Traffic Delineator with Signaling Device

Abstract

A delineator includes a signaling device module for use on a portable delineator for use on roadways or the like. The module includes a signal producing member such as a light or reflector and a housing for supporting the signal producing member. The housing has an exterior surface and defines an interior cavity. The interior cavity can house a portable power source, such as a battery or photovoltaic cell for the light if required. The module further includes a retainer secured to the housing, the retainer including a connecting leg and a retaining leg. The retainer can move from a first position in close proximity to or in contact with the exterior surface of the housing to a second position away from the exterior surface of the housing so that when the retainer is disposed in the second position, a length of material, such as flexible tape, can be placed between the retaining leg of the retainer and the exterior surface of the housing. When the retainer is in the first position, the material is captively held between the exterior surface of the housing and the retaining leg. The retainer cooperates with one or more other retainers on one or more other portable delineators to form a continuous physical border between the delineators when the material is disposed in the retainers from one delineator to the next.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field

This description relates to a traffic delineator or a road marker which can be placed temporarily upon a road for directing traffic or placed upon the ground for marking off areas. This road marker includes a signaling device that removably secures a length of flexible material thereon.

2. Description of the Related Art

Road markers, also known as traffic delineators or road barrels, are conventionally used along roads and other geographic areas for visually marking the areas. For example, in construction zones along a road, markers are positioned for visually guiding vehicle drivers for passage around marked-off areas. Other examples are the placement of markers at geographical areas for guiding the parking of vehicles or for temporarily blocking off areas to vehicles or people.

One conventional road marker comprises a barrel which may be formed of a plastic material. Such barrels are typically brightly colored, generally safety orange, or include reflective tape so that they are readily visible. A large number of such barrels may be aligned on a highway to mark off of a lane of highway, that is, to guide vehicles around the marked off lane or other portion of the highway during construction work. Other types of road markers, such as so-called horses or barricades made of inverted, spaced apart V-shaped ends between which an elongated board is positioned, are used to block off an area, as for example, a parade route or other gathering, which is temporarily off limits to the public. A third type of road marker is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,339 in which the road marker includes a pair of interconnected panels that may be arranged upright, transversely to each other which can be manually folded into a flat position in which the panels overlap and are generally parallel.

It is common to mount upon the upper ends of the road markers battery operated lights or types of similar attention getting devices such as reflectors. It is also common to align several road markers and to string a flexible tape member from one road marker to the next to establish a boundary. This is typically accomplished by simply wrapping the flexible tape around the lights or reflectors and moving to the next marker and wrapping the tape around its light or reflector and so on. In doing this, an effective border can be formed. However, such wrapping is unsightly and is difficult to unwrap once the need for the boundary has ended. An operator will typically just cut or break the tape instead of removing it from the marker, leaving residual lengths of the tape on the markers.

It would be advantageous if the tape used to create the border or boundary could be easily secured to the markers and easily removed from the markers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the present description includes a signaling device module for use on a portable delineator for use on roadways or the like. The module includes a signal producing member such as a light or reflector and a housing for supporting the signal producing member. The housing has an exterior surface and defines an interior cavity. The interior cavity can house a portable power source, such as a battery or photovoltaic cell for the light if required. The module further includes a retainer secured to the housing, the retainer including a connecting leg and a retaining leg. The retainer can move from a first position in close proximity to or in contact with the exterior surface of the housing to a second position away from the exterior surface of the housing so that when the retainer is disposed in the second position, a length of material, such as flexible tape, can be placed between the retaining leg of the retainer and the exterior surface of the housing. When the retainer is in the first position, the material is captively held between the exterior surface of the housing and the retaining leg. The retainer cooperates with one or more other retainers on one or more other portable delineators to form a continuous physical border between the delineators when the material is disposed in the retainers from one delineator to the next.

In another embodiment of the present description, the retainer is formed from a synthetic polymeric material integrally with the housing and includes one or more retaining barbs that captively and releaseably engage the material in the retainer. In this embodiment, the connecting leg of the retainer forms a living hinge between the retaining leg and an exterior surface of the housing.

An advantage of this description is that a relatively inexpensive light module can hold and easily release a long flexible material extending from one marker to another.

