TITLE OF THE INVENTION: A Permanently Disposed Speed

Obstacle .

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates in general to a speed obstacle, and more particularly to a permanently related speed obstacle, which may related to or interconnected with a trailer-related arrangement with a chassis, whose front portion, seen in the normal direction of travel, displays a first part in a two-part coupling unit, where a second part belongs to a tractor vehicle and whose rear portion supports, via a transversely directed shaft, in any event two chassis-supporting wheels.

More specifically, the present invention discloses that such a trailer-related arrangement and its rear portion, seen in a normal direction of travel, is to be able to support a frame, adapted to be able to support upper and lower horizontal warning beams and with a warning sign oriented between the warning beams.

In addition, the possibility is disclosed of further utilising the upper horizontal warning beam, by causing it to be adapted to support, within its divergent end portions, each one an electrically driven warning lamp, for instance by the generation of a flashing light.

As regards warning equipment associated to road sections, which are particularly adapted and equipped to draw the attention of a vehicle driver to imminent obstacles and/or people, seen in the direction of travel, on a section of road lying ahead, these have been structured as movable equipment, such as information presenting signs, such as road signs highlighted by flashing and/or steady lights, etc.

Considering the present invention, this is therefore intended to present a warning arrangement built up as a frailer, which is mobile and can thereby be set up ahead of road sections with traffic restricting obstacles.

Thus, the present invention has for its object to be able to offer a trailer-related arrangement which, with different individual or coordinated measures, offers a ready

and traffic-adapted transport of a trailer to a set-up position, and in a set-up state readily to be able, adapted to the traffic, to activate one or more functions, for desired warning to vehicle drivers and/or road traffic working personnel, among which mention might be made of:

A. An arrangement which offers an adaptation of the width of a trailer from a narrow state adapted for transport to a set-up position to a wide state adapted and valid for a set-up position. (Cf. Swedish Patent Application 05 01859-3.)

B. An arrangement for readily being able to impart to the trailer, and thereby the warning beams, and its chassis, a horizontal position in relation to an oblique position valid for the carriageway. (Cf. Swedish Patent Application 05 01860-1.)

C. An arrangement in order, with the aid of distance and/or speed evaluating equipment and an electronic control unit, to present to a vehicle driver optical and/or acoustic information and to road workers in any event an acoustic information, with an allocated increasing intensity the closer the vehicle comes to the road section valid for the warning and with an excessively high speed, in relation to a valid and selected low speed. (Cf. Swedish Patent

Application 05 01861-9.)

D. An arrangement which, with the aid of said equipment and control unit, can influence an actuable, temporary and loosely applied to the road section, speed obstacle, from an inactive position to an active position or vice versa, at excessively high speed for the vehicle close to the warning sign. (Cf. Swedish

Patent Application 05 01862-7.)

The present invention is principally based on a speed obstacle related arrangement as disclosed under section "D" above, but where the speed obstacle has been adapted for and positioned in line with or on a plane with a road section for a more permanent positioning in the proximity of road sections with a permanent speed restriction

and/or time-dependent speed restriction and with connected equipment, monitoring the speed, for example in accordance with section "C" above.

BACKGROUND ART Methods, arrangements and constructions, relating to the above disclosed technical field and nature for a speed obstacle coordinated with the trailer-related arrangement are previously known in a plurality of different embodiments.

The present invention is based on such a previously known temporary speed obstacle which is adapted and intended to be positioned resting against a road section intended for the advancement of a vehicle, with the intention of causing a vehicle driver to reduce the speed of his vehicle along a pertinent road distance.

As examples of the prior art technology in connection with speed obstacles, mention might be made of that which is illustrated and described in the following patent publications:

Patent Publication FR-A1-2 699 567 illustrates and describes an active speed obstacle for a road section with a view to reducing the speed of a vehicle.

This speed obstacle is built on an upper plate, or an upper section, which can assume a first inactive position and a second active position, depending upon whether a subjacent hose is inactivated or activated.

Patent Publication EP-Al-O 370 154 also illustrates and describes a speed obstacle which entails that when a wheel rolls over a mat, a liquid volume is forced through a channel (43) in order thereby to expand a blister or bubble (44).

