AU703029B3 - Door assembly for a pedestrian display traffic light assembly - Google Patents

Description

(12) PETTY PATENT (11) Application No. AU 199897209 B3 (19) AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE (10) Patent No. 703029 (54) Title Door assembly for a pedestrian display traffic light assembly (51) 6 International Patent Classification(s) G08G 001/095 (21) Application No: 199897209 (22) Application Date: 1998.12.18 Priority Data (31) Number (32) Date (33) Country PP1010 1997.12.18 AU (43) Publication Date: 1999.03.11 (43) Publication Journal Date 1999.03.11 Granted Journal Date 1999.03.11 (71) Applicant(s) Aldridge Traffic Systems Pty Limited (72) Inventor(s) Keith James Aldridge (74) Agent/Attorney PETER MAXWELL and ASSOCIATES,PO Box R1466 Royal Exchange,SYDNEY NSW 1225 (56) Related Art AU 35444/97 JP 09-259396 EP 726554 AU9897209 (12) PATENT ABRIDGMENT (11 Document No. AU-B-97209/98 (19) AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE (10) Acceptance No. 703029 (Australian Petty Patent) (54) Title DOOR ASSEMBLY FOR A PEDESTRIAN DISPLAY TRAFFIC LIGHT ASSEMBLY International Patent Classification(s) (51) 6 G08G001/095 (21) Application No. 97209/98 (22) Application Date 18.12.98 Priority Data (31) Number (32) Date (33) Country PP1010 18.12.97 AU AUSTRALIA (43) Publication Date 11.03.99 Publication Date of Granted Application 11.03.99 (71) Applicant(s) ALDRIDGE TRAFFIC SYSTEMS PTY LIMITED (72) Inventor(s) KEITH JAMES ALDRIDGE (74) Attorney or Agent PETER MAXWELL ASSOCIATES PO Box R1466 Royal Exchange, SYDNEY NSW 1225 (56) Prior Art Documents AU 35444/97 JP 09-259396 EP 726554 (57) Claim 1. A replaceable door assembly for an existing pedestrian display traffic light assembly, comprising a door member having connected thereto a board upon one surface of which are mounted a plurality of light emitting diodes, a mask adapted to be located over the board and having an image of a pedestrian in a desired stance cut out therefrom so that light from the light emitting diodes can pass through the cut out image but be obstructed by the remainder of the mask, a lens adapted to be located over the mask, and means for electrically connecting the light emitting diodes to electrical power converting means for the existing traffic light assembly so as to operate the light emitting diodes.

P00012 Regulation 3.2 Revised 2/98

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act, 1 990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT es..

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000 0@ 6* S TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT NAME OF APPLICANT: ALDRIDGE TRAFFIC SYSTEMS PTY LIMITED ACN 001 678 557 000* S. S ACTUAL INVENTOR: ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: INVENTION TITLE: DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED PROVISIONAL APPLICATION NO(S): KEITH JAMES ALDRIDGE Peter Maxwell Associates Level 6 Pitt Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 DOOR ASSEMBLY FOR A PEDESTRIAN DISPLAY TRAFFIC LIGHT ASSEMBLY PP 1010 18 December 1997

AUSTRALIA

The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me:- The present invention relates to a door assembly for pedestrian display traffic light assemblies and, in particular, to a door assembly which includes a light emitting diode (LED) containing pedestrian display optical system of the type consisting essentially of an LED board, a mask having a cut out shape of a pedestrian in a desired stance and a lens affixed to an openable door member, which door assembly is adapted for mounting and operation on existing pedestrian traffic light housings.

SConventional traffic light assemblies that serve to display pedestrians in a standing or walking stance employ either an incandescent or quartz S 10 halogen light source that projects light from behind a cut-out shape of the pedestrian onto a lens. The shape of the pedestrian is formed in a mask or panel by cutting out therefrom an image of the pedestrian in the desired standing or walking stance.

The strength of the image projected against the lens is determined by 15 the intensity of light emanating from the light source, which may vary over time. Furthermore, the light source is spaced at such a distance back from the mask that observers who are not in a direct line of sight with the cut- Sout shape and light source will not see as prominent an image on the lens as they would if they were in the said line of sight.

20 A further disadvantage of conventional pedestrian display traffic light assemblies is that they consume a large amount of energy for the light source, much of which energy is lost or not used in producing the image on the lens.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a door assembly for an existing or conventional pedestrian display traffic light assembly, such as one containing an incandescent or quartz halogen light source within the housing for the traffic light assembly, which door assembly includes an LED containing optical system for a pedestrian display and can readily replace the door of a conventional pedestrian display traffic light assembly. Such an LED containing optical system provides a more constant and higher intensity of light over time and is less wasteful of energy.

It is another object of the invention that this door assembly be compact and that the LED board, mask and lens be in closely overlaid or superimposed proximity to each other when affixed to the door member itself, so that light from the LEDs may be viewed by an observer with the same intensity or brightness over a larger viewing angle than is possible 10 with conventional traffic light assemblies.

