Detectable warning-dots demarkation for pedestrian safety

• US 20060039752A1
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher A. Hyams
• Original Assignee: Christopher A. Hyams
• Inventors: Hyams, Christopher A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,249,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 404/19
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 19/44 Hand-actuated tools other than rollers, tampers, or vibrators, specially adapted for imparting a required finish to freshly-laid paving courses E01C19/43, E01C23/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/0993 for forming or installing surface markings or signals in the paving, e.g. grooving for striping or for producing rumble strips, forming marker-receiving recesses E01C23/0946 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/512 Preformed road surface markings, e.g. of sheet material; Methods of applying preformed markings

Abstract

A novel small quasi-hemispherical truncated-dome modular-dot like device, which can be readily affixed to pavement in a Federally-mandated pattern via a special hole/matrix-stencil;—the resulting demarkations thereby serving to alert the Legally-blind (as well as Guide-dogs, persons in wheelchairs, and otherwise pre-occupied non-handicapped individuals) their pedestrian-pathway is entering into a potentially dangerous transition area typically crossed by a motor-vehicle pathway. The individual so called DW-DOTS™ are resilient circular low-profile devices having an annular-ramp configuration, and thus standing out only sufficiently above a foot-surface as to enable foot-tactile detection, yet not pose the potential tripping hazzard known to embedded-mats. This novel safety-button offers a desired permanent contrasting-color, plus has a definition and rugged permanency not known to poured-dot installations. The disclosure sets forth various generic-variant structural embodiments, as well as the preferred method of attachment to a walkway-pavement surface.

Claims

1. A modular detectable-warning truncated-dome device for cautioning pedestrians traversing a walkway proximal a danger-zone;

said device comprising;

a one-piece safety-button structure having a domed top-side in combination with a substantially planar bottom-side, measuring critically in breadth no less than ¾

-inch and no more than 1½

-inch, while measuring critically in thickness no less than 3/16-inch and no more than 5/16-inch;

said bottom-side provided with a bonding surface means for permanently affixing said safety-button to an existing pavement-surface via a conventional substrate bonding-agent means, and permanently arranged in a spaced apart plurality creating a co-operative foot-tactile warning-field upon an existing walkway-pavement.

2. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button can be made of either injection-molded high-impact polymer-resin or CNC-machined from extruded aluminum.

3. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said domed top-side is semi-hemispherically shaped with a central apex portion thereto which is planar and parallel to said bottom-side.

4. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said domed top-side is semi-conically shaped with a central apex portion thereto which is planar and parallel to said bottom-side.

5. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said domed top-side is a semi-hemispherical regular-polyhedron shape with a central apex portion thereto which is planar and parallel to said bottom-side.

6. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said domed top-side is a quasi pyramid shape with a central apex portion thereto which is planar and parallel to said bottom-side.

7. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said top-side central apex portion includes an integrally formed raised or embossed X-shape serving to provide improved pedestrian anti-slip foot traction when stepped upon.

8. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said domed top-side includes an annular-groove into which is bonded a conventional retro-reflective ring member;

whereby ambient light or light casting upon a field array of said safety-buttons at night will make the warning-field appear luminous, and hence more apparent to an approaching vehicle'"'"'s headlights.

9. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said bottom-side is provided with a coarse texture as to thereby promote greater bonding strength with said substrate bonding-agent relative to the walkway-pavement.

10. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said bottom-side features a plurality of circumferential channels and including a bisecting radial-spue means thereto exiting through the lower perimeter, the combination thereby serving to promote greater adhesion of said substrate bonding-agent.

11. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein the perimeter of said safety-button'"'"'s said bottom-side is provided with an annular-boss which inside ledge portion is formed with an angled-undercut defining an annular-declivity into which said bonding-agent migrates prior to curing, thereby achieving a positive-mechanical retention of the safety-button relative to the adjoining walkway-pavement.

12. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said bottom-side is provided with a concavity into which said bonding-agent substrate can flow during installation, and thereby promote greater bonding strength with said substrate relative to the walkway-pavement.

13. The invention device according to claim-12, wherein said cavity formed into said safety-button includes an uppermost venting-port through which excess pre-mixed said bonding-agent medium can spew, thereby also eliminating any entrapped-air.

14. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said bottom-side is provided with a triad of elevating-teats equidistantly arranged proximal the perimeter thereof, thus serving to establish a predetermined interface-clearance above the pavement in which said bonding-agent can fill-in and thereby achieve a more uniform installation upon the walkway-pavement.

15. The invention device according to claim-1, wherein said safety-button bottom-side bonding surface is characterized as a downwardly projecting subterranean-boss portion for insertion intimately into a retention-hole prepared into said walkway-pavement, and including means of retention therein.

