US20020121188A1 - Fluid actuator for hinged vehicle safety devices - Google Patents
Fluid actuator for hinged vehicle safety devices Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20020121188A1 US20020121188A1 US09/798,149 US79814901A US2002121188A1 US 20020121188 A1 US20020121188 A1 US 20020121188A1 US 79814901 A US79814901 A US 79814901A US 2002121188 A1 US2002121188 A1 US 2002121188A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- lever arm
- rotor
- housing
- arm
- retracted
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 47
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 229910001369 Brass Inorganic materials 0.000 description 7
- 239000010951 brass Substances 0.000 description 7
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002939 deleterious effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
- G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
- G09F21/00—Mobile visual advertising
- G09F21/04—Mobile visual advertising by land vehicles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
- B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
- B60Q1/50—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16J—PISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
- F16J1/00—Pistons; Trunk pistons; Plungers
- F16J1/10—Connection to driving members
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
- G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
- G09F7/00—Signs, name or number plates, letters, numerals, or symbols; Panels or boards
- G09F7/18—Means for attaching signs, plates, panels, or boards to a supporting structure
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
- G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
- G09F7/00—Signs, name or number plates, letters, numerals, or symbols; Panels or boards
- G09F7/18—Means for attaching signs, plates, panels, or boards to a supporting structure
- G09F7/22—Means for attaching signs, plates, panels, or boards to a supporting structure for rotatably or swingably mounting, e.g. for boards adapted to be rotated by the wind
Definitions
- This invention relates hinged vehicle safety devices and more particularly to actuators for hinged vehicle safety devices.
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,239 granted to Ronald C. Lamparter Oct. 18, 1994 discloses an actuating device for operating a safety unit, such as a crossing arm or a stop sign, that moves between a retracted position adjacent the vehicle and an extended position extending outwardly from the vehicle.
- a housing is mounted on the vehicle and a bracket is pivotally mounted on the housing for movement about a vertical pivot axis between a retracted position and an extended position.
- the actuating device includes a drive mechanism having a drive unit for pivoting the bracket about the pivot axis and an electric motor for driving the drive unit.
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,553 granted to Ronald C. Lamparter Feb. 17, 1998 discloses a sealed actuator assembly for hinged vehicle safety devices, such as a crossing arm or a stop sign.
- the sealed actuator assembly is attached to the vehicle and includes the electrical and mechanical components that pivot the hinged safety device from a stored position adjacent the bus to an operative position extending outwardly of the bus.
- These components and wiring harnesses are protected in an outer sealed housing that has a removable cover to facilitate installation and repair. Installation and repair is further enhanced by a removable inner housing sub-assembly that carries a motor control circuit for the electric motor and provides additional protection for the electric motor.
- actuators described above are very satisfactory for their intended purpose.
- both actuators use an electric motor to pivot the vehicle safety device, which is fine because all vehicles include an electric storage battery for a power source.
- some vehicles and school busses in particular normally include a fluid power source such as an air pump for operating other systems and accessories.
- the fluid power source may be preferred over the electrical power source for one reason or another.
- the fluid power source cannot operate the actuators described above.
- This invention provides an actuator assembly for hinged vehicle safety devices, such as a stop sign or a crossing arm, that is fluid operated, preferably by pressurized air.
- the actuator assembly has a housing with a cylinder attached inside the housing.
- a piston slides in the cylinder and forms a fluid chamber between the piston and a closed end of the cylinder.
- a passage extends into the housing and opens into the fluid chamber.
- a lever arm is pivotally supported at one end inside the housing for pivotal movement between retracted and extended positions, the lever arm extending over the cylinder and having a lip at an opposite end that is spaced from the cylinder.
- a pivot arm engages an upper surface of the piston at one end and the lever arm at an opposite end to transfer motion from the piston to the lever arm.
- a rotor is rotationally mounted in the housing for movement between retracted and extended positions, the rotor having a spool at one end and an eccentric arm next to the spool that engages the lip of the lever arm.
- a torsion spring encircles the spool with one end engaging the rotor and an opposite end engaging a stop in the housing so that the eccentric arm is biased against the lip of the lever arm and the rotor and the lever arm are biased to their respective retracted positions.
- the rotor preferably has a spool and a torsion spring at each end for balanced operation.
- the piston has a deep cavity in an upper surface that includes a concentric ball socket, and the pivot arm has a ball at the one end that engages the ball socket to minimize height requirements.
- the housing preferably has a base and a removable cover while several internal parts preferably form a sub-assembly to make assembly easier.
- the actuator preferably includes a lever arm pivot attachment that is an integral part of the base member of the subassembly and that is designed to permit snap assembly of the lever arm to the lever arm pivot attachment.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a school bus equipped with a hinged stop sign and a hinged crossing arm and a fluid actuator of the invention for pivoting the hinged stop sign and an identical assembly for pivoting the hinged crossing arm;
- FIG. 2 is a front view of the hinged stop sign and the fluid actuator that is shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is an enlarged from view of the fluid actuator of FIG. 2 with the cover removed to show internal detail;
- FIG. 4 is a section taken substantially along the line 4 - 4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows:
- FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a sub-assembly of the fluid actuator that is shown in FIG. 2;
- FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the hinged stop sign that is shown in FIG. 2.
- FIG. 1 shows a school bus 10 equipped with a hinged stop sign 12 and a fluid actuator 14 of the invention.
- Actuator 14 is attached to the body side panel 16 of the bus and pivots stop sign 14 between a stored or retracted position adjacent the body side panel 16 and an extended position where stop sign 12 is substantially perpendicular to the body side panel 16 .
- Actuator 14 comprises a housing 18 that has a base 20 and a removable cover 22 .
- Housing 18 is preferably sealed to protect internal components from the environment.
- the internal components are preferably formed into a subassembly 24 that is illustrated best in FIG. 5 and that is fastened to the bottom of base 20 by screws 26 when cover 22 is removed as shown in FIG. 3.
- Subassembly 24 comprises a generally planar base member 28 that has a right cylinder 30 attached to it so that right cylinder 30 has a closed end at the base member and an open end spaced from the base member.
- Piston 32 slides in right cylinder 30 and forms a fluid chamber 33 between the piston and the closed end of the right cylinder that communicates with a fluid power source 98 via passage 34 that extends through the closed end of cylinder 30 and the bottom of base 20 .
- Cylinder 30 is preferably an integral part of base member 28 for economy in which case passage 34 extends through base member 28 .
- the outer end surface of piston 32 has a concentric ball socket 35 with the ball socket 35 preferably located at the bottom of a deep cavity 37 in the outer end surface of piston 32 that converges to the ball socket 35 .
- Cavity 37 cooperates in minimizing height requirements for housing 28 as explained below.
- Base member 20 also has a lever arm pivot support 36 that is attached to it to define a pivot axis 38 that is spaced outwardly of cylinder 30 and that is substantially parallel to the generally planar base member 28 .
- the lever arm pivot support 36 comprises laterally spaced supports 40 and a retainer 42 disposed between the laterally spaced supports 40 .
- Supports 40 and retainer 42 are preferably an integral part of base member 28 for economy.
- Retainer 42 is also preferably integrally attached to cylinder 30 by an extension for increased strength.
- a lever arm 44 is pivotally attached to the lever arm pivot support 36 at one end so that the lever arm swings between a retracted position shown in solid line in FIG. 4 and an extended position shown in phantom line in FIG. 4. More specifically, lever arm 44 has laterally extending end pins 46 that nest in semi-cylindrical grooves in the tops of supports 40 and a concentric center pin 48 that fits under a curved hook at the top of retainer 42 to locate the three concentric pins on pivot axis 38 . The end of lever arm 44 and pivot support 36 are resilient enough so that end pins 46 and center pin 48 can be snapped into place to facilitate assembly.
- the pivotally attached lever arm 44 has a generally concavo-convex body 50 that extends over cylinder 30 and terminates in a lip 52 that is spaced from cylinder 30 .
- the concave side of body 50 faces the open end of cylinder 30 to minimize height requirements for housing 18 .
- the concave side of body 50 also has a semi-cylindrical seat 54 that is parallel to pivot axis 38 and that is located near the center of cylinder 30 .
- Subassembly 24 further includes a pivot arm 56 that has a ball 58 at one end that engages ball socket 35 of piston 32 and a cylindrical nose 60 at an opposite end that engages seat 54 of lever arm 44 .
- Fluid actuator 14 has a rotor 62 that is rotationally mounted in housing 20 by the hinged stop sign 12 for rotation about an axis 64 that is parallel to axis 38 as explained below.
- Rotor 62 has a spool 66 at each end and an eccentric arm 68 between the spools at the respective ends of the rotor.
- Eccentric arm 68 engages lip 52 of lever arm 44 .
- rotor 62 is rotated substantially 90 degrees from a retracted position shown in solid line to an extended position shown in phantom line in FIG. 4 when lever arm 44 is moved between these respective positions by piston 32 .
- a torsion spring 70 encircles each spool 66 with one end 72 anchored in a hole in rotor 66 and an opposite end 74 engaging a groove in the top of spring stop posts 76 that are attached to base member 28 .
- Torsion springs 70 bias rotor 62 to the retracted position, that is, counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 4. This also biases lever arm 44 counterclockwise to the retracted position shown in solid line in FIG. 4 where lip 52 engages the bottom of base 20 .
- Posts 76 are preferably an integral part of base member 28 for economy.
- Stop sign 2 mounts rotor 62 rotationally in housing 18 by means of two hollow L-shaped arms 80 that are shown and described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,687,500 and 5,796,331 granted to Ronald C. Lamparter Nov. 18, 1997 and Aug. 18, 1998 respectively.
- the L-shaped arms 80 are mounted in the hollow ends of vertically spaced hinge members 82 of stop sign 12 with a vertical leg 84 that protrudes through a hole of the respective hinge member 82 and extends inwardly.
- Each vertical leg 84 has a flange 86 , a round portion 88 outwardly of the flange, and a reduced end portion that is not round, such as the hexagonal end portion 90 .
- Each round portion 88 rides in a flanged brass collar 92 while each hexagonal end portion 90 fits into a correspondingly shaped, concentric recess in the end of a respective spool 66 of rotor 62 .
- Base 20 and cover 22 each have two semicircular recesses opposite each other in their respective side walls that form two round holes for supporting the flanged brass collars 92 when the cover 22 is attached to base 20 .
- the brass collars 20 are cradled and held in the recesses of the base 20 by the recesses of the cover 22 .
- the cover 22 thus acts in the manner of a bearing cap so that the brass collars 92 can be seated in the cradles of base 20 when the cover 22 is removed for installation of sub-assembly 24 .
- Brass collars 92 are then held in place when cover 22 is attached which completes the rotational mounting of rotor 62 in housing 18 .
- the upper hinge member 82 of stop sign 12 preferably has a flared annular skirt 96 that covers the hole and the flanges of upper brass collar 92 and arm 80 like an umbrella.
- the fluid actuator 14 operates in the following manner.
- bus 10 stops to pick-up or discharge passengers fluid, preferably air, under pressure from source 98 is admitted into chamber 33 via a fluid control valve 100 and passage 34 .
- Fluid power sources and fluid control valves are well known and thus need not be shown or described in detail.
- fluid power source 98 and fluid control valve 100 are merely shown schematically in FIG. 4.
- As pressurized fluid is admitted into chamber 33 chamber 33 expands pushing piston 32 outwardly.
- Piston 32 in turn pivots lever 44 clockwise from the retracted position shown in solid line in FIG. 4 to the extended position shown in phantom.
- Lever 44 in turn pivots rotor 92 clockwise substantially 90° from the solid line retracted position to the phantom line extended position.
- Stop sign 12 being attached to rotor 92 , swing substantially 90° from a stored position adjacent side wall 16 of bus 10 to an extended or operative position substantially perpendicular to the side wall. It should be noted that arm 68 is spaced from cover 22 when sign 12 is in the extended position. This allows sign 12 to travel past the extended perpendicular position without damaging actuator 14 in case sign 12 pushed past the extended position.
- fluid control valve 100 is operated to exhaust chamber 33 , and piston 32 is retracted by torsion springs 74 which also retracts stop sign 12 , rotor 92 and lever 44 to their respective retracted positions.
- the fluid actuator 14 can also be used for other hinged safety devices such as a hinged crossing arm assembly 112 that is shown in FIG. 1.
- hinged crossing arm assemblies are well known and are pivoted substantially 90° from a retracted position against the front bumper of the bus 10 to an extended position substantially perpendicular to the bumper.
- the fluid actuator 14 is preferably operated by pressurized air which is clean cheap and easy to handle, the fluid actuator 14 may be operated by any gas, by vacuum or even by liquids such as hydraulic fluid or oil, with the proper well known modifications.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
- Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
- Marketing (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Actuator (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates hinged vehicle safety devices and more particularly to actuators for hinged vehicle safety devices.
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,239 granted to Ronald C. Lamparter Oct. 18, 1994 discloses an actuating device for operating a safety unit, such as a crossing arm or a stop sign, that moves between a retracted position adjacent the vehicle and an extended position extending outwardly from the vehicle. A housing is mounted on the vehicle and a bracket is pivotally mounted on the housing for movement about a vertical pivot axis between a retracted position and an extended position. The actuating device includes a drive mechanism having a drive unit for pivoting the bracket about the pivot axis and an electric motor for driving the drive unit.
- U.S. Pat. No. 5,719,553 granted to Ronald C. Lamparter Feb. 17, 1998 discloses a sealed actuator assembly for hinged vehicle safety devices, such as a crossing arm or a stop sign. The sealed actuator assembly is attached to the vehicle and includes the electrical and mechanical components that pivot the hinged safety device from a stored position adjacent the bus to an operative position extending outwardly of the bus. These components and wiring harnesses are protected in an outer sealed housing that has a removable cover to facilitate installation and repair. Installation and repair is further enhanced by a removable inner housing sub-assembly that carries a motor control circuit for the electric motor and provides additional protection for the electric motor.
- The actuators described above are very satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, both actuators use an electric motor to pivot the vehicle safety device, which is fine because all vehicles include an electric storage battery for a power source. On the other hand, some vehicles and school busses in particular, normally include a fluid power source such as an air pump for operating other systems and accessories. The fluid power source may be preferred over the electrical power source for one reason or another. However, the fluid power source cannot operate the actuators described above.
- This invention provides an actuator assembly for hinged vehicle safety devices, such as a stop sign or a crossing arm, that is fluid operated, preferably by pressurized air. The actuator assembly has a housing with a cylinder attached inside the housing. A piston slides in the cylinder and forms a fluid chamber between the piston and a closed end of the cylinder. A passage extends into the housing and opens into the fluid chamber. A lever arm is pivotally supported at one end inside the housing for pivotal movement between retracted and extended positions, the lever arm extending over the cylinder and having a lip at an opposite end that is spaced from the cylinder. A pivot arm engages an upper surface of the piston at one end and the lever arm at an opposite end to transfer motion from the piston to the lever arm. A rotor is rotationally mounted in the housing for movement between retracted and extended positions, the rotor having a spool at one end and an eccentric arm next to the spool that engages the lip of the lever arm. A torsion spring encircles the spool with one end engaging the rotor and an opposite end engaging a stop in the housing so that the eccentric arm is biased against the lip of the lever arm and the rotor and the lever arm are biased to their respective retracted positions. When pressurized air is admitted to the chamber, the piston extends and pivots the lever arm toward the extended position. The lever arm in turn rotates the rotor and the safety device attached to it toward the extended position.
- The rotor preferably has a spool and a torsion spring at each end for balanced operation. In another preferred form, the piston has a deep cavity in an upper surface that includes a concentric ball socket, and the pivot arm has a ball at the one end that engages the ball socket to minimize height requirements. The housing preferably has a base and a removable cover while several internal parts preferably form a sub-assembly to make assembly easier. To this same end, the actuator preferably includes a lever arm pivot attachment that is an integral part of the base member of the subassembly and that is designed to permit snap assembly of the lever arm to the lever arm pivot attachment.
- The above and objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like references refer to like parts and wherein:
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a school bus equipped with a hinged stop sign and a hinged crossing arm and a fluid actuator of the invention for pivoting the hinged stop sign and an identical assembly for pivoting the hinged crossing arm;
- FIG. 2 is a front view of the hinged stop sign and the fluid actuator that is shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is an enlarged from view of the fluid actuator of FIG. 2 with the cover removed to show internal detail;
- FIG. 4 is a section taken substantially along the line4-4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows:
- FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a sub-assembly of the fluid actuator that is shown in FIG. 2; and
- FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the hinged stop sign that is shown in FIG. 2.
- Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a school bus10 equipped with a hinged
stop sign 12 and afluid actuator 14 of the invention.Actuator 14 is attached to thebody side panel 16 of the bus andpivots stop sign 14 between a stored or retracted position adjacent thebody side panel 16 and an extended position wherestop sign 12 is substantially perpendicular to thebody side panel 16. - Actuator14 comprises a
housing 18 that has abase 20 and aremovable cover 22.Housing 18 is preferably sealed to protect internal components from the environment. The internal components are preferably formed into asubassembly 24 that is illustrated best in FIG. 5 and that is fastened to the bottom ofbase 20 byscrews 26 whencover 22 is removed as shown in FIG. 3. - Subassembly24 comprises a generally
planar base member 28 that has a right cylinder 30 attached to it so that right cylinder 30 has a closed end at the base member and an open end spaced from the base member. Piston 32 slides in right cylinder 30 and forms afluid chamber 33 between the piston and the closed end of the right cylinder that communicates with afluid power source 98 viapassage 34 that extends through the closed end of cylinder 30 and the bottom ofbase 20. Cylinder 30 is preferably an integral part ofbase member 28 for economy in whichcase passage 34 extends throughbase member 28. - The outer end surface of
piston 32 has aconcentric ball socket 35 with theball socket 35 preferably located at the bottom of adeep cavity 37 in the outer end surface ofpiston 32 that converges to theball socket 35.Cavity 37 cooperates in minimizing height requirements forhousing 28 as explained below. -
Base member 20 also has a leverarm pivot support 36 that is attached to it to define apivot axis 38 that is spaced outwardly of cylinder 30 and that is substantially parallel to the generallyplanar base member 28. The leverarm pivot support 36 comprises laterally spacedsupports 40 and aretainer 42 disposed between the laterallyspaced supports 40.Supports 40 andretainer 42 are preferably an integral part ofbase member 28 for economy.Retainer 42 is also preferably integrally attached to cylinder 30 by an extension for increased strength. - A
lever arm 44 is pivotally attached to the leverarm pivot support 36 at one end so that the lever arm swings between a retracted position shown in solid line in FIG. 4 and an extended position shown in phantom line in FIG. 4. More specifically,lever arm 44 has laterally extendingend pins 46 that nest in semi-cylindrical grooves in the tops ofsupports 40 and aconcentric center pin 48 that fits under a curved hook at the top ofretainer 42 to locate the three concentric pins onpivot axis 38. The end oflever arm 44 andpivot support 36 are resilient enough so thatend pins 46 andcenter pin 48 can be snapped into place to facilitate assembly. - The pivotally attached
lever arm 44 has a generally concavo-convex body 50 that extends over cylinder 30 and terminates in alip 52 that is spaced from cylinder 30. The concave side ofbody 50 faces the open end of cylinder 30 to minimize height requirements forhousing 18. The concave side ofbody 50 also has a semi-cylindrical seat 54 that is parallel topivot axis 38 and that is located near the center of cylinder 30. - Subassembly24 further includes a
pivot arm 56 that has aball 58 at one end that engagesball socket 35 ofpiston 32 and acylindrical nose 60 at an opposite end that engages seat 54 oflever arm 44. -
Fluid actuator 14 has arotor 62 that is rotationally mounted inhousing 20 by thehinged stop sign 12 for rotation about anaxis 64 that is parallel toaxis 38 as explained below.Rotor 62 has aspool 66 at each end and aneccentric arm 68 between the spools at the respective ends of the rotor.Eccentric arm 68 engageslip 52 oflever arm 44. Thusrotor 62 is rotated substantially 90 degrees from a retracted position shown in solid line to an extended position shown in phantom line in FIG. 4 whenlever arm 44 is moved between these respective positions bypiston 32. - A
torsion spring 70 encircles eachspool 66 with oneend 72 anchored in a hole inrotor 66 and anopposite end 74 engaging a groove in the top of spring stop posts 76 that are attached tobase member 28. Torsion springs 70bias rotor 62 to the retracted position, that is, counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 4. This alsobiases lever arm 44 counterclockwise to the retracted position shown in solid line in FIG. 4 wherelip 52 engages the bottom ofbase 20.Posts 76 are preferably an integral part ofbase member 28 for economy. - Stop sign2 mounts
rotor 62 rotationally inhousing 18 by means of two hollow L-shapedarms 80 that are shown and described in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,687,500 and 5,796,331 granted to Ronald C. Lamparter Nov. 18, 1997 and Aug. 18, 1998 respectively. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, the L-shapedarms 80 are mounted in the hollow ends of vertically spacedhinge members 82 ofstop sign 12 with avertical leg 84 that protrudes through a hole of therespective hinge member 82 and extends inwardly. Eachvertical leg 84 has aflange 86, around portion 88 outwardly of the flange, and a reduced end portion that is not round, such as thehexagonal end portion 90. Eachround portion 88 rides in aflanged brass collar 92 while eachhexagonal end portion 90 fits into a correspondingly shaped, concentric recess in the end of arespective spool 66 ofrotor 62. -
Base 20 and cover 22 each have two semicircular recesses opposite each other in their respective side walls that form two round holes for supporting theflanged brass collars 92 when thecover 22 is attached tobase 20. Thebrass collars 20 are cradled and held in the recesses of the base 20 by the recesses of thecover 22. Thecover 22 thus acts in the manner of a bearing cap so that thebrass collars 92 can be seated in the cradles ofbase 20 when thecover 22 is removed for installation ofsub-assembly 24.Brass collars 92 are then held in place whencover 22 is attached which completes the rotational mounting ofrotor 62 inhousing 18. - In order to protect the interior of sealed
housing 18 against the intrusion of water, snow, ice and other deleterious matter into thehousing 18 via the upper round hole for theupper brass collar 92 and L-shapedarm 80, theupper hinge member 82 ofstop sign 12 preferably has a flaredannular skirt 96 that covers the hole and the flanges ofupper brass collar 92 andarm 80 like an umbrella. - The
fluid actuator 14 operates in the following manner. When bus 10 stops to pick-up or discharge passengers fluid, preferably air, under pressure fromsource 98 is admitted intochamber 33 via afluid control valve 100 andpassage 34. Fluid power sources and fluid control valves are well known and thus need not be shown or described in detail. Thusfluid power source 98 andfluid control valve 100 are merely shown schematically in FIG. 4. As pressurized fluid is admitted intochamber 33,chamber 33 expands pushingpiston 32 outwardly.Piston 32 in turn pivotslever 44 clockwise from the retracted position shown in solid line in FIG. 4 to the extended position shown in phantom.Lever 44 in turn pivotsrotor 92 clockwise substantially 90° from the solid line retracted position to the phantom line extended position. Stopsign 12 being attached torotor 92, swing substantially 90° from a stored positionadjacent side wall 16 of bus 10 to an extended or operative position substantially perpendicular to the side wall. It should be noted thatarm 68 is spaced fromcover 22 whensign 12 is in the extended position. This allows sign 12 to travel past the extended perpendicular position without damagingactuator 14 in case sign 12 pushed past the extended position. After the passengers have been taken on or discharged,fluid control valve 100 is operated to exhaustchamber 33, andpiston 32 is retracted by torsion springs 74 which also retracts stopsign 12,rotor 92 andlever 44 to their respective retracted positions. - While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in connection with a hinged
stop sign 12, thefluid actuator 14 can also be used for other hinged safety devices such as a hingedcrossing arm assembly 112 that is shown in FIG. 1. Such crossing arm assemblies are well known and are pivoted substantially 90° from a retracted position against the front bumper of the bus 10 to an extended position substantially perpendicular to the bumper. Moreover, while thefluid actuator 14 is preferably operated by pressurized air which is clean cheap and easy to handle, thefluid actuator 14 may be operated by any gas, by vacuum or even by liquids such as hydraulic fluid or oil, with the proper well known modifications. - In other words, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore, to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
Claims (12)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/798,149 US6435075B1 (en) | 2001-03-02 | 2001-03-02 | Fluid actuator for hinged vehicle safety devices |
CA002363616A CA2363616A1 (en) | 2001-03-02 | 2001-11-22 | Fluid actuator for hinged vehicle safety devices |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/798,149 US6435075B1 (en) | 2001-03-02 | 2001-03-02 | Fluid actuator for hinged vehicle safety devices |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US6435075B1 US6435075B1 (en) | 2002-08-20 |
US20020121188A1 true US20020121188A1 (en) | 2002-09-05 |
Family
ID=25172654
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/798,149 Expired - Lifetime US6435075B1 (en) | 2001-03-02 | 2001-03-02 | Fluid actuator for hinged vehicle safety devices |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US6435075B1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2363616A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN109058227A (en) * | 2018-06-13 | 2018-12-21 | 江苏亨睿碳纤维科技有限公司 | A kind of carbon fiber cylinder pedestal and its preparation process |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7921747B2 (en) * | 1999-07-15 | 2011-04-12 | Barnett Robert L | Collapsible control lever |
US6705206B1 (en) * | 2002-10-17 | 2004-03-16 | Transpec, Inc. | Fluid actuator rotor for hinged vehicle safety devices |
US6951184B2 (en) * | 2003-01-16 | 2005-10-04 | Transpec, Inc. | Crossing control arm assembly |
US20100288120A1 (en) * | 2009-05-15 | 2010-11-18 | General Equipment and Manufacturing Company, Inc., d/b/a/ TopWorx, Inc. ("TopWorx") | Single-acting rotary actuator |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5357239A (en) | 1993-05-17 | 1994-10-18 | Transpec, Inc. | Actuating device for bus safety gate and stop sign |
US5796331A (en) * | 1995-09-08 | 1998-08-18 | Transpec Inc. | Illuminated pivotal sign assembly |
US5719553A (en) | 1996-05-29 | 1998-02-17 | Transpec Inc. | Sealed electrical actuator assembly for hinged vehicle safety devices |
-
2001
- 2001-03-02 US US09/798,149 patent/US6435075B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-11-22 CA CA002363616A patent/CA2363616A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN109058227A (en) * | 2018-06-13 | 2018-12-21 | 江苏亨睿碳纤维科技有限公司 | A kind of carbon fiber cylinder pedestal and its preparation process |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US6435075B1 (en) | 2002-08-20 |
CA2363616A1 (en) | 2002-09-02 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US5063811A (en) | Accelerator pedal assembly | |
US6189959B1 (en) | Door adjusting bumper providing show surface alignment | |
US7431357B2 (en) | Exterior door handle with minimum surface intrusion | |
AU2238699A (en) | Single pivot mirror assembly with security light | |
US6435075B1 (en) | Fluid actuator for hinged vehicle safety devices | |
EP1238857A3 (en) | External rearview mirror | |
JP2007522994A (en) | Vehicle windshield wiper systems and the fixing elements of such systems | |
US7005973B2 (en) | Electrical actuator assembly for hinged vehicle safety devices | |
JP2005511407A (en) | Steering wheel mechanism | |
US5719553A (en) | Sealed electrical actuator assembly for hinged vehicle safety devices | |
US6601897B2 (en) | Vehicle interior panel having compartment and swing door | |
US6705206B1 (en) | Fluid actuator rotor for hinged vehicle safety devices | |
US5332186A (en) | Combined adjustable outside mirror with swing lock mechanism | |
US5034860A (en) | Manually actuated vehicle spotlight | |
US6145163A (en) | Check strap assembly for a motor vehicle | |
CN217294412U (en) | Sensor assembly | |
US20070121337A1 (en) | Headlamp reflector linkage | |
US5285031A (en) | Pendulum-activated switch assembly | |
US4630179A (en) | Retractable lamp structure | |
KR101058334B1 (en) | Bulb fixing structure of car lamp | |
JP2606210Y2 (en) | Gas spring | |
US20210309154A1 (en) | Step Assembly and Vehicle | |
JPH0451363Y2 (en) | ||
CN111391930A (en) | Flow guide device and van trailer with same | |
JP4292669B2 (en) | Outer mirror device with built-in lamp |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: TRANSPEC INC., MICHIGAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:LAMPARTER, RONALD C.;HAIGH, JAMES A.;IMINSKI, RICHARD J.;REEL/FRAME:011587/0332;SIGNING DATES FROM 20010214 TO 20010228 |
|
STCF | Information on status: patent grant |
Free format text: PATENTED CASE |
|
CC | Certificate of correction | ||
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC., NORTH CAROLINA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:TRANSPEC, INC;REEL/FRAME:019649/0137 Effective date: 20070621 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 8 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: BNP PARIBAS, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, NEW YORK Free format text: GRANT OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC.;REEL/FRAME:031396/0189 Effective date: 20130930 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: OCM FIE, LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, NEW YORK Free format text: GRANT OF SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC.;REEL/FRAME:031413/0738 Effective date: 20130930 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 12 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: ROM ACQUISITION CORPORATION, MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:OCM FIE, LLC;REEL/FRAME:045234/0627 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: RANDALL MANUFACTURING LLC, MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:BNP PARIBAS;REEL/FRAME:045234/0663 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: FIRE RESEARCH CORP., MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:OCM FIE, LLC;REEL/FRAME:045234/0627 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: ROM ACQUISITION CORPORATION, MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:BNP PARIBAS;REEL/FRAME:045234/0663 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: RANDALL MANUFACTURING LLC, MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:OCM FIE, LLC;REEL/FRAME:045234/0627 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: IEM, INC., MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:OCM FIE, LLC;REEL/FRAME:045234/0627 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: FIRE RESEARCH CORP., MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:BNP PARIBAS;REEL/FRAME:045234/0663 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: REAR VIEW SAFETY INC., MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:OCM FIE, LLC;REEL/FRAME:045234/0627 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: IEM, INC., MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:BNP PARIBAS;REEL/FRAME:045234/0663 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: REAR VIEW SAFETY INC., MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:BNP PARIBAS;REEL/FRAME:045234/0663 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC., MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:BNP PARIBAS;REEL/FRAME:045234/0663 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: ELKHART BRASS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., MISSOUR Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:OCM FIE, LLC;REEL/FRAME:045234/0627 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC., MISSOURI Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:OCM FIE, LLC;REEL/FRAME:045234/0627 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: ELKHART BRASS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., MISSOUR Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:BNP PARIBAS;REEL/FRAME:045234/0663 Effective date: 20180201 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT, CONN Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC.;REEL/FRAME:044953/0231 Effective date: 20180201 Owner name: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT, NEW Y Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC.;REEL/FRAME:044953/0187 Effective date: 20180201 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (RELEASES RF 044953/0187);ASSIGNOR:GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT;REEL/FRAME:066613/0288 Effective date: 20240213 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING, INC., CALIFORNIA Free format text: RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (RELEASES RF 044953/0231);ASSIGNOR:UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT;REEL/FRAME:066624/0229 Effective date: 20240213 |