This project's goal is to install effective speed control systems along streets. Some drivers fail to see traffic signs. As a result, there are many instances of excessive speeding.
Controlling speed has been difficult thus far. Because traffic cops cannot be on the road all of the time, it is necessary to build an automatic control system to ensure that drivers follow traffic rules. The existing control measures do not adequately control traffic rules. Installation of speed limit signs, for example, can only notify drivers but cannot force them to reduce their speeds. The street cameras may malfunction and can only facilitate arrest of drivers who do not abide to the traffic rules in case there were no traffic officers along a certain street. Additionally, failure to obey traffic rules must not always be deliberate. The driver may miss a road signs and continue to drive at higher speeds. Therefore, there is a need to develop means of forcing the drivers to adjust their speeds as well as keeping the records of details of a vehicle identified at high speeds. In this paper, a description of such method will be covered. The project seeks to develop speed bumps along roads to act as speed controls.
Solution to the technical problem
The energetic speed bumps aims at creating variable bumps along streets. When installed, they will help to warn drivers who do not pay attention to street signs especially the speed limit posts. The bump will notify the driver when the speed is above limit.
Figure 1: The configuration of pistons
Figure 2: Sectional view of the Pistons
Figure 3: The final appearance of installed bump
Figure 4: Bump covered with colored plastic
Detailed Description
The speed bumps will be installed along roads like normal bumps. However, these speed bumps will be controlled to limit speed at a certain point. Centrally to the normal bumps, the speed bumps will not be identifiable and the installed locations will be smooth. The speed bump will also be soft and smooth to prevent any tension toward the passenger and car. When one passes the speed bumps at speed within the speed limit, the driver will not feel its impacts. However, if the car’s speed is above the set limit, the driver will feel the impact and adjust his speed. The bumps will also be marked with unique colors that can be identified at night or when it is raining.
The material selection will be based on load limit for specific roads. Dynamic loading is also a factor of consideration. If the speed bump is made from metals with low strength, there is a likelihood of destruction when a heavy truck passes over the bump. Other materials like plastic are undesirable because it will turn to different color like black and be similar to road. Hence, the bumps will not be visible. It must also be remembered that dynamic loading will vary depending on the type of vehicle using the load and passing over the bump. Therefore, a material that is resilient, tough, and strong will be desirable to prevent crashing as well as loss of color.
Energetic speed bump has a specific feature and with the new design, the efficiency of current bumps will be improved. The installed bump will notify about the nature of current driving speed. The usual bumps acts as barriers with no indication of the permitted speed along a particular street. Further, since they are barriers and prompt the driver to reduce speeds when crossing them the drivers will deliberately accelerate after the bump. However, the speed bumps will be flat and with no prior prompt to the driver to slow down. When he passes over such bump, the shock will not be bearable and will send an impact across the vehicle and the driver will be aware that he has been driving over speed limit.
The Energetic street bump is made of a strong metal, to withstand heavy loads, and the surface is made of plastic to act as an insulator and prevent excessive heating of the metallic parts due to effects of sun. The plastic will also maintain the roughness of roads to allow a good contact with tyres.
The bump will also be designed in a way that does not allow water to stay on its surface. The energetic speed bump is constituted of hard and soft parts. The hard part is the outer surface while the inner part will constitute the soft part that causes the impact. When this soft part develops an impact due to high, it will develop an instantaneous reaction absorbed by the passing vehicle. Therefore, the drive will feel as if he has passed a normal bump at high speed.
The pump has two pistons that act like car shock absorbers. The strength of these pistons or the amount of shock that they can withstand will be adjusted in relation to the required speed limits. When the car passes the bump at a speed within the limit, the piston’s response is slow and before it sends a reaction, the car will have passed the bump.
The bump will be fitted with LED lights on the exterior surface to alarm the driver in night.
The bumps are small and connect with each other depending on the size of the road. They are also interchangeable. The design used will ensure that these bumps can be installed easily along roads. The materials can be collected from scraps in workshops. However, the pistons will be customized based on the speed limit to serve. Hence, they will be manufactured cheaply. The materials used should ensure a longer life span.
Intended use
The bump will be installed along streets with high level of pedestrians. The drivers will never exceed speed since the roads will always appear bump when they try to go beyond limits.
Work Cited
Breazeale, Orville Alan, Gregory Mark Lee, and Charles J. Cole. "Retractable speed bump." U.S. Patent No. 7,011,470. 14 Mar. 2006.
Follman, Aaron. "Road speed limiting device." U.S. Patent No. 6,010,277. 4 Jan. 2000.
Knowles, Larry F. "Removable speedbump-cover." U.S. Patent No. 4,687,370. 18 Aug. 1987.
Mandavi, Seid. "Vehicle speed bump device." U.S. Patent No. 4,974,991. 4 Dec. 1990.
Rastegar, Jahangir S., and Thomas Spinelli. "Traffic control speed bump." U.S. Patent No. 7,645,090. 12 Jan. 2010.
