Tactile directional tiles for pedestrians

Abstract

A system and apparatus for providing tactile feedback for visually impaired persons with arrangements of tactile tiles. An elongated tactile tile includes multiple rows of elongated blisters with alternating rows offset. The longitudinal axis of the elongated blisters is parallel to the direction of travel indicated by the tile. The offset rows prevent the alignment of adjacent blisters that could be confused with the rows indicating the direction of travel. In various embodiments, the tactile tile is bounded on one side by a guide way tile and on the opposite side by a hazard rib tile, both of which are aligned with the direction of travel. A plurality of tactile tiles are positioned adjacent a pedestrian walkway crossing a street. Where multiple walkways cross an intersection, a plurality of tactile tiles n the sidewalk corner indicate the direction for each walkway.

1 . A walkway segment providing tactile feedback for visually impaired persons, said walkway segment comprising:
 a base having a planar surface, said planar surface having an anti-slip surface;   a plurality of blisters protruding from said planar surface of said base, each one of said plurality of blisters having an elongated shape and a longitudinal axis, said plurality of blisters being dimensioned to avoid being a tripping hazard, each one of said plurality of blisters having a rounded side and a flattened top portion,   said plurality of blisters aligned in a plurality of rows, said plurality of rows being parallel to said longitudinal axis of said plurality of blisters, said plurality of rows being parallel to a direction of travel, adjacent ones of said plurality of rows being offset such that said first plurality of blisters form a single directional line parallel to said direction of travel.   
   
   
       2 . The walkway segment of  claim 1  further including a hazard rib positioned adjacent to an outermost one of said plurality of rows, said hazard rib having a longitudinal axis, said hazard rib extending from said base, said hazard rib parallel to said outermost one of said plurality of rows. 
   
   
       3 . The walkway segment of  claim 1  further including a guide way positioned adjacent to an outermost one of said plurality of rows, said guide way having a pair of parallel ribs each with a longitudinal axis, said pair of ribs extending from said base, said pair of ribs defining a guideway configured to receive a tip of a cane, said pair of ribs being dimensioned to avoid being a tripping hazard, and said pair of ribs parallel to said outermost one of said plurality of rows. 
   
   
       4 . The walkway segment of  claim 1  wherein said anti-slip surface includes a plurality of grooves in said planar surface. 
   
   
       5 . The walkway segment of  claim 1  further including a phosphorescent guide positioned adjacent to an outermost one of said plurality of rows, said phosphorescent guide having a rib body with a longitudinal axis, said rib body extending from said base, said longitudinal axis oriented substantially parallel to said direction of travel, said rib body including a plurality of phosphorescent indicators integrated into and spaced apart along a top surface of said rib body. 
   
   
       6 . The walkway segment of  claim 5  wherein said plurality of phosphorescent indicators have a configuration providing a visual indication of said direction of travel. 
   
   
       7 . The walkway segment of  claim 5  wherein said rib of said phosphorescent guide has a configuration providing an indication of said direction of travel, said indication including a distal end of said rib having a pointed-shape indicating said direction of travel. 
   
   
       8 . A crosswalk system providing visually impaired persons with tactile feedback for crossing a street, said crosswalk system comprising:
 a first walkway segment having a first base and a first plurality of blisters extending from said first base, said first plurality of blisters having an elongated shape and a longitudinal axis, said first plurality of blisters being dimensioned to avoid being a tripping hazard, said first plurality of blisters aligned in a plurality of rows, said plurality of rows being parallel to said longitudinal axis of said first plurality of blisters, said plurality of rows being parallel to a first direction of travel, said plurality of rows being substantially in-line with said first direction of travel, adjacent ones of said plurality of rows being offset such that said first plurality of blisters form a single directional line parallel to said direction of travel, said first walkway segment configured to be positioned on a sidewalk adjacent a first crosswalk, said first direction of travel in-line with said first crosswalk, said first walkway segment having a width corresponding to said first crosswalk; and   a second walkway segment having a second base and a second plurality of blisters extending from said base, said second plurality of blisters having an elongated shape and a longitudinal axis, said second plurality of blisters being dimensioned to avoid being a tripping hazard, said second plurality of blisters aligned in a plurality of rows, said plurality of rows being parallel to said longitudinal axis of said second plurality of blisters, said plurality of rows being parallel to a second direction of travel, said plurality of rows being substantially in-line with said second direction of travel, adjacent ones of said plurality of rows being offset such that said second plurality of blisters form a single directional line parallel to said second direction of travel, said second walkway segment configured to be positioned adjacent to said first walkway on said sidewalk, said second walkway segment configured to be positioned adjacent a second crosswalk, said second direction of travel in-line with said second crosswalk, said second walkway segment having a width corresponding to said second crosswalk.   
   
