Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Flexible Parking Post
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a post and more specifically to a
flexible post that can be used to easily display signs in parking lots or any
other
location. It can also be used to act as a barrier at the end of a parking
space. The
flexible parking post is made of a flexible support and a rigid square tube.
The
flexible support enables the post to bend upon an object impact and resume its
normal upright position after the impact force is removed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
"Handicap", "R.eserved Parking", "~To Parking" and other ;signs have been
used in the parking lots since the expansion of the motor vehicle industry. In
rural
areas, these signs can generally be installed several inches from the end of
the
parking space to make sure that the motorist does not hit the post vrhen he
parks
his motor vehicle. In many highly populated areas where the space is scarce,
these
signs, generally mounted on rigid U-Channel posts, are generally installed
only
few inches from the end of the parking space. It is a well known fact that
these
rigid posts are sometimes impacted by the vehicles. The result of only one
impact
by a motor vehicle is high maintenance costs to repair the damagedl post and a
lost
of effectiveness of the sign while the post is damaged. To limit the
maintenance
costs and to ensure the effectiveness of the signs, it is preferable that
these signs
should be mounted on flexible posts to make sure that the signs will always
remain
in an upright position.
So far, there is no product that has been specifically designed to mount
signs few inches from the end of the parking space. In some cases, to limit
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maintenance costs, collapsible traffic posts, similar to U.S. Patent
No.6,068,233 to
Green, can be used. This solution reduces the repair time but it does not
permit the
post to always remain in an upright position.
Plenty of flexible solutions have also been developed. Most of these
solutions have been developed to act as road delineators or similar
applications
(eg. U.S. Patent No. 6,375,385 to Kennedy, U.S. Patent No. 6,113,307 to Joyner
et
al., U.S. Patent No. 5,620,277 to Cole,Sr. et al. and U.S. Patent No.
5,205,236 to
Hughes). These solutions are well suited to be installed in grass. 'They are
not
designed to be installed in concrete or asphalt which is the pavement most
frequently used at the end of the parking space. Other solutions that can be
installed easily on asphalt or concrete have been developed (U.S. Patent No.
5,908,262 to Ahn, U.S. Patent No. 5,439,311 to Hughes, Jr., U.S. Patent No.
5,354,144 to L,izakowski and U.S. Patent No. 5,199,814 to Clark et al.) but
none of
these solutions have been specifically designed to be an esthetic and
economical
solution to act as a barrier or to support a sign in a parking lot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The principal object of the invention is to provide a parking post that is
flexible and resilient upon vehicle impact.
Another object of the invention is to provide a parking post formed of
materials that are impact resistant.
Another object of the invention is to provide a parking post that can be
installed easily in asphalt or concrete.
Another object of the invention is to provide a mean to easily display
messages in parking lots or other locations.
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Still another object of the invention is to provide a solution that is
esthetic,
durable and economical.
According to the present invention, there is provided a flexible parking post
comprising of a base having the first and second base members, the base
members
being secured to each other, a flexible support, the flexible support being
formed
of an elastomeric material, the flexible support having a curvature therein
about a
vertical axis, a bottom portion of the flexible support being secured to the
base
members, a rigid vertical tube secured to an upper portion of the flexible
support
and a sign secured to an upper portion of the rigid tube.
The base is preferably formed of aluminium material and can mainly be
fabricated of two aluminium angles that are mechanically fastening to each
other.
The aluminium angles would have an horizontal segment which seats on the
substrate and a vertical segment, the vertical segment being secured to each
other.
The horizontal segments or legs will provide a stable base that can easily be
bolted
or otherwise secured to the substrate.
The flexible support is preferably formed of a curved flexible elastomeric
material with a curvature being formed about the vertical axis of the flexible
support. The flexible support is preferably installed with the convex side of
the
curvature facing the oncoming traffic.
There is also provided a rigid post which may be of any convenient shape
and is preferably of an impact resistant plastic. The post will also h<~ve a
greater
stiffness than the flexible support to allow the flexible support to bend upon
vehicle impact. After the impact force is removed, it will resume its normal
upright position.
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There may be a sign or other displayed device attached to the upper
position of the rigid tube - i.e. the sign can be used to display
advertisement,
names, rules, pictograms or any other message in parking lots or other
locations.
