Raised depressible pavement marker

• US 5,074,706 A
• Filed: 09/07/1990
• Issued: 12/24/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RoadVision Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Olympic Machines, Inc.
• Inventors: Paulos, Harry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Britts, Ramon S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MULCARE, NANCY C
• Application Number:
  US07/579,876
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 404/11, 404/12, 404/16, 340/435, 340/22, 340/942
• US Class Current: 404/12
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/30 Arrangements interacting with transmitters or receivers otherwise than by visible means, e.g. using radar reflectors or radio transmitters E01F11/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/559 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/571 displaceable vertically under load, e.g. in combination with rotation

Abstract

A depressible pavement marker is provided and includes a base receptacle, a piston assembly with a reflector and a resilient, compressible, water impervious mass. The base receptacle is mounted in the pavement with a portion of the piston assembly protruding above the pavement so that the reflector can be seen. The piston assembly and base are of a piston-in-cylinder arrangement with the piston assembly depressible into the base. The mass fills substantially the entire cavity formed between the inner surfaces of the piston assembly and the base. In another embodiment a self illuminating marker is provided and includes a solar cell, rechargeable battery, light source and sensor. The solar cell recharges the battery during daylight hours. The sensor energizes and de-energized the light source in response to external indications. A further embodiment is also provided which includes a locational traffic marker having a transmitter in the piston assembly for sending a locational signal to a remote receiver such as for example a suitably equipped emergency vehicle.

Claims

1. A self illuminating retractable pavement marker comprising:

a base receptacle adapted to be fixedly secured to the walls of a cavity formed within a pavement;

a piston assembly including a light means, said piston assembly normally protruding above the base and the pavement surface and resiliently retractable downwardly into said base;

a rechargeable battery means positioned in said base receptacle for illuminating said light means;

a solar cell means openly positioned on said piston assembly for receiving light and for recharging said rechargeable battery; and

sensing means for receiving external indications and illuminating said light means in response to said external indications, said sensing means includes a receiver switch, said receiver switch being responsive to receipt of a signal received from a remotely generated radio signal to illuminate said light means.

2. The self-illuminating retractable pavement marker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sensing means further comprises a photocell switch means and said external indication is a darkening light condition wherein said light means is illuminated in response to said photocell switch means sensing said darkening light condition.

3. A self illuminating retractable pavement marker in accordance with claim 2 wherein said photocell switch means deenergizes the light under daylight conditions.

4. A retracting pavement marker location indicating system for a roadway comprising:

a base receptacle adapted to be fixedly secured to the walls of a pavement;

a retractable piston assembly, parts of said piston assembly normally protruding above the base receptacle and pavement surface and resiliently depressible downwardly into said base;

a remote external receiver adapted to be mounted in a motor vehicle; and

location means for transmitting a location signal to said external receiver, said external receiver receiving said location signal and decoding the location signal for calculating the location of said marker along said roadway.

5. A retracting pavement marker in accordance with claim 4 further comprising:

an external transmitter for transmitting a triggering signal;

receiver means in said marker coupled with said location means for transmitting said location signal only upon receiving a triggering signal from said external transmitter and thereafter transmitting said location signal for a predetermined time for receipt by said external receiver for decoding and calculating the location of said marker along said roadway.