Anti-rotational traffic channeling device

• US 6,478,505 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TrafFix Devices Inc.
• Original Assignee: TrafFix Devices Inc.
• Inventors: Kulp, Jack H., Gertz, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pechhold, Alexandra K.
• Application Number:
  US09/470,134
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 404/6, 404/9, 248/910, 248/911, 116/63.C, 116/63.R, 116/63.P, 406/12, 256/1, 256/13.1
• US Class Current: 404/6
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 15/086 using plastic, rubber or synthetic materials
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/654 in the form of three-dimensional bodies, e.g. cones; capable of assuming three-dimensional form, e.g. by inflation or erection to form a geometric body
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/688 Free-standing bodies

Abstract

In a traffic channeling device, a molded rib for attachment to an exterior surface of a bottom wall of a drum for inhibiting the drum from rotating relative to a rubber ballasting collar. The rib comprises an exterior surface for contact with the rubber ballasting collar, a back surface for contact with the bottom wall of the traffic channeling device, and a thickness between the exterior and back surfaces. In aspects of the device, the one or more molded ribs may be attached to the bottom wall exterior surface in a latitudinal arc of less than 180°. In further aspects of the device, locator pins radially extending from the bottom wall exterior surface complement cavities in the back surface of the molded rib. In additional aspects of the device, fasteners, such as screws, attach the molded ribs to the device such that the fasteners do not extend past a wall inside surface, thereby inhibiting marring of drum walls during stacking of the drums. In further aspects of the device, the drum and the ribs are unitarily molded.

Claims

1. A traffic channeling device comprising:

a. a drum having a wall having an outside surface, an inside surface, and terminating at a lower end;

b. a base extending from the drum lower end and having a top surface;

c. two sets of two locator pins radially extending from the wall outside surface, wherein the locator pins of each set are vertically aligned and the two sets of two locator pins are disposed about the wall outside surface in a latitudinal arc of less than 180°

;

d. one or more molded ribs attached to the wall outside surface for preventing the traffic channeling device from rotating relative to a rubber collar which may be disposed thereabout, each rib comprising;

i. an exterior surface for contact with a rubber collar;

ii. a back surface in contact with the wall outside surface;

iii. a thickness between the exterior and back surfaces;

iv. a top portion terminating in a tip, wherein the rib thickness diminishes toward the tip;

v. a bottom surface that complements the base top surface;

vi. rubber having at hardness of approximately 35 to 40 durometer; and

vii. two cavities that complement a respective set of locator pins;

e. recesses in the wall inside surface that respectively correspond to at least one of the locator pins; and

f. a plurality of screws attaching the ribs to the wall, each screw having a head and body, wherein the screw head is disposed in a respective recess and the screw body extends from the screw head, through the wall, and into a respective rib, thereby attaching the one or more molded ribs to the wall outside surface.

2. The traffic channeling device of claim 1, and further comprising an additional two sets of two locator pins radially extending from the wall outside surface, wherein the locator pins of each additional set are vertically aligned and the two additional sets of two locator pins are disposed about the wall outside surface in the latitudinal arc of less than 180°

, wherein the cavities of the one or more molded ribs may complement any two sets of locator pins, respectively.

3. The traffic channeling device of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a radially outwardly and axially downwardly tapering skirt portion adjacent to a bottom edge of the traffic channeling device.

4. The traffic channeling device of claim 1, wherein the base is a flange that extends radially outwardly from a bottom edge of the traffic channeling device.

5. The traffic channeling device of claim 1, wherein a rubber collar is inserted over the traffic channeling device, the rubber collar comprising an inner diameter that is in contact with a portion of the wall outside surface and a portion of each rib exterior surface.

6. A traffic channeling device, comprising:

a wall having an outside surface and an inside surface and terminating at a lower end in a base flange having a top surface; and

a plurality of molded ribs disposed on said wall outside surface above said base flange;

said molded ribs being spaced relative to one another about a portion of a circumference of said wall outside surface, in a first latitudinal arc of less than 180°

, such that a second latitudinal arc of greater than 180°

about the circumference of said wall outside surface has no ribs disposed thereon.

7. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 6, wherein said first latitudinal arc is about 114°

.

8. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 6, wherein said first latitudinal arc is about 86°

.

9. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 6, wherein said ribs are plastic and are integrally molded with said wall.

10. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 6, wherein said ribs are comprised of molded rubber, and further comprising mechanical fasteners for attaching said ribs to said wall.

11. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 10, each of said ribs comprising:

an exterior surface for contact with said ballasting collar;

a back surface in contact with the wall outside surface; and

a thickness between the exterior and back surfaces.

12. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 11, and further comprising at least one locator pin extending from the wall outside surface and into a respective complementary cavity in the back surface of at least one of said ribs.

13. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 10, wherein each of said ribs further comprises:

a top portion terminating in a tip, wherein the rib thickness diminishes toward the tip;

a bottom surface that complements the top surface of said base flange; and

said rubber has a hardness of approximately 35 to 40 durometer.

14. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 6, wherein said base flange comprises a radially outwardly and axially downwardly tapering skirt portion adjacent to a bottom edge of the traffic channeling device.

15. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 6, wherein said traffic channeling device comprises a drum.

16. A traffic channeling device, comprising:

a wall having an outside surface and an inside surface and terminating at a lower end in a base flange having a top surface;

a ballasting collar disposed about said wall and over said base flange; and

a plurality of molded ribs disposed on said wall outside surface above said base flange;

said molded ribs being spaced relative to one another about a portion of a circumference of said wall outside surface, in a first latitudinal arc of less than 180°

, such that a second latitudinal arc of greater than 180°

about the circumference of said wall outside surface has no ribs disposed thereon.

17. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 16, wherein said ballasting collar is comprised of rubber.

18. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 17, wherein said ballasting collar comprises a portion of a recycled truck tire.

19. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 16, wherein said ballasting collar comprises an inner diameter that is in contact with a portion of the wall outside surface and a portion of each rib exterior surface.

20. A traffic channeling device comprising:

a wall having an outside surface, an inside surface, and terminating at a lower end in a base flange having a top surface;

a plurality of molded ribs removably attached to the wall outside surface by mechanical fasteners, each rib comprising;

an exterior surface for contact with a ballasting collar which may be disposed about said wall;

a back surface in contact with the tall outside surface; and

a thickness between the exterior and back surfaces.

21. The traffic channeling device as recited in claims 20, and further comprising at least one locator pin extending from the wall outside surface and into a respective complementary cavity in the back surface of at least one of said ribs.

22. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 21, and further comprising:

at least one recess in the wall inside surface that respectively corresponds to the at least one locator pin;

wherein

said mechanical fasteners each comprise a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of one of said mechanical fasteners being disposed in one of said at least one recess such that said first portion does not extend beyond the wall inside surface and the second portion extends from the first portion, through the wall, and into a respective rib.

23. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 20, wherein each of said, ribs further comprises:

a top portion terminating in a tip, wherein the rib thickness diminishes toward the tip; and

a bottom surface that complements the top surface of said base flange.

24. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 23, wherein each of said ribs comprises molded rubber having a hardness of approximately 35 to 40 durometer.

25. A traffic channeling device, comprising:

a wall having an outside surface and an inside surface and terminating at a lower end in a base flange having a top surface;

a plurality of molded ribs disposed on said wall outside surface above said base flange;

said molded ribs being comprised of molded rubber and being spaced relative to one another about a portion of a circumference of said wall outside surface, in a first latitudinal arc of less than 180°

, such that a second latitudinal arc of greater than 180°

about the circumference of said wall outside surface has no ribs disposed thereon, said molded ribs being fastened to said wall by mechanical fasteners and each of said ribs comprising an exterior surface for contact with said ballasting collar, a back surface in contact with the wall outside surface, and a thickness between the exterior and back surfaces; and

at least one locator pin extending from the wall outside surface and into a respective complementary cavity in the back surface of at least one of said ribs.

26. The traffic channeling device as recited in claim 25, and further comprising:

at least one recess in the wall inside surface that respectively corresponds to she at least one locator pin;

wherein

said mechanical fasteners each comprise a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of one of said mechanical fasteners being disposed in one of said at least one recess such that said first portion does not extend beyond the wall inside surface and the second portion extends from the first portion, through the wall, and into a respective rib.