Ultra lightweight segmented ladder/bridge system
AssigneeAllred & Associates Inc.
InventorsJimmie B. Allred, III, Joseph Kummer, Michael D. Griswold, Michael J. Hall, Matthew A. Bush
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Abstract
A dual-use ladder and bridge modular system preferably includes tubes, gussets, flanges, and/or joints. In a preferred embodiment, the tubes, gussets, flanges, and/or joints are made of carbon fiber. A method connects and disconnects modular carbon fiber ladder segments. Another method creates a lightweight carbon-fiber beam with exceptionally high stiffness and strength using a combination of carbon-fiber braid material, uni-directional cloth, and pultruded carbon-fiber strips. A carbon fiber ladder segment and tube connectors are also disclosed.
Claims37
A carbon fiber ladder segment, comprising:
- a) a pair of tubular carbon fiber side rails, each rail having a first end and a second end;
- b) at least one carbon fiber rung perpendicular to the carbon fiber side rails, wherein the carbon fiber rung connects the side rails of the ladder segment;
- and
- c) a spliced joint connector located at at least one of the first end and the second end of each carbon fiber side rail;
- wherein the spliced joint connector on an end of a first carbon fiber side rail of a first ladder segment reversibly mates with a sleeve formed by a hollow portion of an interior of a second carbon fiber side rail of a second ladder segment;
- and
- wherein, when at least two ladder segments are joined by the spliced joint connector and the sleeve, they form a segmented structure.
A method of fabricating a carbon fiber tube, comprising the steps of:
- a) sandwiching a plurality of uni-directional carbon-fiber strips within a carbon-fiber tube between an inner carbon fiber layer of the carbon fiber tube and an outer carbon fiber layer of the carbon fiber tube;
- and
- b) adhering the uni-directional carbon-fiber strips to the carbon fiber tube.
A modular system comprising:
- a) a plurality of carbon fiber tubes, each carbon fiber tube having a first end and a second end;
- b) a spliced joint connector located at at least one of the first end and the second end of each carbon fiber tube;
- c) at least one modular element, wherein the modular element mates with at least one end of the carbon fiber tubes;
- wherein the spliced joint connector on an end of a first carbon fiber tube mates either with a sleeve formed by a hollow portion of an interior of a second carbon fiber tube or with the modular element to form a structure.
A carbon fiber ladder segment, comprising:
- a) a pair of tubular carbon fiber side rails, each rail having a first end and a second end;
- b) at least one carbon fiber rung perpendicular to the carbon fiber side rails, wherein the carbon fiber rung connects the side rails of the ladder segment;
- and
- c) a joint connector located at at least one of the first end and the second end of each carbon fiber side rail;
- wherein the joint connector on an end of a first carbon fiber side rail of a first ladder segment reversibly mates with the joint connector on a second carbon fiber side rail of a second ladder segment;
- and
- wherein, when at least two ladder segments are joined by the joint connectors, they form a segmented structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.