GB2346641A

GB2346641A - Emergency hazard marker

Info

Publication number: GB2346641A
Application number: GB9902927A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond Frank Greenslade
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-02-09
Filing date: 1999-02-09
Publication date: 2000-08-16
Also published as: GB9902927D0

Abstract

An emergency hazard marker, consists of a high visibility flexible body (1) which displays a retro-reflective pattern or design (2) which is attached to a hazard by means of magnetic fixings (4) or tie fastener's (5) and can also be employed as a temporary high visibility cordon. It can be temporalily joined together with other emergency hazard marker's by means of attached fixings so as to increase it's length, to suit operational needs. Magnetic pads (4) are incorporated into the rear of the body (3) for ease of use. Where use of magnetic fixings is unsuitable, tie fasteners (5) are provided for conventional attachment.

Description

EMERGENCY HAZARD MARKER 1/This invention relates to a Emergency Hazard Marker of the type that is readily attachable to a three-dimensional hazard such as a vehicle, trailer, caravan, builder's skip, fallen tree or other object which can be removed or re-positioned in virtually any position, and is readily visible from more than one direction of approach.

Any number of Emergency Hazard Markers can be joined together to form a highly visible temporary Incident Cordon (for example road closures) or to protect a large irregular hazard.

2/Similar high visibility markings are well known and found on the side of emergency service vehicles, but suffer from the disadvantage that they are permanent in fixing and time consuming and costly to affix. When such conventional markings are affixed to vehicles it is usually by means of an adhesive and repositioning or removal is difficult and best avoided as damage to paintwork may result.

Where temporary markers are employed, they are usually intended solely for road vehicle use. They can be awkward to assemble and fit to a vehicle, bulky in size and only visible from one direction of approach. Such units are limited in their practical application by the size and inability for"on the spot" expansion.

Existing Incident Cordon tapes suffer from the disadvantage of being disposable, not fitted with high visibility material or retro-reflective marks and limited in their means of attachment. Where such Incident Cordon devices are fitted with retro-reflective material they comprise of rigid panels for use in conjunction with traffic cones or other man made means of support.

3/An object of this invention, is to provide a Emergency Hazard Marker which is small, light and compact to carry, which provides a fast, simple, effective day or night, high visibility marker for use as a temporary Incident Cordon or protect vulnerable structures or other hazards. It is easy and simple to apply. and is re-usable and re-positionable with no damage to the structure to which it is attached.

4/Accordingly, this invention provides a broad band of high visibility material which is strong and flexible, to which is attached a retro-reflective strip or display and attached to an object or vehicle by means of magnets and/or tie fasteners so that the Emergency Hazard Marker can be affixed in Emergency Hazard Marker conf... any position, on or around any surface of the hazard to be marked, including around corners, other protrusions or un-even surfaces and enables the hazard to be viewed from more than one direction of approach without repositioning.

5/Preferably, the Emergency Hazard Marker is made of a close woven man made fabric of high visibility colouring but may instead be made from a "PVC"or other sufficiently pliable material, attached to which there would be a flexible material with reflective properties, i. e. Retro-Reflective tape, or from any combination of these materials.

6/A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 : Shows a view of the front of the whole Emergency Hazard Marker.

Figure 2 : Shows a rear view of the whole Emergency Hazard Marker.

7/As shown in Figure 1, the marker comprises of a rectangular band of high visibility material (1), having running it's entire length, a retro-reflective high visibility design.

The rear of the unit, as is shown in Figure 2, is fitted with magnetic pads (4) for easy and rapid attachment to metallic objects such as trailers, vehicles, skips etc.

The magnets are suitably placed on the rear of the unit to provide versatility of attachment, particularly when attaching to uneven surfaces.

As a further means of fastening, the Emergency Hazard Marker is fitted, at each end of it's length, tie fasteners (5), being a length of lesser width similar or identical material or tape, which enables to marker to be fixed to any object or hazard by tying or hanging.

To further increase the versatility of the Emergency Hazard Marker, Hook & Loop fastenings (6) are provided at each end of the unit, on either side, top and bottom, as is shown in Figure 9 and Figure 2, arranged so as to enable any number of Emergency Hazard Markers to be attached together so as to increase the overall length of the unit as is required by circumstance of use.

Emergency Hazard Marker cont....

8/An example of the use of this item is that unit can be attached around a hazard such as a vehicle so as to provide a day & night visual warning to other road users, simultaneously from more than one direction of approach.

When the marker is attached in such a manner to a vehicle, hazard or other object, it can be moved and re-attached in any position due to the magnetic fastenings and ties affixed to the marker for that purpose.

A further example of the other intended purpose of this invention, is as a means of a high visibility temporary cordon. The Emergency Hazard Marker can be deployed between two points as an effective high visibility barrier which also provides an effective visual barrier during hours of darkness due to the presence of the retro-reflective markings. For larger roads or areas to be marked or cordoned, the length of the Emergency Hazard Marker can be increased to the required size by joining units together by means of the unique fixings attached to each unit.

9/The Emergency Hazard Marker can be produced to display a suitable warning message or other message or company logo either on the retroreflective or high visibility material. An example of this would be the legend "POLICE AWARE"for emergency service use or"DANGER-HAZARD"for general purpose use.

The retro-reflective markings can be attached in a great variety and combination of patterns and designs.

10/It is intended, that when not in use, the Emergency Hazard Marker will fold to a light-weight compact size for storage in a plastic wallet or casing to enable a number of units to be carried in little space.

Claims

CLAIMS EMERGENCY HAZARD MARKER 1. A Emergency Hazard Marker comprising of a broad band or rectangle of flexible material of high visibility colouring and design, to which is positively attached a retro-reflective pattern, stripe, shape or design.

Being designed to be used as a tempory cordon or to attach on and off a hazard or obstruction, by means of magnetic fixings which are affixed to the rear of the unit in suitably placed positions and by the supporting or alternative conventional means of tie fastenings which are attached at either end of the unit.
2. A Emergency Hazard Marker as claimed in Claim 1 wherein fastening means are provided which enable the unit to be temporarily attached to a hazard by means of the magnetic pads incorporated into the Emergency Hazard Marker which are distributed and positioned in such a way as to enable the unit to be attached to three dimensional and uneven surfaces, around corners and other protusions.
3. A Emergency Hazard Marker as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the alternative fastening means of tie fastener's are provided at opposite ends of the body.
4. A Emergency Hazard Marker as claimed in any proceeding claim wherein means are provided on each face and at either end of the body, in the form of hook & loop fasteners or press studs which enable the Emergency Hazard Marker to be joined to other like units, to increase the length of the body to suit the operator's requirements.
5. A Emergency Hazard Marker as claimed in any proceeding claim, wherein a broad stripe or design of retro-reflective material is displayed on the body of the unit.
6. A Emergency Hazard Marker as claimed in any proceeding claim wherein the body and attached retro-reflective markings are constructed from a pliable flexible material to enable the Emergency Hazard Marker to be attached around corners, un-even surfaces and other protrusions or three dimensional objects.