EP2305888B1 - Method and device for producing marking lines from a base layer and embossed elements - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing marking lines of pumpable marking material consisting of a smooth uniform base layer and raised elements thereon, wherein the marking material for the base layer is discharged as first, continuous marking material flow from a first outlet and wherein the marking material for the patch sublated elements from a second stream of marking material are divided into small portions and discharged from a second outlet, each of the streams of marking material being conveyed to its outlet independently of the other marking material flow and the size of the individual streams of marking material being independently controlled. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for producing marking lines consisting of a smooth uniform base layer and of raised elements placed thereon, wherein each marking material stream can be conveyed to its outlet independently of the respective other marking material flow and wherein the individual marking material streams are independently controllable in their size.

An apparatus for producing marking lines of the aforementioned type is known from the document WO 03/006744 A1 known. This document shows in Figure 5 an embodiment of a marking device with a rotor whose outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of him receiving and surrounding sleeve. As a result, there is an annular gap which is always continuous for marking material between the rotor and the sleeve. In the rotor outer circumference distributed in the circumferential direction recesses are mounted. Upon rotation of the rotor and locomotion of the device results through the annular gap through a steady flow of marking material, the portionwise discharged marking material from the recesses is superimposed. This will be a consistently thick base layer with superimposed raised elements discharged and applied to a surface to be marked, such as road. The discharge of the marking material is effected by a single material outlet. The thickness of the base layer and the height of the raised elements are therefore not influenced independently of each other, so that the possibilities for the design of the generated marking line are limited.

From the Japanese utility model JP H04 1212 U is a marking machine that produces marking lines from a continuous strip of material with attached material points known. The marking materials come from two containers, which are connected via a line with valve. The material for the continuous strip passes by gravity from the hopper via a valve and a rotating roller on the road surface. The material for the patch points is applied under pressure from the container through two path-dependent actuated valves.

In a method known to the inventor from the relevant practice and a device for carrying it out, the marking material is discharged from two outlets arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the marking device, namely from the first outlet in the direction of travel to a uniform marking strip of the marking line width and single from the second outlet small marking material portions. The second outlet is for this purpose provided with a device which divides the flow of material into the small material portions which form the raised elements on the previously produced smooth base layer of the marking line.

Disadvantage of the known method and the device is that the promotion of the marking material is carried out only by a common pump for both outlets. This complicates the generation of precisely defined and reproducible marking lines, since an adjustment of the delivery rate z. B. by adjusting the pump speed always flow changing effect on the material flows from both outlets.

Although it is possible to influence the material flow through the outlets without changing the pump delivery rate and by changing the Auslassöffnungsquerschnittes. But this is only the first, the smooth base layer the marking line generating outlet by changing the slot width of the outlet possible. However, as the slot width changes, so does the resistance that this outlet opposes to the material flow, and thus also the fluid pressure upstream of that outlet. An increase in pressure, in turn, often causes an undesirable increase in the flow of material through the second outlet, so that the size of the portions of material forming the raised elements often changes in an inadmissible manner.

During operation of a marking device, changes in the resistance ratios often occur and in front of the outlets and, as a rule, such changes affect the outlets differently or only one of the two outlets. Especially in hot thermoplastic marking materials, these changes in resistance ratios occur, for. As a result of changes in viscosity due to uneven heating of the device or as a result of deposits of separating, contained in the marking material solids. A change in the conditions for one outlet always has a side effect on the flow of material from the other outlet. All this makes the adjustment difficult in view of a desired appearance of the marking line and the maintenance of a desired appearance once achieved, or even almost impossible in practice.

The invention seeks to remedy the deficiency of the known methods and apparatuses and to provide a method and an apparatus with which the setting of a desired appearance of the marking line and the maintenance of a desired appearance once achieved can be simplified or even made possible.

The solution of the part of the object, which relates to the method, according to the invention succeeds with a method of the type mentioned above with the characterizing features of patent claim 1.

According to the invention it is provided that for their promotion the marking material streams are pumped individually with each variable pump power.

In this way, the marking material streams can be adjusted in size to a desired level with little technical effort and easily corrected if necessary.