The precondition for this speed obstacle to fulfil its function is that the vehicle is advanced at a "moderate" speed, so that a sufficient liquid volume has time to move into the blister (44) in order to cause the blister to rise upwards. At excessively high speed, insufficient liquid volume has time to move through a selected nozzle.

Taking into account the above disclosed prior art technology, active speed obstacles can be divided into two categories:

a. temporary "active" speed obstacles which simply, when necessary, can be placed as a unit over a road section in order temporarily to counteract every breach of speed limits and b. permanent "active speed obstacles" which, by means of an integration technology, are built into the carriageway on a plane with the upper surface of the road section, in order more continuously to be able to counteract every breach of speed limits .

The term "active" speed obstacle is taken to signify a speed obstacle which is connected to speed evaluation equipment and an associated electronic control unit and where the equipment, at an evaluated speed exceeding a speed valid for the road section, activates means so as to bring the speed obstacle to an activated position ( a raised and/or expanded position) and, at an evaluated speed which is less than the valid speed limit for the section, refrains from activating said means in order thereby to retain the speed obstacle in an inactive position (in a position associating with the upper surface of the substrate).

The present invention will have its specific application in permanent active speed obstacles according to category "b" above.

As regards permanent active speed obstacles, particular account should be taken of that which is illustrated and described in Swedish Patent Application 05 01862-7, with reference to Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 is intended to describe an active permanent circular speed obstacle 60, with an upper ring 91 fixedly clamping a circular elastic mat 92 to a lower plate 96.

Under the circular mat 92 there is a lower mat supporting support plate 92 in order to form said inner space.

In addition, there is disclosed an upper plate 94, which via spacer means 95 cooperates with a lower plate 96.

Practical trials have unfortunately demonstrated that the circular elastic mat 92 cracks apart on loadings in the proximity of the edge formed as a thickened torus configuration.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM Taking into account the circumstance that the technical considerations which a person skilled in the art must do in order to be able to offer a solution to one or more set technical problems is on the one hand initially a necessary insight into the measures and/or the sequence of measures to be implemented and on the other hand a necessary selection of the means required, in view hereof the following technical problems are likely to be relevant in the evolution of the subject matter of the present invention.

Taking into account the state of the art, as described above, it is probably therefore likely to be seen as a technical problem to be able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order, in a permanent speed obstacle, such as one which is related to a carriage-related arrangement, where this arrangement can be formed as a chassis whose front portion, counted in a normal direction of travel, displays a first part in a two-part coupling unit, where the second part is associated with a tractor vehicle, whose rear portion supports, via a transversely directed shaft, in any event two chassis-supporting wheels and a frame, adapted to support upper and lower warning beams and a warning sign oriented between the warning beams, the upper warning beam being adapted, within its end portions, each to support a warning lamp, to disclose that said permanent speed obstacle will be adapted to be able to assume a first inactive position and a second active position, where an upper surface section, allocated the permanent speed obstacle, is to be adapted to assume a planar, or substantially planar position with the upper surface section of the road section, at

said first position and where the upper surface section allocated to said permanent speed obstacle is adapted to assume a raised and rigid position, in relation to the upper surface section allocated to the road section at said second position and there to disclose clamping means and frames which eliminate inconveniences with a torus- shaped peripheral thickening portion.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause an upper portion to display a peripheral portion, formed so as to accommodate tensile and/or compressive forces, without creating cracks in the elastic material and adjacent a thickened peripheral edge.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order in a speed obstacle which is principally based on the feature that an upper ring is to be adapted to fixedly clamp a circular elastic mat against a substrate or support plate and where said elastic mat is fixedly retained by a peripheral groove in said upper ring and pressable against a support plate in order there between to be able to fixedly clamp a thickened peripheral border portion or edge portion allocated to the mat, to be able to disclose that said groove in said upper ring is, in cross section, to be given the form of a recess in said ring defined along its inner extent by a circular edge, where said edge is adapted to cooperate with a thin groove in the border or edge portion.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause said thickened edge portion to be given a square cross section.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause an outer cylinder surface allocated to the edge

