Patent ID: 11905668
Assignee: ECOPATH STRIPING LLC
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 0:
1. An RPM installer for automatically aligning an RPM dispenser assembly and an adhesive dispenser over a marker location on a roadway and installing an RPM marker at said marker location, wherein:
said RPM installer comprises a mounting assembly, a sliding assembly, said RPM dispenser assembly and said adhesive dispenser;
said mounting assembly is configured to attach to a vehicle;
said RPM installer comprises a forward movement direction aligned with a forward moving direction of said vehicle;
said RPM installer comprises a front side associated with said forward movement direction, a rear side, an interior side adjacent with said vehicle, and an exterior side;
said sliding assembly is configured to attach to and selectively slide relative to said mounting assembly in directions substantially aligned with said forward movement direction;
said RPM dispenser assembly and said adhesive dispenser are mounted to a portion of said sliding assembly;
said sliding assembly is configured to selectively slide between a rearward configuration and a forward configuration, each defined relative to said mounting assembly in said forward movement direction;
with said sliding assembly in said rearward configuration, said adhesive dispenser is aligned over said marker location;
with said sliding assembly in said forward configuration, said RPM dispenser assembly is aligned over said marker location;
said adhesive dispenser comprises a dispensing nozzle configured to selectively dispense an adhesive fluid;
said RPM installer is configured for:
aligning said adhesive dispenser with said marker location,
dispensing said adhesive fluid on said marker location,
aligning said RPM dispenser assembly with said marker location, and
dispensing said RPM marker on said marker location using said RPM dispenser assembly;

said RPM dispenser assembly comprises an RPM stack cage and a dropper assembly;
said RPM stack cage is configured to align and organize one or more of said RPM markers as an RPM stack;
said RPM stack cage is configured to encompass a perimeter portion said RPM stack;
the lowest said RPM marker of said RPM stack is referred to as a bottom RPM;
said RPM stack cage comprises a dispensing slot comprising a bottom portion of said RPM stack cage;
said dispensing slot is taller than said bottom RPM and comprises one side being open and configured to allow said bottom RPM to slide outward and toward said dropper assembly;
thus, said RPM stack is configured to allow for said bottom RPM of said RPM stack to be selectively dispensed out of said RPM stack cage;
said RPM installer comprises a controller having a memory, one or more processors, and a communication hardware;
said memory host a device application configured to control operation of said RPM installer;
said device application is stored in said memory and executed in said one or more processors;
said RPM dispenser assembly comprises said dropper assembly;
said dropper assembly comprises one or more dropper gates;
said dropper assembly is configured for:
receiving said RPM marker on said one or more dropper gates,
transitioning said one or more dropper gates from a substantially horizontal state to a substantially vertical state, and
dropping said RPM marker out of said one or more dropper gates;

said one or more dropper gates comprise a first dropper gate and a second dropper gate;
each among said one or more dropper gates comprises a rotating axis, a gate platform, and a counterweight;
said first dropper gate and said second dropper gate face one another and rotate opposite from one another when transitioning from a holding configuration to a dropping configuration;
said gate platform of each gate are substantially aligned with one another when in said holding configuration;
said one or more dropper gates comprise a gate gap between said first dropper gate and said second dropper gate;
said gate gap is calculated to be smaller than a width of said RPM marker;
said gate platform and said counterweight is arranged on opposite sides of said rotating axis;
said counterweight acts as a damper when said RPM marker is placed in said one or more dropper gates; and
said rotating axis comprises an axis created by a hinge between a portion of said gate platform and a fixed portion of said dropper assembly.