Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1
INTERSECTION SYSTEMS
This is a divisional application of Canadian Patent Application Serial No.
2,478,541 which is a divisional application of Canadian Patent Serial No.
2,311,120 filed
on November 17, 1998.
The present invention relates to a new intersection system, free of
interruption of
traffic by signal lights or, if not entirely free, subject to the least
possible such
interruption, and necessitating occupation of the least possible land for a
system. It
should be understood that the expression "the invention" and the like
encompasses the
subject matter of both the parent and the divisional applications.
Background Technique
Ways of controlling traffic at an intersection are, in general, of two kinds,
one
which by means of erected traffic lights controls cars coming from all
directions, helping
them take turns passing in a direction at a time, and the other one which,
like an
expressway, by means of elevated road structures and with no traffic lights,
simply leaves
cars to pass nonstop through by either the upper or the lower level of roads.
Traffic lights usually delay traffic, often causing grievous congestion. It is
desirable, therefore, to have the fewest possible traffic lights or, if ever
possible, none at
all.
Multilevel intersection systems are better than others, for cars can pass
nonstop
through without having to wait for the green, but construction of a clover
leaf or another
similar system demands quite a sizable lot of land and is often found all but
impracticable
in areas where, as in urban centers, land prices are forbidding. In addition,
problems arise
at times for drivers when accesses for left and right turns vary from place to
place.
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Detailed Description of Invention
The present invention is intended to provide a new intersection system, which
can
do with less of the large area of land usually required for one and yet is
convenient for
automobiles to go straight on or turn right or left, the invention solving all
such
problems as listed above.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an intersection
system,
which can curtail the time spent by cars awaiting the change of lights.
With a view of attaining these objectives the present invention provides the
three
following systems:
(1) System I of the present invention comprises two mutually intersecting
roads,
"main roads" I and 2. At the entrance portion of the intersection, a
"diverging section"
is provided, where the main road diverges in three ways, one for the straight
way
onward, a second for the right turn, and a third for the left turn; while at
the exit portion
of the intersection a "converging section" is provided for the three ways
reaching there
to converge into one. In other words, at each diverging section the road
branches off in
three ways and at the converging section three ways join to become one road.
The main roads are built on two levels at both the diverging and converging
sections of an intersection, and when a main road in one direction takes the
lower level
at the diverging section, it must take the upper level at the converging
section, and vice
versa. The main roads ascend, or slopes downward at the central section of an
intersection, between the diverging and converging sections. If main road l.
is on the
upper level at the central section of an intersection, main road 2 takes the
lower level
there, and vice versa.
Accordingly either one of the two main roads takes the upper and the other the
lower at the central section of an intersection, the two crossing each other
with a space
more than the height of a car in between.
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An entrance road, that is, the advancing section, of a main road, is
connected, at
its converging section at the other end, with the other main road, which
intersects the
first main road, overhead or beneath it, running in the same direction as that
of it.
(2) System 2 of the present invention comprises of two ring-shape roads, one
on
the upper and the other on the lower level.
On the outer side of a ring one half-main-road joins each in two given
directions,
and so does an entrance road each in the other two directions.
On a plan view, the half-main-roads on the upper ring and those on the lower
ring,
and the entrance roads on the upper and those on the lower respectively run in
directions
different from each other.
Meanwhile, either more than one of the two one-way roads that constitute a
half-
main-road or an entrance road, each embody a sloping section, while an
entrance road
joins with either one of the one-way roads on the lower or upper half-main-
road, which
runs in the same direction as that of it.
(3) System 3 of the present invention has a plate-shape road for right turn
and
another for left turn, added on both the upper and lower levels in the center
of the
system.
On an edge of each such plate-shape road, on both the upper and lower levels,
a
half-main-road joins in each two directions, and an entrance road each in the
other two
directions.
The half-main-roads on both the upper and lower levels, and the entrance roads
of
the plate-shape road on the upper and lower levels, run in directions
different from each
other, from a plan view, while more than one of the two one-way roads
constituting a
half-main-road or an entrance road each embody a sloping section. Said
entrance roads
join with the one-way road of the half-main-road, either on the upper or the
lower level,
which runs in the same direction as that of them.
On each plate-shape road on the upper or lower level, and on each entering one-
way road, a traffic light has to be set up, indeed unavoidably, for the cars
coming on
from all directions.
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More specifically, the present invention provides an intersection system,
comprising: two main roads, main road I and main road 2, having a diverging
section at
the entrance portion of the intersection, for left and right turns, with
respect to each
respective one-way roads of the main roads, and a converging section at the
exit portion
of the intersection of the one-way roads, for merging the traffic having made
a left or
right turn from other one-way roads; entrance roads at the respective
diverging sections,
for diverging on to left and right; at the diverging and converging sections,
respectively,
two one-way roads constituting one main road, having an one-way road as an
upper level
road and the other one-way road as a lower level road; in relationship to the
one-way
roads, respectively, the lower level road at the diverging section if the
converging section
is an upper level road, or the upper level road at the diverging section if
the converging
part is a lower level road, and at the same time, the central section of the
intersection
between the converging and diverging sections, embodying a sloping section;
the main
road 2 being a lower level road when main road 1 is an upper level road at the
central
section of the intersection system, and on the contrary, main road I being an
upper level
road when main road 2 is a lower level road there; with respect to the main
road which
intersects perpendicularly to the one-way road from which the entrance road
diverges, the
entrance road which is connected to the converging section of the one-way
road, the
traffic of which is moving in the same direction as that of the entrance road;
wherein an
entrance road for a right turn of an one-way road diverges, and of the main
road including
the one-way road, an entrance road for a right turn of the other one-way road
diverges,
respectively, after which are combined into one road, and the entrance road
combined as
such is connected to the converging section of the one-way road of the other
main road,
the direction of which is that of the intended progression therefrom.
The present invention also provides an intersection system, comprising: two
ring-
shape roads, one on the upper and other on the lower level, of which the outer
circumference of each ring-shape roads on the upper and lower levels,
respectively, are
CA 02588576 2007-05-30
3b
connected to two half-main-roads in two given directions and to entrance roads
in the two
other directions thereof; the half-main-roads of the upper level ring-shape
road and those
of the lower level, being in different directions with respect to each other
in a plane, and
the entrance roads of the upper level ring-shape road and those of the lower
level, being
in difference directions as well; one or more of the two one-way roads
constituting a half-
main-road or the entrance roads having a sloping section; the entrance roads
being
connected to an one-way road of the half-main-roads of the upper or lower
level, the
traffic of which is moving in the same. direction as that of the entrance
roads.
The present invention also provides an intersection system, comprising: two
main
roads, main road 1 and main road 2, having a diverging section at the entrance
portion of
the intersection, for left and right turns, with respect to each respective
one-way roads of
the main roads, and a converging section at the exit portion of the
intersection of the one-
way roads, for merging the traffic having made a left or right turn from other
one-way
roads; and an entrance road, having diverged from the respective diverging
section of an
one-way road, which is in itself diverged into two sub-entrance roads which
are
connected, respectively, to the converging sections of the two one-way roads
of the main
road which is perpendicular to the one-way road including the entrance road;
at the
diverging and converging sections, respectively, two one-way roads
constituting one
main road, having an one-way road as an upper level road and the other one-way
road as
a lower level road; in relationship to the one-way roads, respectively, the
lower level road
at the diverging section if the converging section is an upper level road, or
the upper level
road at the diverging section if the converging part is a lower level road,
and at the same
time, the central section of the intersection between the converging and
diverging
sections, embodying a sloping section; the main road 2 being a lower level
road when
main road I is an upper level road at the central section of the intersection
system, and on
the contrary, main road 1 being an upper level road when main road 2 is a
lower level
road there.
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In another aspect, the invention provides an intersection system, comprising:
a plate-shaped road, on each of upper and lower levels, respectively, at a
central section
of an intersection, each having left and right turns for opposing traffic onto
entrance
roads;
half-main-roads in two respective directions, and in two other directions
being
connected to edges of the plate-shaped roads of said upper level and lower
level,
respectively, said half-main-roads on the upper level and those of the lower
level, being
in different directions with respect to each other in a plane, and said
entrance road of the
upper level and those of the lower level, being in different directions as
well;
one or more one-way roads constituting half-main-roads or entrance roads
having a
sloping section, said entrance roads being connected to either of the one-way
roads of the
upper or lower level, traffic moving in a same direction of said entrance
roads; and
traffic lights at said plate-shaped roads of the upper and lower levels, and
at the
respective one-way road entrance roads, for the benefit of the traffic
entering from
respective directions therein.
In another aspect, the invention provides an intersection system, comprising:
two main roads, a first main road and a second main road having an
intersection;
respective one-way roads constituting said main roads, a diverging section for
right and
left turns being installed at entrance portions of the intersection; and
a converging section being installed at exit portions of the intersection of
said one-way
roads, said converging section having a primary merging of vehicles which are
turned to
the right and left from other one-way roads;
wherein said converging section has only one-side convergence, said
intersection being
provided with such characteristics that:
in two one-way roads constituting one main road, if the entrance portion of
the
intersection is an upper level, the exit portion of the intersection is a
lower level;
if the entrance portion of the intersection is a lower level, the exit portion
of the
intersection is an upper level;
the entrance portion of the intersection in the first main road and the exit
portion
of the intersection in the second ma:in road have a same level;
the exit portion of the intersection in the first main road and the entrance
portion
of the intersection in the second main road have a same level;
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if the entrance portion of the intersection in the first main road and the
exit
portion of the intersection in the second main road are an upper level;
the exit portion of the intersection in the first main road and the entrance
portion
of the intersection in the second main road are a lower level;
if the entrance portion of the intersection in the first main road and the
exit
portion of the intersection in the second main road are a lower level;
the exit portion of the intersection in the first main road and the entrance
portion
of the intersection in the second main road are an upper level;
a central section of a main road has a same level as the entrance portion of
the
intersection in the same main road;
said entrance portion of the intersection in the main road whose central
section is
an upper level, being an upper level, and said entrance portion of the
intersection
in the main road whose central section is a lower level, being a lower level;
a right-turn private exit road of a one-way road contained in a main road
diverges, and a left-turn private exit road of another one-way road contained
in
the same main road diverges, respectively, and after that, the exit roads
merge
into one road before a convergence to a one-way road of the other main road;
the merged exit road is connected to one side of the converging section of the
one-way road which has a same progression direction in another main road;
in said diverging section and the converging section, if the diverging section
of
the first main road and the converging section of the second main road are an
upper level;
the diverging section of the second main road and the converging section of
the
first main road are a lower level; and
if the diverging section of the first main road and the converging section of
the
second main road are a lower level; and
the diverging section of the second main road and the converging section of
the
first main road are an upper level.
