Movement resistant retroreflective pavement marker

A retroreflective pavement marker comprising:

• a hollow housing formed from aluminum, the housing having a top wall generally parallel to the surface of the roadway and side walls downwardly inclined from the top wall, the housing being substantially open at its forward and rearward faces;
• a stud projecting downwardly perpendicular from the top wall of the housing, the stud being formed from aluminum and being formed unitary with the housing, the stud having a plurality of vanes extending the length of the stud, the vanes projecting outwardly from the stud;
• reflector means formed of thermoplastic material, the reflector means having a first portion containing retroreflective cube corner elements, a second portion substantially surrounding the stud near its junction with the top wall of the housing and contacting the inside surface of the housing, the first portion of the reflector means being downwardly inclined at the forward face of the housing with the retroreflective cube corners being visible through the forward face of the housing, and a third portion containing retroreflective cube corner elements, the third portion of the reflector means being downwardly inclined at the rearward face of the housing with the retroreflective cube corners being visible through the rearward face of the housing;
• and,
• fill means in and filling the inside of the housing and substantially anchoring the reflector means to the housing.

A retroreflective pavement marker comprising:

• a hollow housing formed from aluminum, the housing having a top wall generally parallel to the surface of the roadway and side walls downwardly inclined from the top wall, the housing being substantially open at its forward face;
• a stud projecting downwardly perpendicular from the top wall of the housing, the stud being formed from aluminum and being formed unitary with the housing, the stud having four vanes extending the length of the stud, the vanes projecting outwardly from the stud to define an X-shaped cross-section, the vanes also having flat outward faces;
• reflector means formed of thermoplastic material, the reflector means having a first portion containing retroreflective cube corner elements on its rearward side and a second portion substantially surrounding the stud near its junction with the top wall of the housing and contacting the inside surface of the housing, the reflector means being downwardly inclined at the forward face of the housing the retroreflective cube corners being visible through the forward face;
• and,
• fill means in and filling the inside of the housing and substantially anchoring the reflector means to the housing.

A method of making a retroreflective pavement marker, the method comprising:

• forming a hollow housing from impact resistant aluminum, the housing having a top wall generally parallel to the surface of the pavement and side walls downwardly inclined from the top wall, the housing being substantially open at its forward face, the housing having a stud projecting downwardly perpendicular from the top wall of the housing, the stud being formed of the same impact resistant aluminum as the housing and being formed unitary with the housing;
• placing a reflector means formed of thermoplastic material into the housing, the reflector means having a first portion containing retroreflective cube corner elements on its rearward side, the reflector means placed with the first portion being inclined at the forward face of the housing and with the retroreflective cube corners being visible through the forward face of the housing;
• filling the housing with epoxy which hardens upon curing;
• and,
• curing the epoxy.

A method of making a retroreflective pavement marker, the method comprising:

• forming a hollow housing from impact resistant aluminum, the housing having a top wall generally parallel to the surface of the roadway and side walls downwardly inclined from the top wall, the housing having at least one support rib between the side walls, the housing being substantially open at its forward face, the housing having a stud projecting downwardly perpendicular from the top wall of the housing, the stud being formed of the same impact resistant aluminum as the housing and being formed unitary with the housing;
• placing a reflector means formed of thermoplastic material in the housing, the reflector means having a first portion containing retroreflective cube corner elements on its rearward side, the reflector means placed with the first portion being inclined at the forward face of the housing and with the retroreflective cube corners being visible through the forward face of the housing;
• filling the housing with epoxy which hardens upon curing;
• and,
• curing the epoxy.