ROAD SIGN DEVICE

Abstract

 The invention relates to a signaling device (1) for transmitting information in real time, comprising a lighting element (10) which can be inserted in the ground and a control unit (20) linked to the lighting element (10). The lighting element (10) in turn comprises a first layer (11), a fibrous base (12) embedded in the first layer (11), a second layer (13) overlying the first layer (11) and the fibrous base (12), a third layer (14) located between the fibrous base (12) and the second layer (13), an electronic unit (15), embedded in the third layer (14), with connection (16) means (10), for linking to the control unit (20), and an LED display for displaying the information of the control unit (20). The control unit (20) comprises a programmable microcontroller (21) for generating information, and a decoder (22) for converting the information.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention can be included within the technical field of signaling, in particular within that of horizontal road signs or horizontal information signs intended to transmit general information.

[0002] The object of the present invention is a signaling device, which in particular comprises signaling lighting means which are especially advantageous in the case of horizontal signaling.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Different road signaling devices are currently used as road safety means, such as: vertical road signs and horizontal road signs. Particularly, horizontal road signs are more closely related to the invention and comprise: crosswalks, yield signs, stop signs, lane separation lines, etc., all these horizontal signs being created by using paint applied on the pavement.

[0004] Over time, these horizontal road signs become dirty, erased and less visible, especially in low-light conditions, cloudy days, fog or simply at night-time.

[0005] In order to solve these problems, traffic light-type road signaling devices have been developed, i.e. signs intended to be arranged covering the ground in order to provide the users, i.e. pedestrians and drivers, with information referring to the road signaling.

[0006] In this sense, document WO2016016484A1 is known which refers to a road signaling device incorporating improvements in terms of durability and lighting. The road signaling device has a base plate, which in a preferred embodiment is made of metal, on which LED strips are arranged, wherein both the base plate and the LEDs are embedded between two layers made of resin.

[0007] Despite this, this road signaling device is not versatile since the use thereof is solely focused on switching the LEDs on and off as a whole, without enabling, among other things, for it to be updated in real time or to display general information.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention is a signaling device for transmitting information to pedestrians and/or vehicles in real time, comprising at least one lighting element and a control unit linked to the lighting element.

[0009] Said lighting element comprises:

• a first layer made of translucent and whitish resin,
• a fibrous base embedded in the first layer to provide the first layer with mechanical strength, and
• a second layer made of translucent and whitish resin, overlying the first layer made of resin and the fibrous base, forming a strong and waterproof body intended to be located on the ground and configured to be travelled over by both pedestrians and vehicles,
• a third layer made of translucent and whitish resin, located between the fibrous base and the second layer, and
• an electronic unit, embedded in the third layer, which in turn comprises:

  ∘ connection means, for linking to the control unit, and

  ∘ an LED display linked to the connection means for displaying the information generated by the control unit.

[0010] Preferably, the first, the second or the third layers are made of polyester resin, the LED display is a 14-segment display, and the lighting element comprises a fourth non-slip and non-stick protective layer located on the second layer.

[0011] Alternatively, the LED display is an LED array located such that they can display images and different types of letters for text.

[0012] Meanwhile, the control unit comprises:

• a programmable microcontroller for generating the information such as preset text or images, and
• a decoder linked to the programmable microcontroller and to the connection means, in order to convert the information generated in the programmable microcontroller into a format able to be displayed by the LED display and transmitting it to the LED display.

[0013] Preferably, the control unit comprises communication mechanisms intended to establish communication with external devices.

[0014] The external devices are devices selected from among: mobile phones, computers, traffic lights, cameras, speed sensors, pressure sensors, moisture sensors or presence sensors, and the communication means with external devices are communication means selected from among: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or NFC. Through this communication with external devices, the information displayed by the LED display can be adapted to different changes in real time.

[0015] Preferably, the control unit is linked to a plurality of lighting elements through the decoder, such that each 14-segment display can represent at least one different character, resulting in the representation of different phrases arranged in different manners, according to the location of the lighting elements.

[0016] In this manner, this signaling device is versatile since it can modify and display in real time the information on the LED display with both information preset in the control unit and by means of information updated by the external devices.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to complement the description being made and with the object of helping to better understand the features of the invention, in accordance with a preferred practical exemplary embodiment thereof, said description is accompanied, as an integral part thereof, by a set of drawings where, in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a first embodiment of the lighting element.

Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a second embodiment of the lighting element.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the signaling device (1) for transmitting information to pedestrians and/or vehicles in real time comprises a plurality of lighting elements (10) and a control unit (20) linked to the lighting elements (10).

[0019] Preferably, these lighting elements (10) are installed in the vicinity of a crosswalk and configured so that pedestrians can see it.

[0020] More specifically, the control unit (20) comprises a programmable microcontroller (21) for generating the information such as preset texts or images, a decoder (22) linked to the programmable microcontroller (21) and to the lighting elements (10), in order to convert the information generated in the programmable microcontroller (21) into a format able to be displayed by the lighting element (10) and transmitting it thereto.

