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US-12618209-B2 - Emergency response barrier

US12618209B2US 12618209 B2US12618209 B2US 12618209B2US-12618209-B2

Abstract

An emergency response barrier is shown and described, the barrier having a frame with reinforcing bracing; two axles coupled to the frame with wheels attached thereto; a king pin coupled to the frame; wherein the frame is covered with a substantially planar skin that extends along the right and left sides of the frame, from a top of the frame down to a lower edge and covers a majority of the wheels on each side of the barrier; an impact attenuator coupling on the frame, having a vertical pin received in a bore disposed on an impact attenuator, and configured for rotation about the vertical axis of the pin; and a hydraulic cylinder connected between the frame and the impact attenuator, wherein retraction and extension of the hydraulic cylinder moves the impact attenuator through an arc of rotation about the vertical pin.

Inventors

  • Kevin K. Groeneweg
  • Taylor Groeneweg

Assignees

  • CONCATEN, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20220728

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An emergency response barrier comprising: a frame having a right side, a left side, a front end and a rear end, said frame further comprising reinforcing bracing extending along the majority of the right and left sides of the frame; at least two axles coupled to the frame at the rear end thereof, each of said axles having wheels attached thereto; a king pin coupled to the front end of the frame; wherein the frame is covered with a substantially planar skin that extends along the right and left sides of the frame, wherein the substantially planar skin extends from a top of the frame down to a lower edge and wherein said substantially planar skin covers a majority of the wheels on each side of the barrier; an impact attenuator coupling on the rear of the frame, said impact attenuator coupling comprising a vertical pin, wherein said vertical pin is received in a bore disposed in an impact attenuator, and wherein said impact attenuator is configured for rotation about the vertical axis of the pin; at least one hydraulic cylinder connected between the rear of the frame and the impact attenuator, wherein retraction and extension of said at least one hydraulic cylinder moves the impact attenuator through an arc of rotation about the vertical pin.
  2. 2 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 further comprising a water tank disposed between the reinforcing bracing of the frame and secured thereto.
  3. 3 . The emergency response barrier of claim 2 , wherein the water tank is secured to the reinforcing bracing by straps.
  4. 4 . The emergency response barrier of claim 2 , wherein the water tank is provided with a T-shaped outlet at the front end of the frame.
  5. 5 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 further comprising retractable covers disposed on the left and right sides and at the front end of the emergency response barrier, wherein said retractable covers, when in an extended position, cover a majority of the wheels of a towing vehicle connected to the kingpin, and when in a retracted position, expose the wheels of the towing vehicle.
  6. 6 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , wherein a flat deck covers the top of the frame.
  7. 7 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , wherein corners of the frame at the front and rear ends are angled and the substantially planar skin follows the angle of the corners.
  8. 8 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , wherein the impact attenuator further comprises signage to direct traffic in a direction away from the barrier.
  9. 9 . The emergency response barrier of claim 8 , wherein signage is powered by a solar panel attached to the impact attenuator.
  10. 10 . The emergency response barrier of claim 8 , wherein a battery pack is provided at the rear end of the barrier for powering the signage.
  11. 11 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , further comprising a tank of firefighting chemicals disposed on the flat deck.
  12. 12 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , further comprising storage boxes disposed on the flat deck.
  13. 13 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , further comprising warning beacons at the corners of the barrier.
  14. 14 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , further comprising running lights, LED strips and conspicuity tape on the substantially planar skin on the left and right sides of the barrier.
  15. 15 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , further comprising a visual barrier attached to the top of the frame along the right and left sides thereof.
  16. 16 . The emergency response barrier of claim 15 , wherein the visual barrier is received in pockets disposed along the left and right edges of the top of the frame.
  17. 17 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of hydraulic cylinders are controlled by a wireless controller.
  18. 18 . The emergency response barrier of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of hydraulic cylinders are controlled by a back-up wired controller.
