EP1344868A1 - Shock absorber for fixed structures, in particular for producing road safety barriers - Google Patents

Shock absorber for fixed structures, in particular for producing road safety barriers Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1344868A1
EP1344868A1 EP03005117A EP03005117A EP1344868A1 EP 1344868 A1 EP1344868 A1 EP 1344868A1 EP 03005117 A EP03005117 A EP 03005117A EP 03005117 A EP03005117 A EP 03005117A EP 1344868 A1 EP1344868 A1 EP 1344868A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
absorber
axis
foregoing
foam material
deformable
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03005117A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Michele Sisoldo Maccherrone
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Selmat Automotive SpA
Original Assignee
Selmat Automotive SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Selmat Automotive SpA filed Critical Selmat Automotive SpA
Publication of EP1344868A1 publication Critical patent/EP1344868A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01F—ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
    • E01F15/00—Safety arrangements for slowing, redirecting or stopping errant vehicles, e.g. guard posts or bollards; Arrangements for reducing damage to roadside structures due to vehicular impact
    • E01F15/14—Safety arrangements for slowing, redirecting or stopping errant vehicles, e.g. guard posts or bollards; Arrangements for reducing damage to roadside structures due to vehicular impact specially adapted for local protection, e.g. for bridge piers, for traffic islands
    • E01F15/145—Means for vehicle stopping using impact energy absorbers

