Abstract:
A guardrail block includes an attachable support for signage, such as a reflector. The reflector may be mountable on the support, and the support may be integrated with a base or may be separate and attached to the base. For example, a support may be snap fit into the base and the base can be slip fitted into recessed channels formed in elongated extensions extending from a top surface of the guardrail block. The guardrail block may be made of a synthetic foam material, the support and base may be die injection molded, and the reflector may be reflective tape adhered to a surface of the support, for example.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/113,790 filed Nov. 12, 2008, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The field relates to guardrails used to redirect vehicles back onto a roadway, especially to guardrail blocks that act as a deflection buffer between posts set in concrete and guardrails supported by the posts. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    U.S. Pat Nos. 6,007,269; 6,168,346; 6,530,560; 6,758,627; 7,234,687 disclose guardrail supports, attachments and positioning blocks used for positioning of a guardrail on posts during installation and thereafter. No accommodation is made for adding of a reflector or signage to the guardrail support. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    A guardrail block and reflector system includes a reflector and/or signage support having a plurality of feet extending from an upright holding member, the plurality of feet shaped to matingly engage with a channel formed in a top surface of the guardrail block. 
         [0005]    A guardrail block may be made of an elastically deformable material and may be formed to include channels in a top side of the guardrail block such that feet extending from an upright holding member may be retained in the channels formed on the top side of the guardrail block. By supporting a reflector, the upright holding member acts as a support and improves visibility of highway guardrails at night and in bad weather conditions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The following drawings illustrate, and the detailed description describes, examples of a guardrail block and reflector system. These examples should not be considered as limiting to the claims. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an example of a reflector/signage support mounted on a top surface of a guardrail block. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view of the example in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of only the guardrail block of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates a top plan view of the top portion of the guardrail block of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a back plan view of the back of the guardrail block of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates a side plan view of the side of the guardrail block of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  illustrates a front plan view of an example of a guardrail block and reflector system as mounted on a post with a guardrail. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  illustrates a top plan view of the example of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  illustrates a side view of an upper portion of the example of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  illustrates an exploded, perspective view of the example of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0017]      FIGS. 11A-11F  illustrate detailed views of an example of a support.  FIG. 12A  illustrates a plan view of an insertable support. 
           [0018]      FIG. 12B  illustrates a bottom plan view of the insertable support of  FIG. 12A . 
           [0019]      FIG. 12C  illustrates a side plan view of the insertable support of  FIG. 12A . 
           [0020]      FIG. 12D  illustrates a perspective view of the insertable support of  FIG. 12A . 
           [0021]      FIGS. 13A-D  illustrate views of an alternative insertable support. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 14A-B  illustrate schematic views of a reflector mounted using an adhesive. 
           [0023]      FIGS. 15A-D  illustrate views of another alternative insertable support. 
           [0024]      FIGS. 16A-D  illustrate views of yet another alternative insertable support. 
           [0025]      FIG. 17A  illustrates an end plan view of a receiving element. 
           [0026]      FIG. 17B  illustrates a bottom plan view of the receiving element of  FIG. 17A . 
           [0027]      FIG. 17C  illustrates a side plan view of the receiving element of  FIG. 17A . 
           [0028]      FIG. 17D  illustrates a top plan view of the receiving element of  FIG. 17A . 
           [0029]      FIG. 17E  illustrates a perspective view of the receiving element of  FIG. 17A . 
           [0030]      FIGS. 18A-C  disclose another example of a receiving element. 
           [0031]      FIGS. 19A-B  illustrate a support snap fit into a receiving element. 
           [0032]      FIGS. 20A-B  illustrate another support snap fit into a receiving element. 
           [0033]      FIGS. 21A-D  illustrate views of yet another receiving element. 
           [0034]      FIG. 22  illustrates another guardrail block. 
