GB2410366A

GB2410366A - Mobile warning device for road traffic

Info

Publication number: GB2410366A
Application number: GB0401240A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dirk Trompeter
Original assignee: HORIZONT KLEMMFIX GmbH
Current assignee: HORIZONT KLEMMFIX GmbH
Priority date: 2004-01-20
Filing date: 2004-01-20
Publication date: 2005-07-27
Anticipated expiration: 2024-01-20
Also published as: GB2410366B; GB2410366B8; GB0401240D0

Abstract

Spotlights 2 to 6, 7a, 7b and 9a to 9d are mounted in a flat pattern on a board of a mobile warning device for road traffic. Therewith, illuminated patterns in the form of directional arrows or warning crosses can be emitted. Usually, a flashing light is emitted in yellow, which can be emphasised by the strobe lights 8. A warning cross can also be emitted in a constant red light upon activation of the spotlights 5 and 6. These signals can be emphasised by switching on four additional spotlights 9a to 9d that emit a red flashing light in sequence. To this end, both spotlights 9a and 9c and both spotlights 9b and 9d are activated in sequence. The red warning cross informs the road users of a closed carriageway or road ahead. The sign can be vehicle mounted.

Description

241 0366 s

MOBILE WARNING DEVICE FOR ROAD TRAFFIC

0 The invention refers to a mobile warning device for road traffic with a board to be mounted on vehicles on which strobe lights and flashing lights are arranged in a flat pattern and can be switched on in groups so that they can selectively form an illuminated pattern in the form of one or more directional arrows or, alternatively, warning crosses or similar patterns in a certain colour, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such a mobile warning device is prior art and is described with its accessories in the catalogue of the company Horizont Klemmfix GmbH in Korbach / Germany and in a brochure of the company Highway Care, Limited in Detling Maidstone Kent l GB. In the case of such a known warning device, the board with the lights is arrar ged above a set of rotatable arrows, e.g. on a trailer. The spotlights can be operated via a remote control, enabling an optional activation of certain groups. Those spotlights that are configured as flashing lights form line-shaped patterns when activated, recognizable as directional arrows or a 2s warning cross. In particular, directional arrows pointing to the right or to the led, thus signalling a change of lane to the road user, can be generated. It is also possible to activate two directional arrows pointing towards opposite directions, which indicates a lane partition ahead. In addition to that, it is possible to generate a warning cross, indicating that one lane is closed off.

In line with traffic regulations, all these patterns are generated in one single colour and as flashing lights. The main colour used is yellow. - 2

The attention of the road users can be further increased by adding two more strobes to the displays listed above. It is also possible to solely activate these two strobe lights in certain traffic situations.

The individual spotlights that are configured as flashing lights can be halogen lights or LEI) lights. There are two different designs. The individual LEDs can be filrnished with yellow lenses, but they can also emit a yellow light and have transparent, clear lenses.

0 The present invention aims to expand the applications of a mobile warning device according to the preamble of claim I in which for particular traffic situation a specific indication is generated with enhanced attention-drawing characteristics.

The solution of this object, according to the characterizing part of claim 1, is to show an optional wanting cross in an additional colour that shines constantly.

A mobile warning device will cause an increased level of attention when implemented according to the invention, because it has an unusual and thus unexpected - form and colour. I his is due to the fact that red warning crosses in constant light have not been mounted on vehicles. If a warning cross shining in an unfamiliar colour now appears on a construction vehicle, a trailer or a similar vehicle, it will wam the road user of a particularly dangerous situation, namely of the closing off of a lane or carriageway, in a very emphatic way.

In this connection, according to a further aspect of the invention, the light patterns are intended to shine in yellow and red and the additional colour of the constant light emitted by the warning cross is red.

- - 3

According to a further aspect of the invention, the warning cross emitting a constant red light is intended to be in an inclined arrangement, in a way that the arms of the cross fonn a diagonal in relation to the road surface.

By using this embodiment, a particularly high level of attention is achieved.

Furthermore, it improves the mobile warning device according to the invention, if there is an additional spotlight attached next to each end point of the cross and these four additional spotlights emit a flashing red light by pairs lo upon activation of the red warning cross. Either both lights on the left side of the warning cross or both lights to its right are activated.

The red diagonal cross in connection with the fourfold intermittent flashing system is already familiar to the road users from sign gantries. Usually, it Is indicates the closing of a lane. When using these signals for mobile warning devices, at first an unfamiliar effect is created that particularly increases the attention level of the road users. At the same time, they receive information which they are familiar with, because the diagonal red cross with the additional flashing lights is a system that is already known from stationary arrangements.

The signalling effect of this fourfold intermittent flashing system can be further enhanced according to another advantageous aspect of the invention by mounting the additional lights that are placed next to the end points of the z5 cross individually on the top edge of the board, and thus outside of the board surface.

By arranging additional individual flashing spotlights outside the familiar board which optically fit into the pattern of the other spotlights, the attention drawing effect of the mobile warning device according to the invention is considerably increased, because it is beyond the usual concept of an arrangement of spotlights on a board. - 4

For the technical implementation of the warning lights, it is intended that the spotlights set to either emit a constant or a flashing light are arranged as LED- spotlights with a single two-colour array of LEDs for constant light and flashing light.

Those spotlights that either emit a yellow flashing light in the usual way or, alternatively, a red constant light according to the invention, should include LEI)s in at least two colours. One is designed for a yellow flashing light and 0 the other for red constant light using the same lens.

With the mobile warning device according to the invention a signalling system is Mottled that conveys additional information and safety to the road users by means of an increased level of attention.

The invention will now be explained by reference to an embodiment thereof by way of example only in which the figures illustrate the following: Figure I shows the arrangement of the spotlights on a so-called upper board with a mobile warning device according to the prior art.

