EMERGENCY RELEASE BARRIER SYSTEM

Abstract

An emergency release barrier system that includes a post having at least one retainer; and a barrier tape having a cooperatively shaped attaching part formed at an outer end of the tape. The retainer is open at an upper end, has a first vertical retaining wall at a first side, a second vertical retaining wall at a second side, and a vertically extending opening formed between the first retaining wall and the second retaining wall, such that a vertically extending retaining volume is formed between an inner wall of the retainer, the first retaining wall and the second retaining wall, and a width of the retaining volume is greater than a width of the opening. The attaching part of the barrier tape is cooperatively formed to be removably mounted in and retained in the retaining volume of the retainer.

Claims

1. An emergency release barrier system comprising: a post having at least one retainer; and a barrier tape having a cooperatively shaped attaching part formed at an outer end of the tape; wherein: the retainer is open at an upper end, has a first vertical retaining wall at a first side, a second vertical retaining wall at a second side, and a vertically extending opening formed between the first retaining wall and the second retaining wall, such that a vertically extending retaining volume is formed between an inner wall of the retainer, the first retaining wall and the second retaining wall, and a width of the retaining volume is greater than a width of the opening; and the attaching part of the barrier tape is cooperatively formed to be removably mounted in and retained in the retaining volume of the retainer; wherein: an outer end of the attaching part is formed of a first flexible wing at a first side and a second flexible wing at a second side, the first and second flexible wings being compressible in a direction towards one another; the attaching part is formed such that when the attaching part is located within the retaining volume the first flexible wing engages with the first retaining wall and the second flexible wing engages with the second retaining wall; and the first and second flexible wings can be compressed towards one another such that a maximum width of the attaching part is less than the width of the opening.

2. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the retainer is removably attached to the post at an inner side.

3. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 2, wherein the retainer is mounted in a vertical slot formed in the post.

4. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second retaining walls are substantially straight and are angled towards one another.

5. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 4, wherein the first and second retaining walls are each angled inwards between 10° and 20° from a radial direction of the post that extends through a centre of the retaining volume.

6. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 4, wherein an outer wall of the first flexible wing is formed to be substantially parallel to an inner surface of the first retaining wall when the attaching part is located in the retaining volume and an outer wall of the second flexible wing is formed to be substantially parallel to an inner surface of the second retaining wall when the attaching part is located in the retaining volume.

7. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the width of the opening is between 15 mm and 20 mm.

8. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the retaining volume is open at an upper end and at least partially closed at a lower end.

9. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 1, wherein: an outer end of the first flexible wing is formed to engage with a first corner of the retaining volume that is formed between the first retaining wall and the inner wall of the retainer; and an outer end of the second flexible wing is formed to engage with a second corner of the retaining volume that is formed between the second retaining wall and the inner wall of the retainer.

10. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second flexible wings are formed of flexible thermoplastic.

11. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second retaining walls are formed of die cast zinc.

12. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the flexibility of the first and second flexible wings is such that, when a tape attached thereto is pulled outwards from the retainer at an angle greater than 15% away from a radial direction of the post that extends through a centre of the retaining volume, the force required to pull the attaching part out of the retainer is less than the force required to pull over the post.

13. An emergency release barrier system according to claim 1, wherein the retainer and the attaching part are formed such that an outward force of 30N or less on the tape in a direction 45° away from a radial direction of the post that extends through a centre of the retaining volume is required to pull the attaching part out of the post.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0036] FIG. 1 is a schematic of three barrier systems in use;

[0037] FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional view of an emergency release barrier system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view of the upper end of a post of the system of FIG. 2;

[0039] FIG. 4 is an aerial view of the post of FIG. 3;

[0040] FIGS. 5 to 8 are aerial views of the system of FIG. 2 in use during an emergency situation.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a schematic of three barrier systems 1 according to the prior art in use. The systems consist of two barrier posts 2, each consisting of a vertically extending post member 3 with a circular weighted base 4. An extendable tape 5 extends from an upper end of a first post member 3 to the upper end of the second post member 3. An attachment part 6 is formed at the outermost end of the extendable tape 5 and is retained in a retainer 7 formed at the upper end of the second post member 3 such that the extendable tape 5 is retained between the post members 3. The barrier posts 2 are approximately 1.0 m tall.

[0042] In the lowermost barrier system 1 of FIG. 1 the extendable tape 5 extends between the barrier posts 2 in a direction coincident with a radial direction of each post member 3. This is the position the extendable tape 5 will be located in during normal operation of the barrier system 1.

[0043] The top two barrier systems 1 of FIG. 1 the extendable tape 5 has been extended in the same manner as it might be were a person (not shown) to try and push through the extendable tape, for example to exit a queueing system in an emergency. In the uppermost picture the person has tried to push through the extendable tape 5 adjacent the second post member 3, whilst in the second picture the person has tried to push through the extendable tape 5 at a midpoint between the first and second post members 3. In both pictures this has resulted in the extendable tape 5 being further extended and extending outwards from each post member 3 in a direction that is angled away from the radial direction of the post members 3. However, as the movement of the person acts to move the extendable tape 5 in a horizontal direction without a vertical component the extendable tape 5 remains fixed to both barrier posts 2; the extendable tape 5 cannot release. In particular, the attachment part 6 of the extendable tape 5 remains retained in the retainer 7. If the person pushes further the barrier posts 2 will topple over.

[0044] An emergency release barrier system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 2 to 8.

