Traffic channelizer devices

• US 20040151543A1
• Filed: 02/04/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plastic Safety Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plastic Safety Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Mettler, Charles M., Brown, Gregory H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,817,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 404/9
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/654 in the form of three-dimensional bodies, e.g. cones; capable of assuming three-dimensional form, e.g. by inflation or erection to form a geometric body
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/688 Free-standing bodies

Abstract

A traffic channelizer device includes a deformable hollow plastic drum that may be ballasted by a drop over ballasting collar or by a base having an upper portion that may be releasably retained within the open bottom of the drum by a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially inwardly extending locking fingers adjacent the bottom edge of the drum that releasably engage a groove in the upper portion of the base. An intermittent stacking rim may be provided at the top of the drum to prevent overstacking of a plurality of such drums. Also the intermittent stacking rim may be used to prevent rotation of a portable sign assembly relative to the drum and keep the portable sign assembly from inadvertently sliding up off the drum top.

Claims

1. A traffic channelizer device comprising a deformable hollow plastic drum having a side wall and an open bottom, a ballasting collar having an upper portion adapted to be received within the open bottom, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced locking fingers extending radially inwardly from the side wall adjacent a bottom edge of the drum adapted to be received in a radially outwardly facing annular groove in the upper portion of the base for releasably retaining the upper portion of the base within the open bottom, the drum being deformable upon impact by a vehicle to cause the drum to flex sufficiently to become dislodged from the base leaving the base behind.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the locking fingers have a substantially flat radial top surface that is adapted to engage a substantially flat radial upper surface of the annular groove in the upper portion of the base for retaining the upper portion of the base within the open bottom of the drum.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the locking fingers have a tapered bottom surface and the upper portion of the base has a tapered upper edge that is engageable with the tapered bottom surface of the locking fingers during insertion of the upper portion of the base into the open bottom of the drum to facilitate flexing of the drum to allow the locking fingers to move past the tapered upper edge and into engagement with the annular groove.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the locking fingers have an angled bottom surface that is adapted to press against a lower surface of the annular groove in the upper portion of the base to eliminate chatter between the drum and base.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the locking fingers are double walled for increased strength and rigidity.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the locking fingers are generally triangular shaped and have radially inwardly sloping sides and a rounded inner tip.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the open bottom of the drum has an irregular shape, and the upper portion of the base has a corresponding irregular shape for maintaining a desired orientation of the drum relative to the base when the upper portion of the base is inserted into the open bottom.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the base has a lower portion that extends radially outwardly beyond the upper portion of the base to provide a flat surface for supporting the drum off the ground.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the base has a ribbed bottom for improved stability.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein a plurality of ribs on the bottom of the base extend in the same direction to form channels beneath the base allowing water to flow under the base.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the side wall of the drum has a radially outwardly and axially downwardly tapering skirt portion adjacent the open bottom for resisting pull out of the drum from a ballasting collar adapted to be inserted over the drum, the drum being deformable upon impact by a vehicle to cause the drum to collapse sufficiently to permit the skirt portion to pass through the ballasting collar to dislodge the drum from the ballasting collar leaving the ballasting collar behind.

12. The device of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced stiffening ribs integral with the skirt portion, the locking fingers being located adjacent a bottom edge of the drum intermediate the stiffening ribs.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the skirt portion has at least one flat side with outwardly protruding corners adjacent the bottom edge of the drum to resist rolling of the drum when tipped on its side.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the bottom edge of the drum has a curved portion opposite the flat side, and the stiffening ribs progressively increase in size and radial extent of protrusion from the approximate midpoint of the curved portion to the protruding corners.

15. The device of claim 11 further comprising a radially outwardly protruding mounting surface on the exterior of the drum adjacent the drum bottom for supporting a friction pad that is adapted to be contacted by the inner diameter of the ballasting collar placed over the drum to prevent rotation of the drum relative to the ballasting collar.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the friction pad is round and is contacted by the inner diameter of the ballasting collar at two points adjacent opposite sides of the friction pad.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the mounting surface and the friction pad mounted thereon extend radially outwardly and axially downwardly to facilitate clearing of the inner diameter of the ballasting collar with the top of the friction pad when placed over the drum.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein the mounting surface is sufficiently flexible to permit use of friction pads of slightly different thicknesses and still provide the necessary contact between the inner diameter of the ballasting collar and the opposite edges of the friction pad to prevent relative rotation between the ballasting collar and drum.

