WO2020160912A1

WO2020160912A1 - Speed bump

Info

Publication number: WO2020160912A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/051548
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lars Axelsson
Original assignee: Pl Communication Ab
Priority date: 2019-02-05
Filing date: 2020-01-23
Publication date: 2020-08-13
Also published as: SE1950132A1

Abstract

A device (1) for reducing speed of moving vehicles comprises an elongated non-rigid base sheet (10) that has a base length (L1) and a base width (W1). The base sheet (10) has a bottom surface for contacting a road surface and an opposite upper surface. An elongated bump structure (20) is arranged longitudinally on the upper surface of the base sheet (10) and it extends above the upper surface of the base sheet (10). The bump structure (20) has a bump length (L2), a bump width (W2) at the base sheet (10) that is less than the base width (W1) and a bump height (H1) above the upper surface. The bump-structure (20) is elastically deformable for allowing a vehicle passing over the device (1) to depress the bump structure (20). The lateral position of the bump structure on the base sheet, and the ratio of the bump to base width, are configured such that a wheel, when passing over the device, contacts the upper surface of the base sheet before contacting the bump structure.

Description

SPEED BUMP

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments herein relate to a device for reducing speed of moving vehicles, a method of manufacturing such a device as well as using such a device for reducing speed of moving vehicles.

BACKGROUND

The endeavor of eliminating or at least reducing the risk of injuries to persons and damage to equipment caused by fast moving vehicles, in contexts such as road works and road accidents, is an obvious activity in any humane civil society. In modern day traffic environments, however, such a task is often very difficult. This is due to the fact that the intensity of traffic is often very high and due to the fact that many drivers of vehicles apparently are lacking a sense of understanding of the danger a fast moving vehicle poses to persons being present at the place of road work or accident.

A typical procedure of how such situations are handled is to arrange heavy“speed bump” arrangements and a plurality of warning signs along a stretch of path or road leading up to the place of road work or accident, and allocating a plurality of persons to the task of signaling to passing drivers of vehicles to reduce the speed of the vehicle. Needless to say, such a procedure takes an unnecessary long period of time to perform and it requires the efforts of several persons, whose efforts could be spent on vital activities such as taking part in a rescuing operation at a place of accident.

The prior art comprises a plurality of devices that are designed to be arranged across a road in order to prevent drivers of vehicles from speeding along the road. Such devices are often denoted“speed-bumps” and specific examples can be found in, e.g., the international patent application publication WO 2005/122735 and in the British patent application publication GB 2403758.

Drawbacks related to such prior art speed bumps include bulkiness and heavy weight. In fact, typical prior art devices are too bulky to fit easily in many types of emergency vehicles. Bulky and heavy prior art devices are also very difficult to quickly arrange across a path. Moreover, such prior art speed bumps are also associated with an unnecessary complexity of operation with associated high cost of production. For example, the operation of the device described in GB 2403758 depends on a reliable function of various valves to allow and block flow of air in to and out of the device.

SUMMARY

In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to overcome drawbacks related to prior art speed bumps. This object is achieved in a first aspect by a device for reducing speed of moving vehicles.

The device of the first aspect comprises an elongated non-rigid base sheet that has a base length and a base width. The base sheet has a bottom surface for contacting a road surface and an opposite upper surface. An elongated bump structure is arranged longitudinally on the upper surface of the base sheet and it extends above the upper surface of the base sheet. The bump structure has a bump length, a bump width at the base sheet that is less than the base width and a bump height above the upper surface. The bump-structure is elastically deformable for allowing a vehicle passing over the device to depress the bump structure. The lateral position of the bump structure on the upper surface of the base sheet, and the ratio of the bump width to the base width, are configured such that a wheel of a vehicle, when passing over the device, contacts the upper surface of the base sheet before contacting the bump structure.

Such a device may be used for reducing speed of a moving vehicle by releasing the device from a transport configuration and arranging the device across a path, along which path a vehicle is expected to move. Furthermore, such a device is advantageous in that when a wheel of a vehicle passes, it presses the base sheet downwards and thereby essentially locking the device in a lateral position in relation to the road surface.

When a driver of such a vehicle approaches and detects the presence of the device arranged across the path in front of the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle is reduced. The speed of the vehicle is reduced as a consequence of the driver performing a braking maneuver for avoiding a presumed uncomfortable bumping action when passing over the device. When the vehicle then rolls over the device, the elastically deformable bump structure is depressed by the wheels of the vehicle. The depression of the bump structure may be significant such that the height of the bump structure is reduced to a height that reduces the discomfort for the driver of the vehicle. Such a device is advantageous in several respects as a consequence of it being configured with an elastically deformable bump structure. For example, the device may be made of materials that are very simple in construction and thereby being associated with low cost of manufacturing. Also, the device may be made using lightweight materials and thereby making the device very transportable and even portable for a single person. Furthermore, the device may be made of very flexible materials and thereby making the device easy to arrange in a compact transport configuration, such as being packed into a small pillow-like bag, and easy and fast to arrange by being deployed across a path where vehicles are moving. There is no need for more or less complicated anchoring or fastening means due to the fact that the device will be kept firmly pressed against the ground by the force of the wheels of the passing vehicle. Even if the device becomes dislodged by the force of a passing vehicle or by other forces, the device will not cause any damage to vehicles or bystanders due to the simple fact that the device has a low weight and“soft” in construction, in contrast to prior art bumps that are heavyweight solid constructions.

Such advantages in terms of simplicity and low cost make it possible to, optionally, consider the device as being a disposable article, suitable for one-time use. For example, considering a situation where a traffic accident has occurred, emergency vehicles such as an ambulance or police vehicle may easily be equipped with one or more compact devices, arranged in a transport configuration such as a compact pillow-like bag as summarized above. When arriving at a scene of the accident, the device may easily and very quickly be deployed and thereby reducing the speed of passing vehicles.

In various embodiments of the device, the bump structure comprises an elastic porous material and in some of these embodiments, the bump structure is covered by a top sheet for protecting the bump structure from wear created by a vehicle passing over the device and depressing the bump structure.

That is, the bump structure may for example be made of a very cheap elastic polymer foam material, optionally covered by a protective top sheet, thereby providing a lightweight, cheap and versatile device.

In other embodiments, bump structure is configured as a closed hollow tube comprising tube walls enclosing a volume of a fluid, which in some embodiments is at least partly filled with an elastic porous material. In some closed hollow tube embodiments, at least one tube wall is configured with an opening for allowing passage of air in and out of the bump structure when a vehicle is passing over the device and depressing the bump structure.

In some closed hollow tube embodiments, any of the volume of the tube, the pressure of the fluid in the tube and selection of type of fluid is configured to allow the fluid to be compressed to allow the depression of the bump structure when a vehicle is passing over the device.

In some closed hollow tube embodiments, at least part of the tube walls s elastic and configured to expand to accommodate a portion of the fluid that is displaced within the hollow tube when the bump structure is depressed when a vehicle is passing over the device.

Such closed tube embodiments all provide the effect of being easily depressed during passage of a vehicle and also provide a reliable elasticity that secures that the bump structure returns to a non-depressed state after the passage of the vehicle.

In a further aspect there is provided a method for manufacturing a device as summarized above. Such a method comprises cutting a non-rigid sheet material into an elongated non- rigid base sheet having a base length and a base width. The base sheet has a bottom surface for contacting a road surface, and an opposite upper surface. An elastically deformable elongated bump structure is arranged longitudinally on the upper surface of the base sheet, the bump structure extending above the upper surface of the base sheet. The bump structure has a bump length that is essentially the same as the base length and the bump structure has a bump width at the base sheet that is less than the base width and a bump height above the upper surface, the lateral position of the bump structure on the upper surface of the base sheet, and the ratio of the bump width to the base width, being configured such that a wheel of a vehicle, when passing over the device, contacts the upper surface of the base sheet before contacting the bump structure.

In yet a further aspect there is provided a use of a device as summarized above, for reducing speed of a moving vehicle. Such use comprises releasing the device from a transport configuration and arranging the device across a road surface, along which road surface (a vehicle is expected to move. These further aspects provide effects and advantages that correspond to those summarized above in connection with the first aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures 1a and 1b schematically illustrate, in a respective perspective view, a device for reducing speed of moving vehicles,

figures 2a and 2b schematically illustrate, in a respective side view, a vehicle passing over a device,

figures 3a and 3b schematically illustrate, in a respective cross sectional view, a device for reducing speed of moving vehicles,

figure 4 schematically illustrates, in a side view, a device for reducing speed of moving vehicles,

figures 5a and 5b schematically illustrate, in a respective side view, a device for reducing speed of moving vehicles,

figure 6a schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, a device for reducing speed of moving vehicles,

figure 6b schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, the device for reducing speed of moving vehicles of figure 6a, in a transport configuration, and

figure 7 schematically illustrates a use of device for reducing speed of moving vehicles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to figures 1a-b and figures 2a-b, a device 1 for reducing speed of moving vehicles 50 comprises an elongated non-rigid base sheet 10 that has a base length L1 and a base width W1. The base sheet 10 may, e.g., be made of a woven or non-woven polymer material. The base sheet 10 has a bottom surface for contacting a road surface 100, and an opposite upper surface. An elongated bump structure 20 is arranged longitudinally on the upper surface of the base sheet 10 and it extends above the upper surface of the base sheet 10. The bump structure 20 has a bump length L2, a bump width W2 at the base sheet 10 that is less than the base width W1 and a bump height H1 above the upper surface. Moreover, the bump-structure 20 is elastically deformable for allowing a vehicle 50 passing over the device 1 to depress the bump structure 20.

As illustrated in figure 1a, the bump length L2 may be essentially the same length as the base length L1. However, as illustrated in figure 1 b, the bump length L2 may be shorter than the base length L1 and, as indicated by the dashed lines 24 in figure 1b, the bump structure 20 may be divided along the bump length L2 into a plurality of sub-sections.

The device 1 may be manufactured simply by a procedure that comprises cutting a non- rigid sheet material into the elongated non-rigid base sheet 10 and arranging the elastically deformable elongated bump structure 20 longitudinally on the upper surface of the base sheet 10.

Figure 2a illustrates a moment in time when the vehicle 50, comprising a wheel 51 , is just about to pass over the device 1 in a direction to the left in figure 2a and figure 2b. The wheel 51 is pressing the base sheet 10 downwards and thereby essentially locking the device 1 in a lateral position in relation to the road surface 100. Using the terminology introduced in figure 1 , it can be seen that the lateral position of the bump structure 20 on the upper surface of the base sheet 10, and the ratio of the bump width W2 to the base width W1 , are configured such that the wheel 51 of the vehicle 50, when passing over the device 1 , contacts the upper surface of the base sheet 10 before contacting the bump structure 20. In case further securing of the base sheet to the road surface 100 is required, the bottom surface of the base sheet 10 may be coated with a material having a higher coefficient of friction relative to the road surface 100 than the coefficient of friction of the material of the upper surface of the base sheet 10, such as rubber.

Figure 2b illustrates the moment in time when the wheel 51 is depressing the bump structure 20 to a typical height H2 that is much smaller than the original height H1 of the bump structure 20. Due to the character of the bump structure 20, i.e. it being elastically deformable to the small typical height H2, a driver of the vehicle 50 will not experience any discomfort when passing over the device 1 irrespective of the speed at which the passage takes place. However, as discussed above, the speed of the vehicle 50 has been reduced to a safe speed due to the fact that the driver of the vehicle 50 has performed a braking maneuver for avoiding a presumed discomfort when passing the device 1.

Although not illustrated in the drawings, the bump structure 20 will return to the configuration as illustrated in figure 2a at a moment in time when the wheel 51 of the vehicle 50 has passed the device 1 , as will be readily understood by the skilled person. It is also to be pointed out that, while figures 2a and 2b illustrate embodiments where the wheel 51 touches the base sheet 10 prior to contacting and depressing the bump structure 20, in other embodiments the wheel 51 may contact the bump structure 20 prior to touching the base sheet 10. Turning now to figure 3a and figure 3b, various embodiments of a device for reducing speed of moving vehicles will be described in some more detail. As indicated in figure 3a, the bump structure 20 may comprise an elastic porous material 30, such as a polymer foam material or a rubber foam material etc.

Furthermore, the bump structure 20 may be covered by a top sheet 21 for protecting the bump structure 20 from wear created by a vehicle 50 passing over the device 1 and depressing the bump structure 20. Such a top sheet 21 may be made of the same material as the base sheet 10. The top sheet 21 and the base sheet 10 may be adhered to each other, having the bump structure porous material 30 in-between, by means of any appropriate adhesive or bonding agent.

Moreover, as indicated in figure 3a, the top sheet 21 may extend laterally to the full width W1 of the base sheet 10 or, as indicated in figure 3b, the top sheet 21 may extend laterally on the base sheet 10 only a part width W21 of the base sheet 10.

Figure 3b further illustrates embodiments where the bump structure 20 is configured as a closed hollow tube 40 comprising tube walls 41 enclosing a volume of a fluid, e.g. air. Similar to the embodiments exemplified in figure 3a, the tube 40 may at least partly be filled with an elastic porous material. At least one tube wall 41 may be configured with an opening 42 for allowing passage of air in and out of the bump structure 20 when a vehicle 50 is passing over the device 1 and depressing the bump structure 20. Such an opening 42 may be located at a tube side wall as exemplified in figure 3b and also located at any other tube wall 41 , as the skilled person will realize.

Embodiments where the tube 40 does not comprise an opening such as the opening 42 illustrated in figure 3b include those where any of the volume of the tube 40, the pressure of the fluid in the tube 40 and selection of type of fluid is configured to allow the fluid to be compressed to allow the depression of the bump structure 20 when a vehicle 50 is passing over the device 1.

Similarly, in some embodiments lacking an opening in the tube walls 41 , at least part of the tube walls 41 is elastic and configured to expand to accommodate a portion of the fluid that is displaced within the hollow tube 40 when the bump structure 20 is depressed when a vehicle 50 is passing over the device 1. Although the embodiments of the device 1 described above with reference to figures 1 to 3 all exemplify a position of the bump structure 20 laterally centred on the base sheet 10, it is to be noted that in some embodiments of the device 1 , the bump structure 20 is positioned as exemplified in figure 4. The bump structure 20 is in figure 4 positioned a distance W11 from a side edge of the base sheet 10, where W11 is significantly smaller than the base width W1.

With reference to figure 5a and figure 5b, in various embodiments of the device 1 , the bump structure (20) may have a cross-section shape in a view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, which is a polygon or a semi-circle. That is, although the bump structure 20 has been exemplified as having a triangular profile in figures 1 to 4, any other polygon or other shape is feasible.

Wth regard to specific weights and sizes of a device as exemplified above, it has been found that useful embodiments of the device 1 have a weight of less than 2 kg/m, preferably less than 1.5 kg/m, in the longitudinal direction of the device 1. Furthermore, a useful selection of the widths W1 and W2 and the height H2 are: W1=230mm, W2=80mm, H1=57mm. Such useful values have been found based on tests that confirm the advantages of the device 1 in terms of visibility as well as portability. With regard to the lengths L1 and L2, they may be selected in an appropriate manner depending on the expected width of the road surface 100 while at the same time considering the portability of the device 1. However, other weights per unit length and spatial measurements are within the scope of the present diswclosure.

Turning now to figure 6a and figure 6b, in various embodiments of the device 1 the bump structure 20 may comprise any of a reflective device 22 and a light source 23 and in various embodiments, the device may comprise means for arranging the device 1 in a transport configuration, such means comprising any of a strapping arrangement 31 and a containing arrangement 32. Examples of a light source include a battery powered LED light and examples of the strapping arrangement 31 include hook and loop fasteners such as Velcro^®. As illustrated schematically in figure 6b, the device 1 may be configured in a transport configuration by being rolled up and/or folded and contained in a container 32, here exemplified by a soft pillow-like case.

Figure 7 illustrates an example of how embodiments of the device 1 as exemplified above may be used in a scenario where a road accident or a road works has resulted in an area 110 that is sensitive to speeding vehicles. In such a scenario the device 1 is used for reducing speed of a moving vehicle 50. The use comprises releasing the device 1 from a transport configuration and arranging the device 1 across a road surface 100, along which road surface 100 a vehicle 50 is expected to move. The use of the device 1 may be performed swiftly and without much physical effort by a single individual 101 and, if necessary, more than one device 1 may be arranged across the road surface 100.

Claims

1. A device (1) for reducing speed of moving vehicles (50) comprising:

- an elongated non-rigid base sheet (10) having a base length (L1) and a base width (W1), the base sheet (10) having a bottom surface for contacting a road surface (100), and an opposite upper surface,

- an elongated bump structure (20) arranged longitudinally on the upper surface of the base sheet (10) and extending above the upper surface of the base sheet (10), wherein:

- the bump structure (20) has a bump length (L2), a bump width (W2) at the base sheet (10) that is less than the base width (W1) and a bump height (H2) above the upper surface,

- the bump-structure (20) is elastically deformable for allowing a vehicle (50) passing over the device (1) to depress the bump structure (20), and

- the lateral position of the bump structure (20) on the upper surface of the base sheet (10), and the ratio of the bump width (W2) to the base width (W1), are configured such that a wheel (51) of a vehicle (50), when passing over the device (1), contacts the upper surface of the base sheet (10) before contacting the bump structure (20).

2. The device (1) of claim 1 , where the bump structure (20) comprises an elastic porous material (30). 3. The device (1) of claim 2, where the bump structure (20) is covered by a top sheet (21) for protecting the bump structure (20) from wear created by a vehicle (50) passing over the device (1) and depressing the bump structure (20).

4. The device (1) according to claim 3, where the top sheet (21) and the base sheet (10) are made of the same material.

5. The device (1) of claim 1 , where the bump structure (20) is configured as a closed hollow tube (40) comprising tube walls (41) enclosing a volume of a fluid.

6. The device (1) of claim 5, where the tube (40) is at least partly filled with an elastic porous material. 7. The device (1) of claim 5 or claim 6, where at least one tube wall (41) is configured with an opening (42) for allowing passage of air in and out of the bump structure (20) when a vehicle (50) is passing over the device (1) and depressing the bump structure (20).

8. The device (1) according to claim 5 or claim 6, where any of the volume of the tube (40), the pressure of the fluid in the tube (40) and selection of type of fluid is configured to allow the fluid to be compressed to allow the depression of the bump structure (20) when a vehicle (50) is passing over the device (1).

9. The device according to claim 5 or claim 6, where at least part of the tube walls (41) is elastic and configured to expand to accommodate a portion of the fluid that is displaced within the hollow tube (40) when the bump structure (20) is depressed when a vehicle (50) is passing over the device (1).

10. The device (1) of any preceding claim, where the non-rigid base sheet (10) is made of a woven or non-woven polymer material.

11. The device (1) of any preceding claim, where the bottom surface of the base sheet (10) is coated with a material having a higher coefficient of friction relative to a road surface (100) than the coefficient of friction of the material of the upper surface of the base sheet (10), such as rubber.

12. The device (1) of any preceding claim, where the bump structure (20) has a cross- section shape, in a view perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, which is a polygon or a semi-circle.

13. The device (1) of any preceding claim, where the device (1) has a weight of less than 2 kg/m, preferably less than 1.5 kg/m, in the longitudinal direction of the device (1).

14. The device (1) of any preceding claim, where the bump structure (20) comprises any of a reflective device (22) and a light source (23).

15. The device (1) of any preceding claim, comprising means for arranging the device (1) in a transport configuration, said means comprising any of:

- a strapping arrangement (31), and

- a containing arrangement (32).

16. A method for manufacturing a device (1) according to claim 1 , comprising:

- cutting a non-rigid sheet material into an elongated non-rigid base sheet (10) having a base length (L1) and a base width (W1), the base sheet (10) having a bottom surface for contacting a road surface, and an opposite upper surface,

- arranging an elastically deformable elongated bump structure (20) longitudinally on the upper surface of the base sheet (10) and extending above the upper surface of the base sheet (10), the bump structure (20) having a bump length (L2), a bump width (W2) at the base sheet (10) that is less than the base width (W1) and a bump height (H2) above the upper surface, the lateral position of the bump structure (20) on the upper surface of the base sheet (10), and the ratio of the bump width (W2) to the base width (W1), being configured such that a wheel (51) of a vehicle (50), when passing over the device (1), contacts the upper surface of the base sheet (10) before contacting the bump structure

(20).

17. Use of a device (1) according to any of claims 1 to 15, for reducing speed of a moving vehicle (50), comprising:

- releasing the device (1) from a transport configuration,

- arranging the device (1) across a road surface (100), along which road surface (100) a vehicle (50) is expected to move.