KR101499708B1 - Road Marker - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a raised pavement marker that is installed at a median or left and right sides of a pavement to improve visibility of a pedestrian and a driver. The raised pavement marker includes: a body having a light source installing portion formed on an upper portion so that an optical axis of a light source is inclined; the light source installed in the light source installing portion, of which the optical axis is inclined toward the outside of the body; and a cover lens engaged to the body to cover the light source.

Description

Road Marker {Road Marker}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a sign cover provided on a center separator or on the left and right sides of a road, and more particularly, to a road sign cover installed in a place where traffic safety is required and improving the visibility of a pedestrian and a driver.

The signpost is installed on the center line of the road, the edge of the road, the safety zone of the diverging road, the press boundary line of the park or the promenade, etc., so that the driver and the pedestrian can clearly distinguish the lane This is a device for guiding the line of sight, and is installed at the front of the pedestrian crossing and in the overspeed prevention section to ensure safe driving of the vehicle. As one of conventional techniques for enhancing visibility, which is an essential function of a marker, a solar LED sight guide lamp is disclosed in Patent No. 0452570 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1). The solar LED sight guidance lamp of Patent Document 1 is provided with a light intensity sensor for measuring an external illuminance value on one side and a technique for controlling the light emission of the LED according to the measured value of the light intensity sensor. Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique of controlling power to be supplied to the light emitting display panel only at night by controlling the PCB circuit board according to the illuminance sensor measurement value.

Korean Patent No. 0452570

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a road marker capable of highly visually guiding the eyes of a vehicle driver and a pedestrian.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a road marker for transmitting display light in a direction of a line of sight of an approaching pedestrian or a driver of a vehicle. The road sign includes a body having a light source mounting portion and a protruding portion receiving groove in which an optical axis of the light source is inclined upward, a light source installed in the light source mounting portion and having an optical axis diagonally facing the outside of the body, And covers a cover lens.

In an embodiment of the present invention, at least one pair of the light source mounting portions may be formed symmetrically on the body. The LED light sources may be disposed on the light source mounting portion, and the at least one pair of LED light sources provided in the light source mounting portion are oriented obliquely in opposite directions with respect to the vertical axis.

The cover lens may include a protrusion which faces the light source and has a surface perpendicular to the optical axis, and the surface perpendicular to the optical axis may be a first groove facing the light source.

The cover lens may further include a second groove on an upper portion of the light source adjacent to the protrusion.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the road marker may be a solar label. For example, a solar cell may be installed on the upper portion of the body under the cover lens.

And a circuit board mounting groove on which a circuit board is mounted on the upper surface of the body. The solar cell may cover the circuit board mounting groove. The light source mounting portion may be positioned on both sides of the circuit board mounting groove.

According to the present invention, since the light source is installed obliquely to the outside of the body in the direction of the optical axis, much light can be transmitted in the direction of the gaze of the driver or the pedestrian toward the road marking bottle. Therefore, the visibility of the pedestrian or the driver is increased, so that the road boundary or mark can be clearly communicated. In addition, it is possible to minimize the square area by diffracting light by diffracting light by forming a groove at a position opposite to the light source in the direction of the optical axis of the light source and in the vicinity thereof.

In addition, since the road markers of the present invention are horizontally installed to the ground surface of the road, there is no fear of damage during snow snowing work in winter.

1 is a perspective view illustrating a body of a road sign according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a perspective view illustrating a cover lens of a road marking bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the inside of the cover lens of FIG. 2; FIG.
4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a road marking bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
5 is a photograph of a road marking bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
6 is a view showing a driving circuit block of a road marking bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein but may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments disclosed herein are provided so that the disclosure can be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

In the present specification, when it is mentioned that any structure (or layer) is on another structure (or layer) or surface, it may be directly formed on another structure (or layer) or surface, or a third structure (Or layer) may be interposed. Further, in the drawings, the sizes and thicknesses of the structures and the like are exaggerated for the sake of clarity. It should also be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc. have been used in various embodiments herein to describe various regions, structures (or layers), etc., It should not be limited. These terms are merely used to distinguish certain regions or structures (or layers) from other regions or structures (or layers). Each embodiment described and exemplified herein also includes its complementary embodiment. The expression " and / or " is used herein to mean including at least one of the elements listed before and after. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the specification.

