System and method for protecting restricted-access areas against intrusions by pedestrians and/or non-cab vehicles in general, with access permitted for vehicles with a cab, including convertible vehicles with closed top

Abstract

Disclosed is a power supply provides electric powerwith appropriate voltage and amperage for the planned useto supportsthat can be shielded electrical materialswherefrom flexible, charged conductors exit. These may be disposed exiting from lower supports in the ground, or from the supports of one or both sides of lateral and/or upper structures delimiting the entry/exit locations of the restricted access area and having dimensions and shapes most suitable to the specific use intended. This system renders it possible to prevent pedestrian and/or vehicles in general without a cabin from accessing the area, with access allowed to vehicles with a cabin, including convertible vehicles with a closed hood, although simultaneously or immediately before or after the passage of authorized vehicle(s), preventing intrusions, invasions, assaults etc. to the restricted access area.

Claims

1. A system of protecting a restricted access area, comprising: a) a conductor, which is an electricity conductive flexible element, comprising a core coated with a conductive metal layer, wherein the conductor curves or bends by an external force when the external force is applied to the conductor, and wherein the conductor returns to an original shape when the application of the external force to the conductor is ceased; b) a support comprising an electric cable, wherein the conductor is attached to the support and connected to the electric cable such that an electric current passes through from the electric cable to the conductor; c) a power supply providing the electric current to the electric cable of the support; and d) two support rods with grounded conductors, located before and/or after the support, wherein the grounded conductors are configured to discharge residual electricity of a vehicle after passing through the support.

2. The system of protecting the restricted access area according to claim 1, comprising two or more said conductors, wherein lengths of the conductors are substantially equal each other, and wherein the lengths of the conductors are in a range of 1-3 meters.

3. The system of protecting the restricted access area according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises an insulating material shielding the electric cable such that the insulating material prevents entry of water or other elements into the electric cable.

4. The system of protecting the restricted access area according to claim 1, wherein the support is buried underground at the entry/exit location of the restricted access area.

5. The system of protecting the restricted access area according to claim 1, wherein the electric cable is shield by an insulating material to prevent electric current leak, water and/or other external factors, and wherein the electric cable directly connected to the conductor.

6. A method of protecting a restricted access area, comprising: a) protecting the restricted access area by the system of claim 1; b) blocking a vehicle at an entry/exit location of the restricted access area by a physical blockage, waiting for a recognition of an authorized person and an approval of admission or triggering a remote controller available within the vehicle; c) removing the physical blockage at the entry/exit location either by moving the physical blockage upward or sliding the physical blockage sideways to allow the vehicle to pass the entry/exit location of the restricted access area when the approval is generated by the authorized person or the remote controller is triggered to remove the physical blockage at the entry/exit location.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the core is a plastic material.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the support is placed on a soil at the entry/exit location.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the conductive metal layer is selected from the group consisting of copper and aluminum.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply is a public network or a supplemental source including a generator or no-breaks.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the conductor is selected from the group consisting of a linear, a curved line and a zigzag shape.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the support is constructed by a side A which is a bottom structure, sides B and D which are lateral structures, a side C which is a upper structure at the entry/exit location.

13. The system according to claim 3, comprises two or more said supports, wherein the supports are provided at 5-20 cm intervals in the restricted access area.

14. The system according to claim 6, wherein the support encircles only the entry/exit location in the restricted access area.

15. The system according to claim 6, wherein the physical blockage is selected from the group consisting of a gate, a traffic arm and a movable fence.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The devices according to the present invention are concisely depicted in the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a closed-cabin vehicle approaching a restricted access place;

(3) FIG. 2 depicts different kinds of conductors set on brackets, all of them used in the present invention; and

(4) FIG. 3 corresponds to a combined view and an exploded view of the conductors and brackets used in the invention, as applied to the entrance of the restricted access place.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) The present invention relates to devices and corresponding methods applied in order to prevent the entrance and/or exit of unauthorized personnel into/from restricted access areas, simultaneously and/or immediately before or after a movement of entrance and/or exit of authorized personnel transported inside vehicles with a cabin, closed or partially open; or at any time.

(6) In the present Patent of Invention Application, the following definitions are used: a) restricted access areas 10it refers to bounded surfaces 100, i.e., defining a closed area, of any size or shape, or open in one or more sides, with or without buildings therein; they can be both public or private, wherein the entrance and/or exit is allowed only to certain personnel, transported inside vehicles; that is, it is intended to avoid the entrance on foot by unauthorized people and/or vehicles without a cabini.e., to prevent intrusions, invasions, assaults etc.; the present invention does not require for its functioning and/or application that the restricted access areas are bounded by permanent protections, such as walls, fences etc., it being possible for it to be just a closed area land; or open in one or more sides; with or without constructions therein; b) movement of entrance/exitact of entering/exiting a restricted access area; c) entrance/exit 11a place where the movement of entrance/exit of authorized personnel, transported inside vehicles with a closed or partially open cabin by means of a temporary, intended deactivation of physical blockages (gates, traffic arms etc.), if any, happens; the physical blockages can be made in one piece (a gate, for instance) or two parts, which allow the entrance or exit with the cloistering of the vehicle, keeping the isolation of the space 10 in relation to the outside; e) vehicles with a closed or partially open cabin, 12it refers to vehicles provided with a closed space or housing, where authorize personnel can stay; such is the case, for instance, of passenger cars, vans, buses, tricycles with a cabin, closed or partially open, trucks and utilities (without people inside the dumpster), tractors with a cabin, closed or partially open; excluding motorcycles, vehicles without a housing such as tractors without a cabin, tricycles without a cabin and the like; f) conductors 13flexible electrically conductive elements having a core 131 made of plastic or other materials, which: f1) in the absence of an external force 132, remain spontaneously in an initial or stand-by physical position; f2) are provided with physical proprieties of flexibility, thus allowing that, by action of an external force 132, they move away from the stand-by or initial position and bend or fold themselves, returning, thereafter, to the initial position, when the action of the external force 132 is ceased; and f3) are covered by metal layer(s) 133 or other conductive metal materials (such as copper, aluminium etc.) or other non-metal electrically conductive materials, which allow the transmission of electric current; and g) brackets 14: holders made of: g1) a resistant insulating material or a resistant material having isolators 141, which have electrically conductive materials going internally through it; or g2) a resistant non-insulating material, which have sheathed electrically conductive materials going internally through it; or g3) sheathed electrically conductive materials,
which are place in the soil and/or side and/or upper structures which delimit the places of entrance/exit 11 and from where the conductors 13 come out; and which allow the transmission of electric current from a power supplywhich can be a public network or supplemental and/or alternate sources, such as generators, no-breaks etc.to the conductors 13, which then become empowered.

(7) In order to carry out the present invention, the restricted access areas 10 are surrounded along all their borders 100 or only in places of entrance/exit 11, using brackets 14, provided with conductors 13, all of them connected in series or in parallel to the power supply.

(8) In an embodiment of the invention, the conductors 13 are equal, linear and have a length typically in the range of 1-3 meters, which can vary beyond these values, to embody configurations more convenient to a particular place.

(9) In another embodiment of the invention, the conductors 13 are all bent.

(10) In another embodiment of the invention, the conductors 13 are all in a zigzag pattern.

(11) In another embodiment, the conductors 13 are of different shapes, including dendritic conductors.

(12) In another embodiment, the conductors 13 are of different shapes and sizes, including dendritic conductors.

(13) In another embodiment, the conductors 13 are of different shapes and sizes, including dendritic conductors.

(14) In an embodiment of the invention, the brackets 14 are made of a continuous insulating basefor instance, porcelain, ceramics, non-conductive plastics etc.provided at intervals of 5-20 centimetresor other more convenient distances, according to the particular circumstancesin places 142 where the conductors 13 get out, properly isolated, including from contact with the soil, and with a sealing, which prevents the entrance of water or other elements. Inside them, the electric cable runs which connects to each one of the exiting conductors 13.

(15) In an embodiment of the invention, the brackets 14 are composed of a continuous non-isolated basisfor instance, of metal or other conductive material etc.sheathed electric cable, provided at intervals of 5-20 centimetresor other more convenient distances, according to the particular circumstancesof places 142 where the conductors 13 get out, properly isolated, including from the contact with the soil, and with a sealing which prevents the entrance of water or other elements. Inside them, an electric cable runs, which connects to each one of the exiting conductors 13.

