Reflective Material Dispenser

Abstract

A reflective material dispenser comprising an indicator laying machine coupler, a hopper, and a dispenser shield. The hopper may comprise a lid, cover, front, at least one wall, and a dispenser assembly adapted to face an indicator material ejection device such as a paint sprayer. The dispenser shield may be adapted to substantially prohibit indicator material splashback onto the dispenser assembly. One dispenser shield may extend outwardly from the hopper and have a first end located proximal the indicator material ejection device.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to devices and methods for marking driving surfaces.

BACKGROUND

Areas such as roads, highways, parking lots, and runways, as well as any other asphalt-laden or concrete-poured driving surface or another similar area are often required to have painted lines, stripes, and other indicators placed upon them—often to direct vehicles or pedestrians into or towards a correct location. For example, indicators may designate a portion of an area as a traffic lane or parking space. Many types of indicators are often required to be seen from a relatively long distance during nighttime and other low-light conditions. To improve the visibility of such indicators, reflective materials including small glass beads are frequently used on or near the indicators. These reflective materials reflect the light emanating from a vehicle and may be layeredly placed on the indicators to increase illumination of the indicators. The reflectors may adhere to the indicators by being placed on the indicators when the indicator (such as paint) is wet, so that when the paint or other indicator dries and begins to adhere to the driving surface, the reflector adheres to the paint or other type of indicator—thereby adhering to the driving surface as well.

Indicator material may be placed on the surface with a striping machine, which may also be called a striper. One type of striping machine used to place the indicator material onto the driving surface may be a walk-behind machine. In a walk-behind striping machine, an operator holds onto the machine's handlebars and walks behind the striper, manually placing the indicator material in the correct location. One type of striping machine that may be used is the walk behind LineLazer 3400, produced by Graco®, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn.

Some prior art striping machines are adapted to also lay reflective material onto the driving surface. However, these machines are deficient in many aspects. One of the greatest deficiencies in the prior art reflective material dispensing devices is that the devices often clog with reflective material, preventing reflective material from exiting the machine. These machines are often impractical to use since these frequent clogs need to be removed before the reflective material can continued to be laid. Removing clogs often takes a great amount of operator time.

In some prior art embodiments, the clogs occur due to hoppers not being used. When hoppers are used, the reflective material may be combined with an adhesive material, directly or indirectly, causing reflective material build-up at or near the hopper exit port. In some non-hopper prior art machines, tubes are often used, the tubes many times getting clogged. Additionally, the reflective material exit ports of many prior art machines are not properly covered, which may lead to indicator material such as paint, or other materials, clogging up the port.

A second deficiency with prior art indicator devices is their inability to appropriately locate the start point for beginning laying the reflective material on the driving surface. Many times, the reflective material may be laid prior to, after, left of, or right of, the start point of the indicator. This may require an operator to scrape and relay the reflective material and may lead to waste of reflective material.

SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric front view of a Reflective Material Dispenser and laser fan guide coupled to an indicator striping machine according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a Reflective Material Dispenser coupled to the frame and wheels of an indicator striping machine according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a left front view of a Reflective Material Dispenser and frame uncoupled to an indicator striping machine according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a Reflective Material Dispenser hopper and shield according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a close-up isometric view of a cable assembly coupled to the hopper and having a transparent shield according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a hopper without a paint shield and an outer blade trapper showing 4 blades in an open position and reflective material exiting the hopper and depositor according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a close-up isometric front view of a portion of the cable assembly and a dispenser assembly having a transparent hopper and knob and without a blade guide according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a dispenser assembly without an inner blade trapper and an outer blade trapper according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is an isometric front view of a dispenser assembly without an inner blade trapper and an outer blade trapper according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a close-up isometric view of a dispenser assembly without an inner blade trapper, an outer blade trapper, and a blade guide, highlighting the hopper cavity exit port according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a reflective material dispenser and coupled striping machine frame and wheels showing the bottom of the hopper and coupled dispenser assembly without a frame and without brackets according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of the bottom of a reflective material dispenser with a frame and brackets coupled to a striping machine according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is an isometric view of a portion of a reflective material dispenser highlighting one method of coupling the indicator material ejection device to the striping machine frame according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of a laser fan guide according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One embodiment of a reflective material dispenser is adapted to couple to a walk-behind indicator striping machine, although other striping machines may be used. Indicator striping machines may be comprised of an indicator material ejection device used to lay indicators, or “stripes”, on roads, parking lots, runways, etc. One type of indicator ejected from a machine may be paint, and the ejection device may be a paint sprayer. One reflective material dispenser may couple to the walk-behind striping machine through coupling a frame portion of the dispenser to a striping machine reception tube.

