Apparatus for painting traffic marks on road surface

• US 7,294,204 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korea Joongang HAK Wonco Limited, Korea University
• Original Assignee: Korea Joongang HAK Wonco Limited
• Inventors: Shin, Jae Bong, Shin, Hyun Ho, Kim, Jung Yup, Lee, Woo Chang, Hong, Daehie, Hwang, In Ju, Hyung-Kim, Tae
• Primary Examiner(s): TADESSE, YEWEBDAR T
• Application Number:
  US10/962,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20050081783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 118/305, 118/695, 118/679, 118/712, 118/323, 118/697, 118/668, 118/698, 118/708, 239/227, 239/754, 404/84.05, 404/93, 404/94, 427/427.2, 427/427.3
• US Class Current: 118/323
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/22 by spraying E01C23/206 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for painting traffic marks on a road surface without requiring any professional painting skills. The apparatus having: a first support and second support being parallel to each other and a coupling unit to couple the supports. There is also a gantry unit, having: at least one Y-axial gantry coupled to and being movable along the first and second support, and an X-axial gantry coupled to the Y-axial gantry to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the first support and second support. The apparatus further includes: a jet unit coupled to the X-axial gantry, with a jet nozzle to spray paint downwards; a feeding device, having a first feeding unit to move the Y-axial gantry and a second feeding unit to move the X-axial gantry. There may be a third feeding unit to move the jet unit. There is also a control unit to control operation of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for painting traffic marks on a road surface, said apparatus comprising:

a trailer unit, comprising a first support and a second support being parallel to each other; and

at least one coupling unit to couple said first support to said second support;

a gantry unit, comprising;

a first Y-axial gantry and a second Y-axial gantry coupled at both ends to said first support and said second support to be parallel with each other, wherein said first X-axial gantry and said second Y-axial gantry each have a Y-axial guide groove and move longitudinally in a direction substantially perpendicular to said first support and said second support;

a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod, said first connecting rod coupling a first end of said first Y-axial gantry to a first end of said second Y-axial gantry and a second connecting rod coupling a second end of said first Y-axial gantry to a second end of said second Y-axial gantry; and

at least one X-axial gantry having an X-axial guide groove, wherein said X-axial gantry is coupled to said first Y-axial gantry and said second Y-axial gantry to be longitudinally movable in a direction substantially parallel to said first support and said second support along said Y-axial guide groove;

a jet unit coupled to said X-axial gantry to be longitudinally movable along said X-axial guide groove, said jet unit having a jet nozzle, a check valve and a jet nozzle rotating unit;

a feeding device, comprising;

a first feeding unit to move the Y-axial gantry, said first feeding unit comprising;

a rack longitudinally provided on said first support and said second support;

a pinion to engage said rack; and

a first motor having a motor housing coupled to said Y-axial gantry and an output shaft coupled to said pinion to rotate said pinion;

a second feeding unit to move the X-axial gantry, said second feeding unit comprising;

a Y-axial belt longitudinally provided in said Y-axial gantry;

a second motor to rotate said Y-axial belt; and

a connecting unit coupled to said Y-axial belt and said X-axial gantry for coupling said Y-axial gantry to said X-axial gantry;

a third feeding unit to move said jet unit, said third feeding unit comprising;

an X-axial belt longitudinally provided in said X-axial gantry and coupled to said jet unit;

a third motor to rotate said X-axial belt;

a control unit to control operation of said feeding device and operation of said jet unit; and

at least two X-axial wheels and at least two Y-axial wheels placed on a diagonal line of said first support and said second support.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a first pulley and second pulley coupled to each other by said Y-axial belt, wherein said first pulley is rotated by said second motor and rotates said second pulley and said connecting unit, thereby moving said X-axial gantry along said Y-axial gantry.

3. The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising:

an X-axial wheel rotating unit to rotate said at least two X-axial wheels; and

an Y-axial wheel rotating unit to rotate said at least two Y-axial wheels, wherein said control unit independently controls said X-axial wheel rotating unit and said Y-axial wheel rotating unit.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3, further comprising at least one monitoring unit mounted to said at least one X-axial wheel and at least one monitoring unit mounted to said at least one Y-axial wheel.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said jet unit is further comprised of a gear box.