These and other objects and advantages of this description will be become apparent upon reading the following Detailed Description when taken alone or in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the road marker in use position with a signal light arranged for assembly to the upper end of one of the panels of the marker.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a light module structured in accord with the present description.

FIG. 2A is a front elevational view of a light module structured in accord with the present description.

FIG. 2B is a side elevational view of a light module structured in accord with the present description.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the retainer of the present description.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a plurality of road markers in accord with the present description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a road marker 10 is arranged in its upright, use position standing on a ground surface. The marker 10 comprises two panels 11 and 12 which are similar in construction. Panel 11 has a central spine or column 13 that extends from the upper edge of the panel to a point about halfway towards the lower edge of the panel. Integrally joined to the column are oppositely extending side wing portions 14 and 15. These side portions are arranged in parallel, but laterally offset planes. The road marker 10 is one example of many types of road markers, road barrels or traffic delineators the can be used with the present description, such as barrels, saw-horse type markers, cones, etc. The present description is not meant to be limited to any specific type of road marker.

The markers may be molded out of a plastic material which is sufficiently durable for the intended purpose. Those skilled in the molding art would be able to select a suitable commercially available material.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a light module or signal device 20 is secured to the road marker 10. The light module 20 includes signal producing member, such as a reflector or a light member 22 and a housing 24 for supporting the light member 22. In one embodiment, the housing 24 has an exterior surface 26 and defines an interior cavity for receiving a power supply for the light member 22 if needed, such as a battery or a photovoltaic cell. In an alternative embodiment, the housing can be solid and not define such a receiving space. Typically, the housing will be injection or blow molded from a synthetic polymeric material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene as examples.

As shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3, the module 20 further includes a retainer 30 flexibly secured to the housing 24. The retainer 30 is disposed vertically on the housing 24. However, the retainer 30 could also be disposed horizontally across the housing 24 as well. The retainer 30 includes a connecting leg 32, a retaining leg 34 and a retaining barb 36. The retainer 30 moves from a first position in close proximity to or actually in contact with the exterior surface 26 of the housing 24 to a second position away from the exterior surface 26 of the housing 24. When the retainer 30 is disposed in the second position, a flexible material can be placed between the retaining leg 34 of the retainer 30 and the exterior surface 26 of the housing 24. When the retainer 30 is in the first position, the flexible material is captively and releasably held between the exterior surface 26 of the housing 24 and the retaining leg 34.

In the light module 20, the retainer 30 is formed from a synthetic polymeric material such as polyethylene or polypropylene for example, and is integrally formed on the housing 24, such that the connecting leg 32 forms a living hinge between the retaining leg 34 and an exterior surface 26 of the housing 24. The retaining leg 34 can be disposed vertically or horizontally across the housing 24.

In other embodiments, the housing 24 can include a plurality of retainers disposed at predetermined positions around the perimeter of the housing, on both the top and base portions of the housing 24. Further, multiple retaining barbs could be formed on the retaining leg of the retainers to further secure a flexible material between the exterior surface of the housing and the retaining leg.

In another aspect of the present invention, the description includes a method of making a light module 20 for use on a delineator 10. The method includes the steps of forming a housing 24 for supporting the light member 22, the housing 24 having a base portion and a top portion, the base portion and the top portion defining an open interior cavity and securing the light member 22 to the housing. The housing can be molded from a synthetic polymeric material in any of a number of know molding processes. The method also includes the step of securing a retainer 30 on the top or base portion of the housing with the retainer 30 having a connecting leg 32, a retaining leg 34 and a retaining barb 36. The retainer 30 is formed in a molding process such that the connecting leg 32 forms a living hinge between the retaining leg 32 and an exterior surface of the housing 24. In this manner, the retainer 30 can move from a first position in close proximity to or in contact with the exterior surface of the housing 24 to a second position away from the exterior surface of the housing. Alternatively, the retainer can be molded separately from the housing 24 and later secured to the housing using known fastening techniques.

The signal device 20 may be fastened to the marker 10 by means of a suitable fastener 43, such as a screw, inserted through a hole in the marker and a hole in the signal device casing 41. Thus, the signal device can be replaced whenever desired either to replace worn batteries or to replace a damaged signal device. Other forms of signal devices commonly used in highway road markers can be utilized for the same purpose and mounted in the same way as indicated above.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modification wherein a plurality of spaced apart road markers 10a, b and c are provided with light housings 20 having the retainers 30 of the present description. A flexile material has been strung through each retainer to form a barrier which may be placed across a road or other area to prevent entry into that area.

