Mobile Safety Trailer Barrier for Lateral Traffic Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing barriers for protecting road construction workers from traffic are inadequate as they do not effectively prevent lateral incursions and require significant time and effort to transport and deploy.
Innovation Solution
A safety trailer with a fixed safety wall and semi-tractor hookups at both ends, allowing for easy transportation and deployment, and featuring a barrier formed by interconnected wall sections that can be adjusted vertically and laterally to provide comprehensive protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional barriers (cones, barrels, heavy equipment) are used to protect workers, then some level of protection is provided, but they require significant time and effort to transport and deploy, and do not effectively prevent lateral incursions
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier is divided into multiple modular wall sections that can be easily assembled and disassembled. Each section is a self-contained unit that can be quickly connected to form a complete barrier, significantly reducing deployment time while maintaining protection effectiveness against both direct and lateral traffic threats.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated barrier system: the wall sections provide both direct traffic protection and lateral incursion prevention, the trailer provides transportation and storage, and the ballast members provide stability. This merging eliminates the need for separate systems for each function, reducing overall deployment complexity and time.
2Reliability
If heavy construction equipment is parked in the lane to reduce worker injury risk, then protection from traffic in that lane is improved, but lateral incursions from adjacent lanes are not prevented and significant time is required to position and secure the equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The barrier system is designed to be dynamically deployable - the wall sections can be quickly assembled and reconfigured as needed. The trailer provides mobile deployment capability, allowing the barrier to be easily positioned and repositioned without requiring heavy equipment maneuvering, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining protection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The trailer serves as an intermediary platform that simplifies deployment. Instead of directly positioning heavy barrier sections, the trailer transports and positions them precisely where needed, then the sections are quickly attached. This intermediary system greatly reduces the complexity and time of deployment while ensuring proper positioning for effective protection.
3Reliability
If a fixed safety wall is implemented, then protection against lateral incursions is improved, but the system becomes less mobile and requires more time to deploy
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed safety wall is segmented into multiple modular sections that maintain structural integrity and lateral incursion prevention capabilities when assembled, while allowing for easy disassembly and reconfiguration. This segmentation enables the barrier to provide fixed-wall-level protection while remaining mobile and adaptable to different work zone configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The barrier system transitions between static and dynamic states - when assembled, it provides a fixed, stable wall for lateral protection; when disassembled, it becomes mobile and can be repositioned. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain both the protection effectiveness of a fixed wall and the mobility needed for different work zones.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a safety trailer has semi-tractor hitches at both ends and a safety wall that is fixed to one side of the trailer. That side, however, can be changed to the right or left side of the road, depending on the end to which the truck attaches. A caboose can be attached at the end of the trailer opposite the tractor to provide additional lighting and impact protection. Optionally, the trailer can be equipped with overhead protection, lighting, ventilation, onboard hydraulics, compressors, generators and other equipment, as well as related fuel, water, storage and restroom facilities and other amenities.