The invention relates to a marking device in the form of a light-emitting and/or reflecting fitting for mounting on a road surface.

For the marking and striping of road surfaces, reflecting marking coatings are normally used, designed such that the material can reflect the driving light emitted by the vehicle. This may take place in the form of a so-called passive marking which is completely dependent on driving light and thereby the light conditions, the direction of the vehicle in relation to the coating, etc.

Where the marking stripe is covered by water or snow, the reflecting properties are reduced to a degree which is serious to the traffic safety.

To this should be added that the marking coating is worn by being run over, so that the reflection is reduced as the reflecting properties are worn off.

To remedy this, it is known to use a so-called active marking in the form of a light-emitting fitting. Examples of this are known e.g. from WO 99106636 and WO 03/027397, which describe light-emitting fittings having a light generator provided therein in the form of an LED chip which emits light via the light guides across the roadway.

These fittings are configured such that they are embedded in the road surface and have an external power supply via a buried cable.

This means that a both cumbersome and expensive mounting operation has to be carried out in order for the necessary number of fittings and their connections to be established.

It is moreover difficult to exchange any damaged fittings because of the embedded mounting.

US patent no. 4 925 335 describes a prefabricated road marking tape, which includes retro-reflective components as well as light components, comprising LED's. solar cells and storage batteries.

This tape is easy to mount, as it is placed at the surface of the road. The light components are placed inside a brick made of hard plastic with a wall thickness of e.g. 5 mm. The whole brick has a height of about 2,5 cm.

A brick with this height is uncomfortable to pass in a normal vehicle and there is a risk of breaking the walls of the brick or to tear the whole brick from the tape, e. g. during a breaking action of a heavy vehicle.

US patent no. 5 984 570 describes a similar road marking device comprising a housing made of plastic which contains the elements of the light-arrangement. The house is filled with a solid and stiff potting material so as sand or silicate, bonded with epoxy.

The object of the invention is to provide a road marking of the above mentioned kind with a thickness of max 5 mm, which is simple to mount and which has sufficient strength to withstand any loadings from the passing vehicles.

This is achieved according to the invention by a road marking fitting according to claim 1.

The marking device will appear as a thin, flexible fitting, which can be placed directly on the road surface without any changes of the road surface and be secured, attached to it. It may also be placed in a road stripe, where the reflecting faces on the fitting with the light emissions protrude above the surface of the stripe.

Since the light emission is thus positioned close to the road surface, it will especially be optimum relative to the road-users, without the fitting tab generally interfering with the traffic - on the contrary, when driving over it, one will be made aware of a possible crossing of a stripe corresponding to the running over of point-shaped road stripes.

As stated in claim 2, the components of the light-emitting device are configured as flat flexible elements arranged in the same plane. This enables the fitting to be as flat as possible and the components to yield to case of outer loads without breaking or the like.

As stated in claim 3, the light-emitting diode is arranged inside the moulding mass, and wherein the lightguide extend from the light-emitting diode and terminate in the inclined face. As stated in claim 4, one or more lenses are provided in the inclined face in front of the ends of the lightguides. This increases the operational safety and enables the fitting to meet the requirements for the emitted light.

As stated in claim 5, the protective shell consists of an upper shell and a lower shell, and wherein the surface of the shell is provided with one or more lenses above the solar cells. This enables the solar cells to receive more incoming light, thus the recharging of the battery is enhanced as an obvious result thereof.

The protective exterior shell is, as stated in claim 6, made of an impact-resistant material such as polycarbonate. The moulding mass is, as stated in claim 7, made of silicone. This enables the fitting not to interfere with the traffic while at the same time allowing the components to yield to case of outer loads and the moulding mass to absorb and distribute outer impacts.

The fitting, as stated in claim 8, further comprises a light sensor, a temperature sensor, and/or a remote control to signal traffic conditions. This enables the fitting to regulate the emitted light and to signal different traffic conditions to the road users.

An embodiment of a fitting according to the invention will be described more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which

Fig. 1

shows a fitting seen from above and embedded in a stripe on the road surface,

Fig. 2

shows a sectional view of the tab seen in the direction II-II in fig. 1, and

Fig. 3

shows the constituent parts of a tab prior to assembly.

