US 12,188,189 B2
Pavement marking system with pavement marker dispenser having curvilinear feed tube for improved marker spacing
Mark S. Bjorklund, Midland, GA (US); and Reise Stenberg, Argusville, ND (US)
Assigned to CROWN USA, INC., Woodbury, GA (US)
Filed by Crown USA, Inc., Woodbury, GA (US)
Filed on Feb. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/108,958.
Prior Publication US 2024/0271374 A1, Aug. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. E01C 23/18 (2006.01); B65D 83/04 (2006.01); E01C 23/16 (2006.01); E01C 23/22 (2006.01); E01F 9/512 (2016.01); E01F 9/518 (2016.01); E01F 9/524 (2016.01)
CPC E01C 23/18 (2013.01) [B65D 83/0418 (2013.01); E01C 23/166 (2013.01); E01C 23/22 (2013.01); E01F 9/512 (2016.02); E01F 9/518 (2016.02); E01F 9/524 (2016.02)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pavement marking system for applying retroreflective markers with improved marker spacing to a surface of a roadway, the system comprising:
(a) a liquid applicator having a spray or extrusion head, the liquid applicator capable of applying thermoplastic paint to the roadway surface through the spray head;
(b) a pavement marker dispenser, the dispenser having:
(1) an elongated feed tube that houses a generally vertical curvilinear stack of pavement markers, the feed tube having top and bottom openings that respectively receive and dispense the markers in a downwardly vertical direction, the feed tube having a nonlinear curvature to produce the curvilinear stack of markers so that a downwardly vertical stacking force imposed on a bottommost marker to be dispensed is reduced;
(2) a disc actuator, the disc actuator having a pushing arm that extends perpendicular to the feed tube to push the bottommost marker in a rearward and downward direction and that unextends to advance the stack of markers downwardly in the vertical direction so that a next marker that was situated adjacent to the bottommost marker is in a position to be dispensed next; and
(3) a delivery chute that receives the markers from the pushing arm and deposits the markers onto the thermoplastic paint in a molten state on the roadway surface; and
(c) a mobile carrier that transports the pavement marker dispenser and the liquid applicator along the roadway.