Reflective pavement marker
OwnerDouglas S. Forrerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims25
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.
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.
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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.