PORTABLE HIGHWAY WARNING DEVICE

Abstract

A portable highway warning device comprised of one or more rumble strips. Each rumble strip is comprised of a plurality of modular strip sections made of a polymeric material. Each strip section has end edges with alternating notches and tabs sized and spaced for overlapping engagement with respective tabs and notches on opposite end edges of other ones of the strip sections for connecting the end edges of the strip sections together. Embedded in each of the strip sections are a plurality of metal plates or bars that run transversely between side edges of the strip sections in laterally spaced relation from one another to provide ballast to the strip sections.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a portable highway warning device comprising any desired number of portable rumble strips for use in high speed highway conditions to alert drivers of automotive vehicles including both passenger vehicles and trucks of an approaching condition.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is generally known to use rumble strips in high speed highway applications to provide a perceptible noise and warning vibration when automotive vehicles including passenger vehicles and trucks drive over the rumble strips to warn the drivers of an approaching condition such as a work site, construction site, slow speed zone, checkpoint, toll booth and so on, without alarming the drivers and without adversely affecting the stability of the vehicles. Some types of rumble strips are intended to be permanently installed for long-term use while others are intended to be portable for use at work zones and other applications of relatively short duration. Portable rumble strips should be reusable and quick and easy to deploy and remove. Also they should have the ability to remain in place under heavy traffic, including heavy trucks at highway speeds, preferably without the use of adhesives or fasteners.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above and other benefits and advantages of portable rumble strips are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by providing one or more elongated rumble strips each having a substantially greater length than width, and top and bottom surfaces, and end and side edges, each rumble strip being fabricated of a suitable flexible polymeric material having a plurality of laterally spaced, transversely extending metal plates or bars embedded therein to provide ballast to each rumble strip. Having the metal plates or bars run transversely across the width of each rumble strip also provides stiffness in the transverse direction so the side edges of each rumble strip don't curl.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, each rumble strip may be rolled up lengthwise when not in use for ease of handling and storage.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the side edge of each rumble strip that faces toward oncoming traffic may be beveled, and the adjacent end of the metal plates or bars embedded therein may be similarly beveled to permit the beveled ends of the plates or bars to extend partway into the beveled side edge of each rumble strip to give the beveled side edge increased stiffness.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each rumble strip may have upper and lower thicknesses, with the lower thickness made of a softer plastic material than the upper thickness to further increase the grip between the bottom surface of each rumble strip and the roadway.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, each rumble strip may be comprised of a plurality of modular strip sections each having end edges with alternating notches and tabs sized and spaced for overlapping engagement with respective tabs and notches on opposite end edges of other ones of the strip sections for connecting the end edges of the strip sections together.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the alternating notches and tabs may be dovetailed to provide dovetail connections between the overlapping end edges of the strip sections to prevent horizontal separation between the overlapping end edges of the strip sections.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the tabs on the end edges of the strip sections may have aligned through holes that are aligned with the through holes in the end edges of other strip sections when in overlapping engagement with each other for receipt of a pin through the aligned holes in the overlapping end edges for further securing the overlapping end edges of the strip sections together.

These and other objects, advantages, features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but several of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of portable rumble strip of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the rumble strip of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section through a portion of the rumble strip of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another form of portable rumble strip of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the rumble strip of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse section through the rumble strip of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one of the metal plates or bars that is embedded in the rumble strip of FIGS. 4-6.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one side of the rumble strip of FIGS. 4-6.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged transverse section similar to FIG. 6, but through another form of portable rumble strip of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing multiple sets of portable rumble strips of the present invention extending across one highway lane in spaced relation to one another.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of one of the sets of portable rumble strips of FIG. 10 shown extending across one highway lane in spaced relation to one another.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another form of portable rumble strip of the present invention which is comprised of a plurality of modular strip sections.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the modular strip sections of FIG. 12.

