TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to an adjustable barrier. In a particular aspect, the invention may relate to a remotely operable extendible road bollard.

BACKGROUND ART

The following discussion of the background art is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention only. The discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to is or was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.

Extendible boiiards may be utilized for intermittently blocking off vehicle access to public areas or roadways. For example, it may be desirable to block certain roadways using extendible bollards to prevent vehicle entry or exit, such as by criminal offenders under police vehicular pursuit.

One potential disadvantage associated with presently available extendible bollards is that they often utilize electric actuators such as electric motors. These electric actuators can draw large currents and can take around fifteen seconds to deploy the bollard, which may be far too slow in emergency situations.

Another disadvantage associated with some prior art bollards is that they can potentially be mowed down by large vehicles and/or vehicles at high speed. This may result in deployment of the vehicle's airbags but effectively the vehicle may continue to be operable by the driver.

In some prior art bollards, such as in some existing cylindrical bollard designs, even if the vehicle is disabled upon impact the bollard still bends to around forty five degrees, effectively forming a ramp off of which the now disabled vehicle launches up to a further ten metres. This is an obvious concern for both human safety and property destruction. Thus, it may be advantageous to provide a new apparatus or method which

ameliorates, mitigates, limits, or overcomes, at least one problem or disadvantage of the prior art, or which will at least provide the public with a practical choice or effective alternative.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus comprising: a barrier;

support means for supporting the barrier in or on the ground; and adjustment means for adjusting the barrier between a lowered position and a raised position above the ground surface.

Adjustment of the barrier towards the raised position may involve extension or protraction of the barrier. Adjustment of the barrier to the lowered position may involve depression or retraction of the barrier.

The barrier may comprise a bollard member. An upper portion of the bollard member may comprise a snagging portion adapted to snag/catch/hook the undercarriage of a vehicle. The snagging portion may comprise an enlarged portion or head, and/or flanged portion or head. The snagging portion may comprise a stepped portion which steps out in diameter from a body portion of the bollard member beneath.

The apparatus or support means may comprise a telescopic member. The bollard member may be telescopically adjustable within or without the telescopic member. The telescopic member may comprise a sleeve or gland.

The support means may comprise a housing member for the bollard. The housing member may comprise reinforcing rods. The bollard member may be retractable into the housing. The housing may comprise or be connected with the telescopic member.

The adjustment means may comprise a fluid mechanism. The fluid mechanism may be a pneumatic or hydraulic mechanism. The fluid mechanism may comprise a static portion and a movable portion. The static portion may remain stationary with respect to the support means during adjustment of the bollard member, while the movable portion may move with respect to the support means during adjustment of the bollard member. The fluid mechanism may comprise an accumulator having at least one of a piston, tank, cylinder and cylinder rod. The accumulator, tank and cylinder may move during bollard adjustment, while the cylinder rod may remain static.

The static portion may comprise a rod anchorable to the support means. The movable portion may comprise a barrel telescopically engageable with the rod, an accumulator adapted for fluid communication with the barrel, and a fluid tank adapted for fluid communication with the accumulator. The barrel may comprise a cylinder body. The rod may comprise a cylinder rod.

The movable portion of the adjustment mechanism may be at least partly housed within an internal cavity of the bollard member.

The apparatus may comprise a control module for regulating fluid flow. The control module may comprise a processor. The control module may comprise memory with coded instructions readable and executable by the processor. The control module may comprise an electrical power source. The electrical power source may comprise a battery. The control module may be retained in a cavity within the bollard member. The cavity may be a water tight cavity.

The apparatus or control module may comprise communication means. The

communication means may comprise a sim card. The communication means may comprise a signal transmitter and/or receiver. The signal transmitter and/or receiver may enable an external processing device, such as a mobile phone, to communicate with the apparatus via a communications network in order to activate bollard extension or retraction / depression. The signal transmitter and/or receiver may comprise an RF module.

The communication means may comprise an integrated circuit configured to store an identity code that can be used to uniquely identify the apparatus. The integrated circuit may comprise, or be comprised by, a SIM card.

The apparatus may comprise a solar panel for powering or charging the control module. The solar panel may be comprised by the bollard member. The solar panel may be positioned at or near the top of the boilard member. The so!ar panel may be retained in a cavity within the bollard member.

