Field of the Invention

The current invention relates to a modular street barrier system comprising at least a first and a second street barrier module connected to each other, each street barrier module comprising an external housing configured for being filled with ballast material.

Background to the Invention

Whether through the intentional malicious use of a vehicle as a weapon, or through accidental loss of control of a vehicle, vehicles can threaten the safety of people in public spaces, possibly resulting in injury and death. Public spaces which are at risk include parks, squares, footpaths, outdoor seating (e.g. hospitality venues), and public events at which crowds of people gather. As well as posing a direct danger to people, a vehicle can also be used to damage infrastructure. This is particularly dangerous if electrical systems or key supporting structures are targeted.

Various obstacles can be implemented between a vehicle and a public space to mitigate the threat of injury to the public or damage to infrastructure. These obstacles are generally designed to delay or prevent the vehicle from progressing, which may allow pedestrians additional time to escape from the threat. It is also desirable for these obstacles to damage the vehicle on impact, rendering it more difficult to drive.

Known obstacles which satisfy the above requirements include both permanent and temporary solutions. Permanent solutions include fixed infrastructure, including bollards, gates, planters and other strengthened street furniture, or landscaping options such as ditches and berms. These permanent arrangements can be designed to integrate into their environment to provide an aesthetically pleasing and practical solution. However, permanent solutions are timeconsuming to implement and difficult to modify once installed.

Temporary obstacles such as perimeter barriers are also available and are especially popular for use at events and hospitality venues. A good example of such temporary obstacles is the modular barrier cushion system described in the US patent application published as US 2002/0025221 A1. The modular barrier cushions described therein are interconnected by inserting a pin through aligned openings in six flanges, three of which extend from a side surface of each barrier cushion. When impacted by a vehicle, the pin and flange connection acts as a hinge, thereby significantly changing the position and orientation of the barrier cushions and posing a risk to people located in the vicinity of the barrier. To avoid this happening, US 2002/0025221 A1 suggests anchoring the barrier to the ground, for example by pouring concrete around the barrier cushions or by placing the barrier cushions in trenches.

It is against this background that the present invention has been devised.

Summary of the Invention

It will be appreciated that preferred and/or optional features of each aspect of the invention may be incorporated alone or in appropriate combination in the other aspects of the invention also.

According to an aspect of the invention a modular street barrier system is provided. The modular street barrier system comprises at least a first and a second street barrier module connected to each other. Each street barrier module comprises an external housing configured for being filled with ballast material. The external housing comprises a central section, a male connector section, and a female connector section. The male connector sections comprise an external male connection surface with at least one male connector flange protruding therefrom. The female connector sections comprise an external female connection surface with at least one female connector flange arranged inward therefrom. The external female connection surface comprises at least one connector opening arranged for receiving the at least one male connector flange. The male connection surface of the first street barrier adjoins the female connection surface of the second street barrier, such that the at least one male connector flange projects through the respective connector opening in the female connection surface. At least two locking bars are arranged through respective aligned openings in the at least one female connector flange and the at least one male connector flange.

The modular system according to the invention brings a number of advantages over the prior art street barriers. The modular nature of the system allows it to be easily configured for and adapted to the local needs and requirements. The use of male and female connector flanges allows for complete concealment of the connection mechanism and a smooth, almost unnoticeable transition between two adjacent street barrier modules. Because the connectors are hidden and out of sight, the barrier can, for example, be given the appearance of a normal planter. The use of two locking bars instead of one ensures that two connected modules behave as a single block when only one of them is hit by a high impact collision. As a result, a strategically placed configuration of a limited number of easy to handle, relatively small street barrier modules can protect people behind the street barrier system against very high impact collisions without needing to attach any of the street barrier modules to the ground.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least one male connector flange comprises at least one upper male connector flange and at least one lower male connector flange, the upper and lower male connector flanges projecting through respective connector openings in the female connection surface, and the at least two locking bars being arranged through respective aligned openings in the at least one female connector flange, the at least one upper male connector flange, and the at least one lower male connector flange. By connecting the two adjacent modules at an upper and a lower point, a stronger connection is obtained and higher impacts can be absorbed without breaking the joint and endangering people or objects behind the street barrier.

When an even stronger connection between the two modules is desired, the at least one female connector flange may comprise at least one upper female connector flange and at least one lower female connector flange, the at least two locking bars being arranged through the at least one upper male connector flange, the at least one upper female connector flange, the at least one lower male connector flange, and the at least one lower female connector flange.