FIG. 13A is an enlarged top plan view of another form of modular strip section similar to FIG. 13 but showing hand grip slots adjacent the ends of the modular strip section.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged transverse section through the modular strip section of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a further enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the right end edge of the modular strip section of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the joined end edges of two of the modular strip sections of FIG. 13.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein the same reference numbers followed by a prime symbol (′) are used to designate like parts, and initially to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown one form of elongated portable rumble strip 1 of the present invention. Each rumble strip 1 preferably has substantially flat top and bottom surfaces 2 and 3 and opposite side edges 4 and 5 and end edges 6 and 7, and is desirably made of a suitable high strength, weather resistant polymeric material such as polyurethane or other polymeric material with similar properties that has sufficient flexibility to permit each rumble strip to be rolled up lengthwise from end to end for ease of transportation and storage when not in use and just as easily unrolled during placement.

Although the dimensions of each rumble strip 1 may vary, each rumble strip is desirably of sufficient length to reach across a single highway lane, which is typically 11 feet wide. Also each rumble strip has a width that is preferably between 8 inches and 16 inches and more preferably of approximately 12 inches. Moreover, the rumble strips are of sufficient thickness to create a noticeable audible and vibration warning to drivers of automotive vehicles, including trucks when driven over the rumble strips, but not so severe as to alarm the drivers, and without causing any adverse effect on the stability of the vehicles. To that end, the rumble strips preferably have a thickness of between ½ inch and 1 inch and more preferably of approximately ¾ inch.

Because each rumble strip by itself isn't heavy enough to remain in place under heavy traffic at highway speeds, a plurality of laterally spaced, transversely extending metal plates or bars 8, preferably made of steel or cast iron, are embedded within each rumble strip to provide the necessary ballast to keep each rumble strip in place preferably without having to use any adhesive or fasteners. This makes the rumble strips particularly easy to deploy and remove and reuse for work zones of relatively short duration.

The metal plates or bars 8 run transversely across the width of the rumble strips 1 to provide stiffness in the transverse direction so the side edges 4, 5 of the rumble strips don't curl in use. Also the plates or bars are desirably embedded in the approximate center of the thickness of each rumble strip as schematically shown in FIGS. 3 and 6.

These metal plates or bars shouldn't be too wide, and there must be sufficient spacing between adjacent plates or bars so as not to interfere with rolling of each rumble strip into a fairly tight roll. To that end, each of the plates or bars 8 preferably has a width of between ½ inches and 2½ inches and more preferably of approximately 2 inches, and a spacing therebetween of preferably 1½ inches to 2 inches and more preferably of approximately 1⅞ inches. Further, each of the plates or bars preferably has a thickness of between ¼ inch and ½ inch and more preferably of approximately ⅜ inch.

The length of the plates or bars 8 will vary depending on the width of the rumble strips. For example, if the width of the rumble strips is approximately 12 inches, the plates or bars preferably have a length of between 10 inches and 11 inches and more preferably of approximately 10⅜ inches. If the width of the rumble strips is more or less than that, the length of the metal plates or bars may be proportionately reduced or increased as desired.

The number and combined weight of the individual plates or bars embedded in the rumble strips should be sufficient to cause the rumble strips to stay in place under heavy traffic at highway speeds, but not make the rumble strips so heavy that they cannot easily be rolled up or moved by one or two persons. For example, the overall weight of each rumble strip that is approximately 11 feet in length is desirably between 100 and 110 pounds. To provide a better grip between the bottom surface 3 of the rumble strips 1 and the roadway and to reduce possible skidding of vehicle tires against the top surface 2 of the rumble strips when wet, both the top and bottom surfaces of the rumble strips may have texturing 9. Also, the texturing may be in the form of an open diamond pattern 10 as schematically shown in FIG. 8 to provide a channel effect to permit the escape of water from both underneath and above the rumble strips.

In addition, the leading side edge 4′ of each rumble strip 1′ that faces toward oncoming vehicle traffic may be beveled as shown in FIGS. 4-6 to substantially eliminate any possible movement of the rumble strips caused by initial contact of the vehicle tires with the rumble strips. The included angle of the beveled leading side edge 4′ of the rumble strips is preferably between 10° and 15° and more preferably approximately 12°. Likewise, the leading end 11 of the metal plates or bars 8′ that are embedded within each rumble strip 1′ is desirably similarly beveled so as to permit the beveled ends of the plates or bars to extend partway into the beveled leading side edge 4′ of the rumble strips 1′ as schematically shown in FIG. 6 to give the beveled side edge increased stiffness. One such metal plate or bar 8′ with beveled leading end 11 is schematically shown in FIG. 7.

