Patent Publication Number: US-2023151570-A1

Title: Barrier systems with impact resistant rails that extend along the floor

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/278,948, which was filed on Nov. 12, 2021, and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/357,366, which was filed on Jun. 30, 2022. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/278,948 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/357,366 are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/278,948 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/357,366 is claimed. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This disclosure relates generally to barrier systems and, more particularly, to barrier systems with impact resistant rails that extend along the floor. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Barrier systems are often implemented on roadways, driveways, loading docks, rail or finger docks, factories, and warehouse floors. Some such barrier systems include one or more rails that extend horizontally between vertical posts. In some instances, the vertical posts are anchored to the floor to provide a barrier that is able to resist and/or withstand certain impacts to the posts and/or rails. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates an example barrier system constructed in accordance with teachings disclosed herein. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates another example barrier system constructed in accordance with teachings disclosed herein. 
         FIGS.  3 - 8    illustrate different views of an example floor rail that may be used to implement the example floor rails in the example barrier systems of  FIGS.  1  and/or  2   . 
         FIGS.  9 - 15    illustrate different views of another example floor rail that may be used to implement the example floor rails in the example barrier systems of  FIGS.  1  and/or  2   . 
         FIG.  16    is a perspective view of another example floor rail that may be used to implement the example floor rails in the example barrier systems of  FIGS.  1  and/or  2   . 
         FIG.  17    is a perspective view of another example barrier system including example floor rail transition sections. 
         FIG.  18    is a cross-sectional view of the example barrier system of  FIG.  17   . 
         FIG.  19    is a detailed view of one of the example floor rail transition sections of  FIGS.  17  and/or  18   . 
     
    
    
     In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts. The figures are not necessarily to scale. Instead, the thickness of the layers or regions may be enlarged in the drawings. As used herein, unless otherwise stated, the term “above” describes the relationship of two parts relative to Earth. A first part is above a second part, if the second part has at least one part between Earth and the first part. Likewise, as used herein, a first part is “below” a second part when the first part is closer to the Earth than the second part. As noted above, a first part can be above or below a second part with one or more of: other parts therebetween, without other parts therebetween, with the first and second parts touching, or without the first and second parts being in direct contact with one another. 
     As used in this patent, stating that any part (e.g., a layer, film, area, region, or plate) is in any way on (e.g., positioned on, located on, disposed on, or formed on, etc.) another part, indicates that the referenced part is either in contact with the other part, or that the referenced part is above the other part with one or more intermediate part(s) located therebetween. 
     As used herein, connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) may include intermediate members between the elements referenced by the connection reference and/or relative movement between those elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and/or in fixed relation to each other. As used herein, stating that any part is in “contact” with another part is defined to mean that there is no intermediate part between the two parts. As used herein, “approximately” and “about” refer to dimensions that may not be exact due to manufacturing tolerances and/or other real-world imperfections. 
     Unless specifically stated otherwise, descriptors such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., are used herein without imputing or otherwise indicating any meaning of priority, physical order, arrangement in a list, and/or ordering in any way, but are merely used as labels and/or arbitrary names to distinguish elements for ease of understanding the disclosed examples. In some examples, the descriptor “first” may be used to refer to an element in the detailed description, while the same element may be referred to in a claim with a different descriptor such as “second” or “third.” In such instances, it should be understood that such descriptors are used merely for identifying those elements distinctly that might, for example, otherwise share a same name. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Many barrier systems (also referred to herein as guard rail systems) include a plurality of spaced apart posts with rails extending therebetween. In some barrier systems, multiple rails may extend between adjacent posts at different locations along the height of the posts. Typically, the rails that extend between adjacent posts are spaced apart from the floor on which the posts rest and/or are anchored. As a result, it is possible for moving low profile objects such as pallets or forks from lift vehicles (e.g., fork trucks) to pass under the rails in the gap between the rail and the floor. Such scenarios give rise to the risk of impacts or harm to pedestrians, equipment, products, and/or structures on the opposite side of the barrier system. Examples disclosed herein reduce the risk of such scenarios occurring by implementing a rail that is directly attached to and extends along the floor without a gap between a top of the rail and the floor through which objects can pass. Such a rail that does not provide any gap between the rail and the floor is referred to herein as a floor rail. By contrast, for purposes of distinction, a rail that is spaced apart from the floor (e.g., there is a gap between the rail and the floor) is referred to herein as a guard rail. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates an example barrier system  100  constructed in accordance with teachings disclosed herein. As shown in the illustrated example, the barrier system  100  includes a plurality of posts  102  spaced apart from one another along a path defined for the barrier system  100 . In this example, all of the posts  102  are arranged in a straight line. However, in other examples, the path of the barrier system may include corners and/or otherwise follow a non-straight line. The posts  102  are secured in their place via base plates  104  that are anchored to the ground or floor (e.g., using concrete anchors if the floor is concrete). 
