Road barrier with lighting system

Abstract

A lighting system for road barriers, comprising a road barrier formed by a body (10) and a rod (11 ), movable between a vertical and a horizontal position and having an extruded or pultruded profile (13) to which a lighting device (15) is fixed. Below the lighting device (15) is a diffuser element (17), which has an external surface (20) adapted to diffuse the light radiation (R) inside the diffuser element (17), and a series of internal surfaces (19) placed specularly on either side of the diffuser element (17). The internal surfaces (19) have profiles arranged alternately in vertical and inclined directions so that the light radiation (R) is sent laterally to the diffuser element (17).

Description

[0001] This invention relates generally to a road barrier with a lighting system.

[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to a lighting system applied to the rods of the road barriers, as well as to the part of the road barrier known as the "cap", which consists of the upper portion of the movement body of the barrier.

[0003] The illumination of the rod of an automatic road barrier is a very important factor because, in addition to characterising the system aesthetically, it performs a safety function by making the obstacle visible to those passing by; it can also perform the function of a traffic light with the use of RGB LEDs illuminated in red, green and yellow.

[0004] The illumination of the upper part of the body, which contains the circuits and actuators for moving the road barrier rod, known as the "cap", has also been given a strong boost in recent years and in most cases, has replaced the flashing light; sometimes it can also perform the function of a traffic light with the use of RGB LEDs illuminated in red, green or yellow.

[0005] The currently known automatic barriers provide the illumination of the rod by a strip of LEDs located on both sides of the rod and / or a strip of LEDs on the upper part of the rod or the use of a fully illuminated rod.

[0006] The types of lighting described above have significant aesthetic, economic and functional limitations.

[0007] In fact, when an LED strip is used (on both sides or on the upper part of the barrier), the illumination is very punctiform, whereas in the case of a fully illuminated rod, the illumination is not uniform as it is more concentrated at the side of the movement body and then decreases towards the tip of the rod.

[0008] In addition, at least two LED strips are required along the entire length of the rod and / or translucent materials that are very expensive as compared to the entire structure.

[0009] Finally, from a functional point of view, the use of two LED strips makes the structure heavy and, as is well known, weight in these types of automation is a very important factor as increased speeds are normally involved, just as the use of LEDs pointing upwards does not optimise lateral visibility, which is important for obvious reasons. In addition, the material used in the fully illuminated rod has much lower mechanical strength values than the material used for the rest of the structure (which is usually aluminium), which may preclude its use in certain applications or environments.

[0010] LED strips contained in a diffuser ring below the body cover are also used to illuminate the "cap" of the barrier.

[0011] However, even this type of lighting has considerable limitations, both aesthetic and practical.

[0012] First of all, the LEDs oriented directly towards the observer give rise to a very punctiform light; moreover, the LED strip produces non-negligible overall dimensions towards the inside of the body where the electronic control and movement circuits are usually housed, thus forcing manufacturers to increase the size of the structure, with all the consequences of the case, and / or making it more difficult for the installer or maintenance technician to access the control unit for the necessary wiring and settings.

[0013] A road barrier with a light strip provided in a channel at the bottom of its rod profile is known from US 2016 / 032545 A.

[0014] The aim of this invention is therefore to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a lighting system for road barriers, which makes it possible to optimise lateral visibility, while simultaneously maintaining the lightness and mechanical resistance of the structure.

[0015] A further aim of this invention is to provide a lighting system for road barriers, which provides uniform illumination and minimises the overall dimensions, while also making access to the structure easy for the installer and / or maintenance technician.

[0016] A further aim of the invention is to make a lighting system for road barriers with a construction which is relatively simple, safe and reliable, using substantially known technologies and components which are relatively inexpensive.

[0017] These and other aims according to this invention are achieved by providing a road barrier with a lighting system according to appended claim 1; further detailed technical features are provided in the following dependent claims.

[0018] Further aims and advantages of the road barrier with lighting system according to the invention will more fully emerge from the description which follows of a non-limiting example, referred to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial, enlarged front view of a non-limiting embodiment of a known road barrier; Figure 2 is a complete perspective view of the road barrier in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view of the rod of the road barrier in Figure 2, made according to this invention; Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of an upper closing portion of the body connected to the rod in Figure 3, made according to this invention; Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the diffuser profile used in the road barrier rod in Figure 3, according to this invention; Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view of the diffuser profile used in the road barrier body in Figure 4, according to the invention; Figure 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the diffuser profile used in the road barrier body in Figure 4, according to this invention.

[0019] With reference to the above-mentioned figures, a road barrier substantially comprises a body 10, in which there are arranged the control and actuation devices for the movement of at least one rod 11, which is hinged to the body 10 and is movable between at least one vertical position (for the passage through the opening of persons, vehicles, etc.) and at least one horizontal position, according to which the end of the rod 11 opposite to the body 10 is resting on a shaped support 12 (to prohibit persons, vehicles, etc. from passing through the opening).

[0020] Advantageously, according to this invention, the rod 11 has an extruded aluminium or pultruded carbon fibre or glass-resin profile 13.

[0021] Advantageously, a lighting device 15 is fixed to the lower portion of the profile 13, which may consist of a commercial LED strip or a printed circuit with LEDs made in a single piece or in several pieces.

[0022] In any case, the orientation of the LEDs of the lighting device 15 is perpendicular to the surfaces where the light is to be directed.

[0023] The LED strip is advantageously supported at regular intervals (the distance depending on the length of the rod 11) by means of plates 16 which act as clamps and which are tightened by means of screws and nuts 14 housed in special cavities, preferably shaped like dovetails, obtained in the profile 13. If the printed circuit is used, a series of holes will be drilled in the circuit, allowing it to be secured to the profile 13, again using screws and nuts housed in special cavities advantageously shaped as dovetails.

[0024] In any case, the fixing system of the LED strip or printed circuit can be obtained in various ways without affecting the overall lighting system; for example, it is possible to replace the screws and nuts 14 with self-drilling screws, without changing the overall performance of the lighting system.

[0025] Positioned below the lighting device 15 is a diffuser profile 17, attached to the profile 13 of the rod 11, which has specially shaped surfaces for deflecting the light radiation R emitted by the LEDs so as to optimise the brightness on both sides of the rod 11; this using only one LED strip or printed circuit with LEDs.

[0026] In particular, according to non-limiting embodiments, after having been diffused by the external diffusing surface 20 of the diffuser profile 17, the unidirectional light radiation R encounters a first surface 18, which is internal to the profile 17, directly facing the radiation R and shaped to project a blade of light R1 towards the ground in order to obtain a step-marker light.

[0027] This mode, which is optional for the lighting system according to the invention, gives the system an extra touch of elegance, but is not decisive for the efficiency of the lighting.

[0028] In addition, laterally to the first surface 18, specularly on either side of the diffuser profile 17, there is a series of internal surfaces 19, which are specially inclined to reflect the light laterally; in particular, the surfaces 19 have alternating vertical and inclined profiles so as to direct the light first vertically and then horizontally.

[0029] Additionally and advantageously, the internal surfaces 19 are connected to external surfaces 21 of the diffuser profile 17, which are equipped with alternating horizontal and inclined profiles adapted to concentrate the light R2 towards the observer.

[0030] In this way, it is possible to optimise the brightness on both sides of the rod 11 by using a single LED strip or LED printed circuit.

[0031] As a result, the installer will only have to assemble one LED strip or printed circuit and one cover instead of two, and the downward positioning of the strip or printed circuit will protect the system from weather damage (rain, snow, hail) and UV deterioration.

[0032] This makes it possible to create a lighter structure, with all the subsequent inertial advantages, especially bearing in mind that the market demand is for increasingly faster openings.

[0033] Finally, the light projected in this way is not punctiform, rather much more diffused and directed towards the observer, and there is also a step-marker blade of light towards the ground.

[0034] The lighting system according to this invention is further complemented by a further diffuser profile for optimised light diffusion, which signals the presence of the body 10 on which the rod 11 of the barrier is hinged.

[0035] In particular, the body 10 has a cover or "cap" 22, which acts as an upper closure and can be made of various materials.

