Pavement marker

• US 6,955,497 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ennis Paint, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: Tidaback, Jeffrey A., Snagel, Paul, Sardesai, Swanand, Langlands, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartmann, Gary S.
• Application Number:
  US10/442,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20040234335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 404/12, 404/15, 404/16, 404/34, 523/90, D25/110, D25/140, D10/113
• US Class Current: 404/15
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/553 Low discrete bodies, e.g. marking blocks, studs or flexible vehicle-striking members

Abstract

A surface-mounted pavement marker is provided for secure attachment to a pavement surface by adhesive. The bottom surface of the pavement marker is divided into sectors, and a parallel array of grooves is formed in each sector. The grooves in each array are angularly aligned to the grooves in adjacent arrays. Additionally, each groove extends continuously from its inner end to the outer periphery of the pavement marker.

Claims

1. A pavement marker having a bottom surface with an outer periphery, lateral external surfaces extending up from the bottom surface at the outer periphery of the bottom surface, said bottom surface being divided into a plurality of sectors, each said sector being formed with an array of V-shaped grooves extending substantially parallel to one another and substantially continuously from an inner position on the sector to intersect one of said lateral external surfaces of the pavement marker at the outer periphery of the bottom surface, each said groove being defined by surfaces meeting at lines substantially parallel to the bottom surface, the grooves in each sector of the bottom surface being angularly aligned to intersect the grooves in each adjacent sector, whereby air can be urged outwardly through the grooves to the lateral external surfaces when the bottom surface of the pavement marker is placed on a pavement surface.

2. The pavement marker of claim 1, wherein the grooves in each sector are spaced from one another to define ridges having a substantially V-shape, the ridges lying in a plane defining the bottom surface.

3. The pavement marker of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface has four sectors meeting in a central position on the bottom surface of the pavement marker.

4. The pavement marker of claim 3, wherein the grooves in each sector are substantially perpendicular to the grooves in each sector adjacent thereto.

5. The pavement marker of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface is characterized by a plurality of coring holes interrupting at least certain of the grooves.

6. A pavement marker having a bottom surface with an outer periphery, said bottom surface being divided into a plurality of sectors, each said sector being formed with an array of grooves extending substantially continuously from an inner position on the sector to the outer periphery of the bottom surface, the grooves in each sector of the bottom surface being angularly aligned to the grooves in each adjacent sector, a central portion of the bottom surface being formed with a plurality of coring holes separated from one another by webs, the webs being offset upwardly from the bottom surface, the pavement marker further including a bottom cover secured to the webs adjacent the coring holes in the bottom surface, the grooves in the bottom surface being formed on the cover and on portions of the bottom surface surrounding the cover.

7. The pavement marker of claim 6, wherein the bottom cover has a bottom surface offset said upwardly from portions of the bottom surface surrounding the bottom cover, the offset of the bottom cover being less than a depth defined by each of said grooves.