Decorative cover to be attached to existing car stop block

Abstract

To provide a decorative cover capable of being retrofitted to an existing concrete car stop block to renew the car stop block and emitting light at the same time.SOLUTION: A hollow cover body (10) integrally molded from a colored and transparent polycarbonate resin into a size and shape substantially corresponding to an existing concrete car stop block (B), a plurality of LEDs (23) attached and installed inside the cover body, and a power supply battery (19) and a solar panel (20) installed on a top wall surface (11) of the cover body, the cover body is put on an existing car stop block, and a grounding flange 14 overhanging from an opening lower end edge part of the cover body is fixed to a road surface GL of a parking lot by a concrete adhesive 26.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a decorative cover that is retrofitted to renew existing concrete bollard blocks and at the same time add luminous performance. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in large outdoor parking lots at shopping centers and other mass retailers, as well as at amusement facilities, factories, and new towns, many concrete car stop blocks are installed in rows. However, these blocks have become discolored and dirty over the years, or have become chipped or cracked due to collisions with vehicles, leaving them in an unsightly state, but in reality they are left as they are.

[0003] In this regard, a method of repairing an existing car stopper instead of carrying out major construction work to replace it with a new one is disclosed in Patent Document 1. Also, Patent Document 2 describes a car stopper block consisting of a cover portion and a concrete portion filled inside the cover portion. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-148822 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3181740 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the reinforcing cover (13) used in the repair method of Patent Document 1 is only manufactured to be slightly larger than the existing bollard (10). Therefore, even if it is made of weather-resistant plastic or weather-resistant fiber-reinforced plastic, it is difficult to distinguish it from the concrete surface of the parking lot. Therefore, the presence and position of the bollard cannot be clearly seen, especially by drivers of vehicles parked at night or during rain, as well as pedestrians in the parking lot.

[0006] Furthermore, even though the method of repairing the car stopper involves placing a reinforcing cover (13) over the existing car stopper (10), the gap between the two (the state of filling of the filler) cannot be seen from the outside of the reinforcing cover (13). In order to prevent the occurrence of such a gap (insufficient filling), as shown in Figures 2(a) and (b), a lump (appropriate amount) of unhardened resin concrete (18) is placed on the top surface of the car stopper (10), and then the reinforcing cover (13) is placed on top and pressed down. This is not only extremely cumbersome work, but also poses the risk that the resin concrete (18) will spill out from below when pressed down, causing damage to the surrounding area. In addition, in the case of the method shown in Figure 3, in which an appropriate number of injection holes are provided in the ceiling portion (21) of the reinforcing cover (13) and resin concrete (20) is filled through these holes, the injection holes must be covered after filling, which is also cumbersome and makes it impossible to efficiently repair a large number of existing car stops (10) in a short period of time.

[0007] Furthermore, as the resin concrete (18) (20) filled into the gap between the reinforcing cover (13) and the existing car stopper (10) hardens, the reinforcing cover (13) is fixed and integrated to the entire surface of the car stopper (10). Therefore, if the reinforcing cover (13) becomes soiled or cracked over time, replacing only the reinforcing cover (13) with a new one would require major construction work, and it would not be possible to repeatedly repair the existing car stopper (10).

[0008] On the other hand, although the car stop block (10) described in Patent Document 2 has a cover part (1) which is a resin housing, it is a new product that also has a concrete part (2) filled with concrete inside, and therefore it cannot be said to be a decorative cover that can be retrofitted to cover an existing car stop block to renew the car stop block. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention aims to improve upon these problems, and to achieve this aim, claim 1 provides a decorative cover that can be attached to an existing car stop block, which comprises a cover body integrally molded from colored transparent polycarbonate resin into a rectangular shape that extends elongatedly in the left and right lateral directions in a plan and bottom view that corresponds approximately to the existing concrete car stop block, and a hollow, approximately trapezoidal shape that opens downwards on the side cross section;

[0010] A plurality of LEDs are arranged side by side on the inner surface of the cover body and emit light forward or diagonally downward;

[0011] a battery that serves as a power source for the LED housed in a recessed groove recessed from the top wall surface of the cover body, and a solar panel for charging the battery;

[0012] a detachable transparent cover for the groove,

[0013] The cover body is placed over an existing concrete car stop block from above, and the ground flange that projects continuously from the lower edge of the opening is fixed to the road surface of the parking lot, which is made of concrete, asphalt, etc., with an adhesive for concrete or asphalt.

