Patent Publication Number: US-6981817-B2

Title: Base unit for road delineating devices

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to traffic delineating devices and more specifically to a base unit for traffic delineating devices. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Some currently known and used bases for channelizing and delineating traffic devices have a base unit made solely out of used tires. These base units have the advantage of recycling parts of used tires. However, they have limitations in size. Bases made of truck tire side walls require a large space, such space is frequently not safely available in situations that require the use of delineating traffic devices. In addition they are not quite friendly in handling due to large size. Existing devices using stacked car side walls have the propensity to roll if knocked over, potentially creating a serious hazard to traffic. Besides, when a number of side walls are stacked to achieve increased stability, the safety requirement that the base be separable from the body in high impact is jeopardized. 
   Another prior art base unit consists of a plastic container filled with bulk or liquid ballast. This kind of base unit does not have the above mentioned disadvantages, but it requires filling with ballast, which involves a messy procedure, which is desirable to avoid. Devices using sand as ballast suffer from the further disadvantage of loss of sand in the event of breakage of the base unit. 
   A third type of prior art base unit only consisting of the pressed crumbles of recycled rubber has also been used. This kind of base avoids some of the above-mentioned limitations since it is practical, aesthetic and ergonomic. However, manufacture of this unit is quite costly. These bases are made of recycled, but not local raw material, thus adding high distribution cost to already higher production cost. 
   All above-mentioned devices suffer from being cumbersome due to absence of handy handle in the base. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,798 (Braverman) describes a base for a traffic control device, which utilizes all parts of a recycled tire, thus not just the side walls. The base has a handle and an anti-roll feature, but still is limited (in lesser degree) in application by size of tires available in postindustrial marketplace, and it lacks an appealing appearance. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore desirable to provide a user-friendly base unit, that has an anti-rolling feature and an ergonomic handle for moving the whole device; a unit that utilizes local recyclables; a unit that can be easily assembled by local dealer; a unit whose function and aesthetic appearance is independent of the skills and experience of the assembler. 
   It is also desirable to provide a base unit, which is easily installed, easily removed and easily transported, involving only low production and distribution costs, which also includes anti-rolling features and requires only a very limited transportation space. 
   Another advantage with the present invention is that since the base unit can partly be assembled at the location of use using local recyclables by local distributors, the present invention saves on transportation and benefits local recycling industry. The light weight of the transported part of the base unit further saves on transportation. Consequently the present invention is beneficial to the environment. 
   The present invention is further advantageous, since the base does not depend on size of tires, provides broader designer freedom to create a user-friendly and safe base for traffic control devices, it can further accommodate a wide variety of shapes and sizes of posts, delineators and channelizers. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved base unit for a traffic delineating device. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide more flexibility in the functional design of a base unit for a traffic delineating device. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to furnish a base unit for a delineating device with improved anti-rolling features. 
   In a first aspect, the present invention provides a base unit for a traffic delineating device comprising: a first surface; a second surface; and a side wall connecting the first and second surfaces to define a sleeve for housing ballast; wherein each of the first and second surfaces include an aperture for accepting an end of a body unit. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the first and the second surfaces are provided with rounded portions and non-rounded portions. 
   Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying Figures. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a traffic delineating device; 
       FIG. 1   a  is a top view of a first embodiment of a base unit; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the base unit; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the base unit with the bottom portion removed; 
       FIG. 5  shows an interior view of the base unit; 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of a second embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of a third embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of a fourth embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of a fifth embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Generally, the present invention provides a traffic delineating device comprising a base unit and a body unit extending upwardly via a first aperture in the base unit, the base unit comprising a first surface having the first aperture and a second surface having a second aperture, the surfaces being joined together around a substantial section of their perimeters via a side wall, the side wall together with the first surface and the second surface limiting and defining an interior sleeve of the base unit, the side wall further having an opening for inserting ballast between the first and second surfaces into the sleeve, and the ballast being fitted to be held by the sleeve. 