     As shown in the illustrated example, separate guard rails  106  extend between adjacent ones of the posts  102  at different heights off the ground or floor. In this example, there are two guard rails  106  spaced apart from the ground or floor between adjacent posts  102 . In other examples, there may be only one guard rail  106  between adjacent posts  102 . In other examples, there may be more than two guard rails  106  between adjacent posts  102 . While the guard rails  106  have a similar cross-sectional size and/or shape in this example, the cross-sectional size and/or shape may differ between the guard rails  106  in other examples. 
     In addition to the guard rails  106  that are spaced apart from the floor, the example barrier system  100  includes floor rails  108  that extend between adjacent ones of the posts  102 . In this example, the floor rails  108  are anchored directly to the ground (e.g., via concrete anchors) independent of the posts  102  and associated base plates  104 . In some examples, the anchoring system for the floor rails  108  may be integrated with the base plates  104  of the posts  102 . Additionally or alternatively, the floor rails  108  may be directly attached to the posts  102 . In this example, the floor rails  108  include an elongate rigid (e.g., metal (e.g., steel, cast iron, etc.)) base  110  with an impact resistant tube  112  positioned on top of and extending along the length of the base  110 . More particularly, as detailed further below, the tube  112  is positioned within a channel defined by the base  110  such that the bottom edge of the tube  112  is below a top edge of the base  110 . In some examples, the bottom edge of the tube  112  is urged into and secured within the channel to maintain the bottom edge of the tube  112  below the top edge of the base  110 . This ensures that there is no gap between the floor and the top of the floor rail  108  (e.g., there are no gaps underneath the entirety of the floor rail  108  or between different components of the floor rail  108 ) through which objects can pass. In some examples, the tube  112  is made of a relatively rigid but resilient material (e.g., polypropylene impact copolymer) to enable the tube  112  to sustain an impact by being able to deform and absorb such an impact. Further, in some examples, the tube  112  has a diameter that is greater than a width of the base  110  such that the tube  112  is likely to be struck first during an impact to absorb some of the force of the impact before the base  110  is struck. 
       FIG.  2    illustrates another example barrier system  200  constructed in accordance with teachings disclosed herein. In this example, the posts  102  and the guard rails  106  are omitted and the floor rails  108  are used in a standalone implementation. That is, in this example, the floor rails  108  are mounted directly to the ground and directly adjacent to one another (i.e., without another structure therebetween). In the illustrated example, the floor rails  108  are positioned in a straight line. However, in other examples, the floor rails  108  may be positioned at any suitable angle relative to one another. In some examples, as shown in  FIG.  2   , one or both ends of the tube  112  is closed off by an end cap  114 . In other examples, one or both ends of the tube may remain open. The end cap  114  shown in  FIG.  2    may additionally or alternatively be used in connection with the floor rails  108  of the example barrier system  100  of  FIG.  1   . Although the floor rails  108  are shown and described as being mounted to a floor, in some examples, the floor rails  108  may be mounted to a wall or any other suitable structure to serve as a bumper to protect the structure and/or other objects adjacent the structure supporting the rails  108 . 
