Positioning member and safety fence fixing device equipped with the positioning member

Abstract

To make it possible to easily carry out the insertion work of an insertion pipe into a fixed pipe in a positioning member that is mounted on an upper end of the fixed pipe buried in the ground so as to extend in the vertical direction and that regulates a radial position of the insertion pipe inserted into the fixed pipe for fixing a safety fence installed on the ground.SOLUTION: A positioning member 40 includes an inner insertion tube part 41 that is inserted into the inner space of a fixed pipe 30 from the upper end side, and an expanded diameter guide tube part 42 that is connected to an end part on an opposite side to an insertion tip side of the inner insertion tube part 41 and expands radially outward toward the opposite side. The inner insertion tube part 41 is disposed so as to form a gap x between an outer circumferential surface thereof and an inner circumferential surface of the fixed pipe 30, and an upper end opening 41a of the inner insertion tube part 41 is configured to function as an insertion port for an insertion pipe 32. The expanded diameter guide tube part 42 is supported from below by an upper end part of the fixed pipe 30 and is configured to receive a lower end part of the insertion pipe 32.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6B

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a positioning member and a protective fence fixing device including the positioning member.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a fixing device for a protective fence (hereinafter referred to as a protective fence fixing device) installed at an installation location adjacent to a road (for example, a median strip, etc.) is known. The protective fence has a protective fence body that receives the vehicle when the vehicle deviates from the road. The protective fence body is fixed to the ground by the protective fence fixing device during normal times, while it is configured to be movable along the ground by releasing the fixing by the protective fence fixing device in an emergency such as a traffic accident.

[0003] The following Patent Document 1 discloses an example of the protective fence fixing device. This protective fence fixing device includes a fixing pipe buried in the ground and extending in the vertical direction, a support pipe provided on the protective fence, an insertion pipe that is inserted into the space inside the support pipe so as to be movable up and down, and a positioning member. The insertion pipe is inserted into the inner spaces of the support pipe and the fixing pipe and is arranged across the support pipe and the fixing pipe to fix the protective fence immovably to the ground.

[0004] The positioning member is attached to the upper end of the fixing pipe and positions the radial position of the insertion pipe at a predetermined position where a gap is formed over the entire circumference between the outer peripheral surface of the insertion pipe and the inner peripheral surface of the fixing pipe. Specifically, this positioning member has a top plate portion, an extension portion, and movement restricting protrusions. The top plate portion has an insertion hole having a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the insertion pipe. The extension portion is a cylindrical portion that protrudes into the space inside the fixing pipe downward from the edge of the insertion hole. The movement restricting protrusions are composed of a plurality of cylindrical portions that protrude into the space inside the fixing pipe from a portion outside the extension portion on the lower surface of the top plate portion and are configured to be easily damaged during a collision. And the insertion pipe is inserted inside the cylindrical extension portion to position its radial direction (see paragraphs

[0042] ~

[0045] and FIG. 4 etc. of Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Document

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] By the way, when fixing the protective fence with the protective fence fixing device shown in Patent Document 1, first, the operator adjusts the position of the protective fence so that the fixing pipe is located directly below the support pipe provided on the protective fence body. And after this position adjustment is completed, an insertion pipe is inserted from the upper end opening of the support pipe provided on the protective fence body. At this time, if the center position of the support pipe and the center position of the insertion hole of the positioning member attached to the fixing pipe are misaligned, there is a problem that the insertion pipe interferes with the positioning member (top plate) and the insertion of the insertion pipe is hindered.

[0007] When the insertion pipe interferes with the positioning member, the operator first tries to insert the insertion pipe into the insertion hole by finely adjusting the position and inclination of the insertion pipe within the range of the clearance (play) between the insertion pipe and the inner peripheral surface of the support pipe. However, in this operation, there is a problem that the work burden is large because it is necessary to finely adjust the position and inclination of the heavy insertion pipe.

[0008] Also, although the operator can recognize by sound or the touch of the hand that the insertion pipe interferes with the positioning member, it is not possible to easily determine whether the degree of the interference is such that it can be eliminated by finely adjusting the position and inclination of the insertion pipe, or whether it is so large that it is necessary to realign the protective fence again. For this reason, the operator repeatedly adjusts the position of the insertion pipe and the position of the protective fence without rhyme or reason, resulting in an increase in working time.

[0009] The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to facilitate the insertion operation of the insertion pipe into the fixed pipe while suppressing the radial position variation of the insertion pipe with respect to the fixed pipe buried in the ground.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] The positioning member according to the first invention is attached to the upper end portion of a fixed pipe buried in the ground so as to extend in the vertical direction, and regulates the radial position of an insertion pipe inserted into the fixed pipe for fixing a protective fence installed on the ground. The protective fence includes a fence body installed at an installation location adjacent to a road where vehicles pass and receiving the vehicle when the vehicle deviates from the road, and a support pipe fixed to the fence body and into which the insertion pipe is inserted from above. The insertion pipe is configured to fix the protective fence to the ground by being arranged to straddle the support pipe and the fixed pipe in a state of being inserted into the inner spaces of the support pipe and the fixed pipe respectively. The insertion pipe includes an inner insertion cylinder portion inserted into the inner space of the fixed pipe from an opening at its upper end side, and an enlarged-diameter guide cylinder portion connected to an end portion of the inner insertion cylinder portion opposite to the insertion tip side and expanding radially outward toward the opposite side. The inner insertion cylinder portion is arranged such that a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the inner insertion cylinder portion and the inner peripheral surface of the fixed pipe in a mounted state where the positioning member is attached to the fixed pipe, and the upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion functions as an insertion port of the insertion pipe, and the inner peripheral surface of the inner insertion cylinder portion functions as a regulating surface for regulating the radial position of the insertion pipe. The enlarged-diameter guide cylinder portion is supported from below by the upper end portion of the fixed pipe in the mounted state and is configured to receive the lower end portion of the insertion pipe when the insertion pipe is inserted.

[0011] According to this configuration, when an operator performs the insertion operation of the insertion pipe, the lower end portion of the insertion pipe can be received by the upper end opening of the enlarged-diameter guide cylinder portion having a diameter larger than that of the insertion port. Therefore, the operator can easily perform the insertion operation of the insertion pipe with respect to the fixed pipe.

