GB2452520A - Luminescent and reflective route marker. - Google Patents
Luminescent and reflective route marker. Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2452520A GB2452520A GB0717319A GB0717319A GB2452520A GB 2452520 A GB2452520 A GB 2452520A GB 0717319 A GB0717319 A GB 0717319A GB 0717319 A GB0717319 A GB 0717319A GB 2452520 A GB2452520 A GB 2452520A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- marker
- photoluminescent
- route
- cover
- photoluminescent material
- 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- Withdrawn
Links
- 239000003550 marker Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 57
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 27
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 239000005084 Strontium aluminate Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- FNWBQFMGIFLWII-UHFFFAOYSA-N strontium aluminate Chemical compound [O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[O-2].[Al+3].[Al+3].[Sr+2].[Sr+2] FNWBQFMGIFLWII-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 3
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims 2
- 239000003822 epoxy resin Substances 0.000 claims 1
- 229920000647 polyepoxide Polymers 0.000 claims 1
- 230000037361 pathway Effects 0.000 description 7
- 239000004593 Epoxy Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 4
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 4
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000005611 electricity Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005538 encapsulation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000012857 radioactive material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 241001465754 Metazoa Species 0.000 description 1
- 230000000052 comparative effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009977 dual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003203 everyday effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 231100001261 hazardous Toxicity 0.000 description 1
- 239000013056 hazardous product Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920000515 polycarbonate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000004417 polycarbonate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000087 stabilizing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 1
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
- E01F9/559—Low discrete bodies, e.g. marking blocks, studs or flexible vehicle-striking members illuminated
-
- 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
-
- E01F9/06—
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
- G09F—DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS
- G09F13/00—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising
- G09F13/20—Illuminated signs; Luminous advertising with luminescent surfaces or parts
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Road Signs Or Road Markings (AREA)
Abstract
A luminescent and reflective route marker comprises a thin layer of photoluminescent material 4 encapsulated between a planar light reflective base 1 and a light transmitting cover 2. The photoluminescent material is preferably formed as an annulus and the marker is formed with an aperture 5 for a fixing 3. The photoluminescent material may be strontium aluminate based. The marker may be formed by pouring liquid photoluminescent material into the cover, allowing it to harden and then attaching the base to the cover to encapsulate the material. Alternatively the photoluminescent material may be incorporated as a pre-made solid layer.
Description
PHOTOLUMINESCENT MARKER
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a photoluminescent marker for use in various applications to denote routes and obstacles in reduced light environments.
Background to the Invention
Public right of ways such as footpaths, cycle paths, bridleways, water-ways, and bridges are used everyday at all times of the year by the general public. These public routes are frequently used by members of the public dur-ing the hours of darkness or when visibility is poor. This is particularly the case during the short-day months, where the evenings become darker much earlier in the day. Members of the public are forced to use such routes in conditions where visibility is reduced, this can be both undesirable and dangerous since it is difficult for objects obstructing the pathway to be noticed.
Main streets and roads are usually lit, but out-of-town footpaths are often not provided with lighting. The cost of electricity to light every public by-way Emergencies can arise in the underground rail networks, for example as a result of power failure, requiring the evacuation of passengers through the nearest or safest exit. This can be both difficult and dangerous in the absence of significant lighting. Emergency lighting is often provided, but there is the re-quirement for a source of lighting that is not dependant on electricity to work, and is able to guide passengers out through the nearest emergency exit routes.
The present invention seeks to provide a photoluminescent marker that is practically designed, easy to install, and potentially safe from vandalism.
Summary of the Invention
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a photolumi-nescent route marker, comprising a thin annulus of photoluminescent material, encapsulated between a planar light reflective base and a light transmitting cover.
The marker may be constructed in two ways. In one method, the light transmitting cover is used as a mould, into which the photoluminescent material, in liquid form, is poured into the cover when turned upside down, and left to set, before the base is sealed to the cover containing the moulded photoluminescent material.
In an alternative method, the annulus of photoluminescent material is formed as a separate layer and incorporated into the case as a pre-made solid layer.
The applicant has used a strontium aluminate based photoluminescent material, which is capable of emitting light for several hours after exposure to ambient light. The applicant's photoluminescent material has a minimum lumi-nous intensity output of 2000 mini candelas. The luminous output and longevity of this material far exceeds any other non-radioactive material presently avail-able.
The planar base has a ridge on the underside and is of a "phonographic finish" to ensure maximum adhesion of the marker to the pathway, where pho-nographic finish means of a smoothness comparative with that of the surface of a compact disc.