To further increase the grip between the bottom surface of the rumble strips and the roadway, a lower thickness 15 of each rumble strip 1″ may be made of a softer plastic material than the upper thickness 16 as schematically shown in FIG. 9. For example, the lower thickness of each rumble strip may have a shore A hardness preferably between 40 and 60 and more preferably approximately 45 and the upper thickness of each rumble strip may have a shore A hardness preferably between 65 and 80 and more preferably 75. However, these relative hardnesses may be varied as desired.

Also the upper thickness 16 of each rumble strip 1″ may be several times greater than the lower thickness. For example, where the overall thickness of each rumble strip is approximately ¾ inch, the upper thickness 16 may be approximately ⅝ inch and the lower thickness 15 may be approximately ⅛ inch. In any case, the metal plates or bars 8″ that are embedded within each rumble strip are desirably embedded in the approximate center of each rumble strip as further schematically shown in FIG. 9.

Suitable hand grip slots 18 may be provided in each rumble strip adjacent one or both ends as schematically shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 8 for ease of picking each rumble strip up. Also as previously indicated, each rumble strip may be rolled up lengthwise from end to end in a relatively tight roll when not in use for ease of storage and transport to another site for reuse as desired. For example, an 11 foot long rumble strip having a width of approximately 12 inches and a thickness of approximately ¾ inch, and having 33 plates or bars embedded therein, each having a width of approximately 2 inches, a thickness of approximately ⅜ inch, a length of approximately 10 inches and a spacing of approximately 1⅞ inch therebetween can be rolled up into a roll having an outer diameter of between approximately 18 inches and 48 inches, and will have an overall weight of between approximately 100 pounds and 110 pounds. However, if desired, a fewer number of plates or bars may be embedded in the rumble strips, which will make the rumble strips proportionately lighter. Also the rumble strips may be of different lengths, which will affect their overall weight as well.

Any number of portable rumble strips of the present invention can be used in any number of sets of rumble strips placed across a roadway with any desired spacing between the sets of rumble strips and the rumble strips in each set. For example, FIG. 10 shows three sets 20 of rumble strips 1′ placed across a highway lane 21, with six rumble strips in each set. FIG. 11 shows one of the sets of portable rumble strips 1′ of the present invention with the beveled leading side edges 4′ facing the direction of oncoming traffic. The spacing between each rumble strip in each set may vary, for example, between 1 foot and 3 feet. Also, the spacing between each set of rumble strips may vary, for example, between 15 feet and 20 feet. However, these distances may be varied as desired.

FIG. 12 shows another form of rumble strip 25 of the present invention which may be substantially the same as the rumble strips 1 previously described. However, the rumble strip 25 shown in FIG. 12 is comprised of a plurality of modular strip sections 26. Each strip section may have alternating notches 27, 27′ and tabs 28, 28′ in opposite end edges 29 and 30 sized and spaced for overlapping engagement with corresponding tabs and notches at opposite end edges 30 and 29 of other of the strip sections for connecting the overlapping end edges of any desired number of strip sections together. This has the advantage that the individual strip sections 26 are substantially lighter and shorter than an entire rumble strip 25, making it easier to handle the individual strip sections.

In one form of the invention, each of the individual strip sections 26 may have a length of between approximately 3½ feet and approximately 4 feet, whereby three strip sections joined together in end to end relation will be of sufficient length to reach across a single highway lane, which is typically 11 feet wide. Each of the individual strip sections may be made somewhat longer or shorter than that or of different lengths if desired. Also more or less than three modular strip sections may be used to make up a single rumble strip if desired. However, it has been found that modular strip sections having a length of between approximately 3½ feet and approximately 4 feet are light enough and short enough to be easily handled by a single person, and can also be easily stacked and shipped on pallets with the strip sections laying flat.

