Delineator with core/shell construction

Abstract

A traffic delineator comprises a core/shell construction which can help to protect reflective sheeting in the delineator from tampering and vandalism. The delineator may include an outer shell, and an inner core that fits inside the outer shell. Further, a reflective sheet may be applied to an outer surface of the core, the sheet having one or more edges. Aperture(s) may be formed in the outer shell to provide a window region, the window region adapted to expose at least some of the reflective sheet when the inner core is positioned inside the shell. The window region may be configured to avoid exposing at least some of, and in some cases any of, the one or more edges of the sheet. In such cases, the outer shell proximate the window region may cover some, or all, of the sheet edge(s) so that such sheet edge(s) are less accessible to vandals.

1 . A delineator, comprising:
 an outer shell;   an inner core adapted to fit inside the outer shell, the inner core having a core outer surface;   a first reflective sheet applied to the core outer surface, the first reflective sheet having one or more sheet edges;   wherein the outer shell has a first window region adapted to expose at least a portion of the first reflective sheet when the inner core is positioned inside the outer shell.   
     
     
         2 . A delineator, comprising:
 an inner core having a core outer surface;   a first reflective sheet applied to the core outer surface, the first reflective sheet having one or more sheet edges;   an outer shell in which the inner core is located, the outer shell having a first window region adapted to expose at least a portion of the first reflective sheet.   
     
     
         3 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell comprises a first tube having a first tube wall, and wherein the first window region comprises at least one aperture formed in the first tube wall. 
     
     
         4 . The delineator of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one aperture comprises a cluster of closely spaced apertures formed in the first tube wall. 
     
     
         5 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein the first window region is configured such that it does not expose at least a portion of the one or more sheet edges of the first reflective sheet. 
     
     
         6 . The delineator of  claim 5 , wherein the first window region is configured such that it does not expose any of the one or more sheet edges of the first reflective sheet. 
     
     
         7 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the core outer surface to which the first reflective sheet is applied is substantially flat. 
     
     
         8 . The delineator of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second reflective sheet applied to the core outer surface, the second reflective sheet having one or more sheet edges;   wherein the outer shell further comprises a second window region adapted to expose at least a portion of the second reflective sheet.   
     
     
         9 . The delineator of  claim 8 , wherein the second window region is configured such that it does not expose at least a portion of the one or more sheet edges of the second reflective sheet. 
     
     
         10 . The delineator of  claim 9 , wherein the second window region is configured such that it does not expose any of the one or more sheet edges of the second reflective sheet. 
     
     
         11 . The delineator of  claim 8 , wherein the first reflective sheet comprises a first retroreflective sheet having a first optical characteristic, and the second reflective sheet comprises a second retroreflective sheet having a second optical characteristic. 
     
     
         12 . The delineator of  claim 11 , wherein the first optical characteristic is different from the second optical characteristic. 
     
     
         13 . The delineator of  claim 12 , wherein the first retroreflective sheet has a different color than the second retroreflective sheet. 
     
     
         14 . The delineator of  claim 12 , wherein the first retroreflective sheet provides enhanced retroreflectivity at long ranges and the second retroreflective sheet provides enhanced retroreflectivity at short ranges. 
     
     
         15 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell and the inner core are composed of flexible materials. 
     
     
         16 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell has a first cross-sectional shape and the inner core has a second cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         17 . The delineator of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second cross-sectional shapes are substantially the same. 
     
     
         18 . The delineator of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second cross-sectional shapes both comprise a substantially flat portion. 
     
     
         19 . The delineator of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second cross-sectional shapes are substantially different.