In another aspect, the invention provides an intersection system, comprising:
two main roads, a first main road and a second main road having an
intersection;
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3e
respective one-way roads constituting said rnain roads, a diverging section
for right and
left turns being installed at one side of entrance portions of the
intersection;
a converging section being installed at exit portions of the intersection of
said one-way
roads, said converging section having a merging of vehicles which are turned
to the right
and left from other one-way roads; and
an exit road which diverges from one side of said diverging section from one
one-way
road, said exit road being for both right and left turns and again diverging
into a left turn
exit road and a right turn exit road, and the exit roads being individually
converged into
the converging section of the one-way road which has the same progression
direction of a
main road which is perpendicularly intersected with the one-way road
containing said
exit roads;
said intersection being provided by such characteristics that:
in two one-way roads constituting one main road, if an entrance portion of the
intersection is an upper level, an exit portion of the intersection is a lower
level;
if the entrance portion of the intersection is a lower level, the exit portion
of the
intersection is an upper level;
the entrance portion of the intersection in the first main road and the exit
portion
of the intersection in the second main road have a same level;
the exit portion of the intersection in the first main road and the entrance
portion
of the intersection in the second main road have a same level;
if the entrance portion of the intersection in the first main road and the
exit
portion of the intersection in the second main road are an upper level;
the exit portion of the intersectioii in the first main road and the entrance
portion
of the intersection in the second main road are a lower level;
if the entrance portion of the intersection in the first main road and the
exit
portion of the intersection in the second main road are a lower level;
the exit portion of the intersection in the first main road and the entrance
portion
of the intersection in the second main road are an upper level;
a central section of the main road has a same level as the exit portion of the
intersection in the same main road;
said exit portion of the intersection in the main road whose central section
is an
upper level, being an upper level, and said exit portion of the intersection
in the
main road whose central section is a lower level, being a lower level;
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in said diverging section and the converging section, if the diverging section
of
the first main road and the converging section of the second main road are an
upper level;
the diverging section of the second rnain road and the converging section of
the
first main road are a lower level;
if the diverging section of the first main road and the converging section of
the
second main road are a lower level; and
the diverging section of the second main road and the converging section of
the
first main road are an upper level.
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Now, in this Specification, a "main road" means a road consisting of a pair of
two
straight one-way roads, or one-way road passages which traverse the center of
an
intersection parallel to each other, in opposite directions. The two one=way
roads
constituting one main road can be separated from each other, of course, on two
levels,
one over and the other beneath the other.
An "one-way road," here, means one of the pair of passages that constitute a
main
road, or a half-main-road, which is shown in the examples of embodiment of the
present
invention as a single lane, but it can very well be made of two or more lanes.
An "upper road" means a road on a level higher than a lower road on a lower
level,
and is parallel to the surface of the ground, the height not particularly
confined to a
certain level; a "lower road" means a road which is lower than an upper road
and
parallel with the surface of the ground, but not necessarily is one that runs
on the very
ground level.
For instance, to make the length of a sloping section of a road shorter than
otherwise, it is possible to build the upper road on an elevated level and the
lower road
on an underground level.
A "sloping section" means the section of a road that forms a slope to connect
an
upper and a lower road.
A "central section" means the section of the road that occupies the central
part of
the intersection system, between its diverging and converging sections.
A "half-main-road" means, of the main road defined in System 1 of the present
invention, either one of the two parts of a main road cut in two by the ring-
shape roads
of system 2 or plate-shape roads of system 3.
An intersection, that is, t he part connecting the outer area of an
intersection with
the ring-shape road or road plate at one end and the part connecting the ring-
shape road
or road plate with the outer area of the intersection at the other end.
As regards the directions, it will be seen that the direction approaching the
central
section of an intersection system is called the entering direction and that
leaving the
central section is called the departing direction.
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Brief Description of Drawings
Fig. I is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of System I of the
5 present invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. I.
Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of System I of
the
present invention.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a third embodiment of System I of
the
present invention.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view of a fourth embodiment of System 1 of
the
present invention.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a fifth embodiment of System I of
the
present invention.
Fig. 10 is a plan view of Fig. 9.
Fig. I 1 is a schematic perspective view of a sixth embodiment of System 1 of
the
present invention. -
Fig. 12 is a plan view of Fig. 11.
Fig. 13 is a schematic perspective view of a variation of System 1 of the
present
invention adapted for use for a 3-way intersection.
Fig. 14 is a plan view of Fig. 13.
Fig. 15 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of System 2 of the
present invention.
Fig. 16 is a plan view of Fig. 15.