[0036] Inside the cover 22 is a lighting device 23, such as a commercial LED strip or LED board or a printed circuit with LEDs made in a single piece or in several pieces; the orientation of the individual light sources 24 (advantageously consisting of LEDs) is in any case perpendicular to the surfaces on which the light radiation is to be conveyed.

[0037] The lighting device 23 is fixed by means of clamps between the cover 22 and a diffuser profile 25, which allows the light to be deflected at 90° and directed outwards by means of specially shaped surfaces.

[0038] In particular, the diffuser profile 25 has a first series of surfaces 26 located inside the body 10, which have alternating vertical and inclined profiles, and a second series of surfaces 27 located near the external walls of the body 10 and specially shaped to reflect the light radiation outwards.

[0039] Specifically, the unidirectional light radiation R emitted by the lighting device 24 is directed downwards and towards the internal surfaces 26, which have specially inclined profiles to reflect the radiation towards the shaped reflective surfaces 27, which allow the light F2 to be sent outwards.

[0040] The light reflected in this way is not punctiform, rather much more outwardly diffused.

[0041] In addition, the system described allows for greater uniformity of the light at the corners because when the LED strip is housed inside the cover of the body 10, which acts as a light diffuser (as provided in the background art), it is not possible to obtain radii that are too narrow and the different distance between the LED strip and the diffuser manifests itself in an illumination non-uniformity. In the system described however, the LEDs can be installed at regular intervals along the entire structural profile of the body 10, achieving greater uniformity than the background art.

[0042] In practice, it has been found that the lighting system according to this invention is particularly innovative and advantageous and achieves the intended aims by using shaped diffuser profiles 17 and 25.

[0043] The features of the lighting system the object of the invention clearly emerge from the description, as do the advantages thereof. Lastly, it is clear that numerous other variants might be made to the lighting system in question, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. Road barrier provided with a lighting system, the road barrier being composed substantially of a body (10) inside which control and actuation devices are arranged for moving at least one rod (11) which is hinged to said body (10) and which is movable between at least one vertical position and at least one horizontal position, wherein said at least one rod (11) has an extruded or pultruded profile (13) to which a first lighting device is fixed (15), so that the light radiation emitted by said first lighting device (15) is directed towards a direction perpendicular with respect to the surface on which said light radiation is conveyed, characterized in that a first diffuser element (17) is positioned below said first lighting device (15), said first diffuser element (17) being connected to said profile (13) of the rod (11) and having a first external surface (20) which diffuses said light radiation (R) emitted by the lighting device (15) inside said first diffuser element (17), and a series of internal surfaces (19), placed specularly on either side of said first diffuser element (17), said series of internal surfaces (19) having profiles arranged alternately along vertical and inclined directions, so as to send the light radiation (R) laterally with respect to said first diffuser element (17).

2. Road barrier as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said internal surfaces (19) of said first diffuser element (17) are connected to second external surfaces (21) which have profiles arranged alternately along horizontal and inclined directions, so as to concentrate the laterally sent light radiation (R2) towards an external observer.

3. Road barrier as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said first diffuser element (17) has a first internal surface (18) facing said first external surface (20) and shaped to project a blade of light (R1) towards the ground.

4. Road barrier as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said profile (13) is an extruded aluminum profile or a pultruded carbon fiber or glass-resin profile.

5. Road barrier as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said lighting device (15) includes a LED strip or a printed circuit with LEDs made in a single piece or in portions.

6. Road barrier as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said LED strip or said printed circuit are supported, at regular intervals, by fixing means (14, 16) housed in cavities of said profile (13) that are preferably shaped as a tail swallow.

7. Road barrier as claimed in at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said body (10) has a cover (22), inside which there is a second lighting device (23).

8. Road barrier as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said second lighting device (23) is fixed, by means of clamps, between said cover (22) and a second diffuser element (25).

9. Road barrier as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that said second diffuser element (25) has a first series of surfaces (26) internal to said body (10) with profiles arranged alternately along vertical and inclined directions, and a second series of shaped reflective surfaces (27) placed near the external walls of said body (10) and configured to refract the light radiation (R) outside the body (10).

10. Road barrier as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said surfaces (26) internal to said body (10) have inclined profiles that are able to reflect said light radiation (R) towards said shaped reflective surfaces (27).

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