WO2008038069A1

WO2008038069A1 - A road stud

Info

Publication number: WO2008038069A1
Application number: PCT/IB2006/053533
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert Marcellus Schulz
Original assignee: Robert Marcellus Schulz
Priority date: 2006-09-28
Filing date: 2006-09-28
Publication date: 2008-04-03

Abstract

The invention relates to a road stud that comprises a body formed of a reinforced synthetic plastics material. The body is substantially rectangular in plan view and defines a substantially planar operative bottom face between two parallel, spaced ends of the body. The body forms a ramp formation at each of its ends, each ramp formation leading from its end to a central apex region of the body that is defined centrally between its ends. At least one ramp formation defines a recess and a face within the recess that carries a reflective element in a configuration in which, in use of the road stud secured to a road surface, the reflective element can reflect light rays from an oncoming vehicle for rendering it visible to the driver of the vehicle.

Description

A ROAD STUD

THIS INVENTION relates to a road stud.

Road studs, one form of which is commonly known as cats' eyes, are fixed on road surfaces, usually along lines marked on roads. These studs include reflective elements that can reflect light rays from oncoming vehicles to render them clearly visible to vehicle drivers, thereby to facilitate night driving.

A road stud conventionally has a relatively flat body that optionally has a spigot formation projecting therefrom, the spigot formation facilitating securing of the body to a road surface, typically with the aid of an epoxy. The effective height of the body is such that it can support the reflective elements thereon in a required orientation to face oncoming traffic, while not causing damage or undue discomfort when hit by vehicle tyres. Insofar as this configuration of a road stud is well known, this is not described in further detail herein.

The road studs known as cats' eyes have transparent bodies in which reflective elements are carried, scuffing of these bodies due to continuous direct vehicle tyre hits rendering these cats' eyes ineffective within a relatively limited time period. Other road studs have aluminium bodies with faces carrying reflective elements, the said faces projecting operatively upwardly with respect to a road surface for facing oncoming traffic. The reflective elements in this case are directly exposed to continuous tyre hits, thus rendering the reflective elements ineffective within a limited time period. The above problems associated with road studs, in combination with the inherent costs of these road studs, clearly render the use of road studs extremely expensive. It is thus an object of this invention to at least ameliorate these problems.

According to the invention there is provided a road stud comprising a body that defines a substantially planar operative bottom face between two substantially parallel spaced ends of the body, the body forming a ramp formation at at least one of the ends thereof that extends from the said end to a spaced location from the end where the body defines its maximum thickness, the ramp formation defining a recess and a face within the recess that carries at least one reflective element in a configuration in which, in use of the road stud secured to a road surface, the reflective element can reflect light rays from an oncoming vehicle for rendering it visible to the driver of the vehicle.

It will be understood that with a road stud as above defined secured to a road surface, with the face carrying the reflective element facing towards oncoming traffic, when a vehicle tyre hits the body of the road stud, the ramp formation will serve to guide the tyre to travel up and over the body without the tyre in any way making contact with the reflective element located in the recess defined in the ramp formation. The reflective element is thus protected and thereby the life of the road stud is effectively extended.

The reflective element of the road stud may be one of a reflective sheet element and a glass element, suitable elements for the purpose already being well known and thus not being described or defined further herein. Further according to the invention, the ramp formation formed by the body may define two recesses and a face within each recess that carries at least one reflective element in a configuration in which, in use of the road stud secured to a road surface, the reflective elements can reflect light rays from an oncoming vehicle for rendering it visible to the driver of the vehicle. For this configuration road stud, the operative width of each recess defined by the ramp formation will be relatively narrow, with the ramp formation defining a ramp segment between the two recesses that will serve also to guide the tyre of a vehicle to travel up and over the body without the tyre making contact with reflective elements carried in the recesses.

