WATER BARRICADE

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to barricade systems, and in particular, barricade systems comprising a plurality of separable segments.

BACKGROUND

Conventional lightweight road barricade systems include plastic segments that may or may not be filled with a weighting material that are designed to absorb or transfer the energy of an impact from a vehicle. The systems are typically installed on the end of “jersey” or “k-rail” barriers that may serve as permanent or temporary medians or guiderails on the side of a roadway, or are otherwise used as stand-alone roadway guidance or barriers. Some advantages to these plastic segment systems are that they are lightweight, easily transportable when unweighted, and are easily arranged to conform to road or curb contours and traffic patterns. Conventional systems are commonly molded in a process known as rotational molding, which results in a thick plastic element.

These conventional plastic lightweight barricade systems also have significant disadvantages. For example, the lightweight nature of the unweighted barrier segments may make them easily displaced when being transported. Moreover, the segments are by their nature bulky and voluminous, which makes transportation of these systems inefficient.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure includes a modular barricade including an array of barricade formations. A barricade device can comprise a body defined by a front wall, rear wall, top wall, bottom wall, and a plurality of side walls. The barricade can include an engagement member that extends from a lower portion of a rear wall. The engagement member comprises an engagement member surface that extends from the rear wall of the body at an angle. An engagement between the first barricade device and the second barricade device is configured to generate a mated pair of barricade devices. The engagement between the first barricade device and the second barricade device restricts motion of the mated pair along the first engagement member surface and the second engagement member surface.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method comprises coupling a pair of barricades for transport and/or storage. Coupling a pair of barricades into a packing unit can include inverting a first barricade with respect to a second barricade device such that the respective engagement member surfaces of each barricade mate in a compact, nested and mating formation. The method includes aligning alignment protrusions and alignment notches by orienting alignment protrusions adjacent to alignment notches along an alignment axis (A-A). The method also includes engaging the alignment protrusions and alignment notches for the first barricade and the second barricade to each other.

According to another embodiment, the disclosure includes a barricade apparatus. The body can be defined by a bottom region, middle region and top region. At least one of the bottom region, the middle region and the top region comprises a an engagement surface that extends from the body at an angle. A mating or engagement between the barricade apparatus and a second barricade apparatus can be oriented along the engagement surfaces of both apparatuses. The orientation of the engagement surfaces can stabilize a mated pair of the barricade apparatus and the second barricade apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate disclosed embodiments and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front isometric view of a barricade according to certain aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a rear isometric view of a barricade according to certain aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates the barricade of FIG. 1 with a connector pin.

FIG. 4A illustrates a top view of a system of barricades arranged in formation.

FIG. 4B illustrates a zoomed view of a connection between two barricades in the system of barricades in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a barricade coupled to a fence.

FIG. 6A illustrates the rear isometric view of a barricade in FIG. 2 with weighted bags.

FIG. 6B illustrates a top view of the barricade of FIG. 2 with weighted bags.

FIG. 7A illustrates an isometric rear view of an alternative embodiment of the barricade.

FIG. 7B illustrates an isometric front view of an alternative embodiment of the barricade.

FIG. 7C illustrates a side view of the alternative embodiment of the barricade oriented along a vertical symmetry line.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exploded view of a system of barricades arranged in a packing formation.

FIG. 9A illustrates an isometric view of a system of barricades laying on a pallet.

FIG. 9B illustrates a side view of the system of barricades in FIG. 9A.

FIG. 10A illustrates a side view of a plurality of barricades in a stacked configuration for transport in a semi-truck trailer.

FIG. 10B illustrates a partial isometric view of the stacked configuration of the plurality of barricades in FIG. 10A.

FIG. 11 illustrates a packing unit and partial view of the packing unit engaging a pallet for transport.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example flow diagram (e.g., process 1200) for packaging barricades from transport.

In one or more implementations, not all of the depicted components in each figure may be required, and one or more implementations may include additional components not shown in a figure. Variations in the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from the scope of the subject disclosure. Additional components, different components, or fewer components may be utilized within the scope of the subject disclosure.

