Collapsible, breakaway highway delineator
First Claim
1. A highway delineator for indicating boundaries on a roadway, the delineator comprising:
- a base member having a sidewall defining (i) an outer perimeter, and (ii) an inner portion contained within the sidewall, and having a vertical cavity formed in the inner portion and extending through the sidewall; and
a panel member having a lower end disposable in the base member, an upper end and an intermediate body between the upper and lower ends, the lower end including lateral side walls having lateral release means for releasable attachment of the lower end to the base member such that a portion of the intermediate body nests within the cavity of the base member when the panel member is disposed in a generally horizontal orientation, but can be rotated upward to a stable, generally vertical orientation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A breakaway highway delineator including a base member for resting on a roadway or other generally horizontal surface and a base member which is connected to the panel member. In a preferred embodiment, the panel member is moveable between a first, generally horizontal orientation and a second, generally vertical orientation. The base member has a cavity/receiving slot configured to hold part of the panel member when the panel member is disposed generally horizontally. The base member also interacts to hold the panel member generally vertical when the panel member is properly positioned within the base member so as (i) to prevent the panel member from being tipped over by gusts of wind and drafts created by trucks and other vehicles passing by the delineator, and (ii) to release the panel member when forcefully impacted, allowing the panel member to be pulled from the base member to minimize damage to vehicles.
31 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A highway delineator for indicating boundaries on a roadway, the delineator comprising:
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a base member having a sidewall defining (i) an outer perimeter, and (ii) an inner portion contained within the sidewall, and having a vertical cavity formed in the inner portion and extending through the sidewall; and a panel member having a lower end disposable in the base member, an upper end and an intermediate body between the upper and lower ends, the lower end including lateral side walls having lateral release means for releasable attachment of the lower end to the base member such that a portion of the intermediate body nests within the cavity of the base member when the panel member is disposed in a generally horizontal orientation, but can be rotated upward to a stable, generally vertical orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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- 13. The highway delineator 12, wherein the tongue forms a contact rim disposed about the perimeter of the base member, the contact rim having a bottom, generally planar surface for engaging the roadway.
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20. A highway delineator for marking boundaries and hazards on a roadway, the delineator comprising:
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a panel member having lateral side walls at a lower end of the panel member, said lateral side walls including lateral release means which releasably engage a supporting base member, said panel member being disposable in a generally vertical orientation when attached to a base member; and a base member attached to the lower end of the panel member, the base member having a void for receiving a weighting material and a bottom wall with a surface area and including a contact rim substantially positioned around a perimeter of the bottom wall and extending downwardly therefrom, the contact rim providing a planar contact surface whose total surface area is nominal relative to the surface area of the bottom wall of the base, the contact rim being disposed so that substantially all vertical loading occurs on the planar contact surface of the contact rim to increase frictional resistance against movement of the base member along the roadway, the contact rim being of sufficient height and rigidity to prevent contact of the bottom wall with the roadway when the void of the base member is filled with the weighting material. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A highway delineator for marking boundaries and hazards on a roadway, the delineator comprising:
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a base member having an outer perimeter, an inner portion disposed within the outer perimeter and having an upper surface and a lower surface and a receiving slot extending into the base member from one of the upper and lower surfaces of the inner portion of the base member for receiving a portion of a panel member when the panel member is disposed in a horizontal orientation, the receiving slot extending from the inner portion of the base member through a sidewall defining the outer perimeter of the base member; and a panel member having lateral side walls at a lower end of the panel member and including lateral release means to enable the panel member to be pivotally attached to the base member and moveable between a generally vertical orientation and a generally horizontal orientation. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A breakaway highway delineator for marking boundaries and hazards on roadways, the delineator comprising:
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a panel member having lateral side walls at a lower end thereof, said lateral side walls including lateral release means capable of being attached to a base member, said panel members being moveable between a generally vertical orientation and a generally horizontal orientation; and a base member attached to the lower end of the panel member for selectively supporting the panel member; and anchoring means for selectively holding the panel member in the generally vertical orientation and for maintaining attachment between the panel member and the base member when the panel member is disposed in the generally horizontal orientation, the anchoring means including said lateral release means for releasing the attachment between the panel member and the base member when the panel member is forcefully impacted while disposed in the vertical orientation. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification