Patent Grant
12031281
The present invention relates to improvement on a vision guide, in detail, pertaining to a vision guide which allows the vision guiding to be realized with wound around the rope member and light emitted linearly and whose light emitting performance is hard to deteriorate even for outside use over the long period of time and is hard to entail the slackening thereof after the winding and a guard cable using the same.
As well-known, it often happens that protection barriers (so-called guard cables) in which the wire ropes are laid over the poles are installed along the sides of the roads or the alienated zones secured at the centers of the roads on the highways or expressways. However, since the drivers are hard to see the wire ropes between the poles in darkness, there is likelihood that they might overlook such ropes so as to cause accidental contacts with them during the driving.
Thus, in the prior art, such technique is known (refer to the disclosure of Patent Literature 1) as the fluorescent linear bodies being spirally wound along the indentations formed between the strands of the wire ropes in terms of the guard cables, but this prior art is faced with the problem with which it is hard to provide the guard cables with satisfactory vision guiding effect due to the limit in amount of emitted light of such linear bodies.
On the other hand, in the prior art, such technique is known (refer to the disclosure of Patent Literature 2) as the fluorescent strands being adopted for the wire ropes themselves in terms of the guard cables, but this prior art is not only faced with the same problem as mentioned above with the amount of emitted light, but also takes a lot of labor and cost when such technique is applied to the existing guard cables just because the whole wire ropes must be replaced with such strands.
In this regard, to solve the problem with the amount of emitted light as mentioned above, such a method may be thought up as laying between the poles along the wire ropes another type of rope (such as LED illumination rope) with which the blinking lamps are provided with a prescribed interval therebetween, in which method electrically energized and laid-over light sources themselves must be exposed to the external surroundings so that such light sources become vulnerable to malfunction due to e.g. such natural phenomena as wind and rain or physical deterioration.
Further, in the prior art, such self-light emitting vision guide (delineator) of LED type is also known as being disposed with a prescribed interval therebetween on the tops of the poles, but this type of vision guide is of intermittently blinking light emission type so as to cause front lit induced glare (glittering) on the part of the drivers at wheel, so that it fails to bring satisfactory vision guiding effect and safety, which leaves something to be desired in practice.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention is to provide a vision guide with a light guiding rod which allows the vision guiding to be realized with wound around the rope member and light emitted linearly during the night or in darkness and whose light emission performance is hard to deteriorate even for external use over the long period of time and which facilitates installation work and is hard to invite the slackening thereof after the winding, and a guard cable using the same.
The means adopted by the inventors to solve the above issues are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention is characterized in that the vision guide with a light guiding rod 1 comprises a rope member 3 formed by twisting plural strands S and used outdoors; the light guiding rod 1 of circumferentially light emitting type which is adheringly wound around spiral indentations V formed between the strands S and S on the outer circumference of the rope member 3 and is provided with a core layer 11 essentially made of an acrylic-based resin and a clad layer 12 essentially made of a fluorine-based resin; and a light source 2 attached to an end portion of the light guiding rod 1, in which amount of change in luminance of the light guiding rod 1 in test time over the duration of 1000 hours by an accelerated weathering tester is contained within the range of ±10%; amount of change in each numerical value of chromaticity [x, y] thereof is contained within the range of ±0.02; flexural modulus of elasticity of the light guiding rod 1 under the atmosphere of −20 degrees Centigrade is contained within the range of 0.5 to 5.0×103 MPa; the rope member 3 is formed by twisting the strands S at a twisting angle from 10° to 20°; and the spiral indentations V are uniformly formed with a pitch from 100 mm to 200 mm.
As for the light guiding rod 1, it is preferred that what an acrylic-based elastomer is mixed with an acrylic-based hard resin be adopted for the material of the core layer 11 in order to meet requirements on both flexural modulus of elasticity and light guiding performance and the mixing ratio of the latter to the former be 95:5 to 70:30.
As for the light guiding rod 1, it is also preferred that 0.01 to 5 parts by weight of titanium oxide having ultraviolet rays absorbing action as a light scattering agent be added to 100 parts by weight of the fluorine-based resin of which the clad layer 12 is made in order to secure satisfactory weather resistance.
