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US 6,955,024 B2Granted
Filament wound structural light poles
AssigneeNorth Pacific Group, Inc.
InventorClint Ashton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A one-piece, unitary, elongate, tubular light pole. The elongate light pole defines a central axis and is constructed from a filament-wound composite of fiber-reinforced bonding agent and has a wall thickness of less than ¾ inch, and preferably ⅜ inch. The pole is configured and adapted to support a lighting structure thereon without failure of the composite, such that a twenty-foot section of the pole is capable of withstanding a lateral load transverse of the axis of at least 300 pounds without failure of the composite.
Claims37
A street light comprising:
- a one-piece, unitary, elongate, tubular member defining a central axis, said tubular member being constructed from a filament-wound composite of fiber-reinforced bonding agent and having a substantially constant exterior taper;
- means for supporting the tubular member in a stationary, upwardly-extending orientation such that said tubular member terminates in an upper section;
- and
- lighting means attached to the upper section of the tubular member for projecting light;
- wherein said filament-wound composite comprises windings that form an angle within a range of 80-100 degrees with respect to the central axis.
2 more elements
A method of supporting a lighting structure, said method comprising:
- forming a one-piece, unitary, elongate, tubular member defining a central axis, said tubular member being constructed from a filament-wound composite of fiber-reinforced bonding agent and having a wall thickness of less than ¾ inch;
- configuring said tubular member to support said lighting structure thereon;
- configuring said tubular member such that a twenty-foot section of said tubular member fixed at one end withstands a lateral load transverse of the axis of at least 300 pounds applied to an opposing free end without failure of said composite material.
A method of supporting a lighting structure, said method comprising the steps of:
- forming a one-piece, unitary, elongate, tubular member defining a central axis, said tubular member being constructed from a filament-wound composite of fiber-reinforced bonding agent;
- configuring said tubular member such that a twenty-foot section of said tubular member fixed at one end undergoes less than 19.938 inches of deflection when a lateral load of at least 300 pounds is applied at an opposing free end section of said tubular member in a transverse direction relative the axis.
A method of supporting a lighting structure, said method comprising:
- forming a one-piece, unitary, elongate, tubular member defining a central axis, said tubular member being constructed from a filament-wound composite of fiber-reinforced bonding agent;
- configuring said tubular member such that a twenty-foot section of said tubular member fixed at one end undergoes less than 36 inches of deflection when a lateral load is applied at an opposing free end section of said tubular member in a transverse direction relative to the axis and at a magnitude sufficient to induce failure of the composite.
A method of supporting a lighting structure, said method comprising:
- forming a one-piece, unitary, elongate, tubular member defining a central axis, said tubular member being constructed from a filament-wound composite of fiber-reinforced bonding agent;
- configuring said tubular member to support said lighting structure thereon and to bear lateral loads imposed by said lighting structure without failure of the composite;
- and
- forming said tubular member to have an average linear weight distribution of less than five pounds per foot and further having an average outer diameter of at least six inches.
1 more element
A composite light pole comprising:
- a one piece, unitary elongated, tubular member having a top section and a base section, the top section configured to interconnect with a lighting structure, the base section configured to couple with a base for supporting the light pole in a substantially upright position, the member having a central axis, and the member further comprising:
- a hoop-wound first layer, the first layer having a plurality of continuous strands substantially parallel to each other, the plurality of strands being wound at an angle in the range of 80-100 degrees with respect to the central axis,
- at helical-wound second layer over laying the first layer, the second layer having a plurality of continuous strands substantially parallel to each other, the plurality of strands being wound at an angle in the range of 10-20 degrees with respect to the central axis,
- a hoop-wound third layer overlaying the second layer, the third layer having a plurality of continuous strands substantially parallel to each other, the plurality of strands being wound at an angle in the range of 80-100 degrees with respect to the central axis,
- the plurality of continuous strands of the first second and third layers being under tension in the range of approximately 30-100 when applied, the plurality of layers forming a substantially smooth and constant exterior taper from the base section to the top section;
- wherein the second layer provides the majority of the desired stiffness and is contained by the first and third layers.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.