Abstract:
A roadway marker has a pair of ramps, each inclining upward from a base toward the other. A slot is located between the ramps. On end of the slot is closed, while the other end of the slot has a pair of tabs that partially close the slot, leaving a gap between them. A flexible marker strip protrudes upward from the ramps and has a lower portion extending into the slot. The marker strip having a thickness less than the gap to enable the marker strip to be inserted into the slot from an end of the slot. The lower end of the marker is bent and extends into a lateral leg of the slot to prevent upward movement of the marker.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60/618,059, filed Oct. 12, 2004. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates generally to traffic control devices, and more particularly to a base and flexible marker for traffic control purposes. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Traffic control devices utilized on roadways or other marking areas are frequently struck by vehicles, and if the traffic control device is not adequately secured in place, the device is often displaced from its intended location. Examples of commonly used traffic control devices include the use of traffic cones. To prevent inadvertent displacement of traffic control devices such as traffic cones, a traffic control device is needed that remains in place even when struck by a vehicle. 
   Another prior version of a traffic control device is a wide flexible highway marker secured within an arcuate base. Such prior versions of this type of traffic control device, however, featured a multiplicity of parts and required multiple steps to properly assemble the traffic control device. Additionally, each of the parts included in such prior versions are naturally subject to wear over time. 
   It is desirable in the art to provide a wide flexible highway marker which minimizes the number of parts and minimizes the number of steps required to properly assemble the marker device, while maintaining the same optimum performance as the previous wide flexible highway markers when vehicles deflect them on the roadway or other marking area. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In this invention, a pair of ramps is located on a base in alignment with each other. A slot is formed between elevated ends of the ramp. A flexible marker strip protrudes upward from the ramps and has a lower portion extending into and being retained in the slot against upward movement. Lateral retainers are located at opposite ends of the slot to prevent lateral movement of the marker strip. 
   Preferably, the lateral retainer at one end is an end wall extending between the ramps and closing off that end of the slot. The lateral retainer at the other end preferably comprises a pair of tabs, one on each of the ramps. Each tab extends partially into the slot and is separated from the other tab by a gap to allow the lower portion of the marker strip to be inserted into the slot. 
   The slot preferably has an upright portion and a retaining portion located below and having a greater width than the upright portion. The lower portion of the marker strip has a retaining portion integrally formed with the marker strip and extending laterally therefrom into the retaining portion of the slot to retain the marker strip against upward movement. In the preferred embodiment, the lower end of the marker strip is bent, forming the retaining portion. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a traffic control apparatus in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of the traffic control apparatus of  FIG. 1  taken along the line  2 — 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the traffic control apparatus of  FIG. 1  with the flexible marker removed. 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1  showing the marker undergoing deformation. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Although the following detailed description contains many specific details for purposes of illustration, anyone of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that many variations and alterations to the following details are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiment of the invention described below is set forth without any loss of generality to, and without imposing limitations thereon, the claimed invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a traffic control assembly  10  for marking roadways or other marking areas is shown. The embodiment of the traffic control assembly  10  shown in  FIG. 1  generally includes a horizontal base  15 , a pair of ramps  19 , and a flexible marker strip  25  extending substantially vertically from the ramps  19  when in a non-impacted and non-deformed state. 
   The foundation or base  15  is a plastic plate facing vertically upward and having a thickness of about an inch. The shape of the flat side of the base  15  may be square, rectangular, or alternatively any other suitable shape. The base  15  includes four holes  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  spaced apart toward the four corners of the base  15 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , for mounting the base  15  to a roadway or other marking area. The holes  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  may receive fasteners such as screws for mounting the base  15  to the roadway. Alternatively, the base  15  may be mounted to the roadway with an adhesive such as epoxy applied to its underside, whereby the adhesive fills the holes  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  when the underside of the base  15  is pressed against the roadway. 
   A pair of ramps  19  is composed of a high density plastic or rubber material and preferably integrally formed with base  15 . Ramps  19  are on the flat side of the base  15  toward the center portion of the plate  15 , positioned inside of the holes  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23  on the plate  15 . Each ramp  19  is rectangular in shape when viewed from the top, as shown in  FIG. 3 , but may also be square or any other suitable shape. 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , ramps  19  are separated by a slot  27  that extends vertically. Slot  27  has a retainer or horizontal portion  29  joining the vertical portion of slot  27 . The horizontal slot  29  is embedded within ramps  19  toward the bottom center of ramps  19 . Horizontal slot  29  extends laterally from slot  27 . Each ramp  19  has an elevated end that comprises a curvilinear or arcuate portion  31  parallel to the vertical slot  27  and located on each side of the vertical slot  27 . The arcuate portions  31  extend upward and outward from the vertical slot  27 . The curve of the arcuate portions  31  extends upward from the vertical slot  27  with the apex of each arcuate portion  31  located a selected distance away from the vertical slot  27 . Each arcuate portion  31  extends in a smooth uninterrupted manner from one end of slot  27  to the other. 
   Each ramp  19  has a flat inclined surface  35  that extends from a point  37  on base  15  to arcuate portion  31 . Inclined surfaces  35  extend outward and downward from arcuate portions  31  at an angle from the horizontal, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The preferable angle for the inclined surfaces  35  is approximately 30 degrees from the horizontal, but the inclined surfaces  35  may alternatively feature other suitable angles. The inclined surfaces  35  lessen the likelihood that the flexible marker  25  will break when deflected. 
