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US 2021/0231237 A1Published application
Tubular structure reinforcing
AssigneeKeystone Tower Systems, Inc.
InventorsEric D. Smith, Loren Daniel Bridgers, Rosalind K. Takata
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tubular structures, systems, and methods are generally directed to support structures having structural properties similar to thick-walled structures while being formed using materials having thickness amendable to rolling and welding and, thus, useful for rapid and cost-effective fabrication.
Claims24
A tubular structure comprising:
- a base having a first surface and a second surface opposite one another, the first surface defining an elongate cavity, and the base having a tubular shape defining a longitudinal axis extending along the elongate cavity;
- and
- a wrap supported on the second surface of the base, the wrap including at least one layer, and each layer having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge coupled to one another along a respective spiral seam associated with the given layer and extending about the longitudinal axis of the base.
A system for forming a tubular structure, the system comprising:
- a drive system including drive rolls actuatable to move a planar form of stock material in a feed direction;
- a curving device positioned to receive the planar form of the stock material moving in the feed direction, the curving device controllable to bend the planar form of the stock material to produce a curved form of the stock material;
- a plurality of support rollers operable to rotatably support a curved surface of a material;
- and
- one or more pressure rolls positioned to receive the curved form of the stock material from the curving device, and the one or more pressure rolls movable to press the curved form of the stock material from the curving device onto the curved surface of the material rotatably supported on the plurality of support rollers.
2 more elements
A method of forming a tubular structure, the method comprising:
- bending a portion of a planar form of a strip of a stock material into a curved form of the stock material;
- wrapping the curved form of the stock material onto a curved surface of a base to form a spiral seam about a longitudinal axis defined by the base;
- and
- joining the curved form of the stock material at least to itself along the spiral seam.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.