Roadway delineator

Abstract

A directional roadway delineator includes an elongate, tubular body having a frontal impact face and a rearward face. The tubular body has a lower section disposable at least partially below a surface of the roadway to secure the delineator below the roadway surface. The tubular body includes an upper section, extending upwardly from the lower section to provide a marker above the roadway surface. A pair of longitudinal slits are formed through opposite sides of the tubular body between the frontal face and rearward face in the lower section of the body to allow the delineator to: elastically flex rearwardly in response to a force applied to the frontal impact face; and return to a substantially vertical orientation upon removal of the applied force.

1 . A directional roadway delineator, comprising: 
 an elongate, tubular body having: 
 a frontal impact face and a rearward face;  
 a lower section, disposable at least partially below a surface of the roadway to secure the delineator below the roadway surface;  
 an upper section, extending upwardly from the lower section and being configured to provide a marker above the roadway surface; and  
 a pair of longitudinal slits formed through opposite sides of the tubular body between the frontal impact face and rearward face in the lower section of the body, the longitudinal slits being configured to allow the delineator to: 
 elastically flex rearwardly in response to a force applied to the frontal impact face; and  
 return to a substantially vertical orientation upon removal of the applied force.  
 
   
   
   
       2 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein the frontal impact face extends substantially uninterrupted around the tubular body from one of the longitudinal slits to another of the longitudinal slits.  
   
   
       3 . The delineator of  claim 2 , wherein the rearward impact face extends substantially uninterrupted around the tubular body from one of the longitudinal slits to another of the longitudinal slits.  
   
   
       4 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein each of the longitudinal slits has a substantially constant width along a longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       5 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body includes an outer wall defining an internal hollow cavity extending substantially uninterrupted throughout the lower section, the hollow cavity being configured to allow the tubular body to elastically flex at the longitudinal slits.  
   
   
       6 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein the lower section of the tubular body has an outer diameter from about 2 inches to about 2½ inches, and wherein the slits each have a width of about ⅛ of an inch to about ⅜ of an inch.  
   
   
       7 . The delineator of  claim 6 , wherein each of the slits has a width of about ¼ of an inch.  
   
   
       8 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein the lower section of the tubular body has an outer diameter of about 2¼ inches.  
   
   
       9 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein each of the slits has a longitudinal length from about 7 inches to about 10 inches.  
   
   
       10 . The delineator of  claim 9 , wherein each of the slits has a longitudinal length of about 8½ inches.  
   
   
       11 . The delineator of  claim 10 , wherein the lower section of the tubular body has an outer wall thickness of about ⅛ inch.  
   
   
       12 . The delineator of  claim 1 , wherein the upper section includes a flattened section being configured to receive a reflector thereon, the flattened section being flattened in a plane common to the pair of longitudinal slits.  
   
   
       13 . The delineator of  claim 1 , further comprising means for securing at least a portion of the longitudinal slits below the roadway surface.  
   
   
       14 . The delineator of  claim 1 , further comprising an anchor, disposable below the surface of the roadway, the anchor receiving at least a portion of the longitudinal slits and securing the at least a portion below the surface of the roadway.  
   
   
       15 . A roadway delineator, comprising an elongate body having a frontal impact face and a rearward face, the elongate body having: 
 a lower section, disposable at least partially below a surface of the roadway to secure the delineator below the roadway surface;    an upper section, extending upwardly from the lower section and being configured to provide a marker above the roadway surface;    a pair of longitudinal slits formed through opposite sides of the elongate body between the frontal face and rearward face in the lower section of the elongate body;    a first, upright configuration in which the lower section includes a substantially tubular cross section; and    a second, flexed configuration in which an inside surface of the frontal impact face of the body at least partially contacts an inside surface of the rearward face of the body.    
   
   
       16 . The delineator of  claim 15 , wherein the frontal impact face extends substantially uninterrupted around the tubular body from one of the longitudinal slits to another of the longitudinal slits.  
   
   
       17 . The delineator of  claim 15 , wherein the rearward impact face extends substantially uninterrupted around the tubular body from one of the longitudinal slits to another of the longitudinal slits.  
   