   Ramps  19  have a closed wall  39  at one end of slot  27  that extends vertically downward from the top of the arcuate segments  31  into contact with the base  15 . The closed wall  39  continues uninterrupted from ramp  19  longitudinally to the other ramp  19 . In this manner, the inside portion  45  of the closed wall  39  operates as a barrier at one side of the vertical slot  27 , so that when the flexible marker  25  is fitted within the vertical slot  27 , it is bounded by the inside portion  45  of the closed wall  39 . 
   A pair of tabs  41  is located on ramps  19  on the end of slot  27  opposite the closed wall  39 . Each tab  41  protrudes from one of the ramps  19  toward the other. Tabs  41  extend toward each other but are separated by a gap  51 . Each tab  41  has a surface  47  that faces surface  45  of closed wall  39 . Each tab  41  has a lower end at the upper edge of horizontal slot  29 . Horizontal slot  29  is completely open on the side containing the tabs  41 . 
   Gap  51 , which is located between tabs  41 , has a width slightly less than the width of the vertical slot  27 . Gap  51  operates as a passage through which a lower portion of flexible marker  25  slides past tabs  41  and into the vertical and horizontal slots  27 ,  29 . In this manner, the tabs  41  operate as a barrier for the flexible marker  25  inside the vertical and horizontal slots  27 ,  29 . The bottom portion  57  of the flexible marker  25  is bent at approximately a 90 degree angle for alignment of the bottom portion  57  with the horizontal slot  29 . 
   When the flexible marker  25  is secured within the vertical and horizontal slots  27 ,  29  and is pressed against one of the arcuate portions  31  of the ramps  19 , the tabs  41  restrain the flexible marker  25  therein. Even when the flexible marker  25  and the traffic control assembly  10  is physically impacted, the marker  25  remains secured between the closed wall  39  and the surfaces  47  of the tabs  41 , which prevents the marker  25  from sliding out of the slot  27 . 
   In the preferred embodiment, which is one of many possible embodiments, the flexible marker  25  has a vertically extending length of about 3 feet, and a thickness of about ⅛ inch. The flexible marker  25  has a width of approximately 3.5 inches, which is substantially similar to the distance between the inside portion  45  of the closed wall  39  and the inside surface  47  of the tabs  41 . In order to slide the flexible marker  25  through gap  51 , the marker  25  is held in vertical alignment with gap  51  and vertical slot  27 . The bottom portion  57  of the flexible marker  25  is bent at approximately a 90 degree angle for alignment of the bottom portion  57  with the horizontal slot  29 . An operator slides the flexible marker  25  through gap  51  and secures the marker  25  into a settled position between the inside portion  45  of the closed wall  39  and inside surface  47  of tabs  41 . 
   The flexible marker  25  is a rectangular, visibly coated warning device. When placed on a roadway, the base  15  and the ramps  19  are designed to support the flexible marker  25  in an upright position during normal non-impacted use, and thus alert automobile drivers of roadway conditions. The flexible marker  25  may have a flat smooth surface, or alternatively may be ribbed with longitudinal stiffening ribs along its length. The flexible marker  25  may also be curved, oblong, or tubular in shape. 
   The flexible marker  25  is sufficiently thick to resist casual bending or flexing along its length from forces such as a strong wind. As such, the marker  25  remains substantially vertically upright when in a non-deformed state when the marker  25  is not forcibly impacted by a physical object. The flexible marker  25  is sufficiently thin and flexible so that the marker  25  will elastically deform along its length when a physical object forcibly applies a significant impact on the flexible marker  25 , such as by a moving vehicle or automobile. 
   In operation, referring to  FIG. 4 , when a moving vehicle (not shown) strikes the traffic control assembly  10 , it is designed to allow the flexible marker  25  to elastically deform before returning to an upright position after impact. When the tire  65  of the vehicle strikes the traffic control assembly  10 , the tire  65  rolls onto one of the ramps  19  and one of the arcuate portions  31  before striking the flexible marker  25 . Upon impact from the tire  65 , the marker  25  flexes or bends to a position along the angle of the ramp inclined surface  35  under the weight of the vehicle. During deformation, arcuate portions  31  allow the flexible marker  25  to flex or bend about the radius of the arcuate portions  31  rather than making a sharp 90 degree bend. The bottom portion  57  of the flexible marker  25  remains securely affixed within ramps  19 . After the vehicle and tire  65  move past the traffic control assembly  10 , the resilient elastic properties of the flexible marker  25  allow it to return to an upright position. 
   The invention has several important advantages. The traffic control assembly effectively warns automobile drivers of the condition or presence of the roadway, such that when impacted the traffic control assembly is not displaced from its previous intended position. The invention minimizes the number of parts required to construct the traffic control assembly. The invention also minimizes the number of steps required to properly assemble the traffic control assembly. Further, while minimizing the number of parts and steps of assembly, the invention maintains the same optimum performance as the previous wide flexible highway markers in the industry when vehicles deflect them on the roadway or on another marking area. 
   Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made hereupon without departing from the principle and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be determined by the following claims and their appropriate legal equivalents.