Stackable compact high threat barrier

Abstract

A stackable, portable, traffic barrier having a molded elongated body with a generally extruded triangular shape having a longitudinal axis; a separable base; a top; a first pair of opposing sides disposed between the top and the base; a second pair of arcuate opposing sides disposed between the top and the base; a plurality of vertically disposed fillable cavities disposed through the top of the body; and a plurality of caps, where each of the caps has a cross sectional shape suitable for functionally engaging a corresponding cavity.

Claims

1. A stackable, portable traffic, barrier, comprising: a molded, elongate body extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite longitudinal ends, the body having: a top portion defining a body top surface, a bottom portion defining a body bottom surface, and opposing first and second lateral sides between which the longitudinal axis is located, the first and second sides extending between the body longitudinal ends and between the body top surface and the body bottom surface; and a separable base; wherein the lateral distance between the first and second sides is narrower at the body top portion than at the body bottom portion; wherein the body defines at least one ballast-fillable cavity accessible through at least one opening in the body top surface, whereby the body cavity is receivable of weighting ballast through the at least one opening; wherein the body bottom surface defines a longitudinal slot extending between the body longitudinal ends, said base removably receivable into the longitudinal slot; wherein the top portion is configured for removable, nested receipt into a second said barrier body longitudinal slot, whereby use of the barrier with a second said barrier body vertically stackable upon the barrier is facilitated; and wherein the bottom surface of the body laterally outside of the longitudinal slot is unsupported, and the vertical height and the lateral width of the barrier are unaffected, by said separable base received into the longitudinal slot.

2. The stackable, portable traffic barrier of claim 1, wherein the body longitudinal slot is tapered in a vertical direction.

3. The stackable, portable traffic barrier of claim 2, wherein the lateral width of the body longitudinal slot, at the top of the body longitudinal slot is smaller than the lateral width of the body longitudinal slot at the bottom of the body longitudinal slot.

4. The stackable, portable traffic barrier of claim 1, wherein the body is supported at locations within the longitudinal slot by said separable base upon receipt thereof into the longitudinal slot.

5. The stackable, portable traffic barrier of claim 1, wherein the first and second lateral sides of the body each define a longitudinal cross-sectional shape that is generally arcuate.

6. The stackable, portable traffic barrier of claim 5, wherein the generally arcuate shapes define the body top portion.

7. The stackable, portable traffic barrier of claim 5, wherein the first and second lateral sides of the body each define a longitudinal cross-sectional shape that is flat and substantially vertically oriented.

8. The stackable, portable traffic barrier of claim 7, wherein the flat and substantially vertically oriented shapes define the body bottom portion.

9. The stackable, portable traffic barrier of claim 1, comprising a cap selectively disposed over each one of the at least one opening in the body top surface, whereby the at least one cavity is selectively closeable.

10. The stackable, portable traffic barrier of claim 1, wherein the entirety of the base is received into the body longitudinal slot.

11. A barricade comprising: a first stackable, portable traffic barrier comprising a first barrier body and a separable base; and a second barrier body; wherein, respective to each said barrier body, the body is molded, elongate, and extends along a longitudinal axis between opposite longitudinal ends, the body having: a top portion defining a body top surface, a bottom portion defining a body bottom surface, and opposing first and second lateral sides between which the longitudinal axis is located, the first and second sides extending between the body longitudinal ends and between the body top surface and the body bottom surface; wherein, respective to each barrier body, the lateral distance between the first and second lateral sides is narrower at the body top portion than at the body bottom portion, the body defines at least one ballast-fillable cavity accessible through at least one opening in the body top surface, whereby the body cavity is receivable of weighting ballast through the at least one opening, and the body bottom surface defines a longitudinal slot extending between the body longitudinal ends; wherein the first barrier base is removably receivable into the longitudinal slot of the first barrier body and, with the first barrier base received into the longitudinal slot of the first barrier body, the bottom surface of the first barrier body laterally outside of the longitudinal slot of the first barrier body is unsupported by the first barrier base and the vertical height and the lateral width of the first barrier are unaffected by the first barrier base; and wherein the top portion of the first barrier body is received into the longitudinal slot of the second barrier body.

12. The barricade of claim 11, wherein the entirety of the first barrier base is received into the longitudinal slot of the first barrier body.

