FR2481491A1 - Traffic light signal repeater for blind pedestrians - uses electromagnetic vibrators excited to vibrate membrane giving tactile indication of traffic signals - Google Patents

Abstract

The traffic light repeater provides tactile repetition of the state of each of the red, amber, and green lights used in traffic signals to provide information on the traffic signals to pedestrians. A sealed enclosure (11) is fitted to either the traffic light pole or a placed post. A plate (15) on the front of the enclosure gives street name and numbers in Braille. Transformers (23,24,25) placed in the sealed enclosure are supplied through cables connected across the supply to the traffic lights. The transformers reduce the incoming voltage to 12V to supply electromagnetic vibrators (3,9,6) which are coupled to a membrane stretched across an opening in the enclosure. By touching the membranes a blind person can ascertain the status of the traffic lights.

Description

 the present invention relates to a tactile repeating device for pedestrian signaling lights for the use of the blind allowing them to cross without desiger at the authorized time.

 Your devices known at this time are based on the use of sound alarms, but they have the drawback of creating in particular an obvious noise nuisance for the environment and of not being directive.

 the device according to the present invention makes it possible to avoid these drawbacks. It is characterized by the use of a device for repeating synchronous light signals transforming them into signals perceptible by a blind person.

In a first version of the invention, the signals perceptible by the blind person are constituted by vibrations generated by vibrators activated directly by the electrical supply of the signaling lights. The vibrators, three in number for example, are housed in a plastic or metal shell whose shape allows the fingers of the blind person to be guided on the one hand, and on the other hand to orient it, the device being arranged perpendicularly for example in the direction of crossing the zebra crossing and the excitation of the vibrators sensitive to the finger corresponding conventionally to the red light for the upper vibrator, to the green light for the lower vibrator and for example to the orange light for the intermediate vibrator. The device is fixed directly to the sign post and or to a neighboring auxiliary post.

The description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, given by way of nonlimiting example, will make it possible to better understand how the invention can be implemented, the features which emerge both from the drawings and from the text, of course, forming part of said invention.

 Figure 1 is a view of the realization of an apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows the basic electrical diagram according to which the signal repeater operates.

 Figure 3 is the view of the apparatus fixed to an auxiliary pole.

 Figure 4 is the detailed view in relief on the upper part of the repeater.

view
Figure 5 shows a / of a "cocksfoot".

 when the three-way switch 1 is for example in the supply position of the red lamp 2, it simultaneously supplies the vibrator 3 contained in the upper cell 4 of the repeater, the blind person can thus know by simply touching the cell as the traffic light is red for road traffic, it can therefore cross. When the green lamp 5 is on, the lower vibrator 6 housed in the lower cell 7 of the repeater is simultaneously excited and the blind person then knows that he is not authorized to cross.

as for the third channel of the switch 1 which supplies the orange lamp, it excites in perfect synchronism the intermediate vibrator 9 housed in the intermediate cell 10.

The repeater is advantageously made with the approximate dimensions of 150 m / m X 150 m / n: X 100 m / m. it-comprises at the upper part of the housing 11 a plandu crossroads in relief 13 as shown in detail by FIG. 4 which in particular comprises a mark 12 allowing the blind to locate, this mark constituting the location of the current post 14 bearing the repeater, retaining that is visible in Figure 3. A nameplate 15 also in relief is located on the front face 18 of the repeater housing it, it indicates the number and the name in Braille of the street where it is located.

The three transformers 23, 24 and 25 located in the same housing 11 of the repereter are supported for example by a printed circuit board 16, itself fixed on the front face by studs such as 26. They lower the supply voltage nominal of lamps 2, 8 and 5, 220 Volt for example, in
12 Volt voltage to power vibrators 3, 9 and 6 which are conventional organs usable for example in the telephone industry. The vibrators 3, 9 and 6 are housed respectively opposite the cells 4, 10 and 7, spaced from each other by 30 rJ: approximately. An embossed arrow 17, on a lateral face, confirms the direction of crossing, already known since it is perpendicular to the front face of the repeater. The printed card 16 also serves as a support for the vibrators 3, 9 and 6 and includes a printed file or an attached connector 19 making it possible to electrically connect the assembly to a connector 20 connected to the electrical armouring of coru-nde by the connection cable 22. The fitting 21 makes the assembly perfectly sealed and resistant to weathering and weathering.

it goes without saying that the shape of the housing constituting the repeater described in Figure 1 for example is not exhaustive and that it can take any other geometry without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In a second version of the invention, the device repeats to the blind the light signals by means of dactyls of the conventional type used in the telephone industry, which then replace the vibrators.

The front plate 18 comprises in this case the same cells 4, 1 O and 7 pierced, however, with a hole of sufficient diameter to allow the passage of the cocksfoot tip, this hole being covered with a caboch @ n of very flexible rubber. . All the characteristics of the repeater described according to the vibrator version remain unchanged, the perception of the light signal by the blind person then results in the contact of a tip which is released by cocksfoot corresponding to the state of the light signaling, cocksfoot upper corresponds to red light the cocksfoot to green light and intermediate cocksfoot to orange light by exenole. The sequences for supplying the warning lights triggered by the control cabinet are rigorously and simultaneously repeated by the cocksfoots, as this clearly results from the electrical sehenas used and visible in FIG. 2.

 as well for the "vibrators" version as for the "typists" version, the repeater object of the present invention can also be synchronized with the power supply of the green or red pedestrian simulator, cuana it exists. This process allows increased security in the displayed orders, therefore in repeated orders to pedestrians, sighted or blind.

permet donc, aussi bien dans sa version vibreurs que dans sa version dactyles d'apporter, par rapport aux anciens dispositifs de signalisation sonore, les avantages d'une absence totale de nuisance pour l'environnement, d'être directifs et d'une faisabilité industrielle aisée. The light signal repeater, object of the present invention,

therefore allows, both in its vibrating version and in its cocks version to bring, compared to the old sound signaling devices, the advantages of a total absence of nuisance for the environment, to be directive and of a feasibility easy industrial.

Claims (3)

R E V E N D I C A T I O N S 1) Device for repeating light signals for use by blind people @, characterized by the generation of mechanical vibrations or by the movement of cocksfoot perceptible to the touch.  Three food vendors 3, 9 and 6 or three cocksfoot were incorporated in a sealed housing 11 provided with cells 4, 10 and 7 adapted to touch by the fingers, corresponding to the red, orange and green lights.  2) Signal repeater device according to claim 1, characterized @@ r its direct positioning on the signpost or a neighboring post.  3) Signal repeater device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized by its synchronization with the electrical supply of the signaling lights or of the authorization or inter @ iction signal.