Fig. 17 is a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of System 2 of
the present invention.
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6
Fig, 18 is a plan view of Fig. 17.
Fig. 19 is a schematic perspective view of a third embodiment of System 2 of
the present invention.
Fig. 20 is a plan view of Fig. 19.
Fig. 21 is a schematic perspective view of a fourth etnbodiment of System 2 of
the present invention.
Fig. 22 is a plan view of Fig. 21.
Fig. 23 is a schematic perspective view of a variation of System 2 of the
present invcntion adapted for use for a 3-way intersection.
Fig. 24 is a plan view of Fig. 23.
Fig. 25 is a schematic perspective view' of an embodiment of System 3 of the
present invention.
Fig. 26 is a plan view of Fig. 25. ~
Fig. 27 is a schematic peispective view of a second embod'unent of System 3
for the present invention.
Fig. 28 is a plan view of Fig. 27.
Fig. 29 is a schcmatic pcrspcctive view of a third embodiment of System 3 of
the present invention.
Fig. 30 is a plan view of Fig. 29,
Fig. 31 is a schematic pcrspcetivc vicw of a fourth embodiment of System 3 of
the present invention.
Fig. 32 is a pian view of Fig. 31.
Fig. 33 is a plan view illustrating the sizes of land to be occupied
respectivcly
by (a) System 1 of the present invention and (b) a conventional cloverleaf
intersection
for comparison.
Fig. 34 and 35 are the perspective and plan views of seventh example of
Systcm 1 of the prescnt invention.
Fig. 36. and 37 are the perspective and plan views,of eighth examplc of System
I of thc Orescnt invention.
Embodiment
Below, explication of the systems of the present invention, making references
to
the drawings, follows:
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The arrow marks in the drawings indicate the directions in which the traffic
moves and the dot lines, where sloping sections begin and end.
The E, W, N, and S on, the drawings respectively represent the east, west,
north,
and south; the movement of traffic from north to south is indicated by NS, and
that form
south to north by SN. NW, WN, NE, EN, WS, SW, SE, and ES are also used in the
same manner. These simultaneously indicate the directions in which traffic
moves and
the one-way roads head.
Systems of building a road on the surface or underground are out of the range
of
the present invention. The "upper level road" in the present invention
comprises a
provisional means to maintain a road at a certain height, which comprises, for
example,
bridge piers or support walls of prior arts. Locations of such piers or their
number are
also beyond the range of the present invention.
The drawings show only one lane per one-way road in a direction, but this is
only
to help easy comprehension of the idea. The present invention is of course
applicable to
any multilane roads all the same.
Though not illustrated in the drawings, it goes without saying that each road
becomes an ordinary road, the upper level road and lower level road merging
into one at
a certain position after departure from the intersection.
1. System 1
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a perspective and a plan view of Embodiment 1
of
System 1.
Example 1 comprises main roads I and 2, which intersect each other. At the
areas
where one-way roads 11, 13, 15, and 17, which constitute main road 1 and 2,
enter the
intersection, such diverging sections as D1, D2, D3, and D4 are prepared where
these
one-way roads can diverge in three, that is, for the right and left turns
aside from the
way straight onward. In the areas at the other end, where the main roads
depart from the
intersection, are prepared converging sections Cl, C2, C3, and C4, for what
have
branched off from the other one-way roads at their diverging sections. At one
diverging
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section, to repeat, the road splits in three directions, one for the right
turn, a second for
the left turn, and a third, the central that extends straight onward.
Each of the above one-way roads 11, 13, 15, and 17 is built in an upper level
road
at one of the diverging sections D1, D2, D3, and D4, and in a lower level road
at one of
the converging sections Cl, C2, C3, and C4 at the other, opposite end. Take WE
for
example. Its one-way road 11 is built on the upper level, and its one-way road
13 is on
the lower level, both at D4. One-way road 11, on the upper level at D4, as
said above,
slopes downward when it passes the center of the intersection, and becomes a
lower
level road at C2.
The roads are built in such a way that each one-way road embody a sloping
section at the center of the intersection between the converging sections C 1,
C2, C3, and
C4_ on the one hand and the diverging sections D 1, D2, D3, and D4 on the
other
If main road 1 is on the upper level at the center of the intersection, main
road 2
takes the lower level, while if main road 2 is on the upper level at the
center, then main
road I is on the lower level.
Accordingly main roads I and 2 are built so as to have a difference in height
of
more than that of an automobile where they intersect each other at the center.
Entrance roads 21-28 each meet, at the converging sections Cl, C2, C3, and C4,
with the one-way roads of the other main road (intersecting their own main
road), which
ran in the same direction as that of them.
For instance, Entrance road 21 SE of one-way road 15 is connected at C2 with
one-way road 1 I WE of main road 1 intersecting one-way road 15, from which
Entrance
road 21 diverges for the right turn.
The main roads on the upper level can take variant shapes to suit the
convenience
of building the piers. For instance, they can be arches, or their two one-way
roads can be
separate from each other, with space in-between, at the center.
