NO20120513A1 - Block for road parts and road parts - Google Patents

Abstract

A block (100) of a guide divider has a first end with recesses (132) and projections (131, 133) and a second end (140) with complementary projections (142) and recesses (141, 143) so that the projections and recesses ( 131-133; 141-143) fit into recesses and projections on neighboring blocks of the same shape as the block (100), the recesses and projections being provided with bores (160) arranged to receive a cylindrical locking pin (150). The base (110) has vertical side walls (111, 112) that prevent a vehicle from climbing the block. The locking pin (150) is formed by a hollow, deformable tube, so that the impact energy upon collision to a greater extent deforms the block and to a lesser extent the vehicle. The block is hollow and can be deployed manually without tools, and then filled with water, sand or equivalent to the desired weight. The guide divider can also be used as a foundation for signs and more.

Description

BACKGROUND

Technical field

[0001] This invention relates to a movable block for use in a road divider.

Background technology

[0002] Road dividers which consist of blocks placed one behind the other in a row are often used to separate car traffic from oncoming traffic, pedestrians or road workers and for other purposes where it is desirable to prevent a vehicle ending up in a place where it can do damage.

[0003] Today, it is common to use concrete blocks in such road dividers. The specific weight of concrete makes the blocks relatively heavy in relation to their size. A concrete block also weighs relatively much compared to a car, for example 50% or more of the car's weight, and has relatively large friction against the ground. If a vehicle drives into a row of such concrete blocks, the concrete blocks will therefore move relatively little. Consequently, a relatively large part of the vehicle's kinetic energy will go into deforming the vehicle. This can increase injuries to the driver and any passengers and is undesirable.

[0004] US 6,413,009 B1 is an example of road dividers which are assembled from blocks which are hinged at the ends. Such blocks can be made of reinforced concrete. US 6,413, 009 B1 describes blocks with a V-shape towards the ends to avoid corner damage in the event of impact, i.e. when the hinged elements swing in relation to each other. The blocks are also equipped with shock absorbers on the partition to dampen the shock in the event of a collision. Concrete blocks require heavy loading tools when deployed, and it is unknown to what extent a shock absorber, for example an elastic element or a deformable metal structure, absorbs energy in the event of a collision.

[0005] US 5,387,049 describes a road divider which has a number of containers filled with water or another shock-absorbing medium, and can be deployed and then filled with water. Longitudinal steel ropes are stretched and fixed in the blocks after deployment, so that the road divider as a whole gives way in the event of a collision and guides the car back into the right lane. Disadvantages of this road divider are that tools and work are required to stretch the wire rope during installation, and that long sections of wire rope must be replaced after collisions.

[0006] US 6,913,415 B1 describes a modular road divider where each block has a first end with a projection that has a rotationally symmetrical end and a second end with a corresponding rotationally symmetrical recess. When two blocks are placed side by side, the projection of one block fits into the recess(es) of the neighboring block. A locking pin can be inserted into vertical bores through protrusions and recesses in two neighboring blocks, so that the blocks are pivotally locked against each other. The blocks can be made of rotationally molded polyethylene, and filled with, for example, water. The blocks can also be secured with stretch bands, e.g. 75mm x 6mm polyethylene straps, which are laid in a figure-of-eight pattern around two neighboring blocks and tightened with a ratchet or similar. The tensile bands distribute the forces from a collision on several blocks. If desired, the locking pins can be fixed in the substrate, and an optional friction mat can be placed between the block and the substrate. Excerpts from this document appear in the preamble to claim 1.

[0007] The road divider in US 6,913, 415 has a sloping edge at the bottom. If a car hits this edge, it will climb onto the divider and be able to pass over the block.

[0008] The blocks in the road divider are also joined with hard bolts. In the event of a collision, the energy will therefore not go into deforming the bolts, but will instead deform the loops. This increases the risk of the blocks sliding apart in the event of a collision.

[0009] The task sought to be solved with the present invention is to produce an improved block for road parts which solves at least one of the problems in known technology.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] This task is solved with a block as stated in claim 1.

[0011] When the base part has sufficiently high, vertical side walls, the wheels of a vehicle cannot climb onto the block. If a vehicle drives on a road divider made of such blocks, the blocks are thus shifted sideways without the vehicle climbing onto the road divider and passing over.

[0012] When the locking pin is formed from a hollow, deformable tube, part of the vehicle's kinetic energy in such a collision contributes to deforming the tube. Thus, less energy is available to break loose protrusions with bores from the block, and the road divider can therefore absorb more movement energy from the vehicle than previously known road dividers before the blocks are broken apart.

