Apparatus for temporary obscuring of road signs

Abstract

An apparatus (100) for obscuring a road sign (300) by means of a banner (104); said apparatus (100) being capable of transitioning between a rest position (A) behind a support pole (200) of the sign (300) and a frontal position (B) in which said banner (104) covers said sign (300). The apparatus (100) comprises a winder (103) containing said banner (104); said winder (103) being installed at the end of an arm (102); said arm (102) being connected to the top end of said pole (200) by means of a swivel head (101). The apparatus further comprises means (106) for extending said banner (104) and for rotating said arm (102) between said rest position (A) and said frontal position (B); said means being preferably realized in the form of rods, ropes, cables, or chains connected to the end of said banner (104). The apparatus further comprises means (105) for fastening said banner (104) when extended. Said means comprise hooks, eyelets, carabiners, and clamps; all these devices being used to connect said banner (104) to an edge of the sign (300), or to a rear frame of the road sign (300), or to the pole (200).

Description

[0001] Apparatus for temporary obscuring of road signs

[0002] Technical field

[0003] The present patent for an industrial invention relates to the field of road traffic management, and in particular to road work sites, preferably but not exclusively of a temporary nature.

[0004] The proposed system arises from the need to ensure safety and ease of operation for personnel involved in the placement of temporary signage. More specifically, the proposed invention can be advantageously used for the obscuring of signs located on a section of road or motorway when they are subject to temporary modification with a suspension of their regulations.

[0005] Background of the invention

[0006] In the context of both temporary and permanent road work sites, so-called temporary signage plays a fundamental role. Together with complementary signage (cones, delineators, and the like), it helps prevent accidents, serious injuries, and fatalities caused by a vehicle driver's difficulty in promptly perceiving an anomaly in the roadway and adjusting the vehicle's speed to the conditions of the location.

[0007] The installation and removal of temporary signage is, in itself, a work site activity and requires the utmost attention and caution. It is known that among the most frequent risks associated with road work sites is the collision of workers operating at the interface between the work site and the road. Typically, personnel responsible for work site signalling install signs in the order that road users encounter them: first the advance warning signage, then the signage at the location of the work, and finally the end-of- regulation signage, ensuring perfect visibility of the signs.

[0008] Subsequently, the temporary signage is removed or obscured as soon as the reasons for its placement cease to exist; this is done in the reverse order of installation, taking into account the manoeuvring needs of the vehicles involved in the collection. To perform these operations safely and, above all, to limit the risks to both workers and users, it is advisable that:

[0009] - the exposure of personnel working in or near the traffic zone is minimized;

[0010] - the signage remains coherent at all times, so that it fulfils its role for both road users and the personnel engaged in its installation.

[0011] For this latter aspect, in addition to the proper installation of signs, it is of crucial importance that the road signs normally characterizing the road section under intervention are appropriately obscured and made unambiguous. To ensure the aforementioned coherence between road signs and, above all, to exclude any confusion between permanent and temporary signage, the manual application of obscuring banners on signs subject to a temporary suspension of regulations is usually required. These obscuring banners are strips of durable and highly visible material that, in current practice, are positioned, typically diagonally, on the visible face of a road sign, causing the partial or total obscuring of its informational content, thereby signalling to users the temporary cessation of the sign's regulations. From a practical standpoint, the obscuring banners are applied manually by operators / work site personnel, who anchor them to the sign itself or to the infrastructure that supports it, possibly using ladders or lifting equipment and fastening ropes. The obscuring banners are then removed once the road work is completed, allowing for the proper restoration of ordinary signage.

[0012] The positioning and fastening of obscuring banners on signs subject to temporary suppression must be reliable and durable, capable of withstanding adverse weather conditions and intense traffic. Furthermore, easy and quick application and removal must be possible to limit the exposure of workers to the risk of accidents. The manual application of obscuring banners according to current practice, i.e., with the aid of ladders and fastening ropes, does not provide adequate reliability and safety of operations. Moreover, the inherently precarious situation of a road work site is exacerbated by the need to proceed quickly with the application of the obscuring banners during the dangerous, unregulated transitions between ordinary and modified traffic circulation. The same considerations apply symmetrically to the dismantling phase with the final removal of the temporary work site and the restoration of the signage to its pre-existing state.

[0013] Even in the case of installation with more structured means, such as mechanized aerial platforms, this solution is not a fully comprehensive solution because the signs subject to temporary obscuring are very often located in places and / or circumstances such as the roadside or on guardrails, Jersey barriers, or median barriers— contexts that are difficult to access with bulky vehicles and machinery. Known solutions for the temporary obscuring of road signs, such as in utility model IT202300000675U 1 , are often based on the manual application of banners or the use of simple lifting mechanisms, such as pulley systems. Such systems, however, do not offer an integrated solution for moving the entire obscuring mechanism away from the surface of the sign when not in use. Furthermore, they typically do not feature self-retracting banners contained in a dedicated housing, thus requiring complex manual operations in hazardous road environments.