13. A barricade comprising: a first and a second said stackable, portable traffic barrier according to claim 1; wherein, respective to each of the first and second barriers, each of the body longitudinal ends has an end surface that defines a vertically oriented rib and a vertically oriented slot; wherein, respective to each of the first and second barriers, at each body longitudinal end the vertically oriented rib and vertically oriented slot are substantially parallel and extend between the body top surface and the body bottom surface; wherein, respective to each of the first and second barriers, the vertically oriented rib of each body longitudinal end is longitudinally aligned with the vertically oriented slot of the opposite body longitudinal end; and wherein the first and second barrier bodies are longitudinally adjacent and mutually interengaged through their respective vertically oriented ribs and vertically oriented slots.

14. A barricade comprising: a first and a second stackable, portable traffic barrier, each of the first and second respective barriers comprising: a molded, elongate body extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite longitudinal ends, the body having: a top portion defining a body top surface, a bottom portion defining a body bottom surface, and opposing first and second lateral sides between which the longitudinal axis is located, the first and second sides extending between the body longitudinal ends and between the body top surface and the body bottom surface, and a separable base; wherein, respective to each of the first and second barriers, the lateral distance between the first and second lateral sides is narrower at the body top portion than at the body bottom portion, the body defines at least one ballast-fillable cavity accessible through at least one opening in the body top surface, whereby the body cavity is receivable of weighting ballast through the at least one opening, and the body bottom surface defines a longitudinal slot extending between the body longitudinal ends; wherein, respective to each of the first and second barriers, the base is removably receivable into the longitudinal slot and, with the base received into the longitudinal slot, the bottom surface of the body laterally outside of the longitudinal slot is unsupported by the base and the vertical height and the lateral width of the barrier are unaffected by the base; wherein, respective to each of the first and second barriers, each of the body longitudinal ends has an end surface that defines a vertically oriented rib and a vertically oriented slot, the vertically oriented rib and vertically oriented slot are substantially parallel and extend between the body top surface and the body bottom surface at each body longitudinal end, and the vertically oriented rib of each body longitudinal end is longitudinally aligned with the vertically oriented slot of the opposite body longitudinal end; wherein the first and second barrier bodies are longitudinally adjacent and mutually interengaged through their respective vertically oriented ribs and vertically oriented slots; wherein, respective to each of the first and second barriers, the base has opposite longitudinal ends and each of the base longitudinal ends has an end surface that defines a vertically oriented rib and a vertically oriented slot; wherein at each body longitudinal end the body vertically oriented rib and the body vertically oriented slot are vertically aligned with a base vertically oriented rib and a base vertically oriented slot, respectively; and wherein the first and second barrier bases are longitudinally adjacent and mutually interengaged through their respective vertically oriented ribs and vertically oriented slots.

15. A system of stackable, portable traffic barriers, comprising: a first molded, elongate barrier body and a second molded, elongate barrier body, each barrier body extending along a respective longitudinal axis between respective opposite longitudinal ends, each first and second barrier body having: a top portion defining a body top surface provided with at least one opening, a bottom portion defining a body bottom surface, wherein the body bottom surface defines a longitudinal slot extending between the body longitudinal ends, and opposing first and second lateral sides between which the respective longitudinal axis is located, the first and second sides of the body extending between the body longitudinal ends and between the body top surface and the body bottom surface, wherein the lateral distance between the first and second sides of the body is narrower at the body top portion than at the body bottom portion, and wherein the body defines at least one ballast-tillable cavity accessible through the at least one opening provided in the body top surface, whereby the at least one ballast-tillable cavity is receivable of weighting ballast through the at least one opening; a cap selectively disposed over each one of the at least one opening provided in the body top surface of at least one of the first and second barrier bodies, whereby the at least one cavity thereof is selectively closeable; and a separable base, the entirety of the base disposed in the longitudinal slot of the second barrier body; wherein the second barrier body is vertically interposed between the base and the first barrier body, and the top portion of the second barrier body is disposed in the longitudinal slot of the first barrier body; and wherein the bottom surface of the second barrier body laterally outside of its longitudinal slot is unsupported by the base, and the vertical height and the lateral width of the system are unaffected by the base.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein support by the base is provided to the second barrier body at locations within the longitudinal slot of the second barrier body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given hereinafter and from the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which, however, should not be taken to limit the invention, but are for explanation and understanding only.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 shows an exploded upper perspective view of a traffic barrier according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the body of which extends along an imaginary longitudinal axis.

(4) FIG. 2 shows an exploded front end elevation of a traffic barrier according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and a pair of imaginary parallel planes indicated by dotted lines.

(5) FIG. 3 shows an exploded side elevation of a traffic barrier according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the body of which extends along an imaginary longitudinal axis.

(6) FIG. 4 shows an upper perspective view of a barricade formed of filled, stacked traffic barriers according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the bodies of which extend along imaginary longitudinal axes, and a pair of imaginary parallel planes indicated by dotted lines.

(7) FIG. 5 shows an upper perspective view of a plurality of stacked traffic barriers according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a partially shown shipping container.

(8) FIG. 6 shows an upper perspective view of a plurality of stacked traffic barriers according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a differently sized, partially shown shipping container.

(9) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplary embodiments set forth herein are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

(10) The present invention will be discussed hereinafter in detail in terms of various exemplary embodiments according to the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be obvious, however, to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures are not shown in detail in order to avoid unnecessary obscuring of the present invention.

(11) Thus, all of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, which is defined by the claims. As used herein, the word exemplary or illustrative means serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any implementation described herein as exemplary or illustrative is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Moreover, in the present description, the terms upper, lower, left, rear, right, front, vertical, horizontal, and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIG. 1.

(12) Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

(13) Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown an exploded upper perspective view of traffic barrier 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, traffic barrier 1000 generally comprises a molded plastic body 1020. However, body 1020 of traffic barrier 1000, in addition to plastic, may comprise any suitable non-corrosive material, such as stainless steel or aluminum. In the preferred embodiment, however, the body of traffic barrier 1000 is comprised of a molded or extruded thermoplastic or thermoset polymer.

(14) As further illustrated in FIG. 1, traffic barrier body 1020 generally comprises a generally trapezoidal cross-sectional shape in directions along the length of an imaginary longitudinal axis 1030. Referring still to FIG. 1, traffic barrier body 1020 comprises a pair of longitudinally opposite ends including a front end surface 100 and a rear end surface 200. Longitudinal axis 1030 defines a length of traffic barrier 1000 between front end surface 100 and rear end surface 200. Front end surface 100 defines a vertically oriented raised rib 110 and a parallel, adjacent, vertically oriented slot 120. Rear end surface 200 defines a vertically oriented raised rib 210 and a parallel, adjacent, vertically oriented slot 220. Raised rib 210 of rear end surface 200 and slot 120 of front end surface 100 of each traffic barrier body 1020 are disposed in imaginary, vertically-oriented plane 1040 that is parallel with longitudinal axis 1030. Likewise, raised rib 110 of front end surface 100 and slot 220 of rear end surface 200 of each traffic barrier body 1020 are disposed in imaginary, vertically-oriented plane 1050 that is parallel with longitudinal axis 1030 and plane 1040.

(15) Traffic barrier body 1020 also has a top portion 1060 that defines top surface 300, a bottom portion 1070 that defines bottom surface 400, and an at least partially hollow interior. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the interior of traffic barrier body 1020 is defined by a plurality of, preferably three, vertically-oriented, fillable cavities 500 having openings 1080 that are distributed in directions along longitudinal axis 1030 and open to top surface 300 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

(16) Referring still to FIG. 1, cavity openings 1080 are preferably of a regular shape so that each cavity 500 may be enclosed by caps 550, as shown in FIG. 4. Caps 550 are preferably comprised of the same material as each traffic barrier body 1020. Opening 1080 of each cavity 500 may, for example, be rectangular or square as shown or of any regular geometric shape such a triangle, circle, an octagon, hexagon, etc.

(17) Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown an exploded front end elevation of traffic barrier 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Traffic barrier body 1020 further defines longitudinal slot 410 in bottom surface 400 that extends between front end surface 100 and rear end surface 200.

(18) As further illustrated in FIG. 2, in the vertical direction slot 410 has a generally tapered shape whereby the lateral width of the top surface 1090 of slot 410 is smaller than the lateral slot width at the bottom of slot 410 in directions perpendicular to planes 1040, 1050. The purpose of this taper is to allow a user of the present invention to stack a plurality of traffic barrier bodies 1020 on top of one another such that the top portion 1060 of a first traffic barrier body 1020 may be received and nest within a corresponding slot 410 of a second, vertically adjacent traffic barrier body 1020.