portion to be adapted to connect to a corresponding inner cylinder surface of the upper ring.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause the inner cylinder surface to be adapted with a height which corresponds to or in any event substantially corresponds to the height given to the outer cylinder surface.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause the support plate to be given the form of a hollow cylinder, where the hollow cylindrical form consists of a planar plate with a centred inlet or outlet.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause the support plate to rest against an intermediate piece and a lower plate, in which anchorage means for fixedly clamping the elastic mat are anchored.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause a surrounding frame, with an inner groove, to be adapted to retain a mat portion with a surrounding border portion or edge portion.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause a tensioned elastic mat section to be structured as in any event two layers.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause a first piston-cylinder assembly to be adapted with its volume to correspond to the volume of an inner space, the volume of the arrangement being, by the movement of the piston, pressable into a hose and by an applicable pressure on the hose pressable into the cylinder.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause said first piston-cylinder assembly to be in corporation with a second pneumatically operating piston-cylinder assembly.

There resides a technical problem in being able to realise the importance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations which will be required in order to cause valves to be controlled by a control unit, in order to actuate functions related to said first or second piston-cylinder assembly.

SOLUTION

In such instance, the present invention takes as its point of departure the prior art technology disclosed by way of introduction in association with a speed obstacle, and more specifically a permanently applied speed obstacle, which may be related to or interconnected with a trailer-related arrangement, with a chassis, whose front portion, seen in a normal direction of travel, displays a first part, in a two-part coupling unit, where a second part is associated with a tractor vehicle, and whose rear portion displays, via a transversely oriented shaft, in any event two chassis-supporting wheels and a frame, adapted to support upper and lower horizontal warning beams and a warning sign oriented between the warning beams.

The upper warning beam can then be adapted to be able to support within its end portions each a warning lamp.

The present invention specifically builds on the prior art technology that a permanently applied speed obstacle is to be adapted to be able to assume a first inactive flat position and a second active raised or expanded position, where an upper surface section allocated to the speed obstacle is to be adapted to assume a planar, or substantially planar, position planar with the upper surface section of the road section, in said first inactive position and where the upper surface section allocated to said speed obstacle is to be adapted to assume a raised and rigid position, in relation to an upper surface section allocated to the road section, in said second position.

More specifically, the present invention is based on the utilisation of an upper ring adapted to fixedly clamp a circular elastic mat against a substrate or support plate and where said elastic mat is fixedly retained by a peripheral groove in said upper ring and pressable against a support plate, in order therebetween to be able to fixedly clamp a thickened peripheral border portion or edge portion allocated to the mat.

More specifically, the present invention discloses that said groove in said upper ring is in cross section to be given the form of a recess in said ring defined along its inner extent by a circular edge where said edge is adapted to cooperate with a thin groove in the border portion.

As proposed embodiments, displaying the significative properties of the invention it is disclosed that said thickened border portion is to be given a quadratic cross section.

An outer cylinder surface allocated to the border portion is to be adapted to connect to a corresponding inner cylinder surface of the upper ring.

The inner cylinder surface is adapted with a height which corresponds to or in any event substantially corresponds to the height given to the outer cylinder surface.

The support plate should be given the form of a hollow cylinder.

The hollow cylinder form then consists of a planar plate with a centred inlet or outlet.

The support plate rests against an intermediate piece and a lower plate, in which anchorage means for fixedly clamping the elastic mat are anchored.

A surrounding frame, with an inner groove, is adapted to fixedly retain a mat portion with a surrounding border portion or edge portion.

More specially it is disclosed that a first piston-cylinder assembly is to be adapted with its volume to correspond to the volume of an inner space, in the form of a hose, the volume of the arrangement being pressable by the movement of the piston into the hose and by applied pressure on the hose pressable into the cylinder.

Said first piston-cylinder assembly is to be in cooperation with a second pneumatically operating piston-cylinder assembly.

In addition it is disclosed that valves are to be controlled by a control unit in order to actuate functions related to said first or second piston-cylinder assembly.

Further it is disclosed that an inner space wholly or partly is to be tillable with a non- compressible fluid (water), at said second active position, alternatively an inner space can be wholly or partly tillable with a per se compressible fluid (air), at said second active position.