An embodiment of a reflective material dispenser may also be comprised of a hopper and a dispenser assembly which faces the indicator material ejection device. The embodiment may also include a dispenser shield adapted to protect the dispenser assembly from indicator material being sprayed onto the assembly. By adequately protecting the dispenser assembly from indicator spray, as well having a generally sealed hopper so indicator spray does not enter the hopper, one embodiment may adequately solve the problem associated with many prior art dispensers—the reflective material clogging occurring within the system due to indicator build-up. Additionally, the dispenser is not comprised of any tubes, which eliminates one of the other potential clogging areas of prior art systems.

In one embodiment, the reflective material may be comprised of glass beads. A method of dispensing the glass beads includes loading the reflective glass beads into the hopper.

An embodiment may also be comprised of an indicator material locator device. One indicator material locator device may couple separately to the striping machine—not through a dispenser first reception tube, but may couple through a second reception tube. One locator device may be adapted to show the striping machine operator where an edge of the indicator material will be placed on the striping surface. One type of indicator material locator device may be a laser pointer.

In a method of dispensing reflective material, upon loading the hopper with glass beads, the indicator material locator device may be powered on. The locator device may then be positioned to point in the direction that the striping machine operator wishes to place a right edge of the indicator material, as seen from a walk-behind machine operator position. The user may then power on the striping machine and engage a first trigger on the machine. The first trigger may be coupled to a handlebar having at least one trigger device that, when squeezed, may release indicator material such as paint from a gun onto the surface.

A user may also squeeze a second trigger to release reflective material from the hopper. In one embodiment, the reflective material is released from the hopper via a reflective material dispenser assembly. The reflective material dispenser assembly may be comprised of a plurality of vertically-aligned blades. An operator may raise a set number of blades in order to set the width of the reflective material. One dispenser assembly may also be comprised of a reflective material depositor and at least one blade trapper. The blade trapper or trapper may be operatively engaged by a cable assembly, the cable assembly raising and lowering the trapper or trappers, allowing reflective material to exit the hopper, and preventing reflective material from doing so. The depositor in one embodiment may be comprised of a grooved surface non-perpendicularly-aligned with the blades, the depositor adapted to receive the reflective material and place the material on the indicator material or directly on the driving surface.

In one embodiment and in one method, glass beads may be loaded into the hopper & paint may be loaded into a indicator material reception area on the striping machine. The laser pointer and striping machine are powered on. A handlebar trigger may be engaged, allowing paint to be placed on the surface and releasing glass beads on the paint generally simultaneously. A second handle trigger may be used as well. The striping machine operator steers the machine in the correct direction, using the laser pointer and two triggers to place paint and reflective material in the correct locations.

At least one trigger may be individually operatively coupled to the cable assembly. The cable assembly may be comprised of a cable end coupled to the trigger. An opposing reflective material cable end may be operatively coupled to the engaged ejection blades. In one embodiment, when the trigger is engaged, the cable assembly releases the specified amount of reflective material from the hopper through the reflective material dispenser, onto the reflective material depositor. The operator may set the amount, or thickness, of the reflective material, through a knob operatively coupled to the engaged blade trapper or trappers.

Terminology:

The terms and phrases as indicated in quotation marks (“ ”) in this section are intended to have the meaning ascribed to them in this Terminology section applied to them throughout this document, including in the claims, unless clearly indicated otherwise in context. Further, as applicable, the stated definitions are to apply, regardless of the word or phrase's case, tense or any singular or plural variations of the defined word or phrase.