The fitting according to the invention, as shown in the drawing, comprises a shell consisting of an upper shell 2 which is configured to form the upper side of the fitting with inclined faces 4, which are disposed on both sides of en elevated central part 9 in the example shown. The fitting may hereby be used with light emission through the faces 4 in two oppositely directed directions, as indicated in fig. 2.

Lenses 5 are provided in these inclined faces 4, as will be explained later.

The upper shell 2 fits with a lower shell 2a such that in the assembled state the shells 2, 2a form an inner cavity 3 in which the electrical components may be embedded.

The components embedded in the fitting for light emission and control are indicated in fig. 3. The entire construction of the fitting has been done with a view to achieving a fitting as flat as possible. Therefore, the individual components have been selected with a view to the lowest possible height and extent, so that the components may be positioned in a "flat" order.

A plurality of solar cells 12 are provided for charging the battery 13, and these solar cells must not be overshadowed, of course, and they are therefore arranged openly upwards.

The battery 13 is arranged at the side of the solar cells 12. The battery is of the generally known flat type, which is connected via flat wires and various printed circuit boards 14 to a light-emitting diode 10 arranged centrally in the fitting.

The device may include a light sensor and optionally a temperature sensor.

These electrical components are all configured as flat flexible elements so as to enable them to yield in case of outer loads on the fitting, without being destroyed by breaking or the like.

A soft moulding mass 3, such as silicone or the like, is used for embedding the electrical components in the shells 2, 2a, such that the moulding mass may absorb and distribute the outer impacts to which the fitting is subjected.

The shells 2, 2a are preferably made of polycarbonate or another hard and impact-resistant material.

The shell constitutes the entire exterior of the fitting and protects the components in such a manner as to allow it to be mounted on a road surface, as indicated in fig. 2. The maximum height of the finished fitting is 1 to 5 mm, which does not differ significantly from the height of known marking coatings.

Thus, it will not interfere with the traffic and is positioned so suitably close to the road surface that it cannot be tom off, e.g. by snow ploughs, sweepers or the like.

The surface of the shell 2 is preferably fluted or rough to achieve the best possible skid resistance for the road-users. Optionally, the surface 8 above the solar cells 12 may be provided with one or more lenses to enhance the incident light on the solar cells 12.

The light emission takes place from a light-emitting diode 10, which, as indicated in fig. 2, is embedded in the moulding mass 3. The light-emitting diode 10 is positioned inside the fitting itself, and, via a connector and lightguides 11 extending towards the inclined side edges 4 of the fitting, the light 6 is emitted via these lightguides 11, as indicated in fig. 2.

A lens 5 may be provided in front of the lightguide ends, and, as will appear from the dashed line in fig. 2, it is expedient that the light emission takes place at an angle 7 of about 3° relative to the horizontal plane of the fitting. This meets the requirements with respect to light which must be visible to a driver at a distance of 30 metres.

The advantage of using lightguides 11 is partly to utilize the light from just one diode 10 and also to improve the operational safety partly by the protected arrangement of the diode and partly in that the lightguide ends can operate even though the ends are worn.

A considerable degree of software may be used for regulation and control of the fitting according to the invention.

A light sensor may thus be used for example for turning the light-emitting diode on and off, just as it may regulate the light intensity/colour according to the external light conditions and needs.

A temperature sensor may also be included and registers low temperatures involving the risk of slippery roads, thus providing the possibility of changing the colour of the diode to e.g. red and optionally again changing the light to e.g. flashing light emission.

Many forms of optional remote control may be incorporated so as to allow signalling, e.g. by means of an external sensor, of traffic conditions which are to be signalled from one or more fittings, whereby the traffic safety may be improved.

Since the fitting according to the invention is an independent unit, it will operate entirely without any need of service. It is sturdy, impact-resistant, and, as mentioned, so flat that it cannot be either damaged or constitute a risk to the road-users.

The fitting may have all possible forms and sizes, so that it may also form part of the general traffic marking, such as signs and instructions of various types.

The colour of the light depends on the diode/lens, and it may therefore be designed in any desired colour scale as needed.