Preferably, the at least one female connector flange is provided in a connector housing that is configured to substantially prevent the ballast material from blocking the aligned openings when filling the external housing with the ballast material. The connector housing makes it possible to insert the locking bars only after the external housing has been filled with a ballast material, such as concrete. This brings the advantage that the filling can be done at a location away from where the street barrier modules are to be deployed and before the street barrier modules are connected to each other. It also makes it easy to disassemble an already installed street barrier system by taking out the locking bars, bringing the individual street barriers to a new location, and reassembling the street barrier system there. In the same way, the street barrier system can easily be rearranged in different configurations.

In preferred embodiments, the at least one male connector flange is part of a male connector, the male connector being mounted to the external housing of the first street barrier module in such a way that it is anchored by the ballast material when the external housing of the first street barrier module is filled with the ballast material. Similarly, the female connector flange may be part of a female connector, the female connector being mounted to the external housing of the second street barrier module in such a way that it is anchored by the ballast material when the external housing of the second street barrier module is filled with the ballast material. Such anchoring can provide for a much stronger connection than when the male or female connectors are just bolted or welded to the external housing. Furthermore, this provides for a strong and solid connection between the central section and the connector sections.

To allow for a limited amount of relative movement between two connected street barrier modules, a length of the aligned openings measured in a direction parallel to the adjoining male and female connection surfaces may be larger than a diameter of the respective locking bars measured in the same direction. For example, the locking bars may have a substantially circular diameter, while the aligned openings have a more elliptical or oval shape. The limited amount of relative movement that is thus allowed can be used to absorb a substantial part of the impact energy in a high impact collision. This helps to ensure that the street barrier system configuration is kept intact. The allowed relative movement between the male and female connector flanges further enables the street barrier to absorb some of the impact energy and save extensive moment that could otherwise have resulted in serious injury for any pedestrians or person nearby.

Preferably, especially when concrete is used as the ballast material, the central section comprises a rebar construction to provide additional strength to the street barrier module.

To allow for non-linear configurations of the street barrier system, the central section of at least one of the street barrier modules may be L-shaped. Such L-shaped street barrier modules, for example, allow to arrange the street barrier modules are arranged in a U-shape. It has been shown in tests that such a U-shape can provide excellent stability and protection against high impact vehicle collisions whilst only measuring 2.5 meters long. Without needing to attach any of the modules to the ground, the U-shape ensures that all high impact collision energy is absorbed by the street barrier system, without breaking the connections between the street barrier modules.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, preferred non-limiting embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary configuration of the modular street barrier system.

Figure 2 shows a single street barrier module according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figures 3 and 4 respectively show a perspective view and a top view of a male connector for use in the street barrier module of Figure 2.

Figures 5 and 6 show two perspective views, from different viewpoints, of a female connector for use in the street barrier module of Figure 2.

Figure 7 shows a plan view of the street barrier system of Figure 1.

Figure 8 shows the external housing of a head section for use in the street barrier module of Figure 2.

Figures 9 and 10 and show partial perspective views, from different viewpoints, of the street barrier system of Figure 1.

Figure 11 shows a front view of two connected street barrier modules in an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Figure 12 shows a cross section of a male connector section and a female connector section mounted to each other.

Figures 13 to 15 show three perspective views of a male connector and a female connector for use in the connector sections of Figure 12.

Figures 16 to 18 schematically show the process of connecting the male connector to the female connector.

Figures 19 to 21 show three different perspective views on two interconnected head sections.

Figure 22 illustrates an impact event between a car and the modular street barrier system of Figures 1 and 7.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary configuration of the modular street barrier system 100. In this embodiment, the street barrier system 100 is configured in a U-shape. The U-shape of this embodiment is just one of many different configurations the modular street barrier system 100 can be arranged in. Other possible arrangements, for example, include I- shapes, L-shapes, E-shapes, and T-shapes. The U-shaped street barrier system 100 has already shown excellent results in impact tests that are described in more detail below with reference to Figure 22.

The U-shaped street barrier system 100 is built with three l-shaped street barrier modules 110 and two L-shaped street barrier modules 120. Like the street barrier system 100 itself, the individual street barrier modules may also be provided in a large variety of shapes. Each individual street barrier module 110, 120, comprises comprising an external housing configured for being filled with ballast material. In this drawing, the external housings have not been filled to allow us to look inside them. Typical ballast materials to be used for filling the street barrier modules 110, 120 are easy to handle, inexpensive and environmentally friendly. For optimal functioning of the street barrier system 100, preferably materials with a high mass density are used. For example, concrete, gravel, sand, and soil are suitable materials. However, the use of concrete has some technical advantages because of its solidity and strength when dried. The external housing of each street barrier module 110, 120 comprises a central section 102 and two head sections 104, 106, 108. Street barrier modules of different shapes may comprise additional head sections 104, 106, 108. For example, a T-shaped street barrier module may comprise three head sections 104, 106, 108.

