Road reflectors with temperature dependent color

A thermochromatic road marker reflector is provided including a highway marker. A thermochromatic material is mounted on the marker for changing colors in response to a change in temperature.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to highway markers and more particularly 
pertains to a new road reflectors with temperature dependent color for 
alerting a driver of a possible icy road condition. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of highway markers is known in the prior art. More specifically, 
highway markers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist 
basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, 
notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art 
which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and 
requirements. 
Known prior art highway markers include U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,651; U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,234,264; U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,983; U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,346; U.S. Pat. 
No. 5,302,048; and U.S. Pat. Des. 305,673. 
In these respects, the road reflectors with temperature dependent color 
according to the present invention substantially departs from the 
conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing 
provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of alerting a 
driver of a possible icy road condition. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
highway markers now present in the prior art, the present invention 
provides a new road reflectors with temperature dependent color 
construction wherein the same can he utilized for alerting a driver of a 
possible icy road condition. 
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new road reflectors with 
temperature dependent color apparatus and method which has many of the 
advantages of the highway markers mentioned heretofore and many novel 
features that result in a new road reflectors with temperature dependent 
color which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even 
implied by any of the prior art highway markers, either alone or in any 
combination thereof. 
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a rigid 
transparent housing having a square bottom face and a top face with a 
central square extent and a pair of beveled end extents integrally coupled 
between the central extent of the top face and the bottom face. A pair of 
side extents integrally is coupled between side edges of the top and 
bottom faces to define an interior space. For maintaining the shape of the 
transparent housing, a rigid rectilinear block is situated therein. The 
block is equipped with a top face and a bottom face each with a surface 
area equal to that of the central square extent of the top face of the 
transparent housing. As such, the block defines a pair of prism shaped 
compartments within the transparent housing. Situated within the interior 
space of the transparent housing are reflective layers which line a bottom 
and rear surface of each of the prism shaped compartments. The bottom and 
rear surfaces are defined by a portion of the bottom face of the 
transparent housing and a side face of the block, respectively. Finally, a 
transparent thermochromatic material is situated within the prism shaped 
compartments for changing a color of light reflected off of the reflective 
layers upon a surrounding temperature dropping below a predetermined 
amount. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional 
features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which 
will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new road 
reflectors with temperature dependent color apparatus and method which has 
many of the advantages of the highway markers mentioned heretofore and 
many novel features that result in a new road reflectors with temperature 
dependent color which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or 
even implied by any of the prior art highway markers, either alone or in 
any combination thereof. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new road 
reflectors with temperature dependent color which may be easily and 
efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new road 
reflectors with temperature dependent color which is of a durable and 
reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new road 
reflectors with temperature dependent color which is susceptible of a low 
cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which 
accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming 
public, thereby making such road reflectors with temperature dependent 
color economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new road 
reflectors with temperature dependent color which provides in the 
apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, 
while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally 
associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new road 
reflectors with temperature dependent color for alerting a driver of a 
possible icy road condition. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new road 
reflectors with temperature dependent color that includes a highway 
marker. A thermochromatic material is mounted on the marker for changing 
colors in response to a change in temperature. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 
thereof, a new road reflectors with temperature dependent color embodying 
the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally 
designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described. 
The present invention, designated as numeral 10, includes a rigid 
transparent housing 12 having a square bottom face 14 and a top face 16 
with a central square extent 18 and a pair of beveled end extents 20 
integrally coupled between the central extent of the top face and the 
bottom face. A pair of side extents integrally is coupled between side 
edges of the top and bottom faces to define an interior space. 
For maintaining the shape of the transparent housing, a rigid rectilinear 
block 22 is situated therein. The block is equipped with a top face and a 
bottom face each with a surface area equal to that of the central square 
extent of the top face of the transparent housing. As such, the block 
defines a pair of prism shaped compartments 24 within the transparent 
housing. 
Situated within the interior space of the transparent housing are 
rectangular reflective layers 26 which line a bottom and rear surface of 
each of the prism shaped compartments. The bottom and rear surfaces are 
defined by a portion of the bottom face of the transparent housing and a 
side face of the block, respectively. 
Finally, a transparent thermochromatic material 28 is situated within the 
prism shaped compartments for changing a color of light reflected off of 
the reflective layers upon a surrounding temperature dropping below a 
predetermined amount of about 32 degrees. As an option, a light 
manipulating layer 30 may be situated between the beveled side extent of 
the top face of the transparent housing and the thermochromatic material 
for dispersing and/or diffracting the reflected light. 
In the preferred embodiment, the marker is mounted in direct contact with a 
road for indicating a freezing condition which may result in ice thereon. 
It should be noted that the marker may take the form of other various 
shapes and further be mounted above the ground or on a sign adjacent to a 
highway. 
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the 
present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. 
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and 
operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.