Flexible tensioned crash barrier

Abstract

A roadside crash barrier configured for deflecting errant vehicles towards the road. The barrier comprising at least one tensioned flexible strap comprising a planar face facing the road in use to aid in reducing the chances of injury to motorcyclists, as well as being fast and easy to install.

1 . A roadside motorbike crash barrier configured for deflecting errant motorbikes and/or their riders traveling along a road, the barrier comprising at least one elongate tensioned flexible rub-strap comprising a planar face facing the road in use and a shock-absorbing support arrangement configured to support the rub-strap above the ground in use, wherein the shock-absorbing support arrangement is configured such that:
 i. the flexible rub-strap displaces in a substantially horizontal direction together with at least part of the shock-absorbing support arrangement upon and during impact by an errant motorbike and/or rider, and   ii. the planar face of said rub-strap maintains a substantially perpendicular and upright orientation relative a horizontal surface of the road during said impact.   
     
     
         2 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the shock-absorbing support arrangement is configured such that, during said impact, the flexible rub-strap displaces in a manner that substantially inhibits vertical and/or angular displacement of the flexible rub-strap. 
     
     
         3 . The roadside motorbike barrier as claimed in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the shock-absorbing support arrangement comprises at least one shock-absorbing element biased in direction towards the road in use so as to bias the flexible rub-strap in a direction towards the road in use. 
     
     
         4 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one shock-absorbing element extends from a rear of the flexible rub-strap to a support post of the support arrangement. 
     
     
         5 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said at least one shock-absorbing element extends from a substantially upright member to which the rear of the flexible rub-strap is connected to said support post of the support arrangement. 
     
     
         6 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the at least one shock-absorbing element comprises a resilient elongate bar having a first end extending from said rear of the flexible rub-strap to a second end located at said support post of the support arrangement. 
     
     
         7 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the resilient elongate bar extends from its first end to its second end, in an inverted v shape comprising an apex of said resilient elongate bar positioned between said first and second ends. 
     
     
         8 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said inverted v shape comprises a substantially acute internal angle. 
     
     
         9 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in any one of  claims 6 to 8 , wherein the resilient elongate bar extends and connects to said support post by way of a flange at the second end of the resilient elongate bar. 
     
     
         10 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the flange of the resilient elongate bar is positioned such that apertures extending through the flange are aligned for receipt of fastening members extending from and through said apertures to a fastening flange arranged at an opposing end of said support post. 
     
     
         11 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said fastening flange comprises apertures configured to correspond and align with apertures of the flange of the resilient elongate bar. 
     
     
         12 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in any one of  claims 6 to 8 , wherein the at least one shock-absorbing element comprises at least two resilient elongate bars. 
     
     
         13 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein an upper resilient elongate bar of the two resilient elongate bars extends from at or around the top end of said upright member to said support post of the shock-absorbing support arrangement and a lower resilient elongate bar of the two resilient elongate bars extends from at or around the bottom end of said upright member to said support post of the support arrangement. 
     
     
         14 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the internal angle of the upper resilient elongate bar is less than the internal angle of the lower resilient elongate bar. 
     
     
         15 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 13 or claim 14 , wherein the upper resilient elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle decreases less than the internal angle of the lower resilient elongate bar, during a collision by an errant motorbike and/or rider. 
     
     
         16 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in any one of  claims 13 to 15 , wherein the lower resilient elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle decreases to about zero at a fully collapsed or impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier. 
     
     
         17 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in any one of  claims 13 to 16 , wherein the upper elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle in a default or non-impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier is substantially the same as its internal angle in the fully collapsed or impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier. 
     
     
         18 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in any one of  claims 12 to 17 , wherein the resilient elongate bars extend and connect to said support post by way of a flange at each second end of the resilient elongate bars, the flanges positioned so as to overlap with one another such that apertures extending through each flange are aligned for receipt of fastening members extending from and through said apertures to a fastening flange arranged at an opposing end of said support post. 
     
     
         19 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said fastening flange comprises apertures configured to correspond and align with apertures of said flanges of the two resilient elongate bars. 
     
     
         20 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the at least one flexible rub-strap comprises rounded upper and lower horizontally extending edges. 
     
     
         21 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 20  when dependent on  claim 5 , wherein the rounded edges of said rub-strap fold around and behind top and bottom ends of said upright member. 
     