[0012] In the positioning member according to the second invention, in the first invention, it is preferable that the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion is configured to guide the lower end portion thereof toward the upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion which is the insertion port when the insertion tube is inserted.

[0013] According to this configuration, while suppressing the radial position variation of the insertion tube with respect to the fixed tube buried in the ground, the insertion operation of the insertion tube with respect to the fixed tube can be easily performed. That is, according to the above configuration, when an operator performs the insertion operation of the insertion tube, even if the central position of the insertion tube is radially displaced with respect to the central position of the insertion port (the upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion) of the positioning member attached to the fixed tube, when the insertion tube is inserted, the lower end portion of the insertion tube abuts against the upper surface of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion and moves downward (slides), so that the lower end portion is guided toward the upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion (that is, the insertion port). As a result, the insertion tube tilts in the same direction as the displacement direction of the insertion tube with respect to the insertion port with its lower end portion as a fulcrum. Therefore, the operator can easily recognize the displacement direction of the insertion tube based on the tilt direction of the insertion tube. And based on this recognized displacement direction of the insertion tube, the operator can take measures such as adjusting the position of the insertion tube or the position of the protective fence body, and can easily insert the insertion tube into the insertion port (the upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion) of the positioning member. Then, the insertion tube inserted into this insertion port has its radial position restricted by the inner peripheral surface of the inner insertion cylinder portion, so that a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the insertion tube and the inner peripheral surface of the fixed tube. Thereby, when a vehicle collides with the protective fence body, the insertion tube moves horizontally by this gap amount together with the protective fence body, and the collision energy is absorbed.

[0014] In the positioning member according to the third invention, in the first or second invention, it is preferable that the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion is formed in a frustum-shaped cylinder shape that expands radially outward toward the opposite side.

[0015] According to this configuration, it becomes easier to ensure the coaxiality between the positioning member and the fixed pipe when the positioning member is attached to the upper end of the fixed pipe, and the reproducibility of the attachment position of the positioning member can be improved. That is, when the attachment position of the positioning member is displaced in the radial direction from the normal position where it is coaxial with the fixed pipe, the entire diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion tilts with respect to the axis of the fixed pipe. Even if the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion is once tilted in this way, since its shape is a frustum of a cone cylinder shape, its radial position and inclination are automatically adjusted so as to be coaxial with the fixed pipe. Therefore, the positioning member can be attached in the same posture without variation each time while ensuring coaxiality with the fixed pipe. Consequently, the radial positioning accuracy of the insertion pipe by the positioning member can be improved.

[0016] Also, by forming the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion in the shape of a frustum of a cone cylinder, it is possible to cope with fixed pipes of various sizes with different inner diameter dimensions using positioning members of the same shape and size. That is, in the conventional configuration where movement restricting protrusions are provided on the lower surface of the top plate, it is necessary to vary the positions of the movement restricting protrusions according to the inner diameter dimension of the fixed pipe. According to this configuration, however, it is not necessary to vary the shape and size of the positioning member according to the inner diameter dimension of the fixed pipe, so the parts can be made common and the cost can be reduced.

[0017] Moreover, by forming the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion in the shape of a frustum of a cone cylinder, the portion located radially outside the insertion pipe at the upper end opening of the fixed pipe is blocked by the frustum-shaped outer wall surface of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter (such as sand or water) from entering the fixed pipe. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the insertion of the insertion pipe from being hindered by the foreign matter that has entered the fixed pipe.

[0018] In the positioning member according to the fourth invention, in any one of the first to third inventions, it is preferable that at least the color of the surface of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion is red, yellowish-red, yellow, green, blue, or reddish-purple.

[0019] According to this configuration, before installing the protective fence at the installation location or after removing the protective fence from the installation location, the positioning member attached to the upper end of the fixed pipe can be easily visually recognized even at night. That is, in a state where the positioning member is attached to the upper end of the fixed pipe, the enlarged-diameter guide cylinder portion will be exposed above the ground. Therefore, by making the color of the surface of at least this exposed portion, the enlarged-diameter guide cylinder portion, red, yellowish-red, yellow, green, blue, or reddish-purple, which has excellent visibility at night, the operator can easily find the positioning member even at night. Thus, the positioning operation of the protective fence body using the positioning member as a landmark and the removal operation of the positioning member after removing the protective fence body can be easily performed.

[0020] In the positioning member according to the fifth invention, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, it is preferable that the inner insertion cylinder portion and the enlarged-diameter guide cylinder portion are integrally formed of a resin material.

[0021] According to this configuration, the positioning member can be manufactured at low cost, and the influence of the positioning member on the impact absorption performance of the protective fence when a vehicle collides with the protective fence can be reduced as much as possible. That is, for example, when the inner insertion cylinder portion and the enlarged-diameter guide cylinder portion are made of a metal material, processes such as metal press forming and welding are required, resulting in an increase in molding cost and an increase in molding difficulty. On the other hand, according to this configuration, by integrally molding the inner insertion cylinder portion and the enlarged-diameter guide cylinder portion with a resin material, the molding can be facilitated, the number of manufacturing processes can be reduced, and the molding cost can be reduced. Moreover, by using a resin material, the strength of the entire positioning member can be reduced compared to the case of using a metal material. Therefore, when a vehicle collides with the protective fence, the positioning member can be easily broken so that the strength of the positioning member does not affect the impact absorption performance of the protective fence.

[0022] The positioning member according to the sixth invention further includes an outer peripheral extension portion that extends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion in the mounted state in any one of the first to sixth inventions, and it is preferable that the lower end portion of the outer peripheral extension portion is formed to contact the ground or be located above the ground.

[0023] According to this configuration, the guiding property of the insertion pipe by the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion can be further improved. That is, when the insertion pipe contacts a portion radially outside the contact position with the fixed pipe in the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion, the inclination and deformation of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion are more likely to occur compared to the case where it contacts radially inside, and there is a risk that the guiding function of the insertion pipe by the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion will deteriorate. In contrast, according to the above configuration, even when the insertion pipe contacts a portion radially outside the contact position with the fixed pipe in the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion, the pressing load from the insertion pipe is received by the ground through the extension portion, preventing the inclination and deformation of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion, and sufficiently ensuring the guiding function of the insertion pipe by the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion.

[0024] The protective fence fixing device according to the seventh invention includes the positioning member according to any one of the first to sixth inventions, the fixed pipe, the insertion pipe, and the support pipe.

