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Road marker with reverse cups

a reverse cup and road marker technology, applied in road signs, roads, construction, etc., can solve the problems of insufficient strength or adhesive to the road of the road marker, the potting process requires additional machinery, and the road marker is relatively expensive to produce, so as to achieve the effect of increasing the adhesion

Inactive Publication Date: 2006-12-14
PAC TEC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent describes an improved road marker with a one-piece shell and recesses containing elongated members with undercut relief. The road marker contains a retroreflective lens and a bottom surface with a plurality of recesses that protrude into the shell. The recesses can be in the shape of a circle, ellipse, triangle or any shaped polygon, and can vary as a function of the depth of the recess into the shell and location the of the recess on the bottom surface. The elongated members with undercut relief affords increased adherence between the road marker shell and any type of glue or adhesive used to attach the road marker to a road surface. The technical effect of this patent is to provide an improved road marker with enhanced adhesion to the road surface, making it more durable and reliable."

Problems solved by technology

However, the potting process requires additional machinery and the road markers are relatively expensive to produce.
These markers have not been satisfactory in strength or adhesive to the road.

Method used

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  • Road marker with reverse cups
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  • Road marker with reverse cups

Examples

Experimental program
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first embodiment

[0015] A perspective view of the bottom of shell 100 for the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. A series of recesses 300 extend from the bottom surface 120 into the interior of shell 100. The recesses 300 shown in FIG. 2 have a cross section in the shape of a square. In the alternative, the cross section of recesses 300 can be a circle, an ellipse, a triangle or any other polygon. Furthermore, the shape of the recesses can vary as a function of depth into the shell 100 and location on the bottom surface 120.

[0016] In general, the depth of a particular recess 300 is dependent on the location of said recess with respect to the shell bottom surface 120. For example, except for the recesses 300 closest to the edge of bottom surface 120, the depth of recesses 300 in the first set of rows 400 is less than the depth of recesses 300 in the second set of rows 500. This difference in depth among the recesses 300 is due rows 400 being closer in proximity to the edges of bottom surface 120. ...

second embodiment

[0020] the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows a bottom perspective view wherein elongated members 640 are within recesses 600. In addition to recesses 600, this embodiment affords for recesses 700 wherein no elongated member 640 is present. The shape of elongated member 640 is that of a Christmas tree wherein the undercut relief 642 in the form of ridges affords a rough surface. Also noted in FIG. 4 is the staggered set of rows of recesses 600. In the alternative, the rows of recesses 600 can be equally spaced such as those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Furthermore, the recesses 700 need not be present.

[0021] With the shell 100 having recesses 300 and / or recesses 600, any type of adhesive used to affix said shell to a highway surface is more effective due to the undercut relief 342 and / or 642 which accepts said adhesive for the purpose of holding the road marker onto a road. In this manner, an improved road marker shell manufactured in one piece is provided by the p...

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Abstract

An improved road marker with a one piece shell and recesses containing elongated members with an undercut relief is provided. The road marker contains a retroreflective lens and a bottom surface with a plurality of the recesses protruding into the shell. The cross section of the recesses can be in the shape of a circle, ellipse, triangle or any shaped polygon, and said cross section can vary as a function of the depth of the recess into the shell and the location of said recess on the bottom surface. The cross section of the elongated member in an axial direction can be in the shape of a circle, ellipse, triangle or any shaped polygon. The undercut relief can be in the form of threads, ridges or any type of indentation into the elongated member that provides a rough surface. When the elongated member is permanently attached to the road marker shell, the undercut relief thereon affords increased adherence between the road marker shell and any type of glue or adhesive used to attach the road marker to a road surface.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 688,616 filed Jun. 8, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention in general relates to road markers, and in particular to road markers for the delineation of lanes on roads. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Road markers for the delineation of lanes on roads are extensively used. Road markers typically include a plastic shell having a pair of opposed angled retroreflective surfaces. When the light from an oncoming vehicle hits the retroreflective surface, it is reflected in an array of cube comers or fresnel-type lenses to produce a bright reflective appearance on the surface of the marker. This bright surface delineates the lane at night and assists the driver in maintaining proper alignment within a lane. [0004] Typically the road markers that have been produced are a plastic shell which is filled with a potting ma...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): E01F9/06
CPCE01F9/06E01F9/553
Inventor FORRER, DOUGLAS
Owner PAC TEC