[0014] Claim 2 is characterized in that a plurality of vertical reinforcing ribs and / or horizontal reinforcing ribs that can function as spacers are continuously and integrally extended from the inner surface of the cover body, and the protruding tips of the reinforcing ribs are designed to abut or engage with the corresponding outer surface of the existing concrete car stop block.

[0015] In claim 3, a plurality of LEDs are attached side by side from the inside of the cover body to the front wall portion for forming the compartment of the recessed groove in the cover body, so that the inclined front wall surface that becomes the wheel receiving surface can be illuminated, and

[0016] The LEDs are electrically connected with a battery-integrated solar panel or solar cell that serves as their power source by wiring.

[0017] Claim 4 is characterized in that the entire inner surface of the inclined front wall, which serves as the wheel receiving surface of the cover body, is shaped as a diamond-cut surface or other uneven rough surface that diffuses the light emitted from the LED. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the above-mentioned configuration of claim 1, there is an effect that the problems of the prior art described in Patent Document 1 at the beginning can be completely solved.

[0019] In other words, in the decorative cover described in claim 1, a hollow cover body having a size and shape that substantially corresponds (fits) to an existing concrete car stop block is placed over the car stop block from above, and the ground flange that protrudes from the lower edge of the opening of the cover body is fixed to the parking lot surface with an adhesive for concrete or asphalt, making it easy and efficient to retrofit the cover to an existing car stop block.

[0020] Furthermore, the cover body of the decorative cover is not fixed and integrated to the surface of the existing car stop block (B) via filler, and the car stop block remains in the state in which it was originally installed. Therefore, if the decorative cover becomes unsightly, dirty, or damaged over time, it can be replaced with a new one and the ground flange of the cover body can be glued to the parking lot surface in the same way, allowing the decorative cover to be conveniently applied repeatedly.

[0021] Furthermore, multiple LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are installed side by side on the inside of the cover body, and the battery that powers them and the solar panel that charges them are housed in a groove that recesses from the top wall of the cover body.The LEDs are designed to emit light toward the sloping front wall, which serves as the wheel-receiving surface.This, combined with the fact that the cover body itself is made of colored transparent polycarbonate resin, means that the decorative cover that is placed over existing parking bollard blocks can be used to retroactively add luminous capabilities to the blocks.This makes the presence and position of the parking bollard blocks clearly visible from a distance, not only for drivers of vehicles parked at night or during rain, but also for pedestrians in large outdoor parking lots, helping to improve safety.

[0022] In this case, if the configuration of claim 2 is adopted, the decorative cover can be kept stably and firmly attached to the existing car stop block, and combined with the fact that the cover body of the decorative cover is molded as a single piece from hard polycarbonate resin that is highly impact resistant, there is no risk of it being improperly deformed or cracked even if it is subjected to a large load or impact from a vehicle, etc.

[0023] Furthermore, if the configuration of claim 3 is adopted, multiple LEDs are attached side by side to the front wall portion defining the groove on the top wall surface of the cover body, facing diagonally downward and forward, illuminating the inclined front wall surface that serves as the wheel receiving surface from the inside. This, combined with the light transmittance of the polycarbonate resin in the cover body, results in extremely high illumination from the LED light.