       FIGS.  3 - 8    illustrate an example floor rail  300  that may be used to implement the floor rails  108  in the barrier systems  100 ,  200  of  FIGS.  1  and/or  2   . More particularly,  FIG.  3    illustrates an exploded view of the example floor rail  300  showing the separate components including a rigid base  302 , an impact resistant tube  304 , and a tube retaining bar  306  to secure the tube  304  to the base  302 .  FIG.  4    illustrates a top perspective view of the example floor rail  300 . In the illustrated examples of  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the tube  304  is transparent for purposes of explanation so that the features within and behind the tube  304  are visible in the drawings.  FIG.  5    illustrates an end view of the example floor rail  300 .  FIG.  6    illustrates an enlarged perspective view of an end of the example floor rail  300 .  FIG.  7    illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the example floor rail  300  taken along the line  7 - 7  of  FIG.  5   .  FIG.  8    illustrates a top view of the base  302  of the example floor rail  300 . 
     As shown in the illustrated examples, the base  302  includes a bottom plate  308  that extends between two sidewalls  310 . In this example, the sidewalls  310  are substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate  308 . As used herein, “substantially perpendicular” means exactly perpendicular or within 5 degrees of perpendicular. In other examples, the sidewalls may be non-perpendicular with the bottom plate  308 . In some examples, the bottom plate  308  and the two sidewalls  310  are formed from a single continuous piece of steel. In some examples, the bottom plate  308  includes a plurality of mounting holes  309  ( FIGS.  4 ,  7 , and  8   ) to enable the base  302  to be anchored to the floor. In the illustrated example, the bottom plate  308  includes four mounting holes  309 . However, in other examples, more or fewer mounting holes  309  may be used. Further, the mounting holes  309  may be at any suitable locations along the length of the base  302 . The bottom plate  308  and the two sidewalls  310  define an elongate channel  312  that extends along a length of the base  302 . In this example, the channel  312  is open at a top of the base  302  along the entire length of the base  302  to enable the tube  304  to be supported along the channel  312  by the top edges  314  of the two sidewalls  310 . As most clearly shown in  FIG.  5   , the tube  304  has a diameter that is larger than the width of the base  302  such that the tube protrudes outward from the sidewalls  310  in both directions while resting on the top edges  314  of the sidewalls  310 . As a result, the tube  304  is likely to be the first portion of the floor rail  300  that is contacted during an impact. In this manner, the tube  304  is enabled to absorb at least some of the force of the impact before other components (e.g., the base  302 ) are struck during an impact. While the tube  304  extends out farther than other components of the floor rail  300 , because the tube  304  is round and positioned on the top edges  314  of the spaced apart sidewalls  310 , a bottom edge of the tube  304  (e.g., at point  502  shown in  FIG.  5   ) is below the top edges  314  of the sidewalls  310 . 
     In some examples, the base  302  includes tabs  316  that protrude upward from the bottom plate  308  and beyond the top edges  314  of the sidewalls  310 . As shown in the illustrated example, the tabs  316  are oriented substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls  310 . In some examples, each tab  316  is separately attached (e.g., via welding) to the bottom plate  308  and/or the sidewalls  310  of the base  302 . In other examples, as shown most clearly in  FIG.  7   , adjacent pairs of the tabs  316  correspond to separate ends of a single C-shaped bracket that is positioned (e.g., via welding) within the channel  312  of the base  302 . In the illustrated examples, the mounting holes  309  extend through the C-shaped brackets associated with the tabs  316 . In other examples, some or all of the mounting holes  309  may be spaced apart from the C-shaped brackets. In other examples, the tabs  316  may be integrally formed with the base  302  (e.g., the tabs  316  corresponding to cutout portions of the bottom plate  308  that have been bent upwards). 
     In some examples, the tabs  316  are positioned along the length of the base  302  to align with corresponding slots  318  in the tube  304 . As a result, due to the height of the tabs  316 , when the tube  304  is positioned along the channel  312  to rest on the top edges  314  of the two sidewalls  310 , the tabs  316  pass through the slots  318  and into the interior of the tube  304 . As a result, the tabs  316  serve as retainers to prevent horizontal shifting of the tube  304  relative to the base  302 . As shown in the illustrated examples, the portion of the tabs  316  that extends through the slots  318  of the tube  304  includes a hole, slot, or opening  320 . The holes  320  in the tabs  316  are dimensioned large enough to enable the tube retaining bar  306  to pass therethrough. That is, in some examples, after the tube  304  is positioned on the base  302  with the tabs  316  extending through the slots  318 , the bar  306  is passed through the holes  320  in the tabs  316  to secure the tube  304  against the base  302 . In this example, the bar  306  is a hollow tube. In other examples, the bar  306  may be solid. In other examples, the bar  306  may have any other suitable shape. 
