# US 11,111,641 B2 · Intelligent traffic management system with all-weather, illuminated lane markings

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- Number: US 11,111,641 B2
- Document ID: US11111641B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/721,911
- Filed: 2019-12-19
- Published: 2020-04-23
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2016-05-23
- Assignees: Vivcor Systems Inc
- Applicants: Vivcor Systems Inc
- Inventors: Gregory B. Van Alfen; Shane McKenna
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111641B2

## CPC

- E01F 9/559: illuminated
- F21V 23/003: {the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array}
- F21W 2111/02: for roads, paths or the like
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- E01F: ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED

## Abstract

A road marker apparatus, system and lighting module and corresponding methods of manufacture, installation and replacement. There is a road insert having upwardly facing ridges and an internal cavity with interior surface textures and a tapered front cavity; a boot of incompressible material disposed within the internal cavity of the road insert and form-fit thereto; and a housing body removably disposed within the boot cavity and form-fit thereto. An array of exterior surface textures that operate as a forward operating taper lock between the housing body and the road insert that restricts forward movement and rotation of the housing body with respect to the road insert; and a housing cavity within which one or more physical modules may be disposed. There is a rear lock behind the housing body that prevents rearward displacement of the housing body with respect to the road insert.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A road marker housing, comprising:
a. a road insert having an exterior texture that includes upwardly facing ridges and an internal cavity including interior surface textures and a tapered front cavity;
b. a boot of incompressible material disposed within the internal cavity of the road insert and form-fit thereto, the boot having a boot cavity; and
c. a housing body removably disposed within the boot cavity and form-fit thereto, the housing body including:
i. a tapered from shaped to mate with the tapered front cavity of the road insert and thereby be trapped therein;
ii. an array of exterior surface textures that operate together with the interior surface textures of the road insert through the boot to operate as a forward operating taper lock between the housing body and the road insert that restricts forward movement and rotation of the housing body with respect to the road insert; and
iii. a housing cavity within which one or more physical modules may be disposed;
d. a rear lock removably disposed inside the road insert behind the housing body that prevents rearward displacement of the housing body with respect to the road insert; and
e. a lighting system to provide illumination through a top surface thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the rear lock is a cam lock.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, further comprising a wedge lock disposed over the rear lock and locking the rear lock into place.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing body includes a channel disposed along an underside thereof, through which compressed air may be injected to facilitate removal of the housing body from the boot.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the upwardly facing ridges are tooth-shaped.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the road insert is rectangular from a top plan view.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing includes sensors which are coupled to a central control module.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a solar panel.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the lighting system includes a dual beam lighting system including an upwardly directed beam.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the lighting system includes a diagonally directed beam.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a hydrophobic treatment.

### Claim 12

A road marker housing, comprising:
a. a road insert having an exterior texture that includes upwardly facing ridges and an internal cavity including interior surface textures and a tapered front cavity;
b. a boot of incompressible material disposed within the internal cavity of the road insert and form-fit thereto, the boot having a boot cavity; and
c. a housing body removably disposed within the boot cavity and form-fit thereto, the housing body including:
i. a tapered front shaped to mate with the tapered front cavity of the road insert and thereby be trapped therein;
ii. an array of exterior surface textures that operate together with the interior surface textures of the road insert through the boot to operate as a forward operating taper lock between the housing body and the road insert that restricts forward movement and rotation of the housing body with respect to the road insert;
iii. a housing cavity within which one or more physical modules may be disposed;
iv. a wedge lock disposed over the rear lock and locking the rear lock into place;
d. a cam lock removably disposed inside the road insert behind the housing body that prevents rearward displacement of the housing body with respect to the road insert; and
e. a lighting system to provide illumination through a top surface thereof.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The housing of claim 12, wherein the housing body includes a channel disposed along an underside thereof, through which compressed air may be injected to facilitate removal of the housing body from the boot.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The housing of claim 13, wherein the upwardly facing ridges are tooth-shaped.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The housing of claim 14, wherein the road insert is rectangular from a top plan view.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The housing of claim 12, wherein the lighting system includes a dual beam lighting system including an upwardly directed beam.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The housing of claim 12, wherein the lighting system includes a diagonally directed beam.

### Claim 18

A road marker housing, comprising:
a. a road insert which is rectangular from a top plan view having an exterior texture that includes tooth-shaped upwardly facing ridges and an internal cavity including interior surface textures and a tapered front cavity;
b. a boot of incompressible material disposed within the internal cavity of the road insert and form-fit thereto, the boot having a boot cavity;
c. a housing body removably disposed within the boot cavity and form-fit thereto, the housing body including;
i. a tapered front shaped to mate with the tapered front cavity of the road insert and thereby be trapped therein;
ii. an array of exterior surface textures that operate together with the interior surface textures of the road insert through the boot to operate as a forward operating taper lock between the housing body and the road insert that restricts forward movement and rotation of the housing body with respect to the road insert; and
iii. a housing cavity within which one or more physical modules may be disposed;
iv. a channel disposed along an underside thereof, through which compressed air may be injected to facilitate removal of the housing body from the boot;
v. a lighting system to provide illumination through a top surface thereof;
d. a rear lock removably disposed inside the road insert behind the housing body that prevents rearward displacement of the housing body with respect to the road insert;
e. a wedge lock disposed over the rear lock and locking the rear lock into place; and
f. a sensor which is coupled to a central control module.