Now explication of actual traffic of automobiles through the system of the
present
invention follows:
Assume a car running on one-way road 11 in the WE direction. If it turns
right, it
enters Entrance road 26 at D4. It immediately reaches Cl of one-way road 17 in
NS
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9
direction. If, however, it turns left, it enters Entrance road 27 at D4, and
it reaches C3 of
one-way road 15 in SN direction. And if it wants to go straight onward it
simply will
proceed by one-way road 11 in WE direction. At the other three points, too, a
car can
take similar choices.
By passage in such ways automobiles can take their desired courses without
having to wait for the lights. This way the sizes of land to be occupied by an
intersection system can be considerably economized, taking less than one tenth
what is
required when building a cloverleaf structure. This will be schematically seen
in Fig. 33.
Because a driver is always required to take the left side entrance road from
whatever
position if he wants a left turn, and to take the right side entrance road if
he wants a
right turn, with no exception, there will be no confusion.
Moreover, a system like this can take many a varied styles accordant with the
different circumstances and conditions of an intersection.
Figs. 3 and 4 are the perspective and plan views of a second embodiment of
System 1 of the present invention.
In this embodiment each of Entrance roads 21-28 is shaped in the form of an
arc a
little bulged out inwardly. The radius of curvature of such an arc can be
decided upon
accordant with the speed allowed to the automobiles and sizes of land to be
allotted to
such an intersection system, but, in general, the smaller curvature the
better, in terms of
exploitation of land.
For the cars to secure the desirable height for passage through the main roads
it
will prove preferable that Entrance roads 21-28 be not required to pass over
the sloping
sections of main roads. For instance, Entrance road 27, the left hand entrance
road of
one-way road 11, diverges before the right hand Entrance road 26 does, in
order to
secure a space higher than the height of a car between it and the sloping
section of One-
way road 13 which passes beneath it. Meanwhile, in Fig. 3, each entrance road
is
indicated to be connected at the same position at the converging section, but
it may of
course be so arranged that they may be connected at slightly different
positions there if
it is feared that otherwise there may result a congestion of cars.
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Figs. 5 and 6 are the perspective and plan views of a third embodiment of
System
I of the present invention.
When Figs. 4 and 6 are compared. it will be seen that, in this example,
Entrance
roads 25, 26, 27, and 28 of the upper level roads on the one hand and the arc
parts of
5 Entrance roads 21, 22, 23, and 24 on the other hand, somewhat overlap, when
seen from
above. This way, the land to be occupied by this intersection system may
possibly be
economized yet a little more.
Figs. 7 and 8 are the perspective and plan views of a fourth example of System
1
of the present invention.
10 In this example, Entrance roads 21-28 each embody a sloping section, and of
the
upper level roads, the north and south portion is built higher than the east
and west
portion. Similarly, in the lower level roads, too, the north and south portion
is built
higher than the east and west portion. Accordingly, the length of the sloping
sections to
secure a certain desired height can also be minimized and shortened by no less
than one
half at maximurn.
Figs. 9 and 10 are the perspective and plan views of a fifth example of System
1
of the present invention.
In this example, the four one-way roads, 11, 13, 15, and 17, which constitute
main
roads I and 2, are curved near the diverging sections D1, D2, D3, and D4, or
at the
converging sections Cl, C2, C3, and C4, towards the breadth of the roads, so
that they
are built in a way that they will appear to overlap with others on the outside
of the
intersection, if seen from plan view.
In this example, again, it is possible to diminish the land occupied by main
roads
1 and 2 at the outside of the intersection.
Figs. 11 and 12 are the perspective and plan views of a sixth example of
System 1
of the present invention.
In this example, those of Entrance roads 21-28 are in a manner in which if
they
diverge on the lower level they converge on the upper level, while if they
diverge on the
upper level they converge on the lower level. For instance, Entrance road 26
in WE
direction takes the lower level at D4 and converges at C l on the upper level
when
CA 02588576 2007-05-30
Z~
exiting to be connected with one-way road 17. This way Exits 21-28 each embody
a
sloping section.
Meanw=hile, all the above examples are for 4-way intersection, but they may be
safely applied to 3-way intersections also.
For illustration take Fig. 1, and main road 1 as the basis. Imagine that only
one
part of the intersection system exists, and the two one-way roads, 15 and 17,
which
constitute main road 2, are each connected only between D 1 and C 1. Then you
have
an application of this embodiment to a 3-way intersection. In other words, the
one
one-way road of the two that constitute main road 2, which enters the
intersection,
extends only so far as the diverging section D1, and one-way road 17 extends
only so
far as the converging section Cl, while at the diverging sections D2 and D4 of
the
two one-way roads which constitute main road 1 there are only two entrance
roads,
that is, Entrance roads 25 and 26, either one or the other for each, and there
are also
only two entrance roads, Entrance roads 21 and 22, one each.,:tonnected with
the
coaverging sections C2 and C4.
Itifeanwhile, if main road 1: is not of a straight line but the 3-way
intersection is
in the shape of a "V", it will be seen that this system can be applied to any
form of a
3-way intersection. Also, a number of variations can be made use of in 3-way
intersectiops; too, as is thc case with a 4-way intcrscction.
Fig. 34 and 35 are the pcrspcctivc and plan .views of sevcnth example of
System 1 of the present invention.