     In some examples, the tabs  316  and associated holes  320  are dimensioned and positioned such that when the bar  306  extends through the holes  320 , a bottom edge of the bar  306  (e.g., at point  504  shown in  FIG.  5   ) is held below the top edges  314  of the sidewalls  310  of the base  302 . Inasmuch as the bar  306  extends through the holes  320  of the tabs  316  above a bottom portion of the tube  304  (e.g., the bar  306  extends through the interior of the tube  304 ), a bottom edge of the tube  304  (e.g., at point  502  shown in  FIG.  5   ) is necessarily maintained below the top edges  314  of the sidewalls  310  of the base  302 . Further, in some examples, the position of the bar  306  within the holes  320  of the tabs  316  creates an interference fit with the tube  304  at rest on the top edges  314  of the sidewalls  310  as represented by the overlap of the two components shown in  FIG.  5   . As a result, when the bar  306  is installed within the tube  304  and passed through the tabs  316 , the bar  306  urges the bottom portion of the tube  304  downward and into the channel  312 , thereby ensuring the tube  304  is securely held against the base  302 . In this manner, there is no gap, through which an object can pass, between a top of the floor rail  300  and the floor to which the floor rail  300  is mounted. 
       FIGS.  9 - 15    illustrate another example floor rail  900  that may be used to implement the floor rails  108  in the barrier systems  100 ,  200  of  FIGS.  1  and/or  2   . The example floor rail  900  of  FIGS.  9 - 15    is similar in design to the example floor rail  300  of  FIGS.  3 - 8   . Accordingly, the same reference numerals will be used for the same or similar features and the description of the similar features described above applies with respect to the corresponding features in  FIGS.  9 - 15   . Thus, as with the example floor rail  300  of  FIGS.  3 - 8   , the example floor rail  900  of  FIGS.  9 - 15    includes a base  302  with a bottom plate  308  and two sidewalls  310  that define an elongate channel  312  along which an impact resistant tube  304  is positioned. However, the example floor rail  900  of  FIGS.  9 - 15    differs from the example floor rail  300  of  FIGS.  3 - 8    in the way the tube  304  is secured against the top edges  314  of the sidewalls  310  of the base. Specifically, the base  302  of  FIGS.  9 - 15    includes tabs  902  that have a different shape and structure than the tabs  316  of  FIGS.  3 - 8    to engage with a differently shaped tube retaining bar  904 . However, similar to the tabs  316  of  FIGS.  3 - 8   , the tabs  902  of  FIGS.  9 - 15    also serve as retainers to prevent horizontal shifting of the tube  304  relative to the base  302 . 
     Turning in detail to the drawings of this example,  FIG.  9    illustrates a top perspective view of the example floor rail  900 .  FIG.  10    illustrates an end view of the example floor rail  900 .  FIG.  11    illustrates an enlarged perspective view of an end of the example floor rail  900 .  FIG.  12    illustrates a partially cutaway view of the example base  302  of the example floor rail  900 . More particularly, one of the sidewalls  310  has been cutaway in the illustrated example of  FIG.  12   .  FIG.  13    illustrates a perspective view of the example tube retaining bar  904 .  FIG.  14    illustrates a side view of the example tube retaining bar  904 .  FIG.  15    illustrates a top view of the example tube retaining bar  904 . In the illustrated examples of  FIGS.  9  and  11   , the tube  304  is transparent for purposes of explanation so that the features within and behind the tube  304  are visible in the drawings. 
