Abstract:
A flexible parking post is provided with an aluminum base, a flexible support and a rigid square tube which are mechanically fastened together, thus resulting in a durable device that may be used to easily display signs in parking lots or any other location. It can also be used to act as a barrier at the end of a parking space.

Description:
[0001]    The following application claims priority on U.S. provisional application S.No. 60/403,627, filed Aug. 15, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a post and more specifically to a flexible post that can be used to easily display signs in parking lots or any other location. It cn also be used to act as a barrier at the end of a parking space. The flexible parking post is made of a flexible support and a rigid square tube. The flexible support enables the post to bend upon an object impact and resume its normal upright position after the impact force is removed.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    “Handicap”, “Reserved Parking”, “No Parking” and other signs have been used in the parking lots since the expansion of the motor vehicle industry. In rural areas, these signs can generally be installed several inches from the end of the parking space to make sure that the motorist does not hit the post when he parks his motor vehicle. In many highly populated areas where the space is scarce, these signs, generally mounted on rigid U-Channel posts, are generally installed only a few inches from the end of the parking space. It is a well known fact that these rigid posts are sometimes impacted by the vehicles. The result of only one impact by a motor vehicle is high maintenance costs to repair the damaged post and a lost of effectiveness of the sign while the post is damaged. To limit the maintenance costs and to ensure the effectiveness of the signs, it is preferable that these signs should be mounted on flexible posts to make sure that the signs will always remain in an upright position.  
           [0004]    So far, there is no product that has been specifically designed to mount signs few inches from the end of the parking space. In some cases, to limit maintenance costs, collapsible traffic posts, similar to U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,233 to Green, can be used. This solution reduces the repair time but it does not permit the post to always remain in an upright position.  
           [0005]    Plenty of flexible solutions have also been developed. Most of these solutions have been developed to act as road delineators or similar applications (eg. U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,385 to Kennedy, U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,307 to Joyner et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,277 to Cole, Sr. et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,236 to Hughes). These solutions are well suited to be installed in grass. They are not designed to be installed in concrete or asphalt which is the pavement most frequently used at the end of the parking space. Other solutions that can be installed easily on asphalt or concrete have been developed (U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,262 to Ahn, U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,311 to Hughes, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,144 to Lizakowski and U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,814 to Clark et al.) but none of these solutions have been specifically designed to be an esthetic and economical solution to act as a barrier or to support a sign in a parking lot.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The principal object of the invention is to provide a parking post that is flexible and resilient upon vehicle impact.  
           [0007]    Another object of the invention is to provide a parking post formed of materials that are impact resistant.  
           [0008]    Another object of the invention is to provide a parking post that can be installed easily in asphalt or concrete.  
           [0009]    Another object of the invention is to provide a mean to easily display messages in parking lots or other locations.  
           [0010]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a solution that is esthetic, durable and economical.  
           [0011]    According to the present invention, there is provided a flexible parking post comprising of a base having first and second base members, the base members being secured to each other, a flexible support, the flexible support being formed of an elastomeric material, the flexible support having a curvature therein about a vertical axis, a bottom portion of the flexible support being secured to the base members, a rigid vertical tube secured to an upper portion of the flexible support and a sign secured to an upper portion of the rigid tube.  
           [0012]    The base is preferably formed of aluminum material and can mainly be fabricated of two aluminum angles that are mechanically fastening to each other. The aluminum angles would have an horizontal segment which seats on the substrate and a vertical segment, the vertical segments being secured to each other. The horizontal segments or legs will provide a stable base that can easily be bolted or otherwise secured to the substrate.  
           [0013]    The flexible support is preferably formed of a curved flexible elastomeric material with a curvature being formed about the vertical axis of the flexible support. The flexible support is preferably installed with the convex side of the curvature facing the oncoming traffic.  
           [0014]    There is also provided a rigid post which may be of any convenient shape and is preferably of an impact resistant plastic. The post will also have a greater stiffness than the flexible support to allow the flexible support to bend upon vehicle impact. After the impact force is removed, it will resume its normal upright position.  
