FR2893958A1 - PROTECTION SCREEN END PROTECTION DEVICE. - Google Patents

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to improve the security on the screen ends by removing any potentially dangerous obstacle in the trajectory of the impact, and to reduce the costs of supply, maintenance and maintenance.For this purpose, the invention relates to a safety barrier comprising at least one horizontal rail (11) secured to vertical supports (12) and a lower screen (14) said "protection" having an upstream end edge (16) and a downstream end edge, and intended to oppose the passage under the smooth (11) of a two-wheeled vehicle accident and / or its user fell to the ground. In this safety barrier, at least one (16) of the upstream and downstream end edges is provided with at least one protection device (20) comprising a first fixed part (21) maintained on the screen (14), a second contact portion (22) secured to the first fixed portion (21) and mounted integral with the screen (14) via a third absorption portion (23) of energy calibrated to deform under the effect of a shock.

Description

PROTECTION SCREEN END PROTECTION DEVICE.

  The invention relates to a protection screen end protection device.

  The protective screens are fixed under the rail of a safety barrier and are intended to oppose the passage under the rail of a two-wheeled vehicle accident, sliding flat on the taxiway and / or its user fallen to the ground. A direct impact with the vertical uprights supporting the beam is thus avoided.

  While the safety of two-wheeled vehicles and their users is greatly improved along the roads thanks to these screens, some dangerous points persist despite everything. This is the case in particular of the ends of the protective shields, for example at an intersection, in a turn, or simply at the beginning of a safety barrier section, these ends presenting at these points, and in the direction of impact, a profile rigid and blunt. In order to protect the two-wheeled vehicles, the protective shield ends may be provided with protective elements intended to prevent the two-wheeled vehicle and / or its user from hitting the sharp edge of the screen. A solution of the state of the art, represented in FIG. 1, consists in placing a protection device 1 fixed on the one hand to the screen 2 and on the other by a pole 3. The protection device 1 comprises a U-shaped vertical sheet 4 extended by a fixing plate 5 to the post 3.

  The space e located between the profiled sheet 4 and the post 3 allows during the shock a deformation of the sheet 4a located at the base of the U and thus an absorption of at least a portion of the energy of this shock. Such a system has several disadvantages. On the one hand the fixing to the post can be delicate since it is necessary to introduce the fastening tools inside the profiled sheet 4. On the other hand, the fixing plate 5 to the post 3 must be strongly fixed to the post 3 to prevent a rupture during impact and a violent contact with the post 3. This leads to a plate 5 secured to the post which transfers at least a portion of the impact against the profiled sheet 4a to the post 3. This is therefore subject to significant mechanical stresses that can cause twisting or bending of the pole. After a shock, it is therefore necessary to change the post 3 at the same time as the profiled sheet 4 and the screen section 2 on which is fixed this sheet and which also undergoes shock stress. This is expensive in time and equipment. On the other hand, the post 3 is integral with the rail 6 via spacers 7. Therefore the change of the post 3 also requires disassembly or change, the smooth 6 and the spacer 7. Finally , the strong attachment to the post can cause a central deformation of the sheet 4a pocket-shaped, the edges of this pocket becoming protruding, so dangerous. The objective of the present invention is therefore to overcome these problems of safety and maintenance by providing a screen end protection that is easy to change and transmits little or no energy to the post, whatever the type of barrier, the type of screen and how the screen is attached. To do this, the invention proposes to provide a screen end protection device whose attachment is independent of the posts, having a better impact behavior and eliminating any potentially dangerous obstacle in the path of the shock. To this end, the subject of the invention is a safety barrier intended to be arranged along vehicle traffic lanes, which comprises, in operative position, at least one horizontal rail which is fastened to vertical supports, and which further comprises a lower screen called "protection" having an upstream end edge and a downstream end edge. This protective screen is intended to oppose the passage under the smooth of a two-wheeled vehicle accident, sliding flat on the taxiway and / or his user fell to the ground. At least one of the upstream and downstream end edges of the screen is provided with at least one protective device comprising at least a first fixed part held on the screen, at least a second integral contact part of the first part. fixed and integral mounting of the screen through at least a third energy absorbing portion calibrated to deform under the effect of impact. According to particular embodiments: the end protection device comprises at least one vertical profile delimiting an interior space and successively comprising the first portion fixed to the screen to be substantially in the same plane as the screen, the second contact portion for receiving the shock, and the third energy absorbing portion secured to the screen calibrated to deform under the effect of a shock; The end protection device comprises at least one vertical section delimiting an interior space and comprising, successively, the first part fixed to the screen to be substantially in the same plane as the screen and the second part of contact intended to to receive the shock, the profile being further secured to the screen via a third energy absorbing portion calibrated to deform under the effect of an impact comprising at least one deformable fastening insert plate ; The third energy absorbing portion has a vertical mean plane which forms with the screen an angle of between 45 and 135 degrees, preferably between 65 and 115 degrees, typically between 85 and 95 degrees; • The profile comprises a substantially U-shaped curved zone forming substantially a vertical half-cylinder, one of the vertical ends is fixed substantially in the same plane as the screen; The protection device further comprises an additional energy absorption means; The additional energy absorbing means has an increasing resistance to deformation; The additional energy absorbing device is fixed either solely to the protection device, to the protection device and to the screen, to the protection device and to a means for fixing the screen on the arm; The protection device furthermore comprises a substantially indeformable casing adapted to be pressed against the vertical support closest to the protection device during the impact and thus to prevent the deformable part of the protection device from marrying the shape of the vertical support and hurts the user; and the safety barrier comprises a plurality of protective devices superimposed on at least one upstream or downstream end. Other features of the invention will be set forth in the following detailed description with reference to the appended figures which represent, respectively: FIG. 1, a perspective view of a barrier, according to the state of the art set on a pole, already commented; - Fig 2, a perspective view of a first embodiment of a screen end protector according to the invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the protection of FIG. 2 after an impact; - Figure 4, a perspective view of a second embodiment of a protection according to the invention; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a screen end provided with two superposed protections according to the invention; FIGS. 6 and 7 are perspective views of protections according to the invention provided with absorption means; additional energies; FIGS. 8 and 9 are perspective views of protection according to the invention provided with non-deformable boxes to prevent the user coming into contact with a post; In the following description, a deformation is understood as a plastic deformation, i.e. as a definitive deformation which has almost no resilience as opposed to elastic deformation. Figure 2 shows a safety barrier 10 disposed along a VC circulation lane.

