Patent Application
20240352690
The present disclosure relates generally to portable net barrier systems. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a passive cable barrier system with structural posts, guide posts, and lightweight cables, to improve portability of barrier systems without compromising strength.
Vehicle barriers are sometimes used to provide access point control by denying unauthorized access to roadways, facilities, and other resources. For instance, vehicle barriers may be used to control access at entrances and exits of facilities and roadways, and to restrict vehicle access to unauthorized areas, such as areas reserved for pedestrian traffic. Vehicle barriers take many forms, including net barriers, cable barriers, wedge barriers, plate barriers, gates, bollards, and others.
Vehicle barriers may be either passive or active in nature. Specifically, passive vehicle barriers are fixed in a closed position where access is continuously denied, whereas active vehicle barriers can be selectively opened and closed. Further, vehicle barriers may be permanent or portable. Permanent vehicle barriers are typically permanently affixed to the ground where they are installed, such as through cementing the barrier into position; on the other hand, portable barriers are typically not permanently coupled to the ground, and thus may be transported and installed in various locations.
There are currently a variety of issues associated with cable barriers. First, cable barriers often require large compression clamps or spelter fittings to secure cables to posts, which is both costly and heavy. Second, cable barriers often require intricate time-consuming installation, including welding work. Finally, because of their weight and intricate installation requirements, cable barriers are typically cumbersome to transport and install.
Cable barrier systems that use fewer fittings, that are easy and quick to install, and that are portable, while simultaneously not compromising the cable barrier's ability to restrict vehicle access to unauthorized areas, are therefore needed.
The portable cable barrier system disclosed herein improves on cable barrier systems technology by implementing a cable barrier system that uses cable tension to withstand the force associated with vehicular collisions or similar impacts. The portable cable barrier system includes end and middle structural posts that include post connections that are configured to route a cable in different directions, such the cable is in a state of tension and the post connections dissipate force in cases of a vehicular collision or similar impact. This portable cable barrier system simplifies fittings, reduces weight, and improves both transportability and ease of installation.
In light of the disclosure herein, and without limiting the scope of the invention in any way, in a first aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a portable cable barrier system includes at least three structural posts and at least one cable. The at least three structural posts each include a structural base and a structural arm, the structural arm is fixedly coupled to the structural base, and the structural arm includes a post connection. The cable is coupled to the at least three structural posts at the post connection. A first structural post and a second structural post of the at least three structural posts are located on different sides of a third structural post of the at least three structural posts. The at least one cable is coupled to the at least three structural posts such that the at least one cable spans from the first structural post, to the third structural post, and to the second structural post.
In a second aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the first and second structural posts further comprise end cable reinforcements.
In a third aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, each structural base further comprises a structural reinforcement.
In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the post connection comprises the cable wrapping around the structural arm at a desired height such that the cable makes at least one revolution around the structural arm, and a first end of the cable is directed in a first direction and a second end of the cable is directed in a second different direction, such that there is tension on the cable around the circumference of the structural arm.
In a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the post connection further comprises a cable retention mechanism that defines a cable receiving area on the structural arm and is configured to receive the cable at a point where the first end of the cable and second end of the cable intersect, such that the cable receiving area is configured to receive at least two portions of the cable.
In a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a portable cable barrier system includes at least three structural posts, at least one cable, and at least one guide post. The at least three structural posts each include a structural base and a structural arm, the structural arm is fixedly coupled to the structural base, and the structural arm includes a post connection. The cable is coupled to the at least three structural posts at the post connection. The at least one post each includes a guide base and a guide arm, the guide arm is fixedly coupled to the guide base, and the guide arm includes a guide post cable retention mechanism. A first structural post and second structural post of the at least three structural posts are located on different sides of a third structural post of the at least three structural posts. The at least one guide post is located between the third of the at least three structural posts and the first or second of the at least three structural posts. The at least one cable is coupled to the at least three structural posts and at least one guide post.
In a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the first and second structural posts further comprise end cable reinforcements.
In an eight aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, each structural base further comprises a structural reinforcement.
In a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the post connection comprises the cable wrapping around the structural arm at a desired height such that the cable makes at least one revolution around the structural arm, and a first end of the cable is directed in a first direction and a second end of the cable is directed in a second different direction, such that there is tension on the cable around the structural arm.
In a tenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the post connection further comprises a cable retention mechanism that defines a cable receiving area on the structural arm and is configured to receive the cable at a point where the first end of the cable and second end of the cable intersect, such that the cable receiving area is configured to receive two portions of the cable.
In an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, a portable cable barrier system includes two end structural posts, at least one middle structural post, at least one cable, and at least one guide post. The end structural posts each include a structural base and a structural arm, the structural arm is fixedly coupled to the structural base, and the structural arm includes a post connection. The end structural posts also each include at least one end cable reinforcement. The at least one middle structural post each includes a structural base and a structural arm, the structural arm is fixedly coupled to the structural base, and the structural arm includes a post connection. The cable is coupled to the end structural posts and at least one middle structural post at the post connections. The at least one guide post each includes a guide base and a guide arm, the guide arm is fixedly coupled to the guide base, and the guide arm includes a guide post cable retention mechanism. The end posts are located on a first and second end, such that the at least one middle structural post and at least one guide post are located between the first and second end. The at least one cable is coupled to the end structural posts, at least one guide post, and at least one middle structural post such that the cable spans from one of the two end structural posts to another of the two end structural posts and couples to the at least one guide post and at least one middle structural post, such that the cable forms a continuous boundary from one of the two end structural posts to the other of the two end structural posts.
