WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 ROAD SIGN 5 Technical Field The present invention relates to road signs, and more particularly to a road sign employed for dividing the central line or sectional lane of the road, which can be effectively reusable, and simply heightened to be 10 continuously used. Background Art In general, road signs divide the central line or sectional lane of the road so as to maintain the safety 15 during the car driving. Especially at night drivers can clearly perceive the sectional road by means of a reflective mirror. Such road signs are equidistantly fixed along the sectional lane of a paved road. 20 With reference to FIGs. 1 and 2, a description of the road signs will be made in detail. . FIG. 1 shows an integrated road sign consisted of an upper body 2 having flanges 1 and l' at both sides, and a cylindrical lower body 3 to be put into the ground. 25 The road sign 4 is constructed such that reflective WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 2 mirrors 6 are inserted at both sides of upper body 2. The integrated road signs 4 are fixed by putting the lower bodies 3 into the holes equidistantly formed along the sectional lane of a road. They may be fixed by means of 5 adhesives, if necessary. The lower body 3 is embedded in the ground while the upper body 2 is disposed outside the ground. The reflective mirrors 6 at both sides of upper body 2 are installed toward the car driving direction, in such a 10 manner that a driver can easily perceive it to keep his lane and prevent a traffic accident. However, cars step on the integrated road sign 4 to make it embedded in the road, and during the summer the road does not resist the load of cars so that it sinks with its 15 top surface seriously bent. The embedding of road sign 4 obstructs the view of driver who drives a car recognizing the reflective mirrors 6 mounted at both sides of road sign 4. In addition, the seriously bent surface of road is the 20 origin of a car accident, causing the road to be partially repaved. In this case, it is quite difficult to detach the road sign 4 from the road, and it takes much time to do so. After the detachment, the road sign 4 is hard to be reused. In this connection, the road is generally repaved with the 25 road signs therein.
WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 3 As a result, this leads to waste of raw material and environmental pollution. A detachable road sign 5 shown in FIG. 2 is designed to solve the above-mentioned problems. 5 The detachable road sign 5 is constructed of an upper body 2 and a lower body 3, that are fixed to each other by a coupling member 7 in order to reuse the upper body 2. The upper body 2 comprises spaces 2' formed inside lengthwise flanges 1 and 1', and grooves 6' receiving 10 typical reflective mirrors 6. The lower body 3 includes a cylindrical fixing rod 3' for mating with the spaces 2' of upper body 2. The lower body 3 is accepted into the spaces 2' of the upper body 2, before coupled by coupling member 7. 15 Such a detachable road sign 5 is used in the same way as the integrated road sign 4. However, the detachable road sign 5 has the disadvantage in that the flanges 1 and l' formed in the upper body 2 are embedded in the ground because the road 20 does not resist the load of cars with its surface seriously bent, during the hot summer. Unlike the integrated road sign 4, .the-upper and lower bodies 2 and 3 of the detachable road sign 5 are detached from each other by releasing the coupling member 7. As 25 described above, however, the flanges 1 and l' are embedded WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 4 in the road, so that it is quite difficult to detach the road sign 5 from the road, and it takes much time to do so. After the detachment, the road sign 5 is hard to be reused. In this connection, the road is generally repaved with the 5 road signs therein. That is, the detachable road sign 5 has the same disadvantage as the integrated road sign 4. Disclosure of Invention Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to 10 provide an effectively reusable road sign whose upper and lower bodies are easily detached from each other even though it is embedded in the ground or a surface of road is seriously bent due to a rise in temperature. Another object of the present invention is to provide 15 a road sign which is durable in use by heightening its upper body in any of above-described conditions. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a road sign which can minimize the use of raw material and preserve the natural environment. 20 To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, an integrated flange is formed to largely increase an area of a lower body, a separate sheet is mounted while assembled to the bodies, and a separate 25 support is interposed between the upper and lower bodies or WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 5 between the upper and lower bodies and the sheet so as to height the bodies that would be continuously reused in a heightened status. 