           [0015]    There may be a sign or other displayed device attached to the upper portion of the rigid tube—i.e. the sign can be used to display advertisement, names, rules, pictograms or any other message in parking lots or other locations. Preferably, the sign is made of an impact resistant plastic. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    Having thus generally describe the invention, reference made to the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present flexible parking post, showing the various elements thereof and their relationships to one another;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a side view, showing the flexible action of the present flexible parking post and the nature of the flexible bending occurring therein when struck; 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]    [0019]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the present flexible parking post, designated generally by the reference numeral  10 . The flexible parking post is basically formed of an aluminum base  12 , a flexible support  14 , a rigid square tube  16  and a sign  18 .  
         [0020]    An aluminum base  12  is made of two aluminum angles  20  and  22  that re fastened to each other by their respective leg where one leg  24  of the aluminum angle  20  is facing one leg  26  of the aluminum angle  22 . Each of the elements  20  of the aluminum base  12  and flexible support  14  are provided with a plurality of holes  28 . The aluminum angles  20  and the flexible support  14  are assembled together with each set of holes  28  being in alignment with one another. A bolt  30  is inserted through the holes  28  of the aluminum base  12  and flexible support  14 . The assembly is then secured with a nylon locknut  32 . Furthermore, a hole  40  has to be provided in the leg  26  of the aluminum angle  22 . A bold  42  is inserted through the hole  40  and is then secured with two nylon locknuts  44 . When the flexible support  14  bends, the locknuts  44  ensure that there is not an excessive flattening of the curvature of the element  14 . The latter would result in a permanent deformation of the elastomeric material of the flexible support  14  that will affect the effectiveness of the flexible support  14 .  
         [0021]    The flexible support  14  is preferably formed of a curved flexible elastomeric material, although other materials may be used as desired, with the width and the thickness of the element adjusted accordingly. The elastomeric material provides the resiliency and return after being deformed, while the appropriate width and thickness provide the desired stiffness to support the rigid square tube and the sign. The flexible support  14  has preferably a curved shape about Axis A, as shown in FIG. 1. The curved shape provides additional stiffness to the flexible support  14 . Flexible support  14  is preferably installed with the convex side  34  of the curvature facing the oncoming direction of traffic. The flexible support  14  and the rigid tube  16  are provided with a plurality of holes  36 . The flexible support  14  and the rigid tube  16  are assembled together with each set of holes  36  being in alignment with one another. A bolt  30  is inserted through the holes  36  of the flexible support  14  and the rigid tube  16 . The assembly is then secured with two washers  46  and a nylon locknut  32 .  
         [0022]    The rigid tube  16  is preferably a square tube formed with an impact resistant plastic. The rigid tube  16  is preferably a square tube, although other shapes may be used as desired, with the width, thickness or radius of the shape adjusted accordingly. The square tube provides the stiffness and the torsion strength required. To ensure the effectiveness of the parking post  10 , the stiffness of the rigid tube  16  has to be grater than the stiffness of the flexible support  14 . The rigid tube  16  is preferably formed of an impact resistant plastic, although other materials may be used as desired, with the width and thickness of the shape adjusted accordingly. Rigid tube  16  and sing  18  are provided with a plurality of holes  38 . The element  16  and the element  18  are assembled together with each set of holes  38  being in alignment with one another. A bolt  30  is inserted through the holes  38  of the rigid tube and sign  18 . The assembly is then secured with a nylon locknut  32 .  
         [0023]    The sign  18  is basically a thin rectangular piece of impact resistant plastic which can be used to display advertisements, names, rules, pictograms or any other message in the parking lots or other locations. The sign  18  has preferably a rectangular shape, although other shapes may be used as desired. The element  18  is preferably made of an impact resistant plastic, although aluminum,. water-resistant paperboard or any other material may be used as desired. Depending on the material used, the shape of the element  18  will be adjusted accordingly. The lightness of the element  18  shall be sufficient to permit the elements  14 ,  16  and  18  to return to their upright position after vehicle impact.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a side view, showing the flexible action of the flexible post  10 . It will be seen that it is only the flexible post  14  that bends upon vehicle impact. The shape of base  12 , rigid tube  15 , and sign  18  remain unchanged. After the impact force is removed, the flexible post  10  returns to its normal upright position.