In another aspect, the invention provides a system comprising: an apparatus with an extendible bollard; a processing device; and, a communications network over which the processing device can communicate with the apparatus to activate bollard extension.

The processing device may be further adapted to activate bollard retraction. The processing device may comprise a cellular phone. The network may comprise a cellular network. The system may further comprise a cellular communications tower.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method comprising a processing device remotely communicating with an apparatus having a bollard so as to activate extension or retraction of the bollard.

In another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus comprising: support means supportable in or on the ground, the support means comprising a telescopic member, a bollard member telescopically engageable with the telescopic member; and a pneumatic or hydraulic fluid adjustment mechanism for adjusting the bollard member between a lowered position, and a raised position above the ground surface, wherein adjustment of the bollard member towards the raised position involves telescopic extension of the bollard member, and adjustment of the bollard member towards the lowered position involves telescopic depression of the bollard member.

!n another aspect, the invention provides an apparatus comprising: a barrier; support means for supporting the barrier in or on the ground; adjustment means for adjusting the barrier between a lowered position and a raised position above the ground surface; and communication means comprising a signal receiver enabling an external processing device, such as a mobile phone, to communicate with the apparatus via a communications network in order to activate raising or lowering of the barrier.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method of adjusting an apparatus installed in the ground, the apparatus comprising: a telescopic member supported in the ground; a bollard member telescopically engaged with the tefescopic member; and a pneumatic or hydraulic fluid adjustment mechanism for adjusting the bollard member between a lowered position and a raised position above the ground surface, the adjustment mechanism comprising a barrel, barrel rod, and an accumulator; and, control means for regulating fluid flow in the adjustment mechanism, the control means comprising a poppet valve, the method comprising: activating the poppet valve; releasing fluid under pressure from the accumulator into the barrel; and extending the bollard member under pressure.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method of adjusting one or more apparatus installed in the ground, each apparatus comprising: a barrier; support means for supporting the barrier in or on the ground; adjustment means for adjusting the barrier between a lowered position and a raised position above the ground surface; and, communication means comprising a signal receiver; the method comprising: running an application on an external communications device associated with a screen; displaying a mapped position of each apparatus on the screen; selecting one or more of the apparatus displayed on the screen; transmitting instructions, from the externa! communications device to the signal receiver of each selected apparatus, to extend the bollard member of each selected apparatus.

One or more of the various embodiments of the invention may confer one or more advantages over the prior art by providing an apparatus or method which: enables relatively fast bollard deployment or deployment at a controlled speed; and/or is remotely operable for bollard deployment and/or retraction such as by cellular phone; and/or is designed to disable a vehicle such as by damaging its undercarriage; and/or utilizes a non-electric actuator such as a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator; and/or is solar powered or charged; and/or is submersible with limited malfunction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the present invention are more fully described in the following description of several non-limiting embodiments thereof. This description is included solely for the purposes of exemplifying the present invention. It should not be understood as a restriction on the broad summary, disclosure or description of the invention as set out above. The description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view from below of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention with its bollard retracted;

Figure 2 is an isometric view from above of the apparatus of Figure 1 with its bollard retracted;

Figure 3 is an isometric view from below of the apparatus of Figure 1 with its bollard extended;

Figure 4 is an isometric view from above of the apparatus of Figure 1 with its bollard extended;

Figure 5 is an exploded isometric view of the components of the apparatus of Figure 1 ; Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1 installed in the ground with its bollard retracted;

Figure 7 is a top view of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1 installed in the ground with its bollard extended;

Figure 9 is a block diagrammatic view of a control unit of the apparatus of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating an example network infrastructure that includes the apparatus of Fig. 1 , which network may be utilised to embody or implement aspects of the invention.

In the drawings like structures are referred to by like numerals throughout the several views. The drawings shown are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the present invention.

