Flexible Stop Sign Arm Hinge for Impact-Resistant Bus Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing school bus safety devices, such as stop signal arms, face challenges in enhancing visibility and durability, particularly in withstanding impacts from errant vehicles, and existing solutions like breakaway mechanisms are costly to repair and may not adequately prevent vehicles from passing stopped buses.
Innovation Solution
A safety sign device with a hinge-coupled arm that includes an elongate base, electric motor, and flexible indicators, featuring a flexible arm that can extend and retract, and is designed to flex upon impact, enhancing visibility and reducing damage to the device and adjacent vehicles, with optional image sensors for area recording.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a conventional rigid stop signal arm is used, then the structure is simple and cost-effective, but it causes significant damage to both the device and adjacent vehicles upon impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a flexible arm design that can bend and flex upon impact with errant vehicles. The flexible arm incorporates flexible elements that allow controlled deformation to absorb impact energy while maintaining structural integrity. This resolves the contradiction by providing impact resistance through flexibility rather than rigid strength, reducing damage to both the safety device and adjacent vehicles without requiring complex protective structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates cushioning elements and energy-absorbing mechanisms within the flexible arm structure before impact occurs. These pre-installed cushioning features are designed to activate during impact, absorbing kinetic energy and reducing the force transmitted to the vehicle and surrounding components. This approach provides impact protection in advance without adding significant complexity to the overall device.
2Strength
If a breakaway mechanism is used to prevent damage, then damage to adjacent vehicles is reduced, but the mechanism is costly to repair and may not adequately prevent vehicles from passing stopped buses
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible arm design allows the structure to bend and flex during impact rather than breaking apart like traditional breakaway mechanisms. This maintains the integrity of the stop signal arm and its components, making them reusable and reducing repair costs. The flexible elements are designed to return to their original position after impact, eliminating the need for costly replacements while still protecting adjacent vehicles from excessive force.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs durable, reusable flexible elements that can withstand multiple impact events without degradation. This contrasts with disposable breakaway components that must be replaced after each incident. The reusable nature of the flexible arm components significantly reduces long-term maintenance and repair costs while maintaining safety performance.
3Illumination intensity
If the stop signal arm extends further into the adjacent lane, then visibility and deterrence of passing vehicles is improved, but the risk of impact with errant vehicles increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible arm design allows the extended stop signal arm to safely interact with errant vehicles through controlled flexing rather than rigid impact. The flexible elements absorb impact energy, reducing damage risk while maintaining the extended position for optimal visibility and deterrence. This resolves the contradiction by enabling extended reach without proportionally increasing impact hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The extended flexible arm incorporates energy-absorbing features throughout its length, providing cushioning protection at multiple points along the arm. This distributed cushioning approach reduces the likelihood of severe impacts even when the arm extends further into the adjacent lane, allowing maximum visibility while managing impact risk through pre-designed protective features.
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
The safety sign device improves visibility and durability, reduces damage risk to both the device and errant vehicles, and is cost-effective for retrofitting existing systems, with enhanced visibility and impact resistance.
Implementation Method 1
an electric motor coupled to the elongate base... The electric motor may be configured to extend and retract the arm between a retracted position and an extended position
Implementation Method 2
The connection assembly may comprise first and second elastic devices coupled to adjacent portions of the elongate base, and the connection assembly may be configured to permit the elongate housing to be flexible with respect to the elongate base
Data Source
AI summary
A safety sign device is for a vehicle. The safety sign device may include a hinge being coupled a side of the vehicle, and an arm. The arm may include an elongate base, an electric motor coupled to the elongate base, an elongate housing coupled to the elongate base, and visual indicators carried by the elongate housing. The safety sign device may also include a sign coupled to the arm and being parallel to the arm. The hinge may include a pin, and a link assembly coupled between the pin and the electric motor and being rotatable about the pin. The electric motor may be configured to extend and retract the arm between a retracted position and an extended position.