   
       9 . The crosswalk system of  claim 8  further including a first hazard rib adjacent to said first plurality of blisters and between said first plurality of blisters and said first crosswalk, said first hazard rib oriented substantially perpendicular to said first direction of travel. 
   
   
       10 . The crosswalk system of  claim 8  further including a first hazard rib adjacent to said first plurality of blisters and between said first plurality of blisters and said first crosswalk, said first hazard rib oriented substantially perpendicular to said first direction of travel, and further including a second hazard rib adjacent to said second plurality of blisters and between said second plurality of blisters and said second crosswalk, said second hazard rib oriented substantially perpendicular to said second direction of travel. 
   
   
       11 . The crosswalk system of  claim 8  further including a guide way configured to be positioned in-line with a first edge of said first walkway segment, said guide way for defining a path along said first crosswalk, said guide way including a pair of parallel ribs extending from an elongated base. 
   
   
       12 . The crosswalk system of  claim 8  further including a catch strip configured to extend from said first and second walkway segment toward an opposing boundary defining said sidewalk. 
   
   
       13 . The crosswalk system of  claim 8  further including a tactile stop line tile configured to be positioned parallel to said first crosswalk and on a traffic side of said first crosswalk, said tactile stop line tile dimensioned and configured to provide a tactile indication detectable by a vehicle indicating a location of a stop line. 
   
   
       14 . A pedestrian walkway providing tactile feedback for visually impaired persons, said pedestrian walkway segment comprising:
 a plurality of walkway segments configured to be positioned side by side to form a path, each one of said walkway segments including a plurality of blisters each being elongated and having a longitudinal axis that is parallel to a direction of travel of said path, said plurality of blisters forming a plurality of rows parallel to said direction of travel, said plurality of rows configured to indicate said direction of travel.   
   
   
       15 . The pedestrian walkway of  claim 14  further including a guide way configured to be positioned adjacent said plurality of blisters, said guide way defining a path parallel to said direction of travel, said guide way including a pair of parallel ribs extending from an elongated base, said pair of parallel ribs defining a pathway configured to receive a tip of a cane, said pair of parallel ribs having a height and a separation dimensioned to avoid being a tripping hazard. 
   
   
       16 . The pedestrian walkway of  claim 15  further including a hazard rib configured to be positioned adjacent said plurality of blisters and opposite said guide way, said hazard rib oriented substantially parallel to said direction of travel 
   
   
       17 . The pedestrian walkway of  claim 15  further including a first plurality of ribs in line with said pathway, said plurality of ribs having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to said direction of travel whereby said plurality of ribs indicate an entry/exit point of said pedestrian walkway. 
   
   
       18 . The pedestrian walkway of  claim 17  further including a second plurality of ribs configured to be substantially parallel to said first plurality of ribs, said second plurality of ribs indicating a path away from said entry/exit point. 
   
   
       19 . The pedestrian walkway of  claim 14  further including a hazard rib configured to be positioned adjacent said plurality of blisters, said hazard rib oriented substantially parallel to said direction of travel. 
   
   
       20 . The pedestrian walkway of  claim 14  further including a phosphorescent guide configured to be positioned adjacent said plurality of blisters, said phosphorescent guide oriented substantially parallel to said direction of travel, said phosphorescent guide being a rib with a plurality of phosphorescent indicators integrated into and spaced apart along a top surface of said rib.