초록 ▼

A retractable, reflective pavement marker for delineating traffic lanes of roadways and a method of installing the same that provides improved protection from potentially damaging vehicle tires, snowplows, and environmental conditions. The marker incorporates a reflector assembly mounted to a piston

A retractable, reflective pavement marker for delineating traffic lanes of roadways and a method of installing the same that provides improved protection from potentially damaging vehicle tires, snowplows, and environmental conditions. The marker incorporates a reflector assembly mounted to a piston that is depressible within a housing. A biasing means returns the reflector assembly to its normal position above the road surface. A compliant adhesive cooperates with an adhesive lock formed between the housing and the opening to ensure that the marker is reliably retained within the pavement. The adhesive and a chamfered opening prevent pavement spalling due to external forces. The housing includes a removable retainer through which the piston is reciprocally received. The retainer includes a plurality of coarsely pitched lead-in threads that cooperate with a threaded housing. Multiple lead-in threads provide sufficient thread engagement, while substantially decreasing the number of rotations to achieve full engagement.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A depressible pavement marker installation comprising: a road surface having an opening with a chamfered peripheral edge formed thereon;a housing resiliently mounted with a compliant adhesive in said opening such that an upper end of said housing is positioned at or below said road surface, the a

1. A depressible pavement marker installation comprising: a road surface having an opening with a chamfered peripheral edge formed thereon;a housing resiliently mounted with a compliant adhesive in said opening such that an upper end of said housing is positioned at or below said road surface, the adhesive being resiliently compliant after being fully cured within the opening;a retainer threadably engaged with said housing;a piston reciprocally movable within said housing, said piston including an upper end normally protruding above said housing and said road surface, said piston being depressible downwardly in said housing to move said upper end of said piston into said housing;a reflector assembly mounted to said upper end of said piston such that said reflector assembly is normally positioned above said road surface; andresiliently compressible means biasing said piston upwardly to raise said upper end of said piston above said housing and said road surface, said biasing means substantially filling the interior of the housing. 2. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein one and one half rotations is sufficient to fully threadably engage said retainer to said housing. 3. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of lead-in threads includes an alignment thread to facilitate alignment of said retainer relative to said housing. 4. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein compression of said piston forces air through a passage to evacuate moisture and debris. 5. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein said retainer includes a plurality of lead-in threads. 6. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein a circumferential surface of said opening includes an undercut. 7. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein said opening includes a first diameter at said road surface and a second diameter at a bottom surface of said opening. 8. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 7, wherein said second diameter is greater than said first diameter. 9. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 7, wherein said first diameter is greater than said second diameter. 10. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 7, wherein an outer surface of said housing is parallel to said circumferential surface of said opening. 11. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 7, wherein an outer surface of said housing is angled relative to at least a portion of said circumferential surface of said opening. 12. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes a plurality of outer surfaces disposed at a plurality of respective angles relative to said road surface. 13. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 12, wherein said housing includes a first outer surface disposed at a first angle relative to said pavement surface, and a second outer surface disposed at a second angle relative to said road surface. 14. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein said retainer and said housing include locating features to ensure proper orientation of said reflector assembly. 15. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 14, wherein said locating features are holes and a pin is received through said holes. 16. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein said compliant adhesive is a bituminous adhesive. 17. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 1, wherein said compliant adhesive forms a moisture impervious seal between said housing and said opening. 18. A method of installing a pavement marker comprising: forming an opening in a road surface along a longitudinal axis, said opening having a side wall and an end wall, a contoured portion of said side wall being angularly oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis;inserting a compliant adhesive into said opening; andinserting a housing within said opening, said compliant adhesive bonding said housing within said opening, the compliant adhesive remaining compliant after being fully cured, thereby forming a resilient, moisture impervious seal,wherein said compliant adhesive fills an adhesive lock formed between an outer surface of said housing and said contoured portion of said side wall. 19. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 18 further comprises forming a chamfered periphery in said opening at said road surface. 20. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 18, wherein said compliant adhesive is a bituminous adhesive. 21. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 18, wherein said contoured outer surface includes a plurality of facets. 22. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 18, wherein said adhesive lock is a barb protuberance formed on said outer surface of said housing. 23. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 18, wherein said adhesive lock is an undercut formed in said opening. 24. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 18, wherein said opening is formed to include a first diameter at said road surface and a second diameter at a bottom surface of said opening. 25. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 24, wherein said first diameter is greater than said second diameter. 26. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 24, wherein said second diameter is greater than said first diameter. 27. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 18, wherein a retainer with a plurality of lead-in threads is threadably engaged with said housing. 28. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 27, wherein said plurality of lead-in threads includes an alignment thread to facilitate alignment of said retainer relative to said housing. 29. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 27, wherein one and one half rotations is sufficient to fully engage said retainer to said housing. 30. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 18, wherein a pin is inserted into said retainer and said housing to fixedly align said retainer and said housing. 31. A method of installing a pavement marker comprising: drilling an opening into a road surface;forming a chamfered periphery in said opening at said road surface to prevent spalling;injecting a compliant adhesive into said opening;inserting a housing into said opening; andbonding said housing within said opening, said compliant adhesive remaining compliant after being fully cured and forming a resilient, moisture impervious seal. 32. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 31, wherein the step of injecting a compliant adhesive into said opening is performed prior to inserting said housing into said opening. 33. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 31, wherein said compliant adhesive is a bituminous adhesive. 34. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 31, wherein said compliant adhesive fills an adhesive lock formed between a circumferential surface of said opening and an outer surface of said housing. 35. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 34, wherein said outer surface and/or said circumferential surface is contoured to prevent extraction of said housing from said opening. 36. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 35, wherein said contoured outer surface includes a plurality of facets. 37. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 36, wherein said adhesive lock is a barb protuberance formed on said outer surface of said housing. 38. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 34, wherein said adhesive lock is an undercut formed in said opening. 39. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 31, wherein said opening is drilled to include a first diameter at said road surface and a second diameter at a bottom surface of said opening. 40. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 39, wherein said first diameter is greater than said second diameter. 41. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 39, wherein said second diameter is greater than said first diameter. 42. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 31, wherein a retainer with a plurality of lead-in threads is threadably engaged with said housing. 43. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 42, wherein said plurality of lead-in threads includes an alignment thread to facilitate alignment of said retainer relative to said housing. 44. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 42, wherein one and one half complete rotations are sufficient to fully engage said retainer to said housing. 45. The method of installing a pavement marker according to claim 31, wherein a pin is inserted into said retainer and said housing to fixedly align said retainer and said housing. 46. A pavement marker installation comprising: a housing resiliently mounted within an opening formed in a road surface;an adhesive disposed in an annular gap between at least a portion of a sidewall formed by said opening and at least a portion of a periphery of said housing, said adhesive being resiliently compliant after being fully cured within said opening;a piston reciprocally movable within said housing, said piston including an upper end normally protruding above said housing and said road surface, said piston being depressible downwardly in said housing to move said upper end of said piston into said housing;a reflector assembly mounted to said upper end of said piston such that said reflector assembly is normally positioned above said road surface; anda compression member biasing said piston upwardly to raise said upper end of said piston above said housing and said road surface. 47. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 46, further comprising a retainer threadably engaged with said housing, said retainer including a plurality of lead-in threads. 48. The depressible pavement marker according to claim 46, wherein said opening includes a chamfered periphery.