It is also preferred that the light guiding rod 1 be such that the luminance of emitted light from it at the portion 4 m away from the light source 2 is 3 cd/m2 or higher upon light from the light source 2 whose driving current, luminous intensity and directivity are 30 mA, 20000 mcd and 20° respectively being made incident onto the end portion of the light guiding rod 1 wound around the rope member 3.
The vision guide with the light guiding rod permits a guard cable G (in the present specification, including not only those installed on the sides of the roads, but also those installed on the alienated zones secured at the center of the roads) to be arranged together with the plural poles 5 installed with a prescribed interval therebetween on the roads, in which case the rope members 3 are laid over between the poles 5 and the light sources 2 are attached to the poles 5 with mounted to the end portions of the light guiding rods 1 of circumferentially light emitting type.
The vision guide with a light guiding rod according to the present invention allows the light guiding rod not only to linearly emit light by light being made incident onto the rod from the light source, but also its light emission performance to keep for a long time even when it is used with wound around the rope member (such as guard cables and mooring ropes for vessels) for outdoor use, just because the light guiding rod is of circumferentially light emission type excellent in weather resistance.
Additionally, the use of the light guiding rod having optimum flexural modulus of elasticity permits the rod to be smoothly wound around the rope member without doing damage thereon and to keep adhered on the rope member because it is hard to be slackened after the winding. On top of that, by choosing the color of light emitted from the light guiding rod and adjusting the amount of emitted light according to the light source, it successfully leads to realizing effective vision guidance.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention can provide a vision guide with a light guiding rod which is not only excel lent in vision guidance during the night or in darkness, but also advantageous in the aspects of installation readiness and weather resistance for outdoor use, so that its industrial applicability is considered very high.
The first embodiment hereof is explained with reference to
[Constitution of Vision Guide with Light Guiding Rod]
[1] On Basic Structure of Vision Guide with Light Guiding Rod
According to the present embodiment, as illustrated in
What is formed by twisting the strands S at the twisting angle ranging from 10° to 20° and by the spiral indentations V being uniformly provided with a pitch ranging from 100 mm to 200 mm is adopted for the rope member 3, thereby, successfully preventing the light guiding rod 1 wound around the rope member 3 and having the prescribed flexural modulus of elasticity from being slackened and suspended downwards. In this relation, even when the vision guide D is used outdoors, the light guiding rod 1 is so excellent in weather resistance that such problem as its light emission performance deteriorating for a short period of time does not arise.
[2] On Light Guiding Rod
[2-1] Material for Core Layer
Then, explanation is given on each component of the vision guide D with a light guiding rod. As for the light guiding rod 1, what an acrylic-based hard resin is mixed with an acrylic-based elastomer is adopted for the material for the core layer 11, thereby, successfully leading to not only making the light guiding rod 1 emit light more uniformly, but also providing the rod with optimal flexibility with which it can be readily wound around the rope member 3 and is hard to be slackened. In this regard, it is preferred that the mixing ratio of the acrylic-based hard resin to the acrylic-based elastomer be from 95:5 to 70:30.
One or the plurality of poly (methyl methacrylate), poly (ethyl methacrylate), poly (isobutyl methacrylate) and poly (n-butyl methacrylate) can be favorably adopted for the acrylic-based hard resin from which the core layer 11 is partly made. To note, in the present specification, the acrylic-based resins whose glass transition temperature (Tg) is at room temperature (25 degrees Centigrade) or higher are referred to as ‘acrylic-based hard resins’.
One or both of a block copolymer (MMA-BA Block Copolymer) of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate and a block copolymer of methyl acrylate and butyl acrylate which are thermoplastic elastomers can be favorably adopted for the acrylic-based elastomer from which the core layer 11 is partly made.
[2-2] On Shape of Core Layer
As for the shape of the core layer 11, according to the present embodiment, as illustrated in
[2-3] on Material for Clad Layer
One or the plurality of a copolymer (ETFE) of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene, a copolymer (EFEP) of hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene and ethylene and poly vinylidene difluoride which are fluorine-based resins can be favorably adopted for the main material for the clad layer 12 of the light guiding rod 1. In this way, by adopting a fluorine-based resin whose friction coefficient is smaller for the main material for the clad layer 12, it permits the rod to be wound around the rope member 3 without a hitch.
