CONNECTED STREET SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a connected manhole system (1), comprising a cast iron or steel manhole cover (2) that seals a manhole and has at least one slot (3) through it, sensors, connectors associated with an electronic device (6), and a protective housing (7) for the electronic device (6). According to the invention, the electronic device (6) is fixed to the underside of the manhole cover (2), which acts as a slot antenna to improve communication between, on the one hand, equipment located inside the manhole or integrated into the electronic device (6), and on the other hand, equipment located outside the manhole, while preserving the mechanical properties of the manhole cover (2). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: CONNECTED STREET SYSTEM technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the general technical field of connected road systems or devices or to road systems associated with a communication system.

[0002] The present invention relates more particularly to a communicating street system enabling electronic equipment positioned inside the manhole to communicate with other equipment located outside and / or vice versa.

[0003] In general, manholes are constructed to prevent the external exposure of gas lines, drinking water supply pipes, sewage and drainage pipes, low- or high-voltage electrical cables, telecommunications cables, pumping stations, and surface water control structures. However, for maintenance, inspection, control, operation, upkeep, remote metering, and equipment control, numerous access components are installed on the manholes to facilitate access, regardless of their final uses.

[0004] However, given the number of manhole covers, their weight, the significant and necessary intervention times, the movement of vehicles or machinery, the risks of damage or safety accidents due to environmental conditions or contact with other objects, this work cannot be carried out freely at any time.

[0005] Thus, a number of infrastructures are equipped with sensors or controls to facilitate the transmission and / or reception of information necessary for maintenance, inspection, control, operation, remote metering, monitoring, or evaluation of various technical data from the installations, by wired or wireless means, communicating indifferently to the outside and / or inside. Transmission in such a system is carried out by radio waves through an antenna and a wireless device installed in the manhole to a receiver installed outside and / or vice versa. However, street furniture, generally made of a metallic or composite material, absorbs or attenuates radio waves, which affects the proper transmission of data. Previous technique

[0006] Also described in patent EP 3 763 881 is an antenna device in which at least one notch portion having a predetermined length is formed in an edge of the antenna device as a slotted antenna. The device comprises a structure that forms an internal space, a cover, an external space of the structure, a wireless device that is installed in the internal space, and a station. The base unit, installed in the external space, transmits a radio wave to the wireless device. The propagation of the emitted Fonde signal inside is then facilitated by this slot-shaped opening.

[0007] Most often in these devices, information transmission occurs either via a wired device or via a device equipped with an antenna positioned inside the road network, with rather random, even poor, results, regularly forcing developers of these remote metering or other measurement solutions to relocate an antenna outside the road network system. Presentation of the invention

[0008] The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a new road system improving the reliability of data transmission between the inside and outside of a manhole or vice versa.

[0009] Another object of the invention is to create a road system comprising a road part, promoting data transmission while not altering the mechanical properties of said road part.

[0010] The purpose assigned to the invention is achieved with the aid of a connected road system, comprising a cast iron or steel road piece sealing a manhole and traversed by at least one slot, sensors, connectors associated with an electronic device and a protective housing for the electronic device characterized in that the electronic device is fixed on the underside of the road piece, which constitutes a slot antenna to improve communication between, on the one hand, equipment arranged inside the manhole or integrated into the electronic device and, on the other hand, equipment located outside the manhole, while preserving the mechanical properties of the road piece.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the slot or slots in the road part include a sealing material to fill said slot or slots over at least part of their height, thus protecting the electronic device.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the electronic device comprises a support plate fixed on the underside to the street piece by screwing and / or gluing and / or riveting.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the connected road system includes a sealing layer covering the support plate and constituting the interface between the support plate and the road element.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the electronic device comprises a support plate fixed to a closing plate, said closing plate being fixed on the underside to the street piece by screwing and / or gluing and / or riveting, the protective housing being fixed to the closing plate so as to confine the internal space of said protective housing, thus protecting the electronic device.

[0015] According to one embodiment, includes a sealing layer covering the closing plate and constituting the interface of the closing plate and the roadworks piece.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the closing plate includes at least one additional through slot.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the closing plate and / or the fixing elements of said closing plate on the road part is / are made of stainless steel to avoid the occurrence of galvanic couplings.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the electronic device integrates a radio reception and transmission system.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the sensors are integrated into the road system or remotely connected by wired or wireless link.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the electronic device includes means for powering the slot antenna, for transmitting and receiving data and for processing collected data.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the sensors, for example of different kinds, are capable of controlling various equipment, receiving and / or transmitting various information.

[0022] One advantage of the invention lies in the fact that it enables the establishment of radio communications for underground street lighting systems, without requiring the use of a remote antenna. The street lighting component directly constitutes a slot antenna for a communication system.

[0023] The roadworks component is then used in its entirety to transmit, for example, information from meter readings, various sensors such as temperature, vibration, piezometer, seismic, etc., and / or receive control or piloting information, for example, the piloting of regulating valves, opening and closing doors, various motors for lock gates, dams, drawbridges, lighting, cameras, etc. The underground application areas are extremely varied.

[0024] Another advantage of the invention lies in obtaining an improvement in reliability in establishing bidirectional communication for the connected road system. Brief description of the figures

[0025] Other features, objectives, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment. In these drawings:

[0026] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] is a perspective and exploded view of an example embodiment of the road system according to the invention, [Fig. 2] [Fig. 2] is a perspective and exploded view of another example of an embodiment of the road system according to the invention, and [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a representation of examples of slot shapes of a system made in a street piece according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0027] Figure 1 illustrates an example of the implementation of a road system 1 whose field of application is very broad. The system can be larger or smaller to adapt to different applications in the field of road infrastructure, namely water and communication networks or dry networks such as gas or electricity, some non-limiting examples of which are given below.

[0028] These include, for example, keyholes which most often provide access to water valves, access hatches or manhole covers, roadway manholes, inspection manholes, hydraulic manholes, sidewalk grates, gutter grates, drains, gas manholes, meter manholes (water, telecommunications or other).

[0029] The road system 1 includes a road part 2, an electronic device 6, a protective box 7 intended to confine the electronic device 6 and sensors fixed on equipment at the bottom of the manhole and / or on the electronic device 6 and / or remote sensors and / or remote controls.

[0030] The roadworks piece 2 is preferably made of cast iron or steel and is installed for example on roads, sidewalks, ports, airports, railway networks.

[0031] The road element 2 is traversed by at least one slot 3 of arbitrary shape, the edges of which, at the level of the upper surface of the road element 2, function as an antenna. The slot 3 is advantageously positioned in a central area or away from the peripheral edges of the road element 2.

[0032] The slot(s) 3 contain, for example, a filling material, the thickness of which is, for example, between 6 and 10 mm. According to one embodiment, the thickness of the filling material is 8 mm.

[0033] The filling material advantageously includes a sealing material, for example an elastomer, a resin or other, to protect the electronic device 6 disposed under the slot 3 and to prevent the retention of water or other elements such as sand or pebbles or water that may infiltrate the protective housing 7.

[0034] The electronic device 6 advantageously comprises a support plate 6a fixed on the underside to the road part 2 by screwing and / or gluing and / or riveting and / or clipping or any other system allowing electrical contact between the electronic device 6 and the road part.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the support plate 6a is covered with a sealing layer, which constitutes the interface of said support plate 6a and the roadworks piece 2.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the protective housing 7 is fixed to the underside of the roadworks piece 2 by means of screws and includes a peripheral sealing gasket 7a.

[0037] According to another embodiment, the protective housing 7 can itself be made of an elastomer-type material and directly ensure sealing when fixed to the roadworks piece 2.

[0038] According to another embodiment, the protective housing 7 can fully integrate the electronic device 6 into its constituent material, for example a resin, thus facilitating assembly with the road plate 2.

[0039] In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 2], a closing plate 8 sealing the protective housing 7 has an additional through slot 8a. This additional slot 8a is, for example, identical or similar to the slot 3 of the roadworks component 2.

[0040] According to another embodiment, the complementary slot 8a and the slot 3 have different shapes.

[0041] The electronic device 6 is fixed to the closure plate 8 on the underside either directly or via an intermediate part.

