Pneumatic Barrier With Spring Return And Support Cable
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional barriers, particularly at level crossings and multi-storey car parks, suffer from material damage and maintenance issues due to accidental vehicle contact, high energy consumption, and limited mobility, with pneumatic barriers from prior art lacking means to counteract inclination in their unrolled state.
Innovation Solution
A pneumatic barrier with a tubular casing and spring elements along its length, using compressed air to transition between rolled-up and rolled-out states, featuring a support element to maintain horizontal alignment and reduce damage risk, and low energy consumption through air-powered operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional solid barrier materials (metal or plastic) are used, then the barrier provides strong blocking capability, but the barrier causes damage to vehicles and/or itself when accidentally contacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid solid barrier materials with a flexible pneumatic tube containing compressed air. The tube can deform and absorb impact forces through compression, eliminating the splintering and damaging effects of solid materials while maintaining blocking capability. The flexible pneumatic structure allows controlled deformation upon vehicle contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the barrier from solid to compressed gas within a flexible tube. This parameter change allows the barrier to transition from a rigid, damaging structure to a compliant, energy-absorbing structure that can deform under impact while maintaining its blocking function.
2Device complexity
If pneumatic barriers without inclination counteraction means are used, then the barrier structure is simplified, but the barrier cannot maintain horizontal alignment in its unrolled operating state
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a support cable system that acts as a counterbalancing mechanism to offset the gravitational force causing the pneumatic tube to sag or incline. The support cable provides an opposing force that maintains the tube in horizontal alignment during operation, creating a stable equilibrium between gravity and cable tension.
3Reliability
If conventional barriers with electric motors and mechanical transmissions are used, then the barrier can be reliably operated, but the barrier has high energy consumption and limited mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electric motors and mechanical transmissions with a pneumatic actuation system that uses compressed air to extend and retract the barrier tube. This eliminates the need for complex electrical components, reducing energy consumption and enabling mobile deployment while maintaining reliable operation through pneumatic control.
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 pneumatic barrier minimizes damage from vehicle contact, maintains horizontal alignment, and reduces energy consumption, enhancing safety and mobility while being easy to maintain and deploy.
Implementation Method 1
at least one spring element along its essentially entire length, which keeps the tubular casing in a rolled-up basic state of the tubular casing
Implementation Method 2
by applying compressed air to the tubular casing by the means for supplying and discharging compressed air, the tubular casing is held against the spring force of the at least a spring element from the rolled-up basic state of the tubular casing into a rolled-out operating state
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Pneumatic barrier (1) comprising a housing (2) in which a tubular shell (3) and means connected to the tubular shell (3) for supplying and removing compressed air (4) into/from the tubular shell(s) (3) are arranged, wherein the tubular shell (3) has at least one spring element (5) which holds the tubular shell (3) in a rolled-up ground state (6) of the tubular shell (3),wherein, by applying compressed air to the tubular casing (3) via the means for supplying and removing compressed air (4), the tubular casing (3) is moved against the spring force of the spring element (5) from the rolled-up ground state (6) of the tubular casing (3) into an unrolled operating state (7) of the tubular casing (3), and during the movement of the tubular casing (3) from its unrolled operating state (7) to its rolled-up ground state (6) by the spring element (5), the compressed air contained in the tubular casing (3) escapes via the means for supplying and removing compressed air (4).