19. The device of claim 15 wherein the mounting surface is concave across its width to cause the friction pad to dish out to ensure that the inner diameter of the ballasting collar contacts the friction pad at two points adjacent opposite sides of the friction pad.

20. The device of claim 1 wherein the side wall of the drum is stepped inwardly along its axial length to form sequential inward stepped surfaces toward the top of the drum to permit stacking of a plurality of such drums one on top of another, and the top of the drum has a stacking rim that protrudes radially outwardly beyond the inner diameter of an uppermost stepped surface of the drum but less than the inner diameter of a second uppermost stepped surface of the drum to prevent overstacking of a plurality of such drums beyond a transition shoulder between the uppermost stepped surface and the second uppermost stepped surface of such drums.

21. The device of claim 20 wherein the stacking rim is intermittent around its periphery to provide a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly protruding tabs with air gaps between the tabs that allow for the free flow of air into and out of such drums during stacking and unstacking.

22. The device of claim 1 further comprising a portable sign assembly attachable to the drum, the portable sign assembly comprising a sign support and a band for releasably attaching the sign support to the side wall of the drum adjacent the drum top, the sign support having at least one tab extending upwardly from an upper back edge of the sign support sized to fit between at least two circumferentially spaced radially outwardly protruding tabs on the drum top for preventing rotation of the sign assembly relative to the drum.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein the upper back edge of the sign support fits underneath a plurality of the tabs on the drum top to prevent the portable sign assembly from inadvertently sliding up off the drum top.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein the drum includes a radially outwardly stepped transition shoulder below a lower back edge of the sign support to prevent the portable sign assembly from inadvertently sliding down the drum below the shoulder.

25. A traffic channelizer device comprising a deformable hollow plastic drum having a side wall and an open bottom, a radially outwardly and axially downwardly tapering skirt portion adjacent the open bottom for resisting pull out of the drum from a ballasting collar adapted to be inserted over the drum, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced stiffening ribs integral with the skirt portion, the skirt portion having a relatively wide flat side with outwardly protruding corners adjacent a bottom edge of the drum to resist rolling of the drum when tipped on its side, the bottom edge of the drum having a curved portion opposite the flat side, the stiffening ribs progressively increasing in size and radial extent of protrusion from the approximate midpoint of the curved portion to the protruding corners to cause the ballasting collar to be slightly offset from the axial center of the drum in the direction of the relatively wide flat side, the drum being deformable upon impact by a vehicle to cause the drum to collapse sufficiently to permit the skirt portion to pass through the ballasting collar to dislodge the drum from the ballasting collar leaving the ballasting collar behind.

26. A traffic channelizer device comprising a deformable hollow plastic drum having a side wall and an open bottom, a ballasting base having an upper portion adapted to be retained within the open bottom for ballasting the drum, both the open bottom of the drum and the upper portion of the base having a corresponding irregular shape for maintaining a desired orientation of the drum relative to the base, the base having a lower portion that extends radially outwardly beyond the upper portion of the base to provide a flat surface for supporting engagement by the open bottom for the drum off the ground, the base having a bottom, and a plurality of spaced apart ribs on the base bottom all extending in the same direction to form channels beneath the base allowing water to flow through the channels under the base.

27. A traffic channelizer device comprising a deformable hollow plastic drum having a side wall and an open bottom, the side wall being stepped inwardly along its axial length to form sequential inward stepped surfaces toward the top of the drum to permit stacking of a plurality of such drums one on top of another, the top of the drum having a stacking rim that protrudes radially outwardly beyond the inner diameter of the uppermost stepped surface of the drum but less than the inner diameter of a second uppermost stepped surface of the drum to prevent overstacking of a plurality of such drums beyond a transition shoulder between the uppermost stepped surface and the second uppermost stepped surface of such drums.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein the stacking rim is intermittent around its periphery to provide a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly protruding tabs with air gaps between the tabs that allow for the free flow of air into and out of a plurality of such drums during stacking and unstacking.

29. The device of claim 28 further comprising a portable sign assembly attachable to the drum, the portable sign assembly comprising a sign support and a band for releasably attaching the sign support to the uppermost stepped surface of the drum, the sign support having at least one tab extending upwardly from an upper back edge of the sign support sized to fit between at least two of the tabs on the drum top for preventing rotation of the sign assembly relative to the drum.

30. The device of claim 29 wherein the upper back edge of the sign support fits underneath a plurality of the tabs on the drum top to prevent the portable sign assembly from inadvertently sliding up off the drum top.