The term “or” as used in this specification and the appended claims is not meant to be exclusive rather the term is inclusive meaning “either or both”.

References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “a preferred embodiment”, “an alternative embodiment”, “a variation”, “one variation”, and similar phrases mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least an embodiment of the invention. The appearances of phrases like “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a variation” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all meant to refer to the same embodiment or variation.

The term “couple”, “coupled”, “coupling”, or any variation thereof, as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to either an indirect or direct connection between the identified elements, components or objects. Often the manner of the coupling will be related specifically to the manner in which the two coupled elements interact. Specifically, this term may be used to define tow elements joined by a bolted fastener, a latch, a hook, or any other reasonably readily removable fastening device.

The term “integrate” or “integrated” as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to a blending, uniting, or incorporation of the identified elements, components or objects into a unified whole.

Directional and/or relationary terms such as, but not limited to, left, right, nadir, apex, top, bottom, vertical, horizontal, back, front and lateral are relative to each other and are dependent on the specific orientation of a applicable element or article, and are used accordingly to aid in the description of the various embodiments and are not necessarily intended to be construed as limiting.

As applicable, the terms “about” or “generally” as used herein unless otherwise indicated means a margin of +−20%. Also, as applicable, the term “substantially” as used herein unless otherwise indicated means a margin of +−10%. It is to be appreciated that not all uses of the above terms are quantifiable such that the referenced ranges can be applied.

The term “splashback” or any similar variation thereof as used in this specification and the appending claims refers to indicator material splattering towards the reflective material dispenser.

One Embodiment of a Reflective Material Dispenser:

One embodiment of a reflective material dispenser 10 is best shown in FIGS. 1 through 11. The reflective material dispenser may be adapted to couple to an indicator laying machine, also known as a striping machine 12, or a striper, as best shown in FIG. 1. One type of striping machine may be a Graco® walk-behind striper. One striper is adapted to lay indicator material such as, but not limited to, paint, on a surface. The surface may be a driving surface such as, but not limited to, a parking lot, runway, or road.

One section of the reflective material dispenser 10 may couple to the striping machine 12 through a coupling mechanism 14, as best shown in FIG. 3. The coupling mechanism may also be called an indicator laying machine coupler. The coupler in one embodiment may be comprised of a rod 16 and a plurality of brackets 17. The brackets may be coupled or integrated to the rod or a frame portion. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, two of the brackets may be striping machine frame brackets 17′ which are adapted to couple to a striping machine frame 18 and two of the brackets may be hopper brackets 17″ adapted couple to a hopper 20. The brackets may couple to the frame and hopper, respectively, through a bolted assembly, although other coupling mechanisms such as, but not limited to, welding, are also contemplated.

The hopper 20, together with a dispenser shield 22, may be comprised of a metallic material such as, but not limited to, steel or aluminum and may include a hopper lid 21, cover 23, and at least one wall 24, as best shown in FIG. 4. A polymeric may also be used. The hopper may also have a hopper front 29, a close-up view of which is best shown in FIG. 10. One hopper may be adapted to store the reflective material in a manner ready for placement on the driving surface upon initiation by an operator.

Under the shield 22, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, is a reflective material dispenser assembly 30. The shield and covered dispenser assembly may be coupled to the striping machine 12 in a manner where a sloped shield surface 19 and a sloped reflective material depositor 34 may face an indicator material ejection device such as, but not limited to a laser pointer 40, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. One shield may have a first end 44 located proximal the ejection device. One type of indicator material ejection device may be a paint gun sprayer.

One shield 22 may cover the dispenser assembly 30 of one embodiment to protect the assembly from indicator material splashing onto the assembly. If indicator material such as, but not limited to, paint lands on the assembly, the paint may cause the dispenser assembly to function incorrectly. For example, as best shown in FIG. 6, one dispenser assembly may be comprised of a plurality of sequentially-aligned ejection blades 32 and the reflective material depositor 34. The blades may have a generally vertical length 35 of about 4 inches, as best shown in FIG. 9 and may be adapted to slide vertically. The blades may be non-perpendicularly aligned with the reflective material depositor top surface.

