ES2257145A1 - Road post for road safety and protection, has electronic system that includes sensors for detecting automobiles passing through road, and ultrasonic device that releases ultrasonic signal to prevent animal from crossing road - Google Patents

Abstract

The post has an electronic system that includes sensors connected to an ultrasonic device operating in variable frequency. The sensors detect the presence of automobiles passing through a road. The ultrasonic device automatically releases an ultrasonic signal to prevent an animal from crossing the road when a passing automobile is detected. A solar panel charges the batteries that supply power to the sensors and ultrasonic device. The post also includes a radio transmitter, and an electronic barrier to prevent animals from accessing the road.

Description

Passive road safety post and protection of wildlife.

Technical sector

The invention falls within the technical sector of passive road safety elements, and more specifically, as far as concerning the safety systems that prevent animals, whether domestic or wild, uncontrolled irruption on the tracks of circulation of motor vehicles.

State of the art

Currently, the only existing devices before the presentation date of this device, they consisted of the physical fencing by means of barbed wire, of the Highways and certain authorships.

This system besides being extremely expensive, prevents all types of access to these roads, not only animals.

The emergence of animals on the tracks of circulation is another cause in the high rate of road accidents, generating multiple collisions, loss of control of vehicles, irruption of vehicles in contrary pathways, which causes numerous loss of life human as well as substantial material damage.

Additionally, and secondly for its importance, all the measures implemented for the passage of animals in the routes of circulation are of doubtful efficacy in the case of animals without people control, causing damage to farmers, damage to people in their pets, and death of animals, which include animals on the way to extinction, such as the Iberian lynx.

On the other hand, the current technique provides means for generating ultrasound of a variable nature, sensors to detect the presence of living beings, as well as electrical supply by means of solar panels, and intercom of Radio wave devices.

Explanation of the invention.

It is therefore desirable to install some devices in the airways that prevent irruption uncontrolled animals, relatively affordable, and its implementation in all existing interurban roads.

Since the behavior to avoid is not that of the conductors, but that of animals, the device to avoid their irruption, has to focus on wildlife, regardless of the timely circulation of vehicles at that time.

Behavioral techniques in psychology have demonstrated the possibility of establishing habits in animals by generating moderate physical pain, which does not generate permanent damage

Therefore, to avoid the emergence of animals in the circulation, a system has to be established that generates pain in a wide range of animal species, which force you to run away from the focus of the pain, without implying any type of injury, and that said system does not pose any risk to people.

one.

The most animals have developed as a result of natural selection process, an extremely auditory sense developed. It is known to use sounds for the animal training, through inaudible devices for people. Said hearing capacity also implies use of ultrasound to generate intense pain in the hearing aid, which generates a fear reaction and, therefore, a escape from the focus of said ultrasound. Each animal species has a range of audible frequencies, established from a certain level, an extremely pain threshold intense.

The invention presented consists in the establishment on the sides of the traffic lanes of self-propelled vehicles, which can be used for the installation of traffic signaling elements, consisting basically of a housing, which on the outside it has presence detection sensors, through which, at the moment an animal crosses its radius of action, by the irruption of its beam generates frequency ultrasound variable, directed to the outside of the road, which They generate intense pain in animals. In order to create an effective barrier, on both sides of the post, there is a emitter that emits a signal to the two adjacent posts. At the time in which these posts receive said signal, they generate variable ultrasound.

If the animal's action is to run away in parallel to the road, the continued existence of the posts will go successively generating the ultrasound connection of three posts, generating an electronic barrier of sonic character that prevents the animal from entering the road.

Since the poles need energy electrical, they have been designed to work by solar energy, to which effect at its top they have a plate solar destined to supply electrical energy and to recharge the Pole batteries so that their operation is not limited to Daytime hours

Inside the housing is the main circuit, which interconnects by wiring and integrated circuits the various external devices, as well as  the batteries that supply electricity.

Description of the figure

Figure one presented shows the appearance outer casing (1), with an approximate size of 30 cm wide, 60 centimeters high, 30 centimeters deep, if well the size can be adapted to the road needs, which placed on the ground. In the front, to be placed towards the outside the road, there are two detectors presence (2), located at different levels to cover two heights, and, therefore, most animal heights, and two speakers (3) that will generate the variable ultrasound. At side of the posts is the radio transmitter (4) that will generate the connection with the adjacent posts. On top is the solar panel (5) that will generate the light conversion in electric power for the pole.

Embodiment of the invention

Without intending to limit the scope of the invention is illustrated by the following examples:

Example 1

Posts are located at a distance between each 20 meters of them, on both sides of the road of vehicles, reducing their distance in the case of existence of curves or other obstacles that could interfere with communication between adjacent posts, maintaining its continuity until the end of the area to be protected, given the existence of natural obstacles to the emergence of animals, such as tunnels or overpasses.

Example 2

Posts are located at a distance between each 20 meters of them, on both sides of the road of vehicles, reducing their distance in the case of existence of curves or other obstacles that could interfere with communication between adjacent posts, maintaining its continuity until the existence of natural steps for animals, such as they can be ravines, or underground passages that communicate two zones of development of animals located on both sides of the path of circulation.

Industrial application

The industrial application of the invention follows of its own nature, its destiny being all the ways of circulation of vehicles, urban and interurban, but located outside urban centers, in which its installation would harm Animals controlled by people.

Claims (5)

1. Passive Road Safety and Fauna Protection Post, characterized by being located on the sides of urban and interurban roads, intended to prevent the irruption of the animal circulation roads, consisting of a housing that has its outer part presence detection sensors by photoelectric cell and ultrasonic emitters of variable frequency, directed to the outside of the road, existing radio transmitters on the sides of the housing intended to intercommunicate with adjacent posts in such a way that at the time in which the presence detector perceives the presence of a moving animal by means of the irruption of the detector beam, the two speakers are connected generating ultrasound of variable frequency, directing a radio signal to the adjacent posts so that it is activated, in turn , its ultrasound system, containing at the top of the housing a solar panel intended to supply energy to electric to the pole. 2. Post according to claim 1 characterized in that the presence sensor is infrared, with identical operation. 3. Post according to claim 1 and 2 characterized in that the presence sensor combines a photoelectric cell and an infrared sensor, with identical operation. 4. Post according to claim 1, 2 and 3 characterized in that the presence sensor is a laser, with identical operation. 5. Post according to claim 1, 2, 3 and 4 characterized in that an electronic checking system is included, whereby in a case of malfunction it sends a signal via radio or telephone, to a control center.