           [0035]      FIG. 23  illustrates yet another guardrail block. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0036]    In the example of  FIG. 1 , a guardrail block  20  is illustrated with a reflector and/or signage support  12  mounted in recessed channels (not shown) that are formed in a top portion  21  of the guardrail block  20 . The reflector support  12  has four retaining members  16  formed in two pairs on opposite edges of the support  12 . The four retaining members  16  are capable of retaining a reflector  11  or signage, as illustrated in the exploded view of  FIG. 2 , for example.  FIG. 2  shows a portion of one of a pair of recessed channels  22  formed in opposite sides  27 ,  28  of a top portion  21  of the guardrail block  20 . In this example, four feet  14  extend from an upper portion  13  of the support  12 . The four feet  14  include two pairs of feet extending outwardly in opposite directions, for example, and the two pairs of feet  14  engage the pair of channels  22  in each of the opposite sides  27  of the top portion  21  of the guardrail block  20 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example of a guardrail block  20  having a top portion  21 , which is illustrated in more detail in the top plan view of  FIG. 4 . Two tab  42 ,  44  are integrally formed, adhesively bonded, or affixed in the top portion  21  of the block  20 . The tabs  42 ,  44  extend outwardly from the back of the block  20 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 3-6 , for example. Two post alignment members  32 ,  34  are integrally formed in opposite sides of the block  20  and extend outwardly from the back of the block  20 , such that a post  71  fits between the post alignment members  32 ,  34 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 7-10 , which illustrate a guardrail  73  mounted with a block  20  and support  12  on a post  71  using a pair of bolts  102  and nuts  101  as fasteners. The bolts  102  pass through holes  5  integrally formed or bored through the block  20 . Preferably, the block  20  is not solid. For example, a reinforcing truss may be formed by integrally formed members  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58  forming a diamond within an upper half  57  of a shell  51 . An additional truss  53  may be disposed between to opposite corners of the diamond, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . A middle portion  55  of the block  20  may provide two holes  5  for guiding two bolts  102  through matching holes in a post  71 , for example. A lower half  59  of the block  20  may have a truss structure that minors the diamond truss structure of the upper half  57 , symmetrically, for example. 
         [0038]      FIG. 11A  illustrates a detailed, perspective view of an example of a reflector and/or signage support  12 . The reflector support  12  has a plurality of retaining members  16 , which may be formed in two pairs on opposite edges  121 ,  122  of the support  12 . In the example of  FIGS. 11A-11B , the support  12  has two opposite faces  111 ,  112  each having four retaining members  16 , four of the retaining members  16  extending from each of the opposite faces  111 ,  112 , such that the plurality of retaining members  16  are capable of retaining a reflector  11  or other signage on each of the faces  111 ,  112  of the support  12 , as illustrated in  FIG. 11C , for example. A pair of feet  14  are integrally formed with each of the faces  111 ,  112  and extend outwardly from a bottom portion  132  of each of the faces  111 ,  112 . The two opposite faces  111 ,  112  of the support  12  may be formed in single die injection or forming process and may be folded along a top bend line or hinged portion  117  or may be adhesively bonded or snap fit  137  together, for example ( FIG. 11D ) or a combination of these. The feet  14  may each comprise a slit  114  separating two opposite toes  141 ,  142  of each foot  14  as illustrated in  FIGS. 11E and 11F , for example. The slit  114  unexpectedly improves the durability of the feet  14  by preventing a complete failure when too much force is applied while inserting the feet  14  in opposite channels  22  of the top portion  21  of the block  20 . 
         [0039]    Other combinations and modifications to the features will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the examples in the drawings and the written description. All of these combinations and modifications are within the scope of the claims, which are not to be limited to only the examples provided. 