One reflective material depositor 34 may have a plurality of grooves on the surface of the depositor which may be generally equal in number to the amount of blades. Other embodiments may have a higher or lower number of blades and grooves. An embodiment is contemplated that has about 12 blades. As the blades may be adapted to slider vertically and allow glass beads to exit the hopper and slide along the depositor in one embodiment, if paint were to collect on the blades or grooves, the blades may not slide vertically and the beads may not slide along the grooves. In either scenario, the reflective material may clog and may not exit the hopper correctly, requiring an operator to turn off and clean the unit before powering the unit back on and resuming laying reflective and/or indicator material. The shield 22 may help to adequately prevent these occurrences, keeping the reflective material from correctly exiting the system.

One reflective material depositor 34 may also be operatively coupled to a hopper 20 bottom surface through a slider beam 36, as best shown in FIG. 11. The depositor may couple to the slider beam through a plurality of bolted assemblies 37. One slider beam may have an elongated slot 39 running generally parallel to the length of the beam which slidingly couples the depositor to the hopper, and wherein a knob 46 having a threaded bolt may dissect the slot and be inserted into a threaded hopper reception bore on the bottom of the hopper adapted to receive the bolt. As the knob is tightened into the bore, the knob may press the beam against the hopper bottom surface, keeping the beam and therefore the coupled depositor, generally stable. If the knob is rotated and loosened, the slider beam may be slid rearwardly or forwardly, allowing an operator to position a depositor exit port 28 proximal to, or distal from, the dispenser assembly.

As best shown in FIG. 1, one reflective material dispenser may comprise a trigger 60 and a cable assembly 49. The trigger may be operatively coupled to the cable assembly, which, in turn, may be operatively coupled to reflective material dispenser assembly 30, as best shown in FIG. 5. Working together, the trigger and cable assembly may operatively engage assigned blades 32—allowing the blade trapper 75 to raise and lower to release or prevent the release of reflective material, as best shown in FIG. 6.

One embodiment's cable assembly 49 may be comprised of a cable 50 having a cable first end 51 coupled to the trigger 60 and a cable second end 52 coupled to a series of pins, pulleys, and levers operatively coupled to the dispenser assembly 30. One cable second end may be coupled to a thimble end 53, as best shown in FIG. 5. The thimble end may be coupled to a biasing thimble 54. The biasing thimble may also be coupled to a cable assembly first biasing mechanism 55. Together, the trigger, cable, thimble end, and basing devices may operate to rotate a first end 57 of a shaft link 56 about a pivot point 58. The shaft link may also be referred to as a shaft. In one embodiment, the shaft link may be rotated in a generally counter-clockwise direction upon trigger engagement by pulling the shaft link first end generally in a downward motion. A second biasing mechanism 48 may rotate the first end in a generally clockwise direction by pulling a shaft link second end 47 generally towards a cable assembly second bracket 63 upon release of the trigger. As best shown in FIG. 7, one shaft link may also be operatively coupled to a rotatable rod 59 adapted to rotate about its longitudinal axis, generally centered on the pivot point. A pin 61 may also be coupled to the rod.

When a trigger 60, which may coupled to a striper handlebar 90, is engaged, the cable 50 may be pulled towards the handlebar, as best shown in FIG. 1. For example, one trigger may be gripped by an operator and pulled towards the handlebar and the coupled cable may follow the trigger towards the handlebar. As the cable follows the trigger, as best shown in FIG. 5, the thimble end 53 is pulled away from the cable assembly first bracket 62 and the biasing thimble 54 compresses towards the first bracket. The compression of the biasing thimble expands the first biasing mechanism 55 and rotates the shaft link first end 57 about the pivot point 58.