[0025] According to this protective fence fixing device, the insertion operation of the insertion pipe with respect to the fixed pipe can be easily performed while suppressing the radial positional variation of the insertion pipe with respect to the fixed pipe buried in the ground.

[0026] The protective fence fixing device according to the eighth invention is preferably such that, in the seventh invention, the protective fence to which the protective fence fixing device is applied has a roof portion that covers the protective fence body.

[0027] The protective fence fixing device of the present invention is particularly useful for a protective fence having a roof portion. That is, in a protective fence having a roof portion, since the roof portion is obstructive, the workability when performing the insertion operation of the insertion pipe is significantly reduced compared to a protective fence without a roof portion. On the other hand, in the protective fence protection device, the lower end portion of the insertion pipe is configured to be guided toward the upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion by the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion of the positioning member. Therefore, even in such a situation where the workability is poor, the insertion pipe can be easily inserted into the upper end opening (insertion port) of the inner insertion cylinder portion.

Effect of the Invention

[0028] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily perform the insertion operation of the insertion pipe into the fixing pipe while suppressing the radial position variation of the insertion pipe with respect to the fixing pipe buried in the ground.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 6A

Figure 6B

Figure 6C

Figure 6D

Figure 7

Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a guardrail 1 to which a guardrail fixing device 100 including a positioning member 40 (see FIG. 3) according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state where the roof portion of the guardrail 1 is removed. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main part of the sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2.

[0031] [Overall Configuration] As shown in FIG. 1, the guardrail 1 is installed on the ground of the median strip between two adjacent roads on an expressway or other roads. The guardrail 1 is installed along the direction (extension direction) in which the roads on both sides of the median strip extend, and is configured to receive a vehicle when the vehicle traveling on the roads on both sides thereof deviates from those roads. Further, in an emergency, it is possible to move the guardrail 1 from the installation location, and by moving the guardrail 1, a space can be secured for a vehicle to make a U-turn or enter from one of the roads on both sides of the median strip to the other road.

[0032] In each figure, for the sake of facilitating the explanation of the guardrail 1, the longitudinal direction (extension direction) of the guardrail 1 is defined as the front-rear direction, the width direction of the guardrail 1 is defined as the left-right direction, and the height direction of the guardrail 1 is defined as the up-down direction, and each direction is illustrated. The direction is not intended to limit the guardrail 1 according to the present invention.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the protective fence 1 has a protective fence body 2, a rolling body 22 that movably supports the protective fence body 2, and a roof portion 50 (not shown in FIG. 2) that covers the upper side of the protective fence body 2. When the protective fence 1 is in use, a plurality of the protective fences 1 are arranged adjacent to each other in a strip along an installation location (median strip) adjacent to the road. Adjacent protective fences 1 are connected to each other via a connecting member 4 (shown only in FIG. 2). Each protective fence 1 is fixed to the ground G by a protective fence fixing device 100 described later.

[0034] The protective fence body 2 extends in a specific longitudinal direction and is arranged along the road in that longitudinal direction. In the present embodiment, the protective fence bodies 2 of a plurality of protective fences 1 are arranged side by side along the extending direction of the roads on both sides of the median strip, and partition between one road and the road in the opposite lane. The protective fence body 2 of each protective fence 1 is movable on the ground G by a rolling member of the rolling body 22 described later rolling on the ground G.

[0035] The protective fence body 2 includes a plurality of bases 6 (see FIG. 2), a base reinforcing member 7 (see FIG. 2), a plurality of support pipes 8, a first beam 10 and a second beam 12, a plurality of connecting members 13, and a plurality of auxiliary connecting members 14.

[0036] The plurality of bases 6 are portions that form the base of the protective fence body 2, and are each configured to be movable on the ground G. In the present embodiment, the protective fence body 2 has two front and rear bases 6. As shown in FIG. 3, each base 6 has a base plate 20 (base material) and a plurality of rolling bodies 22.

[0037] The base plate 20 is a flat plate arranged substantially horizontally. The base plate 20 is arranged at a position spaced upward from the ground between the first beam 10 and the second beam 12 in the left - right direction. The base plate 20 has a through - hole 20a that penetrates the base plate 20 in the vertical direction (the plate thickness direction of the base plate 20).

[0038] The plurality of rolling elements 22 are configured to be able to roll on the ground G along the ground G, and are for enabling the base 6 to move on the ground G. The plurality of rolling elements 22 are each attached to the base plate 20. The rolling element 22 is a so-called caster. In the present embodiment, each base 6 has four rolling elements 22. The four rolling elements 22 (only two are shown in FIG. 3) are divided into two each on both sides of the through hole 20a of the base plate 20. The four rolling elements 22 project downward from the base plate 20 and contact the ground G to support the base plate 20 from below.

[0039] The base reinforcing member 7 connects the pair of front and rear base plates 20 to each other. The base reinforcing member 7 has an H shape in plan view, and both ends thereof are respectively fixed to the inner ends of the base plate 20. Further, a plurality of auxiliary rolling elements (not shown) having the same structure and function as the rolling element 22 are mounted on the lower surface portion of the base reinforcing member 7.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of support pipes 8 are fixed to the respective bases 6 so as to stand upright from each of the plurality of bases 6 at a plurality of positions arranged in the longitudinal direction of the guard fence body 2. In the present embodiment, the guard fence body 2 has two support pipes 8. Each support pipe 8 is cylindrical, is inserted into the through hole 20a of the base plate 20 of each base 6, penetrates the base plate 20, and is fixed to the base plate 20 in a posture extending upward from the base plate 20.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first beam 10 and the second beam 12 are arranged at intervals in the width direction of the guardrail body 2 (the direction orthogonal to both the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) and the height direction (up-down direction) of the guardrail body 2), so as to sandwich the inner space S from both sides. In other words, the inner space S is the space between the first beam 10 and the second beam 12. Further, the first beam 10 and the second beam 12 are arranged on both sides of the plurality of support pipes 8 and are respectively fixed to the plurality of support pipes 8 via connecting members 13. The first beam 10 and the second beam 12 are located at the outermost sides in the width direction of the guardrail body 2 and can receive the impact of a vehicle.

