EP1770671A1

EP1770671A1 - Traffic sign with pierced surface

Info

Publication number: EP1770671A1
Application number: EP05425682A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ivan Vuocolo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: VUOCOLO, IVAN
Priority date: 2005-10-03
Filing date: 2005-10-03
Publication date: 2007-04-04

Abstract

This invention concerns a sign, particularly a traffic sign, consisting of a surface comprising a series of holes, at regular distance each other, such as to show the signal stamped on it and, at the same time, what there is behind. These holes also permit the sign to better resist the wind and other atmospheric agents.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention concerns the technical sector of the manufacturing technology relative to traffic signs, mostly consisting of structures, made of light metal or other material, which provide indications for traffic regulation or other purposes, such as advertising.
In particular, it concerns the technical sector relating the production of road signs, either circular, triangular or rectangular, anyway generally made of iron or aluminium sheet suitably treated to resist the oxidation caused by atmospheric agents.

Background Art

Everybody knows the traditional road sign, nowadays made of a common iron or aluminium sheet, of small thickness - approximately 6-8 mm for iron or 2.5 mm for aluminium - which has a bended edge around its perimeter, regardless of the shape, in order to guarantee the necessary mechanical resistance to bends. The successive processes of protective painting, together with the application of the final reflecting layer indicating the message, complete the isolating work of the metal, making it resistant in time to oxidation.
The necessary control of traffic involves numerous signs along the way and, above all, vertical signs are more and more used.
In addition, the increasing care of the security factor has caused a relative increase of signs, particularly in urban areas structurally designed, in the past, for a much lower concentration of traffic. Therefore, there is a proportional augmentation of signs, especially near city crossroads where the same planning per se reduces visibility.
Visibility is further reduced by the same signs that, even if essential, often hinder large spaces of view.
Such a drawback is particularly manifest in the above-mentioned cases, but is also created in other applications of vertical signs.
As a matter of fact, we find the same problems for signs other than road signals, which however hold indications or information but hinder what there is behind.
The present invention aims at avoiding these and other drawbacks, providing a sign that, for its manufacturing characteristics, has such a definite view as to permit an immediate understanding of its message and, at the same time, a clear view of what there is behind.
Different fastening methods are nowadays used to keep said traffic signs at a prefixed height. In particular, some small metal supports are welded on the back of the sign, with passing or threaded holes where the band holding the post is later fitted. Both the holes, passing with nuts or threaded, and their relative bands are often not compatible among the various signs, so requiring modifications during assembling or however previous registrations by the operator, so as to make the various details match. Furthermore, for their manufacturing method, they can partially obstruct visibility.
A further purpose of this invention is to avoid these and other drawbacks, by means of sliding supports suitable for any shape and size of the existing signs. This invention also permits to assemble the sign with neither need of working inside it, nor welding nor screwing of other fastening supports.

Disclosure of invention

Reduced to its essential structure and with reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, a sign according to the present invention comprises a surface (1) with a series of holes (3) of small diameter, such as to show the signal or message realized and/or stamped on it and, at the same time, what there is behind.
In particular, this invention consists of a traffic sign comprising a surface (1), with the same shape and sizes of the existing traffic signs, but with a series of holes (3) of small diameter, such as to show the signal or message realized and/or stamped on it and, at the same time, what there is behind.
The surface of this sign is homogeneously pierced in order to create essentially a "net" surface permitting to see what there is behind it, while the solid portions of said "net" permit to stamp or however realize on it the drawing of the signal we want to obtain. In this way, the user observing the sign from a certain distance can see at the same time the signal it contains and what there is behind, avoiding any obstacle to visibility.
Said surface is made of sheet or any other material suitable for the construction of road signs.
This surface includes holes with a diameter of approximately 0.3-1 cm, placed at regular distance over the entire surface of the sign. Which do not prevent anyway the holes to be positioned only on a part of the surface and even at irregular distance each other.
These holes can be circular or of any other shape.
The same surface can be realized with a net of any material, however such as to permit the stamp of a picture on it, i.e. the signal, and, at the same time, to see what there is behind it.
Conveniently, the perimeter of the traffic sign is normally constituted by a white edge of variable thickness according to its shape and size and does not have holes.
This invention, thanks to the above-mentioned characteristics, permits to read the signal immediately and clearly and, at the same time, to see means of transport, people or any other fixed or mobile obstacle placed behind the same sign. Its manufacturing technology is operatively similar to the existing signs, therefore, once the suitable material has been selected, it can immediately be realized by means of the currently existing equipments. This invention has also another advantage: it is lighter than the existing signs and its holes make less resistance to the wind, so making it more stable.
In addition to this system, a metal plate can be applied on the inner edge of the sign, where you can read the technical characteristics of the product, the producer and any other useful or necessary information relating to the same sign without hindering the view of what there is behind.
The sign so realized can be set up by means of any known system.
Nevertheless, in order to permit an easier installation, it's possible to use a particular device for traffic signs, which comprises:

means to fix the sign to mobile supports on the post, consisting of two elements (1) having the same shape as the edge of the sign and with two reinforced threaded holes, at exact distance, where two common metal screws fit, after their passage through similar passing holes made on the edge of the sign;
means to fix the sign and the supports on the post, consisting of two notches, connected to said elements by means of welded metal spacer, said notches having two bands that can be fixed by pressure on the same post by action of the nuts relative to the square screws fitted on the above-mentioned notches.

In summary, this device is composed by two metal supports to be fixed on the post. Said supports act on opposite diameters inside the back portion of the sign and, thanks to their possibility of sliding along the post, match the edges of the sign comprising threaded holes with corresponding elements comprising similar threaded holes at suitable distance, so as to permit a safe and stable assembling by means of common screws.
Said supports have a shape corresponding to the type of sign they are applied to, either circular, triangular, rectangular or square.
As far as the supports for circular signs are concerned, this system takes advantage of the uniform diameter of the circular signs (60 cm), which permits to regulate the ray of the element laying the supports, so making it valid for all the circular signs. Therefore, the assembling will be carried out by the opposite insertion of the two supports on the post, placed at desired height, then pushed out against the edge of the sign, which has along its circumference some holes at regular distance, so permitting a further angular regulation of the same sign. The simple fitting of the screws completes the assembling of the sign, which can be replaced in any time without wearing the fixing system that can be indefinitely reused.
In the case of signs of other shapes, the laying element of the supports has obviously a different shape, but the concept of the invention and the relative advantages remain the same for all the types.
This system can be applied on any shape of sign and permits a regulation of the height of the sign, as well as its rotation in the case of circular signs.
Said system prevents anything to be applied on the back of the sign, since the fixing act solely on the inner bended edges, facilitating in this way the application of the signs and, in the case of signs permitting the visibility behind, without creating any obstacle.
This system, thanks to the sliding of the supports, is universal, permits a simple and rapid replacement of the sign on the post and can be used many times without wearing any element.
This invention is important and easy to realize, making use of common intermediate materials, therefore it will certainly have reduced industrial costs, with a convenient relation cost/benefit.
Conveniently, this system permits to apply the sign to the wall without piercing its front part, simply using normal screws for walls in place of square screws.
In practice, the manufacturing details may, however, vary as regards shape, size, position of elements and type of materials used, but still remain within the range of the idea proposed as a solution and, consequently, within the limits of the protection granted by this patent for invention.

Brief description of drawings

Fig. 1 shows a front view of the sign (1), where it's immediately possible to identify the message (4), in this case "no parking", applied by means of a reflecting layer, like in traditional signs. Observing the sign more carefully, it's possible to identify, through the holes schematically depicted, the possible obstacles behind it. Obviously, the type of holes shown in this drawing is not restricted, since it will be chosen according to a perfect agreement between the view of the sign and its "transparency".
Fig. 2 is the section relative to Fig. 1, which shows in detail the passing holes (3) on the sign (1) and a traditional system for fixing the sign to the post (2).
Figs. 3, 3A and 3B show respectively a front view, a section and a top view of the device supporting the sign, in this case circular signs. This particular device is constituted by three metal elements welded each other. The upper element (1) is the portion that lays on the inner edge of the sign, having a suitable ray and two welded slabs (4) that permit a best resistance of the threaded part holding the fixing screws (5). The upper element is connected, by means of a central body (2), to the lower support (3), having two notches (6) for holding square-head screws (7), which fit completely in this support and, thanks to their shape and their fitting into the notches, stop the rotation during the screwing of their respective nuts, easy to access in the back portion. Their function is to grasp the post (10) by pressure of the band (8).
Fig. 4 shows a front section of the assembled portions: after the insertion of the two supports in the same way, as depicted in figure, it's easy to find the position on the edges of the sign, as the bended ends (1) internally beat on the edges of the sign (11). In addition, the possibility of sliding of the supports permits an exact vertical positioning of the sign, which is equipped on the edges with a series of passing holes (12), with regular angle (ALFA), and equivalent to the wideness of the angle of the two threaded holes placed on the element (1), holding the screws (5). This possibility also permits to rotate angularly the sign, which can be useful for different types of signs.