     
         22 . The roadside motorbike barrier as claimed in  any one of the preceding claims , wherein the planar face of the at least one flexible rub-strap presents a surface that is substantially uniformly flat, smooth and/or continuous along the length of the rub-strap. 
     
     
         23 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  any of the preceding claims , wherein a thickness of the flexible tensioned rub-strap is between about 0.85 mm and about 1.15 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  any of the preceding claims , wherein the flexible tensioned rub-strap is configured to be tensioned to between about 10 kN and about 20 kN. 
     
     
         25 . A roadside crash barrier system comprising a vehicle crash barrier configured for deflecting errant vehicles traveling along a road and a motorbike crash barrier configured for deflecting errant motorbikes and/or their riders traveling along a road, the vehicle crash barrier comprising:
 a. at least one elongate tensioned flexible strap comprising a planar face facing the road in use and a supporting arrangement configured to support the strap at a height above the ground in use, wherein the supporting arrangement, or a portion thereof, is configured to release from the strap during or after impact from an errant vehicle and/or rider, and   
       the motorbike crash barrier comprising:
 b. at least one elongate tensioned flexible rub-strap comprising a planar face facing the road in use and a shock-absorbing support arrangement configured to support the strap above the ground in use, wherein the shock-absorbing support arrangement is configured such that:
 i. the flexible rub-strap displaces in a substantially horizontal direction together with at least part of the shock-absorbing support arrangement upon and during impact by an errant motorbike and/or rider, and 
 ii. the planar face of said rub-strap maintains a substantially perpendicular and upright orientation relative a horizontal surface of the road during said impact. 
 
 
     
     
         26 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 25 , where the strap's elongate direction extends parallel the road, or lane of a road, in use, and/or wherein the planar face has a normal direction facing the road, and/or wherein the planar face is perpendicular a surface of the road, and the barrier is configured to deflect errant vehicles back towards the road. 
     
     
         27 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 25 or claim 26 , wherein the strap is configured to be tensioned to between about 200 kN and about 400 kN. 
     
     
         28 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 27 , wherein the planar face comprises a surface that is relatively smooth, and/or continuous along the length of the strap. 
     
     
         29 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 28 , wherein the strap is composed of two distinct straps sandwiched together. 
     
     
         30 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 29 , wherein the strap is relatively flexible and pliable, and/or has low stiffness. 
     
     
         31 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25   30   6 , wherein the barrier comprises multiple straps. 
     
     
         32 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 31 , wherein the supporting arrangement of the vehicle crash barrier is a rigid, semi-rigid, or deformable barrier. 
     
     
         33 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 32 , wherein the supporting arrangement of the vehicle crash barrier forms at least part of and/or defines at least part of the shock-absorbing support arrangement of the motorbike crash barrier. 
     
     
         34 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 33 , wherein the shock-absorbing support arrangement is configured such that, during said impact, the flexible rub-strap displaces in a manner that substantially inhibits vertical and/or angular displacement of the flexible rub-strap. 
     
     
         35 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 34 , wherein the shock-absorbing support arrangement comprises at least one shock-absorbing element biased in direction towards the road in use so as to bias the flexible rub-strap in a direction towards the road in use. 
     
     
         36 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the at least one shock-absorbing element extends from a rear of the flexible rub-strap to a support post of the support arrangement. 
     
     
         37 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 36 , wherein said at least one shock-absorbing element extends from a substantially upright member to which the rear of the flexible rub-strap is connected to said support post of the support arrangement. 
     
     
         38 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein the at least one shock-absorbing element comprises a resilient elongate bar having a first end extending from said rear of the flexible rub-strap to a second end located at said support post of the support arrangement. 
     
     
         39 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the resilient elongate bar extends from its first end to its second end, in an inverted v shape comprising an apex of said resilient elongate bar positioned between said first and second ends. 
     
     
         40 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 39 , wherein said inverted v shape comprises a substantially acute internal angle. 
     
     
         41 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 38 to 40 , wherein the resilient elongate bar extends and connects to said support post by way of a flange at the second end of the resilient elongate bar. 
     
     
         42 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein the flange of the resilient elongate bar is positioned such that apertures extending through the flange are aligned for receipt of fastening members extending from and through said apertures to a fastening flange arranged at an opposing end of said support post. 
     