[0013] Each pair of neighboring blocks is preferably pivotally connected about its common locking pin. Thus, a series of blocks can be deployed with an angle between the longitudinal axis of neighboring blocks. If a vehicle with a velocity component in the block's longitudinal direction hits the block, the block will be displaced laterally and pull neighboring blocks with it. The blocks will link together as described above, forming a curve that guides the vehicle back into the correct lane.

[0014] The block is preferably hollow and has an inlet at the top and an outlet at the bottom. If the block is made of PE and filled with air, it will be light enough to be handled by one or two people without lifting tools. Once the block is in place, it can be filled with water, sand, gravel, concrete, anti-freeze liquid, foam or anything else through the inlet. In this way, the block's mass can increase, so that it is not moved too much laterally in the event of a collision. Increased mass also means that the normal force from the block on the surface, and thus the friction, increases. In the event of a collision, a larger part of the vehicle's kinetic energy is thus used to overcome friction between the block and the ground, so that less energy is available for deformation of the road divider and the vehicle.

[0015] The block also has at least one through hole along the width axis. In a hollow block, the block's side walls are held together by the walls in such holes, so that the block's side walls do not bulge when the block is filled.

[0016] The block can also have baluster fasteners fixed in the top part. The baluster mounts may be sleeves or holes adapted to receive vertical fence posts. Alternatively or in addition, the baluster fasteners can be brackets with screw fasteners for vertical posts which, for example, can in turn be fasteners for guardrails, wire or other known means used to separate traffic. The blocks can also be placed individually or in a row and form the foundation for noise screens, traffic signs, advertising signs, bus shelters and more.

[0017] A number of blocks of this type can be placed end to end and connected together with locking pins and bores to form a road divider. The road divider can be equipped with a fence and/or a guardrail on top to prevent cars or car parts from passing the divider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in more detail in the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings, where:

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a road divider seen in perspective.

Fig. 2 shows a series of road dividers assembled into a series.

Fig. 3 shows the embodiment of Fig. 1 seen from above.

Fig. 4 shows the embodiment of Fig. 1 seen from the side.

Fig. 5 shows the embodiment of Fig. 1 seen from one end.

Fig. 6a-d shows a preferred locking pin

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a block 100. The block has a base part 110 and a top part 120. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the base part is wider than the top part 120 when the block 100 is seen from one end. In the longitudinal direction, the block 100 has a first end 130 and a second end 140. The first end 130 has a recess 132 and projections 131, 133. The second end 140 has a projection 142 and recesses 141, 143. When two blocks of this type is assembled, the projection 142 fits into the recess 132 on the neighboring block, while the neighboring block's projections 131 and 133 pass above and below the projection 142. The recesses and projections 131-133 and 141-143 are clearly visible in figure 4.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the block 100 is produced as a hollow body of a suitable plastic material, e.g. polyethylene (PE). When the block is hollow, it can be emptied and moved without the use of tools and filled with e.g. sand or water before use. The block can be manufactured using conventional methods, eg rotational molding and/or welding. Such methods are well known to experts in the field, and are therefore not described in more detail here.

[0021] Figure 2 shows a number of blocks 100 end to end so that protrusions and recesses are threaded into each other. Neighboring blocks are interconnected by locking pins 150 threaded into the bores 160 which essentially run vertically, i.e. into the plane of the paper in Figure 2.

[0022] As shown in figures 1 and 5, the base part 110 has side walls 111, 112 which extend vertically. In other words, they lack an inclined plane that can guide a vehicle up onto the block and, in the worst case, over the block, where it can be dangerous for oncoming traffic or injure people. The walls 111 and 112 should be sufficiently high that a vehicle wheel does not climb onto the block. If a vehicle drives on a road divider made of such blocks, the blocks are thus shifted sideways without the vehicle climbing onto the road divider and passing over.

[0023] Figure 5 shows a locking pin 150 which is formed from a hollow, deformable tube. This pipe is threaded through the bores 160 in protrusions and recesses on two neighboring blocks, so that the two neighboring blocks are connected together. As the locking pin is deformable, part of the vehicle's kinetic energy in a collision contributes to deforming the pipe. Thus, less energy is available to break loose protrusions 131, 133 and 142 with bores from the block, and the road divider can therefore absorb more movement energy from the vehicle than previously known road dividers before the blocks are broken apart.

[0024] As shown in Fig 2, the end surfaces of the blocks are adapted to allow an angle between the longitudinal axes of two neighboring blocks (100), so that the road divider 200, which consists of connected blocks 100, can follow a bend, be placed around a corner, etc. the preferred embodiment shown in the figures has end protrusions and recesses 131-133; 141-143 have cylindrical end surfaces. In Figure 3, which shows the block seen from above, it is clear that the ends are semi-circles with the center in the center of the bore 160.

[0025] As mentioned, the block 100 is preferably hollow. When filled with air, a suitable mass can be 50-100 kg, so that one or two people can put the block in place without a crane, and connect it with the neighboring block in the road divider 200. The mass can be increased by filling the block with a liquid or a powder material, such as water or sand. An inlet 170 is located at the top for replenishing such a medium.

[0026] The figures also show an outlet 180 at the bottom of the block 100. This outlet facilitates emptying the block. However, applications are conceivable where the contents of the block are not to be emptied directly into the environment. For example, water with added glycol or other antifreeze can be filled on the block to prevent the water from freezing, expanding and damaging or destroying the block. Glycol and other chemicals should not be readily discharged directly into the environment through an outlet 180, but instead pumped back through the inlet 170 for recycling or destruction. The outlet 180 is thus not used in such applications, and in other words can be omitted in some embodiments.

[0027] The block 100 preferably has at least one through hole 190 along the width axis, i.e. between the side walls. The through holes 190 have walls that hold the block's side walls together when the block 100 is filled with liquid, sand or the like. Alternatively, the blocks can be equipped with internal ribs or stiffeners to achieve the same effect. In the case of rotational moulding, however, the mold can easily be pulled out of the hole 190, and the extra work of placing stiffeners in the mold is avoided.

[0028] Both holes or tunnels 190 and other stiffeners should be placed and designed so that sand and other powder materials pile up and prevent the distribution and filling of the block 100.

[0029] The top part 120 preferably has baluster attachments 170, 171, 172. In Figure 3, these are illustrated as vertical sleeves into the paper plane, where posts can be threaded to attach, for example, a fence, a guard rail or steel cables which, after assembly, run along the road divider 200. The baluster fasteners may alternatively be brackets or other fasteners for vertical posts or balusters, and they may alternatively be attached to one or both sides of the top part 120.

[0030] The road divider 200 in Figure 2 thus comprises a number of blocks 100 of the type described above. Each block 100 can be deployed manually in an empty state, and connected to the neighboring block with a deformable locking pin 150. The block is then filled with, for example, water or sand so that the mass, and thus the friction against the substrate, increases. Finally, a fence, guard rail or steel cables (not shown) can be mounted on top of the road divider 200.

[0031] Assume that such a road divider is mounted along a roadway, and that a vehicle veers to the side and hits the road divider 200. Because the lower part of each block 100 has vertical walls, the vehicle is not guided onto or over the road divider. In the event of such a collision, it is not desirable for the road divider to be static so that all of the car's kinetic energy goes into deforming the car, as this increases the risk of injury to the person(s) in the car. The filled blocks 100 therefore preferably have a mass that is small enough for the blocks 100 to be moved sideways in such a collision, but not so small that the road divider is displaced so much that it itself becomes dangerous for oncoming traffic or people it was intended to protect. A mass of, for example, 1-5 tonnes can be suitable. The actual mass that should be used depends on friction between the block 100 and the substrate, whether shear bolts are fitted in the substrate, etc.

[0032] When a block 100 is moved laterally, it will pull the neighboring blocks with it via the deformable locking pins 150. Since work is involved in deforming the locking pins, the energy used to deform the vehicle is reduced accordingly.

[0033] A fence, guard rail or steel cables that are mounted on top along the road divider 200 can contribute further to the vehicle being guided back to the right lane so that it causes the least possible damage.

Claims (8)

1. Block (100) for road parts with a longitudinal axis, a height axis and a width axis perpendicular to each other, a base part (110) which, measured along the width axis, is wider than a top part (120), where a first end (130) of the block (100) ) has recesses (132) and projections (131, 133) and a second end (140) of the block (100) has complementary projections (142) and recesses (141, 143) so that the projections and recesses (131-133; 141- 143) fits into recesses and protrusions on neighboring blocks of the same shape as the block (100), where the recesses and protrusions are equipped with bores (160) adapted to receive a cylindrical locking pin (150), characterized in that the base part (110) has side walls (111, 112) which run parallel to the height axis and that the locking pin (150) is formed by a hollow, deformable tube. 2. Block according to claim 1, where the end projections and recesses (131-133; 141-143) have end surfaces adapted to allow an angle between the longitudinal axes of two neighboring blocks (100) when the neighboring blocks are connected with a common locking pin (150) through the bores ( 160). 3. Block according to claim 2, where the end projections and recesses (131-133; 141-143) have cylindrical end surfaces and the axes of rotation of the cylinders coincide with the axis of the bore. 4. Block according to one of the preceding claims, where the block (100) is hollow and has an inlet (170) at the top. 5. Block according to claim 4, where the block (100) has an outlet (180) at the bottom. 6. Block according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one through hole (190) along the width axis. 7. Block according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising baluster attachments fixed in the top part (120). 8. Road parts (200) with a number of blocks (100) as stated in one of the preceding claims, where the blocks are placed end to end, and each pair of neighboring blocks is connected by a deformable locking pin (150).