16. The invention device according to claim-15, wherein said downwardly projecting subterranean-boss portion is made substantially smaller than said safety-button breadth, whereby said bottom-side portion annular to said subterranean-boss provides a radial-extension effectively serving as an insertion-limit abutment interfacing upon said walkway-pavement surface.

17. The invention device according to claim-16, wherein said subterranean-boss portion is formed with a tapering body larger in diameter at its lower most terminus, thereby creating a captive positive-retention condition relative to said bonding-agent.

18. A foot-tactile detectable-warning safety-button array serving particularly for alerting the visually-impaired traversing pedestrian walkways located proximal an intersecting vehicular-pathway;

said apparatus comprising;

a plurality of prefabricated discretely cooperative truncated-dome modules capable of enduring foot-taffic without significant degradation and presenting a domed top-side in combination with a substantially planar bottom-side, critically measuring approximately ¾

-inch to 1½

-inch in plan-view diameter and critically approximately 3/16-inch to 5/16-inch in elevation thickness; and

wherein said bottom-side is provided with an enhanced bonding surface means whereby said safety-button devices are permanently affixed to an existing walkway-pavement via an interjacent conventional substrate bonding-agent means, said safety-button array thus arranged as geometrically spaced apart units creating a foot-tactile warning field supported by an existing walkway-pavement.

19. The invention device according to claim-18, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said bottom-side is provided with a coarse texture as to thereby promote greater bonding strength with said substrate bonding-agent relative to the walkway-pavement.

20. The invention device according to claim-18, wherein said safety-button'"'"'s said bottom-side is features a plurality of circumferential channels serving to promote greater bonding strength of said substrate bonding-agent relative to the walkway-pavement.

21. The invention device according to claim-18, wherein said geometrically spaced apart safety-buttons constitute a field-array whereto is included a perimeter portion of contrasting-color safety-button pieces.

22. The invention device according to claim-18, wherein said safety-button bottom-side bonding surface is characterized as a downwardly projecting subterranean-boss portion for insertion intimately into a retention-hole prepared into said walkway-pavement surface, and including means of retention therein.

23. The invention device according to claim-18, wherein said circular downward subterranean-boss portion is further characterized as a male-protrusion formed substantially smaller than said safety-button breadth, whereby said safety-button bottom-side is in effect an annular radial-extension portion from said male-protrusion portion, thereby serving as an insertion limit-abutment relative to said walkway-pavement surface.

24. The invention device according to claim-18, wherein the existing walkway-pavement surface supporting said safety-button warning-field is finished with application of a conventional traffic durable paint which can be of either a matching-color or a contrasting-color relative to said safety-buttons.

25. A quick and easy method of geometrically installing a foot-tactile detectable-warning safety-button plurality upon an existing walkway-pavement area;

said installation method comprising;

providing a flexible prefabricated layout-stencil having a arrangement of modular locator-holes approximately the size of said safety-button, said locator-holes arranged in a pattern appropriate for critical demarcation of the prescribed existing walkway-pavement area;

providing a plurality of truncated safety-buttons having a domed top-side in combination with a substantially planar bottom-side bonding surface, and measuring in thickness approximately ¼

-inch with a breadth of approximately 1-inch;

providing a conventional substrate bonding-agent means by which to permanently affix said safety-buttons to said layout-stencil demarkated points upon the walkway-pavement, whereupon subsequent removal said stencil results in a precisely spaced apart plurality of said safety-buttons thus presenting a foot-tactile co-operative warning-field upon an existing walkway-pavement surface.

26. The invention method according to claim-25, wherein the existing walkway-pavement surface supporting said safety-button warning-field is also finished with a conventional traffic durable paint which can be of either a matching-color or a contrasting-color relative to said safety-buttons.

27. A quick and easy method of installing a foot-tactile detectable-warning safety-button into a wet-cement walkway-pavement area;

said installation method comprising;

providing a tamping-tool having one or more prong means extending down from its tamping-platen face;

providing retention-holes as required into the wet-cement, by plunging said prong means down into the wet-cement until said tamping-platen face abuts with the top surface of said wet-cement, then withdrawing said tamping-platen to leave a formed retention-hole means;

providing one or more truncated safety-button devices which bottom-side includes a subterranean-boss portion sized to fit intimately down into said retention-hole.

28. The invention method according to claim-27, wherein said safety-button subterranean-boss is press friction-fitted into said retention-hole only after the wet-cement has sufficiently hardened.

29. The invention method according to claim-27, wherein said safety-button subterranean-boss is slip-fitted down into said retention-hole after a measured amount of liquid bonding-agent has been inserted, whereupon said bonding-agent hardens to create a permanent bond.