EP0261144A1

EP0261144A1 - Hazard warning devices

Info

Publication number: EP0261144A1
Application number: EP87901091A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Frank "Acorns" MYERS
Original assignee: APH Road Safety Ltd
Current assignee: APH Road Safety Ltd
Priority date: 1986-02-04
Filing date: 1987-02-04
Publication date: 1988-03-30
Also published as: GB8602666D0; GB8723334D0; AU6932887A; WO1987004672A1; GB2193991A

Abstract

Un dispositif d'avertissement de danger comprend une partie de signalisation généralement triangulaire (6) fabriquée par une opération d'estampage à partir de matériau plastique en feuille et dont un des côtés (7) au moins est muni de bandes rouges et blanches de matériau fortement réfléchissant. Deux charnières (10) sont fixées de façon adjacente au bord inférieur (8) de l'un des deux côtés de la partie à affichage, chacune des charnières soutenant une partie de support (12). Les parties de support (12) sont également faites de matériau plastique en feuille, présentant de préférence une épaisseur supérieure à celle de la partie de signalisation (6). Les deux parties de support sont mobiles autour de leurs charnières jusqu'à occuper des positions fixes, dans lesquelles chacune repose contre un des deux côtés de la partie de signalisation (6). Lors de l'utilisation, le dispositif est soulevé par l'extrémité supérieure de la partie à affichage (6) et maintenu généralement en position verticale, permettant ainsi aux parties de support (12) de retomber et au dispositif d'avertissement de reposer sur le sol. Ledit dispositif comprend de préférence des moyens d'engagement réciproques aidant à retenir le dispositif d'avertissement en position verticale. L'extrémité supérieure de la partie de signalisation (6) peut éventuellement être munie d'un éclairage alimenté par batterie.A danger warning device comprises a generally triangular signaling part (6) produced by a stamping operation from plastic sheet material and of which at least one side (7) is provided with red and white bands of material highly reflective. Two hinges (10) are fixed adjacent to the lower edge (8) on one of the two sides of the display part, each of the hinges supporting a support part (12). The support parts (12) are also made of plastic sheet material, preferably having a thickness greater than that of the signaling part (6). The two support parts are movable around their hinges until they occupy fixed positions, in which each rests against one of the two sides of the signaling part (6). In use, the device is lifted by the upper end of the display part (6) and generally held in an upright position, thus allowing the support parts (12) to fall and the warning device to rest on floor. Said device preferably comprises reciprocal engagement means helping to retain the warning device in a vertical position. The upper end of the signaling part (6) can optionally be fitted with battery-powered lighting.

Description

Title: "Hazard Warning Devices"

This invention is concerned with improvements relating to hazard warning devices.

It is increasingly evident that it is desirable for car drivers to carry in their vehicles a hazard warning device which can be erected when the car breaks down by the road side. Indeed, in many European countries the carrying of such devices is compulsory.

Conventionally such devices are set up at the road side a short distance from the vehicles, and are designed to present to the oncoming traffic the conventional hazard warning triangular display portion, having a surface of high-reflectivity material.

Conventionally such devices are of metal and comprise legs which may be folded against the display portion for stowage, and folded out to provide a stand.

Presently available hazard warning devices of this kind suffer from a number of disadvantages, including the following: a) The constructions employed render it difficult to produce other than in metal, and this can be dangerous when as on occasion happens the device is inadvertently struck by a passing vehicle, or blown into the main carriageway by wind. This is particularly the case since conventional constructions do not allow the device readily to adopt a

"flat" profile in which it could lie flat against the road surface. Being of metal, considerable damage may be caused; b) even when folded into a condition for stowage it is bulky, and this, together with the weight, restricts a number which could comfortably be carried e.g. by a police car for use in an emergency when it would be desirable to provide a line of hazard warning devices inclined to the direction of traffic flow to provide a tapered lane closure. According to this invention there is provided α hazard warning device comprising a generally flat display portion and two supporting portions hingedly secured to the display portion, the supporting portions being movable between extended conditions in which they may be placed in ground-engaging contact and in which they support the display portion in a generally verticial orientation, and retracted conditions in which they lie against the display portion.

Preferably the supporting portions are hingedly secured to opposite sides of the display portion adjacent to a lower end thereof, such as to be hingedly movable about generally parallel axes disposed one on either side of, and close to, the generally plane of the display portion.

Advantageously the display portion is of flat plastics sheet material, and advantageously the supporting portions are also of plastics material, albeit advantageously thicker than the display portion. Advantageously the supporting portions are secured to the display portion by hinges which are advantageously spaced a short distance from the lower edge of the display portion, such as by a distance not exceeding the thickness of the supporting portions.

Preferably the construction and arrangement is such that, when the display portion is held generally vertically from an upper end portion, the supporting portions will fall under their own weight to lie in a plane extending generally at right angles to the plane of the display portion, in which orientation the device may be placed against the ground.

If desired, interengaging means may be provided on the supporting portions to retain them or assist in their retention in their extended positions.

Advantageously the construction and arrangement is such that, when the device is in its stowage condition, it may be flat-stacked in relation to a similar device, conveniently in a reverse orientation to an immediately adjacent device. There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a hazard warning device which is a preferred embodiment of this invention, and which has been selected for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example, together with a modified construction thereof. In the accompanying drawings: FIGURE I is α schematic perspective view of the preferred warning device, in an erected condition;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view showing the device in a flat-folded condition;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view showing a number of devices flat- packed together;

FIGURE is an enlarged view showing interengaging means of the device; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a modified construction of the preferred embodiment.

The hazard warning device which is the preferred embodiment of this invention, comprises as is shown in Figure I , a generally triangular display portion 6 produced by a stamping operation from sheet plastics material , and provided on one side 7 at least with red and white bands of highly reflective material. Secured adjacent to a lower edge 8 of the display portion 6, one on either side thereof, are two hinges 10, each hinge 10 carrying a supporting portion 12. The supporting portions 12 are likewise formed of plastics sheet material, but are advantageously thicker than the display portion 6.

As will be seen in Figure 2, the two supporting portions 12 may be moved about their hinges into positions for stowage, in which they lie against the display portion 6, one on either side thereof. In this orientation the device takes up very little room, allowing a number of similar devices to be flat-packed in alternately reversed orientation, as is shown in Figure 3. When desired to be used, it is simply necessary to l ift the device (or one of the devices) by the upper end of the display portion 6, and to hold it general ly vertically, allowing the supporting portions 12 to drop downwardly, and the warning device placed against the road. As will be appreciated, in this condition wind pressure against the display portion will be resisted by the weight of the supporting portion on the up-wind side. However should the display portion be struck by a passing vehicle, or encounter unusually high wind force, should the supporting portion 12 on the up-wind side be lifted by a sufficient degree to render the device unstable, the tendency will be for the display portion to fold down against the supporting on the down-wind side allowing the supporting portion on the up-wind side to fall flat against the display portion. - ^■+ -

Desirably however device comprises interengaging means, such as may be provided by male and female elements 16, 18 on the adjacent end faces of the supporting portions 12, to assist in their retention in their erected positions.

If desired, the display portion 6 may carry at its upper end a battery- operated light.

Figure shows an alternative construction, in which the dimensions of the display portion are such that the base dimension is generally similar to the height. Such a construction may comprise just two supporting portions, one on either side of the display portion, but may if desired comprise two supporting portions 12b on each side of the display portion.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAI S:

1. A hazard warning device comprising a generally flat display portion and two supporting portions hingedly secured to the display portion, the supporting portions being movable between extended positions in which they may be placed in ground-engaging contact and in which they support the

^■> display portion in a generally verticial orientation, and retracted positions in which they lie against the display portion.

2. A hazard warning devic3 according to Claim I wherein the display portion is of flat plastics sheet material, and the supporting portions are of plastics material.

| 0 3. A hazard warning device according to one of Claims I and 2 wherein the supporting portions are hingedly secured to opposite sides of the display portion adjacent to a lower edge thereof.

4. A hazard warning device according to Claim 3 wherein the supporting portions are hingedly secured to the display portion in a manner such as to be

15 hingedly movable about general ly parallel axes disposed one on either side of, and close to, the generally plane of the display portion.

5. A hazard warning device according to one of Claims 3 and -. wherein supporting portions are secured to the display portion by hinges which are spaced a short distance from the lower edge of the display portion.

6. A hazard warning device according to any one of the preceding claims

20 wherein the construction and arrangement is such that, when the display portion is held generally vertically from an upper end portion, the supporting portions will fall under their own weight to lie in a plane extending generally at right angles to the plane of the display portion, in which orientation the device may be placed against the ground.

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7. A display portion according to any one of the preceding claims comprising interengaging means provided on the supporting portions to retain them in their extended positions.

8. A hazard warning device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the construction and arrangement is such that, when the device is in a stowage condition, it may be fiat-stacked in relation to a similar device.

9. A hazard warning device constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures I to 4, or as modified in accordance with Figure 5, of the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel feature or novel combination of features as hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.