Abstract:
A vertical panel delineator system is capable of withstanding high winds without rotating from a preferred orientation wherein the full width of the device is perpendicular to the direction of oncoming traffic, is stackable without sticking or jamming, and is capable of accommodating multiple reflective sheeting configurations fully within recessed receiving panels on the delineator device. The vertical panel delineator further accommodates, in a secure manner, warning barricade lights of any known construction, and is uniquely capable of retaining secure engagement of the panel body with its ballasting base when being transported or during ordinary deployment, yet readily disengaging body and base upon impact by a vehicle.

Description:
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of the filing date of Provisional U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/780,087, entitled Vertical Panel Traffic Channelizer, filed on Mar. 7, 2006, and of the filing date of Provisional U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/898,202, entitled Vertical Panel Traffic Channelizer, filed on Jan. 29, 2007. Both of these prior provisional applications are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to traffic safety devices and, more specifically, to vertical panel display systems. 
   Traffic safety delineators are extensively used at the present time to mark potential driving hazards, such as construction zones, lane closures, detours, potholes, etc., as well as to channelize traffic past such hazards. They are often used, as well, on sidewalks, bicycle paths, parking lots, indoor shopping malls, and the like to alert passersby to potential dangers, whatever the mode of transportation. 
   Vertical panels are well known in the prior art for use as vehicular traffic delineators. They are particularly useful in situations where space for lane closures is limited on the roadway and a full size circular channelizer (such as a drum) cannot be used. Vertical panel channelizers are most usually fabricated of polyethylene sheeting and have a minimum frontal surface area of 270 square inches as required by U.S. government standards, the frontal surface comprising alternating contrasting stripes (typically orange and white contrasting stripes) arranged in a diagonal pattern. This configuration has been shown to assist motorists in guiding their vehicles through the demarcated zone. Prior art vertical panels have a variety of problems, however, which prevent them from being ideally suited to their intended purpose. For example, if they are stackable (which is desirable to facilitate easier transportation and storage), they typically jam and stick, causing difficulty during deployment and often damaging the reflective sheeting displayed thereon. Additionally, they often fail to separate from their ballasting base upon vehicular impact, thus causing potential damage to the impacting vehicle, its occupants, and the delineator device, as well as causing the device to not be in compliance with governmental regulations in many localities. A further problem with prior art devices is that they are often structurally incapable of withstanding the stresses imposed thereon by high winds created by weather conditions or passing vehicles, particularly trucks. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention addresses the problems with the prior art identified above, by providing an improved vertical panel delineator system which is capable of withstanding high winds without rotating from a preferred orientation wherein the full width of the device is perpendicular to the direction of oncoming traffic, is stackable without sticking or jamming, and is capable of accommodating multiple reflective sheeting configurations fully within recessed receiving panels on the delineator device. The invention further accommodates, in a secure manner, warning barricade lights of any known construction, and is uniquely capable of retaining secure engagement of the panel body with its ballasting base when being transported or during ordinary deployment, yet readily disengaging body and base upon impact by a vehicle. 
   More particularly, there is disclosed in the present invention a delineator for channelizing traffic, which comprises a body having a face for displaying a warning to passing motorists. The face includes a recessed area for accommodating reflective sheeting, wherein the recessed area comprises a first portion and a second portion. Each of the two recessed portions are contiguous. The first portion is trapezoidally shaped, and the second portion has a substantially constant width along its entire length, so that either trapezoidally shaped or rectangularly shaped reflective sheeting portions may be readily accommodated on the provided recessed area. 
   In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a delineator for channelizing traffic, which comprises a body having a face for displaying a warning to passersby, and a flange at a lower end thereof. Advantageously, the flange has a predetermined width and extends about a portion of a periphery of the lower end of the body, wherein a second portion of the periphery of the lower end of the body includes a flange having a second predetermined width substantially less than the predetermined width. In preferred embodiments, this second predetermined width is substantially zero. In other words, preferably the body comprises opposing faces joined by a pair of opposing ends to form the aforementioned periphery. The flange having the aforementioned predetermined width extends across each of the opposing faces, at the lower end of the body, while there is no flange extending across each of the opposing ends at the lower end of the delineator body. 