     As shown in the illustrated examples, the tabs  902  protrude upward from the bottom plate  308  and beyond the top edges  314  of the sidewalls  310  of the base  302 . Further, as discussed above in connection with the illustrated example of  FIGS.  3 - 8   , the tabs  902  in the illustrated examples of  FIGS.  9 - 15    also extend through slots  318  in the tube  304 . However, as shown in the illustrated examples of  FIGS.  9 - 15   , the tabs  902  do not include holes through which a bar passes. Rather, the tabs  902  pass through holes or openings  906  in the tube retaining bar  904 . More particularly, in the illustrated example of  FIGS.  9 - 15   , the tube  304  is secured by two separate bars  904  positioned adjacent each end of the tube  304 . In other examples, a single bar  904  extending substantially the entire length of the tube (similar to what is shown in  FIGS.  3 - 8   ) may alternatively be used. 
     As shown in the illustrated example, the tabs  902  have a generally T-shaped profile that passes through generally T-shaped openings  906  in the bar  904 . In this example, the cross-bars (i.e., distal section) of the T-shaped portions of the tabs  902  are dimensioned with a width that is less than the width of the cross-bars of the T-shaped openings  906  in the bar  904  to enable the tabs  902  to pass therethrough. However, the width of the cross-bars of the T-shaped portions of the tabs  902  is greater than the width of the stems or trunk (i.e., narrow section) of the T-shaped openings  906  in the bar  306 . As a result, after the tabs  902  are extended through the openings  906 , the bar  904  can be moved in a direction transverse to the tabs  902  (and along a length of the tube  304 ) to cause the cross-bar of the T-shaped portion of the tabs  902  to interlock with the stem or trunk of the T-shaped openings  906 . In some examples, as shown most clearly in  FIG.  14   , the openings  906  in the bar  904  include an angled surface  908  along the stem or trunk portion of the T-shape of the openings  906  that is angled relative to the horizontal direction. As a result, as the bar  904  is moved relative to the tabs  902 , the underside  1202  ( FIG.  12   ) of the cross-bar of the T-shaped portion of the tabs  902  engages with and urges the bar  904  downward. This, in turn, urges the tube  304  downward due to the interference fit between the bar  904  and the tube  304  as represented by the overlap of the two components shown in  FIG.  10   . As a result, the tube  304  is securely held against the top edges  314  of the sidewalls  310 , thereby preventing any gap between the top of the floor rail  900  and the floor to which the floor rail  900  is mounted. 
     In some examples, the tabs  902 , the bar  904 , and/or the openings  906  in the bar  904  may have different structures and/or shapes than shown in the illustrated example and still produce a downward force on the tube  304  to securely retain the tube  304  against the base  302  and within the channel  312 . For instance, in some examples, rather than the openings  906  having the angled surfaces  908 , the tabs  902  may have an angled surface that engages the bar  904 . In some examples, such an angled surface on the tabs  902  is achieved by orienting the tabs  902  at a non-vertical angle. In some examples, both the tabs  902  and the openings include angled surfaces that engage one another to create the interference fit as the surfaces are slid or moved against one another. Further, although the bar  904  is shown as a piece of sheet metal that has been bent along its length, in other examples, the bar  904  may be implemented using any other suitable shape (e.g., a hollow tube, solid bar stock, a flat bar, etc.). 
       FIG.  16    is a perspective view of another example floor rail  1600  that may be used to implement the example floor rails  108  in the example barrier systems of  FIGS.  1  and/or  2   . In this example, the tube  304  is held against the base  302  without a bar engaging with tabs protruding through slots in the tube  304 . Rather, as shown in the illustrated example, the tube  304  includes keyhole slots  1602  that directly engage with tabs  1604  protruding upwards from the bottom plate  308  of the base  302 . More particularly, in this example, the tabs  1604  are cylindrical protrusions (e.g., made from solid bar stock) with a stepped profile that defines a narrow neck  1606  dimensioned to slide within the narrow portion of the keyhole slots  1602 . In other examples, the tabs  1604  may be any other suitable shape (e.g., flat with a T-shaped profile similar to the tabs  902  shown in  FIGS.  9 - 12   ). Likewise, the slots  1602  may be any suitable shape to allow passage of the tabs  1604  and also to interlock with the tabs  1604  so that the tabs  1604  serve as retainers to prevent horizontal shifting of the tube  304  relative to the base  302 . Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, one or more other retainers (e.g., a pin or other detent)  1608  extends through both the base  302  and the tube  304  to prevent horizontal shifting of the tube  304  relative to the base  302 . 
