PROTECTOR FOR BARRIER RAILS

Abstract

 The invention relates to a protector for road barrier rails and similar structures, said barriers including a plurality of supporting elements anchored to the ground or pavement, which, in the raised position, support a continuous line of longitudinal sections. The protector comprises a set of rotating rollers, disposed in the cavity between the ground or pavement and the longitudinal sections, having a suitable shape and dimensions to cover all or a large part of said cavity.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The main object of this invention is a guardrail protector of the type used on roads and similar.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Protections called guardrails or railings are used on roadsides, consisting of a plurality of supports anchored to the ground or pavement, normally being normalized I-shaped profiles, which support at their upper end, at the adequate height, longitudinal profiles continuously disposed with each another, and have a double wave or railing-shaped cross-section.

[0003] These guardrails are effective in collisions of vehicles with four or more wheels to a certain degree, but are ineffective and very harmful to the occupants of two-wheeled vehicles in case of an accident, where amputations, even fatal, are relatively frequent on reaching the edges of the supports.

[0004] In order to avoid amputations, different documents are known to disclose several implements to cover the supports with elastic and/or edge-free elements. For example, the applicant of this invention is also the owner of Utility Model ES1054671 U, relating to a railing with protection and/or impact buffering means, wherein the protective cover of the supports is materialised in retreaded metal sheet, susceptible to absorbing impact energy as a result of both the retreading and the plastic deformation of the metal sheet. It also discloses the insertion of a buffering element between the upper railing profile and the supports, with the object of absorbing energy in this zone.

[0005] This utility model, as in the case of other documents that only protect the supports, effectively fulfil the function for which they are envisaged; however, they do not protect the space that remains between the supports, which can cause the accident victim to fall down the slope or gully or collide with an obstacle on the other side of the guardrail.

[0006] Another drawback is that, while protected, the supports bring the accident victim to a sudden stop and, although avoiding amputations or other cuts, very often cannot avoid other, even fatal, injuries.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The guardrail protector of the invention effectively protects roadsides and similar, minimising the risk of injury to accident victims.

[0008] Said guardrail protectors comprise a plurality of supports anchored to the ground or pavement and hold up a continuity of longitudinal profiles, usually having a railing-shaped cross-section, in a raised position.

[0009] According to the invention, the installation of a pad in the space between the ground or pavement, and the longitudinal profiles, has been envisaged for the purpose of protecting this space while preventing the accident victim from coming to a sudden stop, as they would slide along the pad losing energy until coming to a complete stop. Within the context of this invention, the term "pad" refers to a set of rotating and sensitively parallel rollers, which in the industry is also known as "roller path."

[0010] The roller has the adequate shape and size to cover all or most of said space, in order to fulfil its operating purpose, and will preferably be disposed in a sensitively vertical position.

[0011] Additionally, the rotating rollers pertaining to the pad have an elastic, flexible and/or plastically deformable outer layer, which will contribute to the absorption of impact energy and minimise injuries to the person. This layer, for example, is comprised of materials such as cork, rubber, plastic, etc.

[0012] The pad comprises struts for fixing thereof to its place of use, preferably an upper strut and a lower strut. The rollers are mounted on said struts.

[0013] The invention also envisages, preferably, the insertion of shock-absorbing elements in the struts, which will contribute even more to absorbing impact energy.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] For the purpose of complementing this description and to better understand the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings in accordance with a preferred practical embodiment thereof has been included as an integral part of said description, wherein the following has been represented in an illustrative and non-limiting manner:

Figure 1 shows a view of a guardrail without the protector of the invention.

Figures 2-4 show different views of the guardrail of figure 1, with the protector of the invention installed.

Figure 5 shows a cross-section of a roller pertaining to the pad of the protector of the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The guardrail (2) protector (1) of the invention is used in guardrails (2) on roads and similar, said guardrail (2) consisting of a plurality of supports (3) anchored to the ground or pavement (4), which hold up a continuity of longitudinal profiles (5), having a railing-shaped cross-section, in a raised position.

[0016] A roller (6) has been disposed in the space (7) between the ground or pavement (4) and the longitudinal profiles (5), having an adequate shape and size to cover all or most of said space (7), and in a sensitively vertical position, in this non-limiting example of the invention.

[0017] In order to better absorb energy, the pad (6) rollers (8), in addition to the rotation thereof, include an elastic, flexible and/or plastically deformable outer layer (9), which can be observed in the section shown in figure 5. Said outer layer (9) is comprised of a material such as cork, rubber or plastic.

[0018] In order to assemble and mount the pad (6), the invention has envisaged the implementation of an upper strut (10) and a lower strut (11), between which the rollers (8) are mounted, and which also have anchoring and immobilisation means in the space (7). Said anchoring means preferably relate the upper strut (10) and the lower strut (11) to the supports (3), and ideally comprise shock-absorbing elements (12) such as springs, silent blocks, shock absorbers, etc.

[0019] The upper (10) and lower (11) struts, in this example of the invention, comprise U-shaped crossbars having branches (13) directed towards the rollers (8), achieving adequate rigidity.

[0020] Finally, the roller (6), depending on the length of section to be protected, may consist of several sections.

Claims

1. Guardrail (2) protector (1) for roads and similar, said guardrail (2) comprising a plurality of supports (3) anchored to the ground or pavement (4), which hold up a continuity of longitudinal profiles (5) in a raised position, characterised in that it comprises a pad (6) disposed in the space (7) between the ground or pavement (4) and the longitudinal profiles (5), having an adequate shape and size to cover all or most of said space (7).

2. Guardrail (2) protector (1), according to claim 1, characterised in that the pad (6) is disposed in a sensitively vertical position.

3. Guardrail (2) protector (1), according to claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the rollers (8) of the pad (6) have an elastic, flexible and/or plastically deformable outer layer (9).

4. Guardrail (2) protector (1), according to claim 3, characterised in that the outer layer (8) is comprised of a material selected from among:

cork,

rubber, and

plastic

5. Guardrail (2) protector (1), according to any of the preceding clams, characterised in that the pad (6) comprises an upper strut (10) and a lower strut (11) having anchoring and immobilisation means in the space (7), and between which the rollers (8) are mounted.

6. Guardrail (2) protector (1), according to claim 5, characterised in that the anchoring means relate the upper strut (10) and the lower strut (11) to the supports (3).

7. Guardrail (2) protector (1), according to claims 5 or 6, characterised in that the anchoring means comprise shock-absorbing elements (12).

8. Guardrail (2) protector (1), according to claim 7, characterised in that the shock-absorbing elements (12) comprise components selected from among:

springs,

silent blocks, and

shock absorbers.

9. Guardrail (2) protector (1), according to any of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that the upper strut (10) and lower strut (11) comprise U-shaped crossbars having branches directed towards the rollers (8).

10. Guardrail (2) protector (1), according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pad (6) consists of several sections.

Drawing