  The barrier 10 is shown in rear view, that is to say that the visible structures are on the side of the slope. With reference to this operational position, the front, side, rear, top and bottom positions of the various elements comprising the barrier 10 will be defined. The barrier 10 comprises a horizontal rail 11 secured to vertical supports 12 via spacers 13. It furthermore comprises a lower protection screen 14 fixed to the barrier by means of arms 15. The protective shield 14 is intended to oppose the passage under the rail of a two-wheeled vehicle that is unevenly slippery. flat on track 15 VC traffic and / or its user fell to the ground. Such an accident happens most often in the direction of traffic arrow F1 - but when the road is narrow, it can happen that the rider and / or his motorcycle crosses his lane and collides with the safety barrier on the edge of the road. other lane of traffic. Screen 14 includes an upstream end edge 16 and a downstream end edge (not shown). The upstream end edge 16 is provided with a protection device 20 intended to protect an injured user if he hits this end 16. The protection device 20 comprises a first part 21 fixed to the screen 14, preferably in the same plane as him to reduce the risk of injury, a second part 22 said contact protruding side to the first portion 21 and intended to receive the shock. The contact portion 22 is secured to the first portion 21 on the one hand and on the other hand to the screen 14 itself by a third portion 23 calibrated to deform under the shock effect to absorb at least a part of the shock energy.

  In the embodiment shown, the safety device is a vertical section 20, substantially U-shaped, a first branch forms the first part 21 fixed as the screen 14 substantially coplanar and whose second branch is secured to the screen via an attached fixing plate 23 fixed between the second branch and the screen forming the third portion of energy absorption. The base of the U forms the second contact portion 22 and has a domed profile protruding laterally from the end 16 of the screen. Because of this protrusion, a damaged vehicle and / or its used will come into contact with the second portion 22 and not with the end 16 of the screen 14. The insert plate 23 is attached to the screen 14 in such a way that that an average vertical plane P forms with it an angle approximately between 85 and 95 degrees. Figure 3 illustrates a deformation experienced by the device 20 of Figure 2 after an impact. The curved profile 22 was struck and deformed under the shock. The curved profile 22 being secured to the deformable plate 23, the shock was transmitted to the plate 23 which absorbed a portion of the energy pivoting towards the rear of the screen. This deformation is particularly visible at the level of the attachment between the plate 23 and the screen 14 because they form between them an angle a 'greater than the angle a of the initial position. Thus, the pivoting of the plate 23 is allowed by the deformation of the fixing area of the plate 23 to the screen. More or less significant resistance to deformation - without, of course, prohibiting this deformation - depends not only on the plate 23, ie on its material and its thickness, but also on the angle that it thus forms with the screen 14. Thus, it is possible to choose an angle α less than 90 when preference is given to increasing the resistance to deformation and / or increasing the operating amplitude of the protective device 20. When It is desirable to facilitate the deformation and / or to decrease the operating amplitude of the device 20, an angle greater than 90 is chosen. Thus, the angle α may be between 45 and 135, and preferably between 65 and 115. By pivoting, the plate 23 not only absorbs a shock part 10, but also allows to divert the accident vehicle and / or its user, the post 12 and accompany the movement until immobilization. In addition, the safety device being calibrated to deform before another element of the barrier, a shock will not cause or little deformation of the screen. Even if the shock is strong, without exceeding a value beyond which the whole structure yields, neither the post 12 nor the rail 11 will be deformed because the shock is diverted from them by the deformation of the third part 23. A further advantage of the safety device 20 according to the invention is that it can be installed around (FIGS. 2 - 3) or remotely (FIG. 4) from the end post 12. The safety device is installed primarily away from the post but, in case of technical difficulty, it can be installed around it. However, it is necessary to extend the screen and / or to conform the safety device 20 - for example by using an elongate portion - so that the portion 22 is substantially projecting from the post and the post does not interfere deformation nor constitutes a dangerous obstacle. The safety barrier of FIG. 5 has a screen end 16 provided with two superimposed protective devices 30a and 30b. The devices 30a and 30b have the same elements as the protection device 20 of FIG.

  An advantage of having several superimposed protective devices 30a and 30b results from the lower cost of replacing the protection when all the devices 30a and 30b are not touched during the impact. Indeed, a biker sliding flat can only hit the device 30b during the shock and only this device 30b will be changed. Another advantage is to be able to protect one end of a protection screen of any height by installing one, two or more devices according to the invention. Of course, it is possible to superimpose more than two devices but it is necessary to find a balance between the number of parts to change and the cost generated by the installation of several of these devices - number of fixing operations, number of means mounting time, installation time, etc. and a fortiori if the third deformable part of energy absorption is an attached plate which must be fixed to the second contact part. The security device 20 of FIG. 6 further comprises an additional energy absorbing means 40. Since the device 20 is installed at a distance from the end post 12, the free space inside the section 20 is provided with a structure 40 having a fixing plate 41 to the profile 20, and more precisely to the contact part. 22, an attachment plate 42 to the absorption portion 23, and a deformation plate 43 secured to the two attachment plates 41 - 42. The deformation plate comprises, in this embodiment, a preferential deformation zone 44 for to favor the sense of deformation. Thus, in case of shock, the energy is transmitted to the part 23 not only by the part 22, but also by the structure 40. Such an arrangement therefore allows, on the one hand, a shock absorption substantially parallel to the screen 14, thanks to the structure 40 and the deformability of the part 22 and, on the other hand, a deviation of the trajectory of the rider combined with an energy absorption thanks to the rotational deformation of the part 23. The rider and / or his vehicle are diverted from the post 12 and slowed or stopped in their race. A screen end shield surrounding a pole 12 may also be provided with additional energy absorbing means. An example of such an arrangement is shown in FIG. 7. The deformable portion 23 of the protection device 20 is fixed externally to the interior of the profile to an accordion structure 50 itself attached to the screen 14. The arrangement in accordion makes it possible to form several zones of preferential deformation 51 intended to control the deformation of the structure 50. In the event of impact, the deformation and pivoting of the part 23 are partially retarded by the deformation of the structure 50 which thus participates the absorption of the shock and the slowing down, or even stopping, of the rider and / or his vehicle. Although the screen end protection device according to the invention is independent of the end post 12, it can happen that the impact is so violent that the protection device deforms and comes into contact with the post 12.

To avoid that the protective device 20 marries the shape of the post 12 and does not hurt the user by becoming protruding in the trajectory of the impact, the protective device 20 further comprises a substantially indeformable box 60 (FIG. 8) or 70 (Figure 9), adapted to be pressed against the vertical support closest to the profile during impact.

