CURBSTONE AND STOP

Abstract

A curbstone in particular for a stop has a base body of a dimensionally stable material, on the upper side of which an attached part of an at least partly elastic material is fixed at least in sections. The attached part has a compressible section on at least one side; wherein the attached part, adjacent to the side with the compressible section, has at least one hollow chamber, the shape of which can be changed when the section is pressed together. As a result, the risk of damage to the bodywork is reduced by the attached part.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a curbstone, in particular for a stop, comprising a base body of a dimensionally stable material, on the upper side of which at least partially an attached part of an at least partly elastic material is fixed, as well as a stop for buses or trains.

WO 2011/128270 A1 discloses a curbstone for a stop which is produced as an integral moulded body and has on a front side a first concavely curved section and an inclined surface for the track steering of tires of approaching buses. A second concavely curved section is provided above the first concavely curved section which avoids damage to the bodywork of a bus when the latter approaches a stop and the bodywork is arranged particularly deeply. This curb-stone has proven itself and allows a good boarding situation. However, if the bodywork of a bus nevertheless abuts against the surface of the second curved section, damage may occur.

DE 40 37 859 A1 discloses a curbstone in which an attached part is provided which projects beyond the ordinary height of the curbstone. The attached part can also be made of a shaped body made of an elastic material. When a vehicle hits the attached part, damage may occur because the attached part is rigidly anchored and has slight elasticity only through the material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a curbstone, in particular for a stop, which avoids damage to parts of the bodywork even better.

This object is achieved with a curbstone according to the invention, in which a base body made of a dimensionally stable material, for example cast concrete or natural stone, is provided, on the upper side of which at least partially an attached part made of an at least partially elastic material is provided which has a compressible section on at least one side. As a result, the attached part is compressible and elastic on the at least one side, so that damage can be avoided when a part of the bodywork hits this side. This optimally reduces the horizontal and vertical distance between the stop and the vehicle access to a minimum.

The compressible section of the attached part is preferably arranged adjacent to a hollow chamber, the shape of which can be changed during compression. The elasticity is significantly increased by the hollow chamber, wherein the hollow chamber can optionally be filled with air or a very elastic material in order to enable compression, particularly in the horizontal direction over a longer distance, in particular more than 1 cm, preferably more than 2 cm, without damaging the attached part. An elastic lip can be provided on the compressible section which, after compression, can be moved back into an initial position by restoring forces. In the vertical direction, the attached part can be designed to be dimensionally stable in order to be able to use the upper side as a tread surface.

In a further embodiment, the hollow chamber is designed so as to be open towards the bottom of the base body. As a result, incoming moisture can flow downwards, and the hollow chamber can dry. A hollow chamber closed in the cross-section can also be formed in the attached part.

Preferably, the base body has a step on its upper side, wherein a higher region faces the rear side and a lower region faces the front side. On this step, a contact surface of the attached part may be supported so that the step prevents the attached part from being displaced relative to the base body upon compression of the compressible section on a front face. Instead of the formation of a step, an upwardly projecting web or a groove-shaped receptacle can also form a supporting surface on the base body in order to prevent a displacement of the complete attached part.

The attached part is preferably essentially designed in a plate-shaped manner and fixed on an upper side of the base body. The height of the attached part can be at least 3 cm, for example between 5 to 20 cm, in particular between 5 and 10 cm. The attached part can be produced from an elastic rubber material or from a weather-resistant synthetic material.

The attached part preferably has a non-slip profiling on its upper side, which can include knobs, grooves, ribs or other profilings. The profiling can also be designed in such a way that information for blind people is recognisable in a tactile manner.

The attached part can preferably have a projecting positioning means at least on one end face which engages in a recess on an end face of a neighbouring attached part. As a result, a step formation during deformation can be prevented at a transition point of the two adjacent attached parts, in particular if the positioning means is positively received in the recess.

The attached part is preferably interchangeably connected to the base body. In the event of damage to the attached part, it can thus be replaced without having to replace the entire curbstone. For this purpose, the attached part and the base body can be connected, for example, by screws or other fastening systems such as rails or tongue-and-groove connections, in particular by screws, wherein anchor sleeves are preferably provided in the base body for the screws.

The curbstone is preferably used at a stop for buses or trains, wherein an inclined surface for the track steering of a tire can be provided on the base body on a front side. As a result, a distance between an upper side of the attached part and a tread surface in a bus or train can be optimally adjusted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a curbstone according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the curbstone of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a curbstone which has a base body 2 made of a dimensionally stable material, in particular concrete or natural stone, and an attached part 3 made of an elastic material, in particular of a rubber material. The curbstone 1 can be installed at a stop for buses or trains, with a “front” facing the road in the installation situation, and an upper side 13 on the attached part 3 forming a tread surface for the passengers.

The base body 2 comprises a lower section, which has a substantially vertical front side 4, which is installed below a roadway. Above the front side 4, a substantially horizontal surface 15 is formed, onto which a tire of a vehicle can travel in order to access the stop. The horizontal section 5 opens into a concavely curved section 6, which converges into a surface 7 inclined to the vertical, which has a track steering function for approaching tires, so that a bus driver can approach the stop as precisely as possible. The inclined surface 7 converges into a convexly curved section 8, which is adjoined by a further concavely curved or oblique surface 9 extending upwardly.

An upper side of the base body 2 comprises a first horizontal surface 14 which is formed lower than a second horizontal surface 15 which is arranged higher, wherein a step 16 is provided in a middle region between the horizontal surface 14 and the horizontal surface 15.