[2-4] on Shape of Clad Layer
As to the shape of the clad layer 12, it suffices that it is formed on the outer circumference of the core layer 11 with a prescribed thickness, in which it may be composed of one layer according to the present embodiment or of multilayered configuration as illustrated in
[2-5] On Light Scattering Agent
According to the present embodiment, the weather resistance of the light guiding rod is enhanced by a light scattering agent having ultraviolet rays absorbing action being added to the material for the clad layer 12. Specifically speaking, in the present embodiment, 0.01 to 5 parts by weight of powdery titanium oxide as the light scattering agent is added to 100 parts by weight of the main material for the clad layer 12. To note, as the light scattering agent, barium sulfate and the like can be used as well besides titanium oxide. Further, the light scattering agent can be added not only to the clad layer 12, but also to the core layer 11.
[2-6] On Weather Resistance of Light Guiding Rod
As to the weather resistance of the light guiding rod 1, it is preferred that amount of change in luminosity thereof in test time over the duration of 1000 hours by an accelerated weathering tester (sunshine weather meter) be contained within the range of ±10% (preferably, within the range of ±5%) and amount of change in each numerical value of chromaticity [x, y] thereof be contained within the range of ±0.02 (preferably, within the range of ±0.01). The accelerated weathering test of the light guiding rod 1 carried out under the condition that the rod is wound around the steel wire rope proves to be effective to contain such amount of change within the above ranges, which means that there is no case where the amount of emitted light conspicuously deteriorates or change in emitted light color arises even when the light guiding rod is subjected to outdoor use for a long period of time.
[2-7] On Flexural Modulus of Elasticity of Light Guiding Rod
As for the flexural modulus of elasticity of the light guiding rod 1, it is preferred that such flexural modulus under the atmosphere of −20 degrees Centigrade range from 0.5 to 5.0×103 MPa (preferably, from 2.0 to 4.0×103 MPa), thereby, permitting the rod 1 to be smoothly wound around the rope member 3 even in cold or frigid climate zones while making the rod 1 hard to be slackened after the winding. When such flexural modulus is too large, it results in making it hard to twistingly wind the rod 1 around the rope member 3 while forcing the rod to be wound around the rope member leads to the rod breaking beyond its elastic limit. On the other hand, when such flexural modulus is too small, the rod 1 becomes easy to be slackened after the winding.
[2-8] On Light Emission Performance of Light Guiding Rod
In the present embodiment, such light guiding rod 1 is used as the luminance of emitted light from it at the portion 4 m away from the light source 2 is 3 cd/m2 or higher upon light from the light source 2 whose driving current, luminous intensity and directivity are 30 mA, 20000 mcd and 20° respectively being made incident onto the end portion of the light guiding rod 1 wound around the rope member 3.
[3] On Light Source
As for the light source, according to the present embodiment, the LED light source of a single color is used, but not only single-color light emission types, but also several colors light emission types may well be used according to practical applications. Further, the light source 2 may well be attached not only at one end of the light guiding rod 1, but also at both ends thereof and include LD light sources, SLD ones, Halogen lamps and the like besides the LED ones. The power source to which the light source 2 is connected may well be AC ones or DC ones, in which solar batteries are also adoptable for outdoor use.
[4] On Rope Member
As for the rope member 3 around which the light guiding rod 1 is wound, according to the present embodiment, a wire rope made from metal is used, but it may well be favorably made from carbon fibers, aramid fibers or what such materials are combined for practical use. Additionally, a string or cord made from natural fibers or synthetic resin fibers may well be adopted for the rope member 3 besides the wire rope.
In the present embodiment, although the wire rope which is formed with three strands S, S and S, each of which is composed of bundled metallic wires, twisted together and which has 18 mm in diameter (preferably, having 5 mm to 50 mm) as illustrated in
[5] On Fixing Means for Light Guiding Rod
In the present embodiment, the light guiding rods 1 are fixed with respect to the rope member 3 by ring-shaped fixing tools 4, but they may well be fixed with respect thereto by be fixing tools 4 being wound around the rope member 3 through the light guiding rods 1. In this regard, other than the fixing tools 4, such means as adhesives may well be adopted for the fixing means for the light guiding rods 1.
[6] On Applications
As for the applications of the vision guide for the rope member, such guide can be advantageously applied to such rope members used outdoors as the ropes for the guard cables (described in detail later), those for mooring boats, those for scaffolding used in construction sites and the like, those for illumination purpose and those for preventing nuisance animals from invasion used in the agricultural field.
(Constitution of Guard Cable)
[1] Basic Structure of Guard Cable
Then, the second embodiment of the present invention is explained based on the illustrations of
Then, actuating the light sources 2 leads to light made incident from such sources passing through the light guiding rods 1 so as to make the outer circumferences of such rods emit light, so that the outer peripheries of the rope members 3 seem to spirally emit light. In this regard, utilizing the spiral indentations V of the rope members 3 facilitates the light guiding rods 1 to be wound around the ropes and fixed with respect thereto.
[2] On Poles
As for the poles 5, according to the present embodiment, the cylindrical bodies which are made from metal and disposed with their base portions embedded into the road are used, but the bodies having a shape provided with a foundation portion that are used by being placed indoors are also adoptable for such poles. In this relation, the shape of the pole 5 is not limited to the cylindrical one, but prism-shaped types and what plural cylindrical-shaped types and prism-shaped types are integrally joined together are also adoptable for such poles.
[3] Structure of Attaching Light Source
As for the structure of attaching the light source 2 to the pole 5, according to the present embodiment, as illustrated in
(Verification Test for Advantageous Effects)
Then, explanation is given on the verification test for the advantageous effects brought by the present invention. To begin with, according to the present test, plural samples (First to Sixth Examples below), the materials of which cores of the light guiding rods are different from one another, are prepared and weather resistance and flexural modulus of elasticity are evaluated for each sample. Hereafter, the production condition of each sample according to the first to sixth examples and the respective test methods and their results are explained.
In this example, a light guiding rod of circumferentially light emission type whose cross-sectional shape is circular and whose diameter is 3.5 mm (the diameter of the core layer being 3.1 mm and the thickness of the clad layer being 0.2 mm) has been produced through co-extrusion molding. Poly (methyl methacrylate) which is an acrylic-based hard resin is adopted for the main material of the core layer while ETFE which is a fluorine-based resin is adopted for the main material of the clad layer. 0.065 parts by weight of titanium oxide which is a light scattering agent is added to 100 parts by weight of the main material from which the clad layer is made.
In this example, in the similar way as the first example, a light guiding rod of circumferentially light emission type whose cross-sectional shape is round bar-shaped and whose diameter is 3.5 mm (the diameter of the core layer being 3.1 mm and the thickness of the clad layer being 0.2 mm) has been produced through co-extrusion molding. What poly (methyl methacrylate) which is an acrylic-based hard resin is mixed with MMA-BA block copolymer which is an acrylic-based elastomer, the proportional ratio in weight of the former to the latter being 95:5, is adopted for the main material of the core layer while ETFE which is a fluorine-based resin is adopted for the main material of the clad layer. 0.065 parts by weight of titanium oxide which is a light scattering agent is added to 100 parts by weight of the main material from which the clad layer is made.
In this example, in the similar way as the first example, a light guiding rod of circumferentially light emission type whose cross-sectional shape is round bar-shaped and whose diameter is 3.5 mm (the diameter of the core layer being 3.1 mm and the thickness of the clad layer being 0.2 mm) has been produced through co-extrusion molding. What poly (methyl methacrylate) which is an acrylic-based hard resin is mixed with MMA-BA block copolymer which is an acrylic-based elastomer, the proportional ratio in weight of the former to the latter being 90:10, is adopted for the main material of the core layer while ETFE which is a fluorine-based resin is adopted for the main material of the clad layer. 0.065 parts by weight of titanium oxide which is a light scattering agent is added to 100 parts by weight of the main material from which the clad layer is made.
In this example, in the similar way as the first example, a light guiding rod of circumferentially light emission type whose cross-sectional shape is round bar-shaped and whose diameter is 3.5 mm (the diameter of the core layer being 3.1 mm and the thickness of the clad layer being 0.2 mm) has been produced through co-extrusion molding. What poly (methyl methacrylate) which is an acrylic-based hard resin is mixed with MMA-BA block copolymer which is an acrylic-based elastomer, the proportional ratio in weight of the former to the latter being 80:20, is adopted for the main material of the core layer while ETFE which is a fluorine-based resin is adopted for the main material of the clad layer. 0.065 parts by weight of titanium oxide which is a light scattering agent is added to 100 parts by weight of the main material from which the clad layer is made.