[0024] Furthermore, if the configuration of claim 4 is adopted, the entire inside of the front wall surface, which serves as the wheel receiving surface, is shaped as a diamond-cut surface or other uneven rough surface, and this light reflecting action and the light transmittance of the polycarbonate resin have the effect of further improving the illumination intensity. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a retrofit decorative cover according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] This is a side cross-sectional view showing the state in which a decorative cover has been retrofitted to an existing car stop block. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figures 1 to 4 show the entirety of an after-market decorative cover (A) according to the embodiment, and (10) is a cover body that covers an existing concrete car stop block (B) (including those with reflectors), and is formed as a rectangular shape extending laterally in the left and right directions in a plan and bottom view that roughly corresponds (fits) to the car stop block (B), and is hollow and roughly trapezoidal in shape with a downward opening in a side cross section, and is injection-molded as a single unit from transparent polycarbonate resin colored in orange, green, fluorescent, or other suitable color.

[0027] In other words, the cover body (10) of the decorative cover (A) is a one-piece molded product made of transparent polycarbonate resin, and has a flat top wall surface (11) on the surface, a front wall surface (12F) that serves as the wheel-receiving surface and has a gentle inclination angle (a relatively small acute angle with the ground contact surface, for example 50 degrees) (α), a rear wall surface (12R) that has a steeper inclination angle (a relatively large acute angle with the ground contact surface, for example 85 degrees) (β) than the front wall surface (12F) or is nearly vertical (the angle of intersection with the ground contact surface is nearly a right angle), and left and right wall surfaces (13L) (13R) that have almost the same steep inclination angle as the rear wall surface (12R), and a ground contact flange (14) that projects outward continuously and integrally from the lower edge of the opening of the cover body (10).

[0028] Moreover, the wall thickness of the walls (11), (12F), (12R), (13L), and (13R) surrounding the hollow interior (S) of the cover body (10) is preferably set to a relatively thick dimension of 3.5 to 4.5 mm, which, together with the polycarbonate resin material used, enables the cover body (10) to exhibit excellent properties such as impact resistance, durability, high heat resistance, and weather resistance.

[0029] Incidentally, the cover body (10) of the illustrated embodiment has a size and shape that substantially corresponds (fits) with the existing car stop block (B), and as an example, the long side (length dimension) (Y) of the rectangle when viewed from the top or bottom is set to 550 to 600 mm, the short side (width dimension) (X) is set to 160 to 180 mm, the width dimension (W) of the top wall surface (11) is set to 80 to 85 mm, and the height (height above ground) (H) is set to 100 to 120 mm.

[0030] As can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, in the hollow interior (S) of the cover body (10) that opens downward, a plurality of long horizontal reinforcing ribs (15) extending parallel to the long side (Y) of the rectangular shape in plan and bottom views protrude inward continuously by a certain amount (for example, 5 mm) from the top wall surface (11) and the left and right side walls (13L) and (13R), while a plurality of short vertical reinforcing ribs (16) extending parallel to the short side (X) of the rectangular shape protrude inward continuously by approximately the same certain amount from the top wall surface (11) and the front and rear wall surfaces (12F) and (12R), and the vertical and horizontal reinforcing ribs (16) and (15) are arranged in a lattice pattern in bottom views.

[0031] These horizontal reinforcing ribs (15) and vertical reinforcing ribs (16) not only literally reinforce the cover body (10) but also function as spacers that keep the cover body (10) stable and firm when it is placed over an existing concrete car stop block (B), by having their inward-extending tips abut or engage with the corresponding surface (outer surface) of the car stop block (B).

[0032] As long as the mutual distance between the car stop block (B) and the cover body (10) placed thereon can be kept constant, and the risk of the cover body (10) moving improperly can be prevented, the installation of either the horizontal reinforcing rib (15) or the vertical reinforcing rib (16) may be omitted.