As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, rotating the shaft link 56 induces rotation in the rod 59 and the pin 61. One embodiment may also be comprised of two pins, and each pin may have a proximal end coupled to the rod near a rod end. Each pin may also have a distal end coupled to an ejection blade movement device 70, the blade movement device in one embodiment comprising a portion of the reflective material dispenser 30. One blade movement device may be comprised of an outer blade trapper 71, an inner blade trapper 75, and a blade guide 74. The blade movement device may be operatively coupled to the blades 32 and adapted to move in a direction generally tangential to the pivot point 58 and pins 61. One blade movement device is adapted to move and release material from one or more engaged blades as set by the operator prior to operation in substantially the same tangential direction as the movement device, which may be a generally vertical direction. As best shown in FIG. 11, one blade guide 74 may also be comprised of a pair of hooks 38 adapted to support the depositor 34, along with the slider beam 36.

To engage the blades 32 and set a specified reflective material width upon exit from the dispenser 30 onto the driving surface, one embodiment enables the use of a plurality of thumbscrews 72. Prior to operation of the system, an operator determines the width of the required reflective material stripe on the driving surface, and engages a specified number of blades to meet that width. In one embodiment, the blades may be comprised of a material such as steel or a steel alloy and may be about 1 inch wide, about 4 inches long and only about 0.02 inches thick. So, an operator may engage about 6 blades to set a reflective strip width of about 6 six inches.

To engage a blade 32 in one embodiment, the operator may loosen a thumbscrew 72. In one alternative embodiment, when the thumbscrew is tight, the thumbscrew standoff 73 may press the blade against a blade guide 74 so that if the blade guide is raised upon pin rotation, the blade may be raised as well in one embodiment. However, an embodiment may be adapted to allow the operator to loosen a thumbscrew, pull upwardly on the blade, and tighten the thumbscrew when the blade is in an open position, as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 9.

When the correct number of blades 32 are in an open position, the operator may engage the trigger 60, rotating the pin 61 and raising the blade trapper 75. Once the engaged blades and trapper in one embodiment are raised, reflective material may exit the hopper cavity exit port 82, as best shown in FIG. 10, and into the grooves on the reflective material depositor 34. The non-engaged blades continue to block the exit port so little to no reflective material exits onto the grooves generally aligned with those blades. Upon release of the trigger mechanism 60, the cable 50 may be generally returned to its initial position. This operation may return the blade movement device 70 to its initial position. In one embodiment the initial position of the blade movement device is the closed position, blocking the exit port once again so reflective material does not continue to exit the hopper out of the raised blades.

Therefore, in one embodiment, upon raising the blades 32 by loosening the thumbscrews 72, pulling up on the blades, and subsequently tightening the thumbscrews, when the trigger 60 is engaged, the blade trapper 75 is raised, and, acting as a gate, the blade trapper releases reflective material through those blades which were manually raised. The trigger does not raise the blades in this embodiment. However, in an alternative embodiment, the blades may be raised and lowered.

One cable assembly 49 may also be comprised of a knob 45. The knob may be coupled to the shaft link 56. In one embodiment, when the knob is rotated, the shaft link pivots about the pivot point 58, rotating the pins 61. Doing so raises or lowers the blade trapper 75. When the knob raises the blade trapper and the trigger subsequently further raises the blade trapper, more of the exit port 82 may be exposed than if the knob is turned lowering the blade trapper. Therefore, with a raised blade trapper and an increased exit port opening, more reflective material exits the dispenser and the reflective material thickness is greater on the driving surface than if the blade trapper is not raised with the knob. It is in this manner in one embodiment that the reflective material thickness may be adjusted. The thickness may be adjusted with other mechanisms in one embodiment, such as, but not limited to, a trigger.

An embodiment of a reflective material dispenser 10 may also be comprised of an indicator material locator device. One locator device may be comprised of a laser pointer 40. The indication material ejection device may be comprised of a paint gun in one embodiment. Upon powering on, the laser pointer may be adapted to place a laser dot on the driving surface. The pointer in one embodiment may be rotatably and pivotably adapted. One laser pointer is adapted to place a dot on the driving surface where an edge of the indicator material is placed, capable of adjusting to the required width of the indicator material. For example, if in one embodiment, the indicator material ejection device is set to place a 6-inch wide paint stripe on the driving surface, the paint may be placed about three inches to the left of the ejection device and about three inches to the right of the ejection device. The laser pointer may be pointed three inches to the right of the device.

