Patent Publication Number: US-2022220680-A1

Title: Bollard system

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation application of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/947,544 (Attorney Docket No. 4444.00004) filed on Aug. 6, 2020 and titled BOLLARD SYSTEM. The content of this application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to systems for bollards. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system for easily deployable and storable bollards. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Bollards are short vertical posts that are often used to obstruct the passage of motor vehicles. In conventional systems, each bollard is attached to a horizontal steel beam that is embedded in concrete. In embodiments wherein bollards are not permanently desired, beach bollard may be removed from its steel beam and stored when not in use. This creates a significant man-power and logistics concern to remove and install the bollards when necessary as the bollards must be stored remotely from where they will be deployed. Therefore, a need exists for a bollard system, which allows the bollard to be stored in place and easily deployed. 
     This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the deficiencies in the prior art by providing a bollard system that is easily storable, installable, and deployable. The bollard system may have a bollard, a carrier device, a lock plate, and a cover plate. The bollard may be rotatable between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration. The carrier device may have a recess adapted to carry the bollard in the stowed configuration, and the carrier device may be adapted to be recessed within the surface of the ground. The lock plate may be adapted to be received by the carrier device to maintain the bollard in the deployed configuration. 
     The cover plate may be carried by the carrier device and may be adapted to cover at least a portion of the recess of the carrier device. The cover plate may be moveable between an opened position and a closed position. When the cover plate is in the opened position, the bollard may be rotatable between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration. When the cover plate is in the closed position, the cover plate may be configured to be flush with the surface of the ground. 
     The cover plate may include a first cover plate and a second cover plate. The first and second cover plates may be hingedly connected to the carrier device and may be moveable between the open position and the closed position. 
     The system may include at least one protrusion extending outwardly from a first end of the carrier device. The protrusion(s) may be adapted to contact an object with a torsional force when the object contacts the bollard in the deployed configuration with a predetermined force that may be defined as a force that moves the protrusion from its installed position. 
     The system may further include a front retaining plate that may be secured to the carrier device proximate the bollard on a side of the bollard that opposes the recess. The front retaining plate may be configured to prevent rotation of the bollard beyond an angle measured between the bollard and the carrier device in the deployed configuration. 
     The system may yet further include a pivot rod that may be secured to the bollard and received by a pivot carrier of the carrier device. The bollard may rotate between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration about a longitudinal axis of the pivot rod. The front retaining plate may be positioned and configured to retain the pivot rod within the recess when secured to the carrier device and may allow removal of the pivot rod from the recess when unsecured from the carrier device. 
     The lock plate may be configured to prevent the bollard from moving from the deployed position when the bollard is impacted. 
     The carrier device may include a first lock plate channel formed in a wall on a side of the recess and a second lock plate channel formed in a wall on a side that is opposite of the first side. The first lock plate channel and the second lock plate channel may be cooperatively configured to carry the lock plate when the bollard is in the deployed configuration. 
     The system may include a tether that has one end secured to the carrier device and another end secured to the lock plate. The carrier device may include a plurality of planar members carried by the carrier device and that may be adapted to support a combined weight of the bollard and an object placed upon the cover plate when in the stowed configuration. Each of the plurality of planar members may have an arcuate surface. 
     Another embodiment may be a bollard system having a bollard, a carrier device, a lock plate, a cover plate, a pivot rod, at least one protrusion, and a front retaining plate. The bollard may be rotatable between a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration. The carrier device may have a recess adapted to carry the bollard in a stowed configuration, and the carrier device may be adapted to be recessed within the ground. 
     The lock plate may be adapted to be received by the carrier device to maintain the bollard in the deployed configuration. The cover plate may be carried by the carrier device and may be adapted to cover at least a portion of the recess of the carrier device. The cover plate may be moveable between an opened position and a closed position. 
     The pivot rod may be secured to the bollard and received by a pivot carrier of the carrier device. The protrusion(s) may extend outwardly from an end of the carrier device. The front retaining plate may be secured to the carrier device proximate the bollard on a side of the bollard opposing the recess. When the cover plate is in the opened position, the bollard may be rotatable between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration. When the cover plate is in the closed position, the cover plate may be flush with the surface of the ground. 
     The front retaining plate may be configured to prevent rotation of the bollard beyond a deployed angle measured between the bollard and the carrier device in the deployed configuration. The protrusion(s) may be adapted to contact an object with a torsional force when the object contacts the bollard in the deployed configuration with a predetermined force defined as a force that moves the protrusion from its installed position. 