   
       18 . The delineator of  claim 15 , wherein each of the longitudinal slits has a substantially constant width along a longitudinal axis.  
   
   
       19 . The delineator of  claim 15 , wherein the tubular body includes an outer wall defining an internal hollow cavity extending substantially uninterrupted throughout the lower section, the hollow cavity being configured to allow the tubular body to elastically flex at the longitudinal slits.  
   
   
       20 . The delineator of  claim 15 , wherein the lower section of the tubular body has an outer diameter from about 2 inches to about 2½ inches when in the first, upright configuration, and wherein the slits each have a width of about ⅛ of an inch to ⅜ of an inch when in the first, upright configuration.  
   
   
       21 . The delineator of  claim 20 , wherein the slits have a width of about ¼ of an inch when in the first, upright position.  
   
   
       22 . The delineator of  claim 20 , wherein the lower section of the tubular body has an outer diameter of about 2¼ inches when in the first, upright configuration.  
   
   
       23 . The delineator of  claim 15 , wherein each of the slits has a longitudinal length from about 7 inches to about 10 inches.  
   
   
       24 . The delineator of  claim 23 , wherein each of the slits has a longitudinal length of about 8½ inches.  
   
   
       25 . The delineator of  claim 15 , wherein the lower section of the tubular body has an outer wall thickness of about ⅛ inch.  
   
   
       26 . The delineator of  claim 15 , wherein the upper section includes a flattened section being configured to receive a reflector thereon, the flattened section being flattened in a plane common to the pair of longitudinal slits.  
   
   
       27 . A method of delineating a roadway, comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining an elongate, tubular delineator, the delineator including: 
 a lower section, including a pair of longitudinal slits formed through sides of the tubular delineator; and  
 an upper section, extending upwardly from the lower section and being configured to provide a marker above the roadway; and  
   disposing at least a portion of the lower section of the delineator into the roadway such that each of the pair of longitudinal slits formed through the sides of the delineator is at least partially disposed beneath the roadway.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , comprising the further steps of installing an anchor in the roadway and attaching the delineator within the anchor.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of installing an anchor in the roadway includes the step of installing the anchor at least about ½ inch below the surface of the roadway.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the step of installing the anchor in the roadway includes the step of installing the anchor about 1 inch below the surface of the roadway.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the upper section of the delineator includes a flattened section being configured to receive a reflector thereon, and comprising the further step of aligning the flattened section in a plane substantially orthogonal to a direction of anticipated traffic flow.  
   
   
       32 . A directional roadway delineator, comprising: 
 an elongate, tubular body having: 
 a frontal impact face and a rearward face;  
 a lower section, disposable at least partially below a surface of the roadway to secure the delineator below the roadway surface;  
 an upper section, extending upwardly from the lower section and being configured to provide a marker above the roadway surface; and  
 a pair of longitudinal openings extending through the tubular body on opposite sides of the tubular body between the frontal impact face and rearward face in the lower section of the body, the longitudinal openings being configured to allow the delineator to: 
 i) elastically flex rearwardly in response to a force applied to the frontal impact face; and  
 ii) return to a substantially vertical orientation upon removal of the applied force.  
 
   
   
   
       33 . A directional roadway delineator, comprising: 
 an elongate, tubular body having a perimeter wall defining a cavity therein, the tubular body having: 
 a frontal impact face and a rearward face;  
 a lower section, disposable at least partially below a surface of the roadway to secure the delineator below the roadway surface;  
 an upper section, extending upwardly from the lower section and being configured to provide a marker above the roadway surface; and  
 a pair of longitudinal slits formed through opposite sides of the tubular body between the frontal impact face and rearward face in the lower section of the body, the longitudinal slits being configured to allow the delineator to: 
 i) elastically flex rearwardly in response to a force applied to the frontal impact face; and  
 ii) return to a substantially vertical orientation upon removal of the applied force.  
 
   
   
   
       34 . The delineator of  claim 33 , wherein the perimeter wall comprises a single, circular wall.  
   
   
       35 . The delineator of  claim 34 , wherein the slits comprise openings forming individual cavities in the circular wall.