Claims
- 1-28. (Cancelled)
- 29. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 37, further comprising the steps of:
disposing said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) within a nested array with respect to each other prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto the pavement surface.
- 30. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 29, further comprising the steps of:
disposing said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) atop one another when said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are disposed within said nested array; and interposing portions of said single release sheet, to which all of said adhesive means of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are adhered prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto the pavement surface, between successive ones of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs).
- 31. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 30, further comprising the step of:
forming each one of said portions of said single release sheet, interposed between said successive ones of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), into a folded loop, set inwardly with respect to an edge portion of each one of said adhesive means, such that when each one of said folded loops is unfolded in connection with the serial dispensing and application of said permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto the pavement surface, a feather-edge bond structure, defined at a boundary region between each folded loop portion of said release sheet and each one of said adhesive means, is able to be effectively recombined with a respective one of said adhesive means so as to effectively permit said feather-edge bond structure to be completely assimilated within said adhesive means and thereby readily permit the easy separation, peeling, and stripping of said release sheet from each one of said adhesive material.
- 32. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 30, further comprising the steps of:
providing each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) with a predetermined lateral width dimension; and providing said single release sheet with a predeterined lateral width dimension which is greater than said predetermined lateral width dimension of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) such that side edge portions of said single release sheet extend beyond side edge portions of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs).
- 33. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 37, further comprising the step of:
using a stripper plate to cause said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), to be separated from said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) so as to be capable of being applied to the pavement surface, as a result of said single release sheet being routed around said stripper plate so as to strip said single release sheet from said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) in order to expose said adhesive means disposed upon said bottom surface portion of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) such that said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) can be fixedly applied to the pavement surface.
- 34. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 33, further comprising the step of:
indexably moving an indexable roller, around which said single release sheet is routed, for indexably moving said single release sheet predetermined distances so as to serially dispense individual ones of said permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) at predetermined times such that said permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) will be fixedly applied onto the pavement surface at positions which are spaced predetermined distances apart.
- 35. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 34, further comprising the steps of:
operatively connecting a drive motor to said indexable roller; and operatively connecting a program logic controller (PLC) to said drive motor so as to energize said drive motor at predetermined times so as to cause said drive motor to operate said indexable roller at predetermined times in order to indexably advance said single release sheet with respect to said stripper plate.
- 36. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 35, further comprising the step of:
using an applicator wheel to rollably engage said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), from which said single release sheet has been stripped, so as to fixedly apply said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) to the pavement surface.
- 37. A method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto a pavement surface, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), wherein each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) has an upper surface portion and a bottom surface portion; providing adhesive means, which is adapted to be fixedly mounted upon said bottom surface portion of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), for permitting each one of said bottom surface portions of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) to be fixedly adhered to a pavement surface as a result of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) being serially dispensed and said bottom surface portions of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) being applied directly to the pavement surface at predeterminedly spaced positions located along the pavement surface; providing a single release sheet, to which all of said adhesive means of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) are separably adhered prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto the pavement surface, so as to effectively define, along with said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), said collated array of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) to be dispensed and applied onto the pavement surface; and separating a leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), from said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), and depositing said bottom surface portion of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), upon which said adhesive means is disposed, directly onto the pavement surface so as to facilitate the adhesive bonding of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to the pavement surface.
- 38. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 30, further comprising the step of:
forming each one of said portions of said single release sheet, interposed between said successive ones of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), into a folded loop wherein said folded loop is routed beneath said bottom surface portion of one of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) and over said upper surface portion of a successive one of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs).
- 39. A method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), wherein each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) has an upper surface portion and a bottom surface portion; fixedly mounting adhesive means upon said bottom surface portion of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) for permitting each one of said bottom surface portions of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to be fixedly adhered to a pavement surface as a result of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) being serially dispensed and said bottom surface portions of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) being respectively applied directly to the pavement surface at predeterminedly spaced positions located along the pavement surface; providing a single release sheet, to which all of said adhesive means of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are separably adhered prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto the pavement surface, so as to effectively define, along with said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), said collated array of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to be dispensed and applied onto the pavement surface; and separating a leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), from said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), and depositing said bottom surface portion of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), upon which said adhesive means is disposed, directly onto the pavement surface so as to facilitate the adhesive bonding of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to the pavement surface.
- 40. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 39, further comprising the steps of:
disposing said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) within a nested array with respect to each other prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto the pavement surface.
- 41. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 40, further comprising the steps of:
disposing said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) atop one another when said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are disposed within said nested array; and interposing portions of said single release sheet, to which all of said adhesive means of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are adhered prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto the pavement surface, between successive ones of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs).
- 42. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 41, further comprising the step of:
forming each one of said portions of said single release sheet, interposed between said successive ones of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), into a folded loop, set inwardly with respect to an edge portion of each one of said adhesive means, such that when each one of said folded loops is unfolded in connection with the serial dispensing and application of said permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto the pavement surface, a feather-edge bond structure, defined at a boundary region between each folded loop portion of said release sheet and each one of said adhesive means, is able to be effectively recombined with a respective one of said adhesive means so as to effectively permit said feather-edge bond structure to be completely assimilated within said adhesive means and thereby readily permit the easy separation, peeling, and stripping of said release sheet from each one of said adhesive material.
- 43. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 41, further comprising the steps of:
providing each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) with a predetermined lateral width dimension; and providing said single release sheet with a predeterined lateral width dimension which is greater than said predetermined lateral width dimension of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) such that side edge portions of said single release sheet extend beyond side edge portions of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs).
