| US5090348A | 1992-02-25 | |||
| GB2323877A | 1998-10-07 |
| CLAIMS: 1. A pole for a traffic light characterised in that the pole is configured to articulate in any direction when subjected to the force of an impact from an object. 2. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the pole includes an articulation joint located along its length, allowing the pole to bend with the direction of a force applied to it. 3. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the articulation joint includes any one or more of the group including a ball and socket joint, a hinge and the like. 4. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 3, characterised in that the articulation joint is located towards the base of the pole. 5. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pole includes a biasing means with high tensile strength which assists in returning the pole to an upright position once the force of impact has dissipated. 6. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the biasing means is a resilient spring is located around the articulation joint, to hold the pole in an upright position and to pull the traffic light pole back towards its upright position once the force has been removed. 7. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pole is able to return to an upright position once the force of the impact has dissipated. 8. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pole includes an impact resistant zone for absorbing the majority of the impact from a collision, and preventing excessive damage to the vehicle and/or the pole. 9. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the impact resistant zone is in the form of a cage located around a part of the length of the pole. 10. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 9, characterised in that the cage includes a layer of protective material in the form of rubber. 11. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in any of the preceding claims, characterised in that an additional collar extends around the pole to prevent the lights from hitting the ground and being damaged should the pole be knocked over on impact. 2. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in claim 11 , characterised in that the collar is wider in dimension than the traffic light housing. 13. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pole comprises a countdown timer device, which assists in showing motorists/cyclists and the like, how long the traffic light is to stay green/orange/red. 14. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that that countdown timer device assists motorists/cyclists to determine at which speed to approach the traffic light, and furthermore, at which moment to prepare the vehicle for take-off from the robot. 15. A pole for a traffic light as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pole comprises a solar panel which assists in powering the traffic light and saving electricity. |
This invention relates to a bendable pole for a traffic light.
BACKGROUND ART
Traffic lights, also known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights or robots are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic. Traffic lights are today used in almost every city of the world. Traffic lights alternate the right of way accorded to road users by displaying lights of a standard colour - red, orange, green.
Countdown timers on traffic lights were introduced in the 1990s and are mainly used in western Hemisphere countries. Timers assist drivers/pedestrians to plan if there is enough time to attempt to cross the intersection before the light turns red and conversely, the amount of time before the light turns green, and aim to prevent drivers from attempting to jump the traffic lights.
Traffic lights are generally inflexible and planted firmly into the ground. Unfortunately Traffic Lights find themselves the unintended victim of bad driving habits, and it is very common to see traffic lights that have been knocked over at intersections, where not only the pole is damaged, but also the housing for the lights, the bulbs, and the electrical connections.
It is an object of this invention to provide a traffic light which, at least partially, alleviates some of the abovementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a pole for a traffic light configured to articulate in any direction when subjected to the force of an impact from an object.
The pole includes an articulation joint located along its length, allowing the pole to bend with the direction of a force applied to it.
The articulation joint may include any one or more of the group including a flexible joint such as a ball and socket, a hinge and the like. The articulation joint is preferably located towards the base of the pole. The pole is preferably able to return to an upright position once the force of the impact has dissipated.
The pole may include a biasing means with high tensile strength which assists in returning the pole to an upright position once the force of impact has dissipated. The biasing means may be in the form of a resilient spring which may be located around the ball and socket joint, to hold the pole in an upright position and to pull the traffic light pole back towards its upright position once the force has been removed.
The pole may additionally include an impact resistant zone for absorbing the majority of the impact from a collision, and preventing excessive damage to the vehicle and/or the pole.
The impact resistant zone may be in the form of a cage located around a part of the length of the pole which may include a layer of protective material in the form of rubber.
An additional collar may extend around the pole to prevent the lights from hitting the ground and being damaged should the pole be knocked over on impact.
The collar is preferably wider in dimension than the traffic light housing.
The pole of the traffic light may comprise a countdown timer device, which would show motorists/cyclists and the like how long the traffic light is to stay green/orange/red. The countdown timer may assist motorists/cyclists to determine at which speed to approach the traffic light, and furthermore, at which moment to prepare the vehicle for take-off from the robot.
The pole of the traffic light, may furthermore include a solar panel which may assist in powering the traffic light, and thereby saving electricity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example only and with reference to the following drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a representation of the traffic light of the invention,
Figure 2 is a further representation of the traffic light of the invention,
Figure 3 is an embodiment of the traffic light after impact. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to figures 1 to 3 in which like features of the invention are indicated by like numerals.
A traffic light 10 for controlling the flow of traffic includes a set of coloured lights 12 mounted in a housing 13 on a pole 14. The pole 14 is mounted on a base 6 by a ball 18 and socket 20 joint A spring 22 is located around the ball 18 and socket 20 joint, and has sufficient tensile strength to hold the traffic light 10 in an upright position. The strength of the spring 22 is also sufficient to pull the traffic light pole 14 back into its upright position if the pole 14 sustains a fairly gentle impact from a motor vehicle.
An impact resistant zone 24 is also located along the pole 14 at a height corresponding to the standard height of a motor vehicle bumper 32 (fig 2). The impact resistant zone includes a resilient material, and is configured to absorb the majority of the impact from a collision (fig 2), preventing excessive damage to the vehicle 30 and/or the pole 14.
A collar 26 extends around the pole 14 of the traffic light 10, and is wider than the housing 13. The function of the collar is to prevent the housing 13 from hitting the ground and being damaged should the impact be great enough to knock the pole 14 over to the ground.
In use, and referring to figures 2 and 3, should a motor vehicle 30 hit the pole 14, the impact resistant zone 24 will absorb a large amount of the impact, and prevent the pole 14 from being damaged. In addition, the force of the impact will cause pole to swivel on its ball 18 and socket 20 joint in the direction of the force of the impact.
The swivelling action on the ball and socket joint prevents the base of the pole 16 from being ripped out of the ground by the force of the impact. In addition, the electrical wires are protected.
Depending on the force of the impact, the pole 14 may swivel all the way down to the ground, or may only swivel part way. If the impact is hard, and the pole swivels all the way to the ground, the collar 26 protects the housing 13 and lights 12 from hitting the ground and breaking.
Once the vehicle 30 has been removed from the scene, the pole 14 may be swivelled back to its upright position. The spring 22 may assist in pulling the pole 14 back upright. Numerous modifications to this embodiment are possible, without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the traffic light may include a countdown timer (not shown), and a solar panel for powering the traffic light (not shown).
The invention therefore provides a novel pole for a traffic light.