   In yet another aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a delineator for channelizing traffic, which comprises a body having opposing faces for displaying a warning to passersby, wherein the face has a plurality of stacking lugs disposed thereon. The stacking lugs comprise indentations extending inwardly from each of the faces toward a center-line of the body. The stacking lugs disposed on each of the opposing faces are disposed in a predetermined pattern, the predetermined pattern on each face being substantially identical and substantially co-located, so that corresponding ones of the lugs extending inwardly from each of the opposing faces approach one another to create a down stop in an interior of the body. This down stop prevents sticking and jamming when multiple ones of the described delineator are stacked one upon another. 
   In still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a delineator for channelizing traffic, which comprises a body having a face for displaying a warning to passersby. Edges are disposed on the body which define the face thereof. Along a first length extending from an upper end of the body each of the edges has a constant radius blending into a tangent flat surface for forming an end panel of the body. Along a second length extending from a lower end of the first length toward a bottom end of the body, each of the edges comprise a varying full radius. 
   The invention, together with additional features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying illustrative drawing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a frontal view of one embodiment of a vertical panel delineator constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the vertical panel delineator of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the vertical panel delineator of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a top view of the vertical panel delineator of  FIGS. 1-3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged frontal view of the upper portion of the vertical panel delineator of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the upper portion of the vertical panel delineator of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a vertical panel delineator constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, wherein a ballasting base and a warning light have been installed; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view through a vertical panel delineator and ballasting base combination in accordance with the present invention, illustrating an engagement of a bottom flange of the vertical panel delineator with the ballasting base; 
       FIG. 9  is a frontal view of the upper portions of a plurality of vertical panel delineators of the present invention which are stacked together; 
       FIG. 10  is a frontal view showing the stacked vertical panel delineators of  FIG. 9  in their entirety; 
       FIG. 11  is a detail view of the portion of  FIG. 9  delineated by the reference letter A; 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of the vertical panel delineator of  FIG. 8 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective cut-away view of stacked vertical panel delineators of the invention; 
       FIG. 14  is a close-up cut-away view, from the side, of the stacked vertical panel delineators of  FIG. 13 , showing the function of kiss-off stacking lugs employed thereon; 
       FIG. 15  is a frontal view of a vertical panel delineator of the present invention; 
       FIG. 16  is another frontal view of a vertical panel delineator of the present invention; 
       FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a vertical panel delineator of the present invention; 
       FIG. 18  is a frontal view, similar to  FIG. 1 , of a modified embodiment of the vertical panel delineator of the present invention; 
       FIG. 19  is a side view, similar to  FIG. 2 , of the modified embodiment of  FIG. 18 ; 
       FIG. 20  is a perspective view, similar to  FIG. 3 , of the modified embodiment of  FIG. 18 ; 
       FIG. 21  is a top view, similar to  FIG. 4 , of the modified embodiment of  FIG. 18 ; 
       FIG. 22  is a cross-sectional view of the engagement between a base flange of the vertical panel delineator of the present invention and a ballasting base, showing disengagement of the delineator from the base; 
       FIG. 23  is a frontal view of a generic embodiment of the present invention, illustrating two preferred configurations for accommodating retro-reflective sheeting on the delineator; 
       FIG. 24  shows a trapezoidally shaped configuration for retro-reflective sheeting; and 
       FIG. 25  shows a rectangularly shaped configuration for retro-reflective sheeting. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in  FIGS. 1-4  one embodiment of a vertical panel delineator  10  constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The delineator  10  comprises a body  12  having opposing faces  14  for receiving reflective sheeting. In a preferred embodiment, the overall dimensions of the body  12  are 9⅛ inches×15¼ inches×43⅝ inches, with a material thickness of about 0.080 inches. Preferably, the body  12  is blow molded of either low or high density polyethylene (LDPE or HDPE, respectively). The body  12  has a weight of approximately 4.5 lbs without ballast, in the illustrated embodiment. 
