Light reflector construction for deterring game from crossing highways

Claim 2

A light reflector comprising a plurality of juxtaposed prisms, each prism having a substantially similar right triangular cross section and including a pair of light transmitting front surfaces and a reflecting rear surface so that light striking said prism in a front plane is angularly reflected in the front plane in a direction which extends about 90 degrees relative to the direction of the light striking the prism, at least one of the prism surfaces of each prism being curved so that said light is reflected in a fan-like spreading manner, each of said prisms having elongated faces with parallel edges.

Claim 3

A light reflector suitable for deterring game from crossing terrain, such as a highway, located adjacent the reflector, comprising: prism means formed by a plurality of juxtaposed prisms, the cross-section of each prism corresponding essentially to an isosocles, right angled triangle whose legs define a pair of light transmissive front surfaces, the hypotenuse surfaces of the prisms forming the rear surface of said prism means, said rear surface being capable of reflecting a light beam striking one of the front surfaces of the prism means in a front plane, at least one of the surfaces of each prism, viewed in the cross-section of the prism, being curved so as to scatter reflected light in the front plane through the other of the front surfaces.

Claim 4

A light reflector suitable for deterring game from crossing terrain, such as a highway, located adjacent the reflector, comprising: prism means formed by a plurality of juxtaposed prisms, the cross-section of each prism corresponding essentially to an isosocles, right angled triangle whose legs define a pair of light transmissive front surfaces, the hypotenuse surfaces of the prisms forming the rear surface of said prism means, said rear surface being capable of reflecting a light beam striking one of the front surfaces of the prism means in a front plane, at least one of the surfaces of each prism, viewed in the cross-section of the prism, being curved so as to scatter reflected light in the front plane through the other of the front surfaces.

Claim 5

A light reflector as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rear surface of said prism means is capable of total reflection.

Claim 6

A light reflector as claimed in claim 2, wherein said rear surface of said prism means is provided with a mirror-like layer.

Claim 7

A light reflector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the hypotenuse surface of each prism abuts the hypotenuse surface of the adjacent prism, whereby the hypotenuse surfaces of all the prisms form a continuous planar surface.

Claim 8

A light reflector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the surface of each prism which is curved is the front surface through which the reflected light is scattered.

Claim 9

A light reflector as claimed in claim 2, wherein said plurality of juxtaposed prisms are united to form an integral unit in the form of a plate.

Claim 10

A light reflector as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a light permeable housing, said prism means being enveloped by said housing.

Claim 11

A light reflector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said housing is sealed to prevent entry of moisture and dirt.

Claim 12

A light reflector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said housing has a bottom portion which is impermeable to light, said prism means being mounted within the space defined by said housing so that the hypotenuse surfaces of said prisms are spaced from said bottom portion, the space between said bottom portion and said hypotenuse surfaces being filled with air, said prisms being capable of total reflection of light striking said prisms.

Claim 13

A ligHt reflector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said housing has a bottom portion, said bottom portion being provided with a light impermeable layer.

Claim 14

A light reflector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said housing has a cover portion, said cover portion being constructed as a lens.

Claim 15

A light reflector as claimed in claim 12, wherein said lens is a cylindrical dispersing lens.

Claim 16

A light reflector as claimed in claim 2, wherein said prisms are colored red.

Claim 17

A light reflector construction suitable for deterring game from crossing a highway adjacent the reflector comprising a housing including a light transparent cover, a prism plate mounted within said housing behind said cover, said prism plate comprising a plurality of juxtaposed prisms, the cross-section of each prism corresponding essentially to an isosceles, right angled triangle whose legs define light transmissive front surfaces, the hypotenuse surfaces of the prisms forming the rear surface of said prism plate, said rear surface being capable of reflecting a light beam striking the prisms so that light striking said prisms in a front plane is reflected by said rear surfaces in the front plane in a direction extending substantially 90* to the direction of the striking light, at least one of the surfaces of each prism being curved in such a manner that the reflected light is spread in a fan-like manner by said curved surfaces.

Claim 18

A light reflector construction suitable for deterring game from crossing a highway adjacent the reflector comprising a housing including a light transparent cover, a prism plate mounted within said housing behind said cover, said prism plate comprising a plurality of juxtaposed prisms, the cross-section of each prism corresponding essentially to an isosceles, right angled triangle whose legs define light transmissive front surfaces, the hypotenuse surfaces of the prisms forming the rear surface of said prism plate, said rear surface being capable of reflecting a light beam striking the prisms so that light striking said prisms in a front plane is reflected by said rear surfaces in the front plane in a direction extending substantially 90* to the direction of the striking light, at least one of the surfaces of each prism being curved in such a manner that the reflected light is spread in a fan-like manner by said curved surfaces.

Claim 19

A construction as in claim 15, wherein respective surfaces of said prisms each have parallel edges, and wherein said plate is mounted so that said edges are more vertical than horizontal.

Claim 20

A construction as in claim 16, wherein said edges are substantially vertical.

Claim 21

A construction as in claim 16, wherein in each prism one of the front surfaces faces the direction of oncoming light on the highway.

Claim 22

A construction as in claim 18, wherein in each prism the said one of the front surfaces is substantially transverse to the direction of travel along the highway.

Claim 23

A construction as in claim 17, wherein the rear surface of said prism plate is substantially vertical and extends angularly relative to the direction of the highway.

Claim 24

A construction as in claim 20, further comprising a second prism plate, said second prism plate comprising a plurality of juxtaposed prisms, the cross-section of each prism corresponding essentially to an isosceles right triangle, the hypotenuse surfaces of the prisms forming the rear surface of said second prism plate, each of said prisms, in said second prism plate having surfaces with parallel edges, the rear surface of said second prism plate extending at right angles to the hypotenuse surface of said first prism plate.

Claim 25

A construction as in claim 17, wherein the rear surface of said prism plate extends substantially 45* relative to the direction of the highway.

Claim 26

A construction as in claim 21, wherein the rear surface of said prism plates each extend 45* relative to the direction of the highway and at right angles relative to each other.

Claim 27

A reflector as in claim 18, wherein the front surfaces facing the direction of the oncoming light are flat and the front surfaces at right angles to the front surfaces facing the oncoming light are curved.

Claim 28

A reflector as in claim 2, wherein respective surfaces of said prisms each have parallel edges.

Claim 29

A reflector as in claim 2, further comprising second prism means formed by a plurality of juxtaposed prisms, the cross-section of each prism in said second prism means corresponding essentially to an isosceles right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse surface of the prisms of said second prism means forming the rear surface of said second prism means, said rear surface of said second prism means being capable of reflecting a light beam striking the second prism means, at least one of the front surfaces of each of said prisms in said second prism means, viewed in cross-section of the prism, being curved so as to sCatter reflected light, the rear surfaces of said first and second prism means being at right angles to each other.

Claim 30

A reflector as in claim 26, wherein said prism means are mounted at right angles relative to each other so that, in general, the remaining front surfaces of said first prism means face away from the remaining front surfaces of said second prism means.

Claim 31

A reflector as in claim 27, wherein respective surfaces of said prisms in said prism means each have parallel edges, all of the parallel edges being substantially parallel to the intersection of the rear surface of said first prism means with the rear surface of said second prism means.

Claim 32

A reflector as in claim 25, wherein the curved ones of said surfaces are curved about an axis parallel to the parallel edges.

Claim 33

A construction as in claim 16, wherein the curved ones of said surfaces are curved about an axis parallel to the parallel edges.

Claim 34

A light reflector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the front surface through which the reflected light is scattered has the curvature of a diverging lens.