     
         43 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 42 , wherein said fastening flange comprises apertures configured to correspond and align with apertures of the flange of the resilient elongate bar. 
     
     
         44 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 38 to 40 , wherein the at least one shock-absorbing element comprises at least two resilient elongate bars. 
     
     
         45 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 44 , wherein an upper resilient elongate bar of the two resilient elongate bars extends from at or around the top end of said upright member to said support post of the shock-absorbing support arrangement and a lower resilient elongate bar of the two resilient elongate bars extends from at or around the bottom end of said upright member to said support post of the support arrangement. 
     
     
         46 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 45 , wherein the internal angle of the upper resilient elongate bar is less than the internal angle of the lower resilient elongate bar. 
     
     
         47 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 45 or claim 46 , wherein the upper resilient elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle decreases less than the internal angle of the lower resilient elongate bar, during a collision by an errant motorbike and/or rider. 
     
     
         48 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 45 to 47 , wherein the lower resilient elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle decreases to about zero at a fully collapsed or impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier. 
     
     
         49 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 45 to 48 , wherein the upper elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle in a default or non-impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier is substantially the same as its internal angle in the fully collapsed or impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier. 
     
     
         50 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 44 to 49 , wherein the resilient elongate bars extend and connect to said support post by way of a flange at each second end of the resilient elongate bars, the flanges positioned so as to overlap with one another such that apertures extending through each flange are aligned for receipt of fastening members extending from and through said apertures to a fastening flange arranged at an opposing end of said support post. 
     
     
         51 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein said fastening flange comprises apertures configured to correspond and align with apertures of said flanges of the two resilient elongate bars. 
     
     
         52 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 51 , wherein the at least one flexible rub-strap comprises rounded upper and lower horizontally extending edges. 
     
     
         53 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in  claim 52  when dependent on  claim 37 , wherein the rounded edges of said rub-strap fold around and behind top and bottom ends of said upright member. 
     
     
         54 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 53 , wherein the planar face of the at least one flexible rub-strap presents a surface that is substantially uniformly flat, smooth and/or continuous along the length of the rub-strap. 
     
     
         55 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 54 , wherein a thickness of the flexible tensioned rub-strap is between about 0.85 mm and about 1.15 mm. 
     
     
         56 . The roadside crash barrier system as claimed in any one of  claims 25 to 55 , wherein the flexible tensioned rub-strap is configured to be tensioned to between about 10 kN and about 20 kN. 
     
     
         57 . A roadside crash barrier system comprising a roadside vehicle crash barrier configured for deflecting errant vehicles traveling along a road and a roadside motorbike crash barrier configured for deflecting errant motorbikes and/or their riders traveling along a road,
 a. the roadside vehicle crash barrier comprising one or more flexible straps with a major planar face having a normal direction generally facing the road, and a supporting arrangement configured to extend from the ground in use, to removably retain the one or more straps at a height above the ground, wherein the straps are removed from retainment from at least part of the supporting arrangement during impact from said errant vehicle or road user of the road, and   b. the roadside motorbike crash barrier comprising at least one elongate tensioned flexible rub-strap comprising a planar face facing the road in use and a shock-absorbing support arrangement configured to support the strap above the ground in use, wherein the shock-absorbing support arrangement is configured such that:
 i. the flexible rub-strap displaces in a substantially horizontal direction together with at least part of the shock-absorbing support arrangement upon and during impact by an errant motorbike and/or rider, and 
 ii. the planar face of said rub-strap maintains a substantially perpendicular and upright orientation relative a horizontal surface of the road during said impact, 
   wherein the supporting arrangement of the vehicle crash barrier forms at least part of and/or defines at least part of the shock-absorbing support arrangement of the roadside motorbike crash barrier.   
     
     
         58 . A roadside motorbike crash barrier configured for deflecting errant motorbikes and/or their riders traveling along a road, the barrier comprising at least one elongate tensioned flexible rub-strap comprising a planar face facing the road in use and a shock-absorbing support arrangement configured to support the rub-strap above the ground in use,
 wherein the shock-absorbing support arrangement comprises at least one shock-absorbing element biased in direction towards the road in use so as to bias the flexible rub-strap in a direction towards the road in use,   wherein the at least one shock-absorbing element extends from a rear of the flexible rub-strap to a support post of the support arrangement, and   wherein the at least one shock-absorbing element comprises two resilient elongate bars each extending from a substantially upright member to which the rear of the flexible rub-strap is connected to said support post of the support arrangement.   
     
