speed at which deflation does not occur. Such valve 13 may be provided in addition to apertures 3 or as on alternative thereto.

Figures 6 and 7 show a further alternative embodiment in which the cross section of the device is generally sinusoidal so as to provide a relatively smooth passage over a solid run up portion 14 of the device prior to a vehicle traversing the deflatable portion D.

The device provides a relatively smooth passage to vehicles travelling within a stipulated speed limit which is particularly important for emergency vehicles carrying injured passengers. Furthermore damaged portions of the device can be replaced easily without the requirement for excavation.

Claims

A road traffic speed control device (D) which is locatable in a roadway, said device being formed from a resiliently deformable material having at least one of a perforation, an aperture (3), or a valve means (13) disposed therein to permit deflation of said device, characterised in that air within said device (D) is in communication with the surrounding atmosphere and said device (D) is deflatable by the passage of a vehicle over said device at an intended speed limit of said vehicle in said roadway, but not at speeds exceeding said speed limit, and is reinflatable by means of its resilience after passage of said vehicle.
A device (D) as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that it is formed from an extruded or compressed partially recyclable rubber compound.
A device (D) as claimed in claim 1 or 2 characterised in that it has a semi-cylindrical or generally sinusoidal transverse cross-section.
A device (D) as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that one or more helical springs (4) are located within the device (D) to assist in shape retention.
A device (D) as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the device (D) is attached to a road surface by bolts (2) engaging into anchoring devices (1) located in the road surface.
A device (D) as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the resistence of the device (D) is adjusted such that subsequent to deflation by the front wheels of a vehicle passing thereover, reinflation is delayed to allow the rear wheels of the vehicle to also pass thereover whilst the device (D) is deflated.