On the two horizontal surfaces 14 and 15, an attached part 3 is supported, which rests with a supporting surface on the step 16 and is thus secured against displacement toward the rear side.

On its front side, the attached part 3 has a section which can be pressed in the horizontal direction and which comprises an elastic lip 11. The elastic lip 11 is arranged adjacent to a hollow chamber 12, which is changed with respect to its shape during the movement of the elastic lip 11 and thus allows a relatively smooth-running movement of the lip 11. The lip 11 is supported in the lower region on the flat surface 14 of the base body 2 and can thus be pivoted substantially in the horizontal direction if a part of the bodywork is pressed against the front side 10 of the attached part 3 so as to avoid damage. The hollow chamber 12 has a trapezoidal shape which is open downwards, so that entering moisture can flow outwards under the lip 11 and dry out.

The attached part 3 is interchangeably fixed on the upper side of the base body 2. For this purpose, several anchor sleeves 21 are fixed in the base body 2, into which screws 20 can be screwed in order to clamp the attached part 3 to the base body 2. The screws 20 are inserted into openings 19 on the attached part 3, which can also be covered or closed after screwing in the screws 20. A rear side 18 of the attached part 3 essentially terminates flush with a rear face 17 of the base body 2 so that a walkway or a surface of the stop can then be provided on the rear side.

The surface 13 of the attached part 3 can be slightly inclined towards the front side in order to discharge rainwater substantially towards the roadway. Furthermore, non-slip profilings or marks can be provided on the upper side 13, for example in the form of ribs, grooves, knobs or other structurings.

On the base body 2, two extensions 3 are mounted one behind the other in the longitudinal direction. It is also possible to provide only a single attached part 3 on the base body, which has the same length as the base body. In addition, attached parts with greater length than the base body 2 can be mounted. An overlapping arrangement has the advantage that a gap between adjacent base bodies can be covered by an attached part 3.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the attached part 3 has only one single hollow chamber 12 adjacent to the front side 10. It is of course also possible to provide a plurality of hollow chambers 12, which are arranged above one another or next to each other in order to increase elasticity. In addition, it is possible to design the hollow chambers 12 elastically, but to fill them with an elastic material, for example a foam material. Such an embodiment also makes it possible to produce a “compressible section” on a front side. A hollow chamber filled with soft material is also to be regarded as a “hollow chamber” within the meaning of the application. The hollow chamber can also have a closed cross-section.

The attached part 3 can consist of an integral or differently flexible material. For example, the back-side region may consist of a harder material than the compressible section on the front side.

The end faces of the attached part 3 and of the base body 2 are formed in a flat manner in the illustrated exemplary embodiment and extend in the vertical direction. It is also possible for the attached part 3 to have a protruding positioning element on at least one end face, for example a pin, a web or a projection, which engages in a recess on an end face of an adjacent attached part 3, in particular in a form-fitting or force-locked manner. Each attached part 3 can have a projection on one side and a recess for accommodating such a projection on the opposite side, for example in the form of a tongue-and-groove connection. As a result, during the deformation of the compressible section of an attached part 3, it is possible to also simultaneously deform the compressible section of an adjoining attached part 3 by means of the positioning element in order to avoid finding any step in a transition between the adjoining attached parts which could cause damage. The shape of the positioning element and the position can be chosen according to the mechanical requirements.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1 Curbstone

2 Base body

3 Attached part

4 Front side

5 Section

6 Section

7 Surface

8 Section

9 Inclined surface

10 Front side

11 Lip

12 Hollow chamber

13 Surface

14 Surface

15 Surface

16 Step

17 Rear side

18 Rear side

19 Opening

20 Screw

21 Anchor sleeve

Claims

1. A curbstone comprising:

a base body (2) of a dimensionally stable material, and

an attached part attached at least in sections on an upper side of the base body, the attached part being of an at least partly elastic material,

wherein the attached part comprises a compressible section on at least one side; and

wherein the attached part, adjacent to the side with the compressible section, has at least one hollow chamber, the shape of which hollow chamber can be changed when the compressible section is pressed together.

2. The curbstone according to claim 1, wherein an elastic lip is provided on the compressible section.

3. The curbstone according to claim 1, wherein the hollow chamber is designed so as to be open towards the base body.

4. The curbstone according to claim 1, wherein the at least one hollow chamber is formed in a closed manner in the attached part.

5. The curbstone according to claim 1, wherein the base body has a step on its upper side and a higher region faces the rear side and a lower region faces the front side.

6. The curbstone according to claim 5, wherein a contact surface, which is supported on the step, is formed on the attached part.

7. The curbstone according to claim 1, wherein the attached part is formed in an essentially plate-shaped manner and the height of the attached part is at least 3 cm.

8. The curbstone according to claim 1, wherein the attached part is made of a rubber material or plastic.

9. The curbstone according to claim 1, wherein the attached part has an anti-slip profiling on its upper side.

10. The curbstone according to claim 1, wherein the base body has on a front side an inclined surface for a track steering of a tire.

11. The curbstone according to claim 1, wherein the attached part is inter-changeably fixed to the base body by screws, rails or tongue-and-groove joints.

12. A curbstone according to claim 1, wherein the attached part has, on at least one end face, a projecting positioning element which is configured to engage in a recess on an end face of an adjacent attached part.

13. A stop for buses or trains, comprising at least one curbstone according to claim 1.

14. The curbstone according to claim 7, wherein the height of the attached part is between 5 and 20 cm.