In this example, an entrance ioad for a right turn.of a one-way road diverges,
and of the ;-aain road:including said one-way road, an entrance road for a
left tum of
the other one-way road diverges, respectively, after which are combined into
one
road. The entrar.ce :ead combined as such is connected to the converging
section of
the one-way road of the other main.road, the direction of which is that of the
intended
progression therefrom.
For examplc, in one-way road 15 of main road 2, catrance road 21 for a right
turn froin diverging section D 1 diverges, and encrance road 23 for a left
turn frorri
diverging section D3 of the other one-way road 17 of the same main road 2
diverges,
respectively, after which are combined into one road of entra,nee road 30,
which is
CA 02588576 2007-05-30
11-1
connected to converging section C2 of one-way road 11 of main road 1. This
type
of construction is the same for other one-way roads 11, 13, 17, other
converged
entrance roads 32, 33 and 31. Hence, in regard to respective one-way roads,
two
entrance roads diverge, one to left and right, respectively, from the
diverging section.
At the converging section, a combined entrance road only converges either from
left
or right. Consequently, the convcrging scctions are simplified for smooth
traffic.
Figures 36 and 37 represcnt the perspective and plain view of the eighth
example of System 1 of the present invention.
In this examplc, said entrance road, which has diverged f: om the respective
diverging section of a one-way road, is in itself diverged into two sub-
entrance roads.
These sub-entrance roads are connected, respectively, to the converging
sections of
the two one-ways of the main road which is perpendicular to the one-way road
including said entrance road.In a case of progression into one-way 15 of main
road 2, as an example, at
diverging section D 1, a progression for left and right turas is made into
entrance road
21, which is situated on the right side of one-way road 15. Thereafter, for
the
purpose of making a left turn, a progression is made into sub-entrance road
21b for
conve: ging into converging section C4 of onc-way road 13. For the purpose of
making a right tuzn, a progression is made into sub-entrance road 21a for
converging
into converging section C2 of one-way road 11. This type of construction is
equally
applicable to the cases where progressions are made into other one-way roads
11, 13
and 17. Entrance roads can be connected to one-way roads, either to the right
or left
side thereof.
Consequently, at the point of diversion of the enttance road from the
diverging section, there is an advantage in this case in that a diveision to
the same
direction could be made, either for a lcft or right turn.
2. System 2
Belew, explication of Systera 2 of the present invention follows, the drawings
being refe:.ed to whenever deemed helpfiil.
Figs. 15 and 16 are drawings to illustrate an exa.T.ple of System 2 of the
present
invention.
As is to be seen in the drawings, this example comprises of two ring-shape
roads RI and R2, the former being built on the upper and the latter on the
lower level.
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11-2
To the outcr circumference of the ring-shape road R1 on the upper level are
two half-main-roads, 31 and 33, connected in two given directions (in the west
and
east in
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PCT/KR98/00366
12
the drawings) from the outside of the intersection; in the other direction (in
the south
and north in the drawings) are two entrance roads, 41 and 43, connected,
respectively.
Likewise, to the outer circumference of the other ring-shape road R2 on the
lower
level are two other half-main-roads, 35 and 37, connected respectively from
the outside
of the intersection in two given directions (in the south and north in the
drawings), and
in the other directions (in the east and west in the drawings) Entrance roads
45 and 47
are connected.
Then, in Fig. 16, half-main-roads 31 and 33 connected with the ring-shape road
RI on the upper level, half-main-roads 35 and 37 connected with the ring-shape
road R2
on the lower level, Entrance roads 41 and 43 connected with the ring-shape
road RI on
the upper level, and Entrance roads 45 and 47 connected with the ring-shape
road R2 on
the lower level take mutually different directions. In other words, in a plan
view
drawing, either half-main-road 31 or 33 does not overlap with either half-main-
road 35
or 37, nor does either Entrance road 41 or 43 with either Entrance road 45 or
47.
Either one or more of the two one-way roads or entrance roads that constitute
the
half-main-road connected with each ring-shape road embody a sloping section,
and an
entrance road is connected with any one of the one-way roads, of the half-main-
roads on
either the upper or lower level, which runs in the same direction as that of
it. In other
words, in relation with half-main-road 31 of the half-main-roads connected
with the
ring-shape road RI. on the upper level, it is to be seen that Entrance road
45, emerging
from the ring-shape road R2 on the lower level in the direction of R2E, forms
a sloping
section and afterwards joins half-main-road 31 in the R1E direction. The same
applies
to the other half-main-roads and one-way roads, with necessary changes.
Now the ways of passage of automobiles in this intersection system will be
explained.
In Fig. 15, imagine that a car enters the intersection by the one-way road of
half-
road 33 in the WRI direction. Upon entrance in the ring=shape road RI the car
just
proceeds along the right side. If it wants to have a right turn it can just go
on by
Entrance road 43 which it is first to come to, but if it wants to go straight
onward it just
needs to turn further along the ring-shape road RI and advances on the one-way
road of
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PCT/KR98100366
13
half-main-road 31 in the R1E direction. If it wants to make a left turn, then
it needs to
turn further to take Entrance road 41.
The passage in this way applies to the other cars entering from the other
directions, too, and in fact to all traffic on both the upper and lower level
ring-shape
roads.
