JPH08120626A - Traffic sign - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To curtail the power consumption of an EL element by composing a traffic sign of a display section oppositely arranged to a footway adjacent to a roadway, the EL element, a solar cell system, a pyroelectric type infrared sensor and a control section. CONSTITUTION: An EL element 2 is arranged while the light-emitting surface of the EL element 2 is placed on the rear of a display section 1. A sensor sensing infrared rays generated from a pedestrian at normal speed is used as a pyroelectric type infrared sensor 4, power supply is started immediately when the pedestrian intrudes within the range of sensing of the sensor 4 by a control section 5, and power supply is stopped immediately when a fixed time passes or when the pedestrian escapes from the range of sensing of the sensor 4. The sensor 4 arranged while the range of sensing is crossed over a roadway and a footway senses the pedestrian immediately after the pedestrian intrudes on the roadway, and senses only the pedestrian without sensing coming-going cars, thus allowing the light emission of the EL element 2 within a range at the irreducible minimum of a demand.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a road sign, and more particularly, to a pedestrian road sign provided with a display portion which is arranged opposite to a sidewalk adjacent to a road, and which uses an EL element. The present invention relates to a road sign in which visibility can be enhanced to prevent traffic violations and accidents from occurring, and power consumption of EL elements is reduced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, attention has been paid to road signs provided with a self-luminous function in order to enhance visibility and prevent traffic violations and accidents from occurring. And, for example,
In 178696, a road sign is proposed in which EL elements are arranged on the back side of a display portion, and the EL elements emit light using a solar battery system.

[0003] Similarly, a road sign using a solar battery system, which is a white LED which blinks when a running object approaches due to the function of a red LED element which constantly blinks at night and a sensor.
A road sign combining elements has also been proposed (Heisei 5
Published by the Chemical Daily, April 20, 2008).

[0004]

However, in the above self-luminous road sign using a solar battery system, it is important to reduce the power consumption of the EL element.
It seems that no proposal for solving such a problem has been made yet. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a road sign in which power consumption of an EL element is reduced without impairing required visibility.

[0005]

The present inventors have conducted various studies on pedestrian road signs, and as a result, for example,
In the case of a road sign such as "Prohibition of pedestrian crossing", the pedestrian in front of the road is alerted enough to prevent the violation, but pedestrians on the side are easily overlooked. And investigated the facts. Therefore, it is necessary to target pedestrians on the side of the road sign in order to visually recognize the offense and discourage the offense. It is desirable to cover pedestrians who have just entered. Further, as a result of further study, it was found that the above object can be easily achieved by using a specific sensor.

The present invention has been completed on the basis of the above findings. The gist of the present invention is to provide a display unit disposed to face a sidewalk adjacent to a road, an EL element emitting light from the display unit, and an EL device.
A solar battery system that supplies power to the element, a pyroelectric infrared sensor that is arranged across the sensing range on the road and sidewalk, and a control unit that supplies power to the EL element for a certain period of time by sensing the sensor. There is a road sign characterized by that.

[0007]

[Function] The pyroelectric infrared sensor disposed across the detection range between the road and the sidewalk detects the pedestrian immediately after entering the road, and does not detect the traffic coming and going. Only, and enables the EL element to emit light in the minimum necessary range.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an elevation explanatory view of an example of the display device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan explanatory view of an example of an arrangement state of the display device of the present invention.

The display device of the present invention mainly comprises a display section (1), an EL element (2), a solar battery system (3),
It comprises a pyroelectric infrared sensor (4) and a control unit (5). These are usually installed on one pillar (6) by appropriate means.

The display section (1) is made of, for example, a transparent plate such as an acrylic resin plate, and is provided with necessary displays in accordance with the rules of each road sign. EL element (2)
An organic dispersion film type EL element is configured to be housed inside a moisture-proof film, and the organic dispersion film type EL element is configured by disposing a light emitting layer between a back electrode and a transparent electrode. It is preferable to interpose a reflective insulating layer between the light emitting layers. A packaged EL device having such a structure is known, for example, from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-215872. The EL element (2) is arranged with its light emitting surface (transparent electrode surface) on the back of the display section (1). Usually, both are integrated using an appropriate frame.

