DEFORMABLE SPEED HUMP

DOS D'ANE DEFORMABLE

English Abstract

A road traffic speed control device which is located in a roadway, is formed
of a resiliently deformable material and is deflatable by
the passage of a vehicle thereover at the intended speed limit of said vehicle
in said roadway, in use. The device may be formed from an
extruded or compressed partially recyclable rubber compound.

French Abstract

L'invention se rapporte à un dispositif de contrôle de la vitesse de la circulation automobile que l'on peut installer sur une route. Ce dispositif est formé d'une matière élastiquement déformable qui, en cours d'utilisation, se dégonfle lorsqu'un véhicule y passe dessus en respectant la limitation de vitesse déterminée sur ladite route. Le dispositif peut être formé à partir d'un composant en caoutchouc, extrudé ou comprimé, partiellement recyclable.

Claims

7
CLAIMS:
What is claimed is:
1. A road-traffic speed-control device which is locatable in a roadway, said
device
comprising a speed hump formed from a resiliently-deformable material and
having
at least one of a perforation, an aperture and a valve means disposed therein
so that
air within said device is in restricted communication with a surrounding
atmosphere
to permit deflation of said device by a passage of a vehicle over said device
at an
intended speed limit of said vehicle in said roadway, but not at speeds
exceeding
said speed limit, and is sufficiently resilient to reinflate itself
automatically after
passage of said vehicle.
2. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 1, wherein said
resiliently-
deformable material is an extruded partially-recyclable rubber compound.
3. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 1, wherein said
resiliently-
deformable material is a compressed partially-recyclable rubber compound.
4. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 1, wherein said
device has a
semi-cylindrical cross-section.
5. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 1, wherein said
device has a
substantially sinusoidal cross-section.
6. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 1, wherein said
device
reinflates after said deflation, said device further comprises a valve which
permits
said deflation and reinflation, and said valve is disposed in a side wall of
said device.
7. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 1, further
comprising a helical
spring disposed within said device, said spring biasing said device in an
inflated
position.
8. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 1, wherein said
device is
deflated by said passage of a vehicle over said device at a speed of between 5
mph



8
and said intended speed limit of said vehicle in said roadway.
9. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 1 comprising inner
and outer
walls of resiliently deformable material, the inner wall defining an elongate
chamber
for having said restricted communication with the atmosphere, the outer wall
providing a surface for vehicles.
10. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 9, wherein said
inner wall
comprises a substantially cylindrical tube extending within the device, while
the outer
wall defines a part-sinusoidal profile.
11. The road traffic speed control device recited in claim 9, wherein air in a
space
between said inner and outer walls is not in communication with the
surrounding
atmosphere.
12. The road-traffic speed-control device of claim 1, wherein the speed hump
is
sufficiently resilient to reinflate itself automatically after passage of said
vehicle by
drawing air from the atmosphere through the at least one of a perforation, an
aperture and a valve means.
13. A road-traffic speed-control device locatable on a roadway, comprising a
resiliently-deformable speed hump having an interior portion for holding a
fluid, and
at least one of a perforation formed in the speed hump, an aperture formed in
the
speed hump, and a valve mounted on the speed hump, wherein:
the at least one of a perforation, an aperture, and a valve permits the fluid
to flow out
of the interior portion when a pressure of the fluid is below a predetermined
value
corresponding to a pressure of the fluid when a vehicle passes over the speed
hump
at a predetermined speed, so that the speed hump deflates when the vehicle
passes
over the speed hump at a speed below the predetermined speed; and
the at least one of a perforation, an aperture, and a valve prevents the fluid
from
flowing out of the interior portion when a pressure of the fluid is
approximately equal
to or greater than the predetermined value so that the speed hump does not
deflate
when the vehicle passes over the speed hump at a speed approximately equal to
or


9
above the predetermined speed.
14. The road-traffic speed-control device of claim 13, wherein the at least
one of a
perforation, an aperture, and a valve permits the fluid to flow into the speed
hump so
that the speed hump self-inflates after the vehicle has passed over the speed
hump
at the speed below the predetermined speed.
15. A road-traffic speed-control device locatable on a roadway, comprising a
speed
hump resiliently deformable between an inflated state and a deformed state,
and at
least one of a perforation formed in the speed hump, an aperture formed in the
speed
hump, and a valve mounted on the speed hump, wherein:
the at least one of a perforation, an aperture, and a valve permits a fluid
located
inside the speed hump to pass through the at least one of a perforation, an
aperture,
and a valve to an environment outside the speed hump when the speed hump is
subject to an impact load below a predetermined level so that the speed hump
deforms in response to the impact load below the predetermined level; and
the at least one of a perforation, an aperture, and a valve prevents the fluid
located
inside the speed hump to pass through the at least one of a perforation, an
aperture,
and a valve when the speed hump is subject to an impact load approximately
equal
to or greater than the predetermined level so that the speed hump remains in
the
inflated state when subject to the impact load approximately equal to or
greater than
the predetermined value.
16. The road-traffic speed-control device of claim 15, wherein the valve
permits a
fluid located in the environment outside the speed hump to flow into the speed
hump
after the speed hump has been subject to the impact load below the
predetermined
value so that the speed hump returns to the inflated state.