[0045] The barrier system 10 comprises a post 11 having a retainer 12 formed on an outer surface of the post adjacent an upper end of the post. The retainer 12 is open at an upper end, has a first vertical retaining wall 13 at a first side, a second vertical retaining wall 14 at a second side, and a vertically extending opening 15 formed between the first retaining wall 13 and the second retaining wall 14, such that a vertically extending retaining volume 16 is formed between an inner wall 17 of the retainer 12, the first retaining wall 13 and the second retaining wall 14, and a width of the retaining volume 16 is greater than a width of the opening 15. The retainer 12 has a supporting part 18 formed at a lower end of the retaining volume 16. The post 11 is 1.0 m tall and weighs approximately 7.5 kg. The post 11 is mounted on a weighted base (not shown).

[0046] As can be seen best in FIG. 4, a horizontal cross-section of the retaining volume 16 is a trapezium in that the first retaining wall 13 and the second retaining wall 14 are both substantially straight and are angled towards one another from the inner wall 17 of the retainer 12. The retaining volume 16 is widest adjacent the inner wall 17 of the retainer and narrowest at the opening 15. The first retaining wall 13 and the second retaining wall 14 are formed of die cast zinc and, as such, are relatively inflexible. The first and second retaining walls 13, 14 are angled towards each other by approximately 16.5°. The width of the opening 15 is 16.5 mm and at its widest point, adjacent the inner wall 17 of the retainer, the width of the retaining volume is 18.8 mm. That is, the retaining volume 16 narrows by 2.3 mm from its innermost point to the opening 15.

[0047] The barrier system 10 further comprises an extendable tape 20 that extends from an upper end of a barrier post (not shown). An attaching part 21 is formed at an outer end of the extendable tape 20 and is securely fastened thereto. The attaching part 21 is shaped to cooperate with the retainer 12. In particular, the attaching part 21 has a cooperating trapezoidal shape that allows it to be slid into the retaining volume 16 from an upper end and be retained within the retaining volume 16 by the first and second retaining walls 13, 14, and be supported at a lower end by the supporting part 18 of the retainer 12.

[0048] An outer end of the attaching part 21 comprises a first flexible wing 22 at a first side and a second flexible wing 23 at a second side with a gap 24 formed therebetween. The first and second flexible wings 22, 23 can be compressed towards one another. The attaching part 21 is formed of a relatively flexible thermoplastic elastomer such as Hytrel®. A vertical outer surface of the first and second flexible wings 22, 23 is formed to be substantially parallel to an inner surface of the first and second retaining walls 13, 14 respectively. The first and second flexible wings 22, 23 each have an outer vertical edge 25 that, when the attaching part 21 is located within the retainer 12, each engage with a vertical inner corner 19 of the retaining volume 16, wherein the vertical inner corners 19 are formed at an intersection between the first and second retaining walls 13, 14 and the inner wall 17 of the retainer.

[0049] The operation of the emergency release barrier system 10 is shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. The normal operation of the barrier system 10 is shown in FIG. 5 in which the attaching part 21 of the extendable tape 20 is located with the retainer 12 and the extendable tape extends outward from the post 11 in a direction that is substantially parallel to a radial direction of the post. During normal operation, the extendable tape 20 will act to impart an outwards force on the attaching part 21. This force will act to pull an outer wall of each of the first and second flexible wings 22, 23 against an inner wall of the first and second retaining walls 13, 14 respectively and thereby transfer the force on the extendable tape 20 to the retainer 12. There will be no force between the outer vertical edges of the first and second flexible wings 22, 23 and the vertical inner corners 19 of the retaining volume 16. As such, in the orientation of FIG. 5 there will be little compressive action on the first and second flexible wings 22, 23 and it is impossible to pull the attaching part 21 outwards from the retainer 12. Instead, pulling the extendable tape 20 outwards would topple over the barrier post 11 before the attaching part 21 releases from the retainer 12.

[0050] In FIGS. 6 to 8, the extendable tape 20 is being moved in a horizontal direction away from the radial direction of the post 11. This may occur when a person is pushing against the extendable tape 20 in the manner discussed above in relation to the prior art embodiment of FIG. 1. Moving the extendable tape 20 away from the radial direction of the post 11 acts to move the force acting on the attaching part 21. In particular, an outer vertical edge 25 of one of the first or second flexible wings 22, 23 will engage with a vertical inner corner 19 of the retainer 12 and an inward force will thereby act on the first or second flexible wing 22, 23 to compress the attaching part 21. This compression will act to take an outer wall of the other of the first or second flexible wing 22, 23 out of planar contact with the inner surface of the first or second retaining wall 13, 14. Instead, the outer vertical edge 25 of the other of the first or second flexible wing 22, 23 will be brought into contact with said inner surface. This is best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. This will also act to compress the first and second flexible wings 22, 23 together. If the first and second flexible wings 22, 23 are compressed together sufficiently the attaching part 21 can be pulled out of the opening 15 of the retainer 12 thereby removing the extendable tape 20 from the post 11. This is shown in FIG. 8.

[0051] The emergency release barrier system 1 of FIGS. 2 to 8 is designed such that an outward force of 22N on the extendable tape 20 is sufficient to remove the attaching part 21 from the retainer 12 when said force acts in a direction that is 45° away from the radial direction of the post 11 in which the extendable tape 20 extends in FIG. 5. The barrier post 11 has a weighted base (not shown) and a force significantly greater than 22N acting on an upper end of the post is required to topple the post over. In this manner, in an emergency situation a person attempting to escape a queueing system formed by the emergency release barrier system 1 of the embodiment of the invention described herein can do so by simply pushing their way outwards, through the extendable tape 20. Doing this will release an outer end of the extendable tape 20 from the barrier post 11 without toppling a post 11.