Radio broadcasting device and relay tower therefor

• US 6,903,705 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Emmanuel Livadiotti
• Original Assignee: Emmanuel Livadiotti
• Inventors: Livadiotti, Emmanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shih-Chao
• Application Number:
  US10/234,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20030095077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 343/874, 343/875, 343/890, 343/891
• US Class Current: 343/890
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/005 Damping of vibrations; Means for reducing wind-induced forces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1242 Rigid masts specially adapted for supporting an aerial
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/246 specially adapted for base stations

Abstract

A tower for a wireless transmission device including at least one shaft extending upwardly between top and bottom portions, transverse spars extending outwardly from the shaft, at least one brace connected to at least one of the spars and extending between the top and bottom portions, wherein the transverse spars are articulated in relation to the shaft and form, in conjunction with the braces, cells conserving parallelism of the spars.

Claims

1. A tower for a wireless transmission device comprising at least one shaft and transverse spars, wherein the transverse spars are articulated in relation to the shaft and form with braces cells conserving the parallelism of said spars, wherein the spars are connected to the shaft by a recessed articulation along an axis extending along the shaft, and free in at least one transverse direction and pivoting in relation to at least one transverse axis.

2. The tower according to claim 1, wherein connecting means comprising at least two inextensible braces arranged at either side of the shaft, attached at one end to a base of the tower and at another end to a head of the tower, form a deformable parallelogram maintaining the head in an essentially constant plane.

3. The tower according to claim 2, wherein the braces are integral with each of the spars to form cells having bases and tops, the bases and tops being maintained in parallel planes.

4. The tower according to claim 2, wherein the spars are essentially flat elements and the connecting means comprise 3 braces.

5. The tower according to claim 2, wherein the spars are essentially flat elements and the connecting means comprise a multiplicity of flexible rods.

6. The tower according to claim 1, wherein the head has a faired part oriented along a vertical axis.

7. The tower according to claim 6, wherein the head is mounted freely in rotation and has aerodynamic driving means for creation of gyroscopic stabilization.

8. The tower according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is a multiplicity of elements that can be recessed.

9. The tower according to claim 8, wherein a bottom element is of conical form.

10. A process for installing a tower according to claim 9, comprising:

equipping a top end of the conical element with a winch;

installing the conical element on a base; and

hoisting up a top element to a height allowing the top element to fit into a lower element and repeating until reaching a segment intended to fit into the conical element.

11. A wireless transmission device comprising a tower according to claim 1, an upper part of which supports at least one antenna connected to electronic equipment comprising an HF amplifier located in a top part of the tower, said tower comprising at least one flexible median shaft having at a top part thereof a head located in a plane essentially perpendicular to the shaft, the shaft being equipped with articulated transverse spars, the tower further comprising non-extensible means connecting the head, the spars and a base of the tower to form deformable parallelepiped modules, conserving essentially the parallelism of the spars, the head and the base.

12. The wireless transmission device according to claim 11, wherein the electronic equipment is enclosed in a structured shelter integral with the tower.

13. The wireless transmission device according to claim 12, wherein the electronic equipment is powered by photovoltaic cells located in the top part of the device.

14. The wireless transmission device according to claim 11, wherein the top part comprises a rotary inertial mass producing gyroscopic stabilization.

15. A tower for a wireless transmission device comprising;

at least one shaft extending upwardly between top and bottom portions;

transverse spars extending outwardly from the shaft; and

at least one brace connected to at least one of the spars and extending between the top and bottom portions, wherein the transverse spars are articulated in relation to the shaft and form, in conjunction with the braces, cells to maintain parallelism of the spars, wherein the spars are connected to the shaft by a recessed articulation along an axis extending along the shaft, and free in at least one transverse direction and pivoting in relation to at least one transverse axis.

16. The tower according to claim 15, further comprising at least two braces arranged at either side of the shaft and attached at one end to the bottom portion of the tower and at another end to the upper portion to form a deformable parallelogram maintaining the upper portion in an essentially constant plane.

17. The two according to claim 16, wherein the braces are integral with each of the spars to form cells having bases and tops, the bases and tops being maintained in parallel planes.

18. The tower according to claim 15, wherein the spars comprise essentially flat elements connected to 3 braces.