   A traffic delineating device  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The traffic delineating device  10  comprises a body unit  14  extending upwardly from an aperture (shown in  FIG. 1   a ) in a base unit  12 , whereby the base unit is connected with the body unit  14 . The base unit  12  comprises a first surface  25  joined along a substantial section of its perimeter to a second surface  26  via a side wall  29 . The base unit  12  can be constructed of any suitable weather and impact resistance material, but is preferably a light-weight material such as polyethylene or other plastics. First surface  25  comprises a non-rounded portion  16  and a rounded portion  27 , while second surface  26  comprises a non-rounded portion  18  and a rounded portion  99 . The material used is preferably flexible enough to enable bending of the first non-rounded portion  16  of the base unit  12  and the second non-rounded portion  18  of the base unit  12  so as to close an opening  20  of the base unit  12 . 
     FIG. 1   a  shows the first surface  25  of the base unit  12  and from this Figure an oval aperture  23  can be seen. From  FIG. 1   a  it can also be seen that a substantial part of the first surface  25  actually is the rounded portion  27  of the first surface  25  and that the rounded portion  27  is connected to the non-rounded portion  16  of the first surface  25  via two indents  30  and  36  along the edge of the rounded portion  27 . The non-rounded portion  16  starting from the indent  30  is not rounded, but has three sides  301 ,  302 ,  303  and a fourth side, which fourth side is directly connected to the rounded portion  27 . The two sides  301  and  303  together with the fourth side form a shape, which is somewhat triangular, with the fourth side preferably being the longest side and the sides  301  and  303  preferably being of approximately the same length, whereas the side  302  is preferably shorter than the other sides. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the second surface  26  of the base unit is preferably of the same shape and size as the first surface  25 . Also an aperture of the second surface  26  is preferably of the same shape and size as the aperture  23  of the first surface  25 . 
   The non-rounded portion  16  can be bound together with the corresponding non-rounded portion  18  of the second surface of the base unit  12  for closing the opening  20 , which is for inserting and removing ballast  31 . If the opening  20  is closed, the ballast  31  is not likely to slip through the opening  20 . 
   The means for tying the non-rounded portions  16  and  18  together are preferably twisted wires  32  and  34 , but any kind of adequate fasteners, such as staples, rivets or wires can be used. 
   Each non-rounded portion  16  and  18  of the base unit is further provided with handles  41  and  43  for lifting and carrying purposes. The handle  43  is preferably formed by making a hole  33  close to the smallest side  302  in the non-rounded portions  16  and  18  whereby the handle  43  comprises the portions between the smallest side  302  of the non-rounded portion  16  and the hole  33 . The handle  41  is formed in the same way by making a hole in the non-rounded portion  18 . However, the handles  41  and  43  can be any other type of handle that is designed to be held or operated with the hand. A preferred shape of the hole  33  can be seen from  FIG. 2 . The hole  33  also assist in tying the non-rounded portions  16  and  18  together, when the opening  20  needs to be closed, since the hole  33  is a hole for the wires  32  and  34 , which are put through the hole  33  and around the handle  41  of the second surface  26  and the handle  43 , so as to encircle the handles  41  and  43  of both first and second surfaces. The wires  32  and  34  are thereafter twisted together, whereby the opening  20  is closed. 
   When a traffic delineating device is knocked over it is possible that a round base unit may start to roll like a wheel. In order to prevent the base unit  12  from rolling, the base unit  12  is equipped with an anti-roll feature. The anti-roll feature of the present invention is due to the fact that the base unit comprises a non-rounded portion  16 , whereby the non-rounded portion  16  prevents the base unit  12  from rolling, should the device be overturned. In one embodiment the rounded portion  27  of the base unit  12  is not completely round, but rather oval, which makes it even more difficult for the base unit  12  to roll. Also the indents  30  and  36  makes it difficult for the base unit  12  to roll. 
   From  FIG. 2  the central aperture  23  and a first ledge  35  of the first surface  25  and a first ledge  37  of the second surface  26  of the base unit  12  can be seen. The ledge  35  is located along a perimeter of the aperture  23  of the first surface  25  and the ledge  37  is located along a perimeter of the aperture of the second surface  26 . The purpose of having the ledges  35  and  37  is to create a contact surface between the body unit  14  and the base unit  12  and to prevent the ballast  31  from sliding through the aperture  23 . 