In one embodiment, where the indication material ejection device sprays indicator material on the driving surface may not be able to be seen by the operator during operation of the machine because the operator's line of sight may be blocked by the hopper 20 or shield 22. Therefore, one embodiment's laser pointer 40 may also be adjusted to point about 2 feet ahead of where the indicator material ejection device initiates laying indicator material on the driving surface. This may allow the operator to view where the indicator material and the laid-upon reflective material will be placed during normal machine operation. One location may be an initial corner location of the indicator material.

One embodiment may be comprised of a laser fan guide 105, as best shown in FIG. 14. In one laser fan guide embodiment, the laser pointer 40 may be coupled to the guide. The guide may be coupled to the paint gun 103. The laser fan guide is adapted to place a laser 100 on the surface which the reflective material is to be placed on. The location of the laser may be an edge location of the fan of paint upon exit from the paint gun and placement on the driving surface. Such a device may overcome deficiencies in the prior art which cause reflective material and indicator material to be placed on the driving surface in an incorrect location. For example, the indicator material may be place either prior to or after the correct location as the driver of the striping machine does not know where the paint exiting the sprayer will land on the driving surface. The laser fan guide overcomes this problem. Besides the laser pointer, one laser fan guide may be adjustably adapted to correctly angle the laser pointer such that the laser points to the correct location on the driving surface. A first knob 102 and second knob 101 may enable rotation about at least two axis.

One Method of a Dispensing Material from a Reflective Material Dispenser:

As best shown in FIGS. 1, 5, 6, 9 and 11 through 13, a method of using the reflective material dispenser is comprised of coupling a reflective material dispenser 10 having a hopper 20 and a reflective material dispenser 30 to a striping machine 12. Furthermore, reflective material may be placed within the hopper and ejected through the reflective material dispenser and onto a surface such as, but not limited to, a driving surface. One method may also include powering on an indicator material locator device such as, but limited to, a laser pointer 40. The laser pointer may then need to be pointed to the correct position in one method. For example, if the operator is required to lay a 6 inch stripe of reflective material on one portion of a surface such as, but not limited to, a driving surface, and a 10 inch stripe on another portion of the surface, the indicator material locator device may need to be adjusted between laying reflective material for the two widths. In one method, the indicator material locator device is positioned correctly by positioning a laser point about 2 feet in front of a left or a right edge of a test indicator material blast.

Upon setting up the reflective material depositor 10 including the laser pointer 40 and the striping machine 12 in one method, the striping machine may then be powered on and indicator material may began to be laid on the surface. To begin laying indicator material such as, but not limited to, paint, on a driving surface, a trigger 60 may be engaged. One method of engaging a trigger may be to pull a trigger shaft proximal to, and coupled to, a handlebar 90, towards the handlebar.

In one method, the reflective material dispenser 10 may be coupled to the indicator striping machine 12 through coupling a hopper support frame to the striping machine. In one method, the striping machine may be a walk-behind striper and one frame may be comprised of a plurality of brackets 17 and at least one rod 16, as best shown in FIG. 12. In one method, the rod 16 may insert into a striping machine frame reception tube 3. One reception tube may also be referred to as a striping machine frame first reception tub and one reception tub may be referred to as a second reception tube. A reception tube may also be referred to as a receiver tube. Additionally, as best shown in FIG. 13, one indicator ejection device may couple to the striping machine 12 through inserting an ejection device shaft 99 to an ejection device reception tube 98. The ejection device reception tube may be referred to as a striping machine frame second section or second reception tube.

One method may include additional steps. For example, one method's placing of reflective material within the hopper 20 may include filling the hopper 20 with glass beads and a method's turning on the indicator material locator device may comprise powering on the laser pointer 40. Additionally, when indicator material is placed on a surface in one method, the indicator material may be paint. The paint may be ejected from a paint gun set to place the paint on the surface generally in a line having a first width.

