EP0989239A2 - Dispositif de ballisage - Google Patents

Dispositif de ballisage Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0989239A2
EP0989239A2 EP99113751A EP99113751A EP0989239A2 EP 0989239 A2 EP0989239 A2 EP 0989239A2 EP 99113751 A EP99113751 A EP 99113751A EP 99113751 A EP99113751 A EP 99113751A EP 0989239 A2 EP0989239 A2 EP 0989239A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
movable element
housing
lane marker
fluid
marker according
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP99113751A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0989239A3 (fr
Inventor
Martin Goldsworthy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GBGB9820818.4A external-priority patent/GB9820818D0/en
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0989239A2 publication Critical patent/EP0989239A2/fr
Publication of EP0989239A3 publication Critical patent/EP0989239A3/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E01—CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS, RAILWAYS, OR BRIDGES
    • E01F—ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
    • E01F9/00—Arrangement of road signs or traffic signals; Arrangements for enforcing caution
    • E01F9/50—Road surface markings; Kerbs or road edgings, specially adapted for alerting road users
    • E01F9/553—Low discrete bodies, e.g. marking blocks, studs or flexible vehicle-striking members
    • E01F9/565—Low discrete bodies, e.g. marking blocks, studs or flexible vehicle-striking members having deflectable or displaceable parts
    • E01F9/571—Low discrete bodies, e.g. marking blocks, studs or flexible vehicle-striking members having deflectable or displaceable parts displaceable vertically under load, e.g. in combination with rotation

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a traffic lane marker and, in particular, to a device to be placed within the construction of a carriageway to indicate the position of a traffic lane.
  • Discrete devices using light to indicate the position of a traffic lane have found wide use but not in areas in which snow ploughs or the like are used regularly due to the problem of damage to the device caused by a snow plough.
  • Known lane markers such as that described in US 4595312, have attempted to overcome this problem by providing lane markers which have a depressable reflector element such that the reflector retracts into a housing upon impact.
  • the cavity between the reflector element and the housing may be air filled as in US 459 312 or may be filed with a flexible or resilient member such as described in US 4597691 or US 4871280.
  • such known devices are relatively complex to produce and the fact that they require impact of an oncoming vehicle to induce retraction means that they are inherently liable to damage.
  • the present invention has been made from a consideration of the disadvantages with known lane markers and in order to provide a lane marker which overcomes one or more of the abovementioned problems.
  • one preferred aim of the present invention is to provide a lane marker which both reduces the risk of damage thereto by snow ploughs or the like and which acts as an indicator of adverse temperature conditions.
  • a lane marker comprising a housing, a movable element mounted in or on said housing and a fluid contained within a cavity defined by said housing and said movable element, the arrangement being such that when the temperature of said fluid is above a predetermined level said movable element assumes an extended position wherein at least part of said movable element extends beyond said housing and when the temperature of said fluid is at or below said predetermined level said movable element assumes a retracted position wherein said movable element does not extend substantially beyond said housing.
  • the fluid comprises a gas, such as air.
  • the fluid comprises a compressible fluid.
  • the cavity is filled with the fluid.
  • the predetermined level is preferably substantially in the range of -10°C to 10°C, typically in the range -3°C to 3°C.
  • the predetermined level is substantially 0°C or the freezing point of water.
  • the housing comprises a rigid enclosure.
  • the housing comprises an aperture for receiving the movable element.
  • the movable element is flexible and spans the aperture in the housing.
  • the movable element comprises a flange adapted to be located in a corresponding channel of the housing.
  • the movable element comprises visibility enhancement means.
  • visibility enhancement means are exposed when the element is in the extended position and concealed when the element is in the retracted position.
  • the lane marker comprises one or more temperature sensitive means such as bimetallic strips.
  • the lane marker of the invention is a temperature sensitive traffic lane position indicator which solves both problems.
  • the lane marker comprises a housing 2 which is typically a stiff or rigid enclosure.
  • the housing is embedded in the carriageway 4 so that the upper surface or rim thereof is substantially flush with the road surface.
  • the housing has a hollow box-section shape with an aperture 6 in the top wall 8 thereof for receiving a movable element 10.
  • the top wall 8, movable element 10, side walls 12 and base 14 of the housing define a cavity which contains a fluid 16. Typically, the cavity is substantially filled by the fluid.
  • the housing may have any suitable form.
  • the housing is typically sealed or integral to retain the fluid.
  • the movable element 10 typically comprises a flexible element which spans the aperture 6 and is secured to the housing 2 by suitable means such as a peripheral flange 18 locating in a corresponding channel in the side wall of aperture 6.
  • the movable element may have any suitable shape corresponding to the shape of the aperture.
  • the movable element may have any suitable profile but typically has sides 20 on the upper portion thereof which have properties which enhance its visibility to carriageway users when the element is in the extended position.
  • the sides 20 may be reflectorised or the like. Typically the sides 20 may extend at substantially a right angle to the carriageway in use to enhance visibility.
  • the housing 2 is embedded in the carriageway 4 to be substantially flush with the surface thereof.
  • fluid pressure raises the moveable element 10 to the extended position as shown at A on the right of the broken line in the drawing.
  • the upper surface 22 of the element 10 extends beyond the housing 2 and the sides 20 thereof are exposed and project above the carriageway surface.
  • the fluid 16 contracts and the movable element 10 retracts to the position shown at B on the left of the broken line. In the retracted position, the upper surface 22 of the element is typically substantially flush with the carriageway surface and the sides 20 are concealed.
  • the fluid in the cavity may comprise any suitable compressible fluid.
  • the fluid, the dimensions of the stiff enclosure and the properties and dimensions of the flexible element are chosen such that only at temperatures above the predetermined level, for example above freezing, is the top of the flexible element above the level of the carriageway surface.
  • the lane marker acts as an indicator of such conditions and allows free use of a snow plough.
  • the lane marker may include features not shown in the drawing such as an internal support for the movable element in its retracted position and a valve to provide access to the fluid filled chamber.
  • the lane marker may also include one or more bimetallic strips or other temperature sensitive devices which may influence the position of the movable element.
  • failure of the housing seal causing leakage of the fluid results in retraction of the movable element thus providing an added safety advantage.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Civil Engineering (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Road Signs Or Road Markings (AREA)
  • Traffic Control Systems (AREA)
EP99113751A 1998-09-24 1999-07-14 Dispositif de ballisage Withdrawn EP0989239A3 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9820818 1998-09-24
GBGB9820818.4A GB9820818D0 (en) 1998-09-24 1998-09-24 Traffic lane marker
GB9822015 1998-10-09
GBGB9822015.5A GB9822015D0 (en) 1998-09-24 1998-10-09 Traffic lane marker

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0989239A2 true EP0989239A2 (fr) 2000-03-29
EP0989239A3 EP0989239A3 (fr) 2002-03-27

Family

ID=26314414

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99113751A Withdrawn EP0989239A3 (fr) 1998-09-24 1999-07-14 Dispositif de ballisage

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0989239A3 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2524358A (en) * 2013-12-11 2015-09-23 Brian M Mcgeehin Road safety device
USD860845S1 (en) 2017-08-03 2019-09-24 Trafco Industries, Inc. Temporary flexible pavement marker
US11047097B2 (en) 2013-01-04 2021-06-29 Trafco Industries, Inc. Temporary flexible pavement marker
US11519144B2 (en) 2013-01-04 2022-12-06 Trafco Industries, Inc. Temporary flexible pavement markers

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4595312A (en) 1984-02-06 1986-06-17 Corless Murray B Pneumatically restorable retractable pavement marker and method of fabricating same
US4597691A (en) 1981-10-06 1986-07-01 Animotion Inc. Retractable traffic delineator
US4871280A (en) 1987-03-09 1989-10-03 Modlin Delbert J Retractable pavement marker/reflector

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB545039A (en) * 1941-05-13 1942-05-07 Gowshall Ltd Improvements relating to road studs
DE2105827A1 (de) * 1971-02-08 1972-08-24 Fueller F Gefrierwarngerät
US3920348A (en) * 1974-09-09 1975-11-18 Olympic Machine Inc Traffic lane indicator
DE2634579C2 (de) * 1976-07-31 1983-01-27 geb. Schuck Christel 5483 Ahrweiler Brenner Frost- und Glatteis-Warngerät
US4234264A (en) * 1979-01-02 1980-11-18 Baldi Michael O Multi-directional marking device of the type to be used on pavement surfaces

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4597691A (en) 1981-10-06 1986-07-01 Animotion Inc. Retractable traffic delineator
US4595312A (en) 1984-02-06 1986-06-17 Corless Murray B Pneumatically restorable retractable pavement marker and method of fabricating same
US4871280A (en) 1987-03-09 1989-10-03 Modlin Delbert J Retractable pavement marker/reflector

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11047097B2 (en) 2013-01-04 2021-06-29 Trafco Industries, Inc. Temporary flexible pavement marker
US11519144B2 (en) 2013-01-04 2022-12-06 Trafco Industries, Inc. Temporary flexible pavement markers
GB2524358A (en) * 2013-12-11 2015-09-23 Brian M Mcgeehin Road safety device
GB2524358B (en) * 2013-12-11 2017-11-15 M Mcgeehin Brian Road safety device
USD860845S1 (en) 2017-08-03 2019-09-24 Trafco Industries, Inc. Temporary flexible pavement marker
USD977355S1 (en) 2017-08-03 2023-02-07 Trafco Industries, Inc. Temporary flexible pavement marker

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0989239A3 (fr) 2002-03-27

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