   Again referring to  FIG. 2 , the ballast  31  is inserted through the opening  20  into a designated area, which is a sleeve  42 , of the base unit  12 . The ballast  31  is fitted to be encompassed and held by the sleeve  42 . The ballast  31  can also be removed through the opening  20 , when ties are removed. 
     FIG. 3  shows the base unit  12  as a cross-sectional side view and from this Figure the ledges  35  and  37  can be more clearly seen. 
   From  FIG. 3  it can also be seen that a distance A between the two ledges  35  and  37  is normally smaller than a width B of the ballast  31 , thereby preventing the ballast  31  from sliding through the aperture  23 . The ledges  35  and  37  are preferably flexible as to enable the ballast  31  to be easily pushed through, when inserted. However, when the ballast  31  has been put inside the base unit  12  and placed in the sleeve  42 , the ballast  31  cannot fall out by itself without force applied. 
     FIG. 4  shows a bottom perspective cross-sectional view of the base unit  12 . In this figure the ballast  31  is more clearly visible.  FIG. 4  shows the sleeve  42 , which is surrounded by the side wall  29  and the first surface  25  of the base unit  12 . 
   The aperture  23  is used for the body unit  14  of the traffic delineating device  10 , which is fitted into the aperture  23 . If the first surface aperture is slightly larger than the aperture for the second surface, the traffic safety feature of the base unit  12  being separable from the body unit  14  in the event of a high impact can be maintained. 
   Now referring to  FIG. 5 , the ballast  31  inside of the base unit  12  preferably comprises post-industrial material such as at least one segment of tread from recycled vehicle tires. The ballast  31  is preferably built of flexible stripes, such as the tread portion of recycled rubber, recycled conveyor belts or other flexible, solid, heavy post-industrial non-metal stripes, wound in a cylindrical coil and tied to remain in this shape. The coil-shaped ballast  31  is preferably tied with wires  50 ,  51 ,  52 ,  53  and  54 , but any other adequate means for holding the ballast  31  together in a coil-formed shape can be used. The coil-shaped ballast  31  preferably has an aperture  56  to allow passage of the body unit  14  of the traffic delineating device  10  through the ballast  31 . The aperture  56  is preferably slightly larger than the aperture  23  so as to ensure that the ballast  31  fits into the base unit  12 . The coil-shaped ballast  31  further preferably has an outside diameter, which is larger than the opening  20  of the base unit  12 , thereby preventing the ballast  31  from being accidentally extracted once installed, in case the non-rounded portions  16  and  18  are not properly secured. Since the outside diameter of the coil-shaped ballast  31  is larger than the opening  20  of the base unit  12 , the ballast  31  has to be squeezed in through the opening  20  to be set in position. 
   The aperture  56  of the coil-shaped ballast preferably surrounds the ledges  35  and  37  of the apertures in the base unit&#39;s first and second surfaces, thereby forming a throughout aperture in the base unit. 
   Therefore the ballast  31  is preferably round before being inserted into the base unit  12 , but when squeezed into the base unit  12 , the ledges  35  and  37  limit the ballast&#39;s expansion and therefore the ballast  31  will somewhat take the shape of the aperture  23 . 
   For instance, if the aperture  23  has a polygonal shape, the circumference of the ballast&#39;s aperture is chosen, by giving the aperture  56  of the cylindrical coil of stripes a certain size when winding, so as to accommodate the polygonal shape of the aperture  23  inside the aperture  56 . 
     FIGS. 6–9  reveal some different shapes that can be used for the aperture  23 .  FIG. 6  shows the first surface  25  of a base unit  12  with a circular central aperture  23 .  FIG. 7  shows the first surface  25  of a base unit  12  with a rectangular central aperture  23 .  FIG. 8  shows the first surface  25  of a base unit  12  with a hexagonal central aperture  23 .  FIG. 9  shows the first surface  25  of a base unit  12  with a triangular central aperture  23 . The aperture  23  can also be square, octagonal or polygonal. Preferably, the corners of the central aperture are rounded, but they may also be left untreated. 
   Preferably the apertures of the first and second surfaces of the base unit are centrally placed within the first and second surfaces. 
   The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to the particular embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.