ITPD20060086A1 - MANUFACTURED IN CONCRETE, PARTICULARLY FOR HORIZONTAL ROAD SIGNALS AND EXTERNAL FLOORING, WITH HIGH VISIBILITY REFLECTIVE AND REFLECTIVE SURFACE - Google Patents

Description

TITLE

CONCRETE ARTIFACT. ESPECIALLY FOR

HORIZONTAL ROAD SIGNS AND FLOORING

EXTERIOR, WITH REFLECTIVE UPPER SURFACE E

HIGH VISIBILITY REFLECTIVE

DESCRIPTION

This patent relates to concrete products for external flooring and in particular it concerns a new concrete product, particularly for horizontal road signs and external flooring, with a high-visibility reflective and reflective upper surface.

Currently, road markings are commonly drawn with white or yellow paint.

Particular areas, such as walkways, parking areas, etc., are also marked with paints of other colors, such as blue and red.

The paints currently used to create said horizontal road signs undergo rapid decay, mainly due to friction with the wheels of vehicles and the deposition of dust generated and emitted by vehicular traffic.

Reflective paints are also known, used for example for known road signs, which are visible even in conditions of poor visibility and lighting, since they strongly reflect the light projected on them, such as the light of vehicle headlights.

High visibility reflective devices or signals are known, commonly used on public roads for signaling obstacles of any kind, curves, roundabouts, road construction sites, traffic dividers, etc. Often, however, the traffic dividers, the slow-motion bumps, the edges of the sidewalks, etc. are not well marked and motorists can inadvertently hit them, with the risk of damaging part of the car or damaging the building.

In addition, particularly moped drivers and motor vehicles, are also at risk of falling and thus being very seriously injured.

The use of concrete blocks for paving external surfaces, both public and private, is known, such as roads, driveways, courtyards, sidewalks, parking lots, etc.

The subject of the present invention is a new type of concrete product, particularly for horizontal road markings and external paving, with a high visibility reflective and reflective upper surface. The aim of the present invention is to increase the visibility of the elements of horizontal road signs, roundabouts, road curbs, etc.

Another object of the present invention is to indicate to road users the possible dangers and obstacles present on the road surface or in its immediate vicinity, even in situations of poor visibility.

Another object of the present invention is to be used as a decorative element for avenues, gardens, squares, courtyards, etc.

These and other direct and complementary purposes are achieved by the new concrete product, particularly for horizontal road signs and external paving, with high visibility reflective and reflective upper surface, even in poor or no lighting conditions, when hit by artificial light. .

The new product is made of concrete, with or without colored pigments, and can have substantially any shape.

For example, the new invention is a block having a substantially parallelepiped central body, with a generally quadrangular plan, with two generally longer longitudinal sides and two shorter transverse sides. The lower horizontal surface, or bottom surface of said article, is substantially flat and constitutes the support base of the article itself on the substrate.

The upper surface, also preferably flat, appears to be the visible face of the product. The upper surface of said product is partially hollowed, ie it is delimited by perimeter sides raised by a few millimeters, for example by about 5-10 mm, while the central area is lowered, capable of forming a basin.

After the construction of the concrete product as described, a new refracting mixture is poured into said tank obtained on the upper surface.

Said refractive mixture consists, in its main components, of a hardening support resin or adhesive within which a plurality of spheres or microspheres made of glass, ceramic or plastic material is incorporated. Said resin or glue also acts as a binder for said spheres or microspheres.

Said resin also contains, for example, titanium dioxide, TiO2, photocatalytic, also called anatase or hydrophilic, a self-cleaning substance which, if activated by sunlight, has the ability to collect fine dust and PM10 emitted by vehicular traffic.

Said refractive mixture can also contain colored pigments which give the mixture the desired color, for example, in addition to white, also yellow, red, blue, black, etc.

Said refractive mixture, at the moment of casting in said tank obtained on the manufactured article, appears in the fluid, liquid or viscous layer. The total consolidation of said mixture takes place in a few days.