[0033] Furthermore, if the ground flange (14) is grounded on the road surface (GL) of the parking lot, which is made of concrete, asphalt, or the like, the mutual distance between the wall surfaces (11), (12F), (12R), (13L), and (13R) of the cover body (10) and the existing car stop block (B) will be kept constant, so the installation of the vertical and horizontal reinforcing ribs (16), (15) may be omitted. However, in this case, the strength of the cover body (10) cannot be improved, so it is preferable to further thicken the wall thickness of the wall surfaces (11), (12F), (12R), (13L), and (13R) of the cover body (10).

[0034] Furthermore, the entire inside (back side) of the inclined front wall surface (12F), which serves as the wheel receiving surface of the cover body (10), is shaped as a diamond-cut surface or other uneven rough surface (17) as shown in Figures 3 and 4, which allows the light received from the vehicle to be reflected retrogradely in the direction of incidence, or preferably diffused in all directions by the light diffusion lens effect and light transmission effect of the resin, thereby obtaining a wide irradiation range and high illuminance that allows the presence and position of the car stop block (B) to be clearly visible even from a distance.

[0035] The flat top wall surface (11) of the cover body (10) is formed with a recessed groove (18) that is recessed to a certain depth (for example, 10 to 20 mm), and inside the recessed groove are housed a battery (19) that serves as the power source for the LED (light-emitting diode) described below, and a solar panel (20) for charging the battery (19), preferably arranged side by side. (21) is a removable transparent lid that covers the recessed groove (18) in a watertight manner, and is also made of polycarbonate resin. The multiple tapping screws and other fasteners that attach the transparent lid (21) are not shown in the figure.

[0036] The front wall portion (22) that defines the recessed groove (18) from the top wall surface (11) is preferably shaped as a flat, inclined surface that intersects at approximately a right angle with the front wall surface (12F), which serves as the wheel receiving surface of the cover body (10) as shown in Figure 4, and a plurality of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) (23) are installed side by side on the inclined front wall portion (22), so that the LEDs (23) facing diagonally downwards can illuminate the front wall surface (12F), which is formed with the uneven rough surface (17) such as the diamond-cut surface, from the inside of the cover body (10).

[0037] In this case, the LEDs (23) are planted in a scattered distribution on a flexible, strip-shaped LED wiring board (24), and the LED wiring board (24) is attached and fixed to the inclined front wall portion (22) of the groove (18), preferably by double-sided adhesive tape (25).

[0038] The LED wiring board (24), the battery (19) charged by the solar panel (20), and a brightness detection sensor (not shown) that turns on the LED (23) at night and turns it off during the day are electrically connected to a control circuit board (not shown), but they may also be electrically connected by wiring (power supply lines) without using the LED wiring board (24).

[0039] Furthermore, as long as the LEDs 23 can illuminate the inclined front wall 12F, which serves as the wheel receiving surface of the cover body 10, from the inside, they are not limited to being installed only on the front wall 22 of the groove 18 but may be installed in other suitable locations on the inside of the cover body 10, and may be installed in parallel facing forward. A solar cell (not shown) can be used as the power source for the LEDs 23 instead of the battery 19, which is charged by the solar panel 20.

[0040] The retrofit decorative cover (A) of the illustrated embodiment has the above-mentioned configuration, and when using it, the cover body (10) is placed from above on an existing concrete car stop block (including one with a reflector) (B) in an outdoor parking lot as shown in Figure 5, and the ground flange (14) that protrudes continuously and integrally from the lower edge of the opening of the cover body (10) is then fixed to the road surface (GL) of the parking lot, which is made of concrete, asphalt, or the like, using epoxy resin adhesive, silicone resin adhesive, or other adhesive (26) for concrete or asphalt.

[0041] In this case, when the cover body (10) of the decorative cover (A) is placed over the car stop block (B), the protruding tips of the multiple vertical reinforcing ribs (16) and / or multiple horizontal reinforcing ribs (15) that protrude inward continuously from the cover body (10) come into contact with or engage with the corresponding surface (outer surface) of the existing car stop block (B), so that it fits without risk of moving in an incorrect direction or posture, is maintained in a stable and firm covering state, and the car stop block (B) can be renewed.