Similarly, the reflective material such as, but not limited to, glass beads, may be ejected from the reflective material dispenser 10 in a first width. Ejection of the beads may comprise leaving the dispenser assembly 30 and sliding the beads along the reflective material depositor 34. In one method, the plurality of glass beads sliding along the depositor may have a width about equal to the indicator material first width, ejecting from the depositor and onto the indicator material located on the driving surface, substantially centered on the indicator material. A depositor in one method may be a grooved depositor.

To correctly lay indicator and reflective material in one method, the indicator material locator device may need to be positioned correctly. In one method, an indicator material first width is established through rotating a paint gun nozzle, spraying a test spray of the paint gun, and aiming the laser pointer 40 at a test spray edge. One laser pointer may be positioned about 2 feet in front of the actual spray location on the driving surface since the actual indicator material location may be blocked by striping machine components.

Initiating indicator material flow from the ejection device and onto the driving surface may include engaging a trigger 60, such as, but not limited to, pulling a handlebar trigger towards a handlebar. The width of the reflective material may be set by the operator in one embodiment through adjusting thumbscrews 72, as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 9. For example, the thumbscrews may be loosened, and a blade 32 may be slid generally upward. The thumbscrew may then be tightened, essentially locking the blade in an open position, as best shown in FIGS. 6 and 9.

Additionally, a method may be comprised of adjusting the thickness of the reflective material. One method may allow an operator to set the reflective material thickness through adjusting a knob 45. In one method, the knob may raise or lower one or more blade trappers 75. For example, if the knob is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the blade trapper may be raised and if the knob is rotated in clockwise direction, the blade trapper may be lowered. When the blade trapper is raised, the hopper cavity exit port 82, as best shown in FIG. 10 may be increased, thereby allowing an increased amount of reflective material to exit the dispenser and collect on the indicator material. The port may be the distance between the blade 32 or blade trapper bottom end 97 and a hopper bottom surface 96, as best shown in FIG. 9.

In one method, when the trigger is engaged, such as, but not limited to, pulling the trigger towards the handlebar, at least one biasing member may also be engaged. For example, as best shown in FIG. 5, engaging a trigger may pull the cable 50 towards the handlebar, raising a cable second end 52 generally vertically upwards. Doing so thereinafter extends or compresses at least one of a biasing thimble 54, a first biasing mechanism 55 and a second biasing mechanism 48. Additionally, a method may be comprised of rotating a rod 59.

ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the reflective material dispenser and methods of use as illustrated in the accompanying figures and described above are merely exemplary and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention. It is to be appreciated that numerous variations to the invention have been contemplated as would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure.

Claims

1) A reflective material dispenser comprising,

an indicator laying machine coupler;

a hopper comprising, a hopper lid, a hopper cover, a hopper front, and at least one hopper wall;

a dispenser assembly comprising an extension blade movement device, the dispenser assembly extending outwardly from the hopper and adapted to face an indicator material ejection device; and

a dispenser shield adapted to substantially prohibit indicator material splashback onto the dispenser assembly, the dispenser shield having a first end located proximal the indicator material ejection device.

2) The reflective material dispenser of claim 1 further including,

a trigger, and

a cable assembly operatively coupled to the trigger and the dispenser assembly, the cable assembly operatively adapted to both release a user-specified thickness and a user-specified width of reflective material from the dispenser assembly upon trigger operation.

3) The reflective material dispenser of claim 2 wherein,

the dispenser assembly comprises a plurality of sequentially-aligned ejection blades adapted to control the reflective material width, each ejection blade having a generally vertically-aligned length; and

the cable assembly comprising, a cable having a first end and a second end, the cable first end operatively coupled to the trigger and the cable second end operatively coupled to the ejection blade movement device, a knob adapted to control the reflective material thickness, and at least one biasing mechanism.

4) The reflective material dispenser of claim 2 wherein,

the ejection blade movement device comprises, an outer blade trapper, an inner blade trapper, and a blade guide;

the cable assembly comprises a rotatably adapted shaft and at least one pin having a pin proximal end and a pin distal end, the shaft operatively coupled to the pin proximal end, the pin distal end coupled to at least one of the inner blade trapper and the outer blade trapper; a knob coupled to the shaft; and

the trigger comprising a handlebar coupling device.

