Highway warning device

• US 5,769,563 A
• Filed: 09/26/1996
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory Flynn
• Original Assignee: Gregory Flynn
• Inventors: Flynn, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Lisehora, James
• Application Number:
  US08/722,865
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 404/15, 404/16, 116/63 R, 116/63 P
• US Class Current: 404/15
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/512 Preformed road surface markings, e.g. of sheet material; Methods of applying preformed markings
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/529 specially adapted for signalling by sound or vibrations, e.g. rumble strips; specially adapted for enforcing reduced speed, e.g. speed bumps
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/535 Kerbs or road edgings specially adapted for alerting road users

Abstract

A highway warning system which is capable of being temporarily secured to the road surface and easily removed from the road surface and provides drivers with an audible and vibration warning when approaching roadway construction sites. The system being a mat or plurality of mats temporarily secured to the road surface, the mat or mat having a wave-like upper surface defined by a series of alternating wave heights and troughs which when contacted by the wheels of a vehicle provide an audible sound as well as a slight vibration thereby warning the approaching driver to be alert.

Claims

1. A portable highway warning device comprising:

a mat having a substantially flat lower surface and an upper surface, said mat fabricated of a flexible resilient composition having an elongated rectangular periphery characterized by a long length direction having a leading edge and a trailing edge and a short length direction defined by two end panels, said upper surface of said mat having an undulated surface defined by a plurality of wave crests and a plurality of wave troughs positioned between said wave crests, the transition from said wave crest to said wave trough to said adjacent wave crest characterized by a curved incline, said curved incline on said leading edge of said mat defining an up ramp to said mat and said curved incline on said trailing edge of said mat defining a downward incline from said mat, said undulating upper surface and said flat lower surface extend from said opposing end panels in said long length direction, terminating a distance apart on said long length direction thereby enabling said mat to be folded in half so that said lower surfaces of said halves are in abutment, whereby;

when said mat is placed on said road surface with said lower surface in contact with said road surface and said length direction oriented transversely to the direction of vehicular t ravel, passage of the wheels of a vehicle across said mat and said undulating upper surface produces a discernible audible sound and a discernible vibration to the vehicle operator.

2. The portable highway warning device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mat is secured to said road surface by means of an adhesive applied to the lower surface of said mat.

3. The portable highway warning device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the arc defined from said wave crest to said wave crest on said mat corresponds to the partial arc of circumference of the tire of said vehicle.

4. The portable highway warning device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mat has a plurality of throughbores in said mat in the long length direction extending between said end panels for receipt of one or more cables extending through said throughbores and cooperable with a ground engagement device to secure said mat transversely on said roadway.

5. The portable highway warning device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said mat is characterized by having a long length direction sufficient for said mat to be positioned on said road surface transversely to engage one lateral set of vehicular wheels, said mat used in conjunction with a second mat positioned transversely in said roadway in a position sufficient to engage said opposing lateral set of vehicular wheels.