Still further according to the invention, the body of the road stud may form a ramp formation at both ends thereof that extend from their respective ends to a spaced location from these ends where the body defines its maximum thickness, each ramp formation defining a recess and a face within the recess that carries at least one reflective element in a configuration in which, in use of the road stud secured to a road surface, the reflective element can reflect light rays from an oncoming vehicle for rendering it visible to the driver of the vehicle. It will be understood that this road stud can serve in situations where a road caters for traffic in opposite directions, rendering the road stud visible by the reflection of light rays of vehicles approaching the road stud from opposite directions.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides for the body of the road stud to be a substantially rectangular body and the ramp formations to extend from the opposite ends of the body to an apex region of the body where it defines its maximum thickness, this apex region being substantially parallel to and spaced from the operative bottom face of the body. Still further according to the invention, the body may have a spigot formation that extends from the operative bottom face thereof in a configuration in which it can facilitate securing of the body to a road surface. The spigot formation may define different profiles and, in particular, it may define longitudinal recess formations therein which, when the spigot formation is secured within a bore defined therefor within a road surface with the aid of an epoxy, rotation of the road stud with respect to the road surface is effectively prevented. It must be appreciated, however, that the road stud may be secured to a road surface either without any special formations accommodating this, or with formations other than a spigot formation.

The body of the road stud may be formed of any suitable material and it is particularly envisaged that the body may be an injection moulded body of a reinforced synthetic plastics material, or the like. The particular material used may be modified to provide suitable properties in terms of wear and impact resistance, UV resistance, resistance to substances/chemicals to which it may be exposed in use, and the like.

The features of a road stud, in accordance with the invention, are described hereafter with reference to examples of road studs that are illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a first embodiment of a road stud, in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a side view of the road stud of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a sectional side view of the road stud of Figure 1 , along line Ill-Ill of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 shows an end view of the road stud of Figure 1 ; Figure 5 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of a road stud, in accordance with the invention;

Figure 6 shows a side view of the road stud of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 shows an end view of the road stud of Figure 5.

Referring initially to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, a first embodiment of a road stud, in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The road stud 10 comprises a relatively flat body 12 that has a spigot formation 14 projecting integrally from the operative bottom side thereof, the body being an injection moulded body formed of polybutylene terephthalate, which is 30% glass reinforced and which is ultra-violet stabilized. The spigot formation 14 is essentially the equivalent of the spigot formations that are associated with known road studs for securing road studs to a road surface, typically within a bore defined therefor within the road surface and with the aid of an epoxy. As such, the spigot formation 14 defines a profiled cross-sectional configuration which will resist rotation of the body about the axis of the spigot formation, it being envisaged in this regard also that the operative bottom face of the flat body 12 also can be provided with formations that will resist rotation of the body when secured to a road surface.

The body 12 is substantially rectangular in plan view and defines a longitudinal axis 16 and two ends, 18 and 20, respectively. Each end of the body 12 is associated with a ramp formation 22 so that, with the body 12 secured to a road surface with the longitudinal axis 16 effectively aligned with the normal direction of travel of vehicles on the road surface and when the body 12 is hit by a vehicle tyre, the ramp formations 22 will guide the tyre to travel up and over the body, as is clearly apparent from particularly Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. Each ramp formation 22 has two recess formations 24 formed therein, each recess formation 24 being associated with a face 26 that, with the road stud secured to a road surface, will face oncoming traffic. Each face carries a reflective element 28.

The reflective elements 28 particularly are elements of a type that are conventionally associated with road studs of the general type, as well as road signs, and in order to hinder removal of the reflective elements 28, they are secured within the recesses defined within the faces 26 (see Figure 3).

It will thus be understood that the reflective elements 28 are effectively protected against being hit by vehicle tyres hitting the road stud 10 and, as such, wear of and damage to the reflective elements are minimized and thereby the road stud will be associated with an extended life, when compared with known road studs.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 7 of the drawings, a second embodiment of a road stud, in accordance with the invention, is designated generally by the reference numeral 40. The road stud 40 again comprises a relatively flat body 42, the body 42 in this case defining a substantially planar bottom face 44 that permits the body to be attached to a corresponding substantially planar road surface, typically with the aid of a suitable adhesive, epoxy, or the like. It will be appreciated in this regard that the body 42 also can be provided with one or more formation, such as a spigot formation as described with reference to the first embodiment road stud 10, in order to provide for its location with respect to a road surface.