The design and structure of the marker stud is such that it is practical, easy to install and is not vulnerable to attack by vandals. Its low profile avoids the marker becoming a tripping hazard for pedestrians, while the flat upper sur-face maximises the area of light output.
In a preferred embodiment the entire body of the marker is 50mm wide and 5.5mm in height.
The encapsulation of the photoluminescent material protects the marker from the effects of weather.
The photoluminescent marker can be installed on all surface types. On "soft" surfaces for example tarmac, the markers can be installed by using a double fixing method. The double fixing method uses two components by which to fix the marker securely in place, the first being a fixing pin and the second be- ing an epoxy based resin to securely adhere the marker to the surface. This fix-ing method requires the cover and the base to be formed with a sealed aperture passing through, to permit passage of a fixing pin. The resin based epoxy serves a dual purpose in that it provides a cushioning effect for heavy impacts, thereby protecting the marker from potential damage caused through vandal- ism, and it can also be added to uneven surfaces to provide an even stable sur-face in which to install the marker.
Alternatively, the marker may be fixed using only the epoxy based resin, without the presence of the fixing pin.
To ease installation of the marker a shielding tool may be used when fit-ting the marker, this is to avoid the marker from being exposed to repeated hits from a hammer during installation. The shield may be set at a height to ensure that the fixing pin is driven through all of the components of the marker into the pathway (or surface of choice), to lie flush in the recess but not to deep as to cause the light transmitting cover to be damaged during installation.
The fixing pin is preferably provided with a flat polycarbonate shatter-proof head to ensure that it is not a potential tripping hazard. The shatterproof head is preferably white in colour to make it visible during the hours of daylight.
The nail ensures that the marker components are secured together as one solid structure.
The marker is designed such that it is not vulnerable to attack by van-dals. To remove the entire marker the vandal will have to remove the whole encapsulation which the applicant believes will take approximately an hour to achieve. The marker would be extremely difficult to remove intact, and vandals are unlikely to be inclined to spend considerable time attempting to remove an individual marker. If tampered with, the thin annulus of photoluminescent mate-rial will shatter within the light transmitting cover in which it is encapsulated, thereby making it impossible to remove the photoluminescent annulus intact.
This in itself should discourage the vandal from proceeding The photoluminescent marker is completely safe to use and environmen-tally friendly since it does not contain any hazardous or radioactive material, thereby presenting no risk to humans or animals.
In addition to having an application for outdoor routes, such markers may also have an application for indoor use to denote routes and obstacles, for ex-ample, for use indicating emergency exit routes in schools, cinemas, and work places. The markers may also have a potential application on private pathways and tracks on farmyards and stables. During the winter months horse riders of-ten exercise their horses out in the dark, often along narrow and unhit tracks.
There is also the potential for such markers to be used in tunnels and under-ground rail networks, to guide passengers in the case of an emergency.
There is the opportunity for the authority responsible for maintenance of such pathways to personalise the base plate with the relevant authority's name.
The principle behind the present invention is to make pathways more visible irrespective of light or weather conditions. This will make public by-ways more accessible and safer for all 12 months of the year, without the need for expensive street lighting or expensive solar powered solutions that fail to work effectively during the short day length months.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of the photoluminescent marker.
Figure 2 illustrates a cross-section taken through the marker.
Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiment
Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of a marker. This figure illustrates a thin annulus of photoluminescent material 4 en-capsulated between a planar light reflective base 1 and a light transmitting cover 2. The cover 2 and base 1 are formed with a sealed aperture 5 there-through, to permit passage of a fixing pin 3. The fixing pin 3 extends vertically through the cover 2 and the base 1 to secure the marker as a whole into a sur-face. It should be appreciated that this figure illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, and alternatively the marker may be constructed without the presence of the fixing pin.
The marker may have been constructed by using the cover 2 as a mould, wherein the photoluminescent material 4, in liquid form, is poured into the cover and allowed to harden, and then the base 1 is attached to the cover 2 to encap-sulate the material 4. Alternatively, the annulus of photoluminescent material 4 may be incorporated into the marker as a pie-made solid layer.
The marker may be secured into place by using a double fixing method, this method uses an epoxy based resin as an essential component to securely adhere the marker to a surface, and a fixing pin as an additional optional corn-ponent to further secure the marker to the ground. In a preferred embodiment the fixing pin used is a stainless steel nail.