[0042] Specifically, the first beam 10 faces the first road, which is one of the roads on both sides of the guardrail 1, and constitutes a surface for receiving the impact of a vehicle when the vehicle traveling on this first road deviates from the first road onto the median strip. As shown in FIG. 3, the first beam 10 is composed of a first upper beam 10A and a first lower beam 10B arranged vertically. The first upper beam 10A is made of a thin plate with a corrugated cross-section in the vertical direction and extends along the longitudinal direction of the guardrail body 2. The first lower beam 10B has the same shape as the first upper beam 10A and extends parallel to the first upper beam 10A below the first upper beam 10A.

[0043] The second beam 12 faces the second road, which is the road located on the opposite side of the first road across the guardrail 1, and constitutes a surface for receiving the impact of a vehicle when the vehicle traveling on this second road deviates from the second road onto the median strip. In other words, the second beam 12 is arranged on the opposite side of the first beam 10 in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the second beam 12 is composed of a second upper beam 12A and a second lower beam 12B arranged vertically. The second upper beam 12A is symmetrical to the first upper beam 10A and extends along the longitudinal direction of the guardrail body 2. The second lower beam 12B has the same shape as the second upper beam 12A and is symmetrical to the first lower beam 10B, and extends parallel to the second upper beam 12A below the second upper beam 12A.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of connecting members 13 and the plurality of auxiliary connecting members 14 are arranged at different positions from each other in the front-rear direction, and each connects the first beam 10 and the second beam 12 to each other along the left-right direction.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of connecting members 13 are arranged so as to sandwich the support pipe 8 from the front and rear on both sides in the front-rear direction of the guardrail body 2. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of connecting members 13 are respectively interposed between the first upper beam 10A and the second upper beam 12A and between the first lower beam 10B and the second lower beam 12B. In particular, the connecting member 13 interposed between the first upper beam 10A and the second upper beam 12A connects the first upper beam 10A and the second upper beam 12A in the width direction of the guardrail body 2 and connects these first upper beam 10A and second upper beam 12A to the support pipe 8. Further, the connecting member 13 interposed between the first lower beam 10B and the second lower beam 12B connects the first lower beam 10B and the second lower beam 12B in the width direction of the guardrail body 2 and connects these first lower beam 10B and second lower beam 12B to the support pipe 8. Therefore, the first upper beam 10A and the second upper beam 12A are connected to the support pipe 8 via the connecting member 13 that connects them. Further, the first lower beam 10B and the second lower beam 12B are connected to the support pipe 8 via the connecting member 13 that connects them.

[0046] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of auxiliary connecting members 14 are arranged outside the connecting members 13 in the front-rear direction. Although not shown, the plurality of auxiliary connecting members 14 are respectively interposed between the first upper beam 10A and the second upper beam 12A and between the first lower beam 10B and the second lower beam 12B. In particular, the auxiliary connecting member 14 interposed between the first upper beam 10A and the second upper beam 12A connects the first upper beam 10A and the second upper beam 12A in the width direction of the guardrail body 2. Further, the auxiliary connecting member 14 interposed between the first lower beam 10B and the second lower beam 12B connects the first lower beam 10B and the second lower beam 12B in the width direction of the guardrail body 2.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 1, the roof part 50 is disposed above the protective fence body 2 and extends in the front-rear direction so as to cover the inner space S from above. The roof part 50 is supported by the plurality of connecting members 13 and the plurality of auxiliary connecting members 14 via four support frames 54 (only three of which are shown in FIG. 1). On the upper surfaces of each connecting member 13 and each auxiliary connecting member 14, there are provided bracket plates 15 (see FIG. 2) for fixing the base end portions of the support frames respectively.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 1, the roof part 50 has a first inclined part 51 and a second inclined part 52. The upper end portions of the first inclined part 51 and the second inclined part 52 are connected to each other so as to form an isosceles triangular shape that protrudes upward when viewed from the front-rear direction of the protective fence 1. The connection part between the first inclined part 51 and the second inclined part 52 forms the top of the roof part 50. The first inclined part 51 and the second inclined part 52 extend downward from the top 50T of the roof part 50. The tip ends of each inclined part 51, 52 are disposed above the adjacent beam. Thus, the roof part 50 is configured to prevent snow from entering the inner space S of the protective fence body 2 during snowfall, and to guide the snow accumulated on the roof part 50 along each inclined part 51, 52 to both sides of the median strip.

[0049] In addition, rectangular opening parts K that open toward the eaves side are provided at both ends in the front-rear direction of each inclined part 51, 52, and each opening part K is closably blocked by a door 53 respectively. Each door 53 is configured to be openable and closable by rotating up and down with its upper end as a fulcrum. By opening each door 53 from the closed state (the state in FIG. 1) upward, an operator can access the inner space S and perform the insertion and extraction operation of an insertion pipe 32 described later.

[0050] [Configuration of the protective fence fixing device] Next, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the protective fence fixing device 100 will be described. The protective fence fixing device 100 is for fixing the protective fence 1 at its installation position when the protective fence 1 is installed at the installation location (the median strip in this embodiment). The protective fence fixing device 100 is provided for each of the plurality of protective fences 1 arranged in a strip shape at the installation location. That is, the protective fence fixing device 100 is installed at the installation locations of the plurality of protective fences 1 so as to be arranged at intervals along the extending direction of the first and second roads.

[0051] Each protective fence fixing device 100 includes two fixing pipes 30 buried in the ground (only one is shown in FIG. 3), the support pipes 8 (only one is shown in FIG. 3) respectively provided on the two bases 6 of the protective fence main body 2, insertion pipes 32 respectively inserted into the inner spaces of each fixing pipe 30 and each support pipe 8, and a positioning member 40 attached to the upper end of each fixing pipe 30 to regulate the radial position of the insertion pipe 32.

[0052] The protective fence fixing device 100 is configured to be switchable between a fixed state in which the protective fence main body 2 is fixed to the ground G at its installation position and a fixed-release state in which the fixing is released and the movement of the protective fence main body 2 on the ground G is allowed by inserting and removing the insertion pipe 32 by an operator. Specifically, in the fixed state, the protective fence fixing device 100 fixes the base 6 connected to the support pipe 8 to be immovable relative to the ground G at its installation position by the insertion pipe 32 inserted into the support pipe 8 and the fixing pipe 30, and in the fixed-release state, the fixing of the base 6 is released to allow the movement of the base 6 relative to the ground G.

[0053] The two fixing pipes 30 are arranged at intervals in the extending direction of the first and second roads. Each fixing pipe 30 is buried and fixed under the ground G at the installation location of the protective fence 1. Each fixing pipe 30 is in a hollow cylindrical shape and is buried in the ground in a posture extending in the vertical direction to secure a space for receiving the insertion pipe 32 inside. Each fixing pipe 30 is arranged such that the position of its upper end coincides with the position of the ground G. The upper end of each fixing pipe 30 is open.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3, in the fixed state, the insertion pipe 32 is inserted into the inner spaces of the support pipe 8 and the fixed pipe 30 so as to straddle them, connecting the support pipe 8 and the fixed pipe 30 to each other, and fixing the base 6 of the guard fence body 2 provided with the support pipe 8 immovably to the ground G. In the fixed-release state, the insertion pipe 32 is pulled upward from the inner spaces of the fixed pipe 30 and the support pipe 8, releasing the fixation of the base 6 provided with the support pipe 8 to the ground G and allowing the base 6 to move on the ground G.

[0055] In other words, the insertion pipe 32 is configured to be vertically displaceable between a fixed position and a non-fixed position. The fixed position is the position where the lower end of the insertion pipe 32 is inserted into the ground G of the median strip, and the non-fixed position is the position where the lower end of the insertion pipe 32 is detached upward from the ground G of the median strip.

[0056] The insertion pipe 32 has a cylindrical insertion pipe body 32A inserted into the inner spaces of the support pipe 8 and the fixed pipe 30, a flange portion 32B attached to the upper end of the insertion pipe body 32A so as to project radially outward from the upper end thereof, and a gripping portion 32C attached to the upper end of the insertion pipe body 32A. The flange portion 32B has an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the support pipe 8, and abuts against the upper end of the support pipe 8 in the fixed state, thereby holding the insertion pipe 32 at the height position (see FIG. 4) where the insertion pipe 32 connects the support pipe 8 and the fixed pipe 30 to each other. Further, the gripping portion 32C is a portion that is gripped by an operator during the operation of inserting and removing the insertion pipe 32 into and from the inner spaces of the support pipe 8 and the fixed pipe 30.

[0057] Next, the configuration of the positioning member 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 5A is a plan view of the positioning member 40 viewed from above, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line VB-VB of FIG. 5A.

[0058] The positioning member 40 is detachably attached to the upper end opening (upper end portion) of the fixed pipe 30 to regulate the radial position of the insertion pipe 32. The positioning member 40 is, for example, an integrally molded product made of a resin material. The color of the surface of the positioning member 40 is preferably a so-called safety color, such as red, orange-red, yellow, green, blue, or red-violet, and among these, orange-red is even more preferable. These colors may be, for example, colors with the same Munsell values as JIS safety colors, but are not limited thereto, and it is sufficient that the color can be judged by the human eye as that color or a color of the same system, and the Munsell values may be different. The positioning member 40 is arranged coaxially with the fixed pipe 30 in a state where it is correctly attached to the upper end opening of the fixed pipe 30 (the state shown in FIG. 4, hereinafter simply referred to as the attached state). In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the positioning member 40 is described as being in this correct attached state.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 4, the positioning member 40 has an inner insertion cylinder portion 41 inserted into the inner space from the upper end opening of the fixed pipe 30, and a diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 connected to the upper end (the end opposite to the insertion tip side) of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41.

[0060] The inner insertion cylinder portion 41 is a cylindrical portion extending downward from the lower end of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 and coaxial with the fixed pipe 30. The inner insertion cylinder portion 41 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the insertion pipe 32, and the insertion pipe 32 is inserted therethrough. The insertion pipe 32 is inserted into the inner space of the fixed pipe 30 through the inside of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 and the inner insertion cylinder portion 41. The upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41 forms the insertion port 41a of the insertion pipe 32. And the inner insertion cylinder portion 41 positions the radial position of the insertion pipe 32 at a predetermined position so that a gap x is ensured over the entire circumference between the outer peripheral surface of the insertion pipe 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the fixed pipe 30. In the present embodiment, this predetermined position is set such that the radial dimension of the gap x is constant over the entire circumference, but it is not limited thereto. For example, depending on the road layout around the installation location of the protective fence 1, there may be a bias in the radial dimension of the gap, with it being larger or smaller.

[0061] The diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 is formed in a frustum-cylindrical shape that expands radially outward upward from the upper end of the inserted cylinder part 41. The diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 is continuously provided over the entire circumference of the upper end edge of the inserted cylinder part 41. The outer diameter of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 at its upper end position is larger than the inner diameter of the fixed pipe 30. Also, the inner diameter of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 at its lower end position is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixed pipe 30. And the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 is supported from below by the upper end edge of the fixed pipe 30 in a state coaxial with the fixed pipe 30.

[0062] More specifically, the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 has an upper surface 42a that functions as a guide surface of the insertion pipe 32, and a lower surface 42b that is supported from below by the upper end edge of the fixed pipe 30 (specifically, the upper end edge of the inner peripheral surface of the fixed pipe 30). The upper surface 42a and the lower surface 42b of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 are formed of conical surfaces coaxial with the axis of the inserted cylinder part 41.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 5B, the connection surface R0 connecting the upper surface 42a of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 and the inner peripheral surface 41b of the inserted cylinder part 41 is an arc surface that contacts both the extension line (extended surface) of the upper surface 42a and the extension line (extended surface) of the inner peripheral surface 41b. That is, the connection part between the upper surface 42a of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 and the inner peripheral surface 41b of the inserted cylinder part 41 is chamfered.

[0064] In the protective fence fixing device 100 configured as described above, by positioning the insertion pipe 32 in the radial direction by the positioning member 40, a gap x (see FIG. 4) is secured between the outer peripheral surface of the insertion pipe 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the fixed pipe 30, and using this gap x, it is possible to absorb the collision energy when a vehicle collides with the protective fence 1.

[0065] That is, when the vehicle collides with the guardrail main body 2 of the guardrail 1, the guardrail main body 2 moves horizontally by a distance corresponding to the gap x between the insertion tube 32 and the fixed tube 30. Then, after the insertion tube 32 collides with the inner peripheral surface of the fixed tube 30 and tilts, it undergoes bending deformation. Such horizontal movement of the guardrail main body 2 and bending deformation of the fixed tube 30 reduce (absorb) the collision energy of the vehicle. The above-mentioned gap x contributes to the absorption of the collision energy by the horizontal movement of the former guardrail main body 2 among them.