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a shock absorber for fixed structures, in particular for producing car-park and, especially, road safety barriers.
  • guard-rails To mark the lateral boundaries and prevent vehicles running off the road, safety barriers commonly known as guard-rails and made of shock-deformable sheet steel are employed; and, to safeguard against collision when parking, rails of thermoplastic material are fitted to the boundary walls of parking areas.
  • sheet metal guard-rails tend to damage the vehicle body, even in the event of only minor collision.
  • a shock absorber for fixed structures in particular for producing road safety barriers; the absorber comprising a rear shoulder resting against a said fixed structure, and a shock-exposed front surface; and being characterized by comprising at least one first body made of foam material and interposed between said front surface and said rear shoulder along an axis crosswise, in use, to said fixed structure.
  • number 1 indicates as a whole a safety barrier or bumper rail fitted to a vertical wall 2 bounding a vehicle parking area 3.
  • Rail 1 comprises a number of modular shock absorbers 4, each having a front surface 6 exposed to shock by the vehicle, and a rear surface 7 resting against wall 2.
  • Each absorber 4 comprises a body 9 interposed between surfaces 6 and 7, along an axis B perpendicular to wall 2, and which is made of relatively soft foam material, preferably a flexible or semirigid polyurethane foam, e.g. of the type known by the trade name "Bayfil” (registered trademark), or polypropylene foam.
  • foam material preferably a flexible or semirigid polyurethane foam, e.g. of the type known by the trade name "Bayfil” (registered trademark), or polypropylene foam.
  • Polypropylene bodies are molded from beads expandable in presence of steam, the pressure of which imparts the required density, and therefore hardness, to the bodies during molding.
  • Body 9 is fixed to wall 2, at a given height off the floor or ground 10, by means of a number plugs 11 (Figure 2), comprises weight-reducing cavities 12, and is enclosed partly in a sheet cover 13, which defines surface 6 to enhance the appearance of rail 1, is preferably made of fabric or plastic material, and is fixed, e.g. glued or co-molded, to body 9.
  • Absorbers 4 are aligned in a horizontal direction A perpendicular to axis B, and are connected to one another by a locating and retaining device 14 comprising a dovetail male portion and a dovetail female portion, which are formed in one piece with each body 9, at lateral ends of body 9 in direction A, and which slide into an adjacent female/male portion.
  • device 14 comprises a pin 15, and a seat 16 engaged by pin 15 in direction A, and surface 7 is fixed to wall 2 by adhesive material 18 inside grooves formed along surface 7.
  • surface 7 is fixed to wall 2 by two-sided adhesive tape, permanent magnets (if wall 2 comprises ferromagnetic material), or suction cups.
  • the Figure 4 embodiment relates to an absorber 24, which is placed on ground 10 and adjacent to other absorbers 24 in a horizontal direction A' to form, as a whole, a safety barrier 26 resting against a rear structure 27.
  • Structure 27 is fixed to ground 10 in known manner not shown, and in particular forms part of a guard-rail extending along a road.
  • Absorber 24 comprises a front block 30 and a rear block 31, which are made of foam material, as described for body 9, and are coaxial along a horizontal axis B' perpendicular to structure 27 and to direction A'.
  • Block 31 comprises a hollow rear portion 32 resting axially against structure 27 and engaged by structure 27 to hold block 31 on ground 10; and block 30 has a cover 33 similar to cover 13 and defining a shock-exposed flat front surface 34 perpendicular to axis B'.
  • Blocks 30, 31 have respective bases 35, 36 resting on ground 10, and are connected coaxially by a programmed-deformation device 37, which comprises a substantially truncated-cone-shaped axial projection 38 formed in one piece with block 31, and a substantially truncated-cone-shaped axial seat 40 formed in block 30 and engaged by projection 38.
  • a programmed-deformation device 37 which comprises a substantially truncated-cone-shaped axial projection 38 formed in one piece with block 31, and a substantially truncated-cone-shaped axial seat 40 formed in block 30 and engaged by projection 38.
  • Projection 38 and seat 40 taper axially towards surface 34, so as to force projection 38 into seat 40 and gradually vary deformation of absorber 24 during collision.
  • projection 38 comprises an axial end portion 43, and an axial connecting portion 44 for connection to the rest of block 31; and seat 40 comprises an empty axial end portion 45 closed by cover 33, an intermediate axial portion 46 engaged by portion 43, and an axial inlet portion 47 engaged by portion 44.
  • Portions 43, 46 are bounded by respective lateral surfaces 48, 49 converging axially towards surface 34 up to a mutual contact region; and portions 44, 47 are bounded by respective lateral surfaces 50, 51, which are spaced apart, converge axially towards surface 34, and form, with axis B', acute angles greater than those formed by surfaces 48 and 49 respectively, so as to obtain a sharp change in the deformability of device 37 as block 30 moves axially forward in the event of collision with surface 34.
  • portion 43 is forced axially inside seat 40, tends to penetrate portion 45, and is therefore deformed gradually to absorb the shock to a greater extent than would a single block of foam material.
  • portion 44 also tends to wedge inside seat 40 and so increase the resistance to forward axial movement of block 30, and deformation of device 37 continues until surfaces 50, 51 eventually contact completely.
  • the deformability of the absorber can be programmed by appropriately varying the angles of incidence of surfaces 48, 49, 50, 51 with respect to each other and to axis B', or by making the blocks of different, progressive density, and therefore of different, progressive deformability and absorption.
  • a block of roughly 60 kg//m 3 density against a fixed structure a shock-exposed block of roughly 25 kg/m 3 density, and an intermediate block (not shown) of roughly 40 kg/m 3 density.
  • FIGs 5 to 8 show respective variations of absorber 24, the component parts of which are indicated, where possible, using the same reference numbers as in Figure 4.
  • Figure 5 shows an exploded view in perspective of an absorber 24a, wherein front surface 34 is convex and perpendicular to base 35, so as to act as a traffic divider.
  • Absorber 24a is defined by a number of identical, modular blocks of foam material, and, in particular, comprises two blocks 30a, 30b, which differ from blocks 30, 31 by each comprising both projection 38 and seat 40 (shown partly), which are formed on opposite axial sides of block 30a, 30b and taper axially away from surface 34.
  • Cover 33 is also replaced by a cover 33a comprising an outer sheet 52 similar to cover 13, and a very soft layer 53, which is interposed between sheet 52 and block 30a, is fixed, e.g. glued or co-molded, to block 30a and sheet 52, and is made of more deformable, lower-density foam material than block 30a.
  • Cover 33a is preferably applied to block 30a at installation.
  • Figure 6 shows a plan view of a barrier 26b, wherein each absorber 24b is defined by a front block 30b, an intermediate block 31b, and a rear block 32b resting against a wall 54 as opposed to structure 27.
  • Blocks 30b, 31b, 32b are made of foam material and connected to one another by device 37 described above; and absorbers 24b are connected to one another in direction A' by a locating and retaining device 55 comprising a male portion 57 and a female portion 58, which are complementary with each other and formed in one piece with, and at opposite lateral ends of, each block 30b in direction A'.
  • Portions 57, 58 are bounded by respective cylindrical surfaces defining respective articulated joints about hinge axes 61 perpendicular to axis B' and direction A', and are each fitted in sliding manner to a respective adjacent portion 58, 57 to orient absorbers 24b with respect to one another and so adapt barrier 26b to curved paths or directions A'.
  • Figure 7 shows a partly sectioned view in perspective of a barrier 26c defined by absorbers 24c, which differ from absorbers 24b by axes 61 being parallel to axis B' to adapt barrier 26c to variations in the slope of ground 10, and by being fitted on surfaces 34 with reflector plates 62.
  • device 37 comprises four rods 63 (only two shown), which are also made of foam material similar to those described above, are located about projection 38 and seat 40 (not shown), and each slide, parallel to axis B', through both blocks 30, 31 to keep blocks 30, 31 in fixed relative positions crosswise to axis B'.
  • Figure 8 shows a view in perspective of a barrier 26d defined by absorbers 24d spaced apart in direction A' and each comprising a number of modular blocks 30d similar to blocks 30a, 30b.
  • Device 55 is replaced by a retaining device 65 comprising two flexible cables 66, which are made, for example, of steel, nylon, or hemp, and extend through the front blocks of absorbers 24d in direction A' and on opposite vertical sides of seats 40 to hold absorbers 24d together.
  • T-section members 68 are also provided parallel to axis B', and which are fixed to ground 10, e.g. by plugs, on opposite lateral sides of each absorber 24b to retain blocks 30d in direction A' and guide blocks 30d axially towards a rear structure surface (not shown) during collision.
  • Absorbers 4, 24, 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d therefore comprise at least one body or block associated with shock-exposed surface 34, and which has a high degree of deformability and absorption by being made of foam material.
  • device 37 holds together a number of preferably modular blocks of foam material, and provides for progressive deformation of absorber 24, 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d during collision.
  • the absorbers described and illustrated are also extremely easy to mold, and those made of "Bayfil" can be at least partly made at installation.
  • the blocks of foam material of the absorbers may be made of foam material other than those indicated by way of example.
  • the safety barrier may even be defined by only one absorber, the characteristics described of absorbers 4, 24, 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d may be combined, and/or members 68 may be replaced by other lateral retaining and axial guide devices.
  • posters and/or serigraphs containing information, e.g. advertising, may be applied to surface 34, and/or vertical retaining means may be provided to hold the blocks of absorbers 24a, 24b, 24c, 24d on ground 10, while still enabling axial slide towards a rear fixed structure.
  • the safety barriers described and illustrated may also be used on sports tracks, such as car racing and ski tracks.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Refuge Islands, Traffic Blockers, Or Guard Fence (AREA)
EP03005117A 2002-03-12 2003-03-07 Shock absorber for fixed structures, in particular for producing road safety barriers Withdrawn EP1344868A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITTO20020211 2002-03-12
IT2002TO000211A ITTO20020211A1 (it) 2002-03-12 2002-03-12 Assorbitore di urti per riscontri fissi, in particolare per la realizzazione di barriere di protezione stradale.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1344868A1 true EP1344868A1 (en) 2003-09-17