In this example, in the similar way as the first example, a light guiding rod of circumferentially light emission type whose cross-sectional shape is round bar-shaped and whose diameter is 3.5 mm (the diameter of the core layer being 3.1 mm and the thickness of the clad layer being 0.2 mm) has been produced through co-extrusion molding. What poly (methyl methacrylate) which is an acrylic-based hard resin is mixed with MMA-BA block copolymer which is an acrylic-based elastomer, the proportional ratio in weight of the former to the latter being 70:30, is adopted for the main material of the core layer while ETFE which is a fluorine-based resin is adopted for the main material of the clad layer. 0.065 parts by weight of titanium oxide which is a light scattering agent is added to 100 parts by weight of the main material from which the clad layer is made.
In this example, in the similar way as the first example, a light guiding rod of circumferentially light emission type whose cross-sectional shape is round bar-shaped and whose diameter is 3.5 mm (the diameter of the core layer being 3.1 mm and the thickness of the clad layer being 0.2 mm) has been produced through co-extrusion molding. MMA-BA block copolymer which is an acrylic-based elastomer is adopted for the main material of the core layer while ETFE which is a fluorine-based resin is adopted for the main material of the clad layer. 0.065 parts by weight of titanium oxide which is a light scattering agent is added to 100 parts by weight of the main material from which the clad layer is made.
(Evaluation of Weather Resistance)
Weather resistance test has been performed for each sample having 300 mm in length according to the first to sixth examples by use of an accelerated weathering tester (sunshine weather meter) under the following conditions: the duration of 1000 hours in test time and the black panel temperature of 63 degrees Centigrade). Then, upon checking the chromaticity of emitted light color before and after the test and amount of change in chromaticity of emitted light color before and after the test for each sample, as illustrated in the following tables 1 to 3, it has been confirmed that amount of change in luminosity of the light guiding rod in test time over the duration of 1000 hours is contained within the range of ±10% and amount of change in each numerical value of chromaticity [x, y] thereof is contained within the range of ±0.02. As for each sample according to the first to fourth examples, it has been confirmed that amount of change in luminosity thereof in test time over the duration of 1000 hours is contained within the range of ±5% and amount of change in each numerical value of chromaticity [x, y] thereof is contained within the range of ±0.01.
(Evaluation of Flexural Modulus of Elasticity and Flexural Stress)
In compliance with the bending test method of a laminated rod at 5.17.3 of Testing methods for Thermosetting Plastics according to JIS K 6911, such test has been performed for each sample according to the first to sixth examples under the temperature of 23 degrees Centigrade and the atmosphere of −20 degrees Centigrade, as the result of which, it has been confirmed that the flexural modulus of elasticity under the atmosphere of −20 degrees Centigrade of each sample according to the first to sixth examples is contained within the range 0.5 to 5.0×103 MPa. Further, it has been confirmed that the flexural modulus of elasticity under the atmosphere of −20 degrees Centigrade of each sample according to the first to fifth examples is contained within the range 2.0 to 4.0×103 MPa.
(Evaluation of Light Emission Performance of Light Guiding Rod)
Then, as for the light guiding rod according to the first and second examples respectively, the luminance of emitted light from it at the portion 4 m away from the light source is measured upon light from the light source whose driving current, luminous intensity and directivity are 30 mA, 20000 mcd and 20° respectively being made incident onto the end portion of the light guiding rod wound around the rope member, as the result of which, it has been found that the luminance of emitted light of the sample according to the first example is 5.1 cd/m2 while that of the sample according to the second example is 3.6 cd/m2.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2019/016204 | 4/15/2019 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2020/213041 | 10/22/2020 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9075022 | Huntley | Jul 2015 | B2 |
| 20040022053 | Sharon | Feb 2004 | A1 |
| 20100098948 | Nakanishi | Apr 2010 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| S54-41049 | Dec 1979 | JP |
| S60-40519 | Mar 1985 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220213657 A1 | Jul 2022 | US |
