JP2005092559A - Device and method for keeping traffic light from snow damage and cover for preventing snow damage - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of being difficult to keep existing traffic lights from damage by snow accumulation for economic reasons, etc. <P>SOLUTION: A cover that forms a closed space is mounted in front of a traffic light except collars and the heat of lights is utilized to prevent snow damage. The cover can assume any shape as long as it serves to conduct the heat generated from the signal lights to the collars. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a snow damage prevention device for a traffic signal in a snowy area, a snow damage prevention method thereof, and a snow damage prevention cover.

Snowfall on traffic signals in snowy and cold areas hinders the visibility of traffic signals and in the worst case causes traffic accidents.
Conventionally, traffic lights used for road traffic signals are arranged with red, yellow, and blue signal lamps for traffic control, and a relatively long semi-cylindrical collar is provided above the signal lamps. Yes. This collar prevents the signal lamp from being directly irradiated with sunlight from above, making it difficult to identify the color to which the signal lamp is lit, while allowing the signal lamp light to travel straight forward and to help prevent rain. ing.

In addition, the arrangement of red, yellow, and blue lamps shows a sharp contrast between the snow-capped region and the other regions, although they are snake feet. In the snowy region, red, yellow and blue lamps are arranged vertically (FIG. 3), whereas in other regions, the red, yellow and blue lamps are arranged horizontally.
However, although it is a brim that has such an effect, when it snows, snow accumulates on this brim, which makes it difficult to see the light of the signal lamp, and the accumulated snow freezes and damages the traffic light etc. There is damage.

Various methods have been proposed to solve these problems.
In Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 58-122200, a snow slide cover is attached.
In Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-187400, a cover for covering a traffic signal integrally is devised.
In Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-147800, a ceramic resistance heating element is attached to perform a snow removal function.
In Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-133699, a heating wire is built in an umbrella for a traffic light to prevent snow accumulation.
Shokai 58-122200 Japanese Utility Model Sho 62-187400 Japanese Utility Model Sho 63-147800 Actual Kaihei 1-133699

In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-109187, a hood is attached to a traffic signal, and an adhesion prevention plate is disposed on the front surface thereof to form a sealed space to prevent snow damage. However, this uses an LED that generates less heat as a light source as a display, and does not actively use the heat generated by the lamp of the traffic light.
JP-A-2003-109187

The problem to be solved is that in the various proposals as described above, it is difficult for any economical reason to prevent snow damage of the same kind of traffic signal that already exists.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention solves these problems by covering a conventional traffic light with an inexpensive transparent cover and utilizing the heat generated from the signal lamp.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the damage of the snow on a traffic signal can be prevented only by putting a transparent cover on the conventional facility (signal).

As a result of examining the prior art and its problems in detail, the present inventor has completed the present invention through the following process.

<Snow Cover Device of the Present Invention>
FIG. 1 shows an apparatus for preventing snow accumulation on a traffic light 1 according to the present invention.
A conventional traffic light 1 is shown in FIG. A red / yellow / blue lamp 2 (21, 22, 23) is attached to the container 11, and a collar 3 (31, 32, 33) is arranged thereon. A snow cover preventing device (FIG. 1- [a]) according to the present invention is the signal device 1 with a cylindrical transparent cover 4 (FIG. 1- [b]) attached thereto.
The transparent cover 4 has a cylindrical shape, and is attached to the traffic light 1 in a shape in which a portion of the collar 31 of the traffic light 1 is missing. The method for attaching the cover 4 is a general method for attaching the cover 4 to the body 11 with screws or the like, and the margin for attaching that portion is not shown. It is necessary to give consideration to prevent the snow from being attached to the screw mounting portion.

Therefore, the portion of the collar 31 is exposed to the snowfall surface. As a result of the experiment (described later), the snowfall amount of the collar 31 and the cover 4 was smaller in the snowfall surface portion of the collar 31 under the same environmental conditions.
You can attach the transparent cover 4 to the front of the signal lamps 21, 22, and 23 for all the traffic lights (red, yellow, and blue), but just by attaching them to the top signal lamp 21 (usually red). Appears. A lot of snow falls on the brim 31 (uppermost) of the traffic light 1, and the heat of the signal lamp 21 and the heat of the traffic light itself are transmitted to the brim 31 to prevent snow accumulation. The power consumption of the signal lamp 21 is about 60 W (watts) per signal.
In addition, the front covered with the cover 4 of the signal lamp 21 is a closed space, and the front surface of the cover 4 (direction in which the driver views the signal) is naturally transparent.

