Back to results
US 11,940,004 B1Granted
Articulated utility pole
AssigneeAdkins Energy Concepts LLC
InventorJohn L. Adkins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed and described herein are embodiments of an articulated utility pole that facilitates repair and/or reinstallation in the event of damage to the pole caused by wind loading (e.g., storms), trees or other items striking the utility lines, collisions with the poles, and the like. Also disclosed herein are methods of repairing and/or re-installing the articulated utility pole. Further disclosed herein are components for fabricating an articulated utility pole.
Claims20
An articulated utility pole comprising:
- a first pole section;
- a second pole section;
- a pivot point, wherein the pivot point connects the first pole section and the second pole section together, allowing one of the first pole section or second pole section to move relative to one another, or for the first pole section and the second pole section to move independently of each other;
- and
- a sleeve having a shape that conforms to an exterior of the first pole section and the exterior of the second pole section proximate the pivot point, wherein the sleeve bridges the first pole section and the second pole section at the pivot point preventing one section of the pole from moving relative to the other section and preventing the two connected pole sections to move independently of the other, wherein the sleeve is configured such that it will fail before the first pole section or second pole section based on a force applied to any of the first pole section, the second pole section and/or to the sleeve,
- wherein at least one of the first pole section or the second pole section are comprised of plastic with one or more reinforcement sections, wherein the one or more reinforcement sections run vertically in the first pole section or the second pole section and is held in place by one or more braces, and
- wherein each brace of the one or more braces has a smaller diameter than the pole section that it is embedded in such that each brace is completely embedded in the plastic that comprises the first pole section or the second pole section.
4 more elements
An articulated utility pole comprising:
- a first pole section;
- a second pole section;
- a pivot point, wherein the pivot point connects the first pole section and the second pole section together, allowing one of the first pole section or second pole section to move relative to one another, or for the first pole section and the second pole section to move independently of each other;
- and
- a sleeve having a shape that conforms to an exterior of the first pole section and the exterior of the second pole section proximate the pivot point, wherein the sleeve bridges the first pole section and the second pole section at the pivot point preventing one section of the pole from moving relative to the other section and preventing the two connected pole sections to move independently of the other, wherein the sleeve is configured such that it will fail before the first pole section or second pole section based on a force applied to any of the first pole section, the second pole section and/or to the sleeve,
- wherein at least one of the first pole section or the second pole section are comprised of plastic with one or more reinforcement sections, wherein the one or more reinforcement sections run vertically in the first pole section or the second pole section and is held in place by one or more braces,
- wherein the sleeve is configured such that it will fail before the first pole section or second pole section based on one or more of a thickness of the sleeve, its length (how far it extends along the first pole section and the second pole section from the pivot point), its shape, or a material or materials that it is comprised of, and
- wherein the sleeve is a flanged sleeve comprised of a plurality of sections bolted together, or the sleeve is comprised of a plurality of sections that are internally connected together.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.