US2004062604A1PendingUtilityA1

Reflective pavement marker

43
Priority: Jun 8, 2001Filed: Sep 9, 2003Published: Apr 1, 2004
Est. expiryJun 8, 2021(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Douglas Forrer
E01F 9/553
43
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A reflective pavement marker includes a shell having a top wall, a side wall extending from an end of the top wall, and reflective end walls extending from an other end of said top wall, wherein the shell forms an interior cavity. The shell is formed from a polyacrylate or a polycarbonate having a tensile strength of more than 9,000 psi and a ratio between tensile strength and flexural modulus of between 0.021-0.050:1. The reflective pavement marker also includes a reflective portion integral with the reflective end wall, a reflective coating covering the reflective portion and a bonding coating covering at least the reflective portion. The reflective pavement marker further includes a filler material within the interior cavity of the shell.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reflective pavement marker comprising: 
 a shell having at least one side wall having a reflective portion, wherein said shell forms an interior cavity, said reflective portion having an inner surface partially defining said cavity, said shell formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylate and polycarbonate, said polymer having a tensile strength of greater than 9,000 pounds per square inch and a ratio of tensile strength to flexural modulus of between 0.021-0.050:1;    a reflective coating covering said inner surface of said reflective portion;    a bonding coating covering at least said reflective coating; and    a filler material disposed within the interior cavity of said shell.    
     
     
         2 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the tensile strength of said polymer is greater than 10,000 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         3 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said polymer has an optical transmittance greater than 85%.  
     
     
         4 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said polymer is a polyacrylate.  
     
     
         5 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said polymer comprises methyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         6 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said polymer is a poly(ethyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate).  
     
     
         7 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said shell includes a top wall, side wall and reflective end wall with reflective portion that are integral and formed as one piece.  
     
     
         8 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said reflective portion includes a plurality of integrally formed cube-shaped members arranged in a grid pattern.  
     
     
         9 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said reflective coating is a metal material.  
     
     
         10 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said bonding coating is a bonding primer.  
     
     
         11 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said bonding primer is an acrylic latex primer.  
     
     
         12 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said bonding primer is a water based primer.  
     
     
         13 . A reflective pavement marker comprising: 
 a shell having at least one side wall having a reflective portion, wherein said shell defines an interior cavity, and said reflective portion and said shell are integral and formed as one piece, said shell formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylate and polycarbonate, said polymer having a tensile strength of greater than 9,000 pounds per square inch and a ratio of tensile strength to flexural modulus of between 0.026-0.050:1;    wherein said reflective portion includes a plurality of integrally formed cube-shaped members arranged in a grid pattern on an inner surface;    a reflective coating covering said inner surface of said reflective portion, wherein said reflective coating is a metal material;    a bonding coating covering said reflective coating to prevent separation of said reflective coating from said reflective portion, wherein said bonding coating is a bonding primer; and    a filler material disposed within said cavity of said shell.    
     
     
         14 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the tensile strength of said polymer is greater than 10,000 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         15 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said polymer has an optical transmittance greater than 85%.  
     
     
         16 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said polymer is a polyacrylate.  
     
     
         17 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said polymer comprises methyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         18 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said polymer is a poly(ethyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate).  
     
     
         19 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 13  wherein said bonding primer is an acrylic latex primer.  
     
     
         20 . A method of forming a reflective pavement marker, said method comprising the steps of: 
 forming a shell having at least one reflective portion with an inner surface wherein the shell forms an interior cavity, said shell formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyacrylate and polycarbonate, said polymer having a tensile strength of greater than 9,000 pounds per square inch and a ratio of tensile strength to flexural modulus of between 0.021-0.050:1;    coating said inner surface with a metal material;    covering at least said metal material with a bonding compound; and    filling the cavity of the shell with a filler material.    
     
     
         21 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the tensile strength of said polymer is greater than 10,000 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         22 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 20  wherein said polymer has an optical transmittance greater than 85%.  
     
     
         23 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 20  wherein said polymer is a polyacrylate.  
     
     
         24 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 20  wherein said polymer comprises methyl methacrylate.  
     
     
         25 . A reflective pavement marker as set forth in  claim 20  wherein said polymer is a poly(ethyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate).

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