The solution of the second part of the object, concerning the device, according to the invention succeeds with a device for producing from a smooth uniform base layer and placed thereon raised elements marking lines of pumpable marking material, wherein the marking material for the base layer as a first, continuous marking material flow of a the first appropriately shaped outlet of the device is dischargeable and wherein the marking material for the raised raised elements from a combined with a second marking material stream dividing means split device second outlet of the device is discharged, each marking material flow is independent of the other marking material flow to its outlet conveyed and wherein the individual marking material streams are independently controllable in size, which is characterized in that d The device for conveying each marking material stream in each case has at least one own pump and that each pump has a pump drive that can be controlled separately in terms of its delivery rate.

With this device, the inventive method can be carried out with little technical effort and it can be produced marking lines in the aforementioned manner with high, consistent quality and good reproducibility.

Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the device can be taken from the patent claims 3 to 5.

Figur 1

eine Vorrichtung zum Erzeugen von Markierungslinien mit erhabenen Elementen, im Vertikalschnitt, und

Figur 2

eine mit der Vorrichtung gemäß Figur 1 erzeugte Markierungslinie in Draufsicht.

In the following an embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. The figures of the drawing show:

FIG. 1

a device for generating marking lines with raised elements, in vertical section, and

FIG. 2

one with the device according to FIG. 1 generated marking line in plan view.

FIG. 1 1 shows a device 1 for producing marking lines 3, which consist of a uniformly thick base layer 31 with raised elements 32 distributed thereon. The device 1 is disposed on or on a vehicle to move in the direction R relative to a marking surface 30, such as a road. The device 1 is shown in a schematic vertical section, wherein the associated vehicle is not shown.

In a marking material reservoir 10 is a supply of marking material 2, for example a thermoplastic marking material. From the reservoir 10, a pump supply line 11 leads to the inlets of two pumps 12.1 and 12.2. The two pumps 12.1 and 12.2 are designed here as worm pumps, but may also be of other suitable construction. Each pump 12.1 and 12.2 has its own pump drive 13.1 and 13.2. Each pump drive 13.1 and 13.2 consists of a self-controllable motor, so that the pump power of each pump 12.1 and 12.2 can be set individually and changed if necessary. On the outlet side of each pump leads 12.1 and 12.2 a delivery line 14.1, 14.2 to two material chambers 15.1 and 15.2.

The first material chamber 15.1 lies in the direction of movement R at the front and serves to produce the base layer 31 of the marking line 3. For this purpose, the first material chamber 15.1 at the front edge of its bottom has a first outlet 16.1, which is slit-like. The width of the slot corresponds to the width of the marking line 3 to be produced. The width of the slot corresponds to the thickness of the base layer 31. By means of a slot closure 17, the width of the slot forming the first outlet 16.1 and thus the thickness of the base layer 31 can be adjusted as required. For this purpose, the slot closure 17 comprises a movable slot boundary, which is adjustable by a piston-cylinder unit 17.1 via a lever. By means of a stop 17.2, which limits the path of movement of the piston in the cylinder, a maximum slot width can be set. In the reverse direction, the first outlet 16.1 can be completely closed by the slot closure 17.

Located centrally in the bottom of the second material chamber 15.2 located behind the first material chamber 15.1 is a second outlet 16.2, through which the raised elements 32 of the marking line 3 are deployed. Inside the material chamber 15.2, a drum 18 'is arranged, which is rotatable about an axis extending horizontally and transversely to the direction of movement R, as indicated by the arrow in the drum 18'. The drum 18 'has in the circumferential direction and / or in its longitudinal direction alternately areas which are permeable or impermeable to the marking material 2. In the lower part of its outer periphery, the drum 18 'sealingly cooperates with two edges 19.1 and 19.2, which form between them the second outlet 16.2, also in the form of a slot. In this case, the edge 19.1 forms part of an open / close slide 19 with which the second outlet 16.2 can optionally be opened and closed.

During operation of the device 1, it is moved in the direction of the movement arrow R relative to the surface 30 to be marked. By means of the two pumps 12.1 and 12.2 marking material 2 is conveyed from the marking material reservoir 10 in the delivery lines 14.1 and 14.2. The promotion is carried out by the two pumps 12.1 and 12.2 independently. Due to the two associated delivery lines 14.1 and 14.2, the marking material 2 enters the two material chambers 15.1 and 15.2.