[0042] The closing plate 8 is, for example, fixed to the underside of the roadwork component 2. The protective housing 7 is closed by the closing plate 8, preferably via the sealing gasket 7a. The protective housing 7 can also be used as a housing for any other electronic device such as sensors and / or communication systems. The housing 7 can also accommodate one or more expansion ports for connecting sensors, batteries, or other external devices.

[0043] The upper face of the closing plate 8 is advantageously covered with a seal 9 which extends over the entirety of said closing plate 8 and which serves as protection and shock absorption between the road part 2 and the electronic device 6.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, to prevent galvanic corrosion that occurs when two metals are brought into contact and an electrical potential difference appears between them, the cover plate 8 and the fastening elements 10, such as screws, for attaching said cover plate 8 to the roadworks piece 2, are made of stainless steel. Any other metallic material that prevents galvanic coupling may be used. The cover plate 8 may, for example, have a thickness of between 2 and 8 mm.

[0045] The closing plate 8 is fixed to the roadworks component 2 preferably by screwing and / or gluing and / or riveting. A close mechanical and / or electrical connection must be maintained over time to excite one or more slots 3 and to avoid disrupting the transmission of radio waves from the electronic device 6 to the roadworks component 2.

[0046] The electronic device 6 allows interfacing with the road part 2 and exciting the slot 3.

[0047] According to one embodiment, the electronic device 6 incorporates a radio transmission and reception system.

[0048] In one embodiment, specific sensors transmit data by cable or wirelessly. The sensors include, for example, at least one sensor chosen from a non-limiting family including a flow meter, an accelerometer, a pressure sensor, a leak detection sensor, a temperature sensor, a gas sensor, a vehicle presence sensor, a strain gauge, a pavement piezometer, a seismic activity sensor on pavement, a vibration sensor on civil engineering structures.

[0049] The sensor(s) are for example integrated into the road system 1 or remotely connected by wired or non-wired link.

[0050] The connectors to the road system 1 are extension connectors which allow the connection of remote probes deeper into the manhole.

[0051] Fig. 3 illustrates non-limiting examples of the shapes of slots 3 or 8. Slots 3 and 8 have, for example, a straight, angled or curved shape.

Claims

Demands

1. Connected street system (1), comprising a cast iron or steel street piece (2) sealing a manhole and having at least one slot (3) through it, sensors, connectors associated with an electronic device (6) and a protective housing (7) for the electronic device (6), the electronic device (6) being fixed to the underside of the street piece (2), which constitutes a slot antenna to improve communication between, on the one hand, equipment located inside the manhole or integrated into the electronic device (6) and, on the other hand, equipment located outside the manhole, while preserving the mechanical properties of the street piece (2), characterized in that the electronic device (6) comprises a support plate (6a) fixed to a closing plate (8), said closing plate (8) being fixed to the underside of the street piece (2) by screwing and / or gluing and / or riveting,the protective housing (7) being fixed to the closing plate (8) so as to confine the internal space of said protective housing (7), thus protecting the electronic device (6).

2. Connected road system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the slot(s) (3) of the road part (2) comprises a sealing material to fill said slot(s) (3) over at least part of their height, thus protecting the electronic device (6).

3. Connected road system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support plate (6a) is fixed to the closing plate (8), by screwing and / or gluing and / or riveting.

4. Connected road system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a sealing layer (9) covering the closing plate (8) and constituting the interface of the closing plate (8) and the road part (2).

5. Connected road system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the closing plate (8) has at least one additional through slot (8a).

6. Connected road system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the closing plate (8) and / or fixing elements of said closing plate (8) on the roadworks part (2) is / are made of stainless steel to avoid the occurrence of galvanic coupling.

7. Connected street system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the electronic device (6) integrates a radio reception and transmission system.

8. Connected road system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the sensors are integrated into the road system (1) or remote by wired or non-wired connection.

9. Connected street system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the electronic device (6) includes means for powering the slot antenna, for transmitting and receiving data and for processing collected data.

10. Connected street system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the sensors control equipment located inside and / or outside the manhole by receiving and / or transmitting data from said equipment.

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