By its rigidity, the box 60, 70 prevents the device 20 wraps around the post 12, and allows against the pole 12 to guide the rider and / or his vehicle to the slope where there is no The absorbing device is calibrated to deform before it transmits a portion of the energy of the impact to the post 12 so that the latter does not undergo any stress and is not deformed. . This makes it possible to overcome the problem of deformation of the post that is encountered in state-of-the-art devices while protecting the user as a last resort thanks to the box 60 to 70 so that it does not strike the post. According to other features of the invention: the fixing of the first part against the screen can be done behind the screen or in front of the screen, this second solution being preferred because in the event of a violent impact, the first part the device that covers the end of the screen causes it in the deformation so that this end does not form a blunt obstacle. If the attachment is made behind the screen, the attachment must be particularly strong and intimate so that the end of the screen is well entrained by the device and does not form a blunt obstacle; • The third part (end or insert plate) is not flat where it has for example an accordion structure or curve - but it has a vertical mean plane forming with the screen the angle a; The additional means of resistance to deformation have an increasing resistance to deformation due to an increasing thickness and / or the presence of reinforcement means of increasing strength; • The profile can directly comprise the three functional parts according to the invention so that it is not necessary to make a fixation between the second and the third part, as is the case when the third part of absorption is constituted by a reported plate; The means (40, 50) of additional energy absorption is fixed to the protection device (20) and to a fixing means (15) for the screen on the rail; • The third part consists of a material different from the first and second parts to have a deformability different from that of these first and second parts; According to the desired deformation chronology, it is possible to adapt the respective thicknesses of the different parts of the end protection device. For example, the third portion has a thickness less than that of the first and second parts to have a deformability greater than that of these first and second parts; The end shield may comprise, for example, one or more first superimposed fastener portions, a contact portion and a plurality of superimposed energy absorbing portions; According to another embodiment, the protection device comprises one or more fastening portions, one or more superimposed contact portions and a single energy absorbing portion integral with the contact portions on the one hand, and the screen on the other hand; • The protective device 20 according to the invention can be attached to one end of a protective screen of a security barrier comprising, for example, a wooden rail, a wooden and metal rail, or more smooth superimposed intended for the absorption of a truck shock. More generally, the invention is applicable regardless of the type of barrier, the mode of attachment of the screen (to the strut or vertical supports, directly or via spacers) and the type of screen (for example motorcycle screens made of sheet metal, plastic or wood).

Claims (12)

  1. A safety barrier intended to be arranged along vehicle traffic lanes, which comprises, in operational position, at least one horizontal lanyard (11) secured to vertical supports (12) and which further comprises a lower screen ( 14) said "protection" having an upstream end edge (16) and a downstream end edge, and intended to oppose the passage under the smooth (11) of a damaged two-wheeled vehicle, sliding to flat on the taxiway and / or its fallen user, characterized in that at least one (16) of the upstream and downstream end edges of the screen is provided with at least one protective device ( 20, 30a, 30b) comprising at least a first fixed portion (21) maintained on the screen (14), at least a second contact portion (22) integral with the first fixed portion (21) and mounted integral with the screen (14) via at least one third energy absorbing portion (23) calibrated to deform under the effect of a shock.   2. Safety barrier according to claim 1, wherein the end protection device comprises at least one vertical section delimiting an interior space and comprising, successively, the first portion attached to the screen to be substantially in the same plane as the screen, the second contact portion for receiving the shock, and the third energy absorbing portion secured to the screen calibrated to deform under the effect of a shock.   3. Safety barrier according to claim 1, wherein the end protection device (20, 30a, 30b) comprises at least one vertical profile (20) defining an interior space and comprising, successively, the first part (21). attached to the screen (14) to be substantially in the same plane as the screen, and the second contact portion (22) for receiving the shock, the profile being further secured to the screen via the third energy absorption portion (23) calibrated to deform under the effect of an impact comprising at least one plate (23) reported deformable fixation.   4. Safety barrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the third energy absorbing portion (23) has a vertical mean plane (P) which forms with the screen an angle (a) included between 45 and 135 degrees, preferably between 65 and 115 degrees, typically between 85 and 95 degrees.   5. Safety barrier according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the profile (20) comprises a curved area (22) substantially U-shaped substantially forming a vertical half-cylinder whose one of the vertical ends (21). ) is fixed substantially in the same plane as the screen.   The safety barrier of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the protection device (20) further comprises means (40, 50) for additional energy absorption.   The safety barrier of claim 6, wherein the additional energy absorbing means (40, 50) has increasing resistance to deformation.   8. Safety barrier according to any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the means (40, 50) for additional energy absorption is fixed only to the protection device (20).   The safety barrier of any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the additional energy absorbing means (40, 50) is attached to the guard (20) and the shield (14).   A safety barrier according to any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein the additional energy absorbing means (40, 50) is attached to the protection device (20) and to a fastening means (15). of the screen (14) on the beam (11)   11. Safety barrier according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the protective device (20) further comprises a substantially non-deformable housing (60, 70) adapted to press against the vertical support (12) the most close to the protection device (20) during the shock and thus prevent the deformable portion (22, 23) of the protective device (20) does not marry the shape of the vertical support (12) and injures the user.   12. Safety barrier according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a plurality of protection devices (30a, 30b) superimposed on at least one upstream end (16) or downstream.