AUTOMATED TELESCOPING TOWER

• US 20110185647A1
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aluma Tower Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aluma Tower Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Diniz, Ronald L., Fuhrman, Steve, Davis, Craig A., Malo, Lowell
• Granted Patent: US 8,365,471 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/111
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/18 movable or with movable sections, e.g. rotatable or telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/182 telescopic locking of telescopic systems in general F16B7/10
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/16 against adverse conditions, e.g. extreme climate, pests
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/02 Electric testing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 3/00 Control of position or direction G05D1/00 takes precedence; numerical control to execute positioning G05B19/18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/00 Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A telescoping tower comprising a sensor for monitoring an environmental condition, a processor for comparing the monitored environmental condition to a predetermined value, and an actuator for automatically retracting the telescoping tower if the environmental condition is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

Claims

1. A telescoping tower comprising:

a) a sensor for monitoring an environmental condition;

b) a processor for comparing the monitored environmental condition to a first predetermined value; and

c) an actuator for automatically retracting the telescoping tower if the environmental condition is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value.

2. The telescoping tower of claim 1, further comprising a control system for controlling the movement of the telescoping tower.

3. The telescoping tower of claim 2, wherein the control system is remote from the telescoping tower.

4. The telescoping tower of claim 3, wherein the telescoping tower is connected to the control system by at least one of a hard wire, wireless, cellular, RF (radio frequency) link, satellite communications or through a network.

5. The telescoping tower of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a winch attached to the telescoping tower.

6. The telescoping tower of claim 1, further comprising an audible or visual alarm that is triggered prior to the retraction of the telescoping tower.

7. The telescoping tower of claim 1, wherein the actuator automatically extends the retracted tower if the environmental condition is equal to or less than a second predetermined value.

8. The telescoping tower of claim 7, wherein the second predetermined value is equal to or less than the first predetermined value.

9. The telescoping tower of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an anemometer and the environmental condition is wind speed.

10. A method for automatically retracting a telescoping tower comprising:

a) monitoring an environmental condition;

b) comparing the monitored environmental condition to a first predetermined value; and

c) retracting the telescoping tower if the environmental condition is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising comparing the monitored environmental condition to a second predetermined value while the telescoping tower is retracted, and extending the telescoping tower if the environmental condition is equal to or below the second predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second predetermined value is equal to or less than the first predetermined value.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing the monitored environmental condition to a first and second predetermined value respectively, for a first and predetermined period of time respectively.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the monitoring is performed using an anemometer and the environmental condition is wind speed.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first predetermined value is dependent on a structural characteristic of the telescoping tower.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising activating an alarm prior to retracting the telescoping tower.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising a control system for controlling the retraction and/or extension of the telescoping tower.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the control system is remote from the telescoping tower.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the telescoping tower is connected to the control system by at least one of a hard wire, wireless, cellular, RF (radio frequency) link, satellite communications or through a network.