Figure 2 shows the spotlights in an activated state according to Figure l. Here, an arrow points to the left in a downward direction.

Figure 3 shows the activated state according to the invention that can be obtained with an upper board according to the prior art.

Figure 4 shows the mobile warning device according to the invention with an additional arrangement.

Figure I depicts a board 1 that can be mounted on vehicles or trailers. It is herein denoted as the upper board, because it is arranged above a set of rotatable arrows and can be individually folded away for transport purposes.

Board 1 is usually transported in a lying position, but is moved to an upright position at construction sites or at dangerous spots. Then the road user will see it as shown in Figure 1. The spotlights with the reference numbers 2 to 6 and s 7a, 7b are mounted on board 1 or embedded in cuf-aways.

The spotlights are arranged in the following pattem: Groups 2, 3 and 4 form a rectangle that is open at the top or a U with rectangular corners. Within this open rectangle there is a cross in an inclined position whose arms are accordingly diagonal. It is formed by the spotlights of groups 5 and 6. In this set-up, the spotlight positioned at the cross-over point of both diagonals belongs to both groups 5 and 6. Two additional spotlights 7a and 7b, which are part of groups 5 and 6, are necessary for the generating of directional arrows.

IS Furthermore, there are two additional strobe lights 8.

Figure 2 shows an example of how a directional arrow pointing towards the lower left comer can be generated. To this end, the spotlights 2 of the left vertical group, the spotlights 5 and 7a of one of the diagonals and the leD part of the spotlights 4 are employed. The hatching is intended to indicate an activation with yellow flashing light. In a similar way, a directional arrow pointing towards the lower right corner can be created by using the spotlights 3, 6 and 7b as well as the right part of the spotlights 4.

Upon activation of the spotlights of groups 5 and 6, the illuminated form of an inclined or diagonal cross is created.

Pursuant to prior art, up to now these patterns have always emitted a flashing light in yellow. This process could also take place In turn with the strobe lights so 8. It was also possible to solely activate both strobe lights 8. - 6

Figure 3 shows a mobile warning device according to the invention in an activated state. Here, at least the spotlights of groups 5 and 6 are configured in a way that they can emit a constant red light and are accordingly equipped with the required circuit. This state is indicated by a cross hatch. For the first s time, a signal for the road user is created on a mobile warning device, which up to now has only been co'Tunon for stationary sign gantries where it indicates a closed-offlane ahead. By also using this signal on mobile waming devices, a higher level of attention is achieved with a signal that, in itself, is already known.

Figure 4 shows a mobile warning device according to me invention with four additional spotlights 9a to gd. IIere, spotlights 9a and 9b are mounted in addition, whereas spotlights 9c and 9d are the same spotlights as 2 and 3 that are already placed there (cf. Figure 3) and now have an ancillary fimction. The circuit is designed in a way that, when the warning cross formed by the spotlights S and 6 is emitting a red constant light, spotlights 9a to 9d are also activated and shine in pairs. Thus, the light is constantly switching between the leR spotlights 9a and 9c and the right spotlights 9b and gd.

zo As can be seen in Figure 4, the additional spotlights allocated to the upper ends of the cross are arranged outside the board surface. For each of the additional spotlights 9a and 9b there is a separate housing that is attached to the upper edge of board 1. These two spotlights are ananged in a way similar to "frog eyes" that effect a particularly high level of attention.

An easy possibility to obtain switchable high-intensity spotlights is to construct LED spotlights. With regard to the spotlights 5 and 6, a multitude of LEDs per spotlight is required. With one set of LEDs a yellow flashing light can be emitted, while the other set of the multitude of LEDs is configured for constant red light. Those two colours can be obtained when all I,EDs emit red or yellow light, while having a clear lens. Another option is to use a red lens.

- - 7

In this case, the colour red is intensified and the colour yellow remains bright enough.

The upper additional spotlights 9a and 9b are only required to emit a red flashing light, whereas the spotlights 9c and Ed have to be configured in way that they can at least emit a flashing light in red and yellow.

When the signals given of are to be more diverse, it is desirable to configure each individual spotlight for all options, namely flashing lightconstant light and red light/yellow light. However, the fabrication costs can be considerably minimised by selecting only the options that are actually required. u g s

Claims

Patent Claims 1. Mobile warning device for road traffic with a board to be

mounted on a vehicle on which strobe lights and Dashing lights are arranged in a flat 0 pattern and which can be switched on in groups so that they selectively form an illuminated pattern in the form of directional arrows or, alternatively, warning crosses or similar patterns, characterized in that an illuminated warning cross can be optically produced in constant light in a further colour.
2. Mobile warning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the illuminated patterns are emitted in yellow and rail and in that the further colour of the constant lift emitted by the warning cross is red.
3. Mobile warning device according to claim 2, characterized in that the warning cross illuminated in a constant red light is arranged in an inclined position in a way that the arms of the cross form a diagonal in relation to the road surface.
4. Mobile warning device according to claim 3, characterized in that an additional spotlight (9a, 9c; 9b, 9d) is placed next to each end point of the cross, whereby those four additional spotlights (9a, 9c; 9b, Ad), upon activation of the warning cross that shines in red, emit in pairs a red flashing light, achieved by activating both lamps (9a, 9c) to the left of the warning cross and both lamps (9b, 9d) to the right of the warning cross in sequence.
5. Mobile warning device according to claim 4, characterized in that the additional spotlights (9a, 9b) allocated to the upper end points of the cross are individually attached to the upper edge of board (1), outside of the board surface.
6. Mobile warning device according to any one of We claims above, characterized in that the spotlights (5, 6) intended for Me emission of constant light and flashing light are configured as LED spotlights with separate LED arrays for permanent light and flashing light respectively.

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