Bollard Cap

The present invention relates to guard posts or "bollards" which are in widespread use for protecting objects from vehicular traffic or any type of impact.

Bollards are conventionally used to protect objects such as gas meters, electric boxes, transformers, storefronts, drive up service windows, etc. A conventional bollard consists of a length of steel pipe, typically 3" or 4" diameter, arranged vertically and sunk a sufficient depth into the ground, and filled with concrete. Typically, a cylindrical hole is provided for placing the bollard and the bollard is surrounded by concrete beneath the surface to act as a stabilizing foundation for the bollard. The bollard is filed with concrete and a top open end of the bollard is finished off with either a welded steel cap or the concrete is formed into a semi-sphere for decorative purposes and to provide rain run-off.

These hand formed concrete semi-spheres deteriorate over time, are not uniform in appearance, and are detrimental to the aesthetic appearance of the bollard, and particularly give a more crude appearance to the bollard when located in an otherwise aesthetically pleasing location, e.g., when the bollard is located at an "upscale' restaurant, and non-industrial locations. A welded cap bollard also produces an industrial and somewhat crude appearance, especially if the resultant weld is not ground smooth and the bollard painted. These latter steps of manufacturing add significantly to the cost of installation of the bollard.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap for a bollard which is aesthetically pleasing, easily installed, can serve as a containment for electronic equipment, or surveillance equipment, provides a reflecting surface for traffic safety, is easily installed, and can be color coded for the appropriate service.

The bollard cap of the invention is advantageously constructed having a dome which continues into a sleeve for fitment around a pipe shaped bollard. The dome has an anchor shaft welded thereto proceeding downwardly which is placed downwardly into wet concrete held within the bollard. A reflective band can be provided to snap around the sleeve of the bollard cap. The bollard cap can be designed to fit any size bollard.

The bollard cap is more resistant to deterioration, and can be color coded to coordinate with the object being protected such as a gas meter, electric boxes, transformers, etc. The bollard cap can be made decorative and enhance the appearance of the location, such as when used in conjunction with a building. The bollard caps are lightweight, durable and easy to install compared to hand formed concrete caps or welded caps. During installation the bollard caps can be easily installed to bollards without need for hand forming or welding as with the prior conventional caps.

Additionally, the bollard cap provides a cylindrical surface such that the name of the business can be embossed or printed on the cap. For example, the proprietary name of the store where the bollard caps are located could be embossed on the caps such as: WAL-MART or WALGREENS. Additionally, other information can be embossed or pre-printed on the cap such as "No Parking", "Exit", etc. The bollard caps are designed to be permanent, lightweight, economical, and highly visible, and can be made to fit any bollard. The caps can be translucent or transparent and illuminated by an inside lamp, particularly effective with embossed or printed caps. Compared to the prior known hand formed concrete caps which deteriorate over time, are not uniform and do not enhance the aesthetic beauty of their surroundings, or the welded caps which only provide cover at the end of the bollard, the present invention provides these numerous above recited advantages.

In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the bollard cap can be fashioned to contain electronic equipment and other related equipment. The bollard cap can contain for example: security equipment such as cameras, motion sensors, optical sensors, such as an optical beam generator or receiver, and audio components for producing an alarm or giving audible instructions or warnings. A portion of the bollard cap sleeve can be clear plastic for the passage of light into or out of the bollard cap. A portion of the sleeve can be perforated to pass audible sounds or inaudible sound waves through the sleeve. A reflector band can be provided adjacent the clear plastic or perforated portion for traffic safety.

As a security device, a visual monitor, such as a camera, can be provided in the cap that keeps constant surveillance of the immediate area, and an audio component can be provided to emit a burst of sound when security is breached, such as when a vehicle is parked near the bollard to attract attention to the vehicle or warn the vehicle away. The visual monitor and audio component can be activated in a number or ways, including: a vehicle weight activated cable-and-switch laid under a pavement area adjacent to the bollard; a motion detector located within the bollard cap; or an optical detector such as by a beam interruption detector, the beam projected between two adjacent bollards having compatible optical beam equipment, or other security sensors located within, or external to, the bollard cap.

The bollard cap can be provided with a security camera which constantly monitors the area of the bollard, or can be activated only intermittently, triggered to monitor by the motion detector or by the vehicle weight sensor or by the optical sensor, or other sensor.

The surveillance or alarm bollards can be installed in several different locations around a building or other secured area, forming an effective security system against burglary or terrorism. The bollard system is effective to block vehicle access to restricted or secure areas to prevent property damage or injury to persons and can provide a visual record of activity in the area.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon reference to the accompanying description when taken in conjunction with the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bollard according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the bollard shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of an alternate embodiment bollard;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bollard shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the alternate embodiment bollard of the present invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a bollard 10 installed into the ground G into a concrete base 16 located below grade level. The bollard 10 is located near to for example a drive-up window 17 of a store or a bank, or a food service 18 to protect the window 17 from impact from a vehicle 19. The bollard is composed of a pipe 20, typically 3" in diameter and made of steel, extending vertically upward. The base 16 is advantageously 2 foot by 2 foot by 1 foot thick, although the pipe can also be installed with a concrete cylindrical socket instead. A bollard cap 26 overfits a top end 28 of the pipe 20 to complete the installation.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 the bollard cap includes a dome portion 30 which continues into a sleeve portion 32. The sleeve portion 32 has an inside diameter slightly greater than the outside diameter of the pipe 20 and a length of about 3 inches. A reflective band 34 made of spring steel can be snap engaged around a circumference of the sleeve 32. The reflective band can be painted with a luminescent paint or reflective coating for traffic safety at night to prevent collisions with the bollard. The band is about 2" long. The cap can be formed of 1/4" aluminum for lightweightedness, aesthetic appeal and formability.