     The bollard may rotate between the deployed configuration and the stowed configuration about a longitudinal axis of the pivot rod. The front retaining plate may be positioned and configured to retain the pivot rod within the recess when secured to the carrier device and may allow removal of the pivot rod from the recess when unsecured from the carrier device. 
     Another embodiment may be a bollard system having a bollard, a carrier device, a lock plate, a cover plate, a front retaining plate, and a pivot rod. The bollard may be rotatable, and the carrier device may have a recess adapted to carry the bollard. The lock plate may be adapted to be received by the carrier device, and the cover plate may be carried by the carrier device and may be adapted to cover at least a portion of the recess of the carrier device. 
     The front retaining plate may be secured to the carrier device proximate the bollard on a side of the bollard opposing the recess. The pivot rod may be secured to the bollard and may be received by a pivot carrier of the carrier device. The front retaining plate may be configured to prevent rotation of the bollard beyond a deployed angle measured between the bollard and the carrier device. 
     The carrier device may include a first lock plate channel formed in a wall on a side of the recess and a second lock plate channel formed in a wall on another side that may oppose the first side. The first lock plate channel and the second lock plate channel may cooperatively be configured to carry the lock plate. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some embodiments of the present invention are illustrated as an example and are not limited by the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references may indicate similar elements. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bollard system according to an embodiment of the present invention in the stowed configuration. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bollard system of  FIG. 1  in the deployed configuration. 
         FIG. 3  is an environmental view of the bollard system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the bollard system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the bollard system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of the bollard system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the bollard system of  FIG. 1  in the deployed configuration. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of the bollard system taken through line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-section view of the bollard system taken through line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is a top plan view of an embodiment of the bollard system in the deployed configuration. 
         FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the bollard system of  FIG. 10  in the stowed configuration. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-section view of the bollard system taken through line  12 - 12  in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 13  is a top plan view of an embodiment of the bollard system in the deployed configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Those of ordinary skill in the art realize that the following descriptions of the embodiments of the present invention are illustrative and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Other embodiments of the present invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
     Although the following detailed description contains many specifics for the purposes of illustration, anyone of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following embodiments of the invention are set forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations upon, the claimed invention. 
     In this detailed description of the present invention, a person skilled in the art should note that directional terms, such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” and other like terms are used for the convenience of the reader in reference to the drawings. Also, a person skilled in the art should notice this description may contain other terminology to convey position, orientation, and direction without departing from the principles of the present invention. 
     Furthermore, in this detailed description, a person skilled in the art should note that quantitative qualifying terms such as “generally,” “substantially,” “mostly,” and other terms are used, in general, to mean that the referred to object, characteristic, or quality constitutes a majority of the subject of the reference. The meaning of any of these terms is dependent upon the context within which it is used, and the meaning may be expressly modified. 
     An embodiment of the invention, as shown and described by the various figures and accompanying text, provides a bollard system  100 , which may include a bollard  101 , a carrier device  110 , a pivot rod  120 , a lock plate  130 , and a cover plate  140 . 
     When installed, the bollard system  100  may be recessed into a ground surface, as depicted at least in  FIG. 3 . The top of the cover plate  140  may be flush with the ground surface when in the closed configuration. The side walls of the carrier device  110 , protective box  124 , and protrusion  125  may be underground. In the deployed configuration, the bollard  101  may extend above the ground surface while, in the stowed configuration, the bollard  101  may be carried within the recess  111  below ground level. When in the deployed configuration, a vehicle or other object may move into a position in contact with the bollard  101 . The bollard  101  may be designed and configured to prevent the vehicle or other object from moving past the bollard  101  when in the deployed configuration. 
     The carrier device  110  may be an elongate structure having a recess  111  formed in an interior portion. The recess  111  may be sized and constructed to carry the bollard  101  when in the stowed configuration. The carrier device  110  may have a pivot carrier  121  located proximate a first end of the recess  111 . The pivot carrier  121  may be a notch or a groove formed in a side wall defining the recess  111  of the carrier device  110 . There may be a pair of notches or grooves formed on opposing sides of the recess  111  of the carrier device  110  to form the pivot carrier  121 . 
