Roadways may include reflective or illuminated markers to improve visibility of road or lane boundaries, crosswalks, or other features of a roadway to assist motorists, bicyclists, and/or pedestrians. Conventional reflective markers may be disposed on or above a surface of the roadway or disposed below a surface of the roadway. A reflective marker that is recessed, or disposed at least partially below the roadway, may not be as visible or reflective as a marker disposed above the roadway surface. Further, a recessed marker may be more vulnerable to damage upon impact, such as by a vehicle, especially when a vehicle's wheel enters a channel in the roadway containing the recessed marker.
Therefore, there exists a need for a reflective road marker having increased visibility and reflectance to improve marking of roadway boundaries, lines, indicators, and other features. Further, there exists a need for a reflective road marker that is configured to withstand and/or be protected from impact and other threats on the roadway.
An embodiment of a road marker disclosed herein includes a single piece of material having a width of approximately three inches or less. The piece of material includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a sloped face disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface. The road marker also includes a reflector disposed on the sloped face.
An embodiment of a method disclosed herein includes inserting a portion of a tool within a space between a floor of a channel in a roadway and a portion of a first road marker installed in the channel. The first road marker includes a base adhered directly to the floor of the channel. The base includes a sloped face and a reflector disposed on the sloped face. The embodiment of the method also includes operating the tool to dislodge the first road marker from the channel.
An embodiment of a method disclosed herein includes connecting a bottom surface of a base of a road marker directly to a floor of a channel of a roadway. The base is a single piece of material including a bottom surface and a sloped face, and a reflector is disposed on the sloped face.
An embodiment of a road marker disclosed herein includes a reflecting member including a reflective surface. The road marker also includes a housing configured to support at least a portion of the reflecting member below a surface of a roadway. The housing includes a first side wall having a first side wall height configured to position the reflecting member below a surface of a roadway, a second side wall having a second side wall height substantially equal to the first side wall height, and a housing lower portion having a housing lower portion width less than approximately 4 inches.
The embodiments described herein and other features, advantages, and disclosures contained herein, and the manner of attaining them, will be better understood from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference numerals identify like elements, and wherein:
In the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, such specific embodiments. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
Referring now to
As illustrated in
In the embodiment illustrated in
Referring now to
The reflecting member 14 includes one or more reflecting member lifting portion(s) 82. The lifting portion(s) 82 of the illustrated embodiment includes one or more notches, and may include any structure capable of being contacted to allow lifting or prying of the reflecting member 14 from the housing 12. In another embodiment not illustrated, the side surface(s) 84 of the reflecting member 14 is/are angled such that an upper width is greater than a lower width to allow lifting or prying of the reflecting member 14 from the housing 12.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The housing 12 includes a housing lower portion 34 having a housing lower portion width 36 less than approximately 4 inches in the illustrated embodiment. The housing lower portion width 36 is less than approximately 3.5 inches in an embodiment. The housing lower portion width 36 is approximately 3 inches in an embodiment. The housing lower portion width 36 is less than approximately 3 inches in an embodiment. The housing lower portion width 36 is less than approximately 2 inches in an embodiment. The channel 80 is wider than the housing lower portion width 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the channel 80 is approximately 3.25 inches wide to allow for epoxy or another adhesive to be positioned between the channel 80 and the housing 12. The channel 80 is less than approximately 4 inches wide in an embodiment, less than approximately 3.5 inches wide in an embodiment, and less than approximately 3 inches wide in an embodiment.
Referring now to an embodiment shown in
Referring again to
In some embodiments, the first side wall 26 includes one or more first side wall recess(es) (not shown), and the second side wall 30 (
It will be appreciated that the road marker 10, including the housing 12 and reflecting member 14, provides a roadway marker having increased visibility and reflectance to improve marking of roadway boundaries, lines, indicators, and other features. The housing 12 is configured, shaped, and/or sized to increase visibility of the reflecting member 14. Further, the road marker 10 is positioned subsurface or recessed in the channel 80 such that the marker 10 is configured to withstand and/or be protected from impact by vehicles and other threats on the roadway 18. The channel 80, the road marker 10, and/or the housing 12 are sufficiently narrow to prevent a wheel or other portion of a vehicle from impacting, removing, and/or damaging the housing 12 and/or the reflecting member 14. However, the channel 80, the road marker 10, and/or the housing 12 are sufficiently wide to provide enhanced visibility of the road marker 10 from a significant distance for effective marking of roadway boundaries, lines, indicators, and other features. The configuration of the road marker 10 in the channel 80 extends the useful life of the reflecting member 14 and thereby saves money compared to the frequency with which prior art road markers must be replaced and enhances safety by remaining reflective for a longer period compared to prior art road markers between installation and replacement.