(16) In another embodiment, the brackets 14 are composed of an isolated electric cable, provided at intervals of 5-20 centimetresor other more convenient distances, according to the particular circumstancesof places 142 where the conductors 13 get out, properly isolated and with a sealing which prevents the entrance of water or other elements.

(17) In another embodiment, non-insulating brackets 14 are disposed in places of entrance/exit (11) of the restricted access area (10), and can be placed grounded in the soil.

(18) In another embodiment of the invention, the set of brackets 14 which bound the places of entrance/exit 11 is disposed in structuressee FIG. 3provided on one side (either A or B or C or D) of the entrance (11).

(19) In another embodiment of the invention, the brackets 14 are disposed in structuressee FIG. 3provided on two sides (A and B, A and C, A and D, B and C, B and D etc.) of the entrance 11.

(20) In other embodiments of the invention, the brackets 14 can be disposed simultaneously in three or all of the sidessee FIG. 3: a) on the upper portion D and on both sides B and C of the entrance 11, for instance; or b) on the soil A, on both sides B and C and on the upper portion D of the entrance 11.

(21) For each of these variants, the conductors 13 can be of shapes considered more convenient, in such a way as to build a tightened mesh surface.

(22) Present invention works as described below: when one or more vehicles get close to the places 11 of entrance/exit in the restricted access area 10, a) if there is a physical blockage in the entrance/exit 11, composed of a gate, traffic arm, moveable fence etc.: a1) once the authorized personnel, transported inside the vehicles with a closed or partially open cabin are visually recognized or by other means and the entrance is granted, the physical blockage of the entrance/exit 11 is removed, either by moving it upward, sliding it sideways or by other means, leaving the conductors 13 exposed and laid across the way of the vehicle(s) entering or exiting. In some embodiments, the same result can be achieved using remote controls. Such conductors are electrically charged, since they are attached to the brackets 14, connected to a power supply, and have a consistency and flexibility enough to bent from one side to the other under the contact of the vehicle(s) which enter or exit the restricted access area 10; a2) while the vehicle(s) pass(es) through the mesh of conductors 13, the attempt of any intruder(s) to take advantage of the opportunity of the passage of the vehicle(s), either simultaneously or before or after them, while the physical blockage of the entrance/exit of the restricted access area 10 is deactivated for a moment, it will result in that they will get an electrical discharge, which will inactivate them, thus preventing the intrusion. The authorized personnel transported inside the vehicle(s) will not suffer anything; b) if there is not any physical blockage in the entrance/exit 11 (composed of a gate, traffic arm, moveable fence etc.): b1) everything will occur such as in step (a2), now, without the step of recognizing the authorized personnel or activating by remote control from inside the vehicle(s).

(23) In other words, the invention will function with or without the existence of a physical blockage. Such physical blockage, in fact, is only convenient to avoid incidents involving unadvertised people, children, animals, blind people etc. who would inadvertently want to get inside the restricted access area 10. Actually, this is an element, which does not belong to the invention.

(24) It should be emphasized that, even if intruder(s), seeking to nullify the effect of the invention, wore shoes made of rubber or other insulating materials, they would not be able to avoid the electrical discharge, when touching any of the flexible conductors 13.

(25) In an embodiment, such conductors 13 are supplied by a low voltage and high amperage.

(26) In another embodiment, such conductors 13 can be supplied by a voltage and amperage according to the details convenient to the respective particular application.

(27) Upon the movement of entering or exiting of the vehicle(s), the conductors 13 will return from their bent positions to the their initial position. Such is, in principle, a vertical or near vertical position, but, depending on the particular place convenience, it could be any other. It could even be a horizontal position, when the conductors 13 are applied, for instance, on a wall, not on the upper portion, but on the side portion, along with other conductors on the upper portion or not.

(28) The blockage of the entrance/exit 11, in the embodiments where it exists, can be returned to the closed position, thus preventing the movement in general. The respective activation can be done by devoted personnel or by remote control.

(29) Present invention was described concerning its general aspects. The description should not be construed as limiting. A person skilled in the related art could readily adjust new devices or schemes, which, by applying the invention principle, would not depart from respective scope.

(30) Thus, the particular components, structures, steps or features of the embodiments discussed herein can be combined in any appropriate manner in one or more separate embodiments.

(31) It is intended, therefore, that the scope of the embodiments described is not limited by the specific forms of embodiment described above, but is determined by the correct reading of the Claims as follows.