In addition, each of the drawings is a schematic diagram and thus is not necessarily strictly illustrated. In each of the drawings, substantially the same structural components are assigned with the same reference signs, and redundant descriptions will be omitted or simplified.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of various implementations and is not intended to represent the only implementations in which the subject technology may be practiced. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described implementations may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, while the barricade systems discussed herein may be implemented in many different forms, the disclosure will show in the drawings, and will herein describe in detail, implementations with the understanding that the present description is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the modular barricade system and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the disclosure to the implementations illustrated. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a front and rear isometric view of a barricade 100. The barricade 100 can comprise a body 102. The body 102 can comprise plastics or other rigid material wherein the rigidity is of sufficient deformative strength to reduce the motion of an external body that engages the body. In a further aspect, the body 102 can be configured to comprise hollow regions. The hollow regions allow the barricade 100 to have less mass and ease transportation of the body 102 due to less weight. The body 102 can comprise a cavity openings 104A-B. The cavity openings 104A-B can comprise orifices providing access to the hollow cavity of the body 102. The exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 show cavity openings 104A on top surface 107 and near the bottom of the front wall 111. The cavity openings provide access into the cavity of the body 102 such that the cavity can be filled with a filler material such as water or sand. The arrangement of the cavity opening 104A at the top surface 107 and the cavity opening 104B at the bottom region of the front wall 111 or rear wall 113 allows a user to fill the body cavity from the cavity opening 104A on the top surface 107. The filler material can be subsequently drained using gravity at the opening of the cavity opening 104B at the bottom of the front wall 111 or rear wall 113. In a further aspect, the cavity openings 104A-B can be sealed using a cap 106. The cap 106 can be a plug configured to engage and be secured in the cavity opening to prevent filler material from exiting the body 102. The cap 106 can comprise a locking mechanism such as a screw-type engagement with the body or a locking tab.

In a further aspect, the front wall can comprise a plurality of alignment notches 108. The alignment notches can interlock two barricades. An alignment notch can be an indentation on the front wall of the body. The alignment notch 108 is configured to engage with an alignment protrusion 109 that would extend from the surface of the body 102. The engagement of the alignment notch 108 and the alignment protrusion 109 can be used when stacking two barricades 100 for transport. In other aspects, the alignment notches 108 can all be oriented on the front side with the alignment protrusions 109 on the rear side. In another aspect, the alignment notches 108 and alignment protrusions 109 can both be on the same side. As depicted in FIG. 2, the barricade can also comprise a lighting notch 140. The lighting notch can be an indentation in the top wall or rear wall of the barricade that is sufficiently sized to hold a barricade light 142. The barricade can be subdivided into regions along the height of the barricade: top region (Rt), middle region (Rm) and bottom region (Rb). In a further aspect, the regions Rt, Rm and Rb can different widths along the dimension (Bw). For example, the width of the bottom region (Rb) can be greater than the top region (Rt). In yet a further aspect, a portion of the middle region Rm can extend at an angle away from the middle region (e.g. an angle (ϕ) as depicted in FIGS. 7C and 9B).

As shown on FIGS. 1-3, the side walls 134 of the body 102 can comprise components of an engagement joint 110. In one aspect, the engagement joint 110 can comprise a tongue and groove joint-type connection. The groove portion 110A can comprise multiple protrusions from the side wall of the body 102 that can be spaced apart such that the tongue portion 110B engages between protrusions of the groove portion 110A when two barricades are placed side by side, for example, as depicted in FIG. 4A and 4B.

To secure the engagement between the tongue and groove joint-type connectors 110A and 110B, the respective protrusions comprise alignment holes. As shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, an alignment pin 114 can be inserted through the holes (aperture) 112. In a further aspect, the front wall can define an alignment pin recess 116 for retaining the alignment pin 114. The alignment pin recess 116 can comprise an indentation that is shaped to hold the alignment pin 114 for storage while also making the alignment pin accessible and less prone to being misplaced. As discussed earlier, the alignment pin 114 can be used to secure the engagement joint 110 between two barricades 100. In addition to securing the engagement joint 110, the alignment pin 114 can function as a pivot point for two connected barricades 100 such that the barricades can rotate with respect to each other. The functionality provided by pivoting around the alignment pin 114 allows a plurality of barricades to be arranged in multiple formations. For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the packing unit 200 can be oriented at various angles to facilitate multiple barricade options. In a further aspect, a side wall 134 that defines the joint connectors 110A and 110B can comprise angled region 136, and the angled sections can be beveled with respect to the front wall 111 and rear wall 113 of the body 102 (e.g., as depicted in FIG. 4A, angle β, wherein the angle β can range between 0 and 90 degrees). The angled surface 136 has a functionality that permits the angle of rotation between the two respective barricades to be increased. For example, the angled regions 136 permit a first barricade 100 to rotate between at least 0 and 180 degrees with respect to a second barricade. In yet another embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 5, the alignment pin 114 can be substituted for fence poles 130. When fence poles 130 are being used to couple barricades, the alignment pin 114 can remain stored in the pin recess 116. A fence 132 can be coupled to span between two poles engaged in the holes 112 of the tongue 110B and groove portion 110A. In other aspects, the fencing 132 can comprise other types of obstruction to span the two poles 130, including translucent materials such as plexiglass, or semitransparent or opaque materials such as a tarp or woven screen.