     A pivot rod  120  may be secured proximate a first end of the bollard  101 . The pivot rod  120  may be an elongate structure, it may be hollow or solid, and it may be cylindrical. A single pivot rod  120  may extend through an entirety of a thickness of the bollard  101  near the first end. Alternatively, a first pivot rod  120  may be secured to a first side of the bollard  101  with a second pivot rod  120  secured to a second, opposing side of the bollard  101 . In either embodiment, the pivot rod  120  is fixedly secured to the bollard  101  with portions of the pivot rod  120  extending from the perimeter of the bollard  101  at opposing sides of the bollard, with a projected line between each longitudinal axis of the protruding pivot rods  120  extending through a center of a cross-section of the bollard  101 . The pivot rod  120  may be received by the pivot carrier  121 . Each end of a single pivot rod  120  or, in embodiments with two separate pivot rods  120 , one end of each of the pivot rods  120  may be received by the pivot carrier  121 . 
     The bollard  101  may be adapted to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the pivot rod  120 , which may be perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the bollard  101 . In a stowed configuration, the bollard  101  may be positioned within the recess  111  of the carrier device  110  and the carrier device  110  may support some or all of the weight of the bollard  101  along a length of the carrier device  110 . In the deployed configuration, the bollard  101  may be rotated approximately 90 degrees about the pivot carrier  121  to be positioned orthogonally to the length of the carrier device  110 . In such an embodiment, the weight of the bollard  101  may be supported by a portion of the carrier device  110  directly beneath the end of the bollard  101  in which the pivot rod  120  is carried. 
     The carrier device  110  may receive a lock plate  130  adapted to maintain the bollard  101  in the deployed configuration. The lock plate  130  may be a rigid, planar structure adapted to prevent rotation of the bollard  101  about the pivot rod  120  into the stowed configuration when the bollard  101  is in the deployed configuration. 
     In one embodiment, the carrier device may include a pair of lock plate channels  122 ,  123  adapted to receive a lock plate  130 . The first lock plate channel  122  may be positioned on a side wall of the carrier device  110 , which defines a first side of the recess  111 . The second lock plate channel  123  may be positioned on a side wall of the carrier device  110 , directly opposing the first lock plate channel  122 , on a second side of the recess  111 . The first and second lock plate channels  122 ,  123  may be positioned in a side wall of the carrier device  110  a distance from the pivot carrier  121  equal to a radius of the bollard  101 . This placement of the lock plate channels  122 ,  123  allows a lock plate  130  to be positioned within the channels  122 ,  123  and extend across an entirety of the width of the recess  111  without interference from the bollard  101 . The lock plate  130  may be secured to the carrier device  110  with a flexible tether  131 . The tether  131  may have a first end secured to the lock plate  130  and a second end secured to the carrier device  110 . The tether may be adapted to allow the lock plate  130  to be positioned in and carried by the first lock plate channel  122  and the second lock plate channel  123  when the bollard is in the deployed configuration and to be removed from the channels  122 ,  123  and carried in the bottom of the recess  111 , below the bollard  101 , when the bollard  101  is in the stowed configuration. 
     In another embodiment, as depicted at least in  FIG. 13 , the lock plate  130  may hingedly secure to a rigid support  150  at a first end of the rigid support  150 . The rigid support  150  may have a second end hingedly secured to the bollard  101 . The rigid support  150  may be an elongate member and may be solid or hollow. In one embodiment, the rigid support  150  may be a tube. In embodiments in which the lock plate  130  is secured to a rigid support  150 , the rigid support  150  may support the weight of the bollard  101  and, along with the lock plate  130 , may prevent the bollard from moving out of the deployed configuration. In an engaged position, the lock plate  130  may be positioned close enough to the bollard  101  to position the rigid support  150  at an acute angle with respect to the portion of the bollard  101  below the rigid support  150 . Such a positioning of the rigid support  150  may maintain the bollard  101  in the deployed configuration. 
     The lock plate  130  may be positioned on an elongate surface  152  of the carrier device  110 . The elongate surface  152  may be formed on the interior surface of the bottom of the carrier device  110 , may be formed along a side of the carrier device  110 , or may be located within an interior of the carrier device  110 . In the disengaged position, the lock plate  130  may freely move along the elongate surface  152  in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the carrier device  110 . A lock plate recess  151  may be formed in the elongate surface  152 . The surface of the lock plate recess  151  may be in a plane parallel to and below the plane of the elongate surface  152 . As the bollard  101  rotates from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration, the end of the rigid support  150  secured to the lock plate  130  and may move along the elongate surface  152  toward the lock plate recess  151 . When the bollard  101  reaches the deployed configuration, an entirety of the lock plate  130  may be positioned within the lock plate recess  151  in the engaged position. In the engaged position, the lip defining the transition between elongate surface  152  and lock plate recess  151  may be in contact with one end of the lock plate  130  and prevent the lock plate  130  from moving out of the lock plate recess  151 . An upward force may be applied to the lock plate  130  to move it out of the engaged position and back to the disengaged position, in which the lock plate  130  may move along the elongate surface  152  away from the bollard  101  to position the bollard  101  in the stowed configuration. 