The space formed by the collar 31, the transparent cover 4 and the container 11 has never been highly sealed, but in the experimental example described in detail below, the transparent cover 4 is simply fitted. The effect was sufficient.
<Cover material>

A suitable material for the cover 4 is acrylic or the like, but it is an essential requirement that it be transparent, and in order to send more heat to the collar without escaping the heat from the signal lamp 21 to the outside, It is preferable that it is excellent in heat insulation.
The material is preferably a material that is not prone to snow as much as possible. In the experiment, an acrylic material was used.
The transparent cover 4 has a cylindrical shape, and the point where the collar 31 of the traffic light 1 is missing is attached to the traffic light 1 as described above. The reason for the “missing shape” is the cover material. This is to increase the cover effect such as supplying the heat to the snowfall by directly contacting the collar 31 having good heat conductivity (high thermal conductivity) with the snowfall.
<Boundary area between brim and cover>

The boundary between the collar 31 and the cover 4 is connected smoothly.
Since the cover 4 is attached to the existing traffic signal 1 later, the above object (smooth connection) is achieved by matching the cover 4 with the collar 31 of the signal 1.
<Outdoor experiment>

In order to demonstrate the effect of the present invention, a field experiment was conducted.
FIG. 4 (photo) is the snow damage prevention apparatus according to the present invention, which was taken on February 6, 2003 at 9:00 am.
FIG. 4A is an overall photograph, and FIG. 4B is a partially enlarged photograph.
In the apparatus of the present invention, the blinking of the traffic light was set to 50 seconds, 5 seconds, and 30 seconds for red, yellow, and blue. The installation location is 1603-1 Kamitomiokamachi, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture, and the electrical rooftop of Nagaoka University of Technology.
The experimental installation location is the point 1 shown in FIG.
As can be seen from this experimental example, there is no snow on the collar 31. The snow damage prevention effect by the cover 4 is great.

The photograph of FIG. 5 is a photograph of a traffic light at the intersection of Nishitsu-cho and Nagamine-cho, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture at the same time (February 6, 2003 AM 9:00). The position of the traffic signal is point 2 shown in FIG.
FIG. 5A is an overall photograph, and FIG. 5B is a partially enlarged photograph.
Note that the distance between the installation location point 1 (FIG. 4) of the present invention device and the actual traffic signal point 2 (FIG. 5) is only about 500 m, which is presumed to be a result under substantially the same natural environmental conditions. .
<Comparison of Invention Device and Actual Traffic Signal (Point 1, Point 2 in FIG. 6)>

In the actual traffic signal 1, as shown in FIG. 5 (b), snow 6, 6 was observed. The snow cover 61 shows a state of being piled on the collar 31 and has reached about 10 cm.
On the other hand, in the traffic light 1 using the device of the present invention, snowfalls 5 and 51 were observed. There is almost no snow on the snowfall surface of the brim 31. The snow cover 51 is almost only at the boundary between the cover 4 and the collar 31.
Accordingly, it can be seen that the snow damage prevention apparatus of the present invention hardly showed a snow accumulation phenomenon at the brim 31 of the traffic light 1.
Although it is a snake foot, the quality of snow varies from region to region. In other words, the snow that falls in the Hokkaido region is a smooth snow, so it is difficult to pile up on the traffic lights, but the snow in the Nagaoka region of Niigata Prefecture is so-called solid snow that contains a lot of water, It is easy to pile up. Furthermore, the snow that has accumulated on the traffic light 1 is slightly melted by solar heat during the day and hangs down like a icicle in front of the traffic light to form a snow ridge of several tens of centimeters, which deteriorates the visibility of the traffic light. This can lead to traffic accidents, so it is necessary to drop it with a long stick when the snowfall grows larger. However, the invention of the present invention made a remarkable result against solid snow in the Nagaoka area of Niigata Prefecture.

<Cover 42>
As shown in FIG. 2, the cover attached to the collar 31 is cut obliquely from the cylindrical shape.
Also by this, the same effect as Example 1 can be aimed at.
Except for the experimental examples, the rest are the same as in Example 1.