  19. 19 . The emergency response barrier of claim 6 , further comprising bracing connected a 45° angle between the frame and the underside of the flat deck.
  20. 20 . The emergency response barrier of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing bracing comprises two parallel longitudinal members with a plurality of intersecting cross-braces disposed between and connected to the parallel longitudinal members.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/227,256, filed Jul. 29, 2021, having the same title, and which is incorporated herein by this reference. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a right rear perspective view of an embodiment of the emergency response barrier. FIG. 2 is a left side view of an embodiment of the emergency response barrier. FIG. 3 is a right side view of an embodiment of the emergency response barrier. FIG. 4 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the emergency response barrier. FIG. 5 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the emergency response barrier, showing a first embodiment of a water tank. FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the emergency response barrier, showing a second embodiment of a water tank. FIGS. 7a and 7b are top views of an embodiment of the emergency response barrier, showing various positions of the impact attenuator. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the adjustable impact attenuator assembly. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the rear end mount portion of the adjustable impact attenuator assembly. FIGS. 10a and 10b are bottom and top perspective views respectively of the locking pin mechanisms. FIGS. 11a-11d are views of the components of the pivot plate assembly. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the components of pivoting assembly. FIG. 13 is a top view of the components of the pivoting assembly. FIG. 14 is a bottom perspective view of the pivoting assembly and the rack for supporting the impact attenuator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of an emergency response barrier are shown and described. The emergency response barrier comprises a frame having a right side, a left side, a front end and a rear end, said frame further comprising reinforcing bracing extending along the majority of the right and left sides of the frame; at least two axles coupled to the frame at the rear end thereof, each of said axles having wheels attached thereto; a king pin coupled to the front end of the frame; wherein the frame is covered with a substantially planar skin that extends along the right and left sides of the frame, wherein the substantially planar skin extends from a top of the frame down to a lower edge and wherein said substantially planar skin covers a majority of the wheels on each side of the barrier; an impact attenuator coupling on the rear of the frame, said impact attenuator coupling comprising a vertical pin, wherein said vertical pin is received in a bore disposed in an impact attenuator, and wherein said impact attenuator is configured for rotation about the vertical axis of the pin; and a plurality of hydraulic cylinders connected between the rear of the frame and the impact attenuator, wherein retraction and extension of said hydraulic cylinders moves the impact attenuator through an arc of rotation about the vertical pin. FIG. 1-4 are a right rear perspective view, lefts side, right side and bottom view, respectively, of an embodiment of the emergency response barrier. Like numerals will be used to identify elements common to all figures. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the emergency response barrier 100 takes the form of a barrier trailer 101 which may be towed to an accident scene or the like by a tractor 102. It should be appreciated that the emergency response barrier 100 could be towed by any vehicle capable of towing the weight of the emergency response barrier 100, and any such alternate towing vehicles fall within the scope of this disclosure. While in FIGS. 1-4, a heavy duty commercial vehicle of FHWA class 8 is shown, it should be appreciated that any vehicle capable of towing the mobile barrier could be used in place of the tractor 102. If a heavy duty commercial vehicle, such as the one shown in FIGS. 1-4, is used to tow the barrier trailer 101, the barrier may be provided with a kingpin (not shown) that mates with a fifth wheel (not shown) on the tractor 101 to couple the barrier trailer 101 to the tractor 102 for towing. Alternatively, if the barrier trailer is to be towed by another type of vehicle, e.g. a dump truck that does not have a fifth wheel capable of engaging a kingpin, an alternative hitch may be provided on the barrier trailer 101 to couple to such a vehicle. It should further be appreciated that the barrier trailer 101 may be provided with more than one type of hitch, so that it could be towed by multiple types of vehicles. By way of example and without limitation, the barrier trailer 101 could be provided with a kingpin to couple to FHWA class 8 tractors as well as another hitch to couple to suitable vehicles that do not use a kingpin for coupling. Any and all hitches that perform the function of coupling the barrier trailer 101 to a vehicle capable of towing it are included within the scope of this disclosure. As can best be seen in the bottom view of FIG. 4, the emergency response barrier 100 may be provide