Thus all traffic can proceed without interruption, wasting no time to wait for
a
light. Compared with conventional intersection with only one ring-shape road,
this
double ring-road system can of course help solve the problem of traffic
congestion a
great deal more efficiently.
The size (diametei) of a ring-shape road can be decided in consideration of
the
allowable speeds of cars, the size of land available for its construction,
etc.
Meanwhile, a number of variations can be worked on System 2 of the present
invention, too.
Figs. 17 and 18 are the drawings of a second example of System 2.
In Fig. 15 the angle formed by the two half-main-roads, 31 and 33, connected
with the ring-shape road RI is 180 (that is, a straight line, in the plan
view), but in this
example the angle formed by the two half-main-roads, 31 and 35, is 90 . The
direction
in which a half-main-road and an entrance road are connected is not
specifically defined,
but the best of all is one, in which each ring-shape road is made to dispose
of about one
half of total traffic.
Figs. 19 and 20 are the drawings of a third example of System 2.
In the case of, Fig. 17 above, the roads could be divided accordant with their
heights into upper level roads, lower level roads, and sloping sections. But
Fig. 19 here
is of a case, which has a section of the road of a medium-height between the
upper and
lower levels and is parallel with the surface of the ground. In this case,
therefore, there
are three different levels of the road parallel to the surface of the ground,
when seen
from the front, or from a side.
To elaborate, in Fig. 19, the four half-main-roads, 31, 33, 35, and 37, are on
a
medium height between the upper and lower levels at the outside of the ring-
shape roads.
Half-main-roads 35 and 37 respectively have a downward sloping section as they
near
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r ~
PCT/KR98/00366
14
the ring-shape road R2, and thereafter are connected with ring-shape road R2,
while
half-main-roads 31 and 33, after each having an upward sloping section, are
connected
with ring-shape road 1.
Accordingly, Entrance roads 43 and 41, connected with half-main-roads 35 and
37 from the ring-shape road RI, each have a downward sloping section, while
Entrance
roads 45 and 47, connected with half-main-roads 31 and 33 from the ring-shape
road R2,
each have an upward sloping section.
In such a construct, the gap between the upper and lower levels of the road
can be
made, to secure a proper height of more than that of a car, and still the
sloping sections
can be made shorter in length than otherwise.
Figs. 21 and 22 illustrate a fourth example of System 2 of the present
invention.
In this example, unlike Fig. 15, the one-way roads that constitute a half-main-
road
are divided in the upper and lower levels at the outside of the intersection.
Accordingly,
not merely entrance roads but an one-way road of each half-main-road has a
sloping
section, and this one-way road, taking the upper level at one end and the
lower level at
the other, is connected with the entrance roads running in the same direction.
For
instance, the one-way road of half-main-road 31, in the RIE direction,
descends in a
downward sloping section after departing from the ring-shape road RI to become
a
lower level road there and to join Entrance road 45 of the ring-shape road R2.
Meanwhile, these examples are all for a 4-way intersection, but they can
easily be
adapted to 3-way intersections, too, as seen in Figs. 23 and 24.
For instance, in Fig. 23, the half-main-road connected with the lower level
ring-
shape road R2, is only one, half-main-road 35; the upper level ring-shape road
Ri, has
only one entrance road, Entrance road 43, that joins half-main-road 35. That
is, the
lower level ring-shape road R2, does not have half-main-road 37, found in Fig.
19, and
the upper level ring-shape road Rl, does not have Entrance road 41 in Fig. 19.
In a system for 3-way intersections of such a construct, the angle formed by
half-
main-roads 31, 33, and 35 can be adapted to suit to any given conditions of a
3-way
intersection. Also, all sorts of variations can be made use of for all 3-way
intersections,
as is the case with the 4-way intersection above.
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PCT/KR98/00366
3. System 3
Below, explication of examples of System 3 of the present invention follows:
5 Figs. 25 and 26 are the drawings for illustration of an example of System 3
of the
present invention.
As is seen in the drawings, this particular system has plate-shape roads PI
and P2,
built in the center, on both lower and upper levels.
Along the edges on both sides of PI extend two half-main-roads, 55 and 57, in
10 two given directions (in the south and north in the drawings) and entries
61 and 62 in
the other two directions.
Along the edges of plate-shape road P2 on the lower level extend half-main-
roads
51 and 53 in the two directions (east and west in the drawings) other than the
directions
where half-main-roads 55 and 57 of PI on the upper level are connected; and
Entrance
15 roads 63 and 64 extend in the other two directions.
In other words, half-main-roads 55 and 57 connected with P 1 on the upper
level,
half-main-roads 51 and 53 connected with P2 on the lower level, Entrance roads
61 and
62 connected with Pl on the upper level, and Entries 63 and 64 connected with
P2 on
the lower level respectively have different directions, when seen in a plan
view.