A list of features referenced numerically in the drawings is provided below:

1 - Main Housing 0 - Bollard

2 - Security Screw (Torx Pin Drive) 1 1 - Socket Head Cap Screw

3 - Armour Glass Cover 12 - Wire Clip (Large)

4 - Solar Panel 13 - Wire Clip (Small)

5 - Quick Disconnect Coupling 14 - Cylinder Body

6 - Adaptor 15 - Accumulator Body

7 - Quick Disconnect Coupling 16 - Tank

8 - Adaptor 17 - Manifold

9 - Gland 18 - Coil - Poppet Valve 40 - O-Ring (Manifold)

- Lock Nut 41 - Wear Strip (Accumulator Piston) - Cylinder Rod 42 - Piston Seal (Accumulator) - Charge Valve 43 - Piston Seal (Cylinder)

- Battery 44 - Tube Guide

- Retaining Plate 45 - Circ!ip

- Foot 46 -Seal (Porting Tube)

- Socket Head Cap Screw 47 - Wear Strip (Gland)

- Pipe 48 - Rod Wiper

- Bracket 49 - Gland Seal

- Socket Head Cap Screw 50 - Control Unit

- O-Ring (Cover) 51 - Apparatus

- O-Ring (Bollard) 52 - Cylindricai body (bollard) - Piston (Accumulator) 53 - Enlarged head (bollard) - O-Ring (Gland) 54 - Enlarged head (gland)

- Wear Strip (Gland) 55 - Cylindrical body (gland) - Porting Tube 56 - Passage

- Reinforcing Rod 57 - Processor 58 - Memory 66 - Network / System

59 - Coded instructions 67 - Smart Phone

60 - Sim Card 68 - Server

61 - RF module 69 - Database

62 - Transmitter 70 - Wired Connection

63 - Receiver 71 - Wireless Connection

64 - Bus 72 - Receiving / Transmitting Tower

65 - Ground 73 - Mobile Phone Application

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to figures 1 to 4, the invention according to a first embodiment is in the form of an apparatus, generally designated 51. The apparatus comprises an adjustable bollard 10, shown retracted in figures 1 and 2 and extended in figures 3 and 4. The bollard 10 comprises a tubular member having a cylindrical body 52 which steps out at its top end to form an enlarged, flanged, circular head 53. A circular armour glass cover 3 is secured flush with the top of the head 53 by a series of security screws 2.

In the retracted position, the underside of the bollard head 53 rests atop a gland 9, specifically atop a flat upper surface of a large cylindrical head 54 of the gland 9 {see also figure 5). The head 54 steps out from a cylindrical body 55 (see figure 5) which forms a telescopic sleeve for guided passage of the bollard therethrough.

The head 54 of the gland 9 is mounted atop a cylindrical tubular housing 1 , the body 55 of the gland being fixed within and against the housing's inner wall. The housing 1 defines a space or passage 56 (see figure 5) within its cylindrical wall and closed bottom end. As the bollard extends it moves upwardly out of the passage 56. Welded on to and projecting from the outer wall of the housing are multiple reinforcing rods 39. Internal components of the apparatus 51 are now described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Fixed by socket head cap screws 28 to the base of the housing 1 is a retaining plate 26. The retaining plate 26 retains a retaining portion of a tubular shaped foot 27, which foot forms a static portion of a hydraulic mechanism used for adjusting the height of the bollard. The static portion of the bollard adjustment mechanism further comprises an elongate cylinder rod 23, the bottom end of which is mounted in the foot 27.

A moveable portion of the bollard adjustment mechanism comprises a cylinder body 14 which is positioned within a central passage or space of the bollard, and which surrounds the majority of the cylinder rod 23 when the bollard is retracted. However, when the bollard is extended only the lowermost portion of the cylinder body 14 surrounds an uppermost portion of the cylinder rod 32.

Extending centrally through the length of the cylinder body 4 is a porting tube 38, The top end of the porting tube 38 connects above with a circular shaped hydraulic manifold 17.

Next to the cylinder body 15, and also comprised by the moveable portion of the bollard adjustment mechanism, is a cylindrical accumulator body 15. The accumulator body 15 extends down around three fifths the length of the cylinder body 14, and communicates above with the manifold 17. The manifold is positioned atop both the accumulator body 15 and cylinder body 14.

The accumulator body 15 houses a piston 35 which is positioned at the bottom thereof when the bollard is fully retracted and at the top end thereof when the bollard is fully extended.

