Roadway guardrail structure
OwnerCarlos M. Ochoainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A guardrail structure having a plurality of vertical support posts supporting a plurality of guardrail beams. Each post includes a pair of flanges having free edge portions with edge folds defining tubular beads on the free edge portions to provide reinforcement that result in a minimum amount of material usage for the posts. Spacers or blockouts may be mounted between the guardrail beams and the posts to offset the posts from the guardrail beams.
Claims38
A support post for mounting a guardrail of a highway guardrail system, comprising:
- an elongated body having an upper end, a lower end, and an intermediate portion between said ends with substantially vertical surfaces;
- a securing member for attachment of the guardrail to the elongated body adjacent to the upper end;
- and
- said intermediate portion of said body including in horizontal cross-section a web with two ends, and a flange at each end with an edge fold including an inturned free edge portion and a generally tubular bead on a free edge of at least one flange, such that when the post is impacted by a vehicle, the impact force causes the cross-section of said intermediate portion to buckle and deform in a region adjacent to the point of impact, thereby reducing the ability of the post to resist said vehicle impact.
A support post for mounting a guardrail thereon as part of a highway guardrail system for installation adjacent to a roadway, comprising:
- an elongated body having an upper end, a lower end, and an intermediate portion with substantially vertical surfaces;
- a securing member for attachment of the guardrail to the elongated body adjacent to the upper end;
- said intermediate portion of said elongated body including in cross-section a web with two ends, and flange at each end with an edge fold with an inturned free edge portion and an outturned tubular bead on the inturned free edge portion;
- and
- at least one of the flanges including an embossment protruding away from the flange an amount between one half and eight times the thickness of the flange.
A highway guardrail system for a roadway, comprising:
- a plurality of spaced guardrail support posts along the roadway;
- a guardrail mounted on said support posts;
- at least one support post having an elongated body including an upper end, a lower end, and an intermediate portion between said ends with substantially vertical surfaces;
- and
- said intermediate portion defining in cross-section a web with two ends, and a flange at each end with an edge fold, a tubular bead and an additional reinforcing member within said tubular bead.
A support post for mounting a guardrail of a highway guardrail system, comprising:
- an elongated body having an upper end, a lower end, and an intermediate portion between said ends with substantially vertical surfaces;
- a securing member for attachment of the guardrail to the elongated body adjacent to the upper end;
- and
- said intermediate portion of said body including in horizontal cross-section a web with two ends, and flange at each end with an edge fold on a free edge of at least one flange, wherein a major axis and a minor axis of an elliptical cross-section of the edge fold being substantially equal to each other, thus defining a substantially circular cross-section and the edge fold extends through a circular path of at least about 210 degrees, such that when the post is impacted by a vehicle, the impact force causes the cross-section of said intermediate portion to buckle and deform in a region adjacent to the point of impact, thereby reducing the ability of the post to resist said vehicle impact.
A support post for mounting a guardrail thereon as part of a highway guardrail system for installation adjacent to a roadway, comprising:
- an elongated body having an upper end, a lower end, and an intermediate portion with substantially vertical surfaces;
- a securing member for attachment of the guardrail to the elongated body adjacent to the upper end;
- said intermediate portion of said elongated body including in cross-section a web with two ends, and a flange at each end with an edge fold along a free edge, said edge fold being turned outwardly and the flanges being oriented substantially perpendicular to the web, the edge fold including a tubular bead;
- and
- at least one of the flanges including an embossment protruding away from the flange an amount between one half and eight times the thickness of the flange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.