     The foregoing examples of the floor rails  108 ,  300 ,  900 ,  1600  teach or suggest different features. Although each example floor rail  108 ,  300 ,  900 ,  1600  disclosed above has certain features, it should be understood that it is not necessary for a particular feature of one example to be used exclusively with that example. Instead, any of the features described above and/or depicted in the drawings can be combined with any of the examples, in addition to or in substitution for any of the other features of those examples. One example&#39;s features are not mutually exclusive to another example&#39;s features. Instead, the scope of this disclosure encompasses any combination of any of the features. 
       FIG.  17    is a perspective view of another example barrier system  1700  including example floor rail transition sections  1702 . In the illustrated example, similar reference numbers are used for similar parts. The example barrier system  1700  of  FIG.  17    differs from the example barrier system of  FIG.  1    in that the guard rails  106  in  FIG.  17    have different cross-sectional diameters (e.g., the upper guard rail  106  has a smaller diameter than the lower guard rail  106 ). Further, unlike the barrier system  100  of  FIG.  1   , the barrier system  1700  of  FIG.  17    includes the floor rail transition sections  1702 . However, in some examples, the barrier system  100  of  FIG.  1    may also include the floor rail transition sections  1702  as disclosed herein. In the illustrated example of  FIG.  17   , each of the floor rail transition sections  1702  is used to couple a respective one of the floor rails  108  to a respective one of the posts  102 . In the illustrated example of  FIG.  17   , the tube  112  is transparent for purposes of explanation so that the features within and behind the tube  304  are visible in the drawings. 
     In the example of  FIG.  17   , each of the floor rail transition sections  1702  in  FIG.  17    is positioned against (e.g., abutting, in contact with, mated to) both a respective one of the floor rails  108  and a respective one of the posts  102 . Thus, in some examples, the floor rail transition sections  1702  span corresponding gaps between respective ones of the floor rails  108  and respective ones of the posts  102  (e.g., the gaps  116  shown in  FIG.  1   ). In some examples, the floor rail transition sections  1702  span corresponding gaps between respective ones of the floor rails  108  and respective ones of the posts  102 . In some examples, at least one of the floor rail transition sections  1702  is fixedly coupled to (e.g., mounted to, attached to) at least one of a respective one of the floor rails  108  or a respective one of the posts  102  while merely abutting against the other one of the respective floor rail  108  or post  102 . In some examples, ones of the floor rail transition sections  1702  are fixedly coupled to (e.g., mounted to, attached to) both a respective one of the floor rails  108  and a respective one of the posts  102 . As such, in some examples, the floor rail transition sections  1702  reduce and/or eliminate the gaps between the posts  102  and the corresponding floor rails  108 . Furthermore, the floor rail transition sections  1702  reduce and/or otherwise prevent displacement and/or removal of the floor rails  108  from the corresponding ones of the posts  102 . 
       FIG.  18    is a cross-sectional view of the example barrier system  1700  of  FIG.  17   . In the illustrated example of  FIG.  18   , the floor rail transition sections  1702  are coupled between (e.g., abutting, mated between, positioned between) the post  102  and ends of respective ones of the floor rails  108 . In some examples, example fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts, etc.)  1802  are used to fixedly couple the floor rail transition sections  1702  to the post  102  and/or to an example support structure  1808  disposed in the post  102 . In this example, two fasteners  1802  are used. However, in other examples, only one fastener  1802  or more than two fasteners  1802  may be used. 
     In this example, the floor rails  108  do not include the example end caps  114  of  FIG.  2   . In this example, ends of the base  110  and the tube  112  of respective ones of the floor rails  108  abut the floor rail transition sections  1702 , such that the floor rail transition sections  1702  prevent contact and/or reduce gaps between the floor rails  108  and the post  102 . In some examples, the floor rails  108  include the end caps  114  of  FIG.  2   , and the floor rails  108  can be coupled to the floor rail transition sections  1702  via the fasteners  1802  disposed in the end caps  114 . In this example, the example support structure  1808  is disposed in the post  102  between retaining members  1806  and an inner surface of the post  102 . In some examples, the support structure  1808  increase strength of the post  102  and/or the floor rail transition sections  1702  to resist decoupling and/or displacement caused by impacts to the barrier system  1700 . 