The foregoing should be read as a description of preferred, operative embodiments of this invention and not in a strictly limiting sense. This invention may be further developed within the scope of the following claims. Thus, having fully described an operative embodiment of this invention, I claim.

Claims

1. A signaling device module for use on a delineator for use on roadways or the like, comprising:

a signal producing member;

a housing for supporting said signal producing member, the housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior cavity;

a retainer secured to said housing, said retainer comprising a connecting leg and a retaining leg, said retainer being operative to move from a first position in close proximity to the exterior surface of said housing to a second position away from said exterior surface of said housing;

and wherein when said retainer is disposed in said second position, a material can be placed between said retaining leg of said retainer and said exterior surface of said housing and when said retainer is in said first position, the material is captively held between the exterior surface of said housing and said retaining leg.

2. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retainer further includes a retaining barb configured to captively and releaseably engage the material in said retainer.

3. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retainer is formed from a synthetic polymeric material integrally formed on said housing, such that said connecting leg forms a living hinge between said retaining leg and an exterior surface of said housing.

4. The module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the retainer is formed from a synthetic polymeric material integrally formed on said housing, such that said connecting leg is preloaded toward said housing.

5. The module as claimed in claim 3 wherein the retaining leg is disposed vertically across the housing.

6. The module as claimed in claim 3 wherein the retaining leg includes a plurality of retaining barbs for engaging the material.

7. The module as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retainer is operative to cooperate with one or more other retainers on one or more other portable delineators to form a continuous physical border between the delineators when the material is disposed in said retainers.

8. The module as claimed in claim 1, further including a pair of retainers disposed on opposite sides of said housing.

9. The module as claimed in claim 1, further including a plurality of retainers disposed at predetermined positions around the perimeter of said housing.

10. The module as claimed in claim 9, further including a fastener for securing said module to said delineator.

11. A light module for use on a portable delineator for use on roadways or the like, comprising:

a light member;

a housing for supporting said light member, the housing having an exterior surface and defining an interior cavity for receiving a power supply for said light member;

a retainer flexibly secured to said housing, said retainer comprising a connecting leg, a retaining leg and a retaining barb, said retainer being operative to move from a first position in contact with the exterior surface of said housing to a second position away from said exterior surface of said housing;

and wherein when said retainer is disposed in said second position, a material can be placed between said retaining leg of said retainer and said exterior surface of said housing and when said retainer is in said first position, the material is captively held between the exterior surface of said housing and said retaining leg.

12. The light module as claimed in claim 11, wherein the retainer is formed from a synthetic polymeric material is integrally formed on said housing, such that said connecting leg forms a living hinge between said retaining leg and an exterior surface of said housing.

13. The light module as claimed in claim 11, wherein the retaining leg is disposed vertically across the housing.

14. The light module as claimed in claim 11 wherein the retaining leg includes a plurality of retaining barbs for engaging the material.

15. The light module as claimed in claim 11, wherein said retainer is operative to cooperate with one or more other retainers on one or more other portable delineators to form a continuous physical border between the delineators when the material is disposed in said retainers.

16. The light module as claimed in claim 11, further including a pair of retainers disposed on opposite sides of said housing.

17. The light module as claimed in claim 11, further including a plurality of retainers disposed at predetermined positions around the perimeter of said housing.

18. A method of making a light module for use on a portable delineator for use on roadways or the like, comprising the steps of:

providing a light member;

forming a housing for supporting said light member, the housing having a base portion and a top portion, said base portion and said top portion defining an open interior cavity;

securing the light member to the housing; and

securing a retainer on either of said top or said base portion of said housing with said retainer having a connecting leg, a retaining leg and a retaining barb, wherein said connecting leg forms a living hinge between said retaining leg and an exterior surface of said housing such that said retainer is operative to move from a first position in close proximity to or in contact with the exterior surface of said housing to a second position away from said exterior surface of said housing.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of forming a housing includes the step of molding the housing from a synthetic polymeric material.

20. The method of claim 19, further including the step of molding a retainer integrally into the housing.