Road Marking Cutting Unit With Bevel Grinding and Oscillating Drum

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing road marking technologies, such as milling devices, struggle to create road markings with straight and beveled edges and an even base, which are required by national regulations, while also producing rough surfaces that require precise speed control and moderate travel speeds, and are inefficient in forming smooth surfaces.

Innovation Solution

A cutting unit with a rotary cutting tool and oscillating bevel cutting surfaces, combined with a main drum, forms road markings by grinding, allowing for straight and beveled edges with an even base, using high rotational speeds to achieve a smoother surface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a milling device is used to form road markings, then the road marking can be formed by removing material, but the edges become rough and the surface quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroad marking formationVSAvoidedge smoothness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting tool is divided into multiple segments: a main drum for forming the base and two bevel cutting surfaces for forming the edges. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally, with the bevel cutting surfaces specifically designed to create smooth, precise edges while the main drum forms the base, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and edge smoothness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the cutting tool have different properties and functions: the bevel cutting surfaces are specifically configured with appropriate angles and geometries to produce smooth edges, while the main drum is designed for efficient base formation. This local differentiation of quality and function enables the system to achieve both manufacturing efficiency and high precision edge quality simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Manufacturing precision

If the milling tool rotates slowly to achieve neat edges, then edge quality improves, but the productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveedge qualityVSAvoidtravel speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the cutting tool into specialized components (main drum and bevel cutting surfaces), the system can operate at higher speeds while maintaining edge quality. The bevel cutting surfaces are specifically designed to function effectively at higher rotational speeds, allowing the vehicle to travel faster without sacrificing edge smoothness, thus resolving the contradiction between precision and productivity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the operational parameters by enabling the cutting tool to rotate at higher speeds (50-300 m/s peripheral speed) compared to traditional milling devices. The bevel cutting surfaces are specifically designed to maintain cutting effectiveness at these higher speeds, allowing both high productivity and high edge quality to be achieved simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If a single milling drum is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to form straight and bevelled edges with an even base is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting tool structureVSAvoidedge and base geometry
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting tool is segmented into functionally distinct components: a main drum for base formation and two bevel cutting surfaces for edge formation. This segmentation enables precise control over the geometry of different parts of the road marking, allowing straight and bevelled edges with an even base to be formed simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and manufacturing precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Each component of the cutting tool is optimized for its specific function: the main drum is designed to create an even base, while the bevel cutting surfaces are specifically configured with appropriate angles and geometries to produce straight and bevelled edges. This local optimization of quality and function enables the system to achieve complex geometric requirements without excessive overall complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

4Productivity

If high rotational speed is used for grinding, then the surface becomes smoother and productivity increases, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegrinding speedVSAvoidcutting tool configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The cutting tool features local quality differentiation where the bevel cutting surfaces and main drum are specifically designed for high-speed operation. The bevel cutting surfaces are configured with appropriate geometries that enable effective cutting at high rotational speeds (50-300 m/s peripheral speed), allowing the system to achieve both high productivity and smooth surfaces without requiring overly complex device configurations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The cutting unit efficiently forms road markings with smooth surfaces and reduced paint consumption by using high-speed grinding, meeting regulatory requirements and improving operational efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

a rotary cutting tool for cutting a road marking into a road surface... using high rotational speeds to achieve a smoother surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

oscillation means for deflecting the cutting tool in an essentially vertical direction in order to form a periodic, preferably undulating base of the road marking

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOscillation: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP4455401B1Cutting unit, method for forming periodic road markings and rumble road marking
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 JYR511 OY
  • EP4455401B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP4455401B1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP4455401B1 patent drawingFigure 2a

AI summary

The invention relates to a cutting unit (14) for forming periodic road markings (100) in a road surface (102), which cutting unit (14) includes - a cutting frame (16) for supporting the cutting unit (14) on a supporting work machine (4), - a rotary cutting tool (18), - a supporting wheel (20) joined to the cutting frame (16), and - oscillation means (35) for deflecting the cutting tool (18) in an essentially vertical direction, - an auxiliary frame (24) attached in an articulated manner to the cutting frame (16) for supporting the cutting tool (18), wherein the cutting tool (18) is a main drum (40) for forming a road marking (100) with an even base (104) in a transverse direction of the road markings (100), and the cutting unit (14) further includes two bevel cutting surfaces (44) mounted in bearings on the cutting frame (16) and arranged so as to form edges (106), wherein a speed of rotation of the main drum (40) and the bevel cutting surfaces (42) is configured to grind the road marking (100). The invention also relates to a system, a method and a rumble road marking.