The simple and accessible fixing of this system is further illustrated in Fig. 6, a front view that shows the complete accessibility both to the fixing screws (5) of the sign to the supports, and to the back nuts relative to the screws (7) fixing the system to the post (10). It shows the shape of the two supports in the case of a sign of triangular shape, which is normally an equilateral triangle with sides of 60 cm, so the angle of the upper elements (1) can be easily realized with absolute precision. The remaining elements, from the central one (2) to the base (3), are identical to the previous version, such as the way of use. The only difference is that the element (1) of the lower support (Fig. 7) is horizontal.
This support, when used in the same way also in the upper part, is suitable for fixing square or rectangular signs.
Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively a front section and a top view showing the application of the previous supports on a triangular sign. In this case, the holes on the edge of the sign have equivalent distance to the holes on the elements (1) for the screws (5); however, also in this case, the supports can vertically slide along the post (10).

Claims

Sign characterised in that it comprises a surface (1) with a series of holes (3) of small diameter, such as to show the signal or message realized and/or stamped on it and, at the same time, what there is behind.
Sign as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it consists of a traffic sign comprising a surface (1), with the same shape and sizes of the existing traffic signs, but with a series of holes (3) of small diameter, such as to show the signal or message realized and/or stamped on it and, at the same time, what there is behind.
Sign as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said surface (1) is homogeneously pierced
Sign as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said surface (1) is made of sheet or any other material suitable for the construction of road signs.
Sign as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said surface (1) can be realized with a net of any material, however such as to permit the stamp of a picture on it and, at the same time, to see what there is behind it.
Sign as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said surface (1) includes holes with a diameter of approximately 0.3-1 cm, placed at regular distance over the entire surface.
Sign as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that these holes (3) can be circular or of any other shape.
Sign as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that its perimeter is normally constituted by a white edge of variable thickness according to its shape and size and does not have holes.
Sign as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a metal plate can be applied on the inner edge of the sign, where you can read the technical characteristics of the product, the producer and any other useful or necessary information relating to the same sign without hindering the view of what there is behind.
Device for support of traffic signs characterized in that it comprises:
- means to fix the sign to the wall or to mobile supports on the post, consisting of two elements (1) having the same shape as the edge of the sign and with two reinforced threaded holes, at exact distance, where two common metal screws fit, after their passage through similar passing holes made on the edge of the sign;

- means to fix the sign and the supports on the post, consisting of two notches, connected to said elements by means of welded metal spacer, said notches having two bands that can be fixed by pressure on the same post by action of the nuts relative to the square screws fitted on the above-mentioned notches.
Device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that it is composed by two metal supports to be fixed on the post. Said supports act on opposite diameters inside the back portion of the sign and, thanks to their possibility of sliding along the post, match the edges of the sign with corresponding elements comprising threaded holes at suitable distance.
Device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the edges of the sign comprise similar threaded holes, so as to permit a safe and stable assembling by means of common screws.
Device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the supports have a shape corresponding to the type of sign they are applied to, either circular, triangular, rectangular or square.
Device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, for the circular sign, it takes advantage of the uniform diameter of the circular signs, which permits to regulate the ray of the element laying the supports, so making it valid for all the circular signs, whereas for signs of different shapes, the supports have the shape of the laying element.
Device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that it permits to apply the sign to the wall without piercing its front part, simply using normal screws for walls in place of square screws.