Description

CA 02289921 1999-11-10
WO 98/40563 1 PCTlGB98100748
DEFORMABLE SPEED HUMP
Speed humps or 'Sleeping Policeman' as they are
' better know, are well known deterrents for speeding
motorists and are becoming more widely used through
the traffic calming measures being imposed by local
authorities. The present speed hump can be either
an asphalt or block paviour mound, which are farmed
directly upon the existing road surface or as an
alternative can be made from a solid compound such
as plastic which again can be fitted to the road
surface .
According to the authorities and surveys of
public opinion it is essential to reduce the speed
of motorist in general especially on inner city
urban carriage ways. The present systems of speed
control are costly and disruptive, with the tax
payer and local businesses bearing the cost.
Additionally the confusion caused to an already
congested road network is totally unacceptable with
journey times increasing and repairs to the roads
never ending.
It is a object of the present invention to
obviate or mitigate the above problems.
According to the invention there is providea a
road traffic speed control device which is locatable
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in a roadway, is formed of a resiliently deformable
material and is deflatable by the passage of a
vehicle thereover at the intended speed limit of
said vehicle in said roadway, in use.
The device may be formed from an extruded or
compressed partially recyclable rubber compound.
The device may be generally semi-cylindrical or
sinusoidal in transverse cross-section and may be
formed with perforations or apertures therein to
IO permit deflation.
Alternatively or in addition, valve means may be
located in a side wall of the device to allow
deflation and reinflation, in use.
One or more helical springs, which may be
encased in a split sleeve, may be located within the
device to assist in shape retention.
The device may be formed with perforations,
apertures or valve means to provide deflation
thereof with passage thereover of a vehicle
travelling from a minimum speed of 5 mph through
increments to a required maximum.
The device may be formed such that subsequent to
deflation by the front wheels of a vehicle passing
thereover, reinflation may be delayed to allow the
rear wheels to pass thereover during such initial
deflation.
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The foregoing and further features of the
invention may be more readily understood from the
following description of preferred embodiments
thereof, by way of example with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:-
Fig.l shows a schematic end sectional view of a
road traffic speed control device and fixing
therefor;
Fig.2 shows a plan view of the device of Fig. l;
Figs 2A and 2B show sectional views along the
lines A-A and B-B respectively of Fig, 2;
Fig.3 is a schematic sectional view of devices
of Figs 1 and 2 located across a road;
Fig.4 is a schematic perspective view of a .device
showing drainage to discharge surface water;
Fig.5 is a schematic end sectional view of an
alternative device including a two-way valve for
controlling deflation and reinflation, in use;
Fig.6 is a perspective view from above of a
further alternative embodiment, and
Fig.7 is a schematic side sectional view of the
embodiment of Fig 7.
Referring now to the drawings a road traffic
speed control device D is preferably formed from an
" 25 extruded or compressed recyclable rubber compound.
The shape represents a semi-cylindrical, sectional
shape in construction with a series of apertures 3
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CA 02289921 2005-04-18
..
formed through the profiled casing, which allows the-
circulation of air under controlled circumstances to
be released, thus deflating the~device D into a level
plane giving a smooth passage to a vehicle passing
thereover.
To assist~in the shape retention a helical
spring 4 encased in a suitable split sleeve 5 is
installed at the centre of the device D. To secure
the unit a spreader plate or washer 6 is inserted at
the base of the protective shroud during the curing
procedure to help relieve the impact force when in
operation. also to assist in the distribution of
the impact forces, the device D is tapered into a
fillet 7 at each end of the base line thereof.
The device D is preferably produced in 750 mm
sections accompanied by tailor made inserts to
complete a road crossing (determined during the on
site survey). To assist in the equal spacing oL the
device D a 50mm spacer 9 is moulded onto the end of
the unit which is interlocked at 10 to provide an
overall 05mm expansion gap giving added rigidity to
the whole structure.
The device D is attached to a road surface by
bolts 2 engaging into anchoring devices 1 located in
the road surface.
The idea profile is 750mm in width and 100mm in
height. This is uniform throughout the entire


CA 02289921 2005-04-18
' S
structure which enables vehicle manufacturers to
work to a stated height restriction from the top of
the hump to the underside of the vehicle similar to
the restriction placed on high sided vehicles.
Should damage occur, the section in question can be
simply unbolted and replaced by a standard length of
device causing minimal disruption and with no road
excavation taking place
The number and size of apertures 3 is determined
to allow the device D to be deflated by the front
wheels of a vehicle passing thereover, providing the
vehicle is not exceeding a predetermined speed.
Should the vehicle be. travelling at a speed
exceeding the predetermined maximum; the device does
not deflate and acts substantially as a rigid hump.
Fig.4 shows a device D with drainage apertures
12 covered with mesh to prevent the ingress of
leaves or osher debris into device D.
Fig.S shows an alternative device D having a
two-way valve 13 provided to control deflation and
reinflation and may be adjustable to control maximum
speed at which deflation does not occur. Such valve
13 may be provided in addition to apertures 3 or as
on alternative thereto.
Figures 6 and 7 show a further alternative
embodiment in which the cross section of the device
is generally sinusoidal so as to provide a


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6
relatively smooth passage over a solid run up
portion 14 of the device prior to a vehicle
traversing the deflatable portion D.
The device provides a relatively smooth passage
to vehicles travelling within a stipulated speed
limit which is particularly important for emergency
vehicles carrying injured passengers. Furthermore
damaged portions of the device can be replaced
easily without the requirement for excavation.
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Representative Drawing