 1 is a perspective view showing a body of a road sign according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a road marker according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a body 10 and a light source 14 mounted on the body 10.

The light source 14 may be an LED illumination, and one or more LEDs may be used. The light source 14 is installed in the light source installation part 12 formed on the body 10. The light source installation part 12 is structured such that the light source 14 is installed such that an optical axis of the light source 14 is inclined by a predetermined angle in a vertical direction. That is, the inclination of the light source 14 is that if binary own optical axis tilted may be in the light source installation part 12 is flat, in the case of the light source installation part 12, the tilt structure, the light source installation part 12, The optical axis of the light source 14 may be inclined. At least one pair of the light sources 14 may be installed on the body 10 so that optical axes are inclined in directions opposite to each other. Preferably, the optical axis 14 is tilted toward the direction of the pedestrian or the driver's eyes toward the road sign of the present invention, thereby increasing visibility. In addition, a projecting portion receiving groove 19 is formed adjacent to the light source mounting portion 12. The projection receiving grooves 19 receive the projections 22 of the cover lens 20 to be described later so that the body 10 and the cover lens 20 are engaged and fixed.

A circuit board mounting groove 16 on which the circuit board is to be mounted may be further provided on the body 10. The circuit board mounting groove 16 may be provided with a control circuit board which is electrically connected to the light source 14 and controls the light source 14. Although not shown, the circuit board mounting groove 16 may be covered with a solar cell. That is, the solar cell serves as a cover of the circuit board mounting groove 16, and can cover the circuit board and convert external solar light into electric energy. The control circuit of the circuit board is electrically connected to the solar cell so that electric power can be supplied from the solar cell to the light source. The circuit board may be equipped with a rechargeable battery or a capacitor for storing power generated in the solar cell. Alternatively, the rechargeable battery and the capacitor may be mounted in the circuit board mounting groove 16 separately from the circuit board and electrically connected to the control circuit.

The body is a structure that can be installed on the floor such as a road or a sidewalk, or a sign such as a central separator or a sphere analysis. The body 10 may be covered with a light-transmissive cover lens to protect the light source, the circuit board, and the solar cell from the external environment. In addition, since the body 10 is horizontally installed to the ground surface of the road, there is no fear of damage during the winter snow snow removal work.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cover lens of a road marking bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the interior of the cover lens of FIG. 2. Referring to FIG.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover lens 20 may have a transparent window through which the light of the light source 14 can be transmitted, or the entire surface may be made transparent. The cover lens 20 may have a lens-shaped portion for allowing the light of the light source 14 to diffuse or refract. For example, the light source 14 may have a first groove 24 serving as a concave lens in the direction of the optical axis, and a second groove 26 serving as a concave lens may also be formed at a portion facing the side of the light source 14, Lt; / RTI > The first groove 24 may be formed in the protrusion 22 located in front of the light source 14. The protrusions 22 may have a surface 22s perpendicular to the optical axis of the light source 14 and the first grooves 24 may be formed on the vertical surface 22s. The second groove 26 may be formed adjacent to the protrusion 22 and may have a rectangular shape so that the light of the light source 14 may be widely diffused. The projection 22 is accommodated in the projection receiving groove 19 of the body 10 so that the cover lens 20 is fixedly coupled to the body 10. [

4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a road sign according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

4, when the cover lens 20 is mounted on the body 10, the protrusion 22 is positioned in front of the light source 14 in the direction of the optical axis, And is engaged and fixed. The first groove 24 formed in the protrusion 22 is located in front of the light source 14 and the light incident from the light source 14 is refracted out of the body 10 to proceed. A second groove 26 is formed in the cover lens 20 at a position facing the side surface of the light source 14 so that light emitted from the side surface of the light source 14 is refracted by the second groove 26 And can be diffused to the periphery. Since the second groove 26 is a rectangular shape perpendicular to the optical axis, light emitted from the light source 14 can be spread in a plane direction connecting the optical axis and the vertical axis. Accordingly, the light emitted from the light source 14 can be recognized until a pedestrian or a driver approaching the road sign of the present invention passes from a long distance.