[0014] Summary of the invention

[0015] The present patent intends to overcome the critical issues of the known art described in the preceding section and, particularly, the problems left unresolved by the systems and obscuring techniques currently used in the context of road and motorway work sites, through a device that can be advantageously employed to install and / or remove obscuring banners on road signs; said device being characterized by particular ease of installation and use. A primary objective of the proposed patent is to provide a tool for easily and safely installing obscuring banners for road signs at work sites, in all situations that require the temporary suspension of existing signage and its subsequent restoration.

[0016] A further objective is to provide a tool that adapts to pre-existing infrastructures (poles, frames, etc.) used to support ordinary road signage.

[0017] Furthermore, the aim is to create a tool that can be used reliably and repeatedly for both the application and removal of the banners without exposing workers to risks of falling, minimizing the installation and removal time of the banners.

[0018] An additional objective of the proposed patent is to provide a banner application tool that can be used for both pre-existing and newly constructed road signage.

[0019] Finally, the aim is to create a device that allows personnel to obscure and restore road signs in the shortest possible time, without obstructing traffic and circulation in the work site area, thereby considerably reducing the exposure of workers to risk factors and better ensuring their physical safety. The aforementioned objectives, and other purposes that will become clearer hereinafter, are achieved by the apparatus for temporary obscuring of road signs according to the main claim 1. Some advantageous embodiments and some alternative embodiments are represented in the dependent claims.

[0020] In an advantageous embodiment, the proposed invention achieves the aforementioned objectives by means of an obscuring system with an extendable and self-retracting obscuring banner, comprising a mobile rotating arm positioned on the pole head of a road sign; said arm terminating in a winder containing an extendable banner, at the end of which are applied:

[0021] - means for fastening the banner to the sign, such as, for example, hooks or eyelets; said means being used to secure the banner to the sign when the banner is extended from the winder;

[0022] - means for guiding and orienting the arm, such as, for example, a rod or a rope; said means being used to rotate the rotating arm on the pole head between a first retracted and rear position with respect to the sign and a second advanced position in which the banner can be deployed and used to obscure the sign.

[0023] Said system is preferably, but not necessarily, permanently installed on the pole head of the road sign subject to temporary obscuring and is capable of transitioning as needed between said first rearwardly retracted position with the banner retracted (i.e., without creating confusion with the sign during its ordinary use) and said second frontal position in which the banner can be extended from the winder, deployed, and fastened to the sign; this allows for the temporary obscuring of the front and visible portion of the road sign. Brief description of the drawings

[0024] +*-Further characteristics and advantages of the proposed technical solution will be more evident in the following description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment, represented, by way of nonlimiting example, in the two accompanying drawing sheets, wherein:

[0025] - Fig. 1 illustrates an isometric view of the device according to the proposed patent, particularly its installation on a pole head and its related movement;

[0026] - Fig. 2 illustrates in detail and in a side view the proposed device, showing the terminal portion of the banner;

[0027] - Fig. 3 illustrates the device of the invention in a configuration with the banner retracted and the arm in a retracted position behind the road sign;

[0028] - Fig. 4 illustrates the device of the invention in an obscuring configuration, i.e. , with the arm positioned laterally and the banner extended to cover and obscure the front portion of the road sign subject to temporary suspension;

[0029] - Fig. 5 illustrates the same configuration as Fig. 4 in a rear view, highlighting the fastening position of the end of the obscuring banner on the back of the sign.

[0030] It is specified that the figures attached to the present application illustrate only one possible embodiment of the device according to the invention, to better understand the described advantages and characteristics. Said embodiment is therefore to be understood for purely illustrative and nonlimiting purposes of the inventive concept.

[0031] Best way for carrying out the invention

[0032] With reference to the accompanying drawing sheets, and particularly to Fig. 1, the apparatus (100) for the temporary obscuring of road signs (300) according to the proposed invention is shown. Said apparatus (100) is typically installed at the top end of a pole (200) supporting a road sign (300).

[0033] Said apparatus (100) comprises a swivel head (101) on which an arm (102) is rotatably mounted, at the end of which is configured a winder (103) containing a banner (104); said banner being configured and provided with means to be extended from the winder (103) and used to obscure said road sign (300).