The first reflector 104 and/or the second reflector 106 may be implemented via plastic, metal, ceramic, elastomer, thermoplastic paint, a lens, sheeting, U.S. Department of Transportation standard reflective material, and/or other structure(s), material(s), and/or components. In the illustrated embodiment, the first reflector 104 is disposed on a first sloped face 402 (
In the illustrated embodiment, the first reflector 104 slopes downward from a first side 110 of the top surface 108. The second reflector 106 slopes downward from a second side 112 of the top surface 108. Thus, the first sloped face 402 of the base 102 and the first reflector 104 are disposed between the top surface 108 and a bottom surface 312 (
The first side 110 of the top surface 108 is opposite the second side 112 of the top surface 108. Thus, the first reflector 104 and the second reflector 106 face opposing directions. When the road marker 100 is disposed in the channel 80, the first reflector 104 faces a first direction of traffic, and the second reflector 106 faces a second direction of traffic opposite the first direction of traffic. As a result, when the road marker 100 is disposed in the channel 80, only the first reflector 104 may be visible to, for example, drivers driving in the first direction of traffic while only the second reflector 106 may be visible to drivers driving in the second direction of traffic.
In the illustrated embodiment, the first reflector 104 extends from a first side 114 of the base 102 to a second side 116 of the base 102. The first side 114 is opposite the second side 116. The second reflector 106 also extends from the first side 114 to the second side 116 of the base 102. Thus, in some embodiments, a width of the first reflector 104 and/or the second reflector 106 equals or substantially equals a width W (
In the illustrated embodiment, a first tab 118 extends from the top surface 108 of the base 102 and overhangs the first side 114 of the base 102. A second tab 120 extends from the top surface 108 of the base 102 and overhangs the second side 116 of the base 102. The first tab 118 and/or the second tab 120 facilitate placement of the road marker 100 in the channel 80. For example, an installer may grab the road marker 100 via the first tab 118 and/or the second tab 120 to lower the road marker 100 into the channel 80. The first tab 118 and the second tab 120 are to be disposed above and/or on the roadway 18 when the road marker 100 is disposed in the channel 80 in order to ensure depth of placement of the road marker 100 in the channel 80. In some embodiments, the first tab 118 and/or the second tab 120 are frangible to enable the first tab 118 and/or the second tab 120 to be removed (e.g., broken or sheared off) from the base 102 during or after installation of the road marker 100.
The base 102 has a width W. The width W is a distance from the first side 114 of the base 102 to the second side 116 of the base 102. In some embodiments, the width W is approximately three inches or less. For example, the width W may be approximately two inches to approximately three inches. In some embodiments, the width W is approximately 2.5 inches to approximately three inches. In some embodiments, the width W is approximately 2.75 inches to approximately three inches. In the illustrated embodiment, the width W of the base 102 is approximately 2.88 inches. However, the above-noted values are merely examples, and thus other embodiments may have widths of other values.
By having a width W of approximately three inches or less, the channel 80 may be sufficiently narrow to prevent vehicle tires from entering into the channel 80 and/or contacting the sides 114, 116, the reflective surfaces 104, 106, and/or other portions of the road marker 100. As a result, the road markers 100 disclosed herein are less likely to be broken, loosened, and/or dislodged from the channel by vehicles during use than traditional road markers. Furthermore, even if not broken, loosened, and/or dislodged from the channel 80 by contact with a vehicle tire moving across the channel 80 in which the road marker 100 is disposed, contact between a tire dipping into the channel 80 and a reflective surface 104, 106 mars the reflective surface 104, 106 significantly, thus reducing or eliminating the reflective properties of the reflective surface 104, 106. By having a width of approximately three inches or less for the channel 80, there is insufficient room for a vehicle tire to dip into the channel 80 as it passes over, thereby preventing marring of the reflective surface 104, 106. Thus, the road markers 100 disclosed herein have longer useful lives than traditional road markers.
The base 102 of
The bottom side 300 also includes a first notch 308 disposed along the first end 208 of the base 102 and between the first lug 200 and the third lug 204. The bottom side 300 further includes a second notch 310 disposed along the second end 210 of the base 102 and between the second lug 202 and the fourth lug 206. In the illustrated embodiment, the first notch 308 and the second notch 310 are shaped and dimensioned to receive a tip of a tool (e.g., a chipping hammer, a pry bar, etc.). Thus, the first notch 308 and/or the second notch 310 make room for the removal tool to engage the marker-to-roadway-adhesive interface to facilitate removal of the road marker 100 from the channel 80.