         [0040]    In another example of a support,  FIGS. 12A-D  illustrate various views of an insertable support  120  that has four tabs  124 ,  125 ,  126 ,  127  each having an attachment locking portion  128 , such as a hole, slot, slit, recessed region or the like capable of receiving a snap fit projecting member of a receiving element (or alternatively a projection capable of being snap fit into a recess or the like in the receiving element). Alternatively,  FIGS. 13A-D  illustrate an insertable support with only two tabs  124 ,  125  separated by a gap and having an attachment portion  128  and a beveled insertion edge  129 . The example of  FIGS. 13A-D  better illustrate a raised edge  131  that forms a recessed surface portion  132  that is capable of receiving a adhesively-backed reflective tape  133 , such as provided by the 3M Corporation, or other signage, having an adhesive  134  layer on one surface to adhere the reflective tape  130  to the support  130 , such as illustrated in  FIG. 14A  and the partial cross sectional detail of  FIG. 14B , for example. The edge  131  may be dimensioned such that it is capable of protecting the adhesively bonded tape  130  from the elements, improving long term bonding of the tape  133  to the surface  132 . The insertable support  150  of  FIGS. 15A-D  illustrate the same features of the support  130  of  FIGS. 13A-D  with a more elongated support surface  152 , providing an elongated length of up to 10 inches (25.4 centimeters) for the reflective tape  133 , for example, without changing the receiving element. In yet another alternative,  FIGS. 16A-D  illustrate an example of an insertable support  160  with a plurality of tabs  161 ,  162 ,  163  each separated from the other by a gap and projecting outwardly from one side of of the support  160 . For example, three tabs  161 ,  162 ,  163  are inserted in the receiving element instead of two. The various examples of the insertable supports may be made by die injection, extrusion or stamping from a sheet of material, for example. Examples including a raised edge  131  are preferably made in a die injection process. Examples of materials include polymers, such as thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. In one example, a fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymer, such as a nylon or glass fiber impregnated thermoplastic polymer, is used providing improved rigidity and long term weathering and resistance to wear and tear. 
         [0041]    The example of  FIGS. 17A-E  illustrate various views of a receiving element  170  capable of receiving two tabs of an insertable support. In one example, the receiving element is formed by a thermoplastic die injection process providing a one-piece, integrated receiving element  170 , such as the receiving element with the features illustrated in  FIGS. 17A-E , for example. Tab slots  172  are provided along a channel  174  formed in the receiving element  170  for receiving the tabs of an insertable support. When the tabs are inserted into the slots  172 , the attachment portion  128  engages a snap fit projecting member  176  projecting from the surface of an extending member  178 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 17A , B and E, arcuately shaped support members  171  may be integrally molded into the underside of the receiving element  170  to stiffen the base  173  of the receiving element  170 . In this example, no separate feet are provided. Instead, the legs  175 ,  177  extend to form integrally formed, snap fitting feet capable of engaging the recessed channels  22  of a guardrail block  20 . 
         [0042]      FIGS. 19A-B  illustrates a support  120  snap fit into a receiving element  170 .  FIGS. 20A-B  illustrates another support  150  snap fit into the same receiving element  170 . 
         [0043]    The example of  FIGS. 18A-C  illustrate an alternative example of a receiving element  180  having integrally formed feet  183  with preformed holes  185  for use in fastening the receiving element  180  on a guardrail block. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 21A-D  illustrate various views of an extended receiving element  210  similar to the receiving element  170  in  FIGS. 17A-E , except with an extended receiving portion  212  having a third tab slot  214  and a third projecting member  216  for snap fitting into the attachment portion  128  of a third tab  163  of a support  160 , such as the one illustrated in  FIGS. 16A-16D . 
         [0045]    In one example, such as illustrated in  FIG. 22 , a guardrail block  200  has a third through hole  202  extending through the block for an alternative attachment arrangement using a single bolt to hold the block and guardrail on a post. In another example, such as illustrated in  FIG. 23 , a guardrail block  220  may be elongated to fit onto a wider guardrail than the guardrail  73  illustrated in  FIGS. 7-10 . For example, an additional one-half of the length of the block may be integrally formed by repeating the extruded profile of the lower one-half  222  of the block in an block extension  224  extending below the end of the previously disclosed block  200 .