Inflatable Speed Regulator

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus for a speed regulator are described. A casing comprises three or more shutters, at least one of the shutters coupled to two other of the shutters using a respective set of hinges, the casing configured to protrude in an extended configuration and to lay flat in a retracted configuration. An expandable bag is configured to expand and compress between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration, and configured to position the plurality of shutters based on a specified configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mechanical speed regulator, the mechanical speed regulator comprising:
 a casing comprising three or more shutters, at least one of the shutters coupled to two other of the shutters using a respective set of hinges, the casing configured to protrude in an extended configuration and to lay flat in a retracted configuration; and   an expandable bag configured to expand and compress between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration, and configured to position the plurality of shutters based on a specified configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The mechanical speed regulator of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump coupled to the expandable bag and configured to expand and compress the expandable bag. 
     
     
         3 . The mechanical speed regulator of  claim 1 , further comprising a base for housing the casing and the expandable bag, the base comprising a slot, the slot configured to encase at least a portion of the casing in the retracted configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The mechanical speed regulator of  claim 3 , the base having a bottom surface configured for mounting on a surface of a roadway. 
     
     
         5 . The mechanical speed regulator of  claim 3 , wherein at least a subset of the plurality of shutters is configured to slide into the slot of the base and configured to slide out of the slot of the base. 
     
     
         6 . A method comprising:
 obtaining an indication of an extended configuration for a mechanical speed regulator; and   expanding an expandable bag of the mechanical speed regulator to the indicated extended configuration, the expanding of the expandable bag configuring at least one of a plurality of shutters of the mechanical speed regulator, wherein at least one of the shutters is coupled to two other of the shutters using a respective set of hinges.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising compressing, prior to a vehicle encountering the mechanical speed regulator, the expandable bag of the mechanical speed regulator to a retracted configuration based on a detected speed of the vehicle and in response to the vehicle traveling at a speed less than a first defined speed. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising maintaining the mechanical speed regulator in the retracted configuration in response to the vehicle traveling at the speed less than the first defined speed. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising expanding the expandable bag of the mechanical speed regulator to the extended configuration in response to the vehicle exceeding a second defined speed. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising expanding the expandable bag of the mechanical speed regulator to the extended configuration after the vehicle has passed the mechanical speed regulator. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising maintaining the mechanical speed regulator in the extended configuration in response to the vehicle exceeding a second defined speed. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising maintaining the mechanical speed regulator in an existing configuration in response to the vehicle being within a predefined distance of the mechanical speed regulator. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising compressing the expandable bag of the mechanical speed regulator to a retracted configuration in response to the vehicle being within a predefined distance of the mechanical speed regulator and a speed of the vehicle meeting predefined criteria. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying instructions that, when executed by a processor perform operations comprising:
 obtaining an indication of an extended configuration for a mechanical speed regulator; and   expanding an expandable bag of the mechanical speed regulator to the indicated extended configuration, the expanding of the expandable bag configuring at least one of a plurality of shutters of the mechanical speed regulator, wherein at least one of the shutters is coupled to two other of the shutters using a respective set of hinges.