Also comprised by the movable portion of the bollard adjustment mechanism is a vertical elongate shaft of a J-shaped pipe 29, which pipe connects to the bottom end of and communicates with the accumulator body 15. A bottom end section of the pipe 29 curves back around and up vertically into the bottom end of a fluid tank 16 with which it communicates and connects.

The apparatus 51 further comprises control means for regulating fluid flow in the adjustment mechanism. The control means comprises a first quick disconnect coupling 7 with first adaptor 8 connected to the manifold beneath. The control means further comprises a second quick disconnect coupling 5 with second adaptor 6 connected to the manifold beneath. Further still, the control means comprises a so!enoid coil 18 with poppet valve 19 connected to the manifold beneath by a lock nut 20,

The control means further comprises an electronic control unit 50. As show in Figure 9 the control unit 50 houses a battery 25, processor 57, memory 58 with coded instructions 59 executable by the processor 57, sim card 60, RF module 61 with transmitter 62 and receiver 63, and a bus 64 interconnecting the unit components. It is envisaged that in other embodiments the control unit may comprise other components, for example a network interface controiler. The control means further comprises a solar panel 4 positioned directly beneath the armour glass cover 3, above the control unit.

Given that some prior art extendible bollards are prone to corrosion and flooding, the critical items of the bollard, manifold, and gland are constructed of stainless steel so as to be submersible with limited malfunction. Further, the electronics are retained in a substantially water tight cavity within the bollard.

Referring now to Figure 10, there is shown a networked infrastructural system 66 which includes the aforementioned apparatus 51 with control unit 50. The infrastructural system comprises a network, which in the exemplary embodiment comprises a mobile telephone network and the internet, but which may additionally or alternatively comprise a LAN, WAN, Ethernet, token ring, etc., or combination thereof, with which the control unit 50 can communicate. This enables, for instance, input and output data to be communicated via the network to and from other devices.

The networked system 66 may include other computing or processing devices. For instance, in the exemplary embodiment the system 6 includes a cellular phone 67 and a server 68, although it is envisaged that the network may additionally or alternatively comprise other computing devices such as one or more desktop computers 58, laptop computers 60, tablets 64, etc. Transfer of data between the network 52 and one or more databases 69 can be facilitated by the server 68.

Interconnections between devices facilitating transfer of data and/or information over the network 66 may be wholly or partially wired 70, for example by optical fibre, or wireless 71 , for example by utilising Wi-Fi™, Bluetooth™, cellular, or satellite

communications networks.

In the exemplary embodiment, the network 66 comprises a telecommunications network, such as wireless GSM or 3G networks, connected with a receiving/transmitting station 72, which is connected with wireless devices such as the control unit 50 of the apparatus 51 and mobile or cellular telephones 67, thereby facilitating transfer of data thereto and therefrom.

The server 68 may, for example, be owned by a security company. The control unit 50 may be programmed to check-in wirelessly with the server 68 via the network 66 over a pre-determined period, such as every 15 minutes, in order to signal its operational status to the security company.

It is envisaged that in other embodiments, the network may comprise a satellite communications network which is connected with a satellite signal receiver that remotely receives data from a satellite. The satellite communicates with a satellite signal transmitter which in turn communicates with further terminals such as control units, desktop computers, servers, laptops, mobile phones, etc.

It is to be appreciated that the networked infrastructural system 66 represents only a single example of infrastructure which may be suitable for implementing aspects of the invention. Other suitable networked systems for implementing the invention may involve various alternative devices, configurations, networks, or architectures without departing from the scope of the present invention.

An exemplary method of preassembling the exemplary apparatus prior to delivery may comprise the following steps:

The accumulator body 15, cylinder body 14 and tank 16 are connected with the manifold 17; the manifold 17 is positioned within the bollard 0, the gland 9 is placed telescopically over the bollard 10 from its bottom end, thereby forming a bollard assembly; The retaining plate 26 is placed at the bottom of the housing 1 and fixed thereto by socket head cap screws 28;

The bollard assembly is placed down into the housing 1 so that the foot 27 is aligned with an assembly slot in the retaining plate 26, and once the foot is passed down through the assembly slot, it is rotated 180 degrees to lock in place;

The cylindrical head 53 of the gland 9 is bolted with socket head cap screws 10 on top of the top cylindrical rim of the housing;

The bollard 10 is pushed down through the gland 9 so that the cylindrical bollard head or flange 53 contacts the cylindrical gland head or flange 54 therebeneath;

The adaptors, 6 & 8, with their respective QDC's, 5 & 7, are separately coupled beneath with the top of the manifold 17, and the poppet valve 19 with coil 18 and lock nut 20 is coupled beneath with the top of the manifold 17;

The accumulator body 15 is filled with oil;

The control unit is placed within and towards the top of the bollard;

The circular disc shaped solar panel 5 is placed above the control unit 50, and the armour glass cover 3 is placed directly above the solar panel 5 and secured to the bollard head by security screws 2; and

A plastic sleeve or cover (not shown) is placed over the gland 9 and bollard flange 53.

For safety reasons, the battery may not be assembled within the bollard, and the accumulator body may not be charged with nitrogen, until the apparatus has been delivered and positioned on site.

An exemplary method of installing the exemplary apparatus 51 on site may comprise the following steps: Excavate a pit in a region of ground / road 65 where the apparatus 2 is to be located;

Place the apparatus 2 upright in the pit;

Pour concrete in the pit around the housing and allow it to set so that it hardens around the housing and reinforcement bars;

Once the concrete is set, remove the plastic sleeve or cover (not shown) covering the flange 53 and gland 9;

Using the charge valve 24, charge the accumulator body 15 with nitrogen compressed to 2000 PSI;

The battery 25 is placed into position above the valves, and wiring is connected with the battery beneath and the control unit 50;

Finally, the electronics are tested to ensure proper functioning and the apparatus is armed.

Exemplary use or operation of the exemplary apparatus 51 , which may, for instance, be installed on a busy roadway with the bollard 10 resting in a retracted position within the housing 1 , may occur as follows:

A police officer in vehicle pursuit of a driver failing to stop on direction or driving threateningly may wish to activate extension of one or more bollards 10 up from the roadway in order to bring the driver to a halt or prevent their escape;

To do this, the officer may radio in to central traffic control and request that the apparatus 51 (or several apparatus 51 in the same vicinity or blocking various exit / access points) be activated for extension of the bollard 10;

Additionally or alternatively, the officer may open an application 73 on their mobile phone which maps various apparatus 51 positions utilizing GPS coordinates, and the officer may select one or more of the displayed apparatus 51 for bollard extension activation;

Depending on the method of activation chosen, the officer mobile phone or the traffic control communicates with the sim card 60 of the apparatus wirelessiy 71 via the communications tower 72 of the mobile telephone network, which results in the processor 57 being directed to activate the poppet valve 19; and

Activation of the poppet valve 19 causes the release of oil under pressure from the accumulator body 15 into the cylinder body 14, causing the cylinder body 14, and therefore the bollard 10, to rise up under pressure in around two seconds.

The raised bollard blocks access or exit to the vehicle under pursuit. If the vehicle tries to ram through the bollard, even if it is a large vehicle such as a truck, it's front ax!e may be snagged by the enlarged head or flange 53 of the T-shaped bollard, thereby sheering out the axle and disabling the vehicle. In hooking the undercarriage of the vehicle, the arrangement of the mushroom-cap-like enlarged, flanged head, also serves to absorb kinetic energy of the vehicle during impact, thereby limiting ramping of the bollard and further travel of the vehicle beyond the location of the bollard. in cases where the bollard 10 has been deployed, it may be powered back down to its retracted position, ready for reactivation, by connecting an external power pack to the QDC's in order to suck the oil out of the cylinder body 14 and back into the accumulator body 15. in another form of the invention, the speed of bollard extension or retraction may be modified or controlled to a specific predetermined velocity using a pulsed width modulation capacity output.

Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to the skilled addressee are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention. The present invention is not to be limited in scope by any of the specific embodiments described herein. These embodiments are intended for the purpose of exemplification only. Functiona!ly equivalent products, formulations and methods are clearly within the scope of the invention as described herein. Reference to positional descriptions, such as lower and upper, are to be taken in context of the embodiments depicted in the figures, and are not to be taken as limiting the invention to the literal interpretation of the term but rather as would be understood by the skilled addressee.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprise", "comprises," "comprising," "including," and "having," or variations thereof are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance, it is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being "on", "engaged to", "connected to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to", "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.