   As shown in  FIG. 7 , for most applications a ballasting collar  16  is utilized to secure the delineator  10  in place. As illustrated, the ballasting collar  16  comprises a 201b or 301b base, fabricated of rubber. In a most preferred embodiment, the rubber comprises crumb rubber. As is known in the art, crumb rubber is formed from processed scrap vehicle tires mixed with a suitable binder. A plastic flange  18  is molded at the bottom end of the body  12  ( FIGS. 1-4  and  8 ). When the collar  16  is dropped over the body  12  of the delineator  10 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , it engages the flange  18 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , thus preventing the delineator body  12  from pulling out through the opening  20  in the base. 
   One important difference between the inventive delineator  10  and prior art devices is that the present delineator  10  comprises distinct edges which differentiate the inventive delineator from prior art delineators. As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and particularly  FIGS. 15-17 , the upper portion of the body  12 , along a distance denoted by the letter X, includes end panels  22  defined by edges  24  having a constant radius. In the illustrated embodiment, the constant radius is ½ inch, and the distance X is 30 inches, though these values can, of course, vary according to particular design parameters. Each constant radius edge  24  blends into one of the end panels  22 , which comprises a tangent flat surface extending toward an apex, which corresponds with the mold parting line  26 . On each end of the body  12 , the two end panels  22  extending tangentially from each opposed edge  24  converge at the apex  26  to form an A-frame shape. The A-frame design adds strength to the side faces  14  of the delineator  10 , thus enabling the plastic opposed side faces  14  to better distribute stress across the face when high winds create a force perpendicular to the panel&#39;s wide face. 
   The lower portion of the body  12 , along a distance denoted by the letter Y, on the other hand, comprises edges  28  having a varying full radius, as also shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . This varying full radius is a transition zone between the constant radius along portion X of the body  12  and the flanged foot section  18 . The transition area is designed to have a different radius from the point at which the constant radius area ends and the varying full radius area begins. 
   In a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower portion of the body  12 , along distance Y, is about 12 inches in length. In other words, Y equals 12 inches. Of course, this value can vary in accordance with design parameters and the particular delineator design. However, the distance Y will always be substantially smaller than the distance X, and preferably less than half of the distance X. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 15-17 , in a particularly preferred embodiment, the distance Y actually comprises two portions, identified as Y 1  and Y 2  ( FIG. 16 ). Along the distance Y 1 , as shown, edges  28  have a first diverging radius. Then, along the distance Y 2 , the edges  28   a  have a second diverging radius, which is greater than the first diverging radius of the edges  28 . In a preferred embodiment, the distance Y 2  is approximately 1½ inches upwardly from the flange  18 , and the distance Y 1  comprises the balance of the distance between the flange and the lower end of the region X. In the zone identified as Y 1 , the preferred radius diverges from about ½ inch to about 1⅝ inches. In the zone identified as Y 2 , the preferred radius diverges somewhat more sharply, from about 1⅝ inches to about 2¼ inches. 
   Now with reference to  FIGS. 9-11 , a plurality of delineators  10  are shown in a stacked configuration  30 . Although three delineators are pictured, any number of delineators may be stacked one upon the other, as shown, with the proviso that the resulting stacked configuration  30  is capable of being transported and stored conveniently. Typically, prior art vertical panel delineators, when stacked in this manner, have a tendency to stick or jam, with the inside surface of one outer panel tending to stick or jam onto the outside corner of the inside panel immediately below in the stack. This sticking and jamming can cause damage to the wrapped around trapezoidal shaped sheeting and difficulty in deploying the delineators in a work zone, as the delineators are separated from one another by the worker. This difficulty can also be dangerous to the worker. Responsive to this prior art problem, the inventive delineator includes “kiss off” stacking lugs  32 , deployed on the upper face  14  of the delineator body  12 , as shown particularly in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , and in  FIGS. 13 and 14 . The stacking lugs  32  comprise a series of small circular indentations which are molded into each of the two opposing faces  14  on each delineator  10 . In a preferred embodiment, five lugs  32  are molded into each face, as illustrated, and are patterned in a circular contour which matches a circular contour of a handle  34  of the delineator. In the aforementioned preferred embodiment, the circular contour pattern employed has a diameter of 9 inches. However, the number of lugs, and the pattern and size of the pattern employed, can be varied to some extent in accordance with design constraints and parameters. 
