Pavement Marking Pattern and Method

Abstract

The invention herein pertains to pavement marking patterns and the application thereof to roads, streets, walkways and the like. Various pattern designs for the markings are available to replicate layers of bricks, cobblestones, horizontal signage, logos and other components. The marking patterns are composed of two or more independent sections. The first section is a grid representing for example, the mortar joints in a brick wall. The second sections or inserts, for example represent bricks which are contained within the grid. As the first and second sections are generally formed from different colored, preferably thermoplastic materials, a hot melt adhesive spray is utilized on the bottom surface of the marking pattern to bridge the intersections between the first and second sections to maintain the integrity of the marking pattern for convenience during handling and application to a substrate.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A pavement marking pattern comprising: a first independent section, a second independent section, said first section contiguous said second section to form an intersection therebetween, an adhesive, said adhesive bridging said intersection to maintain marking pattern integrity. 
     
     
         2 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 1  wherein said first and said second sections are coplanar. 
     
     
         3 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 1  wherein said first section is formed from a thermoplastic. 
     
     
         4 . The pavement marking pattern of claim.  1  wherein said second section is formed from a thermoplastic. 
     
     
         5 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 1  wherein said adhesive comprises a thermosetting adhesive. 
     
     
         6 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 1  wherein said adhesive comprises a thermoplastic adhesive. 
     
     
         7 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 1  wherein said adhesive is sprayable. 
     
     
         8 . A pavement marking pattern comprising: a first independent thermoplastic section, a second independent thermoplastic section, said first section contiguous to said second section to form an intersection therebetween, a sprayed thermoplastic adhesive, said sprayed thermoplastic adhesive bridging said intersection and adhered to said first and said second sections to maintain marker pattern integrity. 
     
     
         9 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 8  wherein said independent sections are coplanar. 
     
     
         10 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 8  wherein said sprayed thermoplastic adhesive comprises a polyamide resin sprayed on the bottom surfaces of the first and second sections. 
     
     
         11 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 8  wherein said sprayed thermoplastic adhesive comprises a string-like shape. 
     
     
         12 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 8  comprising a first section and a plurality of second sections, each of said second sections separated by said first section. 
     
     
         13 . A planar pavement marking pattern comprising: a first thermoplastic section, said first thermoplastic section defining a top surface and a bottom surface, a plurality of second thermoplastic sections, said second sections each defining a top and a bottom surface contiguous to and coplanar with said first thermoplastic section to form intersections therewith, a spray adhesive, said spray adhesive bridging said intersections thereof to maintain the integrity of the planar pavement marking pattern. 
     
     
         14 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 13  wherein said spray adhesive comprises a thermoplastic with a softening point approximately the same as the first and second sections. 
     
     
         15 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 13  wherein said spray adhesive comprises a plurality of spiral stringlike shapes. 
     
     
         16 . The planar pavement marking pattern of  claim 13  wherein said first section comprises a grid and said second section comprises a plurality of grid inserts. 
     
     
         17 . The pavement marking pattern of  claim 13  wherein said spray adhesive comprises a polyamide resin. 
     
     
         18 . The method of applying a pavement marking pattern having multiple contiguous sections to a substrate comprising the steps of:
 a) forming a planar marking pattern having coplanar, contiguous independent sections, which form intersections therebetween;   b) adhering the contiguous sections by applying an adhesive which bridges the intersections; and   c) adhering the marking pattern to the substrate.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein forming a planar marking pattern comprises the step of forming a marking pattern of thermoplastic sections. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein forming a planar marking pattern comprises the step of forming a marking pattern of thermosetting sections. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein adhering the contiguous sections comprises the step of spraying a hot melt thermoplastic adhesive to the bottoms of the contiguous sections. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein adhering the contiguous sections comprises the step of spraying a hot melt thermosetting adhesive to the bottoms of the contiguous sections. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein spraying a thermoplastic adhesive comprises the step of
 spraying strings of heated adhesive across the intersections to bridge the coplanar, contiguous pattern sections. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein adhering the contiguous sections comprises the step of applying a polyamide based resin having a softening point of 105°-120° C. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 18  wherein adhering the marking pattern to the substrate comprises the step of heating the marking pattern. 
     
     
         26 . A method of making a pre-bonded pavement marking grid and insert pattern comprising:
 providing an independent thermoplastic grid section and an independent thermoplastic insert section, wherein said insert section resides within said grid section maintaining said insert section and grid section coplanar and wherein said grid section and said insert section both comprise a top surface and a bottom surface, such that said grid section is in direct contact with and adjacent to said insert section thereby forming an intersection between said grid section and said insert section,   
       and further comprising applying an adhesive backing layer on said bottom surface, said adhesive backing layer bridging and bonding said intersection of said grid section and said insert section to form a unified pavement marking pattern thereby preventing dislodging or separation of said pavement marking pattern during handling, movement, transportation, and application.