Patent Application
20080219763
The present invention relates in general to traffic delineators. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular use which is shown and described, this invention relates to delineators that may be surface mounted on either level or sloped surfaces.
A traffic delineator is a conventional device used upon many highways to indicate to the driver the edge of the road or, in the alternative, an upcoming division or revision in traffic lanes. In a design of such marking posts or traffic delineators it is desirable for the post to be constructed in a manner which is inexpensive and provides for a quick and simple installation. The post should also be able to withstand many impacts from the bumpers of high speed vehicles without sustaining damage or destroying the post and without pulling the post out of or from connection with the ground/pavement.
The ease and speed of installation is particularly important in view of the large number of parking posts or traffic delineators which are used along the highways and expressways and, in fact, frequently the installation of the posts is performed when the installer is exposed to motor vehicle traffic. For these reasons, it is also desirable for the post to be designed for quick and conventional replacement in the event it is destroyed or no longer usable. Further, the post must be installed in a manner by which the post may not be easily damaged or removed by persons walking along the roadway and/or during the installation process. sign post support mounts that incorporate tubular sockets and driven-in fasteners.
A delineator mounting system adapted for the surface-mounting of a delineator includes a base having a generally-planar bottom surface, a cavity in the base, a top surface, and walls forming an aperture through the top surface to the cavity. A coupling has legs, with at least one leg being interfitted with the cavity of the base, and at least one other leg extending through the aperture of the base. A delineator is fastened to the leg of the coupling extending through the aperture of the base.
A more complete understanding of the invention and its advantages will be apparent from the Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, in which:
Referring initially to
A coupling 30 has two legs 32,34. At least one leg, leg 32, is interfitted with the cavity 18 of the base 14. At least one other leg, leg 34, extends through the aperture 24 of the base 14.
The delineator 10 is fastened to the leg 34 of the coupling 30 extending through the aperture 24 of the base 14.
In one example of a delineator mounting system 10, the bottom surface 16 of the base 14 is partially defined by a multiplicity of adhesive retention ribs 38 having planar bottoms 40 and spaced sides 42 to form adhesive retention cavities. When adhesive is used to fix the delineator mounting system to the surface, the adhesive retention cavities provide additional surface area for the adhesive, thereby enhancing the security of the connection.
Optionally, base 14 can be provided with a cylindrical interior wall 44 (
Vertical leg 34 can also be cylindrical to connect to a cylindrical delineator 12 by way of a through-bolt 46 and through-holes 48 and 50. The direction faced by delineator 12 can be modified by drilling new through-holes 48 in the field, as desired.
The base 14 has a continuous side wall 52 defining a generally-rectangular shape with rounded corners 54. The base top surface 20 is generally-pyramidal in shape, and defined by buttress ribs 56 extending from the side wall to a cylindrical exterior wall 58 of the cylindrical cavity 18.
It may be desirable to provide walls defining a plurality of small fastener through-holes 60 extending through the cylindrical exterior wall 58 to the cylindrical interior wall 44. These permit the use of small fasteners 62 to fix the coupling 30 to the base 14, particularly when the coupling is arranged at an angle other than perpendicular to the base, as described below. In this arrangement, small fasteners 62 extend through the small fastener through-holes 60 from the top surface 20 into end portions 63 (
The base 14 can also be made with walls defining a plurality of large fastener through-holes 64 extending through the base 14 from the top surface 20 to the bottom surface 18. These through-holes 64 accommodate fasteners (not shown) for fixing the delineator mounting system to the surface when adhesive-mounting is not used. Where adhesive is used, adhesive flows into the through-holes 64 for added connection strength.
In one preferred configuration, the aperture 24 is centrally-located in the base top surface 20 and circular to snugly interfit with a cylindrical vertical leg 34 of the coupling 30. Central aperture 24 in this configuration automatically mounts coupling 30 such that delineator 12 is perpendicular to base bottom surface 18, so that when base bottom surface 18 is horizontal, delineator 12 is vertical. It may be desirable to provide that the vertical leg 34 extends perpendicularly from a medial portion 65 (
Referring now in addition to
A superior coupling 30 will include a horizontal leg medial portion 70 with a plurality of adhesive engagement ribs 72. Ribs 72 may also include apertures (not shown) for enhanced adhesive engagement.
A plurality of stop bumps 74 may be arrayed on a lower portion 76 of the vertical leg 34. In this instance, the delineator 12 is removably fastened to the vertical leg 34 of the coupling 30, and with an end 78 of the delineator abutting the stop bumps 74.
The base 14 will typically be molded from a strong and rigid polyethylene. In contrast, it may be desirable to mold coupling 30 from of a flexible polyurethane thermoplastic elastomer, such that a delineator will deflect and return to position when struck by a vehicle.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.
While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a particular delineator mounting system, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