The body 42 again is formed by injection moulding of a suitable reinforced synthetic plastics material, the material known in the trade as Akulon Ultra Flow being considered particularly suitable, insofar as it combines good strength and stiffness with low moisture absorption, exceptional thermal stability, good electrical insulation properties and good dimensional stability and resistance to the effects of a wide range of chemicals, solvents and oils to which it may be exposed in use. The body 42 again is substantially rectangular in plan view and again defines two ends, 46 and 48, respectively. Each end of the body 42 is associated with a ramp formation 50, the ramp formations 50 again serving, in the operative configuration of the road stud 40, to guide a vehicle tyre hitting the road stud to travel up and over the body, particularly as explained in relation to the road stud 10.

Each ramp formation 50 in this case has a single, relatively wide, recess formation 52 formed therein as part of the manufacturing process of the road stud, each recess formation 52 being associated with a face 54 against which a plurality of reflective elements in the form of glass reflectors 56 are secured.

The glass reflectors particularly are of a type provided under the trade name Swareflex and are considered to have desired properties to serve the required purpose of reflective elements for a road stud. Once again, insofar as these glass reflectors are located within the recess formations 52 beneath the surface that defines the ramp formations 50, with a vehicle passing over the road stud, these reflectors will not be exposed to being damaged by a vehicle tyre.

From the above it will be apparent that the general configuration of both the road studs 10 and 40 as above described can be greatly varied, while still enabling its secure fixing to a road surface and its operation as described.

The body of the road stud also can be formed of various different materials that will have suitable properties in terms of wear and impact resistance, UV resistance, resistance to substances/chemicals to which they may be exposed in use, and the like. Also, the reflective elements can be provided in different forms to be associated with a road stud, in accordance with the invention. It will be appreciated that the road stud of the invention will be used in a conventional manner along the centre lines of roads and along other line-type road markings, the configuration of the reflective elements being such that when vehicle lights shine onto these elements, the road studs will be clearly visible to vehicle drivers. It is envisaged in this regard also that road studs that are provided for use along one way roads, e.g. motor ways, and the like, may be provided with reflective elements only on one side thereof and, as such, the configuration of the other side of the road studs can be greatly varied. The invention extends also to such road studs.

The road studs of the invention clearly will not be associated with the wear problems that are commonly associated with known road studs where scuffing and wear greatly reduces the life of such studs. With the body of the road studs of the invention being formed of a thermoplastic material, it is submitted that the cost of road studs will be greatly reduced, thereby enhancing in general the economic use of road studs along roads.

Claims

1. A road stud comprising a body that defines a substantially planar operative bottom face between two substantially parallel spaced ends of the body, the body forming a ramp formation at at least one of the ends thereof that extends from the said end to a spaced location from the end where the body defines its maximum thickness, the ramp formation defining a recess and a face within the recess that carries at least one reflective element in a configuration in which, in use of the road stud secured to a road surface, the reflective element can reflect light rays from an oncoming vehicle for rendering it visible to the driver of the vehicle.

2. A road stud as claimed in Claim 1 , in which the reflective element is one of a reflective sheet element and a glass element.

3. A road stud as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the ramp formation defines two recesses and a face within each recess that carries at least one reflective element in a configuration in which, in use of the road stud secured to a road surface, the reflective elements can reflect light rays from an oncoming vehicle for rendering it visible to the driver of the vehicle.

4. A road stud as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the body forms a ramp formation at both ends thereof that extend from their respective ends to a spaced location from these ends where the body defines its maximum thickness, each ramp formation defining a recess and a face within the recess that carries at least one reflective element in a configuration in which, in use of the road stud secured to a road surface, the reflective element can reflect light rays from an oncoming vehicle for rendering it visible to the driver of the vehicle.

5. A road stud as claimed in Claim 4, in which the body is a substantially rectangular body and the ramp formations extend from the opposite ends of the body to an apex region of the body where it defines its maximum thickness and which is a region substantially parallel to and spaced from the operative bottom face of the body.

6. A road stud as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the body has a spigot formation that extends from the operative bottom face thereof in a configuration in which it can facilitate securing of the body to a road surface.

7. A road stud as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the body is of a reinforced synthetic plastics material.

8. A road stud as claimed in Claim 1 , substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.