In order to enable the marker to adhere securely to a surface, the planar base 1 is of a "phonographic finish", which means that the smoothness of the base 1 is comparable with that of the surface of a compact disk. This ensures maximum adhesion of the marker to the pathway.
Figure 2 illustrates a cross section taken through the marker. The thin annulus of photoluminescent material 4 is shown encapsulated between the light reflective base 1, and the light transmitting cover 2. The cover 2 and base 1 are formed with a sealed aperture therethrough, to permit the passage of a fixing pin 3 which can be driven into the surface on to which the marker is to be fixed, to provide additional security of fixing to that afforded by the adhesive.
Claims (10)
1. A photoluminescent route marker, comprising a thin layer of photoluminescent material, encapsulated between a planar light reflective base and a light transmitting cover.
2. A photoluminescent route marker according to Claim 1, wherein the photoluminescent material is formed as an annulus and the cover and the base are formed with a sealed aperture therethrough, to permit passage of a fixing pin.
3. A photoluminescent route marker according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the photoluminescent material is strontium aluminate based.
4. A photoluminescent route marker according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the planar light reflective base is formed of a white material.
5. A photoluminescent route marker according to any preceding claim, wherein the planar light reflective base is formed with a smooth under-side.
6 A photoluminescent route marker, substantially as described with reference to, and/or as shown in, the drawings.
7. A method of marking a route using a plurality of markers as de-fined in any preceding claim spaced apart along a surface, the method compris-ing providing each marker with a layer of adhesive on the underside thereof, applying the marker to the surface, and driving a fixing pin through the aperture and into said surface.
8. A photoluminescent route marker according to Claim 7, wherein the marker components are secured into place using an epoxy resin.
9. A method of making a photoluminescent marker, wherein the photoluminescent material, in liquid form, is poured into the cover and allowed to harden, and the base is then attached to the cover to encapsulate the mate-rial.
10. A method of making a photoluminescent marker according to any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the annulus of photoluminescent material is incorpo-rated into the marker as a pre-made solid layer.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0717319A GB2452520A (en) | 2007-09-06 | 2007-09-06 | Luminescent and reflective route marker. |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0717319A GB2452520A (en) | 2007-09-06 | 2007-09-06 | Luminescent and reflective route marker. |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
GB0717319D0 GB0717319D0 (en) | 2007-10-17 |
GB2452520A true GB2452520A (en) | 2009-03-11 |
Family
ID=38640326
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
GB0717319A Withdrawn GB2452520A (en) | 2007-09-06 | 2007-09-06 | Luminescent and reflective route marker. |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
GB (1) | GB2452520A (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2011096822A1 (en) * | 2010-02-04 | 2011-08-11 | Re-Turn As | A photo luminescent decal device for light marking |
Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB723343A (en) * | 1952-03-17 | 1955-02-09 | George Bert Clammer | Improvements in or relating to cycle or like reflectors |
GB2312458A (en) * | 1996-04-25 | 1997-10-29 | Thant Constructie Nv | A marker |
JPH11247138A (en) * | 1998-02-27 | 1999-09-14 | Tenryu Kogyo Kk | Light reflector |
JPH11305697A (en) * | 1998-04-24 | 1999-11-05 | Tenryu Kogyo Kk | Optical reflector |
KR20020039588A (en) * | 2000-11-21 | 2002-05-27 | 오태한 | Guide panel for road and direct |
JP2004333668A (en) * | 2003-05-02 | 2004-11-25 | West Japan:Kk | Storage phosphor member and marking tool equipped with the same |
-
2007
- 2007-09-06 GB GB0717319A patent/GB2452520A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB723343A (en) * | 1952-03-17 | 1955-02-09 | George Bert Clammer | Improvements in or relating to cycle or like reflectors |
GB2312458A (en) * | 1996-04-25 | 1997-10-29 | Thant Constructie Nv | A marker |
JPH11247138A (en) * | 1998-02-27 | 1999-09-14 | Tenryu Kogyo Kk | Light reflector |
JPH11305697A (en) * | 1998-04-24 | 1999-11-05 | Tenryu Kogyo Kk | Optical reflector |
KR20020039588A (en) * | 2000-11-21 | 2002-05-27 | 오태한 | Guide panel for road and direct |
JP2004333668A (en) * | 2003-05-02 | 2004-11-25 | West Japan:Kk | Storage phosphor member and marking tool equipped with the same |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2011096822A1 (en) * | 2010-02-04 | 2011-08-11 | Re-Turn As | A photo luminescent decal device for light marking |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
GB0717319D0 (en) | 2007-10-17 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |