Traffic Cone with a Reflective Sleeve

Abstract

A traffic cone has a conical body and at least one reflective sleeve. The at least one reflective sleeve is mounted on and around a conical portion of the conical body. Multiple adhering portions and multiple non-adhering portions are alternately arranged on a laminating surface of the at least one reflective sleeve. The adhering portions are adhered to the conical portion of the conical body. Thus, even though the at least one reflective sleeve and the conical body are different materials and have different coefficients of thermal expansion, the non-adhering portions provide rooms for expansion of the conical portion and the at least one reflective sleeve. Therefore, the at least one reflective sleeve is capable of remaining smoothly and securely attached despite the traffic cone being exposed to significant variations in the temperature of the environment.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a traffic cone, especially to a traffic cone with a reflective sleeve.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art(s)

[0004] Traffic cones are placed on roads or around construction sites to temporarily redirect traffic or to warn of hazards, etc. With reference to FIG. 4, a conventional traffic cone has a conical body 5 and a reflective sleeve 6. The reflective sleeve 6 is adhered to an outer conical surface of the conical body 5 and reflects light to draw the attention of drivers, pedestrians, etc.

[0005] However, since the conventional traffic cones are put outdoors and are exposed to the burning sun or the freezing nights, the conventional traffic cones that are made of plastic expand or contract as temperature changes. As the reflective sleeve 6 is adhered to the outer conical surface of the conical body 5 with the adhesive, and the reflective sleeve 6 and the conical body 5 are different materials and have different coefficients of thermal expansion, the reflective sleeve 6 wrinkles when the conventional traffic cone expands or contracts and then the sleeve 6 separates from the conical body 5 easily. This renders the traffic cone vastly less noticeable, defeating the objective of placing them in position.

[0006] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a traffic cone with a reflective sleeve to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The main objective of the present invention is to provide a traffic cone with a reflective sleeve. The traffic cone has a conical body and the reflective sleeve. The reflective sleeve is mounted on and around a conical portion of the conical body. Multiple adhering portions and multiple non-adhering portions are alternately arranged on a laminating surface of the reflective sleeve. The adhering portions are adhered to the conical portion of the conical body.

[0008] Thus, even though the reflective sleeve and the conical body are different materials and have different coefficients of thermal expansion, the non-adhering portions provide rooms for expansions of the conical portion and the reflective sleeve. Therefore, the reflective sleeve is capable of remaining securely and smoothly attached to the traffic cone despite being exposed to significant temperature variations in the environment, such as searing sunlight and freezing nights.

[0009] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a traffic cone with a reflective sleeve in accordance with the present invention;

[0011] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional top view of the traffic cone in FIG. 1;

[0012] FIG. 2B is an enlarged cross-sectional top view of the traffic cone in FIG. 1;

[0013] FIG. 3A is cross-sectional top view of another embodiment of a traffic cone with a reflective sleeve in accordance with the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 3B is an enlarged cross-sectional top view of the traffic cone in FIG. 3A; and,

[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional traffic cone in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] With reference to FIG. 1, a traffic cone in accordance with the present invention comprises a conical body 1, at least one reflective sleeve 2 and multiple adhering portions 3.

[0017] The conical body 1 is made of plastic, and has a conical portion 10 and a bottom panel 11. The conical portion 10 tapers inward from a bottom of the conical portion 10 to a top of the conical portion 10 and has an outer conical surface. The bottom panel 11 is formed around the bottom of the conical portion 10.

[0018] The at least one reflective sleeve 2 is circular and flexible, and is mounted on and around the conical portion 10. Each of the at least one reflective sleeve 2 has a reflective surface and a laminating surface. The laminating surface corresponds to the outer conical surface of the conical portion 10.

[0019] The adhering portions 3 are separately disposed on the laminating surface of the at least one reflective sleeve 2 and are adhered to the outer conical surface of the conical portion 10. Multiple non-adhering portions 4 are defined on the laminating surface of the at least one reflective sleeve 2 and are separately defined between the adhering portions 3. The adhering portions 3 and the non-adhering portions 4 are alternately arranged around the outer conical surface of the conical portion 10.

[0020] The traffic cone may have multiple reflective sleeves 2. The reflective sleeves 2 are mounted around the conical portion 10 and are vertically arranged on the conical portion 10.

[0021] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2A, and 2B, in a preferred embodiment, the outer conical surface of the conical portion 10 may be smooth.

[0022] With reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B, in another preferred embodiment, the conical portion 10A may further have multiple recesses 12A. The recesses 12A are separately formed in the outer conical surface of the conical portion 10A and respectively correspond to the non-adhering portions 4A.

[0023] The traffic cone with the at least one reflective sleeve 2, 2A as described has the following advantages. Since the adhering portions 3 and the non-adhering portions 4, 4A are alternately arranged around the outer conical surface of the conical portion 10, 10A, even though the at least one reflective sleeve 2, 2A and the conical body 10, 10A are different materials and have different coefficients of thermal expansion, the non-adhering portions 4, 4A provide rooms for expansions of the conical portion 10, 10A and the at least one reflective sleeve 2, 2A. Therefore, the at least one reflective sleeve 2, 2A is capable of being kept smoothly adhered to the conical body 10, 10A despite the traffic cone being exposed to significant variations in the temperature of the environment.

[0024] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A traffic cone comprising a conical body having a conical portion tapering from a bottom of the conical portion to a top of the conical portion and having an outer conical surface; and a bottom panel formed around the bottom of the conical portion; at least one reflective sleeve mounted on and around the conical portion, and each of the at least one reflective sleeve having a reflective surface; and a laminating surface corresponding to the outer conical surface of the conical portion; multiple adhering portions separately disposed on the laminating surface of the at least one reflective sleeve and adhered to the outer conical surface of the conical portion; and multiple non-adhering portions defined on the laminating surface of the at least one reflective sleeve and separately defined between the adhering portions; wherein the adhering portions and the non-adhering portions are alternately arranged around the outer conical surface of the conical portion.

2. The traffic cone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer conical surface of the conical portion is smooth.

3. The traffic cone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conical portion further has multiple recesses separately formed in the outer conical surface of the conical portion and respectively corresponding to the non-adhering portions.