As depicted on FIGS. 6A and 6B, the rear wall 113 of the body 102 can comprise an engagement member 118. In one aspect, the engagement member 118 extends from the lower region of the rear wall 113. In another embodiment, the engagement member 118 can extend from the front wall 111. Functionally, the engagement member 118 extending from the lower region of the body 102 lowers the center of gravity of the body and provides additional stability to the barricade 100. In a further aspect, the engagement member 118 can comprise a member trough 120. The member trough 120 can be structurally configured to hold weighted bags 121 for additional stability. The weighted bags can hold weighted materials such as sand. As depicted in FIG. 6A, the engagement member top surface 122 can be chamfered or angled with respect to the rear wall 113 of the body 102. This angled surface 122 can function as an engagement surface when two barricades are coupled to each other. When preparing to transport and/or store barricades, the structural orientation of the engagement member top surface 122 facilitates a compact packing arrangement of barricades. In an alternative embodiment, as depicted in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and FIG. 7c, the barricade 100 may not include a member trough 120. The alternative embodiment of the barricade also can comprise the engagement top surface 122 similar to the embodiment in FIG. 2. As depicted in FIG. 7A, the alternative embodiment can include a centralized engagement member top surface 123 located approximately in the center of the rear surface with respect to the width of the alternative embodiment. The embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1-3 and 7A-7C can comprise a side view wherein the cross-section oriented along a vertical symmetry line 146 is asymmetrical. The asymmetrical structure along the side cross-section profile facilitates a flush engagement between two barricades when the barricades are engaged together.

As depicted in FIG. 8, one barricade can be inverted such that the second barricade is: 1) flipped upside-down to switch the orientation of the top wall and bottom wall; and 2) flipped a second time to switch the orientation of the top wall and the bottom wall. As depicted in FIG. 8, two barricades 100 can be aligned to engage the respective alignment notches 108 and alignment protrusions 109, mounting the barricades 100 flush along the angled engagement member top surface 122.

As depicted in FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B, the packing unit 200 of two barricades are coupled, and the structural orientation generated by the angled engagement member top surface 122 (Angle ϕ, ranging between 0 and 90 degrees) of the engagement member 118 yields a more compact engagement between two barricades packed together, reducing the stacking height (Sh) and stacking width (Sw). The packing unit 200, can comprise at least a mated pair of two barricades 100. When a packing unit 200 is created by flipping and rotating two barricades relative to each other, the engagement member top surfaces 122 facilitate a compact packing unit. The resulting packing unit is compact because the respective mated engagement member top surfaces engage each other and restrict motion. For example, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the angled engagement member top surface 122 restricts the barricades from sliding over each other in the direction of the packing unit width dimension (Sw). As discussed earlier, the packing unit can be further secured by the interlocking of the alignment protrusions 109 and engagement notches 108; such that motion along the length dimensions (Sl) can also be restricted. Thus, during transportation, the storage density of barricades 100 can be increased.

For example, as shown in FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, a higher amount of barricades can be packaged and stored in a trailer and transported (e.g., a 53-foot semi-trailer truck. The packing units 200 can be prepared for transportation by placing the unit on a pallet 202. In a further example, two-hundred individual barricades or one-hundred packing units can be packaged to fit in the 53-foot semi-trailer truck. As depicted in FIG. 11, the pallet 202 can be customized to the dimensions of the barricade 100, such that the channel 204 of the pallets are oriented to engage the protrusions 109. The customized alignment of the pallet channels 204 permits the surface of the barricade that engages a pallet to surface. The flush contact between the pallet204 and barricade 100 can reduce movement of the barricade during transport. In yet a further aspect, the packing unit 200 can be banded with a strap 206. The strap 206 can comprise high tensile materials such as metal or plastic allowing an arrangement of eight barricades (four packing units) to be stacked vertically.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example flow diagram (e.g., process 1200) for packaging barricades from transport. For explanatory purposes, the example process 1200 is described herein with reference to one or more of the figures above. Further for explanatory purposes, the steps of the example process 1200 are described herein as occurring in serial, or linearly. However, multiple instances of the example process 1200 may occur in parallel. For purposes of explanation of the subject technology, the process 1200 will be discussed in reference to one or more of the figures above. Coupling a pair of barricades into a packing unit can include at step 1202, inverting a first barricade with respect to a second barricade device such that the respective engagement member surfaces (middle region Rm) of each barricade mate with another. At step 1204, the alignment protrusions and alignment notches can be aligned. In a further aspect, alignment can comprise orienting alignment protrusions adjacent to alignment notches along an alignment axis (A-A). At step 1206, the alignment protrusions and alignment notches for the first barricade and the second barricade are engaged to each other. These steps can be repeated for a stack of barricades, wherein a desired stack of barricades can be further stabilized with a strap.