As shown in the figure, the light source 14 of the road marker according to the present invention is installed such that the optical axis is inclined at a predetermined angle (?) From the vertical axis so that the light travels in the direction of the eyes of a pedestrian or a driver approaching the road marker, The first groove 24 and the second groove 26 function as a concave lens so that light travels from a long distance to a short distance and diffuses light from a vertical axis at a wide azimuth angle? It is possible to continuously transmit light to an approaching pedestrian or driver regardless of the distance.

5 is a photograph of a road marking bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the light source 14 may include a plurality of LEDs, and at least one pair of light sources may be provided to have optical axes inclined in different directions. In addition, a circuit board mounting groove may be formed in the center of the body 10 between the pair of light sources 14, and the solar cell 18 may cover the circuit board mounting groove. The cover lens 20 may be made of a light transmissive material such that the light of the light source 14 is diverted to the outside and the external light is transmitted to the solar cell 18.

6 is a view showing a driving circuit block of a road marking bottle according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

6, the driving circuit block of the solar beacon according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a solar cell 100, a light emitting unit 200, a charging unit 400, an illumination sensing unit 500, a time counting unit 600 And a power switching unit 700.

The solar cell 100 is a structure for converting sunlight energy into electric energy. In addition, the solar cell 100 can generate electricity using two kinds of semiconductors such as a P-type semiconductor and an N-type semiconductor. However, the present invention is not limited to this and a well-known technology may be applied.

The light emitting unit 200 emits light according to whether or not the power source is supplied. Specifically, the light emitting unit 200 may include a light emitting device array 220 including at least one light emitting device. The light emitting elements included in each light emitting element array 220 may be one or a plurality of light emitting elements depending on the user's selection or the environment of the place where the marker is installed. In addition, the light emitting unit 200 may include one light emitting device array 220, but a plurality of light emitting device arrays 220 may be connected in series or in parallel. In addition, the light emitting unit 200 may further include a constant current driver 210 for performing a constant current control with respect to a supplied power source, or a constant voltage driver for performing constant voltage control. On the other hand, a typical light emitting device includes a light emitting diode (LED), but the present invention is not limited thereto and should be interpreted to mean all means capable of emitting light upon receiving power.

The charging unit 400 is configured to charge the battery 300 with electric energy generated in the solar cell 100 or to discharge the battery 300 in order to provide power required for lighting the light emitting unit 200. [ It is natural that lighting of the light emitting unit 200 and charging of the battery 300 can be performed simultaneously. In this case, the battery 300 may be a secondary battery such as the lithium ion battery 300.

The illuminance sensing unit 500 is configured to sense ambient illuminance. The roughness sensing unit 500 may use any one of known roughness sensing schemes or roughness sensors (for example, various photovoltaic cells may be used and a photoconductor may be used for very low roughness measurement). 1, the roughness sensing unit 500 directly senses the ambient illuminance. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it should be interpreted that light (illuminance) may be sensed through the solar cell 100 will be.

The time counting unit 600 is a configuration for reducing malfunction of the marker or adverse unnecessary turn-off frequency from the negative influence from the surrounding environment. Specifically, the time counting unit 600 may set a first reference illuminance value and a first duration value. At this time, the first reference illuminance value and the first duration value may be set in a plurality of ranges.

Here, the first reference illuminance value means illuminance for distinguishing the daytime from the nighttime. Also, the setting of the first duration value may be by programming. For example, the first reference illuminance value or the first duration value is set in a micro controller unit (MCU) through programming to determine whether to perform specific functions (e.g., power control signal output) under the control of the MCU Can be a standard for doing so. The first sustain time value may be set by using an element or a part in which a change occurs under a specific condition. Work

For example, it is an intrinsic property of the capacitor that a specific voltage is applied to the capacitor as the illuminance greater than the first reference illuminance value is sensed, and thus the current does not flow when the voltage across the capacitor becomes equal to the specific voltage. A technique or a principle (e.g., a tester) can be used. The elapsed time until the voltage across the capacitor becomes equal to the specified voltage can be adjusted according to the capacitance of the capacitor and so on, so that the first duration value can be set through the circuit design using the specific element.

