Rising Traffic Bollard Sliding Profiles and Adjustable Skids

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rising traffic bollards face issues such as component wear, misalignment, and aesthetic damage due to friction and external stresses, leading to costly maintenance and reduced operational reliability.

Innovation Solution

The bollard features sliding profiles and skids with adjustable support bodies to minimize friction and wear, allowing for easy replacement of worn components and maintaining alignment, using materials with enhanced sliding properties like PVC and acetal resin, and a solid steel or aluminum side wall for resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the bollard element slides in the supporting structure using conventional actuators, then the bollard can move between extracted and retracted positions, but friction causes wear and damage to moving components over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebollard movementVSAvoidcomponent wear
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces sliding profiles with low-friction surfaces as intermediary elements between the bollard element and supporting structure. These profiles act as mediators that reduce direct metal-to-metal contact, thereby minimizing friction and wear while enabling smooth movement of the bollard element between extracted and retracted positions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Strength

If the bollard element is knocked by a motor vehicle, then the bollard element may be put out of axis, but this increases friction and wear between mobile components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveknock resistanceVSAvoidalignment maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs adjustable support bodies that can dynamically adapt their position and orientation in response to external forces such as knocks. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to maintain proper alignment of the bollard element even after impact, preventing increased friction and wear that would result from misalignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If the bollard element slides inside the supporting structure, then the bollard can function, but scratches and marks appear on the side surface of the bollard element

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesliding functionVSAvoidsurface appearance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The sliding profiles serve as protective intermediary surfaces between the bollard element and supporting structure. These profiles are designed with specialized low-friction coatings that enable smooth sliding while protecting the side surface of the bollard element from scratches and marks, thereby maintaining its aesthetic appearance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If motor vehicles are parked at a bollard in retracted position, then the bollard allows passage, but the actuator is subjected to stress and misalignments occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassage allowanceVSAvoidactuator stress
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable support bodies can dynamically reposition themselves to accommodate external objects such as parked vehicles. When a vehicle is detected in the retracted position, the support bodies adjust to bear the load and prevent stress transmission to the actuator, thereby maintaining reliability while allowing passage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design significantly reduces wear and misalignment, facilitates easy maintenance and component replacement, ensuring durability, reliability, and preventing aesthetic damage, while maintaining operational efficiency and security.

Implementation Method 1

the cyclical sliding of the bollard element in the supporting structure often is the subject of frictions which over time wear and damage the components

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3431663B1Rising traffic bollard
Publication Date: 2020.04.22 CAME
  • EP3431663B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3431663B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3431663B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Rising traffic bollard (1) comprising a supporting structure (3) adapted to be embedded in the ground and a mobile bollard element (5) between an extracted position, in which said bollard element (5) projects from the ground, and a retracted position, in which said bollard element (5) is lowered in the ground. The supporting structure (3) comprises a plurality of skids (9) and the bollard element (5) comprises a plurality of sliding profiles (7) that extend along the length of the bollard element (5) and that are configured to slide with respect to such skids (9).