[0066] Here, in order to ensure the above-mentioned gap x, it is necessary to insert the insertion tube 32 into the insertion port 41a of the insertion cylinder part 41 of the positioning member 40. However, the insertion operation of the insertion tube 32 is not easy because the upper end opening of the fixed tube 30 embedded in the ground G is not visible to the operator (the state in FIG. 2). That is, the insertion operation of the insertion tube 32 is performed after adjusting the installation position of the guardrail main body 2 so that the position of the fixed tube 30 embedded in the ground G coincides with the position of the support tube 8 provided on the guardrail main body 2. However, as shown in FIG. 2, from above the guardrail main body 2 where the operator performs the work, the upper end opening of the fixed tube 30 is covered by the base plate 20 provided on the guardrail main body 2 and is not visible. Therefore, even if the insertion position of the insertion tube 32 is displaced, the operator cannot visually recognize the direction and degree of the displacement.

[0067] In contrast, in the present embodiment, by configuring the positioning member 40 with the insertion cylinder part 41 and the diameter-expanded guide cylinder part 42, the insertion operation of the insertion tube 32 can be easily performed.

[0068] [Insertion operation of the insertion tube] The insertion operation of this insertion tube 32 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 6A to 6D are explanatory diagrams for explaining how the insertion tube is guided into the insertion hole by the diameter-expanded guide cylinder part of the positioning member. In these FIGS. 6A to 6D, in order to focus on showing the function of the positioning member 40, the illustration of the support tube 8 and other peripheral parts is omitted, and the cross-sectional illustration of the insertion tube 32 is also omitted.

[0069] The two-dot chain line in Fig. 6A shows a state where, before the insertion operation, the axial position of the insertion tube 32 is displaced radially with respect to the axis of the insertion port 41a of the insertion cylinder part 41 of the positioning member 40. This state is caused by, for example, a displacement in the installation position of the protection fence body 2 described above, or a displacement within the range of the radial clearance C (see Fig. 4) of the insertion tube 32 within the support pipe 8. In this state, when the insertion tube 32 is moved downward, as shown by the solid line in Fig. 6A, an end portion of the outer peripheral edge of the lower end of the insertion tube 32 in the direction of the radial displacement (right direction in Fig. 6A) abuts against the upper side surface 42a of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42. As a result, the contact portion of the insertion tube 32 with the upper side surface 42a of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 slides downward along its inclined direction (that is, the lower end of the insertion tube 32 is guided toward the insertion port 41a).

[0070] As a result, as shown in Fig. 6B, the entire insertion tube 32 tilts in the direction of the displacement of the insertion tube 32 (right direction in Fig. 6B) with its lower end as a fulcrum. Then, the lower end of the insertion tube 32 moves further downward along the inclination of the upper side surface 42a of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42 and is guided to the insertion port 41a (Fig. 6C). At this time, when the operator corrects the inclination of the insertion tube 32 by returning the insertion tube 32 vertically via the gripping part 32C at the upper end of the insertion tube 32, the insertion tube 32 is inserted into the insertion port 41a of the insertion cylinder part 41 (see Fig. 6D).

[0071] Note that the insertion operation shown in Figs. 6A to 6D is an example, and it is not necessarily the case that the procedure is like this. That is, for example, as shown in Fig. 6B, when the insertion tube 32 is inclined to the right, the insertion tube 32 may be temporarily pulled out from the support pipe 8 (see Fig. 3), the position of the support pipe 8 may be adjusted by moving the protection fence body 2 in the direction opposite to the displacement direction of the insertion tube 32 (left direction in Fig. 6B), and then the insertion operation of the insertion tube 32 may be performed again.

[0072] In FIGS. 6A to 6B, it is assumed that the insertion tube 32 hits the upper surface 42a of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 and the insertion tube 32 tilts with its lower end as a fulcrum. However, the insertion tube 32 does not necessarily tilt. Even if the insertion tube 32 does not tilt, the operator can determine which way the insertion tube 32 is displaced with respect to the insertion port 41a based on the degree (feeling) of the reaction force when the lower end of the insertion tube 32 hits the upper surface 42a of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42. According to the result, the operator can shift the position of the protective fence body 2 and easily insert the insertion tube 32 into the insertion port 41a.

[0073] [Function and Effect] As described above, in the present embodiment, the positioning member 40 includes an inner insertion cylinder portion 41 inserted into the inner space of the fixed tube 30 from its upper end opening, and a diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 connected to an end of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41 on the side opposite to the insertion tip side, and the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 extends radially outward toward the opposite side. The inner insertion cylinder portion 41 is arranged so as to form a gap x between the outer peripheral surface of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41 and the inner peripheral surface of the fixed tube 30 in a mounted state where the positioning member 40 is mounted on the fixed tube 30. The upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41 functions as the insertion port 41a of the insertion tube 32, and the inner peripheral surface of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41 functions as a regulating surface for regulating the radial position of the insertion tube 32. The diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 is supported from below at the upper end portion of the fixed tube 30 in the mounted state and is configured to receive the lower end portion of the insertion tube 32 when the insertion tube 32 is inserted.

[0074] According to this configuration, as described above, when the operator performs the insertion operation of the insertion tube 32, the lower end portion of the insertion tube 32 can be received by the upper end opening of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 having a diameter larger than that of the insertion port 41a. Therefore, the operator can easily perform the insertion operation of the insertion tube 32 into the fixed tube 30.

[0075] In the present embodiment, the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 is configured to guide the lower end portion of the insertion tube 32 toward the upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41, which is the insertion port 41a, when the insertion tube 32 is inserted.

[0076] According to this configuration, as described above, when an operator performs the insertion operation of the insertion pipe 32, when the lower end of the insertion pipe 32 abuts against the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42, the lower end of the insertion pipe 32 is guided along this diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 toward the lower insertion port 41a. As a result, the insertion pipe 32 tilts in the direction of displacement with respect to the fixed pipe 30 with its lower end as a fulcrum. Therefore, the operator can easily recognize the displacement direction of the insertion pipe 32 based on the tilting direction of the insertion pipe 32. Then, based on the recognized displacement direction of the insertion pipe 32, the operator can take measures such as adjusting the position of the insertion pipe 32 and adjusting the position of the protective fence body 2, so that the insertion pipe 32 can be easily inserted into the insertion port 41a (the upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41) of the positioning member 40.

[0077] And, by positioning the insertion pipe 32 in the radial direction by the inner insertion cylinder portion 41, a gap x is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the insertion pipe 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the fixed pipe 30. As a result, when a vehicle collides with the protective fence body 2, the insertion pipe 32 moves horizontally by this gap x together with the protective fence body 2, so that the impact absorption performance of the protective fence 1 can be improved.

[0078] Also, in the present embodiment, the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 is formed in a frustum-shaped cylinder that expands radially outward from the upper end portion of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41 toward the upper side (the side opposite to the insertion tip side of the inner insertion cylinder portion 41).

[0079] According to this configuration, it becomes easier to ensure the coaxiality between the positioning member 40 and the fixed pipe 30 when the positioning member 40 is attached to the upper end portion of the fixed pipe 30, and the reproducibility of the attachment position of the positioning member 40 can be enhanced. That is, when the position of the positioning member 40 is displaced in the radial direction from the normal attachment state where it is coaxial with the fixed pipe 30, the axis of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion 42 will be inclined with respect to the vertical direction. However, since the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion 42 is formed in a frustum-shaped cylinder, the posture of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion 42 is automatically adjusted so that the axis of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion 42 coincides with the axis of the fixed pipe 30. Therefore, for example, compared with the case where a mere flat top plate is adopted instead of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion 42, the coaxiality of the positioning member 40 with respect to the fixed pipe 30 and the reproducibility of the attachment posture can be significantly improved.

[0080] Also, by forming the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion 42 in a frustum-shaped cylinder in this way, it is possible to cope with a fixed pipe having an inner diameter different from that of the fixed pipe 30 using the positioning member 40 of the same shape and size. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the positioning member 40 is attached to a fixed pipe 35 having a smaller diameter size than the fixed pipe 30 as an example. In FIG. 7, the fixed pipe 30 is shown by a two-dot chain line for comparison. According to this figure, it can be seen that the positioning member 40 of the same shape and size can be attached to both the small-diameter fixed pipe 35 and the fixed pipe 30 having a larger diameter than the fixed pipe 35. Therefore, the cost can be reduced by promoting the common use of parts.

[0081] Moreover, by forming the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion 42 in a frustum-shaped cylinder, the portion between the fixed pipe 30 and the insertion pipe 32 at the upper end opening of the fixed pipe 30 is blocked by the wall surface (the lower side surface 42b in this embodiment) of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion 42 (see FIG. 4). Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matters (such as sand and water) from entering the fixed pipe 30. Subsequently, it is possible to prevent the insertion of the insertion pipe 32 into the fixed pipe 30 from being hindered by the foreign matters that have entered the fixed pipe 30.

[0082] Further, according to the present embodiment, the color of at least the surface of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 is red, yellowish-red, yellow, green, blue, or reddish-purple.

[0083] According to this configuration, in the state before the protective fence 1 is installed at the installation location or after the protective fence 1 is removed, the positioning member 40 attached to the upper end portion of the fixed pipe 30 can be easily visually recognized even at night. That is, in the state where the positioning member 40 is attached to the upper end portion of the fixed pipe 30, the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 is exposed above the ground G. Therefore, by making the color of at least the surface of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42, which is this exposed portion, red, yellowish-red, yellow, green, blue, or reddish-purple, which has excellent visibility at night, the operator can easily find the positioning member 40 even at night. Thus, the position adjustment work of the protective fence body 2 using the positioning member 40 as a mark to insert the insertion pipe 32 into the fixed pipe 30 and the removal work of the positioning member 40 accompanying the removal of the protective fence body 2 can be easily performed. Here, it is preferable to adopt yellowish-red, which is particularly excellent in night visibility among the six colors of red, yellowish-red, yellow, green, blue, and reddish-purple described above, as the color of the surface of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42. Thereby, the above-described operational effects can be obtained more reliably.

[0084] In the present embodiment, the insertion cylinder portion 41 and the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 are integrally formed of a resin material.

[0085] According to this configuration, the positioning member 40 can be manufactured at low cost, and the influence of the positioning member 40 on the shock absorption performance when a vehicle collides with the protective fence 1 can be reduced. That is, for example, when the insertion cylinder part 41 and the diameter-expanded guide cylinder part 42 are made of a metal material, processes such as metal press forming and welding are required, resulting in an increase in molding cost and a higher degree of molding difficulty. However, according to the integral molding with a resin material, not only is the molding relatively easy, but the number of manufacturing processes can be reduced to reduce the manufacturing cost. Moreover, by using a resin material, the strength of the entire positioning member 40 can be reduced compared to the case of using a metal material. Therefore, when a vehicle collides with the protective fence 1, the positioning member 40 can be easily broken so that the strength of the positioning member 40 does not affect the shock absorption performance.

[0086] Further, in the present embodiment, the protective fence fixing device 100 includes a positioning member 40, a fixing pipe 30, an insertion pipe 32, and a support pipe 8.

[0087] According to this configuration, the insertion operation of the insertion pipe 32 into the fixing pipe 30 can be easily performed while suppressing the radial positional variation of the insertion pipe 32 with respect to the fixing pipe 30 buried in the ground.

[0088] Further, in the present embodiment, the protective fence 1 to which the protective fence fixing device 100 is applied has a roof part 50 that covers the protective fence main body 2.

[0089] In such a configuration having the roof part 50, since the roof part 50 gets in the way when performing the insertion operation of the insertion pipe 32, the workability is poor. Therefore, compared with the protective fence 1 not having the roof part 50, the workability when performing the insertion operation of the insertion pipe 32 is significantly reduced. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, by guiding the lower end part of the insertion pipe 32 toward the insertion port 41a of the insertion cylinder part 41 by the diameter-expanded guide cylinder part 42 of the positioning member 40, the insertion pipe 32 can be easily inserted into the insertion port 41a even in such a situation with poor workability.