     A protective box  124  may be secured to the carrier device  110 . In one embodiment, the protective box  124  may be located on both sides of the carrier device  110  outward of the recess  111 . The protective box  124  may be secured to an outer surface of the carrier device  110 . The protective box  124  may be secured to the carrier device  110  to define a void therebetween. In one embodiment, a structure may be secured to each side of the carrier device  110 , opposing one another and creating two separate voids. Either one of these structures, or the combination of both of these structures may be referred to as the protective box  124 . The protective box  124  may be placed on the outer surface of the carrier device  110  and surround the pivot carrier  121 , the first lock plate channel  122 , and the second lock plate channel  123 . The top side of the pivot carrier  121 , first lock plate channel  122 , and second lock plate channel  123  may be left uncovered to allow the lock plate  130  and the pivot rod  120  to enter and be removed from these devices from the top of the bollard system  100 . The protective box  124  may extend outwardly from the carrier device  110 . 
     A plurality of planar members  112  may be secured to a bottom interior wall defining the recess  111  of the carrier device  110 . The plurality of planar members  112  may be adapted to support the bollard  101  when in the stowed configuration. As shown at least in  FIG. 12 , each of the plurality of planar members  112  may have an arcuate surface opposing the side secured to the bottom of the recess  111  of the carrier device  110 . The curvature of the arcuate surface may reciprocate the curvature of the bollard  101 . Each of the plurality of planar member  112  may be adapted to receive and carry the weight of the bollard  101  in the stowed configuration. Additionally, when in the stowed configuration, vehicles or other items may drive or pass over the bollard system  100 . The weight of these vehicles or other items must be supported by the bollard system  100  when positioned over the bollard system  100 . The plurality of planar members  112  may be adapted to support the weight exerted by such a vehicle or other item in addition to the weight of the bollard  101  itself. 
     A protrusion  125  may be secured to one or more ends of the carrier device  110 . The protrusion  125  may be an elongate, rigid member. In one embodiment, the protrusion  125  may be sharp or pointed at the end distal the connection to the carrier device  110 . The protrusion  125  may extend away from the carrier device  110  along a longitudinal axis thereof. The protrusion  125  may be configured to angle upward from its underground installed position when a vehicle or object applies torsional force to the bollard  101  in the deployed position. The protrusion  125  may be adapted to strike, and potentially disable, a vehicle applying torsional force to the bollard  101  in the deployed configuration. 
     A cover plate  140  may be received by the carrier device  110  and adapted to cover the bollard  101  and the recess  111  when the bollard  101  is in the stowed configuration. The cover plated  140  may rest on a ridge formed about the perimeter of the recess  111 . The cover plated  140  may be hingedly secured to the carrier device  111  and selectively positioned in an open configuration or a closed configuration. In the closed configuration, the cover plate  140  may cover the recess and prevent pedestrians from accidentally falling into the recess  111  when the bollard  101  is in the deployed configuration. In the closed configuration, the cover plate  140  may also cover the recess  111  and the bollard  101  and protect these components when the bollard  101  is in the stowed configuration. The cover plate  140  may be at the level of surrounding ground when in the closed configuration. The cover plate  140  may be moved into an open configuration, in which the recess  111  is exposed, to allow the bollard  101  to transition between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration. The cover plate  140  may cover the recess  111  or portion of the recess  111  behind the bollard  101  in the deployed configuration and occupied by the bollard  101  in the stowed configuration. 