Preferably, the sign is made of an impact resistant plastic.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DIIA~INGS
Having thus generally describe the invention, reference made to the
accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present flexible parking
post, showing the various elements thereof and their relationships to one
another.
Figure 2 is a side view, showing the flexible action of the present flexible
parking post and the nature of the flexible bending occurring therein when
struck.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ElVIBODIIVIENTS
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present flexible parking
post, designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The flexible parking
post
is basically formed of an aluminium base 12, a flexible support 14, a rigid
square
tube 16 and a sign 18.
An aluminium base 12 is made of two aluminium angles 20 and 22 that are
fastened to each other by their respective leg where one leg 24 of the
aluminium
angle 20 is facing one leg 26 of the aluminium angle 22. Each of the elements
20
of the aluminium base 12 and flexible support 14 are provided with a plurality
of
holes 28. The aluminium angles 20 and the flexible support 14 are assembled
together with each set of holes 28 being in alignment with one anotlher. l-~
bolt 30
is inserted through the holes 28 of the aluminium base 12 and the flexible
support
14. The assembly is then secured with a nylon locknut 32. Furthermore, a hole
40
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has to be provided in the leg 26 of the aluminium angle 22. A bolt 42 is
inserted
through the hole 40 and is then secured with two nylon locknuts 44. When the
flexible support 14 bends, the locknuts 44 ensure that there is not an
excessive
flattening of the curvature of the element 14. The lattex would result in a
permanent deformation of the elastomeric rr°aaterial of the flexible
support 14 that
will affect the effectiveness of the flexible support 14.
The flexible support 14 is preferably formed of a curved flexible
elastomeric material, although other materials may be used as desired, with
the
width and the thickness of the element adjusted accordingly. The elastomeric
material provides the resiliency and return after being deformed, while the
appropriate width and thickness provide the desired stiffness to support the
rigid
square tube and the sign. The flexible support 14 has preferably a curved
shape
about Axis A, as shown in Figure 1. The curved shape provides additional
stiffness to the flexible support 14. Flexible support 14 is preferably
installed with
the convex side 34 of the curvature facing the oncoming direction of traffic.
The
flexible support 14 and the rigid tube 16 are provided with a plurality of
holes 36.
The flexible support 14 and the rigid tube 16 are assembled together with each
set
of holes 36 being in alignment with one another. A bolt 30 is inserted through
the
holes 36 of the flexible support 14 and the rigid tube 16. The assembly is
then
secured with two washers 46 and a nylon locknut 32.
The rigid tube 16 is preferably a square tube formed with an impact
resistant plastic. The rigid tube 16 is preferably a square tube, although
other
shapes may be used as desired, with the width, thickness or radius of the
shape
adjusted accordingly. The square tube provides the stiffness and the torsion
strength required. To ensure the effectiveness of the parking post 1 U, the
stiffness
of the rigid tube 16 has to be greater than the stiffness of the flexible
support 14.
The rigid tube 16 is preferably formed of an impact resistant plastic,
although
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other materials may be used as desired, with the width and thickness of the
shape
adjusted accordingly. Rigid tube 16 and sign 18 are provided with a plurality
of
holes 38. The rigid tube 16 and the element 18 are assembled together with
each
set of holes 38 being in alignment with one another. A bolt 30 is inserted
through
the holes 38 of the rigid tube 16 and sign 18. The assembly is then secured
with a
nylon locknut 32.
The sign 18 is basically a thin rectangular piece of impact resistant plastic
which can be used to display advertisements, names, rules, pictograms or any
other message in the parking lots or other locations. The sign 18 has
preferably a
rectangular shape, although other shapes may be used as desired. The element
18
is preferably made of an impact resistant plastic, although aluminium, water-
resistant paperboard or any other material may be used as desired. Depending
on
the material used, the shape of the element 18 will be adjusted accordingly.
The
lightness of the element 18 shall be sufficient to permit the elements 14, 16
and 18
to return to their upright position after vehicle impact.
FIG. 2 is a side view, showing the flexible action of the flexible post 10. It
will be seen that it is only the flexible support l4 that bends upon vehicle
impact.
The shape of the base 12, rigid tube 16 and sign 18 remain unchanged. After
the
impact force is removed, the flexible post 1 fl returns to its normal upright
position.
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