[0090] (Modification example) FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 6B showing a modified example. In this modified example, the positioning member 40 is different from the above-described embodiment in that it has an outer peripheral extension portion 43 in addition to the insertion cylinder portion 41 and the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42. In FIG. 8, the same components as those in FIG. 6B are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 8, the outer peripheral extension portion 43 is a cylindrical portion that extends downward from the entire outer peripheral edge of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42. The outer peripheral extension portion 43 is formed over the entire circumference of the outer peripheral edge of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42. The lower end surface of the outer peripheral extension portion 43 is formed so as to contact the ground G in the mounted state of the positioning member 40.

[0092] According to the configuration of this modified example, when the insertion pipe 32 abuts on the surface portion R1 on the radially outer side of the contact position P with the fixed pipe 30 in the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the outer peripheral extension portion 43 can receive the downward pressing load from the insertion pipe 32. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 from tilting or deforming due to the pressing load from the insertion pipe 32. Consequently, the guiding property of the insertion pipe 32 by the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 can be improved.

[0093] Note that the lower end surface of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 may be located slightly above the ground G in the mounted state of the positioning member 40. Thereby, when a fixed pipe having a larger diameter than the fixed pipe 30 is used, it is possible to avoid the lower end portion of the outer peripheral extension portion 43 of the positioning member 40 from contacting the ground G. Since it is not necessary to separately prepare a positioning member dedicated to a large-diameter fixed pipe, it is possible to achieve commonality of parts and reduce costs.

[0094] Further, the outer peripheral extension portion 43 does not necessarily need to be formed over the entire circumference of the outer peripheral edge of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42, and for example, it may be intermittently arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral edge of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42. Thereby, the amount of resin material required for forming the outer peripheral extension portion 43 can be saved, and the cost can be reduced.

[0095] (Other Embodiments) As described above, the positioning member 40 and the protective fence fixing device 100 according to the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, the following embodiments can be adopted.

[0096] (1) In the above embodiments and modification examples, the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 is continuously formed over the entire circumference in the circumferential direction of the insertion cylinder portion 41. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be intermittently arranged in the circumferential direction. As an example, the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 may be constituted by a plurality of inclined plates that incline radially outward from the upper edge of the insertion cylinder portion 41 upward and are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction. Thereby, the amount of resin material required for forming the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion 42 can be saved and the cost can be reduced.

[0097] (2) In the above embodiments and modification examples, the protective fence 1 to which the protective fence fixing device 100 is applied has a roof portion 50 for snowfall countermeasures. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The protective fence fixing device 100 can also be applied to a protective fence without a roof portion 50.

[0098] (3) Also, in the above embodiments and modification examples, the protective fence main body 2 of the protective fence 1 is configured to be movable on the ground G via the rolling elements 22 and auxiliary rolling elements (not shown). However, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, for example, the protective fence main body 2 of the protective fence 1 may not be provided with the rolling elements 22 and auxiliary rolling elements and may be installed by being placed on the ground G at the installation location. Also, it may be movable on the ground G by being pulled or pushed along the ground G or lifted from the ground G.

[0099] (4) Also, in the above embodiments and modification examples, the number of fixing positions of the protective fence main body 2 by the protective fence fixing device 100 is two corresponding to the two bases 6 (support pipes 8) provided on the protective fence main body 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be one, or may be three or more. In this case, the number of fixing pipes 30 and support pipes 8 may be changed according to the number of fixing positions.

[0100] Note that the present invention includes any combination of the above-described embodiments and modifications.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0101] G: Ground x: Gap 1: Guardrail 2: Guardrail main body 8: Support pipe 30: Fixed pipe 32: Insertion pipe 35: Fixed pipe 40: Positioning member 41: Inner insertion cylinder part 41a: Insertion port 41b: Inner peripheral surface 42: Diameter-expanding guide cylinder part 42a: Upper side surface 42b: Lower side surface 43: Outer peripheral extension part 50: Roof part 100: Guardrail fixing device

Claims

1. A positioning member that is attached to the upper end of a fixed pipe buried in the ground so as to extend in the vertical direction and regulates the radial position of an insertion pipe that is inserted into the fixed pipe for fixing a protective fence installed on the ground, wherein the protective fence includes a protective fence body installed at an installation location adjacent to a road where vehicles pass and receiving the vehicle when the vehicle deviates from the road, and a support pipe fixed to the protective fence body and into which the insertion pipe is inserted from above, the insertion pipe is configured to fix the protective fence to the ground by being disposed across the support pipe and the fixed pipe in a state of being inserted into the inner spaces of the support pipe and the fixed pipe, an inner insertion cylinder portion inserted into the inner space of the fixed pipe from an opening on the upper end side thereof, and a diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion connected to an end portion of the inner insertion cylinder portion opposite to the insertion tip side thereof and expanding radially outward toward the opposite side, the inner insertion cylinder portion is disposed such that a gap is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the inner insertion cylinder portion and an inner peripheral surface of the fixed pipe in a mounted state where the positioning member is mounted on the fixed pipe, an upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion functions as an insertion port of the insertion pipe, and an inner peripheral surface of the inner insertion cylinder portion functions as a regulating surface for regulating the radial position of the insertion pipe, the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion is supported from below by the upper end portion of the fixed pipe in the mounted state and is configured to receive a lower end portion thereof when the insertion pipe is inserted, the positioning member.

2. In the positioning member according to claim 1, the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion is configured to guide a lower end portion thereof toward the upper end opening of the inner insertion cylinder portion that is the insertion port when the insertion pipe is inserted, the positioning member.

3. In the positioning member according to claim 1, the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion is formed in a frustum-shaped cylinder shape that expands radially outward toward the opposite side, the positioning member.

4. In the positioning member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, at least a color of a surface of the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion is red, yellowish red, yellow, green, blue, or reddish purple, the positioning member.

5. In the positioning member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the inner insertion cylinder portion and the diameter-expanded guide cylinder portion are integrally formed of a resin material, the positioning member.

6. In the positioning member according to any one of claims 1 to 3, In the mounted state, it further includes an outer peripheral extension portion that extends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the diameter-expanding guide cylinder portion. The outer peripheral extension portion is a positioning member formed such that its lower end portion contacts the ground or is located above the ground. **Claim 7** A protective fence fixing device comprising the positioning member according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, the fixed pipe, the insertion pipe, and the support pipe. **Claim 8** In the protective fence fixing device according to Claim 7, The protective fence to which the protective fence fixing device is applied has a roof portion that covers the protective fence body. A protective fence fixing device.

Images