It is yet another object of the invention that the door assembly be pre-assembled so that it may replace the existing door of a conventional pedestrian display traffic light assembly and be able to function without

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go• having to remove other original features of the conventional traffic light 0 assembly, including the power transformer, such that the LED containing optical system may utilize the power transformer and other such features without the need for modification of the housing or body of the assembly.

(C Accordingly, in one broad form of the invention there is provided a Sreplaceable door assembly for an existing pedestrian display traffic light i 20 assembly, comprising a door member having connected thereto a board Supon one surface of which are mounted a plurality of light emitting diodes, a mask adapted to be located over the board and having an image of a pedestrian in a desired stance cut out therefrom so that light from the light emitting diodes can pass through the cut out image but be obstructed by the remainder of the mask, a lens adapted to be located over the mask, and means for electrically connecting the light emitting diodes to electrical power converting means for the existing traffic light assembly so as to operate the light emitting diodes.

Preferably, the door assembly includes a diffuser between the board and the mask.

Also preferably, the door assembly includes a gasket for sealing the lens to the door member.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into •goD •"practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying 0• drawings, in which:- 0 10 Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a door assembly according Soto a preferred embodiment of the present invention, where a "don't walk" signal is represented by a cut out image of a pedestrian in a standing stance, and Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a door assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, where a "walk" signal is represented by a cut out image of a pedestrian in a walking stance.

The door assembly shown in Fig. 1 consists mainly of a door member 12, gasket 14, lens 16, mask 18, diffuser 20 and LED board 22.

to 20 The gasket 14 is sealed peripherally to the inside rim 24 of the circular 4opening 26 of the door member 12 according to a locating lug 28 which fits into a slot 30 in door member 12 and correctly orientates the gasket 14 with respect to the door member 12. The lens 16, mask 18 and diffuser are all of a similar bowl-like construction having an outer annular rim portion and are located one on top of the other so that their rim portions overlap and can be pressed together by the effect of the gasket 14, which has an inner facing circumferential groove 21 that receives therewithin and presses together the outer edges of the rim portions of the lens 16, mask 18 and diffuser The lens 16 and mask 18 each have a locating member 32 and 34, respectively, projecting outwardly from their respective rim portions, both of which locating members fit into a cavity formed through the underside of the locating lug 28 of the gasket 14 for correct orientation of the lens 16 and mask 18 with respect to the gasket 14. The mask 18 also has a 0locating key member 36 which fits into an aperture 38 in the diffuser and correctly orientates the mask 18 with respect to the diffuser 10 The mask 18 has a cut out image of a pedestrian in a standing stance representing a "don't walk" signal, with the remainder of the mask being made of a solid black plastic material having a thickness of about mm to 2 mm so that no light is able to pass therethrough. In this way, the cut out image allows light to pass from the LED board 22 to the lens l 15 16 which is in close and aligned proximity therewith, and the presence of the diffuser 20 which has a roughened surface on the concave side thereof, as well as the presence of the lens 16 itself, enables the light that passes from the LEDs through the lens 16 to be clearly visible when viewed from all relevant directions and with equal brightness.

S 20 With the gasket 14 sealed peripherally to the inside rim 24 of the door opening 26 and with the lens 16, mask 18 and diffuser 20 correctly orientated and received within the groove 21 of the gasket 14 (either before or after sealing of the gasket 14 to the door opening 26), four retaining tabs 40 are located on respective boss elements 42 positioned apart at equal distance adjacent the periphery of the door opening 28.

Each tab 40 has a projecting arm portion 44 that is orientated in use so as to project over and abut against a peripheral portion of the gasket 14. Over each tab 40 is a spacer 46 (which may consist of one or more spacing elements joined end to end). The boss elements 42, tabs 40 and spacers 46 each have a hollow tubular passageway formed therethrough. Each assembly of adjoining boss element 42, tab 40 and spacer 46 is orientated such that their tubular passageways are axially aligned so as to form a longer continuous tubular passageway which can receive the shaft of a

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screw 50 therethrough.

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The LED board 22 has a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED's) (not 6 S.L "shown) mounted upon one surface thereof. (The rear of the board 22 is eli 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 showing the soldering points for the LED's). The LED's are arranged on the board 22 in such a way as to provide sufficient light to the cut out image on the mask 18 so that all of the features of the image are seen clearly from all relevant directions.

CThe LED board 22 is clamped to the door member 12 by passing the Y 15 shafts of four screws 50 firstly through holes 52 located near the corners of the board 22 (which holes 52 are in alignment with the boss elements 42 of the door member 12) and then through the axially aligned continuous Stubular passageways formed by each assembly of adjoining boss element 42, tab 40 and spacer 46, and finally by engaging tightly each screw with the threaded tubular passageway of its respective boss element 42.

Engagement of the screw 50 in this way will also ensure that each projecting arm portion 44 of each tab 40 will rigidly abut against its adjacent peripheral portion of the gasket 14, thereby compactly securing the gasket 14 along with the lens 16, mask 18 and diffuser 20 which are received therewithin, to the door member 12.

The length of the spacers 46 should be sufficient to ensure that the LED board 22 is not so distant from the door member 12 that it will