Foldable Rumble Strip Link With Sacrificial Hinge Pins
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable rumble strips often fail by tearing out of the material, making damaged sections difficult or impossible to repair, and potentially causing vehicle damage when hinges fail under stress.
Innovation Solution
The use of frangible hinge pins that fail before the polymeric material of the rumble strip sections, minimizing damage to vehicles and allowing for easy replacement of the hinge pins instead of the entire section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If strong hinges are used to connect rumble strip sections, then the connection strength is improved, but the damage to vehicles when hinges fail is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge pin is designed as a frangible, replaceable component that is intentionally weaker than the rumble strip sections. When failure occurs, the inexpensive pin breaks rather than damaging expensive vehicle components, and the pin can be quickly replaced without replacing the entire rumble strip assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge pin acts as an intermediary sacrificial element between the rumble strip sections and the vehicle. It absorbs the failure energy and prevents direct contact between the failing connection and the vehicle, thereby protecting the vehicle from damage.
2Strength
If strong hinges are used to connect rumble strip sections, then the connection strength is improved, but the repair complexity when failure occurs is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge pin is designed as a frangible, replaceable component that is intentionally weaker than the rumble strip sections. When failure occurs, the inexpensive pin breaks rather than damaging expensive vehicle components, and the pin can be quickly replaced without replacing the entire rumble strip assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge connection is segmented into a permanent rumble strip section and a replaceable pin component. This segmentation allows the pin to be independently replaced without affecting the rumble strip sections, simplifying repair operations.
3Reliability
If the hinges are made stronger than the rumble strip sections, then the connection reliability is improved, but the damage when failure occurs is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge pin is designed as a frangible, replaceable component that is intentionally weaker than the rumble strip sections. When failure occurs, the inexpensive pin breaks rather than damaging expensive vehicle components, and the pin can be quickly replaced without replacing the entire rumble strip assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The potential harm of hinge failure is converted into a beneficial outcome by designing the pin to fail in a controlled manner. The pin's frangible design ensures that failure produces minimal debris and no sharp elements, transforming a potentially harmful event into a safe, replaceable component failure.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~9
AI summary
A portable roadway warning device comprises one or more rumble strips. Each rumble strip comprises at least two modular strip sections, each made of a polymeric material having top and bottom surfaces and end edges and side edges. At least one of the end edges of each of the strip sections has a plurality of aligned alternating notches and tabs, and connecting links hingedly connecting the tabs at one of the end edges of one of the strip sections to respective aligned tabs at one of the end edges of another of the strip sections. Each connecting link includes a Ushape link plate bracket and a pair of frangible rods that are configured to break at less than the tear strength of the polymeric modular strip sections.