[0034] With reference to the accompanying drawing sheets, and particularly to Fig. 2, a side view of the obscuring apparatus (100) according to the invention is shown, and specifically, an embodiment of the arm (102) composed of at least three sections (102a), (102b), (102c) linked in series is illustrated. The first section (102a) is connected to the swivel head (101 ), while the third section is used to support the winder (103) of the banner (104). Said sections (102a), (102b), (102c) are connected in series and hinged to each other by means of adjustment means that allow for:

[0035] - varying the overall length of the arm (102) in a telescopic manner;

[0036] - varying the curvature of the arm (102); said adjustment means thus allowing the arm (102) to be adapted to the varying shape and dimensions of the sign (300) and enabling the cantilevered positioning of the winder (103) and the banner (104) near an upper end of the sign (300); preferably but not necessarily the upper right end.

[0037] In an advantageous embodiment, the terminal portion of the banner (104) is provided with:

[0038] - fastening means (105) for the banner (104), such as, by way of non-limiting example, hooks, eyelets, carabiners, clamps; said means (105) being used when the banner (104) is unrolled to secure it in a position flush with the sign (300); said securing being achieved by connecting said means (105) to the lower edge of the sign (300) or alternatively to the rear portion of the sign (300) or to the pole (200) and its related support structure for the sign (300);

[0039] - means (106) for guiding the rotation of the arm (102) on the swivel head (101) and for facilitating the extension of the banner (104) from the winder (103); said means comprising, by way of example, a rod or rope connected to the end of the banner (104) and used to manually rotate the arm (102) on the pole head as needed and to extend the banner (104) from the winder (103) by pulling.

[0040] With reference to Fig. 3, Fig. 4, and Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings, the positioning and movement of the proposed invention are illustrated. When the road sign (300) is in ordinary use, i.e., in the absence of a suspension of regulations, the apparatus (100) is situated in a first retracted and rear position with respect to the sign (300), as illustrated in Fig. 3. This allows it to not visually interfere with the signage during the ordinary use of the sign (300). The permanent installation of the apparatus, which can be rapidly deployed for its temporary function without requiring workers to bring equipment to the hazardous roadside environment, represents a significant safety and efficiency advantage over the prior art.

[0041] In this retracted configuration, the banner (104) is completely wound inside the winder (103). The apparatus is designed to move between this retracted state and a second position projecting with respect to the sign (300), in which the banner (104) can be extended, deployed, and used to obscure the sign (300). In this configuration, the means (106) used to extend the banner (104) and rotate the arm (102) are preferably fixed in a position adjacent to the pole (200) in a suitable docking and retaining seat (201). The fastening of said means (106) to the pole can be accomplished through a plurality of techniques commonly available on the market, such as snap-fit recesses, jaws, eyelets, and / or magnetic systems to adhere stably to the metal pole. By retrieving said means (106) from their rest seat (201 ) on the pole (200), an operator responsible for setting up temporary signage can rotate the arm (102) on the pole head (101) to a second position parallel to the sign (300). In said second position, the winder (103) is positioned cantilevered over the upper edge of the sign (300), as illustrated in Fig. 4, and the banner (104) can be unrolled, deployed, and used to obscure the sign (300).

[0042] More precisely, the banner (104) is unrolled and positioned (usually transversely) on the front surface of the sign (300), fastening it via the means (105) to the lower edge of the sign (300) or alternatively to the rear structure of the sign (300) or to the pole (200), so as to secure it flush with the surface of the sign (300).

[0043] In a manner entirely dual to the sequence just described, during the removal of temporary signage, i.e., the restoration of ordinary signage, the operator simply needs to release the fastening means (105) to allow the banner (104) to be automatically rewound into the winder (103) and subsequently return the arm (102) to the first retracted position behind the sign (300) by using the means (106) and rotating the arm (102) on the pole head (101) until the apparatus is retracted into a configuration that does not interfere with the ordinary signage.

[0044] Industrial applicability and alternative embodiments

[0045] The advantages of the invention according to the proposed patent are multiple and evident, both in terms of reliability and ease of use. The proposed solution resolves the technical problem addressed, namely the effective and safe obscuring of a road sign by means of an extendable banner (104) installed on the pole head of a road sign (300).

[0046] The proposed patent solves said problem with effectiveness and simplicity and, thanks to the features and peculiarities introduced, said patent can be conveniently applied (natively or by retrofitting) to a support structure of a road sign. The solution allows personnel to operate safely and without exposure to risks when installing and / or removing obscuring banners for temporary road signage.

[0047] The device of the proposed patent is easy to use and install and is suitable for both pre-existing and newly constructed road signage. Furthermore, a tool is provided that can be used quickly, reliably, and repeatedly for both the application and removal of the banners, minimizing the risk to the operators involved. The proposed device is characterized by excellent industrial applicability, both in terms of ease of use and in terms of cost and construction, as it can be assembled with robust components that are readily available on the market.

[0048] It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated but, on the contrary, the claimed patent is intended to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents that fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The use of "for example," "etc.," "or" indicates non-exclusive alternatives without limitation unless otherwise indicated. The use of "includes" means "includes, but is not limited to" unless otherwise indicated.

