Top-Locking Bollard With Elevated Control Shaft
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bollards with locks positioned at the base are prone to fouling by road debris and attraction to animals, making it difficult for authorized personnel to access and control the lock mechanism, which is critical for blocking and allowing access.
Innovation Solution
A bollard design with a lock positioned at the upper portion, featuring a control shaft extending the length of the post with a handle and a lower engagement feature that can be rotated to align with a base engagement feature, allowing easy locking and unlocking while keeping the lock mechanism elevated and protected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lock is positioned at the base of the bollard, then the lock can be accessed to control the bollard, but the lock becomes fouled by road debris and attracted to animals
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism is repositioned from the base level to an elevated position on the upper portion of the bollard post. This vertical dimensionality change moves the lock away from the harmful environment at ground level where road debris and animals congregate, while still maintaining accessibility for authorized personnel through the elevated location on the post.
2Reliability
If the lock is positioned at the base of the bollard, then the lock can control access to the roadway, but authorized personnel have difficulty accessing and handling the lock mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
By relocating the lock to the upper portion of the bollard post, the system maintains reliable access control functionality while significantly improving ease of operation. Authorized personnel can easily reach and handle the lock mechanism at the elevated position rather than bending down to the base, making the lock more user-friendly while preserving its security function.
3Device complexity
If the lock is positioned at the base of the bollard, then the lock can be integrated with the base structure, but the lock becomes vulnerable to environmental factors and animal interference
Solution Approach 1:
The lock mechanism is relocated from the base level to the upper portion of the bollard post, separating it from the vulnerable environment at ground level. This positional change reduces exposure to environmental factors such as road debris, moisture, and animal interference, while the lock remains integrated with the bollard structure through its attachment to the post.
Data Source
AI summary
A lockable bollard to be anchored into the ground includes a substantially vertical post that is rectangular in cross section, with a base having a base fastening structure extending downwardly to be anchored into the ground to which the post is to be anchored. A control shaft extends substantially the entire length of the post, the control shaft having an operating handle adjacent a top end and having a lower engagement feature adjacent a bottom end designed to selectively engage the base when the shaft is in a predetermined position. A closure is disposed adjacent the top of the post to permit selective access to the operating handle.