Abstract:
Provided is a sign assembly for use in conjunction with a traffic signal. The sign assembly includes an internal power source for powering a lowering mechanism, such as a motor in driven connection with a pulley, and a sign lowering mechanism such as a standard stop sign. The sign assembly further includes a control circuit in electrical communication with the internal circuitry of the traffic signal having a sensor configured to monitor the traffic signal for power loss. The control circuit is configured to lower the stop sign when a loss of power to the traffic signal is detected and raise the stop sign when power is restored to the traffic signal. The stop sign reduces accident risk by reminding drivers to always stop at a four-way traffic signal intersection when the traffic signals lose power and become inoperable.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/100,625 filed on Jan. 7, 2015, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to sign assemblies. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to sign assemblies having a sign that is deployable from a hidden stored position to a visible deployed position in order to reduce the risk of traffic accidents. 
         [0003]    Traffic signals that include red, yellow, and green indicator lights are commonly utilized at four-way intersections to provide instructions for motorists when crossing an intersection in order to reduce the risk of traffic accidents. One drawback of traditional traffic signals is that they are typically hardwired to an electric grid and become inoperable when the grid loses power. Inoperable traffic signals are often overlooked or confronted incorrectly by motorists. A nonfunctioning traffic signal can cause serious vehicle accidents that require expensive repairs and may result in serious injury or even death. Therefore, there is a need for a corrective safety measure that is activated when a traffic signal loses power in order to prevent vehicle accidents. 
         [0004]    When the traffic signals at a four-way intersection lose power and no longer function, motorists are lawfully required to treat the intersection as though it is a fourway stop sign, wherein each vehicle approaching the intersection must stop and wait for the intersection to clear before passing through. While this is intended to prevent accidents that may occur due to an inoperable traffic signal, many motorists are unaware of or simply ignore the law requiring them to treat the inoperable traffic signal as a four-way stop sign. Some motorists continue through the intersection without stopping, which can cause accidents that lead to injury or even death for vehicle occupants or pedestrians. It is therefore desirable to provide a safety device for reminding motorists to stop first when approaching an inoperable traffic light at a four-way intersection. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of traffic signals now present in the prior art, the present disclosure provides a sign assembly wherein the same can be utilized for providing a warning to motorists when a traffic signal loses power. The present system comprises a sign assembly having a housing with peripheral sidewalls that define an open interior volume. The present system further comprises a lowering mechanism such as a motor disposed within the housing in electrical communication with a power source, a pulley attached to a rotating drive shaft in driven connection with the motor, a length of material having proximate and distal ends, the proximate end attached to the pulley, and a sign attached to the distal end of the length of material. The present system additionally includes a control circuit having a sensor configured to monitor electrical power to a traffic signal, wherein the control circuit causes the sign to be lowered out of the open interior volume of the housing if a loss of power to the traffic signal is detected, and raised into the open interior volume of the housing if a return of power to the traffic signal is detected. 
         [0006]    The present disclosure provides a sign assembly that decreases the risk of vehicle accidents by providing safety reminders and warnings to motorists. The present disclosure provides a sign assembly that provides a reminder to motorists to stop at an intersection having a nonfunctioning traffic signal. 
         [0007]    The present disclosure further provides a method of manufacturing a sign assembly. The method includes the following steps: forming a housing having peripheral sidewalls that define an open interior volume; inserting a lowering mechanism within the interior of the housing and attaching the lowering mechanism to the interior of the housing; attaching a sign to the lowering mechanism; and connecting a control circuit to a sensor which is configured to monitor the flow of electrical power to a traffic light, and, connecting the control circuit to the lowering mechanism to allow the control circuit to electrically operate the lowering mechanism to lower the sign out of the open interior volume of the housing if a loss of electrical power to the traffic light is detected by the sensor. Also provided is a method of manufacturing a traffic light. The method includes the following steps: assembling a sign assembly comprising the following steps: forming a housing having peripheral sidewalls that define an open interior volume; inserting a lowering mechanism within the interior of the housing and attaching the lowering mechanism to the interior of the housing; attaching a sign to the lowering mechanism; and connecting a control circuit to a sensor which is configured to monitor the flow of electrical power to a traffic light, and, connecting the control circuit to the lowering mechanism to allow the control circuit to electrically operate the lowering mechanism to lower the sign out of the open interior volume of the housing if a loss of electrical power to the traffic light is detected by the sensor and, providing the traffic light; and electrically connecting the control circuit to the traffic light. 