5 Brief Description of Drawings The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, 10 and wherein: FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional road sign; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of another conventional road sign; 15 FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a preferred embodiment of a road sign in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing preferred embodiment in which a support is coupled with the road sign 20 of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the road sign of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing another preferred embodiment of FIG. 4; 25 FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 6 preferred embodiment of a road sign in accordance with the present invention; FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing another preferred embodiment of FIG. 7; 5 FIG. 9 is an exploded, perspective view of the road sign of FIG. 8; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing preferred embodiment in which a support is coupled with the road sign of FIG. 8; and 10 FIG. 11 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the road sign of FIG. 10. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Referring to FIGs. 7 to 9, an integrated or detachable 15 road sign 10 or 10' includes an upper body 20 having reflective mirrors 25 at both sides, and a lower body 30. A separate sheet 40 made of rubber or plastic is forced to be detachably mounted at the bottoms of the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30. 20 As shown in FIGs. 8 and 9, the sheet 40 has short projection 41 that is formed along the outer circumference, and spaces 42 that is formed by the projection 41, to accept the bodies 20 and 30. To be firmly secured to the sheet 40, the bodies 20 and 25 30*have fitting grooves 21 at the bottoms, and apertures 22 WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 7 at right angles with the fitting grooves 21, and the sheet 40 has a fitting protrusion 43 and an insertion protrusion 44, that match to the fitting groove 21 and the aperture 22, respectively. 5 With reference to FIGs. 3 to 6, a detachable road sign 10' includes an upper body 20 having reflective mirrors 25 at both sides, and a lower body 30. A support 50 is interposed between the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 to adjust a height of the road sign, having 10 an upper coupling part 52 corresponding to the bottom of upper body 20 and a lower coupling part 53 corresponding to the top of lower body 30. A flange 33 of a specific size is integrally formed on all the sides of the top of lower body 30. 15 The upper and lower coupling parts 52 and 53 of support 50 are shaped as saddle and dovetail, that engage slidably with the corresponding top and bottom of lower and upper bodies 30 and 20, respectively. The reflective mirrors 25 are replaceable in the above 20 mentioned preferred embodiment. As depicted in FIGs. 7 to 9, a release aperture 23a is in communication with a coupling groove 23 outside the upper body 20 where the reflective mirror 25 is assembled. Through the release aperture 23a the reflective mirror 25 is pushed 25 forward to be detached. As shown in FIGs. 3 to 6, the WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 8 reflective mirror 25 is detachably constructed such that a coupling protrusion 25a formed on the rear of reflective mirror 25 mates with a coupling aperture 23b formed at the coupling groove 23. 5 Reference numeral 35 is indicative of a fixing rod of road sign 10, reference numeral 15 indicates a coupling member for fixing the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30, and reference numeral 60 indicates a coupling bolt. The following description relates to the effect and 10 operation of the present invention as constructed above. Referring to the preferred embodiment shown in FIGs. 7 to 9, sheets 40 of rubber or plastic are inserted into apertures equidistantly formed along the central line or sectional lane. The sheets are inserted, coated with 15 adhesives, if necessary. The upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 of integrated or detachable road sign 10 or 10' are inserted into the spaces 42 formed by the short projection 41 along the outer circumference of sheet 40, before received into the 20 apertures formed on a surface of road. While the fixing rod 35 of road sign 10 or 10' covered with the sheet 40 is fixed into the road, the-sheet 40 makes the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 stick out from a surface of the road. 25 As shown in FIGs. 8 and 9, the road sign and the sheet WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 9 40 are coupled such that the fitting protrusion 43 and the insertion protrusion 44 of sheet 40 integrally engage with the fitting groove 21 of bodies 20 and 30 and the aperture 22. Here, the coupling bolt 60 is mounted on the surface of 5 road, through the apertures 22 of bodies 20 and 30. Due to this construction, therefore, the road sign and the sheet 4 are maintained in a firm installation status, not easily detached from the road surface by external impact. 10 Cars step on the road sign, and especially during the summer the road does not resist the load of cars so that the road sinks with its top surface seriously bent, thereby making the road sign 10 or 10' embedded in the road at the time of repaving the road. 15 However, the bottoms of upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 are largely prevented from sinking by the external load because they are covered with and supported by the sheet 40 and have the maximum surface area. Additionally, the sheet 40 or its part (a part of short 20 projection 41 formed along the outer circumference of sheet 40) is embedded by load from the outside, but the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 are not affected. Therefore, the coupling bolt 60 is released to easily detach the bodies 20 and 30 from the sheet 40. 25 As a result, the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 of WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 10 the road sign 10 or 10' are totally reusable. Referring to the preferred embodiment shown in FIGs. 3 to 6, the fixing rod 35 of lower body 30 is fixed into apertures formed along the central line or sectional lane. 5 The rod is inserted, coated with adhesives, if necessary. While the fixing rod 35 of lower body 30 is embedded in the ground, the integrated flange 33 of a specific size, formed on all the sides of the top of lower body 30 is disposed outside the road surface. 10 Cars step on the road sign, and especially during the summer the road does not resist the load of cars so that the road sinks with its top surface seriously bent, thereby making the road sign 10' embedded in the road at the time of repaving the road. 15 However, the lower body 30 is largely prevented from sinking by the external load because the integrated flange 33 is formed on all the sides of lower body 30, to thereby provide the maximum surface area. Because of the fixing rod 35 that is embedded in the 20 ground, the lower body 30 is greatly difficult to be detached and reused. Nevertheless, the integrated flange 33 forming the lower body 30 or its part is embedded in the road, but the upper body 20 is not affected. In this connection, the upper body 20 can be easily 25 detached from the lower body 30 by releasing the coupling WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 11. member 15. To continuously reuse the upper body 20 heightened at the time of the road repaving, the support 50 is interposed between the detached lower and upper bodies 30 and 20. As a 5 result, the upper body 20 can be reused in a heightened condition. Here, the support 50 is mounted at the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 such that its upper and lower coupling parts 52 and 53 correspond to the bottom of upper body 20 10 and the top of lower body 30, respectively. As illustrated in FIGs. 4 and 5, the upper and lower coupling parts 52 and 53 are shaped as saddle and dovetail, and slidably coupled with the corresponding saddle-and dovetail-shaped upper and lower bodies 20 and 30. Therefore, 15 the support 50 is not easily detached from the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 by external impact. In this connection, the upper body 20 of road sign 10' can be continuously heightened to be reusable. The reflective mirrors 25 at both sides of bodies 20 20 and 30 are installed toward the car driving direction, in such a manner that a driver can easily perceive it to keep his lane and prevent a traffic accident. In case cars step on and cause damage to the reflective mirrors 25, however, a separate tool e.g., bending wire, 25 etc. passes through the release aperture 23a of upper body WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 12 20 so as to push and detach the reflective mirrors 25 from the coupling groove 23, as shown in FIGs. 8 and 9. The coupling protrusion 25a of reflective mirror 25 is detached from the coupling aperture 23b of coupling groove 23, to be 5 durable in use, as shown in FIGs. 3 to 6. As seen in FIGs. 10 and 11, the two preferred embodiments are incorporated with each other. Between upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 and a separate rubber or plastic sheet 40 mating with the bottom of bodies 10 20 and 30, there is formed a support 50' having a fitting protrusion 56 and an insertion protrusion 57 at the top, and a fitting groove 56' and an insertion groove 57' at the bottom. The fitting protrusion 56 corresponds to the fitting groove 21 of upper and lower bodies 20 and 30, and the 15 insertion protrusion 57 is accepted into the aperture 22. The fitting groove 56' corresponds to the fitting protrusion 43 of sheet 40, and the insertion groove 57' receives the insertion protrusion 44. These components are assembled to adjust the height of road sign. 20 Like the above-mentioned preferred embodiment, the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 are assembled to the sheet 40, before installed along the sectional lane of road. In case cars step on the road sign, or due to a temperature rise the road sinks with its top surface seriously bent, 25 however, the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 are totally WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 13 detached from the sheet 40 to be reused. Additionally the support 50' is positioned between the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 and the sheet 40, for heightening the upper and lower bodies 20 and 30. 5 As a result, the total upper and lower bodies 20 and 30 of road sign 10 or 10' can be continuously reused in a heightened status. As described above, according to the road sign of the present invention, the integrated flange largely increases 10 the area of lower body, and the separate sheet is installed in an assembled condition. Even though the road sinks with its top surface seriously bent, therefore, the total upper and lower bodies are easily detached and reused. Furthermore, the separate support is interposed between 15 the upper and lower bodies or between the upper and lower bodies and the sheet so as to height the road sign, which would be continuously used in a heightened status. And the reflective mirrors assembled to the bodies are easily replaced new ones, in such a manner that the use of raw 20 material is minimized, and that the road sign is reused, not buried in the road, to thereby protect the natural environment. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, 25 those skilled in the art will appreciate that various WO 99/59120 PCT/KR99/00228 14 modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as recited in the accompanying claims.