[0049] In particular, the invention may be realized with technical equivalents, with materials or additional features suitable for the purpose and the field of application. The conformation and sizing of the constituent parts and of the manufactured products may vary in a suitable manner, but consistent with the proposed solution. By way of non-limiting example, it should be noted that the dimensions and geometric shapes of the parts involved may be varied, and further, the specific form and some functionalities of the system may be altered: the general setup may indeed be revised without departing from the scope of the claimed patent, depending on the structure and size of the road sign and the banner used to temporarily obscure it during work site activities.

[0050] Furthermore, the provided embodiment is, as anticipated, susceptible to various alternative implementations without, however, departing from the scope and ambit of the claimed patent, and in particular:

[0051] - said means (106) for guiding the rotation of the arm (102) on the swivel head (101) and for facilitating the extension of the banner (104) from the winder (103) may be configured in the form of ropes, cables, chains, rods, poles, and the like; all these elements being possibly provided with mechanical or magnetic coupling elements to be anchored to the pole or to the rear section of the sign (300) when the arm (102) is in the retracted and rear position;

[0052] - fastening means (105) for the banner (104) to the sign (300) may be configured in the form of hooks, carabiners, eyelets, quick-release clamps, magnets, and the like; all these elements being possibly provided with means for tensioning the banner (104) in a position flush with the road sign (300);

[0053] - said swivel head (101) and said winder (103) may optionally be motorized and provided with remote control systems;

[0054] - in a further embodiment, the swivel head (101) may include a locking mechanism, for example, a pin or friction-based lock, to securely fix the arm (102) in both the rest position (A) and the frontal position (B), preventing accidental oscillations due to wind or vibrations;

[0055] - said arm (102) may be made as a single body with a curvature suitable for the sign subject to the temporary suspension of the regulation;

[0056] - said arm (102) may be equipped with telescopic expansion means and optional remote control.

[0057] The inclusion of these potential advanced variations serves to secure a broad protective scope for the invention, encompassing not only the primary mechanical embodiment but also its logical technological evolution into an automated, remotely operated, or "smart" system. With reference to the aforementioned motorized and remotely controlled embodiments, the system may advantageously include sensors, such as an anemometer to command the automatic retraction of the banner (104) and the withdrawal of the arm (102) in case of strong wind, or a twilight sensor or a programmable timer for the automatic activation and deactivation of the obscuring at predefined times.

Claims

Claims1 ) An apparatus (100) for obscuring a road sign (300) by means of a banner (104); wherein said apparatus (100) is capable of transitioning between a rest position (A) behind a support pole (200) of the sign (300) and a frontal position (B) wherein said banner (104) covers said sign (300); said apparatus (100) comprising:- a winder (103) containing said banner (104); wherein said winder (103) is installed at an end of an arm (102);- wherein said arm (102) is rotatably mounted on the top end of said pole (200) by means of a swivel head (101) to allow the rotation of said arm (102) between said rest position (A) and said frontal position (B);- means (106) for extending said banner (104) from the winder (103) and for rotating said arm (102) between said rest position (A) and said frontal position (B);- means (105) for fastening said banner (104) when extended.2) The apparatus (100) according to claim 1 , wherein said means (106) for extending said banner (104) and for rotating said arm (102) between said rest position (A) and said frontal position (B) comprise at least one device selected from the group consisting of rods, ropes, cables, or chains; said at least one device being connected to the end of said banner (104).3) The apparatus (100) according to claim 1 , wherein said means (105) for fastening said banner (104) when extended comprise at least one coupling device connected to the end of said banner (104);said at least one coupling device being selected from the group consisting of hooks, eyelets, carabiners, and clamps; said at least one coupling device being used to connect said banner (104) to an edge of the sign (300), or to a rear frame of the road sign (300), or to the pole (200).4) The apparatus (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said at least one device selected from the group consisting of rods, ropes, cables, or chains is provided with a corresponding mechanical or magnetic coupling system; said coupling system being used to anchor to the pole (200) or to the back of the road sign (300).5) The apparatus (100) according to claim 1 or 3, wherein said at least one coupling device selected from the group consisting of hooks, eyelets, carabiners, or clamps further includes a tensioner.6) The apparatus (100) according to claim 1 , wherein said winder (103) is motorized.7) The apparatus (100) according to claim 1 , wherein said winder (103) is remotely controlled. 8) The apparatus (100) according to claim 1 , wherein said swivel head (101) is motorized.9) The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein said arm (102) is telescopic and remotely controlled. 10) The apparatus (100) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said arm (102) comprises a plurality of sections (102a, 102b, 102c) connected in series and hinged to each other, to allow for an adjustment of its curvature.

Images