FIELD OF INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a road marker stud.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention there is provided a road marker stud including: a reflector body for mounting on the road surface, the reflector body comprising a top side and a bottom side and incorporating at least one reflective element; and a shank for mounting in a socket in a road surface, the shank defining a longitudinal axis along its length and extending operatively downwardly from the bottom side of the reflector body for anchoring the road marker stud to the road surface, the shank having an angular configuration in cross section thereby to define angular faces along the length of the shank and including a plurality of recesses along the length of the shank into which a flowable adhesive substance which is introduced into the socket in the road surface for anchoring the shank within the socket, can flow and set.

The shank may include at least one flange near an operative upper end thereof which is spaced from the bottom side of the reflector body, so as to define a space between the bottom side of the reflector body and the flange into which the flowable adhesive substance can flow and set, thereby to anchor the shank within the road surface. The flange of the shank may have a generally rectangular configuration in sectional side view and may extend outwardly perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis of the shank.

The bottom side of the reflector body may define a plurality of ridges and recesses into which the flowable adhesive substance can flow and set thereby to anchor the reflector body to the road surface.

The reflector body may be generally rectangular in plan view, having four inclined side faces which extend between the top and bottom sides of the reflector body.

At least one of the side faces may define a recess in which a reflector assembly including said reflective element, is located.

The reflector assembly may include said reflective element and a protective housing structure within which the reflective element may be located and which forms an integrated part of the reflector body, the protective housing structure defining a window through which the reflective element is visible.

The reflector body and the shank may be of plastics material, with the reflector body and the shank being integrally moulded to one another.

The protective housing structure of the reflector assembly may be of plastics material, the protective housing structure being integrally moulded with the reflector body. The reflector body and the shank may be of glass fibre-reinforced plastics material.

The protective housing structure of the reflector assembly may be of glass fibre-reinforced plastics material. The protective housing structure of the reflector assembly, the reflector body and the shank may be of the same plastics material.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing a road marker stud, which includes: providing a shank of a plastics material; providing a reflector assembly including a reflective element and a protective housing structure for holding the reflective element, the protective housing structure being of a plastics material and defining a window through which the reflective element is visible when the reflective element is located therein; assembling the reflector assembly by locating the reflective element inside the protective housing structure; and inserting the shank and the reflector assembly into a mould for moulding a reflector body such that the reflector body is moulded onto the shank and the reflector assembly thereby to produce a road marker stud having an integrally moulded unitary structure wherein the shank extends operatively downwardly from the reflective body and the reflector assembly is mounted to the reflector body, with the reflective element being protected by the protective housing structure of the reflector assembly during the moulding process.

The method of manufacturing a road marker stud may include manufacturing the road marker stud as defined and described hereinabove in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Further features of the invention are described hereinafter by way of a non-limiting example of the invention, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the road marker stud in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 shows a bottom perspective view of the road marker stud of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows a top plan view of the road marker stud of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 shows a side view of the road marker stud of Figure 1 , as viewed along direction indicator arrow A of Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a side view of the road marker stud of Figure 1 , as viewed along direction indicator arrow B of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 shows an exploded view of the road marker stud of Figure 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the drawings, a road marker stud in accordance with the invention, is indicated generally by the numeral 10. The stud 10 is of the type intended for use as a road marker for marking the lanes on a road and which is of particular importance when visibility is reduced, such as at night.

The stud 10 generally comprises a reflector body 12 for holding a pair of reflector assemblies 14; and a shank 16 extending operatively downwardly from the reflector body for anchoring the stud firmly within the road surface.

The reflector body is of 50% glass fibre-reinforced nylon. More specifically, the reflector body is of an ultra-flow nylon of the metal replacement type. The reflector body comprises a top side 18, a bottom side 20 and four inclined side faces 22.1 , 22.2, 22.3, 22.4. The bottom side 20 defines a flat road-contacting surface 21 and the side faces 22 are inclined relative to the road- contacting surface 21 so as to taper from the bottom side to the top side of the reflector body. The side faces 22.1 and 22.3 operatively face oncoming traffic and each define an elongate recess 24 within which one of the reflector assemblies 14 is held. Each reflector assembly comprises a reflective lens element 26 in the form of an elongate, thin plastics sheet which is encased and retained within a protective housing structure 28. The protective housing structure 28 is of 50% glass fibre-reinforced nylon. By being recessed within the side faces 22.1 and 22.3, the reflective lens elements 26 are protected from damage which may be caused by tyre impact or the like. The top side of the reflector body also includes two indentations 44 by which the reflector body can be held in order to facilitate installation of the stud. The protective housing structure has a two-part structure comprising a backing panel 28.1 and a side cover 28.2 defining a window through which the reflective lens element 26 is visible. The element 26 is retained within the protective housing structure when the two parts 28.1 and 28.2 are connected to one another. The parts 28.1 and 28.2 have complementary clip formations for connecting the parts to one another.

The bottom side 20 of the reflector body defines a plurality of ridges 38 and recesses 40, the purpose of which will be explained hereinbelow. The shank 16 is of 50% glass fibre-reinforced nylon and defines a longitudinal axis along its length and a plurality of recesses 30 along the length thereof. The shank 16 also includes a flange 32 near an operative upper end thereof which is spaced from the bottom side so as to define a space 36 between the bottom side of the reflector body and the flange. The flange has a plate-like configuration and is rectangular in sectional side view. The flange has flat operative top and bottom sides and extends outwardly perpendicularly relative to the longitudinal axis L of the shank. The shank 16 has an angular configuration in cross-section, thus defining a plurality of longitudinally-extending angled faces 42. The shank includes a mounting plate 33 at an operative upper end thereof for integrally mounting the shank to a recess in the bottom side of the reflector body 12 as will be explained in further detail hereinbelow.

In use, the road stud is installed in a pre-drilled socket in the road surface with the aid of a suitable adhesive, preferably epoxy resin in flowable form. The resin flows into the recesses 30 and the space 36 thereby anchoring the shank, and thereby the stud 10, within the road surface and preventing retraction thereof from the road surface. The epoxy resin also flows into the ridges 38 and the recesses 40 defined in the bottom side of the reflector body, where the resin sets and cures ensuring that the stud cannot be pulled free from the road surface. Furthermore, the angular construction of the shank 16 and more particularly the angled faces 42, prevent rotation of the shank within the socket within the road surface. The stud 10 is manufactured so as to provide the stud with an integrally moulded unitary structure which improves the overall integrity, durability and strength of the stud. The moulding process involves separately moulding the shank 16 and the protective housing structures 28 of the reflector assemblies 14 as an initial step. Thereafter, the reflective lens elements 26 are inserted into their protective housing structures and the assembled reflector assemblies and the shank are introduced into a mould for moulding the reflector body 12. The reflector body is then moulded onto the mounting plate 33 of the shank and the reflector assemblies to form the stud. In this manner, the reflective lens elements are thermally insulated and protected from the high temperatures and pressures of the moulding process by the protective housing structures. The reflective lens elements 26 which would be damaged in the moulding process but for the protection provided by the protective housing structures, are thus effectively retained by the protective housing structures within the recesses 24 of the reflector body. The reflector assemblies and the shank are effectively integrated into the reflector body and thus do not constitute separate elements requiring additional components to secure them to the stud. As the reflector body, the shank and the protective housing structures of the reflector assemblies are of the same material, these components are moulded into a homogeneous unitary structure.

It will be understood that the invention provides a road stud that has wide application potential depending on requirements. Also, numerous variations may be made to the embodiment of the invention described above without departing from the scope hereof.