Shock Absorbing Retractable Bollard Systems

Abstract

A barrier system includes a handrail, and a connector to couple the handrail to a post extension that extends upward from a floor. The handrail has and end with a width measured in a direction transverse to an elongate length of the handrail. The connector includes a socket to hold the end of the handrail. The socket is defined by an elongate channel that extends in a direction substantially parallel to the post extension when the connector is attached to the post extension. The channel has a length that is greater than the width of the end of the handrail.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A barrier system comprising:
 a handrail, the handrail having an end with a width measured in a direction transverse to an elongate length of the handrail;   a connector to couple the handrail to a post, the connector including a socket to hold the end of the handrail, the socket defined by an elongate channel that extends, between first and second ends of the channel, in a direction substantially parallel to the post when the connector is attached to the post, the end of the handrail to be inserted into the channel through the first end of the channel; and   a retainer to selectively extend into a side of the channel to restrict movement of the end of the handrail along the channel.   
     
     
         3 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , further including a plate closing off the second end of the channel, the retainer spaced apart from the plate sufficiently to enable the end of the handrail to be disposed within the channel between the plate and the retainer. 
     
     
         4 . The barrier system of  claim 3 , wherein the retainer is spaced apart from the end of the handrail when the end of the handrail is resting on plate. 
     
     
         5 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , further including a plate closing off the second end of the channel, the end of the handrail to rest on the plate when the connector couples the handrail to the post, the retainer to be higher than an uppermost side of the end of the handrail when the end of the handrail is resting on the plate. 
     
     
         6 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , wherein the retainer is spring loaded to bias the retainer from a first position towards a second position. 
     
     
         7 . The barrier system of  claim 6 , wherein the retainer is to restrict the movement of the end of the handrail along the channel in the second position and to permit movement of the end of the handrail along the channel in the first position. 
     
     
         8 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of the retainer is to be closer to the post than an inner wall of the channel is to the post when the connector is attached to the post. 
     
     
         9 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , wherein the retainer has a first width at a first point along a length of the retainer and a second width at a second point along a length of the retainer, the first width greater than the second width. 
     
     
         10 . The barrier system of  claim 9 , wherein the first point of the retainer is to be aligned with the end of the handrail in the channel when the retainer is to restrict the movement of the end of the handrail along the channel, and the second point of the retainer is to be aligned with the end of the handrail in the channel when the retainer is to permit the movement of the end of the handrail along the channel. 
     
     
         11 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , wherein the retainer has a circular cross-section. 
     
     
         12 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , wherein the retainer has an elongate length, the retainer including a recessed region along a first portion of the elongate length of the retainer, the recessed region of the first portion narrower than a second portion of the elongate length of the retainer. 
     
     
         13 . The barrier system of  claim 12 , wherein the retainer is selectively moveable between a first position and a second position, the recessed region aligned with the channel when the retainer is in the first position, the second portion aligned with and extending into the channel when the retainer is in the second position. 
     
     
         14 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , wherein the channel has a length that is greater than the width of the end of the handrail. 
     
     
         15 . The barrier system of  claim 14 , wherein the end of the handrail is a first end of a first handrail, and the length of the channel is sufficient to hold a second end of a second handrail on top of the first end of the first handrail. 
     
     
         16 . The barrier system of  claim 14 , wherein the retainer is to be positioned at a midpoint between the first and second ends of the channel. 
     
     
         17 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , wherein the retainer is capable of being manually depressed to move to a position in which the end of the handrail is able to be selectively removed from or inserted into the channel. 
     
     
         18 . The barrier system of  claim 2 , wherein the end of the handrail is spherical. 
     
     
         19 . A barrier system comprising:
 a connector to attach to a post, the connector defining a channel that extends along the post when the connector is attached to the post, the channel having a c-shaped cross-section based on an opening extending along the channel, the opening to face away from the post;   a handrail having an end to be supported within the channel, the end larger than a width of the opening; and   a retainer carried by the connector, the retainer extending in a direction transverse to the channel, a side of an elongate length of the retainer to extend into the channel to block the end of the handrail from moving along the channel past the retainer.   
     
     
         20 . The barrier system of  claim 19 , wherein the retainer is to extend in a direction transverse to an elongate length of the handrail. 
     
     
         21 . The barrier system of  claim 19 , wherein the side of the retainer that extends into the channel corresponds to a segment of the retainer between opposite ends of the retainer, the opposite ends of the retainer to remain outside of the channel. 
     
     
         22 . The barrier system of  claim 19 , wherein the retainer is manually moveable in a direction aligned with the elongate length of the retainer between a first position and a second position, the retainer to block the end of the handrail from moving along the channel when the retainer is in the first position, the retainer to permit the end of the handrail from moving along the channel when the retainer is in the second position. 
     
     
         23 . The barrier system of  claim 19 , wherein the retainer has different widths at different points along the elongate length of the retainer. 
     
     
         24 . The barrier system of  claim 19 , wherein the channel has a length that is at least twice a thickness of the end of the handrail. 
     
     
         25 . The barrier system of  claim 24 , wherein the end of the handrail is a first end of a first handrail, the barrier system further including a second handrail, the first and second handrails having a width that enables a second end of the second handrail to be positioned within the channel when the second handrail is rested on top of the first handrail. 
     
     
         26 . A barrier system comprising:
 a connector to attach to a post, the connector including an elongate socket and a plate at a first end of the elongate socket;   a handrail having an end to be supported within the elongate socket, the end of the handrail to rest upon the plate, the handrail to extend through a slot that extends along a length of the elongate socket; and   a retainer selectively moveable between a first position and a second position, a first end of the retainer to remain on a first side of the connector as the retainer moves between the first and second positions, a second end of the retainer to remain on a second side of the connector as the retainer moves between the first and second positions, the second side opposite the first side, a portion of the retainer to extend into the elongate socket when the retainer is in the first position to restrict movement of the end of the handrail in the elongate socket in a direction away from the plate.   
     
     
         27 . The barrier system of  claim 26 , wherein the length of the elongate socket is greater than a width of the end of the handrail. 
     
     
         28 . The barrier system of  claim 26 , wherein the end of the handrail is a first end of a first handrail, and the length of the elongate socket is long enough to hold a second end of a second handrail when the second handrail is resting on top of the first handrail.