Another advantage in making the rumble strips in modular sections is that the overall weight of each rumble strip can be increased by increasing the weight of the individual strip sections and still keep the weight of the individual strip sections light enough to be easily handled by a single person. This can be done, for example, by increasing the width of each of the transversely extending metal plates or bars 35 that are embedded within the polymeric material of each strip section as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 to increase the overall weight of each strip section, for example, from approximately 35 pounds to approximately 50 pounds. Thus when three modular strip sections 26 are joined together to form a single rumble strip 25 having a length of approximately 11 feet, the overall weight of the rumble strip may be increased, for example, from approximately 105 pounds to approximately 150 pounds, to make the rumble strip more stable. However, it is still desirable to provide a spacing between the plates or bars 35 of preferably 1½ inches to 2 inches and more preferably of approximately 1⅞ inches, to give the individual strip sections some flexibility so they conform to the surface of the roadway on which they are placed.

The notches 27, 27′ and tabs 28, 28′ at the end edges 29 and 30 of the strip sections 26 are desirably dovetailed as shown in FIGS. 13 and 15 whereby when the notches and tabs at opposite end edges of the strip sections are brought into overlapping engagement with each other, the dovetail configuration will provide a releasable connection between the overlapping end edges of the strip sections.

To provide a more secure connection between the overlapping end edges of the strip sections, aligned through holes 36 (shown in FIG. 15) may be provided in the tabs 28 (and 28′) at the respective end edges to permit insertion of a locking pin 38 (shown in FIG. 16) through the aligned holes 36 in the overlapping end edges.

If need be, the through holes 36 in the tabs 28, 28′ may be reinforced to prevent the locking pins 38 from tearing out of the tabs. Any suitable reinforcing material may be used for this purpose including, for example, providing fiberglass mesh in the end edges of the strip sections or molding metal tubes 39 in the through holes 36 (see FIG. 15) during the molding process.

If the strip sections 26 are provided with a beveled leading edge 40 as shown in FIGS. 12-16, the leading end 41 of the metal plates or bars 35 that are embedded within the strip sections is desirably similarly beveled so as to permit the beveled ends of the plates or bars to extend partway into the beveled leading edge of the strip sections as schematically shown in FIG. 14 to give the beveled leading edge increased stiffness as before.

If desired, a hand grip slot 42 may be provided in each of the strip sections 26 at the approximate center of the length of each strip section adjacent the trailing edge 43 as best seen in FIG. 13 for ease of picking up the individual strip sections. In that event, any plates or bars 35′ that are in transverse alignment with the hand grip slot 42 are desirably of a shorter length than the other plates or bars 35 to provide adequate space for the hand grip slot in each of the strip sections.

Alternatively, suitable hand grip slots 42′ may be provided in each of the strip sections 26′ adjacent one or both ends thereof as schematically shown in FIG. 13A for ease of picking up the individual strip sections from either end thereof.

If the leading edge 40 of the strip sections 26 is beveled as shown in FIGS. 12-16, the tabs 28, 28′ at opposite ends of the beveled leading edges of the strip sections are desirably similarly beveled. Also the through holes 36 in those end tabs 28, 28′ are desirably open at the top and the tab 28 at the end edge 29 is desirably intersected by a cross slot or pocket 45 in the upwardly facing surface of the beveled leading edge 40 so that when the locking pin 38 is inserted all the way into the aligned through holes 36 in the overlapping dovetail end portions, a right angled end portion 46 at the outer end of the locking pin 38 will be in substantial alignment with the pocket 45 to permit rotation of the end portion into the pocket for securing the locking pin in place as schematically shown in FIG. 16. To disassemble the strip sections when pinned together, the right angled end portion 46 of the locking pin 38 would need to be lifted out of the pocket and rotated in the reverse direction into vertical alignment with the upper open length of the through holes 36 in the leading edge tabs to permit the pin to be completely withdrawn from the through holes.

If the leading edge 40 of the strip sections is not beveled, the front face of the leading edge of the strip sections may be provided with a notch (not shown) that intersects the through hole 36 in the tab 28 closest to the leading edge for receipt of the right angled end 46 of the locking pin 38 once the locking pin is fully inserted into the through holes in the overlapping ends of the strip sections to secure the locking pin in place. To disassemble the strip sections, the end of the pin would need to be pulled out of the notch and the pin withdrawn from the aligned through holes in the overlapping end edges of the interconnected strip sections as before.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that making the rumble strips of a modular design has the advantage that the individual modular strip sections may be made relatively light and short for ease of handling by a single person and may be linked together to create rumble strips of any desired length and weight. Making the rumble strips of a modular design also allows the overall weight of the rumble strips to be increased beyond a weight that could reasonably be handled by one or two people if the rumble strips were not of a modular design. Moreover, the shorter length individual modular strip sections can be laid flat on a pallet one on top of another which makes them easier to transport and store.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. In particular, with regard to the various functions performed by the above-described components, the terms (including any reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (e.g., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed component which performs the function of the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one embodiment, such feature may be combined with one or more other features as may be desired and advantageous to any given or particular application.