         [0008]    The present disclosure further provides a sign assembly attachable to a traffic signal. In certain embodiments, the sign assembly may have a control circuit connected to a traffic signal&#39;s integrated circuitry. The control circuit may be configured to monitor the electrical power to a traffic signal and deploy a sign if a power loss is detected. The sign assembly may also be configured to raise the sign to a hidden stored position when restoration of power to the traffic signal occurs. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Although certain features of the disclosed sign assembly are set forth in the claims, the following description and accompanying drawings provides an explanation of the general concept of the sign assembly and manner in which it may be made and used along with various exemplary embodiments. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a sign assembly secured to a traffic signal. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2A  shows a transparent view of an exemplary embodiment of a sign assembly with the sign in a deployed position. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2B  shows a transparent view of an exemplary embodiment of a sign assembly with the sign in a stored position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a flowchart detailing the operation of the control circuitry of an exemplary embodiment of a sign assembly. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  shows a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a sign assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the sign assembly only and not for purposes of limiting the same, and wherein like reference numerals are understood to refer to or depict like components or similar elements of the sign assembly. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. 
         [0016]    The sign assembly may be described as providing a warning for motorists when a traffic signal is inoperable. Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a front perspective view of an exemplary sign assembly according to the present disclosure secured to a traffic signal. The sign assembly  11  includes a sign  14  that may be raised or lowered from a hidden stored position via an attached length of material  13  which may also be referred to as an attaching member. The sign assembly  11  is securable to a rear portion of a traffic signal  12 . The sign assembly  11  is configured to deploy the sign  14  when the traffic signal  12  loses electrical power and becomes inoperable. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 2A , there is shown a transparent view of a sign assembly according to the present disclosure with the sign in a deployed position. The sign assembly  21  comprises a housing  23  having peripheral edges that form an interior volume  22 . A power source  24  is disposed within the interior volume  22  of the housing  23  and provides electrical power to the components of the sign assembly  21 . In some embodiments, the power source  24  may be connected to a solar cell in order to provide energy to the power source  24 . Alternatively, the power source  24  may be any suitable discrete power source such as a battery or rechargeable cell. A control circuit  25  is connected to the power source and is configured to integrate with the circuitry of a traffic signal and cause a sign  30  to be deployed from the housing  23  in the event the traffic signal loses power. The control circuit  25  may comprise various sensors such as a voltmeter, ammeter, or inductor in order to detect the voltage or current being supplied to the traffic signal. 
         [0018]    The power source  24  is in electrical and operable communication with a lowering mechanism, such as motor  26 , which may also be disposed within the interior volume  22  of the housing  23 . A driveshaft  27  having proximate and distal ends is rotatably attached to the motor  26  at the proximate end such that the driveshaft is in driven connection with the motor  26 . In certain embodiments, a pulley  28  is fixedly mounted to the distal end of the driveshaft  27  such that rotation of the driveshaft  27  causes rotation of the pulley  28 . In embodiments including a pulley, a length of material  29  having proximate and distal ends is attached at its proximate end to a center portion of the pulley  28 . In certain embodiments, the length of material  29  may be referred to as a length of coiled material, a length of winding material or a winding. The length of material  29  may be any suitably durable material such as metal, plastic, nylon, etc. and may be any suitable shape, such as a wire, planar strip, or tubular structure, in order to support the length of material  29  as it is wrapped around the circumference of the pulley  28 . In certain embodiments, the length of material  29  may be a flexible material that may wind around the pulley  28  such as a rope, string, strap, wire, etc. In certain embodiments, the length of material  29  may be stranded (i.e., it may consist of twisted or plaited interlaced strands of flexible material) while in other embodiments, the length of material  29  may be non-stranded. In embodiments, which do not include a pulley, a system of levers and hinges may be used to raise and lower the sign assembly. In such embodiments, the sign assembly may be connected to the lowering mechanism through a non- flexible member. In further embodiments, the lowering mechanism of the sign assembly may include a manual mechanism for lowering and raising the sign assembly in addition to or as an alternative to a motor. Such embodiments may provide an alternative means for lowering and raising the sign assembly in case of a disruption in power to the motor, if present. 