In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom side 300 includes a bottom surface 312 including a first section 314 and a second section 316. In the illustrated embodiment, the first section 314 is substantially I-shaped, and the second section 316 is substantially I-shaped. In other embodiments, the first section 314 and/or the second section 316 are other shapes. In some embodiments, the bottom surface 312 has a different number of sections. For example, the bottom surface 312 may include one section, three sections, four sections, five sections, and/or any other number of sections to facilitate securing the base 102 in the channel 80 via, for example, an adhesive. In the illustrated example, the lugs 200, 202, 204, 206 define portions of the bottom surface 312. In some embodiments, the bottom surface 312 includes surface features such as ridges, grooves, bumps, protrusions, knurls, and/or one more additional and/or alternative features to receive adhesive or other securing material to facilitate adhesion of the bottom surface 312 to the floor 90 of the channel 80 via the adhesive or other securing material. In some embodiments, one or more Buna-N (nitrile rubber) pads are disposed on the first section 314 and/or the second section 316 of the bottom side 300 of the base 102 to form a fluid seal around the central recess 302, the first channel 304, and/or the second channel 306 to facilitate removal of the road marker 100 from the channel 80.
In some embodiments, a radius of curvature R of the bottom surface 312 is substantially equal to a radius of curvature of one or more saw blades employed to form the concave portion of the floor 90 of the channel 80. Thus, a curvature of the bottom surface 312 of the base 102 substantially matches or corresponds to a curvature of the concave portion of the floor 90 of the channel 80. Because the base 102 is coupled directly to the floor 90 of the channel 80, and the road marker 100 is to be installed without a housing or cradle, the channel 80 may be narrower than traditional channels for road markers. As a result, building a road employing the inventive road markers 100 disclosed herein may require less saw operation time to form the channels 80, and the road markers may thereby be installed and/or replaced using fewer saw blades and/or the saw blades may be replaced less frequently than when installing or replacing traditional road markers.
In the illustrated embodiment, the base 102 has a height H. The height H is a distance from a lowermost level on the bottom surface 312 to an uppermost level on the top surface 108 of the base 102. In some embodiments, the height H is approximately one inch or less. In some embodiments, the height H is approximately 0.5 inches to approximately 1 inch. In the illustrated embodiment, the height H of the base 102 is approximately 0.88 inches. However, the above-referenced values are merely examples, and the present invention contemplates that other embodiments of the road marker 100 may have heights of other values.
The illustrated embodiment begins at block 403 by forming the channel 80 to receive the road marker 100. In some embodiments, a saw including one or more saw blades is employed to form the channel 80. In some embodiments, the saw blade is circular and has a radius of curvature substantially equal to a radius of curvature of the bottom surface 312 of the base 102 of the road marker 100. At block 405, the road marker 100 is adhered directly to the floor 90 of the channel 80. By way of example and not of limitation, the bottom surface 312 may be adhered directly to the floor 90 of the channel 80 via an exothermic glue. Thus, the road marker 100 is not supported by a housing or cradle within the channel 80. In some embodiments, when the road marker 100 is pressed into place and/or as a connecting substance is employed to connect the road marker 100 to the floor 90 of the channel 80 is drying and/or solidifying, the connecting substance flows and/or expands from within the central recess 302, into the channels 304, 306 on the bottom side 300 of the base 102, and then out of the channels 304, 306. As a result, the central recess 302 and the channels 304, 306 direct excess connecting substance out from beneath the bottom side 300 of the base 102 to enable the bottom surface 312 to be substantially flush with the floor 90 of the channel 80 upon installation.
The illustrated embodiment begins at block 502 by inserting a portion of a tool within a space between the floor 90 of the channel 80 and a portion of a first road marker (e.g., the road marker 100) installed in the channel. For example, a tip of a chipping hammer may be inserted into the first notch 308 on the bottom side 300 of the base 102 of the road marker 100. At block 504, the tool is operated to dislodge the first road marker from the channel 80. By way of example and not of limitation, an operator may cause the tip of the chipping hammer to reciprocate to break an adhesive to separate the road marker 100 from the floor 90 of the channel 80. At block 506, a second road marker is connected by any means known in the art directly to the floor 90 of the channel 80 in place of the first road marker. By way of example and not of limitation, a road marker substantially identical to the road marker 100 of
While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only certain embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/537,099, which is titled “Reflective Road Marker” and was filed on Jul. 26, 2017. U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/537,099 is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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20190032291 A1 | Jan 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62537099 | Jul 2017 | US |