Accessible pedestrian pushbutton station
An accessible pedestrian pushbutton station. The station includes an articulating rear mounting structure to facilitate accurate positioning of the station on either a curved or flat surface. Additionally, slots in the rear mounting structure allow for minor positional adjustments during installation. The crossing direction arrow is easily repositioned on the front of the station without disassembling the housing. After removing the screw-mounted arrow, the plunger can be turned clockwise or counter-clockwise using only a flat-head screw driver. The plunger is balanced between oppositely biased springs. The spring-balanced plunger indirectly actuates an offset piezo bender using a flexible spring actuator and a second, offset stem bumper. This protects the piezo bender from direct pressure and potential damage. The station includes an internal speaker and the housing includes bilateral sound vents to project the sound emitted by the speaker. Baffles may be inserted in one or both of the sound vents.
1. An accessible pedestrian pushbutton station for use with a signal control assembly, the pushbutton station comprising:
a housing having a front that includes a plunger space;
a push button assembly supported in the housing, the pushbutton assembly comprising:
a plunger mounted in the plunger space for axial movement between a neutral position and an engaged position, the plunger comprising:
a plunger head having a front and a rear;
a stem extending inwardly into the plunger space from the rear of the plunger head and terminating in a free end, the stem having a longitudinal axis; and
a stem bumper attached to the free end of the stem;
a piezo bender supported in the housing and positioned a distance laterally from the stem bumper, wherein the piezo bender is operatively connectable to the signal control assembly;
a pressure transfer member comprising:
a stem bumper contact point that is axially aligned with and supported a distance from the stem bumper so that axial movement of the plunger into the engaged position causes the stem bumper to press on the stem bumper contact point; and
an offset bumper supported a distance laterally from the stem bumper contact point and axially aligned with and supported a distance from the piezo bender;
wherein pressure from the stem bumper on the stem bumper contact point is transferred to the offset bumper to cause the offset bumper to actuate the piezo bender.
2. The accessible pedestrian pushbutton station of claim 1 wherein the plunger is resiliently mounted for reciprocal axial movement.
3. The accessible pedestrian pushbutton station of claim 2 wherein the pressure transfer member is configured so that, when the plunger is moved to the engaged position, the pressure exerted by the stem bumper on the stem bumper contact point will cause the offset bumper to move axially a greater distance than the stem bumper contact point.
4. The accessible pedestrian pushbutton station of claim 3 wherein the pressure transfer member comprises an elongate spring actuator having a first end and a second end, wherein the offset bumper is supported on the second end.
5. The accessible pedestrian pushbutton station of claim 4 wherein the pressure transfer member further comprises a spine, wherein the spring actuator projects transversely from the spine.
6. The accessible pedestrian pushbutton station of claim 5 wherein the pressure transfer member further comprises first and second side projections, one extending from the spine on each side of the spring actuator and being generally parallel thereto.
7. The accessible pedestrian pushbutton station of claim 6 wherein the housing further comprises a strain relief cover defining an annular piezo support shoulder configured to contain the piezo bender, wherein each of the side projections on the pressure transfer member has a free end with a mounting tab thereon, wherein the pressure transfer member further comprises a mounting tab on the spine, and wherein the strain relief cover comprises slots for receiving the mounting tabs on the spine and the side projections, whereby the spring actuator is suspended between the stem bumper and the piezo bender.