ADVANTAGES

Those advantages which may principally be deemed to be characteristic of the present invention and the special significative characterising features disclosed thereby are that there have hereby been created the preconditions to structure a permanent speed obstacle, which is to be adapted to be able to assume a first inactive position and a second active position, so that an upper surface section allocated to the speed obstacle will be adapted to assume a planar or substantially planar, position, with the upper surface section of the road section, in said first inactive position and

that the upper surface section allocated said speed obstacle is adapted to assume a raised and rigid position, in relation to an upper surface section allocated to the road section in said second active position.

It is particularly disclosed that the permanent speed obstacle is to have the form of a frame with a tensioned elastic mat section.

It is specifically disclosed that said groove in said upper ring is to be given in cross section the form of a recess in said ring defined along its inner extent by a circular edge, where said edge is adapted to cooperate with a thin groove in the border or edge portion with the intention of being able to overcome inconveniences with crack formation of the mat section adjacent the peripheral anchorage.

That which may principally be deemed to be characteristic of the present invention is disclosed in the characterising clause of appended Claim 1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS The prior art and one currently proposed embodiment, displaying the significative characterising features associated with the present invention will now be described in greater detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying Drawings, where:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a prior art simplified trailer-related arrangement; Fig. 2 illustrates a system to which the present invention is associated;

Fig. 3 is a cross section showing the one part of an active permanent speed obstacle, of a prior art circular first embodiment, according to Fig. 9 in Swedish Patent

Application 05 01862-7;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view and a cross section of a permanent active speed obstacle adjustable in a carriageway of an embodiment constructed according to the present invention; and

Figs. 5-9 are intended to illustrate in side elevation the individual parts in Fig. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 there is there described a trailer-related arrangement 1 with a chassis 2 whose front portion 2a, seen in a normal direction of travel, displays a first part 3 a, in a two-part coupling unit 3, where a second part (3b) is associated with a tractor vehicle, whose rear portion 2b displays, via a transversely oriented shaft 4', two chassis-supporting wheels 4, 4a and a frame 5, adapted to support upper 6 and lower 7 warning beams and a warning sign 8 oriented between the warning beams 6, 7.

The upper warning beam 6 is adapted to be able to support, within its end portions, each a warning lamp 10, 11. The upper warning beam 6 is given a shortened transversely oriented length "Ll", of 1650 mm. To each respective end portion there is a horizontally displaceable beam section 6a and 6b, respectively, where each one of said beam sections 6a, 6b each supports a warning lamp 10, 11.

Said lower warning beam 7 is extensible via, discrete and separate, beam sections applicable to the end portions of the warning beam which, in a per se known manner, can be connected to the end portions. These two beam sections are not shown.

The upper warning beam 6 and the warning sign 8 are allocated an upper frame portion 5 a, which via a pivot axis 5' cooperates with a lower frame portion 5b fixedly related to the chassis 2.

The upper frame portion 5a is in such instance adapted to be able via a pivotal movement about the pivot axis 5', to assume a horizontal position, with the upper warning beam 6 facing forwards, which is apparent from Fig. 1 by broken lines. In said horizontal position, a switch is adapted to break the current to the warning lamps.

A gas spring, not shown, is coordinated with said upper frame portion 5 a, in order thereby to be able to balance executed pivotal movement.

Fig. 2 now illustrates a system where the present invention may have its application.

A more detailed description of the invention is to be found in said Patent Application 05 01862-7 with reference to Fig. 8.

Fig. 3 now illustrates a previously known permanent active speed obstacle.

More specifically, Fig. 3 is intended to describe an active circular speed obstacle 60, with an upper ring 91 fixedly clamping a circular elastic mat 92.

Under the circular mat 92 there is, a lower mat supporting support plate 93 in order to form said inner space.

There is further disclosed an upper plate 94, which via spacer means 95 cooperates with a lower plate 96.

For a more detailed description of this speed obstacle reference is made to Fig. 9 in Swedish Patent Application 05 01862-7.