(19) Referring again to FIG. 2, traffic barrier body 1020 has opposing left and right lateral sides 600 and 700. In longitudinal cross-section, upper portions 602 and 702 of left and right lateral sides 600 and 700, respectively, each have a generally arcuate shape. Each lateral side upper portion 602, 702 slopes laterally outward from its juncture with top surface 300 of traffic barrier body 1020, to its respective juncture with a corresponding lateral side lower portion 604, 704. Each of lateral side lower portions 604 and 704 defines a vertical plane. As illustrated in FIG. 2, upper portion 602 of left lateral side 600 curves outwardly from its juncture with top surface 300 of traffic barrier body 1020, to its juncture with vertically oriented lateral side lower portion 604; and upper portion 702 of right lateral side 700 curves outwardly from its juncture with top surface 300 of traffic barrier body 1020, to its juncture with vertically oriented lateral side lower portion 704.

(20) Referring still to FIG. 2, traffic barrier 1000 according to the present invention may further comprise a barrier base 1001. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, barrier base 1001 is sized and shaped to cooperatively fit within slot 410 of traffic barrier body 1020. Barrier base 1001 has opposing lateral left side 610 and right side 710, each base side 610, 710 having a generally flat surface that tapers inwardly from the bottom surface 1100 of base 1001 to the top surface 1120 of base 1001 to fit cooperatively into slot 410 in bottom surface 400 of traffic barrier body 1020. Base 1001 is used in situations where a single traffic barrier 1000 establishes the vertical height of a barricade, or in conjunction with the bottommost traffic barrier body 1020 of a plurality of vertically stacked traffic barriers bodies 1020 that contribute to the barricade height, as shown in FIG. 4 where a barricade embodiment includes a vertically stacked pair of ballast-filled barrier bodies 1020, with the lowermost barrier body 1020 having the entirety of a barrier base 1001 disposed in its slot 410. As further illustrated in FIG. 4, the openings 1080 of cavities 500 (see FIG. 1) of the uppermost traffic barrier body 1020 are closed by caps 550.

(21) Base 1001 positioned within a longitudinal slot 410 supports surfaces of body bottom portion 1070 that are within that slot 410. FIGS. 2 and 4 also illustrate that longitudinal slot 410 is receivable of the entirety of base 1001, whereby within longitudinal slot 410 the respectively interfacing surfaces of body bottom portion 1070 and base 1001 abut each other, and laterally outside of longitudinal slot 410 the bottom surfaces 400 and 1100, of body bottom portion 1070 and base 1001, respectively, are substantially flush as shown in FIG. 4. In such a barrier embodiment, the bottom surface 400 of body bottom portion 1070 laterally outside of the longitudinal slot 400 in which the entirety of base 1001 is disposed, is unsupported by the base; and one having ordinary skill in the relevant art will appreciate that the vertical height and lateral width of the barrier are unaffected by the entirety of the base 1001 being received into slot 410.

(22) Extending upwardly from top surface 1120 of base 1001 in the depicted embodiments are projections 800, each of which is received in a recess (not shown) in longitudinal slot top surface 1090, as one having ordinary skill in the relevant art would perceive from the drawings, particularly FIGS. 2 and 4.

(23) As shown in FIG. 2, base 1001 defines front end surface 101 having a vertically oriented raised rib 111 and adjacent slot 121 having the same lateral and longitudinal dimensions as corresponding raised rib 110 and slot 120 provided on the front end surface 100 of traffic barrier body 1020. Barrier base 1001 further defines rear end surface 201 having a vertically oriented raised rib 211 and adjacent slot 221 having the same lateral and longitudinal dimensions as corresponding raised rib 210 and slot 220 provided on the rear end surface 200 of traffic barrier body 1020.

(24) Moreover, as one having ordinary skill in the relevant art would perceive from the drawings, particularly FIGS. 3 and 4, with the entirety of base 1001 received in slot 410, laterally extending slots 420 in body bottom surface 400 are aligned in the longitudinal (i.e., along axis 1030) and vertical directions with laterally extending slots 1110 in base bottom surface 1100, the aligned slots receivable of the tines of a forklift (not shown).

(25) Turning now to FIG. 5, there is shown a plurality of pairs of vertically stacked traffic barrier bodies 1020 stored in a partially shown shipping container. As shown in FIG. 5, the flat lateral side lower portions 604 and 704 of the traffic barrier bodies 1020 allow for the convenient, close packing of multiple stacks thereof.

(26) FIG. 6 shows an alternative packing arrangement of traffic barrier bodies 1020 stored in a relatively smaller shipping container for shipping via land, rail, or sea. It will be appreciated by users of the present invention that the design disclosed and claimed herein allows for many more traffic barriers 1000 to be packaged into standard shipping containers for rail, sea, and land transportation thereof than do prior art traffic barriers.

(27) While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as conic within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.