LINES FOR PARKING

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ribbon or strip for a parking garage or parking places. The invention is characterized in that it consists of strips (2) or ribbons of pleated sheet metal or plastic, painted on the upper side with a bright colour such as yellow, red or white.

Description: L i n e s f o r p a r k i n g Technical field: The present invention relates to a ribbon or strip for a parking garage or parking places, painted on the upper side with a bright colour such as yellow, red or white. Background art: Painted lines in parking garages and similar premises for marking parking spaces, entrances and the like, are often destroyed due to wear and dirtying by vehicles and other sources. A tyre running along or over such a line constitutes an efficient source of dirt and wear. Such lines thus often require cleaning and re-painting. This entails considerable costs and, before it has been done, it is difficult to find the proper place in a parking garage. Similar problems may arise in outdoor parking places. Description of the invention: The present invention aims at a solution of these and other similar problems. It is characterized in that the strips, etc. consist of pleated sheet metal or plastic of permanent shape where the tops are not pressed down by a vehicle. Upon passage of a wheel only the uppermost tips will become worn whereas the paint will otherwise remain intact. The paint at the bottom of the pleats is not affected by the wheels since the strip consists of steel plate or Zn-Al plate or some other rigid, metallic material, or of plastic such as polyurethane. The pleating may be stepped, with the upper edges running substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the strip, or may be zig-zag or sinus shaped. An advantage with these strips is that they can be attached to the underlying surface by means of studs impacted therein, attached to the ribbon by means of welding or fired from a riveting gun. The strip may also be attached to the floor by means of gluing, e.g. using a binder attached to the lower side of the strip which is heated when the strip is in place and, when the binder has solidified, secures the strip to the underlying surface. A driver about to park in one of these marked spaces will feel if he has not parked straight when he drives over the strips. The strips are easy to clean since any dirt deposited in the bottom of the pleats is loose and can easily be flushed or vacuumed away. The pleating may also be placed asymmetrically so it is more easily visible when driving into the parking space. The pleated strips can be produced by crimping or rolling. The paint used may either be painted directly on the upper side of the sheet metal or on top of a primer on the same upper side. Attachment can also be facilitated by drilling holes in the floor for the studs in the strip. A suitable strip width may be about 10 cm. Glass balls or chips or other reflecting particles may be mixed into the paint with the object of increasing visibility. The paint may be powder-paint. The strips of sheet metal or plastic are of non-deformable, non-resilient type, where the tops will not be pressed down by a vehicle driving over them - an important advantage with the present invention. Brief description of the drawings: The invention is shown in more detail by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows the wheel of a vehicle in contact with a strip according to the invention (in this case stepped), and Figure 2 the same strip seen from above. Figures 3-5 show various strip shapes. Description of embodiment: Figure 1 shows the wheel (1) of a vehicle, rolling in over a stepped strip (2). This strip is pleated in its mid-portion (3) in stepped shape, i.e. with a substantially vertical part (4) and an adjacent inclined part (5). An advantage with this shape is that light falling on the vertical parts is reflected towards the driver heading towards the vertical parts (4). The strip, which is of non-deformable sheet metal or plastic, is painted in bright colours on its upper side and is shaped with a rounded transition (6) between the vertical and inclined parts. This part (6), on which the wheel rolls or is supported, is the only part of the strip which will be subject to wear, the rest of the paint remaining, despite repeated wear. The strip marking is therefore long-lasting and requires little cleaning. Figure 2 shows a stepped strip according to Figure 1, seen from above. The mid-portion (3) is thus the stepped part and two flat parts (7) are located, one on each side of this part, The strip is attached to the floor by means of studs impacted into the floor, welded to the lower side of the strip or fired from a riveting gun. It is also possible, e.g. in the case of plastic strips, to apply a binder to the lower side of the strip which, after being placed as desired, is heated to melting point and becomes attached to the floor upon subsequent solidification. Figure 3 shows a zig-zag shaped strip (8) secured to the floor by means of impacted studs (10). Another variant (9) shows a sinus-shaped strip, also attached by means of impacted studs (10). The strip may also be provided with rounded elevations, separated from each other (11, Figure 5). The pleated part (6) of the strip may either be parallel to its longitudinal direction or may be at a right angle or an acute angle to this. The invention thus offers marking strips for a parking garage or parking places which, despite the passage of innumerable vehicles, provide durable and clear marking of parking spaces, etc. The invention can be varied in many ways within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Ribbon or strip for a parking garage or parking places, painted on the upper side with a bright colour such as yellow, red or white, characterized in that the strips, etc. consist of pleated sheet metal or plastic (2) of permanent shape where the tops are not pressed down by a vehicle. 2. A ribbon as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pleating is arranged at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the strip, e.g. asymmetrically, or at right angles to the longitudinal direction, or is alternatively arranged parallel to this direction. 3. A ribbon as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the pleating is stepped (5, 6), with the upper edges (6) at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the strip. 4. A ribbon as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the pleating is in zig-zag shape (8) or sinus shape (9) or is provided with rounded elevations (11) separated from each other. 5. A ribbon as claimed in any claims 1-4, characterized in that the strip consists of steel plate, Zn-Al plate or stainless steel plate, attached to the underlying surface by means of impacted studs (10) welded to the lower side of the ribbon or fired from a riveting gun, or permanently glued to the underlying surface. 6. A ribbon as claimed in any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the strip consists of plastic such as polyurethane.

Inventors: GUNSTAD MIKAEL, GUNSTAD, MIKAEL
Applicants: GUNSTAD MIKAEL, GUNSTAD, MIKAEL
Application year: 1997
Main classification: E01F9
IPC codes: E01F9