         [0019]    A sign  30  is attached to the distal end of the length of material  29 . The sign  31  comprises indicia  31  disposed on a surface thereof In one embodiment, a portion of the sign  30  comprises the word ‘stop’ disposed thereon, and the sign  30  is octagonal in shape such that it resembles a standard stop sign. It should be understood, however, that any type, size, shape of traffic sign may be used with the sign assembly. When utilizing a standard stop sign for the sign  30 , motorists are reminded to treat a four-way signal intersection as a four-way stop sign intersection when the traffic signals are nonfunctioning. In alternative embodiments, other shapes and sizes may be utilized for the sign  30 , as well as other indicia  31 , in order to provide different types of warning messages to motorists. Therefore, although the sign  30  is occasionally referred to herein as a stop sign, it should be understood that other types of traffic signs may be used within the sign assembly. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIG. 2B , there is shown a transparent view of a sign assembly according to the present disclosure with the sign in a stored position. The control circuit  25  is configured to control the position of the sign  30 . When a traffic signal to which the sign assembly  21  is attached is receiving electrical power and functioning normally, the sign  30  remains hidden within the housing  23 , as shown in  FIG. 2B . When a traffic signal loses power and fails to function, the sign  30  is lowered out of the interior volume  22  of the housing  23  to a deployed position where it is visible to motorists, as shown in  FIG. 2A . 
         [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a flowchart detailing the operation of the control circuitry of a sign assembly according to the present disclosure. The control circuit integrates with a traffic signal&#39;s internal circuitry in order to constantly monitor whether the traffic signal is receiving electrical power. In order to accomplish this, the control circuit first determines  101  whether the traffic signal is receiving power by monitoring the electrical activity of the traffic signal&#39;s internal circuitry. The control circuit may utilize various sensors such as an ammeter to measure the current or a voltmeter to measure the voltage flowing to the traffic signal, which determines whether the traffic signal is operable. If the sensor detects that the traffic signal is receiving power, then the control circuit loops and continuously checks  102  the power status of the traffic signal. If it is determined  101  that the traffic signal is not receiving power, then the control circuit causes the motor to actuate and lower  103  the stop sign. 
         [0022]    After the stop sign is lowered  103 , the control circuit determines  104  whether power has been restored to the traffic signal. If the sensor is unable to sense a voltage or current, or if the control circuit determines  104  that the traffic signal power has not yet been restored, then the control circuit loops and continuously checks  106  the traffic signal in order to monitor for a restoration of power thereto. If the control circuit determines  104  that the traffic signal is once again receiving power, then the control circuit causes the motor to actuate in a reverse direction and raise  105  the stop sign back into the interior volume of the housing where it is obscured from view. After the stop sign is raised  105 , the control circuit again checks  102  the status of the traffic signal and returns to continuously monitor the electrical power flowing thereto. In this way, the of the control circuit continuously monitors the electrical power of the traffic signal via sensors such as a voltmeter or ammeter, and causes a sign to be deployed when power is lost and raised when power is restored. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a side perspective view of a sign assembly according to the present disclosure. The sign assembly  41  further comprises one or more mounting apertures  46  that accept a fastener  45  therethrough in order to secure the sign assembly  41  to a traffic signal  42 . Corresponding apertures  47  for receiving the fasteners  45  may be drilled through the housing of a standard traffic signal  42 . The fasteners  45  may be a screw, nut and bolt, or other fastener configured to secure the sign assembly  41  to the traffic signal. The housing sign assembly may comprise additional apertures for connecting the control circuit  44  of the sign assembly  41  to the internal circuitry  43  of the traffic signal  42 . In further embodiments, however, it should be understood that the sign assembly may be constructed as an integral component of a traffic signal. 
         [0024]    While the sign assembly has been described above in connection with various illustrative embodiments, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiments for performing the same function disclosed herein without deviating therefrom. Further, all embodiments disclosed are not necessarily in the alternative, as various embodiments may be combined or subtracted to provide the desired characteristics. Variations can be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope hereof. Therefore, the sign assembly should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitations of the appended claims. 
         [0025]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the present disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.