5) The reflective material dispenser of claim 1 wherein, the dispenser assembly comprises,

a reflective material depositor;

a plurality of sequentially-aligned ejection blades, each ejection blade having a generally vertically-aligned length having a longitudinal axis;

at least one of an inner blade trapper and an outer blade trapper;

a plurality of thumb screws; and

a blade guide.

6) The reflective material dispenser of claim 5 wherein, the reflective material depositor further comprises,

a slidingly adapted hopper coupler;

a plurality of grooves generally equal to the number of ejection blades,

a top side generally non-perpendicularly-aligned with the ejection blade longitudinal axis; and

an exit port located proximal the dispenser shield first end.

7) The reflective material dispenser of claim 1 further comprising, an indicator material locator device adapted to establish an initial surface placement location for ejected indicator material.

8) The reflective material dispenser of claim 7 wherein, the indicator material locator device comprises,

a paint gun assembly, and

a laser pointer adapted to identify a corner location for initial paint placement on the driving surface.

9) A method of using the reflective material dispenser of claim 7 comprising,

coupling the reflective material dispenser to an indicator striping machine;

placing reflective material within the hopper;

powering on the indicator material locator device;

positioning the indicator material locator device;

powering on the indicator striping machine;

engaging a trigger;

placing indicator material on a surface; and

ejecting reflective material through the reflective material dispenser onto at least one of the surface and the indicator material.

10) The method of claim 9 wherein,

coupling the reflective material dispenser to the indicator striping machine comprises, coupling a hopper support frame rod to a striping machine frame first section, inserting an ejection device reception tube to a striping machine frame second section,

placing the reflective material within the hopper comprises filling the hopper with glass beads;

turning on the indicator material locator device comprises powering on a laser pointer;

placing indicator material on a surface comprises ejecting paint having a first width; and

ejecting reflective material through the reflective material dispenser comprises sliding a plurality of glass beads along a reflective material depositor, the plurality of glass beads sliding along the depositor having a width about equal to the indicator material first width.

11) A method of using a reflective material dispenser comprising,

coupling the reflective material dispenser to a walk-behind striping machine;

placing reflective beads within a hopper;

turning on an indicator material locator device;

ejecting indicator material from a paint gun onto a driving surface; and

operatively releasing reflective material from a reflective material dispenser substantially onto the indicator material.

12) The method of claim 11 wherein, releasing reflective material from a reflective material dispenser comprises,

adjusting a reflective material release width and a reflective material thickness;

engaging a trigger assembly;

engaging a cable assembly; and

sliding reflective glass beads along a grooved reflective material depositor.

13) The method of claim 12 wherein,

adjusting a reflective material release width comprises, loosening a thumbscrew, sliding at least one blade generally vertically upward; and

adjusting a reflective material thickness comprises, increasing a distance between a blade trapper bottom end and a hopper bottom surface.

14) The method of claim 12 wherein,

engaging a trigger assembly comprises, squeezing at least one handlebar trigger, drawing a cable generally towards the trigger; and

engaging a cable assembly comprises, engaging at least one biasing member, and rotating a rod.

15) The method of claim 12 wherein,

releasing reflective material from a reflective material dispenser further includes generally vertically raising at least one blade; and further including,

sliding the depositor along the slider beam;

coupling the depositor to a receiver tube; and

steering the reflective material dispenser.

16) A reflective material striping system comprising,

an indicator material laying system;

a reflective material dispensing system; and

a positioning system adapted to identify the correct location to initiate laying indicator material and reflective material.

17) The reflective material striping system of claim 16 wherein,

the indicator material laying system comprises a walk-behind system;

the reflective material dispensing system comprises a dispenser shield; a frame portion having brackets;

the positioning system is comprised of a paint sprayer and a laser pointer;

18) The reflective material striping system of claim 16 wherein,

the indicator material laying system comprises handlebars having at least one trigger, first and second reception tubes;

the reflective material dispensing system further comprises an indicator material reception system adapted to receive paint;

19) The reflective material striping system of claim 18 wherein, the at least one trigger comprises first and second triggers.

20) The reflective material striping system of claim 15 further including, a striping surface.