Said spheres or microspheres can be normal or oriented, i.e. partially coated with highly reflective chromed material, and have dimensions of the order of a millimeter or tenth of a millimeter.

Said spheres or microspheres have remarkable refracting properties, that is, they reflect even the slightest light projected on them, thus resulting extremely bright even in poor lighting conditions.

After the casting of said refracting mixture, the dusting operation of the upper surface of the new product is performed with at least one further layer of said refracting spheres or microspheres, to increase the refracting properties of the upper surface itself.

The new artifact finds effective application in road pavement, particularly for marking traffic dividers, slow-motion bumps, pedestrian crossings, roundabouts, road curbs, etc., and to make them clearly visible to passing vehicles, even at great distances.

The use of the new building is also planned for horizontal road signs, such as carriageway and lane separation lines, stop and precedence signs, etc.

The Γ use of the new building is also envisaged for the construction of external paving, both public and private, for the delimitation of flower beds, sidewalks, parking areas, etc.

These new artifacts can be used to increase visibility and facilitate the identification of transit areas prohibited for the passage of vehicles, restricted areas, etc.

The new artifact can also be used to create particular light effects on the pavement of a courtyard, a square, or other.

In the attached table, a practical embodiment of the invention is presented by way of non-limiting example.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the new concrete product, in the first phase of construction.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the new completely constructed product.

Figure 3 shows a detail of the composition of the refractive mixture.

In its simplest construction, the new concrete product (Z) has a substantially parallelepiped central body, with a generally quadrangular plan, with a bottom surface (F) supporting the substrate and an upper surface (S) which forms the exposed face of the flooring. .

On said upper surface (S) there is obtained at least one seat, or tank (V), suitable for containing a refracting mixture (M) composed of refracting spheres or microspheres (R).

In particular, said tank (V) is delimited by perimeter sides (L) coinciding with the perimeter of said upper surface (S), and where said perimeter sides (L) have a thickness and height of the order of about 5-10 mm.

Inside said tank (V) thus delimited, the refracting mixture (M) is cast, consisting of spheres or microspheres (R) mixed with a resin or glue (C) of hardening support with the function of binder.

The upper surface (S) of the product and the upper surface of said refracting mixture jet (M) is then subjected to the dusting of at least one further layer (P) of said refracting spheres or microspheres (R).

These are the schematic modalities sufficient for the skilled person to realize the invention, consequently, in concrete application there may be variations without prejudice to the substance of the innovative concept.

Therefore, with reference to the preceding description and to the attached table, the following claims are expressed.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS 1. Concrete product (Z) for horizontal road markings and external paving having a solid three-dimensional shape, with bottom surface (F) resting on the ground and upper surface (S) visible, characterized by the fact that it comprises, at least on said surface upper (S), at least one seat or tank (V) for containing a layer of refracting mixture (M) comprising in turn a plurality of spheres or microspheres (R) mixed with a hardening support resin or adhesive (C). 2. Concrete product (Z), as per claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one further layer of said spheres or microspheres (R), distributed above said layer of refracting mixture (M) by dusting. 3. Concrete product (Z), as per claims 1, 2, characterized in that said tank (V) is delimited by perimeter sides (L) coinciding with the perimeter of said upper surface (S). 4. Concrete product (Z), as per claims 1, 2, 3, characterized in that said spheres or micro-spheres (R) are glassy. 5. Concrete product (Z), as per claims 1, 2, 3, characterized in that said spheres or micro-spheres (R) are ceramic. 6. Concrete product (Z), as per claims 1, 2, 3, characterized in that said spheres or micro-spheres (R) are plastic. 7. Concrete product (Z), as per the preceding claims, characterized in that said spheres or micro-spheres (R) are oriented. 8. Concrete product (Z), as per one or more preceding claims, characterized in that said resin or glue (C) also comprises titanium dioxide, TiO2, photocatalytic or anatase or hydrophilic, self-cleaning suitable for storing fine dust and PM10 . 9 Concrete product (Z), as per one or more preceding claims, characterized in that said resin or glue (C) also comprises colored pigments.