Filament wound structural light poles

• US 6,955,024 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bridgewell Resources LLC (Guardwell Distribution LLC)
• Original Assignee: North Pacific Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Ashton, Clint
• Primary Examiner(s): Chapman, Jeanette E.
• Application Number:
  US10/377,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 527/361, 527/451.7, 52D/IG.7, 527/363, 526/510.2, 521/55, 521/699, 527/201, 526/491, 526/501, 526/510.4, 526/510.7, 526/511.1, 527/461, 428/377, 428/378, 405/216, 405/211, 405/211.1, 405/257, 156/94, 156/166, 156/169, 156/170, 156/173, 156/175, 156/177, 156/180, 156/185, 156/190, 156/195, 577/361, 577/431.7, 57D/IG.7, 577/363, 576/510.2
• US Class Current: 52/843
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2053/8025 tensioning
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/60 using internal forming surfaces, e.g. mandrels
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/766 Poles, masts, posts
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 3/28 of materials not covered by groups E04C3/04 - E04C3/20
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 3/36 of materials not covered by groups E04C3/32 or E04C3/34; of a combination of two or more materials
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/02 Structures made of specified materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 52/07 Synthetic building materials, reinforcements and equivalents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2936 Wound or wrapped core or coating [i.e., spiral or helical]

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.

Claims

1. 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. The street light of claim 1, wherein said tubular member is configured and adapted to support a lighting structure thereon without failure of the composite, such that a twenty-foot section of said tubular member is capable of withstanding a lateral load transverse of the axis of at least 300 pounds without failure of the composite.

3. The street light of claim 2, wherein the tubular member has a wall thickness of less than ¾

inch.

4. The street light of claim 1, wherein the tubular member has a wall thickness of ⅜

inch or less.

5. The street light of claim 1, wherein the tubular member is configured and adapted 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 end section of said tubular member in a transverse direction relative to the axis.

6. The street light of claim 1, wherein the tubular member is configured and adapted 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 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.

7. The street light of claim 1, wherein the tubular member is configured and adapted to support a heavy lighting structure thereon and to bear lateral loads imposed by said lighting structure without failure of the composite, and wherein said tubular member is light weight having an average linear weight distribution of less than five pounds per foot and further having an average outer diameter of at least six inches.

8. The street light of claim 1, wherein the tubular member is characterized by a substantial absence of core material disposed therein for the purpose of providing structural reinforcement to said tubular member.

9. 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.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming said tubular member with a wall thickness of less than ½

inch.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the tubular member to bear flexure stress imposed by a lighting member when said lighting member is attached to said tubular member and extends outward from said tubular member in a sideways direction.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing means for supporting the tubular member in a stationary, upwardly-extending orientation such that said tubular member terminates in an upper section; and

attaching lighting means to the upper section of the tubular member for projecting light.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the 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 end section of said tubular member in a transverse direction relative to the axis.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the 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 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.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising configuring the tubular member to support a heavy lighting structure thereon and to bear lateral loads imposed by said lighting structure without failure of the composite, and configuring said tubular member to be light weight having an average linear weight distribution of less than five pounds per foot and further having an average outer diameter of at least six inches.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming the tubular member with a substantial absence of core material disposed therein for the purpose of providing structural reinforcement to said tubular member.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising forming the tubular member of multiple, filament-wound layers, including an inner, circumferential hoop-wound layer, and at least one internal, helical-wound layer, and an external, circumferential hoop-wound layer.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the inner, circumferential hoop-wound layer comprises windings that form an angle within a range of 80-100 degrees with respect to the central axis of the tubular member.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the angle formed by the windings of the inner, circumferential hoop-wound layer is within a range of 85-90 degrees.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one internal, helical-wound layer comprises windings that form an angle within a range of 10-20 degrees with respect to the central axis of the tubular member.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the angle formed by the windings of the at least one internal, helical-wound layer is approximately 15 degrees.

22. 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.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising forming the tubular member with a wall thickness of less than ¾

inch.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising forming the tubular member with a wall thickness of less than ½

inch.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

providing means for supporting the tubular member in a stationary, upwardly-extending orientation such that said tubular member terminates in an upper section; and

attaching lighting means to the upper section of the tubular member for projecting light.

26. 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.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

providing means for supporting the tubular member in a stationary, upwardly-extending orientation such that said tubular member terminates in an upper section; and

attaching lighting means to the upper section of the tubular member for projecting light.

28. 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.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising configuring the tubular member such that a twenty-foot section of said tubular member is capable of withstanding a lateral load transverse of the axis of at least 300 pounds without failure of the composite.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming the tubular member with a wall thickness of less than ¾

inch.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising forming the tubular member with a wall thickness of less than ½

inch.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

providing means for supporting the tubular member in a stationary, upwardly-extending orientation such that said tubular member terminates in an upper section; and

attaching lighting means to the upper section of the tubular member for projecting light.

33. 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.

34. The composite light pole of claim 33, wherein the plurality of layers form a wall thickness in the range of ⅜

of an inch to ¾

of an inch.

35. The composite light pole of claim 33, wherein the lighting structure includes a street light cantilevered from the top section of the composite light pole.

36. The composite light pole of claim 33, wherein the lighting structure includes a street lamp coupled to the top section of the composite light pole.

37. The composite light pole of claim 33, wherein the second layer is bonded to the first and third layers.