- 44. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 39, further comprising the step of:
using a stripper plate to cause said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), to be separated from said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) so as to be capable of being applied to the pavement surface, as a result of said single release sheet being routed around said stripper plate so as to strip said single release sheet from said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) in order to expose said adhesive means disposed upon said bottom surface portion of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) such that said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) can be fixedly applied to the pavement surface.
- 45. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 44, further comprising the step of:
indexably moving an indexable roller, around which said single release sheet is routed, for indexably moving said single release sheet predetermined distances so as to serially dispense individual ones of said permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) at predetermined times such that said permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) will be fixedly applied onto the pavement surface at positions which are spaced predetermined distances apart.
- 46. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 45, further comprising the steps of:
operatively connecting a drive motor to said indexable roller; and operatively connecting a program logic controller (PLC) to said drive motor so as to energize said drive motor at predetermined times so as to cause said drive motor to operate said indexable roller at predetermined times in order to indexably advance said single release sheet with respect to said stripper plate.
- 47. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 46, further comprising the step of:
using an applicator wheel to rollably engage said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), from which said single release sheet has been stripped, so as to fixedly apply said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to the pavement surface.
- 48. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 41, further comprising the step of:
forming each one of said portions of said single release sheet, interposed between said successive ones of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), into a folded loop wherein said folded loop is routed beneath said bottom surface portion of one of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) and over said upper surface portion of a successive one of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs).
- 49. A method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), wherein each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) has an upper surface portion and a bottom surface portion; providing a single release sheet, to which all of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are separably affixed, so as to effectively define, along with said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), said collated array of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) which are to be serially dispensed and applied onto a pavement surface; separably mounting adhesive means upon said single release sheet, at predeterminedly spaced positions defined along said single release sheet, for being adhesively bonded to said bottom surface portion of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto the pavement surface such that each one of said bottom surface portions of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) can be fixedly adhered to a pavement surface as a result of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) being serially dispensed and said bottom surface portions of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) being respectively applied directly to the pavement surface at predeterminedly spaced positions located along the pavement surface; and separating a leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), from said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), and depositing said bottom surface portion of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), upon which said adhesive means is disposed, directly onto the pavement surface so as to facilitate the adhesive bonding of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to the pavement surface.
- 50. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 49, further comprising the steps of:
disposing said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) within a nested array with respect to each other prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto the pavement surface.
- 51. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 50, further comprising the steps of:
disposing said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) atop one another when said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are disposed within said nested array; and interposing portions of said single release sheet, to which all of said adhesive means of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) are adhered prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto the pavement surface, between successive ones of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs).
- 52. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 51, further comprising the step of:
forming each one of said portions of said single release sheet, interposed between said successive ones of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), into a folded loop, set inwardly with respect to an edge portion of each one of said adhesive means, such that when each one of said folded loops is unfolded in connection with the serial dispensing and application of said permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto the pavement surface, a feather-edge bond structure, defined at a boundary region between each folded loop portion of said release sheet and each one of said adhesive means, is able to be effectively recombined with a respective one of said adhesive means so as to effectively permit said feather-edge bond structure to be completely assimilated within said adhesive means and thereby readily permit the easy separation, peeling, and stripping of said release sheet from each one of said adhesive material.
- 53. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 51, further comprising the steps of:
providing each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) with a predetermined lateral width dimension; and providing said single release sheet with a predeterined lateral width dimension which is greater than said predetermined lateral width dimension of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) such that side edge portions of said single release sheet extend beyond side edge portions of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs).
- 54. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 49, further comprising the step of:
using a stripper plate to cause said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), to be separated from said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) so as to be capable of being applied to the pavement surface, as a result of said single release sheet being routed around said stripper plate so as to strip said single release sheet from said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) in order to expose said adhesive means disposed upon said bottom surface portion of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) such that said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) can be fixedly applied to the pavement surface.
- 55. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMS) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 54, further comprising the step of:
indexably moving an indexable roller, around which said single release sheet is routed, for indexably moving said single release sheet predetermined distances so as to serially dispense individual ones of said permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) at predetermined times such that said permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) will be fixedly applied onto the pavement surface at positions which are spaced predetermined distances apart.
- 56. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 55, further comprising the steps of:
operatively connecting a drive motor to said indexable roller; and operatively connecting a program logic controller (PLC) to said drive motor so as to energize said drive motor at predetermined times so as to cause said drive motor to operate said indexable roller at predetermined times in order to indexably advance said single release sheet with respect to said stripper plate.
- 57. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 56, further comprising the step of:
using an applicator wheel to rollably engage said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), from which said single release sheet has been stripped, so as to fixedly apply said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to the pavement surface.
- 58. The method for serially dispensing and applying a collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface as set forth in claim 51, further comprising the step of:
forming each one of said portions of said single release sheet, interposed between said successive ones of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), into a folded loop wherein said folded loop is routed beneath said bottom surface portion of one of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) and over said upper surface portion of a successive one of said plurality of nested permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs).
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application is a Continuation-in-Part (CIP) of United States Patent application which is entitled COLLATED ROAD MARKER ASSEMBLY, AND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY APPLYING COLLATED ROAD MARKERS TO ROADWAY SURFACES, which was filed on Nov. 25, 2002, and which has been assigned Ser. No. 10/302,994.
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10422828 |
Apr 2003 |
US |
Child |
10823717 |
Apr 2004 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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10302994 |
Nov 2002 |
US |
Child |
10422828 |
Apr 2003 |
US |