From the first material chambers 15.1, the marking material 2 is applied in the form of a first continuous stream of marking material 21 and forms the uniform, smooth base layer 31 on the surface 30 to be marked.

From the second material chamber 15.2, as a result of the rotation of the drum 18 ', the marking material 2 is applied in the form of a second marking material stream 23 forming individual small material portions, whereby the raised elements 32 are applied to the base layer 31.

If a smooth marking line is to be produced without raised elements, the open / close slide 19 is brought into the closed position and a marking material discharge takes place only through the first outlet 16.1. If a marking line consisting only of raised elements is to be produced, the slot closure 17 is brought into the closed position and a marking material discharge takes place only in portions through the second outlet 16.2.

FIG. 2 The drawing shows a plan view of a portion of the device 1 according to FIG. 1 generated marking line 3. In the front area, that is in FIG. 2 right, initially only the uniformly thick, smooth base layer 31 is applied. In the further back, that is in FIG. 2 On the left, the raised elements 32 are also applied to the base layer 31, whereby the marking line 3 is formed on the surface 30 to be marked. <U> REFERENCE LIST: </ u> character description 1 contraption 10 Marking material reservoir 11 pump feed 12.1, 12.2 pump 13.1, 13.2 pump drives 14.1, 14.2 delivery lines 15.1, 15.2 material chambers 16.1, 16.2 first, second outlet 17 plane shutter 17.1 Piston-cylinder unit 17.2 attack 18 A distributor 18 ' Drum in 18 19 Open / slide 19.1, 19.2 edge 2 marking material 21 first marking material stream 22 second marking material stream 3 marking line 30 surface to be marked 31 base layer 32 sublime elements R Direction of locomotion of 1

Claims (5)

1. Method for producing marking lines (3) consisting of a smooth uniform base layer (31) and raised elements (32) placed thereupon, made of pumpable marking material (2), whereby the marking material (2) for the base layer (31) is applied as a first, continuous marking material stream (21) from a first outlet (16.1), whereby the marking material (2) for the thereon raised elements (32) from a second marking material stream (22) is split into small portions and applied from a second outlet (16.2), whereby each marking material stream (21; 22) is conveyed independently of the other marking material stream (22, 21) to its outlet (16.1; 16.2) and whereby the quantities of the individual marking material streams (21; 22) are controlled independently of each other,
   characterised in that
   for their delivery the marking material streams (21; 22) are individually pumped with respectively variable pump power.
2. Device (1) for producing marking lines (3) consisting of a smooth uniform base layer (31) and raised elements (32) placed thereupon, made of pumpable marking material (2), whereby the marking material (2) for the base layer (31) can be applied as a first, continuous marking material stream (21) from a first appropriately formed outlet (16.1) of the device (1), whereby the marking material (2) for the thereon raised elements (32) can be applied from a second marking material stream (22) in small portions by means of a splitting device (18) combined with the second outlet (16.2) of the device (1), whereby each marking material stream (21; 22) can be conveyed independently of the other marking material stream (22, 21) to its outlet (16.1; 16.2) and whereby the quantities of the individual marking material streams (21; 22) can be controlled independently of each other,
   characterised in that
   the device (1) for conveying each marking material stream (21; 22) has respectively at least one pump (12.1, 12.2) of its own and that each pump (12.1; 12.2) has a pump drive (13.1; 13.2) whose pump output can be controlled separately.
3. Device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the first outlet (16.1) is designed in a slot shape with an adjustable slot width.
4. Device according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the splitting device (18) possesses a drum (18') that is turnable in the horizontal axis and has areas in the circumferential and/or longitudinal direction that are alternately permeable and impermeable for the marking material (2), the outer periphery of said drum in the lower drum circumference area interacting sealingly with two bounding edges (19.1, 19.2) forming the second slot-shaped outlet (16.2).
5. Device according to Claim 4, characterised in that at least one of the two bounding edges (19.1, 19.2) of the second slot-shaped outlet (16.2) is designed as part of an open/close slide valve (19).

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