       FIG.  19    is a detailed view of one of the example floor rail transition sections  1702  of  FIGS.  17  and/or  18   . In the illustrated example of  FIG.  19   , the floor rail transition section  1702  includes a first example surface  1902  to face a respective one of the posts  102  of the example barrier system  1700  of  FIGS.  17  and/or  18   , and further includes a second example surface  1904  to face a respective one of the floor rails  108 . In some examples, the floor rail section  1702  has a thickness between the first and second surfaces  1902 ,  1904  corresponding to a distance between the post  102  and an outer edge or perimeter of the base plate  104  supporting the post  102 . In this manner, the second surface  1904  can be aligned with and/or substantially flush with the outer edge or perimeter of the base plate  104 . In this example, a curve of the first surface  1902  corresponds to a curved surface of the post  102  (e.g., matching cylindrical surfaces). Furthermore, the second surface  1902  is substantially flat (e.g., planar) in this example. As such, when the floor rail transition section  1702  is disposed between the post  102  and an end of a respective one of the floor rails  108 , the floor rail transition section  1702  is mated to the post  102  and the end of the respective one of the floor rails  108  to reduce and/or eliminate gaps therebetween. 
     In some examples, the transition section  1702  is designed with a cross-sectional shape that generally matches the cross-sectional shape of the floor rail  108  (e.g., the shape collectively defined by the base  110  and the tube  112 ). In the illustrated example, the floor rail transition section  1702  has a bottom portion  1906  that is dimensioned and shaped to generally correspond to a cross-sectional shape of the base  110  of the floor rail  108 . Thus, in this example, the bottom portion  1906  has a generally rectangular shape. In this example, the floor rail transition section  1702  has an upper portion  1908  that is dimensioned and shaped to generally correspond to a cross-sectional shape of the tube  112  of the floor rail  108 . Thus, in this example, the upper portion  1908  has a generally circular shape. In other examples, a different shape may be used for at least one of the bottom portion  1906  or the upper portion  1908 . 
     In the illustrated example, the floor rail transition section  1702  includes example openings  1910 ,  1912  extending between the first and second surfaces  1902 ,  1904 . In some examples, the example fasteners  1802  of  FIG.  18    are inserted and/or otherwise disposed in corresponding ones of the openings  1910 ,  1912  to couple the floor rail transition section  1702  to the post  102 . While the floor rail transition section  1702  includes two of the openings  1910 ,  1912  in this example, a different number of openings can be used instead. In this example, the floor rail transition section  1702  is composed of a hard urethane material. In other examples, one or more different materials may be used for the floor rail transition section  1702  instead. 
     “Including” and “comprising” (and all forms and tenses thereof) are used herein to be open ended terms. Thus, whenever a claim employs any form of “include” or “comprise” (e.g., comprises, includes, comprising, including, having, etc.) as a preamble or within a claim recitation of any kind, it is to be understood that additional elements, terms, etc., may be present without falling outside the scope of the corresponding claim or recitation. As used herein, when the phrase “at least” is used as the transition term in, for example, a preamble of a claim, it is open-ended in the same manner as the term “comprising” and “including” are open ended. The term “and/or” when used, for example, in a form such as A, B, and/or C refers to any combination or subset of A, B, C such as (1) A alone, (2) B alone, (3) C alone, (4) A with B, (5) A with C, (6) B with C, or (7) A with B and with C. As used herein in the context of describing structures, components, items, objects, and/or things, the phrase “at least one of A and B” is intended to refer to implementations including any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used herein in the context of describing structures, components, items, objects, and/or things, the phrase “at least one of A or B” is intended to refer to implementations including any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. As used herein in the context of describing the performance or execution of processes, instructions, actions, activities, and/or steps, the phrase “at least one of A and B” is intended to refer to implementations including any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. Similarly, as used herein in the context of describing the performance or execution of processes, instructions, actions, activities, and/or steps, the phrase “at least one of A or B” is intended to refer to implementations including any of (1) at least one A, (2) at least one B, or (3) at least one A and at least one B. 
     As used herein, singular references (e.g., “a”, “an”, “first”, “second”, etc.) do not exclude a plurality. The term “a” or “an” object, as used herein, refers to one or more of that object. The terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more”, and “at least one” are used interchangeably herein. Furthermore, although individually listed, a plurality of means, elements or method actions may be implemented by, e.g., the same entity or object. Additionally, although individual features may be included in different examples or claims, these may possibly be combined, and the inclusion in different examples or claims does not imply that a combination of features is not feasible and/or advantageous. 
     Further examples and combinations thereof include the following: 
     Example 1 includes a barrier system comprising a base to be anchored to a floor, the base including sidewalls defining a channel along a length of the base, and a tube to extend along the channel, a bottom edge of the tube to be below top edges of the sidewalls. 
     Example 2 includes the barrier system of example 1, wherein the tube has a diameter that is greater than a width of the base. 
     Example 3 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 1 or 2, further including a plurality of tabs distributed along the channel, the tabs to protrude into an interior of the tube through slots in the tube. 
     Example 4 includes the barrier system of example 3, further including a bar to engage with the tabs within the interior of the tube, the bar to secure the tube against the top edges of the sidewalls. 
     Example 5 includes the barrier system of example 4, wherein a first surface of the bar is to engage a second surface of a first one of the tabs, at least one of the first surface or the second surface to be angled relative to the floor such that the bar is urged downward as the first surface is moved relative to the second surface in a direction along the length of the base. 
     Example 6 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 4 or 5, wherein the tabs are to extend through openings in the bar. 
     Example 7 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 4 or 5, wherein the bar is to extend through openings in the tabs. 
     Example 8 includes the barrier system of example 3, wherein the tabs are shaped to interlock with the slots in the tube to retain the tube against the top edges of the sidewalls. 
     Example 9 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 1-8, wherein the tube is to be secured to the base along the length of the base such that there are no gaps between the floor and a top of the tube. 
     Example 10 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 1-9, wherein the tube is made of a resilient material and the base is made of metal. 
     Example 11 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 1-10, further including a retainer to maintain the horizontal position of the tube with respect to the base. 
     Example 12 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 1-11, further including a transition section disposed between an end of the tube and a post, the transition section to reduce a gap between the end of the tube and the post. 
     Example 13 includes the barrier system of example 12, wherein the transition section includes a urethane material. 
     Example 14 includes a barrier system comprising a floor rail to be anchored to a floor, a post to be anchored to the floor adjacent an end of the floor rail, and a transition section to abut the post and to extend between the post and the end of the floor rail. 
     Example 15 includes the barrier system of example 14, wherein the transition section includes a curved surface to matingly engage an exterior of the post and a flat surface to face the floor rail. 
     Example 16 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 14 or 15, wherein the transition section includes a urethane material. 
     Example 17 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 14-16, wherein the transition section includes an opening extending therethrough, the transition section to be coupled to the post via a fastener disposed in the opening. 
     Example 18 includes a barrier system comprising a base including an elongate base plate extending along a length of the base and opposing sidewalls on either side of the base plate, and a tube to extend along the length of the base, the tube to contact upper edges of the sidewalls along the length of the base. 
     Example 19 includes the barrier system of example 18, further including means for preventing horizontal shifting of the tube relative to the base. 
     Example 20 includes the barrier system of any one of examples 18 or 19, further including a post to be positioned adjacent an end of the base, the post to support a guard rail above the tube, and a transition section to fill a gap between the post and the end of the base. 
     Example 21 includes the barrier system of example 20, wherein the base and the tube collectively define a first cross-sectional shape and the transition section has a second cross-sectional shape, the second cross-sectional shape to match the cross-sectional shape. 
     The following claims are hereby incorporated into this Detailed Description by this reference. Although certain example systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture have been disclosed herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all systems, methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the claims of this patent.