In a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the first and second structural posts further comprise end cable reinforcements.
In a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the structural base further comprises a structural reinforcement.
In a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the post connection on the at least one middle structural post comprises the cable wrapping around the structural arm at a desired height such that the cable makes at least one revolution around the structural arm, and a first end of the cable is directed in a first direction and a second end of the cable is directed in a second different direction, such that there is tension on the cable around the circumference of the structural arm.
In a fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the post connection further comprises a cable retention mechanism that defines a cable receiving area on the structural arm and is configured to receive the cable at a point where the first end of the cable and second end of the cable intersect, such that the cable receiving area is configured to receive at two portions of the cable.
In a sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the post connection on the two end structural posts comprises the cable wrapping around the structural arm at a desired height such that the cable makes at least one revolution around the structural arm, and a first end of the cable and a second end of the cable are directed in same a direction, such that there is tension on the cable around the circumference of the structural arm.
In a seventeenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the cable is comprised of a lightweight woven steel.
In an eighteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, each structural base is comprised of concrete.
In a nineteenth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the post connection is configured such that a force on the first end of the cable or second end of the cable increases tension on cable portions in contact with the structural arm, to tighten the cable about the structural arm.
In a twentieth aspect of the present disclosure, which may be combined with any other aspect listed herein unless specified otherwise, the guide arm is comprised of at least one of a u-channel post or a square sign post.
Additional features and advantages of the disclosed devices, systems, and methods are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the Figures. The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the figures and description. Also, any particular embodiment does not have to have all of the advantages listed herein. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been selected for readability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.
Understanding that figures depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not to be considered to be limiting the scope of the present disclosure, the present disclosure is described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying figures. The figures are listed below.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specific the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or additional of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent”). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
With reference to the Figures,
As further explained below, the cables 115 couple to the structural posts 105′, 105″, 105 via a cable retention mechanism 140 and to the guide posts 110 via a guide post cable retention mechanism 114. Importantly, the cables 115 are coupled to the posts 105′, 105″, 105, 110 so as to create tension on the cable 115 across the length of the barrier system 100. The cables 115 can be coupled to the posts 105, 110 at varying heights. For example, the cables 115 can be installed at car height, but also at lower or higher heights. Relatedly, the cables 115 are made of a durable, lightweight material, such as woven steel, and are capable of withstanding the force of a vehicular collision or large impact. It should be noted the barrier system 100 could be installed such that forms a straight line, but a person skilled in the art could install the barrier system 100 in a variety of different configurations, so that it could defines irregular boundaries like a circular or triangular area.
As seen in
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The cable guides 141 couple to the structural arm 132b, such that the guides 141 define a receiving area 144 dimensioned to accommodate the width of at least two coils of a cable 115 wrapped around the structural arm 132b. The plate 143 is configured to engage with the cable guides 141, such that the plate lies parallel to the structural arm edge 132b′ and is secured onto the cable guides 141 with fasteners 142. As such, when the plate 145 is secured onto the cable guides 141, it prevents the cable 115 from falling out of the receiving area 144, and serves to secure the cable 115 between the cable guides 141. A person skilled in the art could modify the cable guides 141, plate 143, and/or fasteners 142 to accommodate differently sized cables 115, different numbers of cable coils around the structural arm 132b, and to withstand the forces associated with the friction and tension resulting from the cable 115 receiving the force of vehicular collision or similar impact.
The barrier system 100, as seen in
Importantly, when a large impact force, such as a vehicular collision, is placed on the cables 115, the force is transferred through the cables 115 and through to the post connections 125. As a result of the configuration of the post connections 125 and the starting tension on the cables, the force is transferred to the cables 115 at the post connections 125, such that it “locks” the cable 115 by further tightening the cable around the above-ground structural arm 132b. As such, the section of the cables 115 which receives the large impact force increases in tension such that, for example, the vehicle is stopped, and other sections of the cables 115 receive little-to-no force from the large impact, as the force is dissipated. Additionally, because the barrier system 100 does not use specialized tools or welding to install, it can be set up, removed, and transported quickly. The barrier system 100 also does not rely on specialized parts, like custom fittings, which means it can be quickly and inexpensively fixed in situations where a component needs replacement.
It should be noted that in one embodiment, the barrier system complies with the standards in ASTM M50/P2, M50/P1 and M30/P1. However, in alternate embodiments, the barrier system complies with additional standards. While this application generally discussed the use a barrier system to restrict access to vehicles, it should be appreciated that the barrier system discussed can be used to restrict access when experiencing a large impact force, such as battering ram use or crowds.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
