Road guard device

Abstract

The invention relates to a road guard device in several embodiments, allowing its use both for bridges and viaducts, as well as for road shoulders, which is placed along the traffic lanes of vehicles. These protective devices are usually also called deformable safety guards. According to the invention, the road guard device is designed for a high protection level (H3) where the total mass of the test vehicle is between 16000 and 900 kg, and at a deflection expressed by the working width W3 < 1.0, W4 < 1.3, W5 < 1.7. It is made up of profiled panels (1) of section 3W which are mounted on the supporting pillars (2) by means of flanges (5), which have a supporting role but also a shock-absorbing role when the panel (1) is hit, an upper railing (3) is arranged at the top of the pillars (2) and a lower railing (4) at the bottom of the pillars (2), both guardrails (3, 4) being formed by several U-profile segments, mounted one following the other and joined together by a U-profile connector (6), round holes (b) are drilled at the free ends of each guardrail segment (3, 4) for fixing the connectors (6), the components being fastened together by screws. The upper (3) and lower (4) handrails and the connectors (6) are interchangeable, thus providing easy mounting in their final position.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a road guard device in several embodiments which is located along road traffic lanes.

[0002] These protective devices are also known as deformable safety guards.

[0003] The road guard helps prevent vehicles from leaving the roadway uncontrolled and entering dangerous areas, either due to skidding on icy roads or loss of control while driving. By clearly delineating the traffic area, these devices help to guide drivers and to stop or bring them back to the road. On busy roads or highways, protective devices separate traffic lanes to prevent head-on collisions between vehicles traveling in opposite directions.

[0004] From document EP 1561863 a railing system made of pillars, shock absorbers made of segments or one piece and a caliper is known, a system placed at certain distances.

[0005] Document EP 0980454 describes an assembly of elementary units, consisting of a pillar, reinforcing pieces, shock absorber and strut, the assemblies being mounted at certain distances on the side of public roads.

[0006] From document RO 132101 a road crash barrier, consisting of a profiled safety guard rail is known, on which is mounted a shock-absorbing strut made of a single piece of profiled sheet metal and bolted to a support post fixed to the ground.

[0007] The disadvantage of these types of road rails is that they have several complex components, which increase the volume and mass of metal used and complicate their execution and assembly, and are made of metal components with low shock resistance.

[0008] The technical issue that the present invention solves consists in reducing the constructive complexity of the protective device, providing increased protection (level H3) in the event of accidents, avoiding unforeseen exits of vehicles from the roadway and returning them to the roadway.

[0009] According to the invention, the road guard device consists of profiled panels with a 3W section which are mounted on the supporting pillars by means of spacers, which have a supporting role, but also a shock-absorbing role when the panel is hit, an upper railing is arranged at the top of the pillars and a lower railing is arranged at the bottom of the pillars, both railings being formed by several U-profile segments, mounted one after the other and joined together by a U-profile connector, each guardrail segment has elongated holes along its length, which allow it to be fixed to the supporting posts, and round holes are drilled at the free ends of each guardrail segment for fixing the connectors, the components being fastened together by screws, both the guardrails and the connectors being interchangeable.

[0010] The advantages of this guard device are: Galvanic coated steel elements are used (thermally galvanized, resistant to atmospheric corrosion). Steel is one made of the virtually 100% recyclable materials, with a carbon footprint of about 50% compared to other metallic materials (e.g. aluminum); Accidental exiting of vehicles from the roadway of public roads in the event of a direct impact, with potentially fatal effects on the occupants, is prevented; Due to the mechanical characteristics of the materials used, as well as the profiles of the various elements, the catastrophic effects on the impacting vehicles are avoided, as the protective device absorbs a significant part of the impact, keeping the vehicle on the roadway / pavement area during and after the impact; The shape and arrangement of the elements help absorb impact energy, reduce critical deformation of vehicle components (which can be life-threatening to occupants), avoid uncontrolled trajectories or vehicle roll-back after impact; They are easy to install; They don't have many components; The have an increased shock resistance; The upper guardrail also has a protective and accident-avoidance role, by limiting the working width (W3, W<1 m - W5, W< 1.7 m), as well as preventing vehicles from running out into the scenery at significant differences in level (bridges, viaducts, embankments or steep slopes on one side); They can be mounted on the ground as well as on bridge structures or road overpasses.

[0011] Below are shown several embodiments of the invention also in connection with Figs. 1 - 10 which represent: Fig. 1 Overview of the road guard, protection level H3, working width W3, version for mounting on bridges and viaducts; Fig. 2 Exploded view of the road guard, from Fig. 1, variant for mounting on bridges and viaducts; Fig. 3 overview of the road guard, protection level H3, working width W3, version for mounting on the hard shoulder / verge of the road; Fig 4 Exploded view of the road guard in Fig. 3, version for mounting on the curb; Fig. 5 overview of the road guard, protection level H3, working width W4, version for mounting on bridges and viaducts; Fig. 6 exploded view of the road guard, from Fig. 5, variant for mounting on bridges and viaducts; Fig. 7 Overview of the road guard, protection level H3, working width W4, version for mounting on the hard shoulder / verge of the road; Fig. 8 exploded view of the road guard, from Fig. 7, version for mounting on the hard shoulder / verge of the road; Fig. 9 overview of the road guard, protection level H3, working width W5, version for mounting on the hard shoulder / verge of the road; Fig. 10 exploded view of the road guard, from Fig. 9, version for mounting on the hard shoulder / verge of the road. Fig. 11 Overview of the road guard, protection level H3, working width W5, version for mounting on bridges and viaducts; Fig. 12 exploded view of the road guard, from Fig. 11, version for mounting on bridges and viaducts;

[0012] The sizing and checking of the road guard device was carried out taking into account the impact force, in accordance with the law in force, considering the vehicle's movement on a straight line, with an angle of incidence of impact of max 20°, within the limits of the impact speed of 110...65 km / h.