     A front retaining plate  126  may cover the recess  111  or portion of the recess  111  not covered by the cover plate  140 . The front retaining plate  126  may be positioned in front of the bollard  101  in the deployed configuration and above a portion of the bollard  101  in the stowed configuration. The front retaining plate  126  may cover the pivot carrier  121  when secured to the carrier device  110 , thereby preventing the bollard from being removed from the carrier device  110  without removal of the front retaining plate  126 . The front retaining plate  126  may not cover the first lock plate channel  122  and second lock plate channel  123  when secured to the carrier device  110 , thereby allowing the lock plate  130  to be freely placed in and removed from these channels  122 ,  123  while the front retaining plate  126  is secured to the carrier device  110 . The front retaining plate  126  may be removably secured to a frame of the carrier device  110 . The front retaining plate  126  may be adapted to support the bollard  101  and prevent the bollard  101  from rotating past the deployed configuration. The front retaining plate  126  may prevent rotation of the bollard  101  in a first direction, while the lock plate  130  may prevent rotation of the bollard  101  in a second, opposite direction when the bollard is in the deployed configuration and the lock plate  130  is in an engaged position. 
     The front retaining plate  126  and the lock plate  130  may be configured to withstand forces of different magnitudes. By way of example, and not as a limitation, the bollard system  100  may be installed in a road way leading to a secure location. In such an embodiment, it may be desirable for the bollard system  100  to robustly prevent traffic from heading toward the secure location while providing less robust protection against vehicles heading away from the secure location. In such an embodiment, the bollard system  100  may be installed with its length parallel to the direction of traffic flow on the roadway. The lock plate  130  may be positioned on the side of the bollard  101  closer to the secure location and the front retaining plate  126  may be positioned distal the secure location. The front retaining plate  126  and the lock plate  130  may be designed to withstand different degrees of force, the effect of which may be that the lock plate  130  supports the bollard  101  in the deployed configuration when the bollard  101  is impacted by a heavy vehicle moving quickly, while the front retaining plate  126  may allow the bollard  101  to collapse into the stowed configuration when the bollard  101  is hit by a light weight vehicle moving slowly. This above is given for exemplary purposes only and one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the lock plate  130  and front retaining plate  126  may be engineered with differing strength attributes and either one may be engineered to provide more robust support than the other. 
     In the example provided above, it may be desirable to position a protrusion  125  on an end of the carrier device  110  distal the lock plate  130 . In such an embodiment, when the bollard  101  is impacted on the side distal the lock plate  130 , the torsional force place on the bollard  101  by the impact may rotate the protrusion  125  upward from its installed position below the ground and cause it to impact the underside of the vehicle impacting the bollard  101 . This may disable or damage the vehicle impacting the bollard  101  and provide secondary protection for the secure location. One skilled in the art will realize that the protrusion  125  may be placed on either or both ends of the carrier device  110  to provide protection from impact in a desired direction. 
     When in the deployed configuration, the bollard  101  may form approximately a 90 degree and with the carrier device  110 . The angle between the bollard  101  and the carrier device  110  when in the deployed configuration may be the deployed angle. 
     The front retaining plate  126  may secure to the carrier device  110  over the pivot carrier  121 . In such an embodiment, the front retaining plate  126  may cover the pivot rod  120  and prevent the bollard  101  from being lifted out of the carrier device  110  without removal of the front retaining plate  126 . The front retaining plate  126  may be secured with a plurality of screws, bolts, or the like. Removal of the front retaining plate  126  may unsecure the pivot rod  120  and allow the bollard  101  to be lifted out of the carrier device  110  for maintenance, repair, or replacement. 
     In one embodiment, as shown at least in  FIGS. 1-7 , there may be one cover plate  140  hingedly secured to the carrier device  110  along a length of the carrier device  110 . In another embodiment, as shown at least in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , there may be two cover plates  140 , wherein each of the cover plates  140  are secured to the carrier device  110  along a length of the carrier device  110 . One benefit of such a double cover plate  140  configuration may be a reduction in the weight of the cover plate, which may make transitioning between the open and closed configuration easier. In both embodiments, the length of the cover plate  140  may be parallel to the length of the bollard  101  and carrier device  110 . The cover plate  140  may have a handle  141  located therein. The handle  141  may be grasped to transition the cover plate  140  between the open and closed configurations. 
     Some of the illustrative aspects of the present invention may be advantageous in solving the problems herein described and other problems not discussed which are discoverable by a skilled artisan. 
     While the above description contains much specificity, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any embodiment, but as exemplifications of the presented embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the various embodiments. While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best or only mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. 
     Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given. 
     The claims in the instant application are different than those of the parent application or other related applications. Applicant therefore rescinds any disclaimer of claim scope made in the parent application or any predecessor application in relation to the instant application. Any such previous disclaimer and the cited references that it was made to avoid, may need to be revisited. Further, any disclaimer made in the instant application should not be read into or against the parent application.