Claims

1. A portable highway warning device comprised of one or more rumble strips, each rumble strip comprising a plurality of modular strip sections, each of the strip sections being made of a polymeric material having top and bottom surfaces and end edges and side edges, the end edges of each of the strip sections having alternating notches and tabs sized and spaced for overlapping engagement with respective tabs and notches on opposite end edges of other of the strip sections for connecting the end edges of the strip sections together.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the alternating notches and tabs are dovetailed to provide dovetail connections between the overlapping end edges of the strip sections.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the tabs on the end edges of the strip sections have aligned through holes that are aligned with the through holes in the opposite end edges of other of the strip sections when in overlapping engagement with each other for receipt of a pin through the aligned holes in the overlapping end edges for further securing the end edges of the strip sections together.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein there is a cross slot or pocket adjacent one of the end edges of the strip sections, and the pin has a right angled end portion that is rotatable into the slot or pocket when the pin is fully inserted into the aligned holes to secure the pin in place.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the cross slot or pocket extends from the top side of the strip sections partway through the tab closest to the one side edge and transversely intersects the through hole in the tab closest to the one side edge.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the tabs in the end edges of the strip sections contain fiberglass mesh reinforcement.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the through holes in at least some of the tabs are reinforced by metal tubes molded in the through holes.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising one or more hand grip slots in each of the strip sections.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein a hand grip slot is provided in each of the strip sections adjacent one or both ends thereof.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of metal plates or bars are embedded in each of the strip sections intermediate the top and bottom surfaces to provide ballast to the strip sections, each of the plates or bars running transversely between the side edges in laterally spaced relation from one another.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein one of the side edges of each of the strip sections is beveled, and one end of the metal plates or bars is similarly beveled and extends partway into the beveled side edge of each of the strip sections.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein a hand grip slot extends through each of the strip sections between the top and bottom surfaces intermediate the end edges adjacent one side edge of each of the strip sections.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the hand grip slot has a greater length than width and extends lengthwise adjacent the one side edge.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein one or more of the plates or bars are in transverse alignment with the hand grip slot and are shorter in length than other of the plates or bars that are not in transverse alignment with the hand grip slot.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein each of the strip sections has a length of between 3½ feet and 4 feet.

16. The device of claim 10 wherein each of the strip sections has a width of between 8 inches and 16 inches and a thickness of between ½ inch and 1 inch.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein each of the strip sections has a width of approximately 12 inches, a length of approximately 3¾ feet and a thickness of approximately ¾ inch.

18. A portable highway warning device comprised of one or more rumble strips, each rumble strip comprising a plurality of modular strip sections, each of the strip sections being made of a polymeric material having top and bottom surfaces and end edges and side edges, the end edges of each of the strip sections having alternating notches and tabs sized and spaced for overlapping engagement with respective tabs and notches on opposite end edges of other of the strip sections for connecting the end edges of the strip sections together, the tabs having aligned through holes that are aligned with the through holes in the opposite end edges of other of the strip sections when in overlapping engagement with each other for receipt of a pin extending through the aligned holes in the overlapping end edges for securing the end edges of the strip sections together, and a plurality of metal plates or bars embedded in each of the strip sections intermediate the top and bottom surfaces to provide ballast to the strip sections, each of the plates or bars running transversely between the side edges in laterally spaced relation from one another.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the alternating notches and tabs in the end edges are dovetailed to provide dovetail connections between the overlapping end edges of the strip sections.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein a plurality of metal plates or bars are embedded in each of the strip sections intermediate the top and bottom surfaces to provide ballast to the strip sections, each of the plates or bars running transversely between the side edges in laterally spaced relation from one another.