[0021] Additionally, the control unit (20) comprises communication mechanisms (23) intended to establish communication with an external device (24). Preferably, the communication means (24) are Bluetooth, and the external device (24) is a speed sensor installed in the vicinity of the crosswalk and configured to measure the traffic speed.

[0022] Thus, depending on the speed and the distance measured by the external device (24), the control unit (20) can indicate, through the plurality of lighting elements (10), to pedestrians if they can cross or not in a safe manner and in real time. It can also indicate the speed of the vehicle near the crosswalk to the pedestrian or vehicle.

[0023] Moreover, as shown in Figure 2, in order to be able to display this information and be travelled on by vehicles and pedestrians, the lighting element (10), in the first preferred embodiment thereof, in turn comprises:

• a first layer (11) made of translucent and whitish resin,
• a fibrous base (12) embedded in the first layer (11) to provide it with mechanical strength, and
• a second layer (13) made of translucent and whitish resin, overlying the first layer (11) made of resin and the fibrous base (12), forming a strong and waterproof body intended to be located on the ground and configured to be travelled over by both pedestrians and vehicles,
• a third layer (14) made of translucent and whitish resin, located between the fibrous base (12) and the second layer (13), and
• a fourth non-slip and non-stick protective layer (18) on the second layer (13), and
• an electronic unit (15), embedded in the third layer (14), which in turn comprises:

  ∘ connection means (16), for linking to the control unit (20), and

  ∘ an LED display such as a 14-segment display (17) linked to the connection means (16) for displaying the information generated by the control unit (20).

[0024] In this manner, the lighting element (10) has enough stiffness to be installed in the ground and can be updated in real time based on different factors, displaying information such as text.

[0025] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 3, the lighting element (10), in the second preferred embodiment thereof, in turn comprises:

• the first layer (11) made of translucent and whitish resin,
• the fibrous base (12) embedded in the first layer (11) to provide it with mechanical strength, and
• the second layer (13) made of translucent and whitish resin, overlying the first layer (11) made of resin and the fibrous base (12), forming a strong and waterproof body intended to be located on the ground and configured to be travelled over by both pedestrians and vehicles,
• the third layer (14) made of translucent and whitish resin, located between the fibrous base (12) and the second layer (13), and
• a fourth non-slip and non-stick protective layer (18) on the second layer (13), and
• the electronic unit (15), embedded in the third layer (14), which in turn comprises:

  ∘ the connection means (16), for linking to the control unit (20), and

  ∘ the LED display is an LED array (19) linked to the connection means (16) in order to display the information generated by the control unit (20).

[0026] In this manner, the lighting element (10) can display information such as images and different types of letters for text.

Claims

1. A signaling device (1) for transmitting information to pedestrians and/or vehicles in real time, comprising at least one lighting element (10) and a control unit (20) linked to the lighting element (10), wherein the lighting element (10) in turn comprises:

- a first layer (11) made of translucent and whitish resin,

- a fibrous base (12) embedded in the first layer (11) to provide it with mechanical strength, and

- a second layer (13) made of translucent and whitish resin, overlying the first layer (11) made of resin and the fibrous base (12), forming a strong and waterproof body intended to be located on the ground and configured to be travelled over by both pedestrians and vehicles,

wherein the signaling device (1) is characterized in that:

- the lighting element (10) additionally comprises:

- a third layer (14) made of translucent and whitish resin, located between the fibrous base (12) and the second layer (13), and

- an electronic unit (15), embedded in the third layer (14), which in turn comprises:

- connection means (16), for linking to the control unit (20), and

- an LED display linked to the connection means (16) for displaying the information generated by the control unit (20), and

- in that the control unit (20) comprises:

- a programmable microcontroller (21) for generating the information such as preset text or images, and

- a decoder (22) linked to the programmable microcontroller (21) and to the connection means (16), in order to convert the information generated in the programmable microcontroller (21) into a format able to be displayed by the LED display and transmitting it to the LED display.

2. The signaling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (20) comprises communication mechanisms (23) intended to establish communication with external devices (24).

3. The signaling device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said external devices (24) are devices selected from among: mobile phones, computers, traffic lights, cameras, speed sensors, pressure sensors, moisture sensors or presence sensors.

4. The signaling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said communication mechanisms (23) with external devices (24) are selected from among: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or NFC.

5. The signaling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit (20) is linked to a plurality of lighting elements (10).

6. The signaling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the first, the second or the third layers (11, 13, 14) are made of polyester resin.

7. The signaling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the LED display is a 14-segment display (17).

8. The signaling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the LED display is an LED array (19).

9. The signaling device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lighting element (10) comprises a fourth non-slip and non-stick protective layer (18) on the second layer (13).

Drawing