In Fig. 2 it is illustrated that speed obstacles 60 are adapted and intended to be placed in a road section intended for the advancement of a vehicle, with the intention of causing a vehicle driver to reduce the speed of the vehicle along a selected road extent.

Said speed obstacle 60 is adapted to be able to assume a first, an inactive, position 6OA and a second, an active position 6OB.

An upper surface section 61 allocated to the speed obstacle 60 is adapted to assume a position planar, or substantially planar with the upper surface section 20b of the road section 20, in said first position 6OA.

The upper surface section 61 allocated to said speed obstacle 60 is adapted to assume a raised and rigid position, in relation to an upper surface section allocated to the road section 20b, in said second position 6OB.

An inner space 62 can wholly or partly be tillable with a non-compressible fluid (water), in said second position 6OB, but an inner space 62 can wholly or partly be tillable with a per se compressible fluid (air), in said second position 6OB.

According to Fig. 2, a first hydraulic piston-cylinder assembly 80 is to be adapted with its volume, to correspond to the volume of the inner space 62 in the form of a hose 63, the volume enclosed by the assembly 80 being, by the movement of the piston 80a, pressable into the hose 63 and by an applicable pressure on the hose 63 pressable into the cylinder.

Said first hydraulically operating piston-cylinder assembly 80 is in cooperation with a second pneumatically operating piston-cylinder assembly 81.

Valves are controlled by the control unit 40 and the output circuit 49c so as to actuate the functions related to said first 80 or second 81 piston-cylinder assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF CURRENTLY PROPOSED EMBODIMENT

By way of introduction, it should be emphasised that in the following description of one currently proposed embodiment, which displays the significative characterising features associated with the invention and which is clarified by means of the figures illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, we have selected terms and a special terminology with the intention in such instance principally of clarifying the inventive concept.

However, in this context it should be observed that expressions selected here should not be seen as restrictive exclusively to the terms utilised here and selected but that it should be understood that every such selected term is to be interpreted so that in addition it encompasses all technical equivalents which function in the same or

substantially the same manner, in order in such instance to be able to attain the same or substantially the same intention and/or technical effect.

With reference to accompanying Fig. 4 as well as Figs. 5 to 9 there are thus shown schematically and in detail the basic preconditions for the present invention and where the significative properties associated with the invention have been given concrete form, as a result of the currently proposed embodiment described in greater detail hereinbelow.

A fixed control unit is then to be adapted, at a predetermined first distance from a frame, to determine the presence of and/or a relevant speed of an approaching vehicle, via radar equipment disclosed by way of example.

The invention according to Fig. 5 is based on the feature that a speed obstacle (40) is to display an upper ring 41. This ring 41 is to be adapted to fixedly clamp a circular elastic mat 42 against a substrate or support plate 43 and where said elastic mat 42 is fixedly retained by a peripheral groove 41a in said upper ring 41 and pressable against a support plate 43 in order therebetween to be able to fixedly clamp a thickened peripheral border portion or edge portion 42b allocated to the mat 42.

More specifically, it is disclosed that said groove 41a in said upper ring 41 is in cross section to be given the form of a recess in said ring 41 defined along its inner extent by a circular edge 41b where said edge is adapted to cooperate with a thin groove 42a in the border portion.

Said thickened border portion 42b can be given a quadratic cross section.

An outer cylinder surface 42c allocated to the border portion is adapted to connect to a corresponding inner cylinder surface 41 c for the upper ring 41.

The inner cylinder surface 41c is adapted with a height which corresponds to or in any event substantially corresponds to the height allocated to the outer cylinder surface 42c.

In such instance, the support plate is given the form of a hollow cylinder, where the hollow cylinder form consists of a planar plate 43 with a centred inlet or outlet 43 a.

The support plate 43 is to rest against an intermediate piece 44 and a lower plate 43, in which anchorage means 43 a for fixedly clamping via screws 45 of the elastic mat are anchored.

The present invention is naturally not restricted to the above embodiment disclosed by way of example but may undergo modifications within the scope of the inventive concept illustrated in the appended Claims.

It should specially be observed that every illustrated unit and/or circuit can be combined with every other illustrated unit and/or circuit within the scope in order to be able to attain the desired technical function.