Family

ID=27638912

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03005117A Withdrawn EP1344868A1 (en) 2002-03-12 2003-03-07 Shock absorber for fixed structures, in particular for producing road safety barriers

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1344868A1 (it)
IT (1) ITTO20020211A1 (it)

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3204377A (en) * 1963-04-12 1965-09-07 Standard Coated Products Inc Molding strips
DE2028295A1 (en) * 1970-06-09 1971-12-16 Vahlbrauk Karl Heinz Traffic crash barrier - with impact-resistant polyurethane - or polystyrene foam covering
FR2548238A1 (fr) * 1983-06-30 1985-01-04 Schutzplanken Produktions Gmbh Dispositif a rails de securite pour voies de communication
WO1993006319A1 (en) * 1991-09-18 1993-04-01 Philip Nigel Morgan Flooring and edging member for use therein
DE4340953C1 (de) * 1993-12-01 1995-04-06 Niederberger Kg Heinrich Rammschutz
GB2292404A (en) * 1994-08-20 1996-02-21 Recticel Ltd Crash barrier

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3204377A (en) * 1963-04-12 1965-09-07 Standard Coated Products Inc Molding strips
DE2028295A1 (en) * 1970-06-09 1971-12-16 Vahlbrauk Karl Heinz Traffic crash barrier - with impact-resistant polyurethane - or polystyrene foam covering
FR2548238A1 (fr) * 1983-06-30 1985-01-04 Schutzplanken Produktions Gmbh Dispositif a rails de securite pour voies de communication
WO1993006319A1 (en) * 1991-09-18 1993-04-01 Philip Nigel Morgan Flooring and edging member for use therein
DE4340953C1 (de) * 1993-12-01 1995-04-06 Niederberger Kg Heinrich Rammschutz
GB2292404A (en) * 1994-08-20 1996-02-21 Recticel Ltd Crash barrier

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITTO20020211A0 (it) 2002-03-12
ITTO20020211A1 (it) 2003-09-12

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