[0013] The road protection device according to the invention in all five embodiments classified according to the high protection level H3 and the working width W 3, W4, W5 and according to the mounting on bridges and viaducts or on road shoulders, is composed of several profiled panels 1, with section 3W, which are mounted on the supporting pillars 2 by means of flanges 5, which have the role of supporting but also of cushioning possible shocks when the panel 1 is hit.

[0014] An upper guardrail 3 is arranged at the top of the pillars 2, consisting of a plurality of U-profile metal segments, mounted one following the other and joined together by a connector 6.

[0015] At the bottom of the pillars 2 there is arranged a lower guardrail 4, consisting of several U-profile metal segments, mounted one following the other and joined together by a connector 6.

[0016] The handrail segments 3 and 4 are provided with elongated holes a along their length, which enable them to be fixed to the supporting posts 2. At the free ends of each handrail segment round holes b are provided for fixing the connectors 6 which join the adjacent handrail segments two by two.

[0017] Both the upper guardrail segments 3 and the lower guardrail segments 4 are made of U-profile steel. The joints between the connectors 6 and the guardrail segments 3 and 4 and the fastening of the panels 1 to the posts 2 are made with screws.

[0018] The upper guardrail 3 rests with the U-profile opening on the free ends of the vertical support posts 2.

[0019] The lower guardrail 4 is attached to the same supporting pillars 2, in the median part thereof, having the orientation of the U-profile opening on one of the lateral sides of each pillar 2 and opposite the roadway.

[0020] The supporting pillars 2 are made of steel, C-profile, and their assembly is carried out by opening the C-profile in the opposite direction to the direction of travel, thus avoiding their slight deformation.

[0021] Bolted to each supporting pillar 2 are flanges 5 which are positioned over the lower railing 4. The flanges 5 support the profiled panels 1, type 3W, also having a shock-absorbing function in the event of impact of vehicles with the road guard.

[0022] The free ends of the profiled panels 1 are mounted one on top of the other and fastened with screws, the overlap corresponding to the direction of travel of the vehicles, thus avoiding complete damage to the device on impact with the vehicle.

[0023] The handrails 3 and 4 as well as the connectors 6 are interchangeable, thus providing easy mounting in their final position.

[0024] All the components of the protection device are made of hot-rolled steel with superior mechanical characteristics, the components are bolted together.

[0025] The road guard according to fig. 1 and 2 has protection level H3, working width W3, is used for mounting on bridges and viaducts.

[0026] Road guard according to fig. 3 and 4 has a protection level H3, working width W3, is used for mounting on the shoulder of the road (verge).

[0027] Road guard according to fig. 5 and 6 with protection level H3, working width W4, is used for mounting on bridges and viaducts.

[0028] Road guard according to Figs. 7 and 8 with protection level H3, working width W4, is used for mounting on road shoulders.

[0029] Road guard according to fig. 9 and 10, with protection level H3, working width W5, is used for mounting on road shoulders.Abbreviations:

[0030] N- protection level (H 3 high protection) W - the deflection expressed in working width (W 3 < 1,0; W 4 < 1,3, W5 < 1,7) is the distance between the face of the parapet facing traffic before the impact and the maximum lateral position of either side of the parapet.

Claims

1. A road guard device having supporting pillars, handrails and profiled panels, characterized in that for a high level of protection (H3) where the total mass of the test vehicle is between 16000 and 900 kg, and at a deflection expressed by the working width W3 < 1.0, W4 < 1.3, W5 < 1.7, it consists of profiled panels (1), with section 3W, which are mounted on the supporting pillars (2) by means of flanges (5), which have the role of supporting but also of cushioning possible shocks, when the panel (1) is hit, at the upper part of the posts (2) an upper guardrail (3) is arranged and at the lower part of the posts (2) a lower guardrail (4) is arranged, both guardrails (3, 4) being formed by several U-profile segments, mounted one following the other and joined together by a U-profile connector (6).

2. Road protection device according to Claim 1 characterized in that the upper and lower handrail segments (3, 4) are provided along their length with elongated holes (a), which allow them to be fixed to the supporting posts (2) and at the free ends of each handrail segment are provided round holes (b) for fixing the connectors (6), the components being fastened to each other by screws.

3. A road guard according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the upper (3) and lower (4) handrails and the connectors (6) are interchangeable, thus providing easy mounting of them in their final position.

4. Road protection device according to claims 1, 2 and 3, characterized in that all the components of the protection device are made of hot-rolled steel having superior mechanical characteristics, the components being fastened to each other by screws.

5. Use for obtaining a level of protection H3 at a working width W3, a road protection device according to claims 1 to 4 is mounted on bridges and viaducts.

6. Use to achieve a high level of protection H3 at a working width W3, a road guard according to claims 1 to 4 is mounted on the road shoulders.

7. Use to achieve a high level of protection H3 at a working width W4, a road protection device according to claims 1 to 4 is mounted on bridges and viaducts.

8. Use for achieving a high level of protection H3 at a working width W4, a road guard according to claims 1 to 4 is mounted on the road shoulders.

9. Use for achieving a high level of protection H3 at a working width W5, a road guard according to claims 1 to 4 is mounted on the road shoulders.

10. Use to achieve a high level of protection H3 at a working width W5, a road protection device according to claims 1 to 4 is mounted on bridges and viaducts.

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