Animal crossing warning zone and method of applying it to a roadway
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An animal crossing warning zone for a roadway having an upper surface with a centerline dividing said roadway into a right lane and a left lane, comprising:
- a) a first graphical icon applied to said upper surface of said roadway at one end of an animal crossing warning zone, said first graphical icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is entering an animal crossing warning zone, and said first graphical icon also representing an animal running from left to right and upside down as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby said approaching motorist in said left lane is alerted that he is exiting an animal crossing warning zone;
b) a set of graphical icons applied to said upper surface of said roadway within said animal crossing warning zone, said set of graphical icons being located at a predetermined distance from said first graphical icon, and said set of graphical icons including a first icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane, and a second icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby an approaching motorist driving in either lane is alerted that he is passing through said animal crossing warning zone; and
c) a second graphical icon applied to said upper surface of said roadway at an opposite end of said animal crossing warning zone, said second graphical icon representing an animal running from left to right and upside down as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is exiting said animal crossing warning zone, and said second graphical icon also representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby said approaching motorist in said left lane is alerted that he is entering an animal crossing warning zone.
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Abstract
This invention pertains to an animal crossing warning zone wherein a motorist is alerted that he or she is entering, passing through, and then exiting a section of roadway where wild animals, such as whitetail deer, have a tendency to cross the road. A method of applying the animal crossing warning zone onto, into or out of an upper surface of a roadway is also disclosed.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An animal crossing warning zone for a roadway having an upper surface with a centerline dividing said roadway into a right lane and a left lane, comprising:
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a) a first graphical icon applied to said upper surface of said roadway at one end of an animal crossing warning zone, said first graphical icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is entering an animal crossing warning zone, and said first graphical icon also representing an animal running from left to right and upside down as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby said approaching motorist in said left lane is alerted that he is exiting an animal crossing warning zone; b) a set of graphical icons applied to said upper surface of said roadway within said animal crossing warning zone, said set of graphical icons being located at a predetermined distance from said first graphical icon, and said set of graphical icons including a first icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane, and a second icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby an approaching motorist driving in either lane is alerted that he is passing through said animal crossing warning zone; and c) a second graphical icon applied to said upper surface of said roadway at an opposite end of said animal crossing warning zone, said second graphical icon representing an animal running from left to right and upside down as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is exiting said animal crossing warning zone, and said second graphical icon also representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby said approaching motorist in said left lane is alerted that he is entering an animal crossing warning zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An animal crossing warning zone for a roadway having an upper surface with a centerline dividing said roadway into a right lane and a left lane, comprising:
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a) a first set of graphical icons applied to said upper surface of said roadway at one end of an animal crossing warning zone, said first set of graphical icons being aligned with said centerline, and said first set of graphical icons including a first icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is entering an animal crossing warning zone, and a second icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby said approaching motorist in the left lane is alerted that he is exiting said animal crossing warning zone; b) a second set of graphical icons applied to said upper surface of said roadway within said animal crossing warning zone, said second set of graphical icons being aligned with said centerline and located at a predetermined distance from said first set of graphical icons, and said second set of graphical icons including a first icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane and a second icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby an approaching motorist in either lane is alerted that he is passing through said animal crossing warning zone; and c) a third set of graphical icons applied to said upper surface of said roadway at an opposite end of said animal crossing warning zone along with a first identification reference applied in the right lane after said third set of graphical icons and applied in the left lane after said first set of graphical icons, said third set of graphical icons including a first icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane and a second icon representing an animal running from left to right and upside down as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane, whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is exiting said animal crossing warning zone and said approaching motorist in said left lane is alerted that he is exiting said animal crossing warning zone. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of applying an animal crossing warning zone to a roadway having an upper surface with a centerline dividing said roadway into a right lane and a left lane, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) cleaning at least first, second and third distinct and spaced apart designated areas on said upper surface of said roadway, said at least first, second and third designated areas being aligned with said centerline, and said first designated area being located at one end of said animal crossing warning zone, said second designated area being located within said animal crossing warning zone, and said third designated area being located at an opposite end of said animal crossing warning zone as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane; b) applying a first graphical icon in said first designated area, said first graphical icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is entering an animal crossing warning zone, and said first graphical icon also representing an animal running from right to left and upside down as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby said approaching motorist in said left lane is alerted that he is exiting said animal crossing warning zone; c) applying a set of back-to-back graphical icons in said second designated area, said set of back-to-back graphical icons including a first icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane, and a second icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby an approaching motorist in either lane is alerted that he is passing through said animal crossing warning zone; and d) applying a second graphical icon in said third designated area, said second graphical icon representing an animal running from left to right and upside down as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane whereby said approaching motorist driving in said right lane is alerted that he is exiting said animal crossing warning zone, and said second graphical icon also representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said left lane whereby said approaching motorist driving in said left lane is alerted that he is entering an animal crossing warning zone. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An animal crossing warning zone for a roadway having an upper surface, a centerline, two right lanes and two left lanes, comprising:
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a) a first graphical icon applied to said upper surface of said roadway at one end of an animal crossing warning zone, said first graphical icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is entering an animal crossing warning zone; b) a second graphical icon applied to said upper surface of said roadway within said animal crossing warning zone, said second graphical icon being located at a predetermined distance from said first graphical icon, and said second graphical icon representing an animal running from right to left and right side up as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is passing through said animal crossing warning zone; c) a third graphical icon applied to said upper surface of said roadway at an opposite end of said animal crossing warning zone, said third graphical icon representing an animal running from left to right as viewed by an approaching motorist driving in said right lane; and
an identification reference applied to said upper surface of said roadway adjacent to said third graphical icon whereby said approaching motorist in said right lane is alerted that he is exiting said animal crossing warning zone.
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Specification