IDEAS Sometimes I'm inventing things in my head. Maybe they are useful

Content:

• SNOW ON ROOF


• SOLAR CELLS


• EXTINGUISHING PYRAMID


• RED LIGHTS IN ROAD IN FRONT OF UNGUARDED RAILWAY CROSSING

SNOW ON ROOF

In countries with a lot of snow, the roofs are loaded with it. They therefore need to be regularly cleaned to prevent sagging. An intensive activity. I've been thinking about a system to make it easier to remove the snow from the roofs. With a sort of roll-band on the roof.

Function
Roll-bands will be placed on the roof. If there is snow on the roof, it can be rolled away. It can be operated manually with a handle. It can also be operated electrically by a motor, but also full-automatic with an optical eye. At a certain snow height, the roll-band is activated automatically. With or without a warning in case someone walks under it. It can be mounted on a slanted roof and a flat roof.

If necessary, a metal stripe can be placed, under the roller, in order to scrape off the snow. Why under the roller? Because if someone accidently falls on the roller band. He won't hurt himself on the scraper.

Material
It must consists of light material, because in combination with the snow it must not be too heavy. The rollers are made of plastic just like the resting plate. The metal parts are made of aluminium. The cloth where the snow falls, must be made of sturdy nylon. In areas where it's very cold, the snow can freeze on the cloth. Therefore the system can jam. In that case chicken wire can be a solution. When it is stuck due to freezing, the wire can be warmed by electricity, so that the ice between the resting place and the snow melts. Then the snow can be rolled away again.

Weight
The weight builds up unnoticed. Regular cleaning is necessary. To prevent that during rolling someone get snowed on, there must be an alarm system to warn them. (flashing light. Sound.)

Of course the idea has to be developed.

SOLAR CELLS

Solar cells are used to generate electricity. The production of solar cells is expensive, because of the expensive light sensitive layer. I was thinking of a manner to save on that expensive layer.

As seen below, a lens is placed above the panel in order to bundle the sun beams. In that case you can save on that expensive material. Due to the bundling of the sun beams, they reach the surface more powerful on a smaller area. You get the same amount of energy. The smaller area can be square shaped or round.

Consideration should be given to the following:

• There should be sun beams on it.
  Sun beams are powerful enough to give a good effect
• Lens may not bundle too sharp.
  If a lens bundles too sharp, overheating may take place. Consider the focus of a magnifying glass.
• The panel must always be perpendicular to the sun. If the sun's rays fall perpendicularly on the lens, the best effect is achieved. The movement of the panel is controlled by motors and sensors. There must be enough space for the panels to move. If the panels are angled, they must not give each other a shadow.
• Production costs (solar cell, lens and movement system) should not be more expensive than that of a conventional solar cell.
  If many panels are produced, the price goes down.

There still must be some investigation whether it is profitable to produce these panels.

WARNING SYSTEM RAILROAD CROSSING

Sometimes a train collides with a vehicle that accidentally comes to a stop on the track.

I was thinking of a system that warns the train driver when there is something on the track. One may think of a sensor underneath the railroad crossing which supplies a signal. Possibly with a system that measures the distance between the train and the object on the track. The signal is coded so that only trains on that track receives that signal and not trains that have nothing to do with it.

In this way the train driver has time enough to inhibit.
This may possibly reduce the risk of a collision.

RED LIGHTS IN ROAD IN FRONT OF UNGUARDED RAILWAY CROSSING

Unguarded railway crossings are more dangerous than guarded ones. I think that's because the red lights are on the side of the road. The lifting barrier is equipped with red flashing lights and hang above the road, so you see them in front of you.

I have been thinking about alox installing red lights in the road surface before the crossing. When no train is coming, they flash slowly. When a train does arrive, they flash quickly. Maybe it will be more visible this way.
Below is an image of such a lamp in the ground.

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