AU7411081A

AU7411081A - A device for roadmarking

Info

Publication number: AU7411081A
Application number: AU74110/81A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Lars Sigvard Esbjorn Gustavsson
Original assignee: SAFETY CONSULTING AB
Current assignee: Safety Consulting AB
Priority date: 1980-07-21
Filing date: 1981-07-14
Publication date: 1982-06-07
Also published as: SE8005163L; SE427397B; BR8109004A; FI824056L; FI824056A0; DK325082A; EP0076258A1; WO1982001730A1; NO822029L; JPS57502071A

Description

A DEVICE FOR R OA DMARK I N G

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for roadmarking by means of a number of light-reflecting devices directed along the direction of travel of the road for reflection essentially of light from vehicle headlights, the device including a body which is depressible into the roadway and has at least one cupola-like elevation with a recess for each light-reflecting device whose frontal surface is located above an opening for a wiper which projects., for wiping, up past the device and back to its original position when the cupola-like elevation is depressed into the body manually or by a vehicle wheel or the like, and thereafter reassumes its original position. THE STATE OF THE ART At the present time, the most generally prevalent type of road marking consists of paint of suitable-reflecting type. However, dirt and wear entail that the efficacity of the paint markings is very rapidly reduced and their working life becomes extremely limited. There are also needs in this art for more efficient marking which reflects a greater amount of light than prior art paint markings. Such prior art markings are described in UK Patent Specifications 457 536, 648 542 and 903 938, but these devices are of complex construction which results in high manufacturing costs, unreliability and relatively short working life. TECHNICAL PROBLEM

The concept forming the basis of the present invention is that of improving prior art devices for roadmarking. SOLUTION The object of the present invention is met in that the body in question consists of a lower portion and an insert fitting into the lower portion, the insert consisting of an upper portion with the c up o l a- l i ke elevation and a lower portion, that the wipers are in the form of post-like members which extend between the bottom of the lower portion and at least the inner side of the elevation of the upper portion, and that the lower portions are circular cups having vertical wall and planar bottom and fit readily in each other, and that the upper portion is in the form of a circular cup 1th a vertical wall which fits into the space or play between the lower portions which are upright, where the upper portion cup is inverted, the upright bottom carrying the cupola-li k e el ev at i o n . ADVANTAGES

The device according to the present invention results in an extremely efficient and durable roadmarking which, apart from being self-cleaning in such a manner that the light-reflecting members are wiped clean of dirt and the like at least each time a vehicle wheel passes over road marking are of simple construction. As a result, manufacturing cost are reduced and reliability and working. life increased. Moreover, the device according to the invention permits of simple replacement of so-called vital parts without the need of removal from its place in the carriageway. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The nature of the present invention and its aspects will be more readily understood from the following brief of the accompanying drawings, and discussion relating thereto.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic top plan view of a lower portion of a device according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line A-A in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic top plan view of an upper portio of the device according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line A-A in Fig. 3; Pig. 5 is a side elevation of the upper portion of Fig. 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 schematically illustrates a lower portion of the upper portion of Fig. 3 to 5;

Fig. 7 is a section taken along the line A-A in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a wiper intended for use together with a device according to the present invention; and

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the wiper of Fig. 8. On e embodiment of the present invention will now be described below in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. A device according to the present invention consists of a lower portion 1 in the form of a circular cup having vertical walls. On the inner side of the wall, there are two mutually registering positioning recesses 2 and 3 and, on the underface of the cup 1, there are two boss-like projection 4 and 5. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the projections 4 and 5 may extend along the entire bottom. The projections 4 and 5 may also serve as positioning members. Preferably, the cup 1 is manufactured from a hard plastics material, for example polyurethane. A device according to the present invention further consists of an upper portion 6 which is shown in greater detail in Fig. 3-5. The upper portion 6 is also in the form of a cup having vertical walls although this top cup is inverted. On the upwardly facing bottom, the cup 6 has a cupola-like elevation 7. In the elevation 7 , there is a recess 8 with a bottom hole 9 for a per se conventional light-reflecting member (not shown). Such light-reflecting members are often designated "cats-eyes". In the present embodiment there are recesses 8 and holes 9 for four light-reflecting members. Below the mouth of the hole 9 there is an orifice 10 in each recess 8, the orifice being rectangular and having, moreover, a rectangular countersink 11. On the inner side of the upper portion cup 6 there is provided, about the cupola-like elevation 7, anincision 12 which serves to facilitate the press fit of the elevation 7 in to the cup proper. On the outside of the vertical wall of the upper portion cup, there are disposed two mutually registering projections 13 and 14 which correspond to the recesses 2 and 3 in the lower portion 1. Furthermore, there are disposed, in the upper portion cup 6, two mutually registering positioning recesses 15 which are located beneath the projections 1 3 and 14. Preferably, the upper portion 6 is manufactured of a resiliently deformable plastics material, for example neoprene.

In a device according to the present invention there is also a bottom portion 16 for the upper portion 6. The bottom portion 16 is in the form of a circular cup having a vertical wall; there being, on the outside of the wall, two mutually registering positioning projections 17 and 18 which fit into the recesses 15 in the upper portion 6. The lower portion 16 has, in its bottom, one rectangular orifice 19 for each recess 8 or orifice 10 in the upper portion 6. There is also a rectangular countersink 20 in the orifice 19. The lower portion 16 may suitably be manufactured from a hard plastics material, for example polyeurethane.

The present invention also calls for the provision of a wiper 21 for each light-reflecting device, the wiper being intimated by means of phantom lines in Fig. 3. The wipers 21 are of post-like configuration having a base 22, an upright 23 and a top portion 24. The base 22 fits into the countersink 20 in the recess 19 through which the upper portion 24 and the upright 23 are shiftable. The height of the wiper 21 is selected such that the upper portion 24 is caused to penetrate the orifice 10 and rest in the countersink 11 therein. The edge of the upper portion which is turned to face the light-reflecting member has been provided with a radius 25 for adaptation to the surface of the light-reflecting device which, in most cases, is of part-spherical form. The wiper 21 should preferably be manufactured from a relatively soft and resiliently yieldable plastics material for attaining as good a wiping effect as possible on forcible depression of the elevation 7. On assembly of a device acc ording to the present invention, an upper portion 7 is placed upon a lower portion 16, the recesses 15 being aligned with the projections 17 and 18, whereupon the thus composed unit is pressed together such that the projections 17 and 18 penetrate into the recesses. Thereafter, wipers 21 are inserted into the orifices 19 with the radius 25 turned to face the holes 9 in the elevation 7. Thereafter, the elevation 7 is depressed such that the upper portions 24 are urged through the orifices 10 and may rest in the countersinks 11. Subsequently, the light-reflecting members are inserted in the holes 9 and the upper portion 6 with the lower portion 16 are placed in the lower portion 1 with the projections 13 and 14 aligned with the recesses 2 and 3. Even though it. has been mentioned in the above presentation of this invention that the parts included in the device according to the present invention should preferably be manufactured of plastics, this should, naturally, not be taken to mean that they could not be made o.f other materials of similar properties.

Claims

1. A device for roadmarking by means of a number of light-refelcting members directed along the direction of travel of the road for reflection essentially of light from vehicle headlights, the device comprising a body depressible into the roadway and having at least one cupola-like elevation (7) with one recess (8, 9) for each light-reflecting member whose frontal surface is located above an orifice (10) for a wiper (21) which projects, for wiping, up past the mamber and back to its original position when the cupola-like elevation (7) is urged down into the body manually or by a vehicle wheel or the like and thereafter reassumes its original position, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n t h a t the body consists of a lower portion (1) and an insert (6) fitting into the lower (1), the insert consisting of an upper portion (6) with the cupola-like elevation (7) and a lower portion (16); that the wipers (21) are in the form of post-like members which extend between the bottom of the lower portion (16) and at least the inside of the elevation (7) of the upper portion (6); and that the lower portions (1, 16) are circular cups having vertical wall and planar bottom and fitting with play into each other, and that the upper portion (6) is in the form of a circular cup with vertical wall which fits into the play between the lower portions (1,16) which are upright, whereas the upper portion cup (6) is inverted, the upwardly facing bottom carrying the cupolalike el evation (7).

2. The device as recited in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n t h a t the lower portions (1, 16) consist of a relatively hard plastics material, whereas the upper portion (6) consists of a resiliently yieldable plastics material and the wiper means (21) consist of a soft plastics material.