     
         59 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 58 , wherein an upper resilient elongate bar of the two resilient elongate bars extends from at or around the top end of said upright member to said support post of the shock-absorbing support arrangement and a lower resilient elongate bar of the two resilient elongate bars extends from at or around the bottom end of said upright member to said support post of the support arrangement. 
     
     
         60 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 59 , wherein each of the upper resilient elongate bar and the lower resilient elongate bar extend from first ends thereof arranged at the upright member to second ends thereof arranged at the support post, in an inverted v shape comprising an apex of said resilient elongate bars positioned between the respective first and second ends. 
     
     
         61 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 60 , wherein the inverted v shapes of each of the upper and lower resilient elongate bars comprise a substantially acute internal angle, wherein the internal angle of the upper resilient elongate bar is less than the internal angle of the lower resilient elongate bar. 
     
     
         62 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in  claim 61 , wherein the upper resilient elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle decreases less than the internal angle of the lower resilient elongate bar, during a collision by an errant motorbike and/or rider and wherein:
 a. the lower resilient elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle decreases to about zero at a fully collapsed or impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier, and   b. the upper elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle in a default or non-impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier is substantially the same as its internal angle in the fully collapsed or impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier, such that   a change in the internal angles of each of the upper and lower resilient elongate bars upon and during impact by an errant motorbike and/or rider is such that the flexible rub-strap displaces in a substantially horizontal direction together with said upper and lower resilient elongate bars, and the planar face of said rub-strap maintains a substantially perpendicular and upright orientation relative a horizontal surface of the road during said impact.   
     
     
         63 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in any one of  claims 58 to 62 , wherein the at least one flexible rub-strap comprises rounded upper and lower horizontally extending edges, wherein the rounded edges of said rub-strap fold around and behind top and bottom ends of said upright member. 
     
     
         64 . The roadside motorbike barrier as claimed in any one of  claims 58 to 63 , wherein the planar face of the at least one flexible rub-strap presents a surface that is substantially uniformly flat, smooth and/or continuous along the length of the rub-strap. 
     
     
         65 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in any one of  claims 58 to 64 , wherein a thickness of the flexible tensioned rub-strap is between about 0.85 mm and about 1.15 mm. 
     
     
         66 . The roadside motorbike crash barrier as claimed in any one of  claims 58 to 65 , wherein the flexible tensioned rub-strap is configured to be tensioned to between about 10 kN and about 20 kN. 
     
     
         67 . A roadside motorbike crash barrier configured for deflecting errant motorbikes and/or their riders traveling along a road, the barrier comprising at least one elongate tensioned flexible rub-strap comprising a planar face facing the road in use and a shock-absorbing support arrangement configured to support the rub-strap above the ground in use,
 wherein the shock-absorbing support arrangement comprises two resilient elongate bars, the two resilient elongate bars each biased in direction towards the road in use so as to bias the flexible rub-strap in a direction towards the road in use and each extending from first ends thereof arranged at a rear of the flexible rub-strap to second ends thereof arranged at a support post of the support arrangement,   each bar arranged in an inverted v shape comprising an apex positioned between the respective first and second ends, wherein the inverted v shapes of each of the two resilient elongate bars comprise a substantially acute internal angle, an upper resilient elongate bar of the two resilient elongate bars configured such that its internal angle decreases less than the internal angle of a lower resilient elongate bar of the two resilient elongate bars, during a collision by an errant motorbike and/or rider and wherein:
 a. the lower resilient elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle decreases to about zero at a fully collapsed or impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier, and 
 b. the upper elongate bar is configured such that its internal angle in a default or non-impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier is substantially the same as its internal angle in the fully collapsed or impacted condition of the motorbike crash barrier, such that 
   a change in the internal angles of each of the upper and lower resilient elongate bars upon and during impact by an errant motorbike and/or rider is such that the flexible rub-strap displaces in a substantially horizontal direction together with said upper and lower resilient elongate bars, and the planar face of said rub-strap maintains a substantially perpendicular and upright orientation relative a horizontal surface of the road during said impact.