Patent Application
20120051838
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of road features. More particularly the disclosure relates to systems and methods for placing audible road features or visible audible road features.
Roadway boundaries are delimited by visual markings, for example, paint or ribbon that bonds to the road surface. Such visual boundaries may reflective to aid a driver in seeing the road boundaries. In addition to visual markings, roadway boundaries may also be delimited by audible features that produce an audible noise if a vehicle tire passes over or strikes them. Such audible features include rumble strips, Bott's dots, cat's eyes, plastic or thermoplastic markings, etc.
Plastic or thermoplastic audible markings may be placed onto a visual marking (e.g., ribbon) when the visual marking is laid onto a new or existing road surface and is still hot. The cool audible marking is placed onto the hot visual marking and bonds with the visual marking as it is placed on the road. Such conventional processes for placing audible markings require removal of old visual markings and placement of new visual markings with the audible markings and thus have a high cost. What is needed is a system and method for placing audible markings onto an existing road surface or onto an existing visual marking. What is also needed is a system and method for placing audible markings in a more cost effective manner.
One exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method for placing an audible feature on a road. The method includes heating a composition and depositing the composition onto at least one of a surface of the road and an existing layer on the road. The composition seeps into porous areas of at least one of the surface of the road and the existing layer on the road and cools to form the audible feature. The audible feature adheres to at least one of the surface of the road and the existing layer on the road.
Another exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method for placing an audible feature on a road using a hydrostatic pump and a depositing device mounted on a vehicle. The method includes heating a composition to a liquid state and depositing the composition onto at least one of a surface of the road and an existing layer on the road using the pump and depositing device. The composition bonds with at least one of the surface of the road and the existing layer on the road and cools to form the audible feature.
Another exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a system for mounting on a vehicle and configured for placing an audible feature on a road. The system includes a heating element configured to heat a composition, a hydraulic pump, and a depositing device configured to receive the composition from the hydraulic pump. The depositing device is configured to cut portions of the composition and provide the portions onto at least one of a surface of the road and an existing layer on the road. The portions of composition bond with at least one of the surface of the road and the existing layer on the road and cooling to form the audible feature.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description, appended claims, and the accompanying exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, which are briefly described below.
Before describing in detail the particular improved system and method, it should be observed that the invention includes, but is not limited to, a novel structural combination of conventional mechanical and electromechanical components and not in the particular detailed configurations thereof. Accordingly, the structure, methods, functions, control and arrangement of conventional components have generally been illustrated in the drawings by readily understandable block representations and schematic diagrams, in order not to obscure the disclosure with structural details which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, having the benefit of the description herein. Further, the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments depicted in the exemplary diagrams, but should be construed in accordance with the language in the claims.
Referring generally to the figures, a system and method for placing audible road features is shown. The system can include a composition, a heating element, a pump, and a depositing device. The system may place or deposit the heated composition onto an existing roadway or existing visual marking using the pump and depositing device. As the heated composition cools, it bonds with the existing roadway or existing visual marking and forms an audible feature on the roadway. The composition may also include reflective markings to make the audible feature more visible. The system may be placed or mounted onto a vehicle to facilitate placement of the audible features on the roadway as the vehicle moves.
Referring to
Conventional systems may only be capable of depositing audible features onto a visual marking when the visual marking has just been laid and is still hot. In order to add reflective or audible markings to the road, such systems require that the old visual markings be removed (e.g., by milling, by water pressure, etc.) and new visual markings be laid with the audible features. In contrast, system 102 heats a composition and deposits the composition using a pump onto a cool surface of road 106 or onto a cool surface of visual marking 108. The composition may include thermoplastic materials, epoxy materials, urea plastic materials, preform thermoplastic materials, rubber materials, metal materials, and/or any other material. When the composition cools, it bonds with the surface of road 106 or the surface of visual marking 108 to form audible feature 104. By depositing audible feature 104 in such a manner, the cost of adding audible features to a roadway may be greatly reduced.
While vehicle 100 is illustrated as a truck, according to other exemplary embodiments, system 102 may be mounted to any vehicle. Further, while system 102 is shown as being mounted to a right side of vehicle 100, in other exemplary embodiments, system 102 may be mounted to a left side of vehicle 100, mounted to a rear of vehicle 100, mounted to a front of vehicle 100, mounted to a bottom of vehicle 100, or mounted in any other location of vehicle 100. System 102 is shown to extend from an outer surface of vehicle 100, but in other exemplary embodiments, system 102 may be mounted in such a way that it is flush with a surface of vehicle 100 or is recessed within a surface of vehicle 100. System 102 may be mounted on vehicle 100 at any height above the ground.
Referring to
Referring to
Audible feature 104 has a general diameter or length 302 and a thickness or height 304. In some exemplary embodiments, diameter 302 and thickness 304 may not be completely uniform from all angles or at all locations of audible feature 104. In various exemplary embodiments, diameter 304 may be between about 2 inches and 8 inches, less than 6 inches, less than 4 inches, between about 3 and 5 inches, between about 3½ and 4 inches, etc. In various exemplary embodiments, thickness 304 may be between about 350 and 600 mils.
Referring to
Referring to
Heating element 504 may be any heating element configured to heat container 502 such that the composition stored in container 502 may be heated above the melting point, forming a liquid composition. In some exemplary embodiments, heating element 504 may heat the composition to a temperature above about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, above about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, above about 450 degrees Fahrenheit, between about 300 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit, or any temperature sufficient to elevate the temperature of the composition above its melting point. Heating element 504 may be mounted on or near container 504 and heat container 504 via direct contact or radiant heat. In other exemplary embodiments, a portion of the solid material stored in container 502 may be moved to another container for heating to segregate and store the composition in both solid and liquid states.
Pump 506 is configured to provide a predetermined amount of the liquid composition from container 502 to depositing device 508. Depositing device 508 includes an opening and a cutting device or knife in a housing or oiled jacket. Depositing device 508 is configured to cut the composition at predetermined intervals for providing the composition onto a surface of road 106 or onto visual marking 108. The rate at which pump 506 and depositing device 508 actuate may be controlled by processing electronics. In some exemplary embodiments, pump 506 may continuously provide material to depositing device 508. In other exemplary embodiments, pump 506 may only provide material to depositing device 508 when the depositing device is ready to cut more material. In various exemplary embodiments, pump 506 and depositing device 508 may deposit the composition to cover an area having a diameter (e.g., diameter 304) between about 2 inches and 8 inches, less than about 6 inches, less than about 4 inches, between about 3 and 5 inches, between about 3½ and 4 inches, etc. In various exemplary embodiments, pump 506 and depositing device 508 may deposit the composition over the area and having a thickness (e.g., thickness 304) f between about 350 and 600 mils. According to some exemplary embodiments, pump 506 may be a hydraulic pump, such as a hydrostatic pump or a hydrodynamic pump. In other exemplary embodiments, pump 506 may be any pump configured to deposit a liquid composition and configured for mounting on a vehicle. According to various exemplary embodiments, depositing device may be any device capable of cutting/separating and providing a portion of the composition to road 106 or visual marking 108.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the components as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, mounting arrangements, use of materials, orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter recited in the claims. For example, elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts or elements, the position of elements may be reversed or otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete elements or positions may be altered or varied. The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions, modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the various exemplary embodiments without departing from the scope of the present inventions as expressed in the appended claims.