While some implementations have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the disclosure, and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims. Terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear” and the like as used in this disclosure should be understood as referring to an arbitrary frame of reference, rather than to the ordinary gravitational frame of reference. Thus, a top surface, a bottom surface, a front wall, and a rear wall may extend upwardly, downwardly, diagonally, or horizontally in a gravitational frame of reference. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “include,” “have,” or the like is used in the description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprise” as “comprise” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Phrases such as an aspect, the aspect, another aspect, some aspects, one or more aspects, an implementation, the implementation, another implementation, some implementations, one or more implementations, an embodiment, the embodiment, another embodiment, some embodiments, one or more embodiments, a configuration, the configuration, another configuration, some configurations, one or more configurations, the subject technology, the disclosure, the present disclosure, other variations thereof and alike are for convenience and do not imply that a disclosure relating to such phrase(s) is essential to the subject technology or that such disclosure applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an aspect or some aspects may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa, and this applies similarly to other foregoing phrases.

A reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically stated, but rather “one or more.” Pronouns in the masculine (e.g., his) include the feminine and neuter gender (e.g., her and its) and vice versa. The term “some” refers to one or more. Underlined and/or italicized headings and subheadings are used for convenience only, do not limit the subject technology, and are not referred to in connection with the interpretation of the description of the subject technology. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various configurations described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the subject technology. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the above description.

While this specification contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of particular implementations of the subject matter. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

The subject matter of this specification has been described in terms of particular aspects, but other aspects can be implemented and are within the scope of the following claims. For example, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. The actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results. As one example, the processes depicted in the accompanying figures do not necessarily require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the aspects described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all aspects, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.

The title, background, brief description of the drawings, abstract, and drawings are hereby incorporated into the disclosure and are provided as illustrative examples of the disclosure, not as restrictive descriptions. It is submitted with the understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the detailed description, it can be seen that the description provides illustrative examples, and the various features are grouped together in various implementations for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed configuration or operation. The claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

The claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects described herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims and to encompass all legal equivalents. Notwithstanding, none of the claims are intended to embrace subject matter that fails to satisfy the requirements of the applicable patent law, nor should they be interpreted in such a way.

The disclosed systems and methods are well adapted to attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as those that are inherent therein. The particular implementations disclosed above are illustrative only, as the teachings of the present disclosure may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown, other than as described in the claims below. It is therefore evident that the particular illustrative implementations disclosed above may be altered, combined, or modified and all such variations are considered within the scope of the present disclosure. The systems and methods illustratively disclosed herein may suitably be practiced in the absence of any element that is not specifically disclosed herein and/or any optional element disclosed herein. While compositions and methods are described in terms of “comprising,” “containing,” or “including” various components or steps, the compositions and methods can also “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the various components and steps. All numbers and ranges disclosed above may vary by some amount. Whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood to set forth every number and range encompassed within the broader range of values. Also, the terms in the claims have their plain, ordinary meaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the patentee. Moreover, the indefinite articles “a” or “an,” as used in the claims, are defined herein to mean one or more than one of the element that it introduces. If there is any conflict in the usages of a word or term in this specification and one or more patent or other documents that may be incorporated herein by reference, the definitions that are consistent with this specification should be adopted.

As used herein, the phrase “at least one of” preceding a series of items, with the terms “and” or “or” to separate any of the items, modifies the list as a whole, rather than each article of the list (i.e., each item). The phrase “at least one of” allows a meaning that includes at least one of any one of the items, and/or at least one of any combination of the items, and/or at least one of each of the items. By way of example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” or “at least one of A, B, or C” each refer to only A, only B, or only C; any combination of A, B, and C; and/or at least one of each of A, B, and C.