Traffic channelizer devices

• US 7,059,798 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2004
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Plastic Safety Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plastic Safety Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Mettler, Charles M., Brown, Gregory H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Addie, Raymond W.
• Application Number:
  US10/924,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20050025568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 404/6, 404/9, 404/10, 256/13.1, 116/63.R, 116/63.P
• US Class Current: 404/6
• 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

A traffic channelizer device includes a deformable hollow plastic drum that may be ballasted by a drop over ballasting collar or by a base having an upper portion that may be releasably retained within the open bottom of the drum by a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially inwardly extending locking fingers adjacent the bottom edge of the drum that releasably engage a groove in the upper portion of the base. An intermittent stacking rim may be provided at the top of the drum to prevent overstacking of a plurality of such drums. Also the intermittent stacking rim may be used to prevent rotation of a portable sign assembly relative to the drum and keep the portable sign assembly from inadvertently sliding up off the drum top.

Claims

1. A traffic channelizer device comprising a deformable hollow plastic drum having a side wall and an open bottom, a radially outwardly and axially downwardly tapering skirt portion adjacent the open bottom for resisting pull out of the drum from a ballasting collar adapted to be inserted over the drum, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly and axially downwardly tapering stiffening ribs integral with the skirt portion, the skirt portion having a relatively wide flat side with outwardly protruding corners adjacent a bottom edge of the drum to resist rolling of the drum when tipped on its side, the skirt portion having a curved portion adjacent the bottom edge of the drum diametrically opposite the flat side, the stiffening ribs progressively increasing in size and radial extent of protrusion from the skirt portion from the approximate midpoint of the curved portion to the protruding corners to create a substantially uniform diameter offset around the drum toward the flat side of the skirt portion, whereby when the ballasting collar is placed over the drum, the stiffening ribs will cause the ballasting collar to be slightly offset from the axial center of the drum in the direction of the flat side.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a mounting surface protruding outwardly from the exterior of the drum adjacent the drum bottom, and a friction pad mounted on the mounting surface that is adapted to be contacted by the inner diameter of the ballasting collar when placed over the drum to prevent rotation of the drum relative to the ballasting collar.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the friction pad is round and is contacted by the inner diameter of the ballasting collar at two points adjacent opposite sides of the friction pad.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the mounting surface and the friction pad mounted thereon extend radially outwardly and axially downwardly to facilitate clearing of the inner diameter of the ballasting collar with the top of the friction pad when placed over the drum.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the friction pad is made of a rubber-like material, and the mounting surface is flexible to permit use of friction pads of slightly different thicknesses and still provide the necessary contact between the inner diameter of the ballasting collar and the opposite sides of the friction pad to prevent relative rotation between the ballasting collar and drum.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein the mounting surface is concave across its width to cause the friction pad to dish out to ensure that the inner diameter of the ballasting collar contacts the friction pad at two points adjacent opposite sides of the friction pad.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the side wall of the drum is stepped inwardly along its axial length to form sequential inward stepped surfaces toward the top of the drum to permit stacking of a plurality of such drums one on top of another, and the top of the drum has a stacking rim that protrudes radially outwardly beyond the inner diameter of an uppermost stepped surface of the drum but less than the inner diameter of a second uppermost stepped surface of the drum to prevent overstacking of a plurality of such drums beyond a transition shoulder between the uppermost stepped surface and the second uppermost stepped surface of such drums.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the stacking rim is intermittent around its periphery to provide a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly protruding tabs with air gaps between the tabs that allow for the free flow of air into and out of such drums during stacking and unstacking.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising a portable sign assembly attachable to the drum, the portable sign assembly comprising a sign support and a band for releasably attaching the sign support to the side wall of the drum adjacent the drum top, the sign support having at least one tab extending upwardly from an upper back edge of the sign support sized to fit between at least two circumferentially spaced radially outwardly protruding tabs on the drum top for preventing rotation of the sign assembly relative to the drum.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the upper back edge of the sign support fits underneath a plurality of the tabs on the drum top to prevent the portable sign assembly from inadvertently sliding up off the drum top.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the drum includes a radially outwardly stepped transition shoulder below a lower back edge of the sign support to prevent the portable sign assembly from inadvertently sliding down the drum below the shoulder.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a base having an upper portion adapted to be received within the open bottom of the drum, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced locking fingers extending radially inwardly from the side wall adjacent a bottom edge of the drum adapted to be received in a radially outwardly facing annular groove extending completely around the periphery of the upper portion of the base for releasably retaining the upper portion of the base within the open bottom, the drum being deformable upon impact by a vehicle to cause the drum to flex sufficiently to become dislodged from the base leaving the base behind.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the locking fingers have a substantially flat radial top surface that is adapted to engage a substantially flat radial upper surface of the annular groove in the upper portion of the base for retaining the upper portion of the base within the open bottom of the drum.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the locking fingers have a tapered bottom surface and the upper portion of the base has a tapered upper edge that is engageable with the tapered bottom surface of the locking fingers during insertion of the upper portion of the base into the open bottom of the drum to facilitate flexing of the drum to allow the locking fingers to move past the tapered upper edge and into engagement with the annular groove.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the locking fingers have an angled bottom surface that is adapted to press against a lower surface of the annular groove in the upper portion of the base to eliminate chatter between the drum and base.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein the locking fingers are generally triangular shaped and have radially inwardly sloping sides and a rounded inner tip.

17. The device of claim 12 wherein the open bottom of the drum has an irregular shape, and the upper portion of the base has a corresponding irregular shape for maintaining a desired orientation of the drum relative to the base when the upper portion of the base is inserted into the open bottom.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the base has a lower portion that extends radially outwardly beyond the upper portion of the base to provide a flat surface for supporting the drum off the ground.

19. The device of claim 17 further comprising a plurality of ribs on a bottom of the base that extend in the same direction to form a plurality of parallel channels beneath the base that are open at their ends allowing water to flow through the channels and out their ends under the base.

20. A traffic channelizer device comprising a deformable hollow plastic drum having a side wall and an open bottom, a radially outwardly and axially downwardly tapering skirt portion adjacent the open bottom to resist pull out of the drum from a ballasting collar adapted to be inserted over the drum, the drum being deformable upon impact by a vehicle to cause the drum to collapse sufficiently to permit the skirt portion to pass through the ballasting collar to dislodge the drum from the ballasting collar leaving the ballasting collar behind, a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially outwardly and axially downwardly tapering stiffening ribs integral with the skirt portion, the skirt portion having a flat side with outwardly protruding corners adjacent a bottom edge of the drum, the skirt portion having a curved portion adjacent the bottom edge of the drum diametrically opposite the flat side, and the stiffening ribs progressively increasing in size and radial extent of protrusion from the skirt portion from the approximate midpoint of the curved portion around the skirt portion to the protruding corners to create a substantially uniform diameter offset around the drum toward the flat side of the skirt portion, wherein none of the ribs are on the flat side of the skirt portion.