The solar battery system (3) is composed of a solar battery, a battery, and necessary power circuits (such as a charging circuit, an overcharge prevention circuit, an overdischarge prevention circuit, and a D / A conversion circuit). Type infrared sensor (4) is 0.5
It is a sensor that detects infrared rays generated by a pedestrian at a normal speed corresponding to a frequency of ７5 Hz, and a 7 μm cut-on filter can be employed to more accurately detect only pedestrians. Such a pyroelectric infrared sensor is
Since it is widely used for intrusion alarms, automatic door open / close switches, etc., it can be easily obtained.

The control section (5) basically has a function of supplying power to the EL element (2) for a certain period of time by sensing the pyroelectric infrared sensor (4). That is, when the pedestrian enters the sensing range of the pyroelectric infrared sensor (4), power supply is started immediately, and after a lapse of a predetermined time or when the pedestrian escapes from the sensing range of the pyroelectric infrared sensor (4). Stop power supply immediately. Such a function is performed by a power supply control circuit for the EL element (2) provided in the control unit (5). As a power supply method for a certain period of time, a blinking power supply method is preferable from the viewpoint of further reducing the power consumption of the EL element. According to this method, there is also an effect of enhancing the eye catching property of the pedestrian.

The specific control system by the control unit (5) is appropriately selected depending on the number of pedestrians, and the like. For example, the blinking operation time of the EL element is 1 minute, the blinking duty is 1: 4, and the blinking is blinking. The number of times can be selected from conditions such as 30 times / minute. Such a control system is performed by a circuit including a timer, an IC clock circuit, and the like provided in the control unit (5). Of course, a computer can also be used.

In the road sign according to the present invention, the display unit (1)
Is arranged to face the sidewalk adjacent to the road, and the pyroelectric infrared sensor (4) is disposed so that its sensing range extends over the road (7) and the sidewalk (8) (see FIG. 2). The detection range angle (θ) of the pyroelectric infrared sensor (4) can be appropriately selected depending on the Fresnel lens, but is usually 30 to 90 °.
The sensing distance (t) is usually 1 to 3 m, preferably about 1.5 to 2 m. The illustrated road sign includes two pyroelectric infrared sensors (4) and (4) on the left and right.
Are arranged, but may be one depending on the situation. In FIG. 2, reference numeral (9) indicates a pedestrian, and (10) indicates a car.

[0015] The road sign of the present invention (for example, a road sign prohibiting pedestrian crossing) is particularly useful for pedestrians located on the side of the road and pedestrians who have just entered the road. Used to prevent and prevent traffic accidents. Often, violators such as the ones listed above
If you do not enter the roadway, you will cross the roadway while turning left and right for protection. In such a case, according to the road sign of the present invention, the self-luminous function is expected to have an effect of recognizing light emission to the offender's vision and deterring the offense. In particular, such an effect can be greatly expected at night, when a violation is likely to occur.

In the present invention, a double-sided light emitting EL element (an EL element in which a light emitting layer is disposed between two transparent electrodes) is used as the EL element (2), and the display is arranged to face the sidewalk adjacent to the road. An appropriate display unit may be provided on the back surface of the unit (1) to provide a self-luminous function to both surfaces. According to such a double-sided self-luminous road sign, the probability of deterring an offense can be further increased.

[0017]

According to the present invention described above, there is provided a road sign in which the power consumption of the EL element is reduced without impairing the required visibility, and the present invention utilizes a solar battery system. It greatly contributes to the practical use of self-luminous road signs.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an example of the display device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory plan view showing an example of an arrangement state of the display device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: display section 2: EL element 3: solar battery system 4: pyroelectric infrared sensor 5: control section 6: support

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A display unit disposed to face a sidewalk adjacent to a road, an EL element for emitting light from the display unit, a solar battery system for supplying power to the EL element, and a sensing range spanning the road and the sidewalk. A road sign comprising: a pyroelectric infrared sensor arranged; and a control unit for supplying power to an EL element for a certain period of time by sensing the sensor.