Road marking system

• US 7,137,754 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Der Poel, Lucas Leo Desiree
• Primary Examiner(s): Will, Thomas B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PECHHOLD, ALEXANDRA K
• Application Number:
  US10/531,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 404/6, 404/9, 404 11- 16, 404 22- 24, 256/1, 256/13.1, 362/145, 362/153, 362/153.1
• US Class Current: 404/11
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/20 Use of light guides, e.g. fibre-optic devices
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/559 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/582 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/022 intended to be recessed in a floor or like ground surface, e.g. pavement or false floor
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/06 for aircraft runways or the like

Abstract

A road-marking system has at least a first lighting module (4) provided in a road surface (1). The lighting module (4) is provided with a plurality of light emitting surfaces (14, 14′, . . . ). The lighting module (4) has connection means (7, 7) for providing electrical connection between the lighting module (4) and the electrical current supply conductor (6). Preferably, the current supply conductor (6) is provided in a duct (8) provided with an opening (8′) at the location of the lighting module (4).

Claims

1. A road marking system comprising at least one semi-circular lighting module (4) provided in a recess in a road surface (1), wherein the recess is in the form of half a round disc, wherein the road surface (1) comprises a first asphalt layer (2) and a second asphalt layer (3) situated below the first asphalt layer (2), wherein the lighting module (4) is provided with coupling means (7,7′

) for coupling an electrical conductor (6) and the lighting module (4) to one another, wherein the electrical conductor (6) is provided in a cable duct (8) provided in the second asphalt layer (3) of the road surface (1), and wherein the coupling means (7,7′

) includes a cable for coupling the lighting module (4) to the electrical conductor (6), the cable extending through an opening in an upper side of the cable duct (8), wherein a deepest point of the half a round disc shared recess provides the opening in the cable duct (8) through which the cable can be passed, and wherein provision of the cable duct (8) below the first asphalt layer (2) provides an additional avenue for water drainage of the road surface.

2. A road marking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first asphalt layer (2) comprises open-pore asphalt concretes, wherein a water drainage capacity of the open-pore asphalt to a side of the road surface is only slightly influenced at the area of the lighting module.

3. A lighting module (4) for use in a road marking system as claimed in claim 1.

4. A road surface (1) provided with a road marking system as claimed in claim 1.

5. A method of manufacturing a road marking system as claimed in claim 1, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one electrical conductor (6) in a road surface (1);

providing at least one lighting module (4) in the road surface (1); and

connecting the lighting module (4) and the electrical conductor (6) to one another.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that a sawcut is provided in the road surface (1) for the accommodation of the lighting module (4) in the road surface (1), the cable duct (8) being provided with the opening (8′

) before the lighting module is mounted.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the opening (8′

) in the cable duct (9) is created while the sawcut is being provided in the road surface (1).

8. A road marking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical conductor (6) is provided with a first coupling means (7) and the lighting module (4) is provided with a second coupling means (7′

), and wherein connection between the first coupling means (7) and the second coupling means (7′

) is achieved by means of a male and female plug.

9. A road marking system as claimed in claim 8, further wherein the cable of the coupling means (7,7′

) is of a length sufficient for lifting the lighting module (4) from the road surface (1) so as to enable disconnecting of the coupling means (7,7′

).

10. A road marking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cable of the coupling means (7,7′

) is of a length sufficient for lifting the lighting module (4) from the road surface (1) to enable disconnecting of the coupling means (7,7′

).