At the outer ends of the street barrier system 100, head sections are provided in the form of an end piece 108. Although these end pieces 108 are not strictly essential from a technical perspective, it is highly preferred to use them for reasons of aesthetics and safety. Furthermore, the end pieces 108 have a clear function in closing off the external housing and containing the ballast material. Two adjacent street barrier modules 110, 120 are joined by a female connector section 104 at the end of one street barrier module 110, 120 and a male connector section 106 at the adjoining end of another street barrier module 110, 120. These female and male connector sections 104, 106 are described in more detail below with reference to some of the other Figures.

Figure 2 shows a single street barrier module 110 according to an embodiment of the invention. In addition to the parts already discussed above, Figure 2 shows a rebar construction 22 that serves to increase the tensile strength of the concrete that may be used to fill the external housing. The external housing itself may, e.g., be made of steel and is made up of the combined external housings of the central section 102 and the head sections 104, 106. Preferably, the external housing of the head sections 104, 106, is mounted to the external housing of the central section 102. These connections may, for example, be realised using bolts or welding.

Figure 2 further shows an upper flange 42 of the female connector 40 at the female connector section 104, and an upper flange 62 and lower flange 61 of a male connector at the male connector section 106. As will be shown in some of the following Figures, the female connector 40 may have a lower flange too. The male connector flanges 61 , 62 extend outward from one side surface of the external housing of the street barrier module 110. The female connector flanges 42 are arranged inward of the opposite side surface. All the connector flanges 42, 61 , 62 are part of connectors 40 that are rigidly mounted to the street barrier module 110. The connectors 40 may, for example, be mounted to the external housing and/or to the filling material. Especially when the filling material is concrete, partly embedding the connector s 40 in the concrete provides for a very strong connection. The use of male and female connector flanges 61 , 62, 42 allows for complete concealment of the connection mechanism and a smooth, almost unnoticeable transition between two adjacent street barrier modules 110, 120.

The external housing of the female connector section 104 comprises the external female connection surface comprising two connector openings (not shown) arranged for receiving the upper and lower male connector flanges 62, 61 of another street barrier module 110, 120. When two street barrier modules 110, 120 are connected, the male connector flanges 61, 62 of one street barrier module 110, 120 align with the female connector flanges 42 of the other street barrier module, such that two openings 43, 63 provided in each connector flange 42, 61 , 62 are positioned in line and two locking bars (see, e.g., Figure 6) can be inserted through the aligned openings 43, 63. The use of two locking bars instead of one ensures that two connected street barrier modules 110, 120 behave as a single block when only one of them is hit by a high impact collision. As a result, a strategically placed configuration of a limited number of easy to handle, relatively small street barrier modules 110, 120 can protect people behind the street barrier system 100 against very high impact collisions without needing to attach any of the street barrier modules 110, 120 to the ground.

Alternative designs will be readily available to the skilled person. For example, three or more locking bars may be used instead of two. A single connector flange 42, 61 , 62 with two openings 43, 63 may be replaced by two connector flanges with a single opening each. Connector flanges with the openings for one locking bar may be provided at different heights as connector flanges with the openings for other locking bars.

Figures 3 and 4 respectively show a perspective view and a top view of a male connector 60 for use in the street barrier module 110, 120 of Figure 2. The male connector 60 comprises a connector body 65 which supports the upper and lower connector flanges 62, 61. A mounting frame 67 is attached to the connector body 65 via mount bars 66. The connector body 65 is configured to be placed against the inside of the male connector section part of the external housing with the connector flanges 61 , 62 extending through and protruding from that external housing. Figure 4 shows a locking bar 70 inserted into one of the openings 63 in the upper connector flange 62. In use, another locking bar 70 will be inserted into the other one of the openings (see, e.g., Figure 15).

As is clearly visible in Figure 4, the openings 63 in the connector flanges 61 , 62 may be noncircular, i.e., longer in one direction that in the other direction. The elongated shape of the openings 63 may allow for a limited amount of relative movement between two connected street barrier modules 110, 120. For example, the locking bars 70 may have a substantially circular diameter, while the openings 63 have a more elliptical or oval shape.

In this embodiment, the mounting frame 67 comprises bolt holes for bolting the mounting frame to the external housing. When the external housing is filled with ballast material, the mounting frame 67 and the mount bars 66 are embedded in the ballast material which provides for a very strong connection. When concrete is used as the ballast material, the mount bars may function as additional rebar elements, thus improving the tensile strength of the concrete while providing a super strong connection of the male connector 60 to the central section 102 of the street barrier module 110, 120.