As shown in FIG. 4, the dome 30 can be closed by a circular floor plate 35. Protruding from the floor plate 35 is an anchor shaft 36 which is typically 6" long and protrudes 5" into concrete 40 which fills the pipe 20. An anchor plate 37 is attached to an end of the shaft 36. The shaft can be made of 1/2 diameter solid aluminum with 1/4" flat plate by 1" by 1" affixed at the bottom, by welding or screw threading. The shaft is welded to a bottom surface of the floor plate 35.

Compared to prior art bollard top formations, the present invention provides an easily installed cap which can be placed down into the wet concrete without need for hand forming or welding. The reflective band increases visibility for traffic safety.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 illustrate an alternate embodiment demonstrating further advantages of the bollard cap of the present invention.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, an alternate cap 26a includes a sleeve 50 proceeding downwardly from the dome 30 providing an enclosed volume V which can hold electronics and sensors. The sleeve 50 includes hardened plastic, transparent strips 52a,b covering openings or windows 53a,b behind which is located motion detectors or optical detectors such as a beam generator or receiver to transform the bollard into a security device. A sensor control box 58 can be provided which, when the bollard cap 26a is placed down into the pipe 20, registers with a conduit 60 having electrical conductors and/or optical conductors 62 therein for providing power to the bollard or for transporting signals to-and-from the bollard, such as sensor signals. Additionally, the bollard cap can include an audio component 66 such as a small loudspeaker for providing warnings, alarms, verbal instructions to persons near the bollard, etc. A reflective band 70 can be applied below the electronics compartment as described above.

The dome can be made of transparent material and can be provided with a light therein for aesthetic purposes or for traffic safety. The shaft 36 and anchor plate 37 are attached to a subfloor plate 35a which is secured to the sleeve 50.

The embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 5 is not necessary for all applications but is particularly suited for use around secured facilities or areas such as federal buildings, banks, police stations, or other locations where security is essential. A video camera, or still camera, 74a or a pair of cameras 74a,b can be placed behind the strips 52a,b to monitor areas projecting outward from the bollard. The windows 53a, 53b each wrap around the sleeve slightly less than 180.degree. to allow for two remaining vertical pieces 80a, 80b of the sleeve 50 for structural strength. Thus the camera or cameras can monitor substantially all around the bollard.

The cameras 74a,b can monitor continuously and a video signal therefrom sent to a security station with video monitors or to a video recorder. Alternatively, the camera can be triggered to begin monitoring only when a security breach occurs. This breach can be triggered by a motion detector 82 located within the volume V or by an optical sensor 83 producing an optical beam interrupt signal between two spaced apart bollards. In that case, one bollard would contain a beam emitter and the other a beam receiver.

Also, a vehicle weight triggered cable-and-switch 86 can be provided beneath the paving adjacent the bollard 10' as shown in FIG. 1. The switch 86 is a known device which closes a switch when subjected to pressure from a vehicle weight. The weight of a vehicle above the cable-and-switch 86 sends a signal to trigger the cameras. In addition to triggering the cameras 74a, 74b, the optical sensor 83, motion detector 82, the cable-and-switch 86 or other disturbance sensor can activate the audio transducer 66 to produce an alarm, audible instructions ("sorry this is a restricted area please stay out"), or other communication. One or both strips 52a, 52b can be made sound transparent if necessary, by perforations for example, to pass sound through the bollard cap.

The sleeve 50 is threaded onto the sub floor plate 35a by engaging threads 90a,b applied onto an outside diameter of the plate 35a and the inside diameter of the sleeve 50 respectively. Thus the cap 26a can be opened for maintenance by unscrewing the sleeve 50 from the plate 35a which remains anchored into the concrete 40 by the shaft 36. Special security screws 92, removable only by a specialized tool, positively fix the sleeve 50 to the plate 35a and prevent unauthorized tampering. The electronic components are mounted to the plate 35a, and can be serviced when the dome 30 and sleeve 50 are removed. The conductor(s) 62 can terminate in a multiconductor plug 94 which connects to a compatible plug 95 during installation of the cap 26a.

The embodiment of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 advantageously employs an 8 inches nominal diameter D steel pipe, approximately 1/4 inch thick. Five no. 5 rebar are spaced equally around the inside, running the full length of the pipe. The rebar are held together by No. 4 re-bar rings, spaced 12 inches apart. The cap 26a can be made of brass, aluminum, copper or steel, or other materials appropriate for the service. The strips 52a, 52b are advantageously 2 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, those of skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.