Traffic Control Marker Reinforcing Member for Impact Resilience
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traffic control markers, especially flexible delineators, often suffer from deformation and loss of structural integrity after multiple vehicle impacts, leading to reduced visibility and increased maintenance costs due to complex assembly and wear over time.
Innovation Solution
A traffic control assembly featuring a base, a primary flexible tubular member, a reinforcing member with circumferential cavities for elastic support, and a retaining member to secure the tubular member to the base, enhancing structural integrity and ease of assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flexible insert is positioned in the primary tube to provide rebound effect, then the marker can return to upright position after impact, but the device complexity increases with multiple parts requiring assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing member integrates multiple functions: it provides structural reinforcement to prevent tube deformation, maintains the tube's upright position, and works with the flexible insert to enable rebound. By combining these functions into a single integrated component rather than separate parts, the device achieves reliable rebound effect while reducing assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing member is constructed from high-density polyethylene material that combines flexibility and strength properties. This composite material approach allows the single component to provide both the structural support needed for rebound and the durability required for withstanding vehicle impacts, eliminating the need for multiple separate parts.
2Reliability
If multiple parts are used in the traffic control marker, then the flexible insert can be positioned to provide rebound, but the ease of repair deteriorates due to disassembly of multiple parts
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the reinforcing function, structural support function, and rebound support function into a single reinforcing member, the device reduces the number of parts that need to be disassembled for repair. The flexible insert remains as a separate replaceable component, but the integrated reinforcing member eliminates the need to disassemble multiple separate reinforcement elements.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the primary tube is made flexible to return to upright position, then the marker survives multiple impacts, but the strength deteriorates due to deformation risk
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing member is made from high-density polyethylene material that provides enhanced strength and structural integrity to the primary tube. This material composite approach allows the tube to remain flexible enough for rebound while being reinforced to resist deformation from vehicle impacts, extending service life without sacrificing strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing member provides localized reinforcement at critical areas of the primary tube where deformation is most likely to occur during vehicle impacts. This local quality enhancement allows the tube to maintain flexibility in non-critical areas for rebound while being strengthened where needed to prevent permanent deformation.
4Strength
If a reinforcing member is added to protect the primary flexible tubular member, then the strength is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing member is designed as an integrated component that combines multiple reinforcement elements and structural support features into a single part. This merging approach provides the necessary strength and structural integrity while minimizing the increase in device complexity by avoiding the need for multiple separate reinforcement components.
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 solution provides enhanced resilience against vehicle impacts, maintaining the marker's upright position and extending its lifespan, while simplifying assembly and reducing maintenance and replacement costs.
Implementation Method 1
a reinforcing member, wherein the reinforcing member, when coupled to the primary flexible tubular member, is configured to protect the primary flexible tubular member from deformation during a vehicle impact event
Data Source
AI summary
A traffic control assembly, which includes a reinforced mounting base selectively mountable adjacent a roadway, a primary flexible tubular member, a reinforcing member, a retaining member, and a retaining pin. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the primary flexible tubular member is coupled to the reinforcing member, where the reinforcing member is configured to provide elastic support to the primary flexible tubular member against an impact by a moving vehicle. In accordance with at least one embodiment, the primary flexible tubular member is coupled to a structural insert on the opposite end from the base, the structural insert is further coupled to a secondary flexible tubular member to increase the resiliency of the traffic control assembly against an impact by a moving vehicle.