Filament wound structural light poles
First Claim
Patent Images
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.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
109 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A street light comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of supporting a lighting structure, said method comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of supporting a lighting structure, said method comprising the steps of:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of supporting a lighting structure, said method comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A method of supporting a lighting structure, said method comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A composite light pole comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification