WO2024144444A1 - Curbstone - Google Patents

Abstract

A curbstone (120) has a cavity (230) passing between a first opening (210) in a first side surface (211) of the curbstone (120) and a second opening (220) in a second side surface (212) of the curbstone (120). The cavity (230) is configured to enable at least one cable to pass through the curbstone (120). Specifically, the first and second openings (210, 220) are positioned in the first and second side surfaces (211; 212) respectively to allow the at least one cable a concealed and physically protected passage from a longitudinal cable duct through a neighboring curbstone past a driveway (DW) crossing a curb in which the curbstone (120) is comprised. The curbstone (120) may either be partially buried in a carrier layer beneath the road surface, or it may be placed in front of an existing curb, for example to provide convenient and cost-efficient installation of electrical wiring along a street.

Description

Curbstone

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the provision of electric energy to land based vehicles. Especially, the invention relates to a curbstone according to the preamble of claim 1 .

BACKGROUND

The use of electrically powered vehicles has increased tremendously during the last decade. This places a very high pressure on the infrastructure for distributing electric current to these vehicles. Inter alia, there is a massive demand for charging poles being available to the public at convenient locations. One way to achieve rapid and cost-efficient expansion of the charging capacity is to integrate electric equipment into roadside arrangements, e.g. sidewalks.

For example, GB 2 591 830 shows a modular curb for charging electric vehicles and telecommunication infrastructure. The curb contains a base unit adapted to receive an electricity supply and connect the supply to an interchangeable head, which is operable to connect to an electric vehicle or other electrical load. The interchangeable head is preferably received inside or proximate the base unit, preferably within a slot or opening formed in a generally uppermost and/or sloping wall of the base unit. The interchangeable head may include an induction coil, either retained entirely within the head or deployable as a retractable planar roll or sheet, configured to create an electromagnetic field to supply energy to an electric vehicle. The head may have a lockable access cover containing a plug-in charging cable. The head may include other articles including sensors, lighting, telecommunications apparatus, batteries and gas filters. WO 2021/250427 discloses an electrical vehicle curbside charging device, which has: an electrical connector configured to receive an external electrical connector; a flap configured to cover the electrical connector; an exit passage opening a second face of the charging device, configured to facilitate access for an electric cable; and an interior channel extending from the exit passage to the electrical connector, configured to accommodate the electric cable. The flap is further configured to alternate between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The charging device is configured to fit contiguously with a curb. The curbside charging device may be seamlessly integrated with existing curbs, thereby providing charging outlets for electric vehicles in areas that do not have off road parking.

EP 2 463 439 describes a curbstone that has a continuous channel formed in a part of a curbstone for accommodating an electric cable, where the part of the curbstone is arranged at ground level. The complete channel runs through the curbstone and avoids constriction along passage direction. The channel contains a plug-in sleeve at one end, a compatible enlargement at another end and a side branch at the ends, where the side branch is closed. A mounting platform for an electric-tank station is arranged at the side branch.

Although the above solutions may offer relatively convenient installation of vehicle charging equipment, each design requires that the walkway and/or the road surface is dug up, or by other means must be disrupted mechanically. In particular, it has proven to be challenging to run new cables past driveways to garages and similar arrangements, which require that the curb is recessed to the road surface.

SUMMARY

The object of the present invention is to mitigate the above problems and offer a solution for running cables past a driveway in a convenient and cost-efficient manner. According to the invention, the object is achieved by a curbstone having a cavity passing between a first opening in a first side surface of the curbstone and a second opening in a second side surface of the curbstone. The cavity is configured to enable at least one cable to pass through the curbstone. Further, the first and second openings are positioned in the first and second side surfaces respectively to allow the at least one cable a concealed and physically protected passage from a longitudinal cable duct through a neighboring curbstone past a driveway crossing a curb in which the curbstone is comprised.

The above curbstone is advantageous because the through cavity renders installing cables past driveways and other areas requiring a recessed curbstone a comparatively straightforward process regardless of whether the curbstone is placed in front of an existing curb, or if it is installed as an alternative thereto.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the curbstone is configured to be mounted in such a manner that the concealed and physically protected passage is arranged below a road surface that adjoins the curbstone, which road surface, in turn, is connected to the driveway. This means that the at least one cable may either pass through one or more recessed curbstones in front of the driveway, or the at least one cable may be dug down in a carrier layer beneath the road surface in front of an existing recessed curbstone in front of the driveway. Thus, a high degree of flexibility is provided.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the curbstone is configured to be fixed onto the road surface alongside an existing curbstone that delimits a walkway from the road surface. This is very cost-efficient because excavation works are exclusively needed in front of the driveway as such.

Preferably, to this aim, the first side surface is configured to be arranged orthogonal to the road surface, such that the at least one cable can be received from a through-going cavity in a neigh- boring curbstone being fixed onto the road surface; and the second side surface is configured to be arranged parallel to the road surface, such that the at least one cable easily may be fed into the carrier layer beneath the road surface and pass the driveway while being freely embedded in the carrier layer. Hence, the concealed and physically protected passage passes through the carrier layer beneath the road surface.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the curbstone is configured to be placed partially recessed in relation to the road surface, and thus delimit a walkway from the road surface.

Preferably, to this aim, both the first and second side surfaces are configured to be arranged orthogonal to the road surface such that such that the at least one cable may be conveniently received from a through-going cavity in a partially recessed neighboring curbstone, and be passed on further to a likewise partially recessed neighboring curbstone. This means that the concealed and physically protected passage passes through the cavity in the proposed curbstone below the road surface.

According to still another embodiment of the invention, the curbstone includes a bevel section configured to bridge a level difference between a lowest level of the driveway and a top surface of the neighboring curbstone. Thereby, the walkway may transition smoothly into the driveway.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the curbstone is cast in concrete. This is advantageous because it renders it comparatively uncomplicated to create the cavity between the first and second openings. Alternatively, of course, the curbstone may be made of other typical curbstone materials, e.g. granite.

Further advantages, beneficial features and applications of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is now to be explained more closely by means of preferred embodiments, which are disclosed as examples, and with reference to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of a curb with a curbstone according to a first embodiment of the invention, which curbstone is mounted along an existing curb;

Figures 2a-c show different perspective views of the curbstone according to the first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of a curb with a curbstone according to a second embodiment of the invention, which curbstone constitutes an alternative to conventional curbstones; and

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the curbstone according to the second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In Figure 1 , we see a cross-sectional perspective view of a curb that includes a curbstone 120 according to a first embodiment of the invention. Here, the curbstone 120 is configured to be mounted along an existing curb represented by curbstones 10a, 10b and 10c respectively, that delimits a walkway WW from a road surface RS.

The curbstone 120 is configured to be placed on and fastened to a road surface RS of a roadway. To facilitate unfailing fastening of the curbstone 120 to the roadway, an underside surface 212 thereof may contain fastening pins (not shown) extending out from the underside surface 212. Said fastening pins are preferably pointed and may be made of metal, e.g. iron, and configured to penetrate into the road surface RS of the roadway.

Referring now also to Figures 2a to 2c, the curbstone 120 con- tains a cavity 230, which passes between a first opening 210; in a first side surface 211 of the curbstone 120 and a second opening 220 in a second side surface 212 of the curbstone 120. In this embodiment of the invention, the first side surface 211 is configured to be arranged orthogonal to the road surface RS, whereas the second side surface is the underside surface 212, which is configured to be arranged parallel to, and preferably, at least outside the second opening 220 in contact with the road surface RS.

The cavity 230 is configured to enable at least one cable 1 1 to pass through the curbstone 120. Moreover, the first and second openings 210 and 220 are positioned in the first and second side surfaces 211 and 212 respectively, such that the at least one cable 11 is allowed to pass in a concealed and physically protected manner from a neighboring curbstone 110 and past a driveway DW crossing the curb in which the curbstone 120 is comprised.

It is advantageous if the second opening 220 is relatively large, since this allows the at least one cable 11 to be passed out from the curbstone 120 at an obtuse angle, which is generally preferable to reduce the risk of cable damages.

The neighboring curbstone 110 is presumed to have a through- going longitudinal cable duct 10, e.g. tubular-shaped, via which the at least one cable 11 reaches the first opening 210 in the curbstone 120. Consequently, the at least one cable 11 is located above the road surface RS, inside the curbstone 110, which, in turn, is fixed to the road surface RS in front of another curbstone 10a in the existing curb.

Across the width of the driveway DW, there is a recess in the curbstone 10c of the existing curb, such that the road surface RS is essentially in level with the driveway DW along the curb. Consequently, there is insufficient room to place an additional curbstone in front of the driveway DW, and pass the at least one cable 11 through such an additional curbstone while keeping the at least one cable 11 located above the road surface RS without creating an undesired threshold across the driveway DW.

Therefore, according to the invention, in the curbstone 120 closest to the driveway DW, the second opening 220 is positioned in the second side surface 212 such that the at least one cable 11 may be passed down into a carrier layer 12 beneath the road surface RS in front of the driveway DW. Thus, the at least one cable 11 may be kept concealed and physically protected past the driveway DW.

Preferably, a side surface 213 of the curbstone 120 to be arranged closest to the driveway DW is beveled to provide a rounded and less aggressive edge against the wheels of the vehicles using the driveway DW. The side surface 213 is located opposite to the first side surface 211. Such a beveled side surface 213 is especially apposite if the curbstone 10c of the existing curb has a beveled surface 10bvl adjoining the driveway DW.

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of a curb containing a curbstone 320 according to a second embodiment of the invention. Here, the curbstone 320 constitutes an alternative to the conventional curbstones of a curb.

Analogous to the above, the curbstone 320 has a cavity 430 that passes between a first opening 410 in a first side surface 411 of the curbstone 320 and a second opening 420 in a second side surface 412 of the curbstone 320. Also here the cavity 430 is configured to enable at least one cable 11 to pass through the curbstone 320 such that at least one cable 11 is concealed and physically protected.

The first and second openings 410 and 420 are positioned in the first and second side surfaces 41 1 and 412 respectively to allow the at least one cable 11 a concealed and physically protected passage from a longitudinal cable duct 10 through a neighboring curbstone 310 past the driveway DW crossing the curb in which the curbstone 320 is comprised. Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the curbstone 320 according to the second embodiment of the invention.

Since, in this embodiment of the invention, the curbstone 320 is configured to be placed partially recessed in relation to the road surface RS, the at least one cable 1 1 may pass through the curbstone 320, for instance via a tube-shaped cavity 430, also in front of the driveway DW while keeping the at least one cable 1 1 concealed and physically protected.

Specifically, according to this embodiment of the invention, both the first and second side surfaces 411 and 412 may be configured to be arranged orthogonal to the road surface RS as shown in Figure 4.

To provide a rounded and less aggressive edge against the wheels of any vehicles using the driveway DW, the curbstone 320 preferably has a bevel section 30bvl configured to be arranged so that it bridges a level difference between a lowest level of the driveway DW and a top surface of the neighboring curbstone 310.

For durability and mechanical resistance, the curbstone 100 may for example be cast in concrete or be made of carved in stone, for instance granite.

The term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components. The term does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more additional elements, features, integers, steps or components or groups thereof. The indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. In the claims, the word “or” is not to be interpreted as an exclusive or (sometimes referred to as “XOR”). On the contrary, expressions such as “A or B” covers all the cases “A and not B”, “B and not A” and “A and B”, unless otherwise indicated. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limi- ting the scope.

It is also to be noted that features from the various embodiments described herein may freely be combined, unless it is explicitly stated that such a combination would be unsuitable. Variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.

The invention is not restricted to the described embodiments in the figures, but may be varied freely within the scope of the claims.

Claims

Claims

1. A curbstone (120, 320) comprising: a cavity (230, 430) passing between a first opening (210; 410) in a first side surface (21 1 , 411 ) of the curbstone (120, 320) and a second opening (220; 420) in a second side surface (212, 412) of the curbstone (120, 320), which cavity (230, 430) is configured to enable at least one cable (1 1 ) to pass through the curbstone (120, 320), wherein the first and second openings (210, 410; 220, 420) are positioned in the first and second side surfaces (21 1 , 411 ; 212, 412) respectively to allow the at least one cable

(11 ) a concealed and physically protected passage from a longitudinal cable duct (10) through a neighboring curbstone (1 10; 310) past a driveway (DW) crossing a curb in which the curbstone (120, 320) is comprised.

2. The curbstone (120, 320) according to claim 1 , wherein the concealed and physically protected passage is arranged below a road surface (RS) adjoining the curbstone (120, 320), which road surface (RS) is connected to the driveway (DW).

3. The curbstone according to claim 2, wherein the curbstone (120) is configured to be fixed onto the road surface (RS) alongside a curbstone (10b) delimiting a walkway (WW) from the road surface (RS).

4. The curbstone according to claim 3, wherein the first side surface (211 ) is configured to be arranged orthogonal to the road surface (RS) and the second side surface (212) is configured to be arranged parallel to the road surface (RS).

5. The curbstone according to claim 4, wherein the concealed and physically protected passage passes through a carrier layer

(12) beneath the road surface (RS).

6. The curbstone according to claim 2, wherein the curbstone (320) is configured to: be placed partially recessed in relation to the road surface (RS), and delimit a walkway (WW) from the road surface (RS).

7. The curbstone according to claim 6, wherein the first and second side surfaces (411 , 412) are configured to be arranged orthogonal to the road surface (RS)

8. The curbstone according to claim 7, wherein the concealed and physically protected passage passes through the cavity (430) in the curbstone (320) below the road surface (RS). 9. The curbstone according to any one of claims 6 to 8, comprising a bevel section (30bvl) configured to bridge a level difference between a lowest level of the driveway (DW) and a top surface of the neighboring curbstone (310).

10. The curbstone according to any one of the preceding claims 6 to 8, wherein the curbstone (120, 320) is cast in concrete.