   The stacking lugs  32  disposed on each face  14  of the delineator  10  extend inwardly from the face, preferably to or just short of a centerline of the molded body  12  (see  FIGS. 13 and 14 ). Since the lugs are disposed on each opposing face, in the same pattern, the individual lugs will meet or nearly meet corresponding lugs from the opposing face at the centerline, thus creating a wall or down stop  36  within the body  12 . Thus, when multiple delineators  10  are stacked in the configuration  30  shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the handle  34  of the lower delineator  10  will abut the down stop  36  formed by the stacking lugs  32  of the higher delineator, thus stopping further downward movement of the higher delineator onto the lower delineator. This, in turn, permits a spacing to occur between adjacent faces  14  of the stacked delineators, as shown in  FIG. 11 , thereby preventing sticking or jamming of the delineators, and resultant damage to the reflective material disposed on the faces  14 . In the illustrated preferred embodiment, this distance or spacing z between adjacent faces  14  is about 0.100 inches, though the spacing may be varied in accordance with design conventions, as long as the interior wall of the outside delineator does not contact the face  14  of the interior adjacent delineator. Also, in the illustrated embodiment, a preferred spacing b between adjacent flanges ( FIG. 10 ) is approximately 3.80 inches, as a result of the action of the stacking lugs  32 . Again, though sufficient spacing between the flanges is required to separate the face  14  of the interior delineator from the inside wall of the body  12  of the adjacent outer delineator, the actual spacing b between adjacent flanges can vary within these design parameters. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 12 , an important design feature of the present invention is its ability to safely accept the mounting of a barricade light  38  to the top handle  34  of the delineator  10 . As shown in  FIG. 12 , the barricade light  38  is mounted so that it is disposed behind the delineator  10 , relative to the direction of oncoming vehicular traffic, as depicted by arrow  40 . To assist in accommodating the barricade light  38 , the delineator  10  is made symmetrical about its parting line  26  from its base upwardly to a point corresponding to the top of the opposing faces  14  (about 40¾ inches in the preferred embodiment). This creates the entire area for any desired reflective sheeting, as well as the flange  18  for attaching the body  12  to the base or ballasting collar  16 . 
   At the point at which the parting line  26  reaches the handle  34 , the parting line  26  offsets a predetermined distance, as shown best in  FIG. 6 . In the preferred embodiment, the offset distance is about ¼ inches. This offset creates a molded-in shelf  42  (also shown in  FIG. 6 ) on which the barricade light may be securely mounted. In the preferred embodiment, the shelf  42  is approximately ⅝ inches deep, and the drop-off parting line  26  occurs along the upper 2 13/16 inches of the delineator  10 . 
   A slotted mounting hole  44  is provided in the handle  34  for mounting the barricade light  38 . The slotted hole  44  is oriented in a vertical direction in order to accommodate varying bolt hole locations in the many different available barricade light housings. The slotted hole is specifically designed to accommodate a ½ inch bolt and to permit ½ inches of adjustment in the vertical direction. This compensates for variations in the centerline distance from the mounting bolts to the bottom of the battery case for the barricade light being employed. 
   A particularly important feature of the present invention is described in a modified embodiment shown in  FIGS. 18-22 . This embodiment is substantially similar in every respect to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , except as described below. Applicants have found a problem, in practice, with prior art traffic safety devices having a flange which extends completely about the periphery of the device (i.e. a 360 degree flange). The problem is that sometimes the body of such a device does not separate from the ballasting base with which it is engaged upon impact by a passing vehicle. Governmental regulations in many localities require such separation, in order to minimize damage to the vehicle and its occupants. Separation of the plastic body of the delineator from its ballasting base also minimizes damage to the plastic body. 
   Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, rather than a continuous flange  18 , there is provided a front flange  18   a  and a rear flange  18   b . The side portions of the flange  18  ( FIG. 1  embodiment) have been removed. This is most clearly seen by comparing  FIGS. 4 and 21  of the application. This design modification may be accomplished by either a mold change, so that the side portions of flange  18  ( FIG. 4 ) are never produced, or by trimming the side portions of the flange  18  off in a subsequent trimming step after the molding step. 
   Functionally, the removal of the side portions of the flange  18  permits the front and rear flanges  18   a  and  18   b , respectively, to function independently, as living hinges, free of influence from side flange portions. With the front and rear flanges flexing independently, the delineator  10  is more readily permitted to release from the base  16 , as shown in  FIG. 22 , pulling through the center opening  20  of the base. In  FIG. 22 , the flange  18   a  is shown in such a flexed position. The reduced force and binding on the delineator, as it is pulled through the base opening  20 , minimizes the chance of damage to the panel or base. Using this approach, Applicants have surprisingly found that the best of both worlds is achieved. The engagement remains sufficient to ensure that the body  12  remains in place once disposed in a desired location along a roadway, and to ensure that the body remains secured to the base  16  while the device is being dragged to or from its desired location. Yet, upon vehicular impact, the body and base are readily separated, as is desired. 
   The illustration of a preferred embodiment in  FIGS. 18-22  does not exclude modifications thereof. For example, although the side portions of the flange  18  of the  FIG. 4  embodiment are shown as being completely eliminated, the real key is simply that they are substantially reduced in width. Thus, the flange  18  has a substantially constant width W around its entire periphery in the  FIG. 4  embodiment, as is the standard in the prior art for these types of devices. However, in the embodiment of  FIGS. 18-22 , the width W of the side portions of flange  18  is substantially reduced, at least by about half, to gain substantial living hinge functionality of the present invention. Eliminating the side flanges entirely, as shown in  FIG. 21 , enhances the improved effects. 
     FIGS. 23-25  illustrate the unique reflective material display aspects of the present invention. According to current U.S. government regulations, all vertical panels must display a minimum of 270 square inches of retro-reflective sheeting applied to the front panel face  14  facing perpendicular to oncoming vehicular traffic. In order to meet this standard, two shape configurations for reflective sheeting  46  have been used within the highway safety industry. The primary shape is a rectangular shape, as illustrated in  FIG. 25 , wherein the width w is 8 inches, and the length l 1  is 36 inches. The second type of shape available is a trapezoidal shape as shown in  FIG. 24 . This shape typically has a length l 2  of 29½ inches, a top width w 1  of 8 3/16 inches, and a bottom width w 2  of 10⅝ inches. However, in prior art vertical panels, currently, only a recessed face for the aforementioned rectangular shape is accommodated. 
   A consequence of excluding a trapezoidal recessed face on prior art vertical panels is that the sheeting shape that fits into the available rectangular recess is only the shape of the rectangle. The trapezoidal shaped sheeting on competitive devices lies partly within the available recessed area, but the edges of the wider trapezoidal sheeting must be wrapped about the edge of the device and extended onto the side panels thereof. These extensions are not visible to oncoming motorists. To address this problem, which potentially could be dangerous and make the device non-compliant when trapezoidal sheeting is utilized, the invention provides a recessed panel which accommodates either rectangular or trapezoidal reflective sheeting. This dual recess shape allows the user in different geographical areas, having different regulatory specifications for retro-reflective sheeting application to use the compliant sheeting of their choice. 
     FIG. 23  illustrates the recessed area  48  of the panel  14 , which comprises an upper recessed portion  48   a  and a lower recessed portion  48   b . The lower end of the recessed portion  48   a  has a width at least equal to (and preferably slightly greater than) the width w 2 , while the length of the recessed portion  48   a  is at least equal to (and preferably slightly greater than) the length l 2 . The combined length of recessed portions  48   a  and  48   b  is at least equal to (and preferably slightly greater than) the length l 1 . 
   Accordingly, although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that all the terms used herein are descriptive rather than limiting, and that many changes, modifications, and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.