The time counting unit 600 may count a time period during which the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensing unit 500 is maintained to be less than (or less than) the first reference illuminance value. The time counting unit 600 may generate a power control signal according to whether or not the counted time has reached the first sustain time value. If the duration of the illumination that is detected to be less than (or below) the first reference illuminance value reaches the first sustain time value, a power control signal for determining power supply to the light emitting unit 200 Can be generated.

In addition, the time counting unit 600 may count a time period during which the sensed illuminance is greater than or equal to the first reference illuminance value. The time counting unit 600 may generate a power control signal according to whether or not the counted time has reached the first sustain time value. If it is determined that the illuminance is equal to or greater than the first reference illuminance value and reaches the first sustain time value, Signal can be generated. Accordingly, the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensor falls below the reference value due to the occlusion of the marker during the daytime by a shadow of a moving object such as a person or an automobile, recognizes the illuminance at night and supplies a power to the light emitting unit 200, Can be improved. In addition, due to a situation such as a light emitted through a headlight of a vehicle reaches a marker during the nighttime, the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensor rises above a reference value, recognizes the illuminance as a daytime, Can also be improved.

The power switching unit 700 controls the power supplied to the light emitting unit 200 based on the power control signal generated from the time counting unit 600. In this case, the power switching unit 700 can differentially adjust the power supplied to the light emitting unit 200 by reflecting the illuminance sensed by the power control signal. For example, in a situation where a power supply control signal for supplying power to the light emitting unit 200 is generated, it can be assumed that the detected illuminance is 1000 lux and 2000 lux. In this case, since the ambient illuminance in a situation of 1000 lux is lower than in the case where the sensed illuminance is 2000 lux, more light emission through the light emitting unit 200 is required. Accordingly, the power switching unit 700 can control to supply more power to the light emitting unit 200 than in the situation where the sensed illuminance is 1000 lux or 2000 lux.

Also, the power switching unit 700 may adjust the power supplied to the light emitting unit 200 using a pulse width modulation (PWM) method. That is, the voltage or current supplied to the light emitting unit 200 can be adjusted by adjusting the duty cycle according to the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensing unit 500. The solar battery 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention detects the output voltage of the battery 300 and disables the discharge of the battery 300 when the detected output voltage is less than the reference voltage. (800).

10: body 20: cover lens
12: light source mounting portion 22:
14: light source 24: first groove
16: circuit board mounting groove 26: second groove
19: protrusion receiving groove

Claims (8)

At least one pair of light sources are symmetrically formed on the upper portion of the light source mounting portion 12 and the light source mounting portion 12 is provided with the optical axis of the light source 14 being inclined and a protrusion receiving groove 19 formed adjacent to the light source mounting portion 12, ;
A light source 14 installed at the light source mounting part 12 and having an optical axis diagonally directed to the outside of the body; And
And a cover lens (20) coupled to the projection receiving groove (19) of the body (10) to cover the light source,
The cover lens 20 is accommodated in the projecting portion receiving groove 19 of the body 10 and has a surface 22s perpendicular to the optical axis and opposed to the light source 14, A first concave groove 24 is formed in a concave lens shape on a surface 22s perpendicular to the optical axis of the protruding portion 22 so as to face the light source 14,
Wherein a rectangular second groove (26) formed in a concave lens shape is formed on the light source (14) adjacent to the protrusion (22) inside the cover lens (20). delete The method according to claim 1,
An LED light source is installed on the light source mounting portion,
Wherein the at least one pair of LED light sources provided in the light source mounting portion are oriented obliquely in directions opposite to each other with respect to the vertical axis. delete delete The method according to claim 1,
A solar cell 18 is installed on the upper portion of the body under the cover lens 20,
And a circuit board mounting groove 16 on which a circuit board is mounted on the upper surface of the body 10. The solar cell 18 covers the circuit board mounting groove 16,
Wherein the light source mounting portion (12) is located on both sides of the circuit board mounting groove (16). delete delete

Images