Patent ID: 6902349

Claim:
A method for serially dispensing and applying a nested collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto a pavement surface, comprising the steps of: forming a nested collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) by providing a plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), wherein each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) has an upper surface portion and a bottom surface portion; providing adhesive means, which is adapted to be fixedly mounted upon said bottom surface portion of each one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), for permitting each one of said bottom surface portions of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to be fixedly adhered to a pavement surface as a result of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) being serially dispensed and said bottom surface portions of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) being applied onto the pavement surface at predeterminedly spaced positions located along the pavement surface; and providing a single release sheet, to which all of said adhesive means of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are separably adhered prior to the serial dispensing and application of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) onto the pavement surface, wherein successive ones of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) are arranged such that an undersurface portion of one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) is disposed in contact with an upper surface portion of a successive one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) so as to effectively define, along with said single release sheet, said nested collated array of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to be dispensed and applied onto the pavement surface; and separating a leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), disposed within said nested collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), from said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) disposed within said nested collated array of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), and depositing said bottom surface portion of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs), upon which said adhesive means is disposed, onto the pavement surface so as to facilitate the adhesive bonding of said leading one of said plurality of permanent raised pavement markers (RPMs) to the pavement surface.