Figures 5 and 6 show two perspective views, from different viewpoints, of a female connector 40 for use in the street barrier module 110, 120 of Figure 2. The female connector 40 comprises a connector housing 45 which supports the upper and lower connector flanges 42, 41. A mounting frame 47 is attached to the connector housing 45 via mount bars 46. The connector housing 45 is configured to prevent ballast material from entering the space between the upper and lower connector flanges 41 , 42 and thereby blocking the openings 43 for the locking bars 70. In some embodiments, the connector housing 45 may be placed on a block of deformable material, such as foamed polystyrene, to effectively seal the bottom of the connector housing 45 when the ballast material is loaded into the external housing. The mounting frame 47 comprises bolt hoies for bolting the mounting frame to the external housing. When the external housing is filled with ballast material, the mounting frame 47 and the mount bars 46 are embedded in the ballast material which provides for a very strong connection. When concrete is used as the ballast material, the mount bars may function as additional rebar elements, thus improving the tensile strength of the concrete while providing a super strong connection of the female connector 40 to the central section 102 of the street barrier module 110, 120.

Figure 7 shows a plan view of the street barrier system 100 of Figure 1. Figure 8 shows the external housing of a head section 104, 106, 108 for use in the street barrier modules 110, 120 of Figure 7. When used for a male or female connector section 106, 104, the rear wall of the head section comprises an upper and a lower slit (not shown) shaped to receive the upper and lower connector flanges 62, 61 of the male connector 60. In a male connector section 106, the slits serve to allow the connector flanges 61 , 62 to protrude from the head section 106 and the external housing of the street barrier module 110, 120. In a female connector section 104, the slits serve to allow the male connector flanges 61 , 62 to be received by the head section 104 and to align with the female connector flanges 41 , 42 provided therein. These head sections 104, 106 provided with slits may be used as end sections 108 too. However, for aesthetic reasons, the end sections 108 may not comprise such slits. Alternatively, in order to limit the number of different street barrier modules, each street barrier module 110, 120 may have a female connector section 104 at one end and a male connector section 106 at the other end. At the outer ends of the street barrier system 100, the respective connector section 104, 106 is then just not connected to another street barrier module 110, 120.

Figures 9 and 10 and show partial perspective views, from different viewpoints, of the street barrier system 100 of Figure 1. Figure 11 shows a front view of two connected street barrier modules 110 in an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The external housing of one of the two street barrier modules 110 has been removed to show the inside of the street barrier module 110. For example, the female connector housing 45, with a locking bar 70 inserted through its openings 43 is visible in this drawing. Inside the connector housing 45, the locking bar 70 will also extend through openings 63 in the upper and lower male connector flanges 62, 61 (not shown here). Furthermore, this drawing shows the concrete 80 that is used as ballast material and fills up, for example, about two thirds or three quarters of the exterior housing. A planter 90 is placed in the top portion of the street barrier module 110. The planter 90, filled with soil and plants provides additional mass to the street barrier module 110 and improves its appearance. Figure 12 shows a cross section of a male connector section 106 and a female connector section 104 mounted to each other. Figures 13 to 15 show three perspective views of a male connector 60 and a female connector 40 for use in the connector sections 106, 104 of Figure 12. Figure 13 shows the connectors 40, 60 when apart. Figure 14 shows the connectors 40, 60, when moved into the connected position, with the openings 43, 63 for the locking bars 70 aligned, such that the locking bars 70 can be inserted. Figure 15 shows the same configuration as Figure 14, but then with both locking bars 70 inserted and the connected connectors 40, 60, being viewed from a different angle.

Figures 16 to 18 schematically show the process of connecting the male connector 60 to the female connector 40. First the upper and lower male connector flanges 62, 61 are inserted into the female connector section 104, such that they align with the female connector flange 42 (Figure 17). Then the locking bar 70 is inserted into the aligned openings of the female and male connector flanges 42, 62, 61 (Figure 18). Figures 19 to 21 show three different perspective views on the two interconnected head sections 104, 106. In Figure 21 , part of the exterior housing is taken away to provide a better view on the connectors 40, 60.

Figure 22 illustrates an impact event between a car and the modular street barrier system 100 of Figures 1 and 7. In contrast with most other modular street barrier systems, this exemplary street barrier system 100 according to the invention does not need to be anchored to the ground to maintain its structural integrity during a high impact collision. Although the street barrier system 100 is pushed away over a distance of about one meter, the car does not break through the barrier. Only people standing or sitting directly behind the barrier at the moment of impact may be lightly injured but will not be run over by the fast-moving car. If, as described above, the connector flanges 41 , 42, 61 , 62 comprise elongated openings 43, 63 for receiving the locking bars, the street barrier module 110 hit by the car may move a little bit relative to the other street barrier modules 110, 120. However, the U-shape of the street barrier system 100 as a whole remains largely intact.

It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the invention could be modified to take many alternative forms to that described herein, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.