Also, one or more of the two one-way roads which constitute the respective
half-
main-roads 51, 53, 55, and 57 or the above entrance roads have a sloping
section. The
above entrance roads are each connected with the one-way road, of the one-way
roads of
the half-main-roads on the upper or lower level, which extends in the same
direction as
that of them. For instance, in the case of P1 W direction, Entrance road 62
which joins
half-main-road 53 on the lower level, diverges from PI, and, after getting low
by
running through the sloping section, is connected with the one-way road in of
half-
main-road 53 in the P2W direction. Same is the case with all the other
directions.
Meanwhile, on each of the upper and lower level plate-shape roads or for each
entering one-way road there are traffic lights set up to control the traffic
flowing in from
all directions.
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PCT/KR98/00366
16
For these traffic lights, ones for the straight way onward and the left turn
together,
or ones solely for the left turn are both practicable.
Now the actual passage of cars by this system will be explained.
Imagine that cars are entering in the SP 1 direction. They approach the plate-
shape
road P1, and if they want to make a turn to the right they just go on to
Entrance road 61
in the PIE direction. To go on straight onward or make a turn to the left they
have to
stop and wait for the change of the light, unless they, having the light by
chance at the
instant, just go on. This applies to all cars entering the plate-shape roads,
the upper or
the lower level notwithstanding.
Under such a system, the time the cars have to wait for the light is less long
than
in the case of a conventional single level intersection. Because the lights
function
separately for the upper and lower level plate-shape roads, a great deal more
versatile
operation of these lights can be made available for better effects.
The sizes of these plate-shape roads can be decided in consideration of the
speed
to be allowed to cars, the size of land available for such a system, the
number of lanes
the roads should have, and other similar requirements.
It is also possible to apply various adaptations and variations to System 3 of
the
present invention.
Figs. 27 and 28 illustrate a second example of System 3.
In the foregoing examples it is possible to divide the intersection into the
upper
and the lower level roads and the sloping sections. However, Fig. 27 is a
case, where
there is a medium-height section of the road between the upper and the lower
levels,
parallel with the surface of the ground. Therefore, there are to be seen three
road levels
parallel with the surface of the ground, when seen either from the front or at
a side of
the intersection.
For more details, in Fig. 27 the four half-main-roads, 51, 53, 55, and 57,
have a
medium height between upper and lower levels at the outside of the plate-shape
roads.
As they approach the plate-shape roads, plate-shape roads 55 and 57 take a
downward
sloping section and afterwards are connected with the lower level plate-shape
road P2,
while half-main-roads 51 and 53 are, after an upward sloping section,
connected with
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17
the upper level plate-shape road P 1.
Accordingly Entrance roads 63 and 64 connected with half-main-roads 55 and 57
from the plate-shape road P1, take a downward sloping section, while Entrance
roads 61
and 62 connected with half-main-roads 51 and 53 from P2 take an upward sloping
section.
In such an intersection system it is possible to shorten the length of the
sloping
sections, while still securing room of more than the height of cars between
the upper
and lower level roads.
Moreover, such a system of intersection of the present invention can be
variously
adapted to suit different actual conditions of roads. Take the example
illustrated in Figs.
29 and 30 as an example, and it will be seen that the two one-way roads
constituting
each half-main-road are each built in an upper and a lower level construction.
There, the
one-way road of half-main-road 51 in the P 1 E direction diverges to plate-
shape road P 1,
takes the downward sloping section, reaches down, and becomes a lower level
road,
departing from the intersection system in fine.
In this example, the angles formed by the half-main-roads 51, 55, and by 53
and
57 respectively connected with the plate-shape roads P1 and P2 are each 90 ,
unlike in
the foregoing examples.
In all the preceding examples the entrance roads from a plate-shape road are
made
to curve toward the one-way road when they are connected with an one-way road
of a
half-main-road, but in the examples given in Figs 31 and 32 the entrance roads
are in a
straight line, showing that it is all right even if one or more of the one-way
roads of a
half-main-road may curve in the direction of the breadth of the road and is
connected
with an entrance road. In other words, in Fig. 31, Entrance roads 61 and 64
curve toward
the half-main-roads when they join half-main-roads 51 and 52 respectively,
while in the
cases of Entrance roads 62 and 63 half-main-roads 53 and 57 respectively curve
toward
Entrance roads 62 and 63 to join them respectively.
The present invention is not confined to these examples explicated above
alone,
but can be applied to various other situations by a suitable adaptation or
modification
within the range of its basic technical idea.
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PCT/KR98100366
18
A variety of examples of embodiment of the three intersection systems of the
present invention have been explicated above. In a place where there are quite
a number
of intersection in continuation more systems than one of the above can be
built in
combination like ones for an one-way road traffic, whereby passage of vehicles
can be
better facilitated in an efficient traffic control with no light at all, or
only two or fewer at
most.
Admittedly there are countries in the world where a keep-to-the-left principle
is
adopted for the traffic, but the systems of the present invention can serve
with all the
same efficiency only by switching the directions. Such countries do not keep
out of the
range of the present invention, therefore.
Practicability in Industry
The intersection systems of the present invention can bring forth benefits in
the industry
and national economy in general by means of ridding intersection of traffic
lights, or
minimizing the time drivers waste waiting for the change of lights, thus
helping with the
smooth flow of cars, easing traffic congestion, decreasing the land to be
occupied by
conventional intersection systems, and contributing to the more effective
exploitation of
land.