[0042] Furthermore, when the existing car stop block (B) is covered and in use, the multiple LEDs (23) built into the cover body (10) emit light toward the front wall surface (12F) of the cover body (10), which serves as the wheel receiving surface, and irradiate the diamond-cut surface and other uneven rough surfaces (17) of the front wall surface (12F) from the inside. This, combined with the fact that the cover body (10) itself is molded as a single unit from colored transparent polycarbonate resin, makes it easy for drivers of vehicles parked at night or when it is raining, as well as pedestrians in a large outdoor parking lot where numerous car stop blocks (B) are installed in parallel, to see the existence and position of the car stop block (B) from a distance, and there is no risk of tripping over the car stop block (B).

[0043] Furthermore, by varying the color of the cover body (10), the parking areas of each store in a large outdoor parking lot can be distinguished even at night, which also helps to improve convenience.

[0044] Furthermore, if the decorative cover (A) becomes damaged or unsightly dirty over time, it is possible to replace only the decorative cover (A) with a new one and similarly place it over the existing concrete car stop block (B), and then fix the ground flange (14) of the cover body (10) to the parking lot road surface (GL) with adhesive (26).By simply replacing only the decorative cover (A) while leaving the existing car stop block (B) in its fixed state, it is possible to easily repeat renewals. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] (10) Cover body (11)...Top wall surface (12F)(12R) Front and rear walls (13L)(13R)...Left / right wall surface (14) Ground flange (16)(15) Vertical and horizontal reinforcing ribs (17) Uneven rough surface (light-reflecting surface) (18) Groove (19) Battery (20) Solar panels (21)...Transparent lid (22) Front wall for groove formation (23) LED (light-emitting diode) (24) LED wiring board (25) Double-sided adhesive tape (26) Road surface adhesive (A) Decorative cover (B) Existing car stop block (S)...Hollow interior

Claims

1. The cover body (10) is integrally molded from colored transparent polycarbonate resin into a rectangular shape extending laterally in the left and right directions in a flat and bottom view that corresponds approximately to the existing concrete car stop block (B), and into a hollow, approximately trapezoidal shape that opens downward in side cross section; A plurality of LEDs (23) are arranged side by side on the inner surface of the cover body (10) and irradiate light forward or diagonally downward; a battery (19) that serves as a power source for an LED (23) housed in a recess (18) recessed from the top wall surface (11) of the cover body (10), and a solar panel (20) for charging the battery; A detachable transparent cover (21) for the recessed groove (18), This retrofit decorative cover for existing car stop blocks is characterized in that the cover body (10) is placed from above on an existing concrete car stop block (B), and the ground flange (14) that protrudes continuously and integrally from the lower edge of the opening is fixed to the road surface (GL) of the parking lot, which is made of concrete, asphalt, etc., with an adhesive (26) for concrete or asphalt.

2. A retrofit decorative cover for an existing car stop block as described in claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of vertical reinforcing ribs (16) and / or horizontal reinforcing ribs (15) that can function as spacers are continuously and integrally extended from the inner surface of the cover body (10), and the extended tips of the reinforcing ribs (15) (16) are designed to abut or engage with the corresponding outer surface of the existing concrete car stop block (B).

3. A plurality of LEDs (23) are attached side by side from the inside of the cover body (10) to the compartment-forming front wall portion (22) of the recessed groove (18) in the cover body (10) so as to illuminate the inclined front wall surface (12F) that serves as the wheel receiving surface; A retrofit decorative cover for an existing car stop block as described in claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of LEDs (23) and their power source, a battery-integrated solar panel (20) or a solar cell, are electrically connected and wired.

4. A retrofit decorative cover for an existing car stop block as described in claim 1, characterized in that the entire inner surface of the inclined front wall surface (12F), which serves as the wheel receiving surface of the cover body (10), is shaped as a diamond-cut surface or other uneven rough surface (17) that diffuses the light emitted from the LED (23).

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