Granted Patent B2

US 12,351,999 · App. 17/577,275 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Inventor: James P Janniello (Sarasota, FL)

E01F9/529

Abstract

Claims (18)

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

a plurality of plates configured to rotate 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 plurality of axles, each axle coupled to a corresponding plate of the plurality of plates and configured to enable the corresponding plate to rotate.

3. The mechanical speed regulator of claim 1 , further comprising a servo motor configured to rotate the plates between the extended configuration and the retracted configuration based on specified commands.

4. The mechanical speed regulator of claim 1 , further comprising a base for housing the casing and the plurality of plates.

5. The mechanical speed regulator of claim 4 , the base comprising a slot, the slot configured to encase at least a portion of the casing in the retracted configuration.

6. A method comprising:

obtaining an indication of an extended configuration for a mechanical speed regulator; and

rotating at least one of a plurality of plates of the mechanical speed regulator to the indicated extended configuration, the rotation of the at least one plate 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 rotating, prior to a vehicle encountering the mechanical speed regulator, at least one of the plurality of plates 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 rotating at least one of a plurality of plates 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 rotating at least one of a plurality of plates 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 rotating at least one of a plurality of plates of the mechanical speed regulator to a retracted configuration: when the vehicle is a defined distance from the mechanical speed regulator, at a specified amount of time after the vehicle is first detected, or based on an estimated time of the vehicle encountering the mechanical speed regulator.

14. The method of claim 6 , further comprising rotating at least one of a plurality of plates 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.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (27)