<Cover>
From the experiment of Example 1, various shapes of the cover 4 are conceivable, so long as a thermally closed space is formed and the upper surface of the collar 31 is exposed to the snowfall surface. The effect of the device can be expected.
Except for the experimental examples, the rest are the same as in Example 1.

In the first to third embodiments, an example in which the cover 4 is newly attached to the existing traffic light 1 is shown as a snow damage prevention to the traffic light 1.
As the traffic signal 1 in the snowy region, it is sufficient to make a signal with the cover 4 attached from the signal production stage. By doing so, the boundary between the collar 31 and the cover 4 and the attachment portion to the vessel body 11 become smoother, and it becomes difficult for snowfall to accumulate in the boundary region.
In other words, if a new traffic signal having a closed space is formed from the beginning as the traffic signal 1 with the body 11 (including the surface portion of the lamp 21), the collar 31 and the cover 4 made of transparent material, the same effect can be obtained. Can be expected. Of course, the upper surface of the cover 4 has a shape in which the collar 3 is exposed to the snowfall surface.

By simply attaching a simple cover 4 to the conventional traffic signal 1, snow damage can be prevented.
It is economical because it does not require other large-scale equipment or a new heat source.
The driver sees the signal at the intersection and does not give a sense of incongruity to the visibility of the traffic light.

It is a snow damage prevention apparatus of the present invention. (A) shows a conventional traffic light (FIG. 3) with a cylindrical cover 4 attached, and (b) shows the cover 4. It is a snow damage prevention apparatus of the present invention. (A) shows a conventional traffic light (FIG. 3) with a cover 42 attached, and (b) shows the cover 42 having a shape different from that in FIG. 1 (b). This is a conventional traffic signal 1 in a snowy region. It is an experiment photograph of the snow damage prevention apparatus of this invention. (A) is an overall image, and (b) is a partially enlarged photograph thereof. It is the photograph of the snow damage situation to the conventional traffic light. (A) shows the snowfall situation to a traffic light at an intersection in Nagaoka city, and (b) is an enlarged photograph thereof. The map of the installation location point 1 of the snow damage prevention apparatus of this invention and the installation location point 2 of the conventional signal apparatus is shown.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Traffic signal 11 Body 2, 21, 22, 23 Signal lamp 3, 31, 32, 33 Brim 4, 42 Cover 5, 51 Snow accumulation to this invention apparatus 6, 61 Snow to actual traffic light

Claims (9)

In the snow damage prevention device for the traffic signal (1) comprising the body (11), the signal lamp (2) and the collar (3),
In front of the signal lamp (2),
A transparent material cover (4) is installed except for most of the collar (3) and is closed by the cover (4), the vessel (11), the signal lamp (2) and the collar (3). Create a space
A snow damage prevention device for a traffic signal device, which prevents snow accumulation by utilizing heat of the signal lamp (2). In claim 1,
The snow damage prevention device for a traffic signal according to claim 1, wherein the cover (4) has a substantially cylindrical shape together with the collar (3). In claim 1,
The snow damage prevention device for a traffic signal, wherein the cover (42) is formed in a cylindrical shape together with the collar (3), and the front lower surface is cut. In the snow damage prevention method for the traffic signal (1) comprising the body (11), the signal lamp (2) and the collar (3),
In front of the signal lamp (2),
A transparent material cover (4) is installed except for most of the collar (3) and is closed by the cover (4), the vessel (11), the signal lamp (2) and the collar (3). Create a space
A method for preventing snow damage of a traffic light, characterized in that snow is prevented by utilizing heat of the signal lamp (2). In claim 4,
The cover (4) has a substantially cylindrical shape together with the collar (3). In claim 4,
The method for preventing snow damage of a traffic signal, wherein the cover (42) is formed in a cylindrical shape together with the collar (3), and the front lower surface is cut. In the snow damage prevention cover of the traffic signal (1) comprising the body (11), the signal lamp (2) and the collar (3),
In front of the signal lamp (2),
A transparent material cover (4) is installed except for most of the collar (3) and is closed by the cover (4), the vessel (11), the signal lamp (2) and the collar (3). Create a space
A snow traffic prevention cover for a traffic signal device, wherein the heat of the signal lamp (2) is used to prevent snow accumulation. In claim 7,
The cover (4) has a substantially cylindrical shape together with the collar (3). In claim 7,
A cover for preventing snow damage of a traffic signal, wherein the cover (42) is formed in a cylindrical shape together with the collar (3), and the front lower surface is cut.